a laodicean-第17部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



'I　did；'　she　shyly　remarked；　looking　up　for　a　second　under　her
shady　hat…brim。

'I　am　much　obliged　to　you。'

'O　no。　　I　went　up　last　night　to　see　where　the　accident
happened；　and　there　I　found　it。　　When　you　came　up　were　you　in
search　of　it；　or　did　you　want　me？'

'Then　she　saw　me；'　he　thought。　　'I　went　for　the　handkerchief
only；　I　was　not　aware　that　you　were　there；'　he　answered
simply。　　And　he　involuntarily　sighed。

It　was　very　soft；　but　she　might　have　heard　him；　for　there　was
interest　in　her　voice　as　she　continued；　'Did　you　see　me　before
you　went　back？'

'I　did　not　know　it　was　you；　I　saw　that　some　lady　was　there；
and　I　would　not　disturb　her。　　I　wondered　all　the　evening　if　it
were　you。'

Paula　hastened　to　explain：　　'We　understood　that　you　would　stay
to　dinner；　and　as　you　did　not　come　in　we　wondered　where　you
were。　　That　made　me　think　of　your　accident；　and　after　dinner　I
went　up　to　the　place　where　it　happened。'

Somerset　almost　wished　she　had　not　explained　so　lucidly。

And　now　followed　the　piquant　days　to　which　his　position　as　her
architect；　or；　at　worst；　as　one　of　her　two　architects；
naturally　led。　　His　anticipations　were　for　once　surpassed　by
the　reality。　　Perhaps　Somerset's　inherent　unfitness　for　a
professional　life　under　ordinary　circumstances　was　only　proved
by　his　great　zest　for　it　now。　　Had　he　been　in　regular
practice；　with　numerous　other　clients；　instead　of　having
merely　made　a　start　with　this　one；　he　would　have　totally
neglected　their　business　in　his　exclusive　attention　to
Paula's。

The　idea　of　a　competition　between　Somerset　and　Havill　had　been
highly　approved　by　Paula's　solicitor；　but　she　would　not　assent
to　it　as　yet；　seeming　quite　vexed　that　Somerset　should　not
have　taken　the　good　the　gods　provided　without　questioning　her
justice　to　Havill。　　The　room　she　had　offered　him　was　prepared
as　a　studio。　　Drawing…boards　and　Whatman's　paper　were　sent
for；　and　in　a　few　days　Somerset　began　serious　labour。　　His
first　requirement　was　a　clerk　or　two；　to　do　the　drudgery　of
measuring　and　figuring；　but　for　the　present　he　preferred　to
sketch　alone。　　Sometimes；　in　measuring　the　outworks　of　the
castle；　he　ran　against　Havill　strolling　about　with　no　apparent
object；　who　bestowed　on　him　an　envious　nod；　and　passed　by。

'I　hope　you　will　not　make　your　sketches；'　she　said；　looking　in
upon　him　one　day；　'and　then　go　away　to　your　studio　in　London
and　think　of　your　other　buildings　and　forget　mine。　　I　am　in
haste　to　begin；　and　wish　you　not　to　neglect　me。'

'I　have　no　other　building　to　think　of；'　said　Somerset；　rising
and　placing　a　chair　for　her。　　'I　had　not　begun　practice；　as
you　may　know。　　I　have　nothing　else　in　hand　but　your　castle。'

'I　suppose　I　ought　not　to　say　I　am　glad　of　it；　but　it　is　an
advantage　to　have　an　architect　all　to　one's　self。　　The
architect　whom　I　at　first　thought　of　told　me　before　I　knew　you
that　if　I　placed　the　castle　in　his　hands　he　would　undertake　no
other　commission　till　its　completion。'

'I　agree　to　the　same；'　said　Somerset。

'I　don't　wish　to　bind　you。　　But　I　hinder　you　nowdo　pray　go
on　without　reference　to　me。　　When　will　there　be　some　drawing
for　me　to　see？'

'I　will　take　care　that　it　shall　be　soon。'

He　had　a　metallic　tape　in　his　hand；　and　went　out　of　the　room
to　take　some　dimension　in　the　corridor。　　The　assistant　for
whom　he　had　advertised　had　not　arrived；　and　he　attempted　to
fix　the　end　of　the　tape　by　sticking　his　penknife　through　the
ring　into　the　wall。　　Paula　looked　on　at　a　distance。

'I　will　hold　it；'　she　said。

She　went　to　the　required　corner　and　held　the　end　in　its　place。
She　had　taken　it　the　wrong　way；　and　Somerset　went　over　and
placed　it　properly　in　her　fingers；　carefully　avoiding　to　touch
them。　　She　obediently　raised　her　hand　to　the　corner　again；　and
stood　till　he　had　finished；　when　she　asked；　'Is　that　all？'

'That　is　all；'　said　Somerset。　　'Thank　you。'　　Without　further
speech　she　looked　at　his　sketch…book；　while　he　marked　down　the
lines　just　acquired。

'You　said　the　other　day；'　she　observed；　'that　early　Gothic
work　might　be　known　by　the　under…cutting；　or　something　to　that
effect。　　I　have　looked　in　Rickman　and　the　Oxford　Glossary；　but
I　cannot　quite　understand　what　you　meant。'

It　was　only　too　probable　to　her　lover；　from　the　way　in　which
she　turned　to　him；　that　she　HAD　looked　in　Rickman　and　the
Glossary；　and　was　thinking　of　nothing　in　the　world　but　of　the
subject　of　her　inquiry。

'I　can　show　you；　by　actual　example；　if　you　will　come　to　the
chapel？'　he　returned　hesitatingly。

'Don't　go　on　purpose　to　show　mewhen　you　are　there　on　your
own　account　I　will　come　in。'

'I　shall　be　there　in　half…an…hour。'

'Very　well；'　said　Paula。　　She　looked　out　of　a　window；　and；
seeing　Miss　De　Stancy　on　the　terrace；　left　him。

Somerset　stood　thinking　of　what　he　had　said。　　He　had　no
occasion　whatever　to　go　into　the　chapel　of　the　castle　that
day。　　He　had　been　tempted　by　her　words　to　say　he　would　be
there；　and　'half…an…hour'　had　come　to　his　lips　almost　without
his　knowledge。　　This　community　of　interestif　it　were　not
anything　more　tenderwas　growing　serious。　　What　had　passed
between　them　amounted　to　an　appointment；　they　were　going　to
meet　in　the　most　solitary　chamber　of　the　whole　solitary　pile。
Could　it　be　that　Paula　had　well　considered　this　in　replying
with　her　friendly　'Very　well？'　　Probably　not。

Somerset　proceeded　to　the　chapel　and　waited。　　With　the
progress　of　the　seconds　towards　the　half…hour　he　began　to
discover　that　a　dangerous　admiration　for　this　girl　had　risen
within　him。　　Yet　so　imaginative　was　his　passion　that　he　hardly
knew　a　single　feature　of　her　countenance　well　enough　to
remember　it　in　her　absence。　　The　meditative　judgment　of　things
and　men　which　had　been　his　habit　up　to　the　moment　of　seeing
her　in　the　Baptist　chapel　seemed　to　have　left　himnothing
remained　but　a　distracting　wish　to　be　always　near　her；　and　it
was　quite　with　dismay　that　he　recognized　what　immense
importance　he　was　attaching　to　the　question　whether　she　would
keep　the　trifling　engagement　or　not。

The　chapel　of　Stancy　Castle　was　a　silent　place；　heaped　up　in
corners　with　a　lumber　of　old　panels；　framework；　and　broken
coloured　glass。　　Here　no　clock　could　be　heard　beating　out　the
hours　of　the　dayhere　no　voice　of　priest　or　deacon　had　for
generations　uttered　the　daily　service　denoting　how　the　year
rolls　on。　　The　stagnation　of　the　spot　was　sufficient　to　draw
Somerset's　mind　for　a　moment　from　the　subject　which　absorbed
it；　and　he　thought；　'So；　too；　will　time　triumph　over　all　this
fervour　within　me。'

Lifting　his　eyes　from　the　floor　on　which　his　foot　had　been
tapping　nervously；　he　saw　Paula　standing　at　the　other　end。　　It
was　not　so　pleasant　when　he　also　saw　that　Mrs。　Goodman
accompanied　her。　　The　latter　lady；　however；　obligingly
remained　where　she　was　resting；　while　Paula　came　forward；　and；
as　usual；　paused　without　speaking。

'It　is　in　this　little　arcade　that　the　example　occurs；'　said
Somerset。

'O　yes；'　she　answered；　turning　to　look　at　it。

'Early　piers；　capitals；　and　mouldings；　generally　alternated
with　deep　hollows；　so　as　to　form　strong　shadows。　　Now　look
under　the　abacus　of　this　capital；　you　will　find　the　stone
hollowed　out　wonderfully；　and　also　in　this　arch…mould。　　It　is
often　difficult　to　understand　how　it　could　be　done　without
cracking　off　the　stone。　　The　difference　between　this　and　late
work　can　be　felt　by　the　hand　even　better　than　it　can　be　seen。'
He　suited　the　action　to　the　word　and　placed　his　hand　in　the
hollow。

She　listened　attentively；　then　stretched　up　her　own　hand　to
test　the　cutting　as　he　had　done；　she　was　not　quite　tall
enough；　she　would　step　upon　this　piece　of　wood。　　Having　done
so　she　tried　again；　and　succeeded　in　putting　her　finger　on　the
spot。　　No；　she　could　not　understand　it　through　her　glove　even
now。　　She　pulled　off　her　glove；　and；　her　hand　resting　in　the
stone　channel；　her　eyes　became　abstracted　in　the　effort　of
realization；　the　ideas　derived　through　her　hand　passing　into
her　face。

'No；　I　am　not　sure　now；'　she　said。

Somerset　placed　his　own　hand　in　the　cavity。　　Now　their　two
hands　were　close　together　again。　　They　had　been　close　together
half…an…hour　earlier；　and　he　had　sedulously　avoided　touching
hers。　　He　dared　not　let　such　an　accident　happen　now。　　And　yet…
…surely　she　saw　the　situation！　　Was　the　inscrutable
seriousness　with　which　she　applied　herself　to　his　lesson　a
mockery？　　There　was　such　a　bottomless　depth　in　her　eyes　that
it　was　impossible　to　guess　truly。　　Let　it　be　that　destiny
alone　had　ruled　that　their　hands　should　be　together　a　second
time。

All　rumination　was　cut　short　by　an　impulse。　　He　seized　her
forefinger　between　his　own　finger　and　thumb；　and　drew　it　along
the　hollow；　saying；　'That　is　the　curve　I　mean。'

Somerset's　hand　was　hot　and　trembling；　Paula's；　on　the
contrary；　was　cool　and　soft　as　an　infant's。

'Now　the　arch…mould；'　continued　he。　　'Therethe　depth　of　that
cavity　is　tremendous；　and　it　is　not　geometrical；　as　in　later
work。'　　He　drew　her　unresisting　fingers　from　the　capital　to
the　arch；　and　laid　them　in　the　little　trench　as　before。

She　allowed　them　to　rest　quietly　there　till　he　relinquished
them。　　'Thank　you；'　she　then　said；　withdrawing　her　hand；
brushing　the　dust　from　her　finger…tips；　and　putting　on　her
glove。

Her　imperception　of　his　feeling　was　the　very　sublimity　of
maiden　innocence　if　it　were　real；　if　not；　well；　the　coquetry
was　no　great　sin。

'Mr。　Somerset；　will　you　allow　me　to　have　the　Greek　court　I
mentioned？'　she　asked　tentatively；　after　a　long　break　in　their
discourse；　as　she　scanned　the　green　stones　along　the　base　of
the　arcade；　with　a　conjectural　countenance　as　to　his　reply。

'Will　your　own　feeling　for　the　genius　of　the　place　allow　you？'

'I　am　not　a　mediaevalist：　　I　am　an　eclectic。'

'You　don't　dislike　your　own　house　on　that　account。'

'I　did　at　firstI　don't　so　much　now。　。　。　。　　I　should　love　it；
and　adore　every　stone；　and　think　feudalism　the　only　true
romance　of　life；　if'

'What？'

'If　I　were　a　De　Stancy；　and　the　castle　the　long　home　of　my
forefathers。'

Somerset　was　a　little　surprised　at　the　avowal：　　the　minister's
words　on　the　effects　of　her　new　environment　recurred　to　his
mind。　　'Miss　De　Stancy　doe