a laodicean-第42章

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intelligible　zest　for　circumventing　the　ardent　and　coercive
captain　of　artillery　saving　him　from　any　unnecessary　delay　in
the　journey。　　He　was　at　the　station　ten　minutes　before　the
train　was　due；　and　when　it　drew　up　to　the　platform　the　first
person　to　jump　out　was　Captain　De　Stancy　in　sportsman's　attire
and　with　a　gun　in　his　hand。　　Somerset　nodded；　and　De　Stancy
spoke；　informing　the　architect　that　he　had　been　ten　miles　up
the　line　shooting　waterfowl。　　'That's　Miss　Power's　carriage；　I
think；'　he　added。

'Yes；'　said　Somerset　carelessly。　　'She　expects　a　friend；　I
believe。　　We　shall　see　you　at　the　castle　again　to…night？'

De　Stancy　assured　him　that　they　would；　and　the　two　men　parted；
Captain　De　Stancy；　when　he　had　glanced　to　see　that　the
carriage　was　empty；　going　on　to　where　a　porter　stood　with　a
couple　of　spaniels。

Somerset　now　looked　again　to　the　train。　　While　his　back　had
been　turned　to　converse　with　the　captain；　a　lady　of　five…and…
thirty　had　alighted　from　the　identical　compartment　occupied　by
De　Stancy。　　She　made　an　inquiry　about　getting　to　Stancy
Castle；　upon　which　Somerset；　who　had　not　till　now　observed
her；　went　forward；　and　introducing　himself　assisted　her　to　the
carriage　and　saw　her　safely　off。

De　Stancy　had　by　this　time　disappeared；　and　Somerset　walked　on
to　his　rooms　at　the　Lord…Quantock…Arms；　where　he　remained　till
he　had　dined；　picturing　the　discomfiture　of　his　alert　rival
when　there　should　enter　to　him　as　Princess；　not　Paula　Power；
but　Miss　Bell　of　the　Regent's　Theatre；　London。　　Thus　the　hour
passed；　till　he　found　that　if　he　meant　to　see　the　issue　of　the
plot　it　was　time　to　be　off。

On　arriving　at　the　castle；　Somerset　entered　by　the　public　door
from　the　hall　as　before；　a　natural　delicacy　leading　him　to
feel　that　though　he　might　be　welcomed　as　an　ally　at　the　stage…
doorin　other　words；　the　door　from　the　corridorit　was
advisable　not　to　take　too　ready　an　advantage　of　a　privilege
which；　in　the　existing　secrecy　of　his　understanding　with
Paula；　might　lead　to　an　overthrow　of　her　plans　on　that　point。

Not　intending　to　sit　out　the　whole　performance；　Somerset
contented　himself　with　standing　in　a　window　recess　near　the
proscenium；　whence　he　could　observe　both　the　stage　and　the
front　rows　of　spectators。　　He　was　quite　uncertain　whether
Paula　would　appear　among　the　audience　to…night；　and　resolved
to　wait　events。　　Just　before　the　rise　of　the　curtain　the　young
lady　in　question　entered　and　sat　down。　　When　the　scenery　was
disclosed　and　the　King　of　Navarre　appeared；　what　was
Somerset's　surprise　to　find　that；　though　the　part　was　the　part
taken　by　De　Stancy　on　the　previous　night；　the　voice　was　that
of　Mr。　Mild；　to　him；　at　the　appointed　season；　entered　the
Princess；　namely；　Miss　Barbara　Bell。

Before　Somerset　had　recovered　from　his　crestfallen　sensation
at　De　Stancy's　elusiveness；　that　officer　himself　emerged　in
evening　dress　from　behind　a　curtain　forming　a　wing　to　the
proscenium；　and　Somerset　remarked　that　the　minor　part
originally　allotted　to　him　was　filled　by　the　subaltern　who　had
enacted　it　the　night　before。　　De　Stancy　glanced　across；
whether　by　accident　or　otherwise　Somerset　could　not　determine；
and　his　glance　seemed　to　say　he　quite　recognized　there　had
been　a　trial　of　wits　between　them；　and　that；　thanks　to　his
chance　meeting　with　Miss　Bell　in　the　train；　his　had　proved　the
stronger。

The　house　being　less　crowded　to…night　there　were　one　or　two
vacant　chairs　in　the　best　part。　　De　Stancy；　advancing　from
where　he　had　stood　for　a　few　moments；　seated　himself
comfortably　beside　Miss　Power。

On　the　other　side　of　her　he　now　perceived　the　same　queer
elderly　foreigner　（as　he　appeared）　who　had　come　to　her　in　the
garden　that　morning。　　Somerset　was　surprised　to　perceive　also
that　Paula　with　very　little　hesitation　introduced　him　and　De
Stancy　to　each　other。　　A　conversation　ensued　between　the
three；　none　the　less　animated　for　being　carried　on　in　a
whisper；　in　which　Paula　seemed　on　strangely　intimate　terms
with　the　stranger；　and　the　stranger　to　show　feelings　of　great
friendship　for　De　Stancy；　considering　that　they　must　be　new
acquaintances。

The　play　proceeded；　and　Somerset　still　lingered　in　his　corner。
He　could　not　help　fancying　that　De　Stancy's　ingenious
relinquishment　of　his　part；　　and　its　obvious　reason；　was
winning　Paula's　admiration。　　His　conduct　was　homage　carried　to
unscrupulous　and　inconvenient　lengths；　a　sort　of　thing　which　a
woman　may　chide；　but　which　she　can　never　resent。　　Who　could　do
otherwise　than　talk　kindly　to　a　man；　incline　a　little　to　him；
and　condone　his　fault；　when　the　sole　motive　of　so　audacious　an
exercise　of　his　wits　was　to　escape　acting　with　any　other
heroine　than　herself。

His　conjectures　were　brought　to　a　pause　by　the　ending　of　the
comedy；　and　the　opportunity　afforded　him　of　joining　the　group
in　front。　　The　mass　of　people　were　soon　gone；　and　the　knot　of
friends　assembled　around　Paula　were　discussing　the　merits　and
faults　of　the　two　days'　performance。

'My　uncle；　Mr。　Abner　Power；'　said　Paula　suddenly　to　Somerset；
as　he　came　near；　presenting　the　stranger　to　the　astonished
young　man。　　'I　could　not　see　you　before　the　performance；　as　I
should　have　liked　to　do。　　The　return　of　my　uncle　is　so
extraordinary　that　it　ought　to　be　told　in　a　less　hurried　way
than　this。　　He　has　been　supposed　dead　by　all　of　us　for　nearly
ten　yearsever　since　the　time　we　last　heard　from　him。'

'For　which　I　am　to　blame；'　said　Mr。　Power；　nodding　to　Paula's
architect。　　'Yet　not　I；　but　accident　and　a　sluggish
temperament。　　There　are　times；　Mr　Somerset；　when　the　human
creature　feels　no　interest　in　his　kind；　and　assumes　that　his
kind　feels　no　interest　in　him。　　The　feeling　is　not　active
enough　to　make　him　fly　from　their　presence；　but　sufficient　to
keep　him　silent　if　he　happens　to　be　away。　　I　may　not　have
described　it　precisely；　but　this　I　know；　that　after　my　long
illness；　and　the　fancied　neglect　of　my　letters'

'For　which　my　father　was　not　to　blame；　since　he　did　not
receive　them；'　said　Paula。

'For　which　nobody　was　to　blameafter　that；　I　say；　I　wrote　no
more。'

'You　have　much　pleasure　in　returning　at　last；　no　doubt；'　said
Somerset。

'Sir；　as　I　remained　away　without　particular　pain；　so　I　return
without　particular　joy。　　I　speak　the　truth；　and　no
compliments。　　I　may　add　that　there　is　one　exception　to　this
absence　of　feeling　from　my　heart；　namely；　that　I　do　derive
great　satisfaction　from　seeing　how　mightily　this　young　woman
has　grown　and　prevailed。'

This　address；　though　delivered　nominally　to　Somerset；　was
listened　to　by　Paula；　Mrs。　Goodman；　and　De　Stancy　also。　　After
uttering　it；　the　speaker　turned　away；　and　continued　his
previous　conversation　with　Captain　De　Stancy。　　From　this　time
till　the　group　parted　he　never　again　spoke　directly　to
Somerset；　paying　him　barely　so　much　attention　as　he　might　have
expected　as　Paula's　architect；　and　certainly　less　than　he
might　have　supposed　his　due　as　her　accepted　lover。

The　result　of　the　appearance；　as　from　the　tomb；　of　this　wintry
man　was　that　the　evening　ended　in　a　frigid　and　formal　way
which　gave　little　satisfaction　to　the　sensitive　Somerset；　who
was　abstracted　and　constrained　by　reason　of　thoughts　on　how
this　resuscitation　of　the　uncle　would　affect　his　relation　with
Paula。　　It　was　possibly　also　the　thought　of　two　at　least　of
the　others。　　There　had；　in　truth；　scarcely　yet　been　time
enough　to　adumbrate　the　possibilities　opened　up　by　this
gentleman's　return。

The　only　private　word　exchanged　by　Somerset　with　any　one　that
night　was　with　Mrs。　Goodman；　in　whom　he　always　recognized　a
friend　to　his　cause；　though　the　fluidity　of　her　character
rendered　her　but　a　feeble　one　at　the　best　of　times。　　She
informed　him　that　Mr。　Power　had　no　sort　of　legal　control　over
Paula；　or　direction　in　her　estates；　but　Somerset　could　not
doubt　that　a　near　and　only　blood　relation；　even　had　he
possessed　but　half　the　static　force　of　character　that　made
itself　apparent　in　Mr。　Power；　might　exercise　considerable
moral　influence　over　the　girl　if　he　chose。　　And　in　view　of　Mr。
Power's　marked　preference　for　De　Stancy；　Somerset　had　many
misgivings　as　to　its　operating　in　a　direction　favourable　to
himself。



XI。

Somerset　was　deeply　engaged　with　his　draughtsmen　and　builders
during　the　three　following　days；　and　scarcely　entered　the
occupied　wing　of　the　castle。

At　his　suggestion　Paula　had　agreed　to　have　the　works　executed
as　such　operations　were　carried　out　in　old　times；　before　the
advent　of　contractors。　　Each　trade　required　in　the　building
was　to　be　represented　by　a　master…tradesman　of　that
denomination；　who　should　stand　responsible　for　his　own　section
of　labour；　and　for　no　other；　Somerset　himself　as　chief
technicist　working　out　his　designs　on　the　spot。　　By　this　means
the　thoroughness　of　the　workmanship　would　be　greatly　increased
in　comparison　with　the　modern　arrangement；　whereby　a　nominal
builder；　seldom　present；　who　can　certainly　know　no　more　than
one　trade　intimately　and　well；　and　who　often　does　not　know
that；　undertakes　the　whole。

But　notwithstanding　its　manifest　advantages　to　the　proprietor；
the　plan　added　largely　to　the　responsibilities　of　the
architect；　who；　with　his　master…mason；　master…carpenter；
master…plumber；　and　what　not；　had　scarcely　a　moment　to　call
his　own。　　Still；　the　method　being　upon　the　face　of　it　the　true
one；　Somerset　supervised　with　a　will。

But　there　seemed　to　float　across　the　court　to　him　from　the
inhabited　wing　an　intimation　that　things　were　not　as　they　had
been　before；　that　an　influence　adverse　to　himself　was　at　work
behind　the　ashlared　face　of　inner　wall　which　confronted　him。
Perhaps　this　was　because　he　never　saw　Paula　at　the　windows；　or
heard　her　footfall　in　that　half　of　the　building　given　over　to
himself　and　his　myrmidons。　　There　was　really　no　reason　other
than　a　sentimental　one　why　he　should　see　her。　　The　uninhabited
part　of　the　castle　was　almost　an　independent　structure；　and　it
was　quite　natural　to　exist　for　weeks　in　this　wing　without
coming　in　contact　with　residents　in　the　other。

A　more　pronounced　cause　than　vague　surmise　was　destined　to
perturb　him；　and　this　in　an　unexpected　manner。　　It　happened
one　morning　that　he　glanced　through　a　local　paper　while
waiting　at　the　Lord…Quantock…Arms　for　the　pony…carriage　to　be
brought　round　in　which　he　often　drove　to　the　castle。　　The
paper　was　two　days　old；　but　to　his　unutterable　amazement　he
read　therein　a　paragraph　which　ran　as　follows：

'We　are　informed　that　a　marriage　is　likely　to　be　arranged
between　Captain　De　Stancy；　of　the　Royal　Horse　Artillery；　only
surviving　son　of　Sir　William　De　Stancy；　Baronet；　and　Paula；
only　daughter　of　the　late　John　Power；　Esq。；　M。P。；　of　Stancy
Castle。'

Somerset　dropped　the　paper；　and　stared　out　of　the　window。
Fortunately　for　his　emotions；　the　horse　and　carriage　were　at
this　moment　brought　to　the　door；　so　that　nothing　hindered
Somerset　in　driving　off　to　the　spot　at　which　he　would　be
soonest　likely　to　learn　what　truth　or　otherwise　there　was　in
the　newspaper　report。　　From　the　first　he　doubted　it：　　and　yet
how　should　it　have　got　there？　　Such　strange　rumours；　like
paradoxical　maxims；　generally　include　a　portion　of　truth。
Five　days　had　elapsed　since　he　last　spoke　to