a laodicean-第53章

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and　affected　to　be　engrossed　in　the　names。

Before　Dare　was　shown　in　she　said　to　her　uncle；　'Perhaps　you
will　speak　to　him　for　me？'

Mr。　Power；　looking　up　from　the　paper　he　was　reading；　assented
to　her　proposition。　　Dare　appeared　in　the　doorway；　and　the
waiter　retired。　　Dare　seemed　a　trifle　startled　out　of　his
usual　coolness；　the　message　having　evidently　been　unexpected；
and　he　came　forward　somewhat　uneasily。

'Mr。　Dare；　we　are　anxious　to　know　something　of　Miss　Power's
architect；　and　Captain　De　Stancy　tells　us　you　have　seen　him
lately；'　said　Mr。　Power　sonorously　over　the　edge　of　his
newspaper。

Not　knowing　whether　danger　menaced　or　no；　or；　if　it　menaced；
from　what　quarter　it　was　to　be　expected；　Dare　felt　that
honesty　was　as　good　as　anything　else　for　him；　and　replied
boldly　that　he　had　seen　Mr。　Somerset；　De　Stancy　continuing　to
cream　and　mantle　almost　visibly；　in　anxiety　at　the　situation
of　the　speaker。

'And　where　did　you　see　him？'　continued　Mr。　Power。

'In　the　Casino　at　Monte　Carlo。'

'How　long　did　you　see　him？'

'Only　for　half　an　hour。　　I　left　him　there。'

Paula's　interest　got　the　better　of　her　reserve；　and　she　cut　in
upon　her　uncle：　　'Did　he　seem　in　any　unusual　state；　or　in
trouble？'

'He　was　rather　excited；'　said　Dare。

'And　can　you　remember　when　that　was？'

Dare　considered；　looked　at　his　pocket…book；　and　said　that　it
was　on　the　evening　of　April　the　twenty…second。

The　answer　had　a　significance　for　Paula；　De　Stancy；　and
Charlotte；　to　which　Abner　Power　was　a　stranger。　　The
telegraphic　request　for　money；　which　had　been　kept　a　secret
from　him　by　his　niece；　because　of　his　already　unfriendly　tone
towards　Somerset；　arrived　on　the　morning　of　the　twenty…third
a　date　which　neighboured　with　painfully　suggestive　nicety　upon
that　now　given　by　Dare。

She　seemed　to　be　silenced；　and　asked　no　more　questions。　　Dare
having　furbished　himself　up　to　a　gentlemanly　appearance　with
some　of　his　recent　winnings；　was　invited　to　stay　on　awhile　by
Paula's　uncle；　who；　as　became　a　travelled　man；　was　not
fastidious　as　to　company。　　Being　a　youth　of　the　world；　Dare
made　himself　agreeable　to　that　gentleman；　and　afterwards　tried
to　do　the　same　with　Miss　De　Stancy。　　At　this　the　captain；　to
whom　the　situation　for　some　time　had　been　amazingly
uncomfortable；　pleaded　some　excuse　for　going　out；　and　left　the
room。

Dare　continued　his　endeavours　to　say　a　few　polite　nothings　to
Charlotte　De　Stancy；　in　the　course　of　which　he　drew　from　his
pocket　his　new　silk　handkerchief。　　By　some　chance　a　card　came
out　with　the　handkerchief；　and　fluttered　downwards。　　His
momentary　instinct　was　to　make　a　grasp　at　the　card　and　conceal
it：　　but　it　had　already　tumbled　to　the　floor；　where　it　lay
face　upward　beside　Charlotte　De　Stancy's　chair。

It　was　neither　a　visiting　nor　a　playing　card；　but　one　bearing
a　photographic　portrait　of　a　peculiar　nature。　　It　was　what
Dare　had　characterized　as　his　best　joke　in　speaking　on　the
subject　to　Captain　De　Stancy：　　he　had　in　the　morning　put　it
ready　in　his　pocket　to　give　to　the　captain；　and　had　in　fact
held　it　in　waiting　between　his　finger　and　thumb　while　talking
to　him　in　the　Platz；　meaning　that　he　should　make　use　of　it
against　his　rival　whenever　convenient。　　But　his　sharp
conversation　with　that　soldier　had　dulled　his　zest　for　this
final　joke　at　Somerset's　expense；　had　at　least　shown　him　that
De　Stancy　would　not　adopt　the　joke　by　accepting　the　photograph
and　using　it　himself；　and　determined　him　to　lay　it　aside　till
a　more　convenient　time。　　So　fully　had　he　made　up　his　mind　on
this　course；　that　when　the　photograph　slipped　out　he　did　not
at　first　perceive　the　appositeness　of　the　circumstance；　in
putting　into　his　own　hands　the　role　he　had　intended　for　De
Stancy；　though　it　was　asserted　afterwards　that　the　whole　scene
was　deliberately　planned。　　However；　once　having　seen　the
accident；　he　resolved　to　take　the　current　as　it　served。

The　card　having　fallen　beside　her；　Miss　De　Stancy　glanced　over
it；　which　indeed　she　could　not　help　doing。　　The　smile　that　had
previously　hung　upon　her　lips　was　arrested　as　if　by　frost　and
she　involuntarily　uttered　a　little　distressed　cry　of　'O！'　like
one　in　bodily　pain。

Paula；　who　had　been　talking　to　her　uncle　during　this
interlude；　started　round；　and　wondering　what　had　happened；
inquiringly　crossed　the　room　to　poor　Charlotte's　side；　asking
her　what　was　the　matter。　　Charlotte　had　regained　self…
possession；　though　not　enough　to　enable　her　to　reply；　and
Paula　asked　her　a　second　time　what　had　made　her　exclaim　like
that。　　Miss　De　Stancy　still　seemed　confused；　whereupon　Paula
noticed　that　her　eyes　were　continually　drawn　as　if　by
fascination　towards　the　photograph　on　the　floor；　which；
contrary　to　his　first　impulse；　Dare；　as　has　been　said；　now
seemed　in　no　hurry　to　regain。　　Surmising　at　last　that　the
card；　whatever　it　was；　had　something　to　do　with　the
exclamation；　Paula　picked　it　up。

It　was　a　portrait　of　Somerset；　but　by　a　device　known　in
photography　the　operator；　though　contriving　to　produce　what
seemed　to　be　a　perfect　likeness；　had　given　it　the　distorted
features　and　wild　attitude　of　a　man　advanced　in　intoxication。
No　woman；　unless　specially　cognizant　of　such　possibilities；
could　have　looked　upon　it　and　doubted　that　the　photograph　was
a　genuine　illustration　of　a　customary　phase　in　the　young　man's
private　life。

Paula　observed　it；　thoroughly　took　it　in；　but　the　effect　upon
her　was　by　no　means　clear。　　Charlotte's　eyes　at　once　forsook
the　portrait　to　dwell　on　Paula's　face。　　It　paled　a　little；　and
this　was　followed　by　a　hot　blushperceptibly　a　blush　of
shame。　　That　was　all。　　She　flung　the　picture　down　on　the
table；　and　moved　away。

It　was　now　Mr。　Power's　turn。　　Anticipating　Dare；　who　was
advancing　with　a　deprecatory　look　to　seize　the　photograph；　he
also　grasped　it。　　When　he　saw　whom　it　represented　he　seemed
both　amused　and　startled；　and　after　scanning　it　a　while　handed
it　to　the　young　man　with　a　queer　smile。

'I　am　very　sorry；'　began　Dare　in　a　low　voice　to　Mr。　Power。　　'I
fear　I　was　to　blame　for　thoughtlessness　in　not　destroying　it。
But　I　thought　it　was　rather　funny　that　a　man　should　permit
such　a　thing　to　be　done；　and　that　the　humour　would　redeem　the
offence。'

'In　you；　for　purchasing　it；'　said　Paula　with　haughty　quickness
from　the　other　side　of　the　room。　　'Though　probably　his
friends；　if　he　has　any；　would　say　not　in　him。'

There　was　silence　in　the　room　after　this；　and　Dare；　finding
himself　rather　in　the　way；　took　his　leave　as　unostentatiously
as　a　cat　that　has　upset　the　family　china；　though　he　continued
to　say　among　his　apologies　that　he　was　not　aware　Mr。　Somerset
was　a　personal　friend　of　the　ladies。

Of　all　the　thoughts　which　filled　the　minds　of　Paula　and
Charlotte　De　Stancy；　the　thought　that　the　photograph　might
have　been　a　fabrication　was　probably　the　last。　　To　them　that
picture　of　Somerset　had　all　the　cogency　of　direct　vision。
Paula's　experience；　much　less　Charlotte's；　had　never　lain　in
the　fields　of　heliographic　science；　and　they　would　as　soon
have　thought　that　the　sun　could　again　stand　still　upon　Gibeon；
as　that　it　could　be　made　to　falsify　men's　characters　in
delineating　their　features。　　What　Abner　Power　thought　he
himself　best　knew。　　He　might　have　seen　such　pictures　before；
or　he　might　never　have　heard　of　them。

While　pretending　to　resume　his　reading　he　closely　observed
Paula；　as　did　also　Charlotte　De　Stancy；　but　thanks　to　the
self…management　which　was　Miss　Power's　as　much　by　nature　as　by
art；　she　dissembled　whatever　emotion　was　in　her。

'It　is　a　pity　a　professional　man　should　make　himself　so
ludicrous；'　she　said　with　such　careless　intonation　that　it　was
almost　impossible；　even　for　Charlotte；　who　knew　her　so　well；
to　believe　her　indifference　feigned。

'Yes；'　said　Mr。　Power；　since　Charlotte　did　not　speak：　　'it　is
what　I　scarcely　should　have　expected。'

'O；　I　am　not　surprised！'　said　Paula　quickly。　　'You　don't　know
all。'　　The　inference　was；　indeed；　inevitable　that　if　her　uncle
were　made　aware　of　the　telegram　he　would　see　nothing　unlikely
in　the　picture。　　'Well；　you　are　very　silent！'　continued　Paula
petulantly；　when　she　found　that　nobody　went　on　talking。　　'What
made　you　cry　out　〃O；〃　Charlotte；　when　Mr。　Dare　dropped　that
horrid　photograph？'

'I　don't　know；　I　suppose　it　frightened　me；'　stammered　the
girl。

'It　was　a　stupid　fuss　to　make　before　such　a　person。　　One　would
think　you　were　in　love　with　Mr。　Somerset。'

'What　did　you　say；　Paula？'　inquired　her　uncle；　looking　up　from
the　newspaper　which　he　had　again　resumed。

'Nothing；　Uncle　Abner。'　　She　walked　to　the　window；　and；　as　if
to　tide　over　what　was　plainly　passing　in　their　minds　about
her；　she　began　to　make　remarks　on　objects　in　the　street。
'What　a　quaint　beinglook；　Charlotte！'　　It　was　an　old　woman
sitting　by　a　stall　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　way；　which
seemed　suddenly　to　hit　Paula's　sense　of　the　humorous；　though
beyond　the　fact　that　the　dame　was　old　and　poor；　and　wore　a
white　handkerchief　over　her　head；　there　was　really　nothing
noteworthy　about　her。

Paula　seemed　to　be　more　hurt　by　what　the　silence　of　her
companions　implieda　suspicion　that　the　discovery　of
Somerset's　depravity　was　wounding　her　heartthan　by　the　wound
itself。　　The　ostensible　ease　with　which　she　drew　them　into　a
bye　conversation　had　perhaps　the　defect　of　proving　too　much：
though　her　tacit　contention　that　no　love　was　in　question　was
not　incredible　on　the　supposition　that　affronted　pride　alone
caused　her　embarrassment。　　The　chief　symptom　of　her　heart
being　really　tender　towards　Somerset　consisted　in　her　apparent
blindness　to　Charlotte's　secret；　so　obviously　suggested　by　her
momentary　agitation。



V。

And　where　was　the　subject　of　their　condemnatory　opinions　all
this　while？　　Having　secured　a　room　at　his　inn；　he　came　forth
to　complete　the　discovery　of　his　dear　mistress's　halting…place
without　delay。　　After　one　or　two　inquiries　he　ascertained
where　such　a　party　of　English　were　staying；　and　arriving　at
the　hotel；　knew　at　once　that　he　had　tracked　them　to　earth　by
seeing　the　heavier　portion　of　the　Power　luggage　confronting
him　in　the　hall。　　He　sent　up　intelligence　of　his　presence；　and
awaited　her　reply　with　a　beating　heart。

In　the　meanwhile　Dare；　descending　from　his　pernicious
interview　with　Paula　and　the　rest；　had　descried　Captain　De
Stancy　in　the　public　drawing…room；　and　entered　to　him
forthwith。　　It　was　while　they　were　here　together　that　Somerset
passed　the　door　and　sent　up　his　name　to　Paula。

The　incident　at　the　railway　station　was　now　reversed；　Somerset
being　the　observed　of　Dare；　as　Dare　had　then　been　the　observed
of　Somerset。　　Immediately　on　sight　of　him　Dare　showed　real
alarm。　　He　had　imagined　that　Somerset　would　eventually　impinge
on　Paula's　route；　but　he　had　scarcely　expected　it　yet；　and　the
architect's　sudden　appearance　led　Dare　to　ask　himself　the
ominous　question　whether　Somerset　had　discovered　his
telegraphic　trick；　and　was　in　the　mood　for　prompt　measures。

'There　is　no　more　for　me　to　do　here；'　said　the　boy　hastily　to
De　Stancy。　　'Miss　Power　does　not　wish　to　ask　me　any　more
questions。　　I　may　as　well　proceed　on　my　way；　as　you　advised。'

De　Stancy；　who　had　also　gazed　with　dismay　at　Somerset's
passi