a laodicean-第47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！


fell　short　of　unfairness；　which　Mr。　Power's　could　scarcely　be
said　to　do。

The　next　day　was　spent　in　furnishing　the　builders　with　such
instructions　as　they　might　require　for　a　coming　week　or　ten
days；　and　in　dropping　a　short　note　to　Paula；　ending　as
follows：

'I　am　coming　to　see　you。　　Possibly　you　will　refuse　me　an
interview。　　Never　mind；　I　am　comingYours；　　　　　　　　　　　G。
SOMERSET。'

The　morning　after　that　he　was　up　and　away。　　Between　him　and
Paula　stretched　nine　hundred　miles　by　the　line　of　journey　that
he　found　it　necessary　to　adopt；　namely；　the　way　of　London；　in
order　to　inform　his　father　of　his　movements　and　to　make　one　or
two　business　calls。　　The　afternoon　was　passed　in　attending　to
these　matters；　the　night　in　speeding　onward；　and　by　the　time
that　nine　o'clock　sounded　next　morning　through　the　sunless　and
leaden　air　of　the　English　Channel　coasts；　he　had　reduced　the
number　of　miles　on　his　list　by　two　hundred；　and　cut　off　the
sea　from　the　impediments　between　him　and　Paula。

On　awakening　from　a　fitful　sleep　in　the　grey　dawn　of　the
morning　following　he　looked　out　upon　Lyons；　quiet　enough　now；
the　citizens　unaroused　to　the　daily　round　of　bread…winning；
and　enveloped　in　a　haze　of　fog。

Six　hundred　and　fifty　miles　of　his　journey　had　been　got　over；
there　still　intervened　two　hundred　and　fifty　between　him　and
the　end　of　suspense。　　When　he　thought　of　that　he　was
disinclined　to　pause；　and　pressed　on　by　the　same　train；　which
set　him　down　at　Marseilles　at　mid…day。

Here　he　considered。　　By　going　on　to　Nice　that　afternoon　he
would　arrive　at　too　late　an　hour　to　call　upon　her　the　same
evening：　　it　would　therefore　be　advisable　to　sleep　in
Marseilles　and　proceed　the　next　morning　to　his　journey's　end；
so　as　to　meet　her　in　a　brighter　condition　than　he　could　boast
of　to…day。　　This　he　accordingly　did；　and　leaving　Marseilles
the　next　morning　about　eight；　found　himself　at　Nice　early　in
the　afternoon。

Now　that　he　was　actually　at　the　centre　of　his　gravitation　he
seemed　even　further　away　from　a　feasible　meeting　with　her　than
in　England。　　While　afar　off；　his　presence　at　Nice　had　appeared
to　be　the　one　thing　needful　for　the　solution　of　his　trouble；
but　the　very　house　fronts　seemed　now　to　ask　him　what　right　he
had　there。　　Unluckily；　in　writing　from　England；　he　had　not
allowed　her　time　to　reply　before　his　departure；　so　that　he　did
not　know　what　difficulties　might　lie　in　the　way　of　her　seeing
him　privately。　　Before　deciding　what　to　do；　he　walked　down　the
Avenue　de　la　Gare　to　the　promenade　between　the　shore　and　the
Jardin　Public；　and　sat　down　to　think。

The　hotel　which　she　had　given　him　as　her　address　looked　right
out　upon　him　and　the　sea　beyond；　and　he　rested　there　with　the
pleasing　hope　that　her　eyes　might　glance　from　a　window　and
discover　his　form。　　Everything　in　the　scene　was　sunny　and　gay。
Behind　him　in　the　gardens　a　band　was　playing；　before　him　was
the　sea；　the　Great　sea；　the　historical　and　original
Mediterranean；　the　sea　of　innumerable　characters　in　history
and　legend　that　arranged　themselves　before　him　in　a　long
frieze　of　memories　so　diverse　as　to　include　both　AEneas　and
St。　Paul。

Northern　eyes　are　not　prepared　on　a　sudden　for　the　impact　of
such　images　of　warmth　and　colour　as　meet　them　southward；　or
for　the　vigorous　light　that　falls　from　the　sky　of　this
favoured　shore。　　In　any　other　circumstances　the　transparency
and　serenity　of　the　air；　the　perfume　of　the　sea；　the　radiant
houses；　the　palms　and　flowers；　would　have　acted　upon　Somerset
as　an　enchantment；　and　wrapped　him　in　a　reverie；　but　at
present　he　only　saw　and　felt　these　things　as　through　a　thick
glass　which　kept　out　half　their　atmosphere。

At　last　he　made　up　his　mind。　　He　would　take　up　his　quarters　at
her　hotel；　and　catch　echoes　of　her　and　her　people；　to　learn
somehow　if　their　attitude　towards　him　as　a　lover　were　actually
hostile；　before　formally　encountering　them。　　Under　this
crystalline　light；　full　of　gaieties；　sentiment；　languor；
seductiveness；　and　ready…made　romance；　the　memory　of　a
solitary　unimportant　man　in　the　lugubrious　North　might　have
faded　from　her　mind。　　He　was　only　her　hired　designer。　　He　was
an　artist；　but　he　had　been　engaged　by　her；　and　was　not　a
volunteer；　and　she　did　not　as　yet　know　that　he　meant　to　accept
no　return　for　his　labours　but　the　pleasure　of　presenting　them
to　her　as　a　love…offering。

So　off　he　went　at　once　towards　the　imposing　building　whither
his　letters　had　preceded　him。　　Owing　to　a　press　of　visitors
there　was　a　moment's　delay　before　he　could　be　attended　to　at
the　bureau；　and　he　turned　to　the　large　staircase　that
confronted　him；　momentarily　hoping　that　her　figure　might
descend。　　Her　skirts　must　indeed　have　brushed　the　carpeting　of
those　steps　scores　of　times。　　He　engaged　his　room；　ordered　his
luggage　to　be　sent　for；　and　finally　inquired　for　the　party　he
sought。

'They　left　Nice　yesterday；　monsieur；'　replied　madame。

Was　she　quite　sure；　Somerset　asked　her？

Yes；　she　was　quite　sure。　　Two　of　the　hotel　carriages　had
driven　them　to　the　station。

Did　she　know　where　they　had　gone　to？

This　and　other　inquiries　resulted　in　the　information　that　they
had　gone　to　the　hotel　at　Monte　Carlo；　that　how　long　they　were
going　to　stay　there；　and　whether　they　were　coming　back　again；
was　not　known。　　His　final　question　whether　Miss　Power　had
received　a　letter　from　England　which　must　have　arrived　the　day
previous　was　answered　in　the　affirmative。

Somerset's　first　and　sudden　resolve　was　to　follow　on　after
them　to　the　hotel　named；　but　he　finally　decided　to　make　his
immediate　visit　to　Monte　Carlo　only　a　cautious　reconnoitre；
returning　to　Nice　to　sleep。

Accordingly；　after　an　early　dinner；　he　again　set　forth　through
the　broad　Avenue　de　la　Gare；　and　an　hour　on　the　coast　railway
brought　him　to　the　beautiful　and　sinister　little　spot　to　which
the　Power　and　De　Stancy　party　had　strayed　in　common　with　the
rest　of　the　frivolous　throng。

He　assumed　that　their　visit　thither　would　be　chiefly　one　of
curiosity；　and　therefore　not　prolonged。　　This　proved　to　be　the
case　in　even　greater　measure　than　he　had　anticipated。　　On
inquiry　at　the　hotel　he　learnt　that　they　had　stayed　only　one
night；　leaving　a　short　time　before　his　arrival；　though　it　was
believed　that　some　of　the　party　were　still　in　the　town。

In　a　state　of　indecision　Somerset　strolled　into　the　gardens　of
the　Casino；　and　looked　out　upon　the　sea。　　There　it　still　lay；
calm　yet　lively；　of　an　unmixed　blue；　yet　variegated；　hushed；
but　articulate　even　to　melodiousness。　　Everything　about　and
around　this　coast　appeared　indeed　jaunty；　tuneful；　and　at
ease；　reciprocating　with　heartiness　the　rays　of　the　splendid
sun；　everything；　except　himself。　　The　palms　and　flowers　on　the
terraces　before　him　were　undisturbed　by　a　single　cold　breath。
The　marble　work　of　parapets　and　steps　was　unsplintered　by
frosts。　　The　whole　was　like　a　conservatory　with　the　sky　for
its　dome。

For　want　of　other　occupation　he　went　round　towards　the　public
entrance　to　the　Casino；　and　ascended　the　great　staircase　into
the　pillared　hall。　　It　was　possible；　after　all；　that　upon
leaving　the　hotel　and　sending　on　their　luggage　they　had　taken
another　turn　through　the　rooms；　to　follow　by　a　later　train。
With　more　than　curiosity　he　scanned　first　the　reading…rooms；
only　however　to　see　not　a　face　that　he　knew。　　He　then　crossed
the　vestibule　to　the　gaming…tables。



IV。

Here　he　was　confronted　by　a　heated　phantasmagoria　of　splendour
and　a　high　pressure　of　suspense　that　seemed　to　make　the　air
quiver。　　A　low　whisper　of　conversation　prevailed；　which　might
probably　have　been　not　wrongly　defined　as　the　lowest　note　of
social　harmony。

The　people　gathered　at　this　negative　pole　of　industry　had　come
from　all　civilized　countries；　their　tongues　were　familiar　with
many　forms　of　utterance；　that　of　each　racial　group　or　type
being　unintelligible　in　its　subtler　variations；　if　not
entirely；　to　the　rest。　　But　the　language　of　meum　and　tuum　they
collectively　comprehended　without　translation。　　In　a　half…
charmed　spell…bound　state　they　had　congregated　in　knots；
standing；　or　sitting　in　hollow　circles　round　the　notorious
oval　tables　marked　with　figures　and　lines。　　The　eyes　of　all
these　sets　of　people　were　watching　the　Roulette。　　Somerset
went　from　table　to　table；　looking　among　the　loungers　rather
than　among　the　regular　players；　for　faces；　or　at　least　for　one
face；　which　did　not　meet　his　gaze。

The　suggestive　charm　which　the　centuries…old　impersonality
Gaming；　rather　than　games　and　gamesters；　had　for　Somerset；　led
him　to　loiter　on　even　when　his　hope　of　meeting　any　of　the
Power　and　De　Stancy　party　had　vanished。　　As　a　non…participant
in　its　profits　and　losses；　fevers　and　frenzies；　it　had　that
stage　effect　upon　his　imagination　which　is　usually　exercised
over　those　who　behold　Chance　presented　to　them　with
spectacular　piquancy　without　advancing　far　enough　in　its
acquaintance　to　suffer　from　its　ghastly　reprisals　and　impish
tricks。　　He　beheld　a　hundred　diametrically　opposed　wishes
issuing　from　the　murky　intelligences　around　a　table；　and
spreading　down　across　each　other　upon　the　figured　diagram　in
their　midst；　each　to　its　own　number。　　It　was　a　network　of
hopes；　which　at　the　announcement；　'Sept；　Rouge；　Impair；　et
Manque；'　disappeared　like　magic　gossamer；　to　be　replaced　in　a
moment　by　new。　　That　all　the　people　there；　including　himself；
could　be　interested　in　what　to　the　eye　of　perfect　reason　was　a
somewhat　monotonous　thingthe　property　of　numbers　to　recur　at
certain　longer　or　shorter　intervals　in　a　machine　containing
themin　other　words；　the　blind　groping　after　fractions　of　a
result　the　whole　of　which　was　well　knownwas　one　testimony
among　many　of　the　powerlessness　of　logic　when　confronted　with
imagination。

At　this　juncture　our　lounger　discerned　at　one　of　the　tables
about　the　last　person　in　the　world　he　could　have　wished　to
encounter　there。　　It　was　Dare；　whom　he　had　supposed　to　be　a
thousand　miles　off；　hanging　about　the　purlieus　of　Markton。

Dare　was　seated　beside　a　table　in　an　attitude　of　application
which　seemed　to　imply　that　he　had　come　early　and　engaged　in
this　pursuit　in　a　systematic　manner。　　Somerset　had　never
witnessed　Dare　and　De　Stancy　together；　neither　had　he　heard　of
any　engagement　of　Dare　by　the　travelling　party　as　artist；
courier；　or　otherwise；　and　yet　it　crossed　his　mind　that　Dare
might　have　had　something　to　do　with　them；　or　at　least　have
seen　them。　　This　possibility　was　enough　to　overmaster
Somerset's　reluctance　to　speak　to　the　young　man；　and　he　did　so
as　soon　as　an　opportunity　occurred。

Dare's　face　was　as　rigid　and　dry　as　if　it　had　been　encrusted
with　plaster；　and　he　was　like　one　turned　into　a　computing
machine　which　no　longer　had　the　power　of　feeling。　　He
recognized　Somerset　as　indifferently　as　if　he　had　met　him　in
the　ward　of　Stancy　Castle；　and　replying　to　his　remarks　by　a
word　or　two；　concentrated　on　the　game　anew。

'Are　you　here　alone？'　said　Somerset　presently。

'Quite　alone。'　　There　was　a　silence；　till　Dare　added；　'But　I
have　seen　some　friends　of　yours。'　　He　again　became　absorbed　in
the　events　of　the　table。　　Somerset　retreated　a　few　steps；　and
pondered　the　question　whether　Dare　could　know　where　they　had
gone。　　He　disliked