a laodicean-第49章

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sufficiently　natural　that　he　should　lean　persistently　on
Paula；　if　only　with　a　view　of　keeping　himself　linked　to　her
memory；　without　thinking　too　profoundly　of　his　own　dignity。
That　the　esteem　in　which　she　had　held　Somerset　up　to　that　hour
suffered　a　tremendous　blow　by　his　apparent　scrape　was　clearly
visible　in　her；　reticent　as　she　was；　and　De　Stancy；　while
pitying　Somerset；　thanked　him　in　his　mind　for　having
gratuitously　given　a　rival　an　advantage　which　that　rival's
attentions　had　never　been　able　to　gain　of　themselves。

After　a　little　further　conversation　she　had　said：　　'Since　you
are　to　be　my　messenger；　I　must　tell　you　that　I　have　decided　to
send　the　hundred　pounds　asked　for；　and　you　will　please　to
deliver　them　into　no　hands　but　his　own。'　　A　curious　little
blush　crept　over　her　sobered　faceperhaps　it　was　a　blush　of
shame　at　the　conduct　of　the　young　man　in　whom　she　had　of　late
been　suspiciously　interestedas　she　added；　'He　will　be　on　the
Pont…Neuf　at　four　this　afternoon　and　again　at　eleven　tomorrow。
Can　you　meet　him　there？'

'Certainly；'　De　Stancy　replied。

She　then　asked　him；　rather　anxiously；　how　he　could　account　for
Mr。　Somerset　knowing　that　he；　Captain　De　Stancy；　was　about　to
return　to　Nice？

De　Stancy　informed　her　that　he　left　word　at　the　hotel　of　his
intention　to　return；　which　was　quite　true；　moreover；　there　did
not　lurk　in　his　mind　at　the　moment　of　speaking　the　faintest
suspicion　that　Somerset　had　seen　Dare。

She　then　tied　the　bag　and　handed　it　to　him；　leaving　him　with　a
serene　and　impenetrable　bearing；　which　he　hoped　for　his　own
sake　meant　an　acquired　indifference　to　Somerset　and　his
fortunes。　　Her　sending　the　architect　a　sum　of　money　which　she
could　easily　spare　might　be　set　down　to　natural　generosity
towards　a　man　with　whom　she　was　artistically　co…operating　for
the　improvement　of　her　home。

She　came　back　to　him　again　for　a　moment。　　'Could　you　possibly
get　there　before　four　this　afternoon？'　she　asked；　and　he
informed　her　that　he　could　just　do　so　by　leaving　almost　at
once；　which　he　was　very　willing　to　do；　though　by　so
forestalling　his　time　he　would　lose　the　projected　morning　with
her　and　the　rest　at　the　Palazzo　Doria。

'I　may　tell　you　that　I　shall　not　go　to　the　Palazzo　Doria
either；　if　it　is　any　consolation　to　you　to　know　it；'　was　her
reply。　　'I　shall　sit　indoors　and　think　of　you　on　your
journey。'

The　answer　admitted　of　two　translations；　and　conjectures
thereon　filled　the　gallant　soldier's　mind　during　the　greater
part　of　the　journey。　　He　arrived　at　the　hotel　they　had　all
stayed　at　in　succession　about　six　hours　after　Somerset　had
left　it　for　a　little　excursion　to　San　Remo　and　its
neighbourhood；　as　a　means　of　passing　a　few　days　till　Paula
should　write　again　to　inquire　why　he　had　not　come　on。　　De
Stancy　saw　no　one　he　knew；　and　in　obedience　to　Paula's
commands　he　promptly　set　off　on　foot　for　the　Pont…Neuf。

Though　opposed　to　the　architect　as　a　lover；　De　Stancy　felt　for
him　as　a　poor　devil　in　need　of　money；　having　had　experiences
of　that　sort　himself；　and　he　was　really　anxious　that　the
needful　supply　entrusted　to　him　should　reach　Somerset's　hands。
He　was　on　the　bridge　five　minutes　before　the　hour；　and　when
the　clock　struck　a　hand　was　laid　on　his　shoulder：　　turning　he
beheld　Dare。

Knowing　that　the　youth　was　loitering　somewhere　along　the
coast；　for　they　had　frequently　met　together　on　De　Stancy's
previous　visit；　the　latter　merely　said；　'Don't　bother　me　for
the　present；　Willy；　I　have　an　engagement。　　You　can　see　me　at
the　hotel　this　evening。'

'When　you　have　given　me　the　hundred　pounds　I　will　fly　like　a
rocket；　captain；'　said　the　young　gentleman。　　'I　keep　the
appointment　instead　of　the　other　man。'

De　Stancy　looked　hard　at　him。　　'Howdo　you　know　about　this？'
he　asked　breathlessly。

'I　have　seen　him。'

De　Stancy　took　the　young　man　by　the　two　shoulders　and　gazed
into　his　eyes。　　The　scrutiny　seemed　not　altogether　to　remove
the　suspicion　which　had　suddenly　started　up　in　his　mind。　　'My
soul；'　he　said；　dropping　his　arms；　'can　this　be　true？'

'What？'

'You　know。'

Dare　shrugged　his　shoulders；　'Are　you　going　to　hand　over　the
money　or　no？'　he　said。

'I　am　going　to　make　inquiries；'　said　De　Stancy；　walking　away
with　a　vehement　tread。

'Captain；　you　are　without　natural　affection；'　said　Dare；
walking　by　his　side；　in　a　tone　which　showed　his　fear　that　he
had　over…estimated　that　emotion。　　'See　what　I　have　done　for
you。　　You　have　been　my　constant　care　and　anxiety　for　I　can't
tell　how　long。　　I　have　stayed　awake　at　night　thinking　how　I
might　best　give　you　a　good　start　in　the　world　by　arranging
this　judicious　marriage；　when　you　have　been　sleeping　as　sound
as　a　top　with　no　cares　upon　your　mind　at　all；　and　now　I　have
got　into　a　scrapeas　the　most　thoughtful　of　us　may　sometimes…
…you　go　to　make　inquiries。'

'I　have　promised　the　lady　to　whom　this　money　belongswhose
generosity　has　been　shamefully　abused　in　some　waythat　I　will
deliver　it　into　no　hands　but　those　of　one　man；　and　he　has　not
yet　appeared。　　I　therefore　go　to　find　him。'

Dare　laid　his　hand　upon　De　Stancy's　arm。　　'Captain；　we　are
both　warm；　and　punctilious　on　points　of　honour；　this　will　come
to　a　split　between　us　if　we　don't　mind。　　So；　not　to　bring
matters　to　a　crisis；　lend　me　ten　pounds　here　to　enable　me　to
get　home；　and　I'll　disappear。'

In　a　state　bordering　on　distraction；　eager　to　get　the　young
man　out　of　his　sight　before　worse　revelations　should　rise　up
between　them；　De　Stancy　without　pausing　in　his　walk　gave　him
the　sum　demanded。　　He　soon　reached　the　post…office；　where　he
inquired　if　a　Mr。　Somerset　had　left　any　directions　for
forwarding　letters。

It　was　just　what　Somerset　had　done。　　De　Stancy　was　told　that
Mr。　Somerset　had　commanded　that　any　letters　should　be　sent　on
to　him　at　the　Hotel　Victoria；　San　Remo。

It　was　now　evident　that　the　scheme　of　getting　money　from　Paula
was　either　of　Dare's　invention；　or　that　Somerset；　ashamed　of
his　first　impulse；　had　abandoned　it　as　speedily　as　it　had　been
formed。　　De　Stancy　turned　and　went　out。　　Dare；　in　keeping　with
his　promise；　had　vanished。　　Captain　De　Stancy　resolved　to　do
nothing　in　the　case　till　further　events　should　enlighten　him；
beyond　sending　a　line　to　Miss　Power　to　inform　her　that
Somerset　had　not　appeared；　and　that　he　therefore　retained　the
money　for　further　instructions。




BOOK　THE　FIFTH。　　DE　STANCY　AND　PAULA。


I。

Miss　Power　was　reclining　on　a　red　velvet　couch　in　the　bedroom
of　an　old…fashioned　red　hotel　at　Strassburg；　and　her　friend
Miss　De　Stancy　was　sitting　by　a　window　of　the　same　apartment。
They　were　both　rather　wearied　by　a　long　journey　of　the
previous　day。　　The　hotel　overlooked　the　large　open　Kleber
Platz；　erect　in　the　midst　of　which　the　bronze　statue　of
General　Kleber　received　the　rays　of　a　warm　sun　that　was
powerless　to　brighten　him。　　The　whole　square；　with　its　people
and　vehicles　going　to　and　fro　as　if　they　had　plenty　of　time；
was　visible　to　Charlotte　in　her　chair；　but　Paula　from　her
horizontal　position　could　see　nothing　below　the　level　of　the
many　dormered　house…tops　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　Platz。
After　watching　this　upper　storey　of　the　city　for　some　time　in
silence；　she　asked　Charlotte　to　hand　her　a　binocular　lying　on
the　table；　through　which　instrument　she　quietly　regarded　the
distant　roofs。

'What　strange　and　philosophical　creatures　storks　are；'　she
said。　　'They　give　a　taciturn；　ghostly　character　to　the　whole
town。'

The　birds　were　crossing　and　recrossing　the　field　of　the　glass
in　their　flight　hither　and　thither　between　the　Strassburg
chimneys；　their　sad　grey　forms　sharply　outlined　against　the
sky；　and　their　skinny　legs　showing　beneath　like　the　limbs　of
dead　martyrs　in　Crivelli's　emaciated　imaginings。　　The
indifference　of　these　birds　to　all　that　was　going　on　beneath
them　impressed　her：　　to　harmonize　with　their　solemn　and　silent
movements　the　houses　beneath　should　have　been　deserted；　and
grass　growing　in　the　streets。

Behind　the　long　roofs　thus　visible　to　Paula　over　the　window…
sill；　with　their　tiers　of　dormer…windows；　rose　the　cathedral
spire　in　airy　openwork；　forming　the　highest　object　in　the
scene；　it　suggested　something　which　for　a　long　time　she
appeared　unwilling　to　utter；　but　natural　instinct　had　its　way。

'A　place　like　this；'　she　said；　'where　he　can　study　Gothic
architecture；　would；　I　should　have　thought；　be　a　spot　more
congenial　to　him　than　Monaco。'

The　person　referred　to　was　the　misrepresented　Somerset；　whom
the　two　had　been　gingerly　discussing　from　time　to　time；
allowing　any　casual　subject；　such　as　that　of　the　storks；　to
interrupt　the　personal　one　at　every　two　or　three　sentences。

'It　would　be　more　like　him　to　be　here；'　replied　Miss　De
Stancy；　trusting　her　tongue　with　only　the　barest　generalities
on　this　matter。

Somerset　was　again　dismissed　for　the　stork　topic；　but　Paula
could　not　let　him　alone；　and　she　presently　resumed；　as　if　an
irresistible　fascination　compelled　what　judgment　had
forbidden：　　'The　strongest…minded　persons　are　sometimes　caught
unawares　at　that　place；　if　they　once　think　they　will　retrieve
their　first　losses；　and　I　am　not　aware　that　he　is　particularly
strong…minded。'

For　a　moment　Charlotte　looked　at　her　with　a　mixed　expression；
in　which　there　was　deprecation　that　a　woman　with　any　feeling
should　criticize　Somerset　so　frigidly；　and　relief　that　it　was
Paula　who　did　so。　　For；　notwithstanding　her　assumption　that
Somerset　could　never　be　anything　more　to　her　than　he　was
already；　Charlotte's　heart　would　occasionally　step　down　and
trouble　her　views　so　expressed。

Whether　looking　through　a　glass　at　distant　objects　enabled
Paula　to　bottle　up　her　affection　for　the　absent　one；　or
whether　her　friend　Charlotte　had　so　little　personality　in
Paula's　regard　that　she　could　commune　with　her　as　with　a　lay
figure；　it　was　certain　that　she　evinced　remarkable　ease　in
speaking　of　Somerset；　resuming　her　words　about　him　in　the　tone
of　one　to　whom　he　was　at　most　an　ordinary　professional
adviser。　　'It　would　be　very　awkward　for　the　works　at　the
castle　if　he　has　got　into　a　scrape。　　I　suppose　the　builders
were　well　posted　with　instructions　before　he　left：　　but　he
ought　certainly　to　return　soon。　　Why　did　he　leave　England　at
all　just　now？'

'Perhaps　it　was　to　see　you。'

'He　should　have　waited；　it　would　not　have　been　so　dreadfully
long　to　May　or　June。　　Charlotte；　how　can　a　man　who　does　such　a
hare…brained　thing　as　this　be　deemed　trustworthy　in　an
important　work　like　that　of　rebuilding　Stancy　Castle？'

There　was　such　stress　in　the　inquiry　that；　whatever
factitiousness　had　gone　before；　Charlotte　perceived　Paula　to
be　at　last　speaking　her　mind；　and　it　seemed　as　if　Somerset
must　have　considerably　lost　ground　in　her　opinion；　or　she
would　not　have　criticized　him　thus。

'My　brother　will　tell　us　full　particulars　when　he　comes：
perhaps　it　is　not　at　all　as　we　suppose；'　said　Charlotte。　　She
strained　her　eyes　across　the　Platz　and　added；　'He　ought　to
have　been　here　before　this　time。'

While　they　waited　and　talked；　Paula　still　observing　the
storks；　the　hotel　omnibus　came　round　the　corner　from　the
station。　　'I　believe　he　has　arrived；'　resumed　Miss　De　Stancy；
'I　see　something　that　looks　like　his　portmanteau　on　the　top　o