a laodicean-第46章

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that　her　independence　and　courage；　like　Cleopatra's；　failed
her　occasionally　at　the　last　moment。

One　curious　impression　which　had　often　haunted　him　now
returned　with　redoubled　force。　　He　could　not　see　himself　as
the　husband　of　Paula　Power　in　any　likely　future。　　He　could　not
imagine　her　his　wife。　　People　were　apt　to　run　into　mistakes　in
their　presentiments；　but　though　he　could　picture　her　as
queening　it　over　him；　as　avowing　her　love　for　him
unreservedly；　even　as　compromising　herself　for　him；　he　could
not　see　her　in　a　state　of　domesticity　with　him。

Telegrams　being　commanded；　to　the　telegraph　he　repaired；　when；
after　two　days；　an　immediate　wish　to　communicate　with　her　led
him　to　dismiss　vague　conjecture　on　the　future　situation。　　His
first　telegram　took　the　following　form：

'I　give　up　the　letter　writing。　　I　will　part　with　anything　to
please　you　but　yourself。　　Your　comfort　with　your　relative　is
the　first　thing　to　be　considered：　　not　for　the　world　do　I　wish
you　to　make　divisions　within　doors。　　Yours。'

Tuesday；　Wednesday；　Thursday　passed；　and　on　Saturday　a
telegram　came　in　reply：

'I　can　fear；　grieve　at；　and　complain　of　nothing；　having　your
nice　promise　to　consider　my　comfort　always。'

This　was　very　pretty；　but　it　admitted　little。　　Such　short
messages　were　in　themselves　poor　substitutes　for　letters；　but
their　speed　and　easy　frequency　were　good　qualities　which　the
letters　did　not　possess。　　Three　days　later　he　replied：

'You　do　not　once　say　to　me　〃Come。〃　　Would　such　a　strange
accident　as　my　arrival　disturb　you　much？'

She　replied　rather　quickly：

'I　am　indisposed　to　answer　you　too　clearly。　　Keep　your　heart
strong：　　'tis　a　censorious　world。'

The　vagueness　there　shown　made　Somerset　peremptory；　and　he
could　not　help　replying　somewhat　more　impetuously　than　usual：…
…

'Why　do　you　give　me　so　much　cause　for　anxiety！　　Why　treat　me
to　so　much　mystification！　　Say　once；　distinctly；　that　what　I
have　asked　is　given。'

He　awaited　for　the　answer；　one　day；　two　days；　a　week；　but　none
came。　　It　was　now　the　end　of　March；　and　when　Somerset　walked
of　an　afternoon　by　the　river　and　pool　in　the　lower　part　of　the
grounds；　his　ear　newly　greeted　by　the　small　voices　of　frogs
and　toads　and　other　creatures　who　had　been　torpid　through　the
winter；　he　became　doubtful　and　uneasy　that　she　alone　should　be
silent　in　the　awakening　year。

He　waited　through　a　second　week；　and　there　was　still　no　reply。
It　was　possible　that　the　urgency　of　his　request　had　tempted
her　to　punish　him；　and　he　continued　his　walks；　to；　fro；　and
around；　with　as　close　an　ear　to　the　undertones　of　nature；　and
as　attentive　an　eye　to　the　charms　of　his　own　art；　as　the　grand
passion　would　allow。　　Now　came　the　days　of　battle　between
winter　and　spring。　　On　these　excursions；　though　spring　was　to
the　forward　during　the　daylight；　winter　would　reassert　itself
at　night；　and　not　unfrequently　at　other　moments。　　Tepid　airs
and　nipping　breezes　met　on　the　confines　of　sunshine　and　shade；
trembling　raindrops　that　were　still　akin　to　frost　crystals
dashed　themselves　from　the　bushes　as　he　pursued　his　way　from
town　to　castle；　the　birds　were　like　an　orchestra　waiting　for
the　signal　to　strike　up；　and　colour　began　to　enter　into　the
country　round。

But　he　gave　only　a　modicum　of　thought　to　these　proceedings。
He　rather　thought　such　things　as；　'She　can　afford　to　be　saucy；
and　to　find　a　source　of　blitheness　in　my　love；　considering　the
power　that　wealth　gives　her　to　pick　and　choose　almost　where
she　will。'　　He　was　bound　to　own；　however；　that　one　of　the
charms　of　her　conversation　was　the　complete　absence　of　the
note　of　the　heiress　from　its　accents。　　That；　other　things
equal；　her　interest　would　naturally　incline　to　a　person
bearing　the　name　of　De　Stancy；　was　evident　from　her　avowed
predilections。　　His　original　assumption；　that　she　was　a
personification　of　the　modern　spirit；　who　had　been　dropped；
like　a　seed　from　the　bill　of　a　bird；　into　a　chink　of
mediaevalism；　required　some　qualification。　　Romanticism；　which
will　exist　in　every　human　breast　as　long　as　human　nature
itself　exists；　had　asserted　itself　in　her。　　Veneration　for
things　old；　not　because　of　any　merit　in　them；　but　because　of
their　long　continuance；　had　developed　in　her；　and　her　modern
spirit　was　taking　to　itself　wings　and　flying　away。　　Whether
his　image　was　flying　with　the　other　was　a　question　which　moved
him　all　the　more　deeply　now　that　her　silence　gave　him　dread　of
an　affirmative　answer。

For　another　seven　days　he　stoically　left　in　suspension　all
forecasts　of　his　possibly　grim　fate　in　being　the　employed　and
not　the　beloved。　　The　week　passed：　　he　telegraphed：　　there　was
no　reply：　　he　had　sudden　fears　for　her　personal　safety　and
resolved　to　break　her　command　by　writing。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'STANCY　CASTLE；　April
13。

'DEAR　PAULA；Are　you　ill　or　in　trouble？　　It　is　impossible　in
the　very　unquiet　state　you　have　put　me　into　by　your　silence
that　I　should　abstain　from　writing。　　Without　affectation；　you
sorely　distress　me；　and　I　think　you　would　hardly　have　done　it
could　you　know　what　a　degree　of　anxiety　you　cause。　　Why；
Paula；　do　you　not　write　or　send　to　me？　　What　have　I　done　that
you　should　treat　me　like　this？　　Do　write；　if　it　is　only　to
reproach　me。　　I　am　compelled　to　pass　the　greater　part　of　the
day　in　this　castle；　which　reminds　me　constantly　of　you；　and
yet　eternally　lacks　your　presence。　　I　am　unfortunate　indeed
that　you　have　not　been　able　to　find　half…an…hour　during　the
last　month　to　tell　me　at　least　that　you　are　alive。

'You　have　always　been　ambiguous；　it　is　true；　but　I　thought　I
saw　encouragement　in　your　eyes；　encouragement　certainly　was　in
your　eyes；　and　who　would　not　have　been　deluded　by　them　and
have　believed　them　sincere？　　Yet　what　tenderness　can　there　be
in　a　heart　that　can　cause　me　pain　so　wilfully！

'There　may；　of　course；　be　some　deliberate　scheming　on　the　part
of　your　relations　to　intercept　our　letters；　but　I　cannot　think
it。　　I　know　that　the　housekeeper　has　received　a　letter　from
your　aunt　this　very　week；　in　which　she　incidentally　mentions
that　all　are　well；　and　in　the　same　place　as　before。　　How　then
can　I　excuse　you？

'Then　write；　Paula；　or　at　least　telegraph；　as　you　proposed。
Otherwise　I　am　resolved　to　take　your　silence　as　a　signal　to
treat　your　fair　words　as　wind；　and　to　write　to　you　no　more。'



III。

He　despatched　the　letter；　and　half…an…hour　afterwards　felt
sure　that　it　would　mortally　offend　her。　　But　he　had　now
reached　a　state　of　temporary　indifference；　and　could
contemplate　the　loss　of　such　a　tantalizing　property　with
reasonable　calm。

In　the　interim　of　waiting　for　a　reply　he　was　one　day　walking
to　Markton；　when；　passing　Myrtle　Villa；　he　saw　Sir　William　De
Stancy　ambling　about　his　garden…path　and　examining　the
crocuses　that　palisaded　its　edge。　　Sir　William　saw　him　and
asked　him　to　come　in。　　Somerset　was　in　the　mood　for　any
diversion　from　his　own　affairs；　and　they　seated　themselves　by
the　drawing…room　fire。

'I　am　much　alone　now；'　said　Sir　William；　'and　if　the　weather
were　not　very　mild；　so　that　I　can　get　out　into　the　garden
every　day；　I　should　feel　it　a　great　deal。'

'You　allude　to　your　daughter's　absence？'

'And　my　son's。　　Strange　to　say；　I　do　not　miss　her　so　much　as　I
miss　him。　　She　offers　to　return　at　any　moment；　but　I　do　not
wish　to　deprive　her　of　the　advantages　of　a　little　foreign
travel　with　her　friend。　　Always；　Mr。　Somerset；　give　your　spare
time　to　foreign　countries；　especially　those　which　contrast
with　your　own　in　topography；　language；　and　art。　　That's　my
advice　to　all　young　people　of　your　age。　　Don't　waste　your
money　on　expensive　amusements　at　home。　　Practise　the　strictest
economy　at　home；　to　have　a　margin　for　going　abroad。'

Economy；　which　Sir　William　had　never　practised；　but　to　which；
after　exhausting　all　other　practices；　he　now　raised　an　altar；
as　the　Athenians　did　to　the　unknown　God；　was　a　topic　likely　to
prolong　itself　on　the　baronet's　lips；　and　Somerset　contrived
to　interrupt　him　by　asking

'Captain　De　Stancy；　too；　has　gone？　　Has　the　artillery；　then；
left　the　barracks？'

'No；'　said　Sir　William。　　'But　my　son　has　made　use　of　his　leave
in　running　over　to　see　his　sister　at　Nice。'

The　current　of　quiet　meditation　in　Somerset　changed　to　a　busy
whirl　at　this　reply。　　That　Paula　should　become　indifferent　to
his　existence　from　a　sense　of　superiority；　physical；
spiritual；　or　social；　was　a　sufficiently　ironical　thing；　but
that　she　should　have　relinquished　him　because　of　the　presence
of　a　rival　lent　commonplace　dreariness　to　her　cruelty。

Sir　William；　noting　nothing；　continued　in　the　tone　of　clever
childishness　which　characterized　him：　　'It　is　very　singular
how　the　present　situation　has　been　led　up　to　by　me。　　Policy；
and　policy　alone；　has　been　the　rule　of　my　conduct　for　many
years　past；　and　when　I　say　that　I　have　saved　my　family　by　it；
I　believe　time　will　show　that　I　am　within　the　truth。　　I　hope
you　don't　let　your　passions　outrun　your　policy；　as　so　many
young　men　are　apt　to　do。　　Better　be　poor　and　politic；　than
rich　and　headstrong：　　that's　the　opinion　of　an　old　man。
However；　I　was　going　to　say　that　it　was　purely　from　policy
that　I　allowed　a　friendship　to　develop　between　my　daughter　and
Miss　Power；　and　now　events　are　proving　the　wisdom　of　my
course。　　Straws　show　how　the　wind　blows；　and　there　are　little
signs　that　my　son　Captain　De　Stancy　will　return　to　Stancy
Castle　by　the　fortunate　step　of　marrying　its　owner。　　I　say
nothing　to　either　of　them；　and　they　say　nothing　to　me；　but　my
wisdom　lies　in　doing　nothing　to　hinder　such　a　consummation；
despite　inherited　prejudices。'

Somerset　had　quite　time　enough　to　rein　himself　in　during　the
old　gentleman's　locution；　and　the　voice　in　which　he　answered
was　so　cold　and　reckless　that　it　did　not　seem　his　own：　　'But
how　will　they　live　happily　together　when　she　is　a　Dissenter；
and　a　Radical；　and　a　New…light；　and　a　Neo…Greek；　and　a　person
of　red　blood；　while　Captain　De　Stancy　is　the　reverse　of　them
all！'

'I　anticipate　no　difficulty　on　that　score；'　said　the　baronet。
'My　son's　star　lies　in　that　direction；　and；　like　the　Magi；　he
is　following　it　without　trifling　with　his　opportunity。　　You
have　skill　in　architecture；　therefore　you　follow　it。　　My　son
has　skill　in　gallantry；　and　now　he　is　about　to　exercise　it
profitably。'

'May　nobody　wish　him　more　harm　in　that　exercise　than　I　do！'
said　Somerset　fervently。

A　stagnant　moodiness　of　several　hours　which　followed　his　visit
to　Myrtle　Villa　resulted　in　a　resolve　to　journey　over　to　Paula
the　very　next　day。　　He　now　felt　perfectly　convinced　that　the
inviting　of　Captain　De　Stancy　to　visit　them　at　Nice　was　a
second　stage　in　the　scheme　of　Paula's　uncle；　the　premature
announcement　of　her　marriage　having　been　the　first。　　The
roundness　and　neatness　of　the　whole　plan　could　not　fail　to
recommend　it　to　the　mind　which　delighted　in　putting　involved
things　straight；　and　such　a　mind　Abner　Power's　seemed　to　be。
In　fact；　the　felicity；　in　a　politic　sense；　of　pairing　the
captain　with　the　heiress　furnished　no　little　excuse　for
manoeuvring　to　bring　it　about；　so　long　as　that　manoeuvring
fell　short　of　unfairness；　which　Mr。　Power's　could　scarcely　be
said　to　do。

The　next　day　was　s