a laodicean-第69章

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table。　　'Why　has　he　kept　away？'　she　asked。

'I　don't　knowI　didn't　ask；'　said　Paula　sadly。　　'Perhaps　he
doesn't　care　to　meet　us　again。'

'That's　because　you　didn't　explain。'

'Wellwhy　didn't　the　old　man　give　me　an　opportunity？'
exclaimed　the　niece　with　suppressed　excitement。　　'He　would
scarcely　say　anything　but　yes　and　no；　and　gave　me　no　chance　at
all　of　introducing　the　subject。　　I　wanted　to　explainI　came
all　the　way　on　purposeI　would　have　begged　George's　pardon　on
my　two　knees　if　there　had　been　any　way　of　beginning；　but　there
was　not；　and　I　could　not　do　it！'

Though　she　slept　badly　that　night；　Paula　promptly　appeared　in
the　public　room　to　breakfast；　and　that　not　from　motives　of
vanity；　for；　while　not　unconscious　of　her　accession　to　the
unstable　throne　of　queen…beauty　in　the　establishment；　she
seemed　too　preoccupied　to　care　for　the　honour　just　then；　and
would　readily　have　changed　places　with　her　unhappy
predecessor；　who　lingered　on　in　the　background　like　a　candle
after　sunrise。

Mrs。　Goodman　was　determined　to　trust　no　longer　to　Paula　for
putting　an　end　to　what　made　her　so　restless　and　self…
reproachful。　　Seeing　old　Mr。　Somerset　enter　to　a　little　side…
table　behind　for　lack　of　room　at　the　crowded　centre　tables；
again　without　his　son；　she　turned　her　head　and　asked　point…
blank　where　the　young　man　was。

Mr。　Somerset's　face　became　a　shade　graver　than　before。　　'My
son　is　unwell；'　he　replied；　'so　unwell　that　he　has　been
advised　to　stay　indoors　and　take　perfect　rest。'

'I　do　hope　it　is　nothing　serious。'

'I　hope　so　too。　　The　fact　is；　he　has　overdone　himself　a
little。　　He　was　not　well　when　he　came　here；　and　to　make
himself　worse　he　must　needs　go　dancing　at　the　Casino　with　this
lady　and　thatamong　others　with　a　young　American　lady　who　is
here　with　her　family；　and　whom　he　met　in　London　last　year。　　I
advised　him　against　it；　but　he　seemed　desperately　determined
to　shake　off　lethargy　by　any　rash　means；　and　wouldn't　listen
to　me。　　Luckily　he　is　not　in　the　hotel；　but　in　a　quiet　cottage
a　hundred　yards　up　the　hill。'

Paula；　who　had　heard　all；　did　not　show　or　say　what　she　felt　at
the　news：　　but　after　breakfast；　on　meeting　the　landlady　in　a
passage　alone；　she　asked　with　some　anxiety　if　there　were　a
really　skilful　medical　man　in　Etretat；　and　on　being　told　that
there　was；　and　his　name；　she　went　back　to　look　for　Mr。
Somerset；　but　he　had　gone。

They　heard　nothing　more　of　young　Somerset　all　that　morning；
but　towards　evening；　while　Paula　sat　at　her　window；　looking
over　the　heads　of　fuchsias　upon　the　promenade　beyond；　she　saw
the　painter　walk　by。　　She　immediately　went　to　her　aunt　and
begged　her　to　go　out　and　ask　Mr。　Somerset　if　his　son　had
improved。

'I　will　send　Milly　or　Clementine；'　said　Mrs。　Goodman。

'I　wish　you　would　see　him　yourself。'

'He　has　gone　on。　　I　shall　never　find　him。'

'He　has　only　gone　round　to　the　front；'　persisted　Paula。　　'Do
walk　that　way；　auntie；　and　ask　him。'

Thus　pressed；　Mrs。　Goodman　acquiesced；　and　brought　back
intelligence　to　Miss　Power；　who　had　watched　them　through　the
window；　that　his　son　did　not　positively　improve；　but　that　his
American　friends　were　very　kind　to　him。

Having　made　use　of　her　aunt；　Paula　seemed　particularly　anxious
to　get　rid　of　her　again；　and　when　that　lady　sat　down　to　write
letters；　Paula　went　to　her　own　room；　hastily　dressed　herself
without　assistance；　asked　privately　the　way　to　the　cottage；
and　went　off　thitherward　unobserved。

At　the　upper　end　of　the　lane　she　saw　a　little　house　answering
to　the　description；　whose　front　garden；　window…sills；　palings；
and　doorstep　were　literally　ablaze　with　nasturtiums　in　bloom。

She　entered　this　inhabited　nosegay；　quietly　asked　for　the
invalid；　and　if　he　were　well　enough　to　see　Miss　Power。　　The
woman　of　the　house　soon　returned；　and　she　was　conducted　up　a
crooked　staircase　to　Somerset's　modest　apartments。　　It
appeared　that　some　rooms　in　this　dwelling　had　been　furnished
by　the　landlady　of　the　inn；　who　hired　them　of　the　tenant
during　the　summer　season　to　use　as　an　annexe　to　the　hotel。

Admitted　to　the　outer　room　she　beheld　her　architect　looking　as
unarchitectural　as　possible；　lying　on　a　small　couch　which　was
drawn　up　to　the　open　casement；　whence　he　had　a　back　view　of
the　window　flowers；　and　enjoyed　a　green　transparency　through
the　undersides　of　the　same　nasturtium　leaves　that　presented
their　faces　to　the　passers　without。

When　the　latch　had　again　clicked　into　the　catch　of　the　closed
door　Paula　went　up　to　the　invalid；　upon　whose　pale　and
interesting　face　a　flush　had　arisen　simultaneously　with　the
announcement　of　her　name。　　He　would　have　sprung　up　to　receive
her；　but　she　pressed　him　down；　and　throwing　all　reserve　on　one
side　for　the　first　time　in　their　intercourse；　she　crouched
beside　the　sofa；　whispering　with　roguish　solicitude；　her　face
not　too　far　from　his　own：　　'How　foolish　you　are；　George；　to
get　ill　just　now　when　I　have　been　wanting　so　much　to　see　you
again！I　am　so　sorry　to　see　you　like　thiswhat　I　said　to　you
when　we　met　on　the　shore　was　not　what　I　had　come　to　say！'

Somerset　took　her　by　the　hand。　　'Then　what　did　you　come　to
say；　Paula？'　he　asked。

'I　wanted　to　tell　you　that　the　mere　wanton　wandering　of　a
capricious　mind　was　not　the　cause　of　my　estrangement　from　you。
There　has　been　a　great　deception　practisedthe　exact　nature
of　it　I　cannot　tell　you　plainly　just　at　present；　it　is　too
painfulbut　it　is　all　over；　and　I　can　assure　you　of　my　sorrow
at　having　behaved　as　I　did；　and　of　my　sincere　friendship　now
as　ever。'

'There　is　nothing　I　shall　value　so　much　as　that。　　It　will　make
my　work　at　the　castle　very　pleasant　to　feel　that　I　can　consult
you　about　it　without　fear　of　intruding　on　you　against　your
wishes。'

'Yes；　perhaps　it　will。　　Butyou　do　not　comprehend　me。'

'You　have　been　an　enigma　always。'

'And　you　have　been　provoking；　but　never　so　provoking　as　now。
I　wouldn't　for　the　world　tell　you　the　whole　of　my　fancies　as　I
came　hither　this　evening：　　but　I　should　think　your　natural
intuition　would　suggest　what　they　were。'

'It　does；　Paula。　　But　there　are　motives　of　delicacy　which
prevent　my　acting　on　what　is　suggested　to　me。'

'Delicacy　is　a　gift；　and　you　should　thank　God　for　it；　but　in
some　cases　it　is　not　so　precious　as　we　would　persuade
ourselves。'

'Not　when　the　woman　is　rich；　and　the　man　is　poor？'

'O；　George　Somersetbe　cold；　or　angry；　or　anything；　but　don't
be　like　this！　　It　is　never　worth　a　woman's　while　to　show
regret　for　her　injustice；　for　all　she　gets　by　it　is　an
accusation　of　want　of　delicacy。'

'Indeed　I　don't　accuse　you　of　thatI　warmly；　tenderly　thank
you　for　your　kindness　in　coming　here　to　see　me。'

'Well；　perhaps　you　do。　　But　I　am　now　in　I　cannot　tell　what
moodI　will　not　tell　what　mood；　for　it　would　be　confessing
more　than　I　ought。　　This　finding　you　out　is　a　piece　of
weakness　that　I　shall　not　repeat；　and　I　have　only　one　thing
more　to　say。　　I　have　served　you　badly；　George；　I　know　that；
but　it　is　never　too　late　to　mend；　and　I　have　come　back　to　you。
However；　I　shall　never　run　after　you　again；　trust　me　for　that；
for　it　is　not　the　woman's　part。　　Still；　before　I　go；　that
there　may　be　no　mistake　as　to　my　meaning；　and　misery　entailed
on　us　for　want　of　a　word；　I'll　add　this：　　that　if　you　want　to
marry　me；　as　you　once　did；　you　must　say　so；　for　I　am　here　to
be　asked。'

It　would　be　superfluous　to　transcribe　Somerset's　reply；　and
the　remainder　of　the　scene　between　the　pair。　　Let　it　suffice
that　half…an…hour　afterwards；　when　the　sun　had　almost　gone
down；　Paula　walked　briskly　into　the　hotel；　troubled　herself
nothing　about　dinner；　but　went　upstairs　to　their　sitting…room；
where　her　aunt　presently　found　her　upon　the　couch　looking　up
at　the　ceiling　through　her　fingers。　　They　talked　on　different
subjects　for　some　time　till　the　old　lady　said　'Mr。　Somerset's
cottage　is　the　one　covered　with　flowers　up　the　lane；　I　hear。'

'Yes；'　said　Paula。

'How　do　you　know？'

'I've　been　there。　。　。　。　　We　are　going　to　be　married；　aunt。'

'Indeed！'　replied　Mrs。　Goodman。　　'Well；　I　thought　this　might
be　the　end　of　it：　　you　were　determined　on　the　point；　and　I　am
not　much　surprised　at　your　news。　　Your　father　was　very　wise
after　all　in　entailing　everything　so　strictly　upon　your
offspring；　for　if　he　had　not　I　should　have　been　driven　wild
with　the　responsibility！'

'And　now　that　the　murder　is　out；'　continued　Paula；　passing
over　that　view　of　the　case；　'I　don't　mind　telling　you　that
somehow　or　other　I　have　got　to　like　George　Somerset　as
desperately　as　a　woman　can　care　for　any　man。　　I　thought　I
should　have　died　when　I　saw　him　dancing；　and　feared　I　had　lost
him！　　He　seemed　ten　times　nicer　than　ever　then！　　So　silly　we
women　are；　that　I　wouldn't　marry　a　duke　in　preference　to　him。
There；　that's　my　honest　feeling；　and　you　must　make　what　you
can　of　it；　my　conscience　is　clear；　thank　Heaven！'

'Have　you　fixed　the　day？'

'No；'　continued　the　young　lady；　still　watching　the　sleeping
flies　on　the　ceiling。　　'It　is　left　unsettled　between　us；　while
I　come　and　ask　you　if　there　would　be　any　harmif　it　could
conveniently　be　before　we　return　to　England？'

'Paula；　this　is　too　precipitate！'

'On　the　contrary；　aunt。　　In　matrimony；　as　in　some　other
things；　you　should　be　slow　to　decide；　but　quick　to　execute。
Nothing　on　earth　would　make　me　marry　another　man；　I　know　every
fibre　of　his　character；　and　he　knows　a　good　many　fibres　of
mine；　so　as　there　is　nothing　more　to　be　learnt；　why　shouldn't
we　marry　at　once？　　On　one　point　I　am　firm：　　I　will　never
return　to　that　castle　as　Miss　Power。　　A　nameless　dread　comes
over　me　when　I　think　of　ita　fear　that　some　uncanny　influence
of　the　dead　De　Stancys　would　drive　me　again　from　him。　　O；　if
it　were　to　do　that；'　she　murmured；　burying　her　face　in　her
hands；　'I　really　think　it　would　be　more　than　I　could　bear！'

'Very　well；'　said　Mrs。　Goodman；　'we　will　see　what　can　be　done。
I　will　write　to　Mr。　Wardlaw。'



IV。

On　a　windy　afternoon　in　November；　when　more　than　two　months
had　closed　over　the　incidents　previously　recorded；　a　number　of
farmers　were　sitting　in　a　room　of　the　Lord…Quantock…Arms　Inn；
Markton；　that　was　used　for　the　weekly　ordinary。　　It　was　a
long；　low　apartment；　formed　by　the　union　of　two　or　three
smaller　rooms；　with　a　bow…window　looking　upon　the　street；　and
at　the　present　moment　was　pervaded　by　a　blue　fog　from　tobacco…
pipes；　and　a　temperature　like　that　of　a　kiln。　　The　body　of
farmers　who　still　sat　on　there　was　greater　than　usual；　owing
to　the　cold　air　without；　the　tables　having　been　cleared　of
dinner　for　some　time　and　their　surface　stamped　with　liquid
circles　by　the　feet　of　the　numerous　glasses。

Besides　the　farmers　there　were　present　several　professional
men　of　the　town；　who　found　it　desirable　to　dine　here　on
market…days　for　the　opportunity　it　afforded　them　of　increasing
their　practice　among　the　agriculturists；　many　of　whom　were　men
of　large　balances；　even　luxurious　livers；　who　drove　to　market
in　elegant　phaetons　drawn　by　horses　of　supreme　blood；　bone；
and　action；　in　a　style　never　anticipated　by　their　fathers　when
jogging　thither　in　light　carts；　or　afoot　with　a　butter　basket
on　each　arm。

The　buzz　of　groggy　conversation　was　suddenly　impinged　on　by
the　notes　of　a　peal　of　bell