a laodicean-第36章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


more　intense　by　the　height　of　the　window　from　the　floor；
reduced　all　the　pictures　that　were　standing　around　to　the
wizened　feebleness　of　corpses　on　end。　　The　shadowy　parts　of
the　room　behind　the　different　easels　were　veiled　in　a　brown
vapour；　precluding　all　estimate　of　the　extent　of　the　studio；
and　only　subdued　in　the　foreground　by　the　ruddy　glare　from　an
open　stove　of　Dutch　tiles。　　Somerset's　footsteps　had　been　so
noiseless　over　the　carpeting　of　the　stairs　and　landing；　that
his　father　was　unaware　of　his　presence；　he　continued　at　his
work　as　before；　which　he　performed　by　the　help　of　a
complicated　apparatus　of　lamps；　candles；　and　reflectors；　so
arranged　as　to　eke　out　the　miserable　daylight；　to　a　power
apparently　sufficient　for　the　neutral　touches　on　which　he　was
at　that　moment　engaged。

The　first　thought　of　an　unsophisticated　stranger　on　entering
that　room　could　only　be　the　amazed　inquiry　why　a　professor　of
the　art　of　colour；　which　beyond　all　other　arts　requires　pure
daylight　for　its　exercise；　should　fix　himself　on　the　single
square　league　in　habitable　Europe　to　which　light　is　denied　at
noonday　for　weeks　in　succession。

'O！　it's　you；　George；　is　it？'　said　the　Academician；　turning
from　the　lamps；　which　shone　over　his　bald　crown　at　such　a
slant　as　to　reveal　every　cranial　irregularity。　　'How　are　you
this　morning？　　Still　a　dead　silence　about　your　grand　castle
competition？'

Somerset　told　the　news。　　His　father　duly　congratulated　him；
and　added　genially；　'It　is　well　to　be　you；　George。　　One　large
commission　to　attend　to；　and　nothing　to　distract　you　from　it。
I　am　bothered　by　having　a　dozen　irons　in　the　fire　at　once。
And　people　are　so　unreasonable。Only　this　morning；　among
other　things；　when　you　got　your　order　to　go　on　with　your
single　study；　I　received　a　letter　from　a　woman；　an　old　friend
whom　I　can　scarcely　refuse；　begging　me　as　a　great　favour　to
design　her　a　set　of　theatrical　costumes；　in　which　she　and　her
friends　can　perform　for　some　charity。　　It　would　occupy　me　a
good　week　to　go　into　the　subject　and　do　the　thing　properly。
Such　are　the　sort　of　letters　I　get。　　I　wish；　George；　you　could
knock　out　something　for　her　before　you　leave　town。　　It　is
positively　impossible　for　me　to　do　it　with　all　this　work　in
hand；　and　these　eternal　fogs　to　contend　against。'

'I　fear　costumes　are　rather　out　of　my　line；'　said　the　son。
'However；　I'll　do　what　I　can。　　What　period　and　country　are
they　to　represent？'

His　father　didn't　know。　　He　had　never　looked　at　the　play　of
late　years。　　It　was　'Love's　Labour's　Lost。'　　'You　had　better
read　it　for　yourself；'　he　said；　'and　do　the　best　you　can。'

During　the　morning　Somerset　junior　found　time　to　refresh　his
memory　of　the　play；　and　afterwards　went　and　hunted　up
materials　for　designs　to　suit　the　same；　which　occupied　his
spare　hours　for　the　next　three　days。　　As　these　occupations
made　no　great　demands　upon　his　reasoning　faculties　he　mostly
found　his　mind　wandering　off　to　imaginary　scenes　at　Stancy
Castle：　　particularly　did　he　dwell　at　this　time　upon　Paula's
lively　interest　in　the　history；　relics；　tombs；　architecture；
nay；　the　very　Christian　names　of　the　De　Stancy　line；　and　her
'artistic'　preference　for　Charlotte's　ancestors　instead　of　her
own。　　Yet　what　more　natural　than　that　a　clever　meditative
girl；　encased　in　the　feudal　lumber　of　that　family；　should
imbibe　at　least　an　antiquarian　interest　in　it？　　Human　nature
at　bottom　is　romantic　rather　than　ascetic；　and　the　local
habitation　which　accident　had　provided　for　Paula　was　perhaps
acting　as　a　solvent　of　the　hard；　morbidly　introspective　views
thrust　upon　her　in　early　life。

Somerset　wondered　if　his　own　possession　of　a　substantial
genealogy　like　Captain　De　Stancy's　would　have　had　any
appreciable　effect　upon　her　regard　for　him。　　His　suggestion　to
Paula　of　her　belonging　to　a　worthy　strain　of　engineers　had
been　based　on　his　content　with　his　own　intellectual　line　of
descent　through　Pheidias；　Ictinus　and　Callicrates；
Chersiphron；　Vitruvius；　Wilars　of　Cambray；　William　of　Wykeham；
and　the　rest　of　that　long　and　illustrious　roll；　but　Miss
Power's　marked　preference　for　an　animal　pedigree　led　him　to
muse　on　what　he　could　show　for　himself　in　that　kind。

These　thoughts　so　far　occupied　him　that　when　he　took　the
sketches　to　his　father；　on　the　morning　of　the　fifth；　he　was
led　to　ask：　　'Has　any　one　ever　sifted　out　our　family
pedigree？'

'Family　pedigree？'

'Yes。　　Have　we　any　pedigree　worthy　to　be　compared　with　that　of
professedly　old　families？　　I　never　remember　hearing　of　any
ancestor　further　back　than　my　great…grandfather。'

Somerset　the　elder　reflected　and　said　that　he　believed　there
was　a　genealogical　tree　about　the　house　somewhere；　reaching
back　to　a　very　respectable　distance。　　'Not　that　I　ever　took
much　interest　in　it；'　he　continued；　without　looking　up　from
his　canvas；　'but　your　great　uncle　John　was　a　man　with　a　taste
for　those　subjects；　and　he　drew　up　such　a　sheet：　　he　made
several　copies　on　parchment；　and　gave　one　to　each　of　his
brothers　and　sisters。　　The　one　he　gave　to　my　father　is　still
in　my　possession；　I　think。'

Somerset　said　that　he　should　like　to　see　it；　but　half…an…
hour's　search　about　the　house　failed　to　discover　the　document；
and　the　Academician　then　remembered　that　it　was　in　an　iron　box
at　his　banker's。　　He　had　used　it　as　a　wrapper　for　some　title…
deeds　and　other　valuable　writings　which　were　deposited　there
for　safety。　　'Why　do　you　want　it？'　he　inquired。

The　young　man　confessed　his　whim　to　know　if　his　own　antiquity
would　bear　comparison　with　that　of　another　person；　whose　name
he　did　not　mention；　whereupon　his　father　gave　him　a　key　that
would　fit　the　said　chest；　if　he　meant　to　pursue　the　subject
further。　　Somerset；　however；　did　nothing　in　the　matter　that
day；　but　the　next　morning；　having　to　call　at　the　bank　on　other
business；　he　remembered　his　new　fancy。

It　was　about　eleven　o'clock。　　The　fog；　though　not　so　brown　as
it　had　been　on　previous　days；　was　still　dense　enough　to
necessitate　lights　in　the　shops　and　offices。　　When　Somerset
had　finished　his　business　in　the　outer　office　of　the　bank　he
went　to　the　manager's　room。　　The　hour　being　somewhat　early　the
only　persons　present　in　that　sanctuary　of　balances；　besides
the　manager　who　welcomed　him；　were　two　gentlemen；　apparently
lawyers；　who　sat　talking　earnestly　over　a　box　of　papers。　　The
manager；　on　learning　what　Somerset　wanted；　unlocked　a　door
from　which　a　flight　of　stone　steps　led　to　the　vaults；　and　sent
down　a　clerk　and　a　porter　for　the　safe。

Before；　however；　they　had　descended　far　a　gentle　tap　came　to
the　door；　and　in　response　to　an　invitation　to　enter　a　lady
appeared；　wrapped　up　in　furs　to　her　very　nose。

The　manager　seemed　to　recognize　her；　for　he　went　across　the
room　in　a　moment；　and　set　her　a　chair　at　the　middle　table；
replying　to　some　observation　of　hers　with　the　words；　'O　yes；
certainly；'　in　a　deferential　tone。

'I　should　like　it　brought　up　at　once；'　said　the　lady。

Somerset；　who　had　seated　himself　at　a　table　in　a　somewhat
obscure　corner；　screened　by　the　lawyers；　started　at　the　words。
The　voice　was　Miss　Power's；　and　so　plainly　enough　was　the
figure　as　soon　as　he　examined　it。　　Her　back　was　towards　him；
and　either　because　the　room　was　only　lighted　in　two　places；　or
because　she　was　absorbed　in　her　own　concerns；　she　seemed　to　be
unconscious　of　any　one's　presence　on　the　scene　except　the
banker　and　herself。　　The　former　called　back　the　clerk；　and　two
other　porters　having　been　summoned　they　disappeared　to　get
whatever　she　required。

Somerset；　somewhat　excited；　sat　wondering　what　could　have
brought　Paula　to　London　at　this　juncture；　and　was　in　some
doubt　if　the　occasion　were　a　suitable　one　for　revealing
himself；　her　errand　to　her　banker　being　possibly　of　a　very
private　nature。　　Nothing　helped　him　to　a　decision。　　Paula
never　once　turned　her　head；　and　the　progress　of　time　was
marked　only　by　the　murmurs　of　the　two　lawyers；　and　the
ceaseless　clash　of　gold　and　rattle　of　scales　from　the　outer
room；　where　the　busy　heads　of　cashiers　could　be　seen　through
the　partition　moving　about　under　the　globes　of　the　gas…lamps。

Footsteps　were　heard　upon　the　cellar…steps；　and　the　three　men
previously　sent　below　staggered　from　the　doorway；　bearing　a
huge　safe　which　nearly　broke　them　down。　　Somerset　knew　that
his　father's　box；　or　boxes；　could　boast　of　no　such　dimensions；
and　he　was　not　surprised　to　see　the　chest　deposited　in　front
of　Miss　Power。　　When　the　immense　accumulation　of　dust　had　been
cleared　off　the　lid；　and　the　chest　conveniently　placed　for
her；　Somerset　was　attended　to；　his　modest　box　being　brought　up
by　one　man　unassisted；　and　without　much　expenditure　of　breath。

His　interest　in　Paula　was　of　so　emotional　a　cast　that　his
attention　to　his　own　errand　was　of　the　most　perfunctory　kind。
She　was　close　to　a　gas…standard；　and　the　lawyers；　whose　seats
had　intervened；　having　finished　their　business　and　gone　away；
all　her　actions　were　visible　to　him。　　While　he　was　opening　his
father's　box　the　manager　assisted　Paula　to　unseal　and　unlock
hers；　and　he　now　saw　her　lift　from　it　a　morocco　case；　which
she　placed　on　the　table　before　her；　and　unfastened。　　Out　of　it
she　took　a　dazzling　object　that　fell　like　a　cascade　over　her
fingers。　　It　was　a　necklace　of　diamonds　and　pearls；　apparently
of　large　size　and　many　strands；　though　he　was　not　near　enough
to　see　distinctly。　　When　satisfied　by　her　examination　that　she
had　got　the　right　article　she　shut　it　into　its　case。

The　manager　closed　the　chest　for　her；　and　when　it　was　again
secured　Paula　arose；　tossed　the　necklace　into　her　hand…bag；
bowed　to　the　manager；　and　was　about　to　bid　him　good　morning。
Thereupon　he　said　with　some　hesitation：　　'Pardon　one　question；
Miss　Power。　　Do　you　intend　to　take　those　jewels　far？'

'Yes；'　she　said　simply；　'to　Stancy　Castle。'

'You　are　going　straight　there？'

'I　have　one　or　two　places　to　call　at　first。'

'I　would　suggest　that　you　carry　them　in　some　other　wayby
fastening　them　into　the　pocket　of　your　dress；　for　instance。'

'But　I　am　going　to　hold　the　bag　in　my　hand　and　never　once　let
it　go。'

The　banker　slightly　shook　his　head。　　'Suppose　your　carriage
gets　overturned：　　you　would　let　it　go　then。'

'Perhaps　so。'

'Or　if　you　saw　a　child　under　the　wheels　just　as　you　were
stepping　in；　or　if　you　accidentally　stumbled　in　getting　out；
or　if　there　was　a　collision　on　the　railwayyou　might　let　it
go。'

'Yes；　I　see　I　was　too　careless。　　I　thank　you。'

Paula　removed　the　necklace　from　the　bag；　turned　her　back　to
the　manager；　and　spent　several　minutes　in　placing　her　treasure
in　her　bosom；　pinning　it　and　otherwise　making　it　absolutely
secure。

'That's　it；'　said　the　grey…haired　man　of　caution；　with　evident
satisfaction。　　'There　is　not　much　danger　now：　　you　are　not
travelling　alone？'

Paula　replied　that　she　was　not　alone；　and　went　to　the　door。
There　was　one　moment　during　which　Somerset　might　have
conveniently　made　his　presence　known；　but　the　juxtaposition　of
the　bank…manager；　and　his　own　disarranged　box　of　securities；
embarrassed　him：　　the　moment　slipped　by；　and　she　was　gone。

In　the　meantime　he　had　mechanically　unearthed　the　pedigree；
and；　locking　up　his　father's　chest；　Somerset　also　took　his
departur