a laodicean-第31部分

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his　cards。　　'What　became　of　that　box　of　books　I　sent　you　with
my　last　cheque？'

'Well；　as　I　hadn't　time　to　read　them；　and　as　I　knew　you　would
not　like　them　to　be　wasted；　I　sold　them　to　a　bloke　who　peruses
them　from　morning　till　night。　　Ah；　now　you　have　lost　a　fiver
altogetherhow　queer！　　We'll　double　the　stakes。　　So；　as　I　was
saying；　just　at　the　time　the　books　came　I　got　an　inkling　of
this　important　business；　and　literature　went　to　the　wall。'

'Important　businesswhat？'

'The　capture　of　this　lady；　to　be　sure。'

De　Stancy　sighed　impatiently。　　'I　wish　you　were　less
calculating；　and　had　more　of　the　impulse　natural　to　your
years！'

'Gameby　Jove！　　You　have　lost　again；　captain。　　That　makes
let　me　seenine　pounds　fifteen　to　square　us。'

'I　owe　you　that？'　said　De　Stancy；　startled。　　'It　is　more　than
I　have　in　cash。　　I　must　write　another　cheque。'

'Never　mind。　　Make　it　payable　to　yourself；　and　our　connection
will　be　quite　unsuspected。'

Captain　De　Stancy　did　as　requested；　and　rose　from　his　seat。
Sir　William；　though　further　off；　was　still　in　the　churchyard。

'How　can　you　hesitate　for　a　moment　about　this　girl？'　said
Dare；　pointing　to　the　bent　figure　of　the　old　man。　　'Think　of
the　satisfaction　it　would　be　to　him　to　see　his　son　within　the
family　walls　again。　　It　should　be　a　religion　with　you　to
compass　such　a　legitimate　end　as　this。'

'Well；　well；　I'll　think　of　it；'　said　the　captain；　with　an
impatient　laugh。　　'You　are　quite　a　Mephistopheles；　WillI　say
it　to　my　sorrow！'

'Would　that　I　were　in　your　place。'

'Would　that　you　were！　　Fifteen　years　ago　I　might　have　called
the　chance　a　magnificent　one。'

'But　you　are　a　young　man　still；　and　you　look　younger　than　you
are。　　Nobody　knows　our　relationship；　and　I　am　not　such　a　fool
as　to　divulge　it。　　Of　course；　if　through　me　you　reclaim　this
splendid　possession；　I　should　leave　it　to　your　feelings　what
you　would　do　for　me。'

Sir　William　had　by　this　time　cleared　out　of　the　churchyard；
and　the　pair　emerged　from　the　vestry　and　departed。　　Proceeding
towards　Markton　by　the　same　bypath；　they　presently　came　to　an
eminence　covered　with　bushes　of　blackthorn；　and　tufts　of
yellowing　fern。　　From　this　point　a　good　view　of　the　woods　and
glades　about　Stancy　Castle　could　be　obtained。　　Dare　stood
still　on　the　top　and　stretched　out　his　finger；　the　captain's
eye　followed　the　direction；　and　he　saw　above　the　many…hued
foliage　in　the　middle　distance　the　towering　keep　of　Paula's
castle。

'That's　the　goal　of　your　ambition；　captainambition　do　I
say？most　righteous　and　dutiful　endeavour！　　How　the　hoary
shape　catches　the　sunlightit　is　the　raison　d'etre　of　the
landscape；　and　its　possession　is　coveted　by　a　thousand　hearts。
Surely　it　is　an　hereditary　desire　of　yours？　　You　must　make　a
point　of　returning　to　it；　and　appearing　in　the　map　of　the
future　as　in　that　of　the　past。　　I　delight　in　this　work　of
encouraging　you；　and　pushing　you　forward　towards　your　own。
You　are　really　very　clever；　you　know；　butI　say　it　with
respecthow　comes　it　that　you　want　so　much　waking　up？'

'Because　I　know　the　day　is　not　so　bright　as　it　seems；　my　boy。
However；　you　make　a　little　mistake。　　If　I　care　for　anything　on
earth；　I　do　care　for　that　old　fortress　of　my　forefathers。　　I
respect　so　little　among　the　living　that　all　my　reverence　is
for　my　own　dead。　　But　manoeuvring；　even　for　my　own；　as　you
call　it；　is　not　in　my　line。　　It　is　distastefulit　is
positively　hateful　to　me。'

'Well；　well；　let　it　stand　thus　for　the　present。　　But　will　you
refuse　me　one　little　requestmerely　to　see　her？　　I'll
contrive　it　so　that　she　may　not　see　you。　　Don't　refuse　me；　it
is　the　one　thing　I　ask；　and　I　shall　think　it　hard　if　you　deny
me。'

'O　Will！'　said　the　captain　wearily。　　'Why　will　you　plead　so？
Noeven　though　your　mind　is　particularly　set　upon　it；　I
cannot　see　her；　or　bestow　a　thought　upon　her；　much　as　I　should
like　to　gratify　you。'



VI。

When　they　had　parted　Dare　walked　along　towards　Markton　with
resolve　on　his　mouth　and　an　unscrupulous　light　in　his
prominent　black　eye。　　Could　any　person　who　had　heard　the
previous　conversation　have　seen　him　now；　he　would　have　found
little　difficulty　in　divining　that；　notwithstanding　De
Stancy's　obduracy；　the　reinstation　of　Captain　De　Stancy　in　the
castle；　and　the　possible　legitimation　and　enrichment　of
himself；　was　still　the　dream　of　his　brain。　　Even　should　any
legal　settlement　or　offspring　intervene　to　nip　the　extreme
development　of　his　projects；　there　was　abundant　opportunity
for　his　glorification。　　Two　conditions　were　imperative。　　De
Stancy　must　see　Paula　before　Somerset's　return。　　And　it　was
necessary　to　have　help　from　Havill；　even　if　it　involved
letting　him　know　all。

Whether　Havill　already　knew　all　was　a　nice　question　for　Mr。
Dare's　luminous　mind。　　Havill　had　had　opportunities　of　reading
his　secret；　particularly　on　the　night　they　occupied　the　same
room。　　If　so；　by　revealing　it　to　Paula；　Havill　might　utterly
blast　his　project　for　the　marriage。　　Havill；　then；　was　at　all
risks　to　be　retained　as　an　ally。

Yet　Dare　would　have　preferred　a　stronger　check　upon　his
confederate　than　was　afforded　by　his　own　knowledge　of　that
anonymous　letter　and　the　competition　trick。　　For　were　the
competition　lost　to　him；　Havill　would　have　no　further　interest
in　conciliating　Miss　Power；　would　as　soon　as　not　let　her　know
the　secret　of　De　Stancy's　relation　to　him。

Fortune　as　usual　helped　him　in　his　dilemma。　　Entering　Havill's
office；　Dare　found　him　sitting　there；　but　the　drawings　had　all
disappeared　from　the　boards。　　The　architect　held　an　open
letter　in　his　hand。

'Well；　what　news？'　said　Dare。

'Miss　Power　has　returned　to　the　castle；　Somerset　is　detained
in　London；　and　the　competition　is　decided；'　said　Havill；　with
a　glance　of　quiet　dubiousness。

'And　you　have　won　it？'

'No。　　We　are　bracketedit's　a　tie。　　The　judges　say　there　is
no　choice　between　the　designsthat　they　are　singularly　equal
and　singularly　good。　　That　she　would　do　well　to　adopt　either。
Signed　So…and…So；　Fellows　of　the　Royal　Institute　of　British
Architects。　　The　result　is　that　she　will　employ　which　she
personally　likes　best。　　It　is　as　if　I　had　spun　a　sovereign　in
the　air　and　it　had　alighted　on　its　edge。　　The　least　false
movement　will　make　it　tails；　the　least　wise　movement　heads。'

'Singularly　equal。　　Well；　we　owe　that　to　our　nocturnal　visit；
which　must　not　be　known。'

'O　Lord；　no！'　said　Havill　apprehensively。

Dare　felt　secure　of　him　at　those　words。　　Havill　had　much　at
stake；　the　slightest　rumour　of　his　trick　in　bringing　about　the
competition；　would　be　fatal　to　Havill's　reputation。

'The　permanent　absence　of　Somerset　then　is　desirable
architecturally　on　your　account；　matrimonially　on　mine。'

'Matrimonially？　　By　the　waywho　was　that　captain　you　pointed
out　to　me　when　the　artillery　entered　the　town？'

'Captain　De　Stancyson　of　Sir　William　De　Stancy。　　He's　the
husband。　　O；　you　needn't　look　incredulous：　　it　is　practicable；
but　we　won't　argue　that。　　In　the　first　place　I　want　him　to　see
her；　and　to　see　her　in　the　most　love…kindling；　passion…
begetting　circumstances　that　can　be　thought　of。　　And　he　must
see　her　surreptitiously；　for　he　refuses　to　meet　her。'

'Let　him　see　her　going　to　church　or　chapel？'

Dare　shook　his　head。

'Driving　out？'

'Common…place！'

'Walking　in　the　gardens？'

'Ditto。'

'At　her　toilet？'

'Ahif　it　were　possible！'

'Which　it　hardly　is。　　Well；　you　had　better　think　it　over　and
make　inquiries　about　her　habits；　and　as　to　when　she　is　in　a
favourable　aspect　for　observation；　as　the　almanacs　say。'

Shortly　afterwards　Dare　took　his　leave。　　In　the　evening　he
made　it　his　business　to　sit　smoking　on　the　bole　of　a　tree
which　commanded　a　view　of　the　upper　ward　of　the　castle；　and
also　of　the　old　postern…gate；　now　enlarged　and　used　as　a
tradesmen's　entrance。　　It　was　half…past　six　o'clock；　the
dressing…bell　rang；　and　Dare　saw　a　light…footed　young　woman
hasten　at　the　sound　across　the　ward　from　the　servants'
quarter。　　A　light　appeared　in　a　chamber　which　he　knew　to　be
Paula's　dressing…room；　and　there　it　remained　half…an…hour；　a
shadow　passing　and　repassing　on　the　blind　in　the　style　of
head…dress　worn　by　the　girl　he　had　previously　seen。　　The
dinner…bell　sounded　and　the　light　went　out。

As　yet　it　was　scarcely　dark　out　of　doors；　and　in　a　few　minutes
Dare　had　the　satisfaction　of　seeing　the　same　woman　cross　the
ward　and　emerge　upon　the　slope　without。　　This　time　she　was
bonneted；　and　carried　a　little　basket　in　her　hand。　　A　nearer
view　showed　her　to　be；　as　he　had　expected；　Milly　Birch；
Paula's　maid；　who　had　friends　living　in　Markton；　whom　she　was
in　the　habit　of　visiting　almost　every　evening　during　the　three
hours　of　leisure　which　intervened　between　Paula's　retirement
from　the　dressing…room　and　return　thither　at　ten　o'clock。
When　the　young　woman　had　descended　the　road　and　passed　into
the　large　drive；　Dare　rose　and　followed　her。

'O；　it　is　you；　Miss　Birch；'　said　Dare；　on　overtaking　her。　　'I
am　glad　to　have　the　pleasure　of　walking　by　your　side。'

'Yes；　sir。　　O　it's　Mr。　Dare。　　We　don't　see　you　at　the　castle
now；　sir。'

'No。　　And　do　you　get　a　walk　like　this　every　evening　when　the
others　are　at　their　busiest？'

'Almost　every　evening；　that's　the　one　return　to　the　poor
lady's　maid　for　losing　her　leisure　when　the　others　get　itin
the　absence　of　the　family　from　home。'

'Is　Miss　Power　a　hard　mistress？'

'No。'

'Rather　fanciful　than　hard；　I　presume？'

'Just　so；　sir。'

'And　she　likes　to　appear　to　advantage；　no　doubt。'

'I　suppose　so；'　said　Milly；　laughing。　　'We　all　do。'

'When　does　she　appear　to　the　best　advantage？　　When　riding；　or
driving；　or　reading　her　book？'

'Not　altogether　then；　if　you　mean　the　very　best。'

'Perhaps　it　is　when　she　sits　looking　in　the　glass　at　herself；
and　you　let　down　her　hair。'

'Not　particularly；　to　my　mind。'

'When　does　she　to　your　mind？　　When　dressed　for　a　dinner…party
or　ball？'

'She's　middling；　then。　　But　there　is　one　time　when　she　looks
nicer　and　cleverer　than　at　any。　　It　is　when　she　is　in　the
gymnasium。'

'Ogymnasium？'

'Because　when　she　is　there　she　wears　such　a　pretty　boy's
costume；　and　is　so　charming　in　her　movements；　that　you　think
she　is　a　lovely　young　youth　and　not　a　girl