a laodicean-第38部分

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Baptist　could　do　in　five　minutes　what　neither　of　these　had
done　in　a　lifetime；　he　could　move　some　of　the　hardest　of　men
to　tears。

Thus　it　happened　that；　when　the　sermon　was　fairly　under　way；
Havill　began　to　feel　himself　in　a　trying　position。　　It　was　not
that　he　had　bestowed　much　affection　upon　his　deceased　wife；
irreproachable　woman　as　she　had　been；　but　the　suddenness　of
her　death　had　shaken　his　nerves；　and　Mr。　Woodwell's　address　on
the　uncertainty　of　life　involved　considerations　of　conduct　on
earth　that　bore　with　singular　directness　upon　Havill's
unprincipled　manoeuvre　for　victory　in　the　castle　competition。
He　wished　he　had　not　been　so　inadvertent　as　to　take　his
customary　chair　in　the　chapel。　　People　who　saw　Havill's
agitation　did　not　know　that　it　was　most　largely　owing　to　his
sense　of　the　fraud　which　had　been　practised　on　the　unoffending
Somerset；　and　when；　unable　longer　to　endure　the　torture　of
Woodwell's　words；　he　rose　from　his　place　and　went　into　the
chapel　vestry；　the　preacher　little　thought　that　remorse　for　a
contemptibly　unfair　act；　rather　than　grief　for　a　dead　wife；
was　the　cause　of　the　architect's　withdrawal。

When　Havill　got　into　the　open　air　his　morbid　excitement　calmed
down；　but　a　sickening　self…abhorrence　for　the　proceeding
instigated　by　Dare　did　not　abate。　　To　appropriate　another
man's　design　was　no　more　nor　less　than　to　embezzle　his　money
or　steal　his　goods。　　The　intense　reaction　from　his　conduct　of
the　past　two　or　three　months　did　not　leave　him　when　he　reached
his　own　house　and　observed　where　the　handbills　of　the
countermanded　sale　had　been　torn　down；　as　the　result　of　the
payment　made　in　advance　by　Paula　of　money　which　should　really
have　been　Somerset's。

The　mood　went　on　intensifying　when　he　was　in　bed。　　He　lay
awake　till　the　clock　reached　those　still；　small；　ghastly　hours
when　the　vital　fires　burn　at　their　lowest　in　the　human　frame；
and　death　seizes　more　of　his　victims　than　in　any　other　of　the
twenty…four。　　Havill　could　bear　it　no　longer；　he　got　a　light；
went　down　into　his　office　and　wrote　the　note　subjoined。

'MADAM；The　recent　death　of　my　wife　necessitates　a
considerable　change　in　my　professional　arrangements　and　plans
with　regard　to　the　future。　　One　of　the　chief　results　of　the
change　is；　I　regret　to　state；　that　I　no　longer　find　myself　in
a　position　to　carry　out　the　enlargement　of　the　castle　which
you　had　so　generously　entrusted　to　my　hands。

'I　beg　leave　therefore　to　resign　all　further　connection　with
the　same；　and　to　express；　if　you　will　allow　me；　a　hope　that
the　commission　may　be　placed　in　the　hands　of　the　other
competitor。　　Herewith　is　returned　a　cheque　for　one…half　of　the
sum　so　kindly　advanced　in　anticipation　of　the　commission　I
should　receive；　the　other　half；　with　which　I　had　cleared　off
my　immediate　embarrassments　before　perceiving　the　necessity
for　this　course；　shall　be　returned　to　you　as　soon　as　some
payments　from　other　clients　drop　in。I　beg　to　remain；　Madam；
your　obedient　servant；　　　　　　　　　　　　　JAMES　HAVILL。'

Havill　would　not　trust　himself　till　the　morning　to　post　this
letter。　　He　sealed　it　up；　went　out　with　it　into　the　street；
and　walked　through　the　sleeping　town　to　the　post…office。　　At
the　mouth　of　the　box　he　held　the　letter　long。　　By　dropping　it；
he　was　dropping　at　least　two　thousand　five　hundred　pounds
which；　however　obtained；　were　now　securely　his。　　It　was　a
great　deal　to　let　go；　and　there　he　stood　till　another　wave　of
conscience　bore　in　upon　his　soul　the　absolute　nature　of　the
theft；　and　made　him　shudder。　　The　footsteps　of　a　solitary
policeman　could　be　heard　nearing　him　along　the　deserted
street；　hesitation　ended；　and　he　let　the　letter　go。

When　he　awoke　in　the　morning　he　thought　over　the　circumstances
by　the　cheerful　light　of　a　low　eastern　sun。　　The　horrors　of
the　situation　seemed　much　less　formidable；　yet　it　cannot　be
said　that　he　actually　regretted　his　act。　　Later　on　he　walked
out；　with　the　strange　sense　of　being　a　man　who；　from　one
having　a　large　professional　undertaking　in　hand；　had；　by　his
own　act；　suddenly　reduced　himself　to　an　unoccupied
nondescript。　　From　the　upper　end　of　the　town　he　saw　in　the
distance　the　grand　grey　towers　of　Stancy　Castle　looming　over
the　leafless　trees；　he　felt　stupefied　at　what　he　had　done；　and
said　to　himself　with　bitter　discontent：　　'Well；　well；　what　is
more　contemptible　than　a　half…hearted　rogue！'

That　morning　the　post…bag　had　been　brought　to　Paula　and　Mrs。
Goodman　in　the　usual　way；　and　Miss　Power　read　the　letter。　　His
resignation　was　a　surprise；　the　question　whether　he　would　or
would　not　repay　the　money　was　passed　over；　the　necessity　of
installing　Somerset　after　all　as　sole　architect　was　an
agitation；　or　emotion；　the　precise　nature　of　which　it　is
impossible　to　accurately　define。

However；　she　went　about　the　house　after　breakfast　with　very
much　the　manner　of　one　who　had　had　a　weight　removed　either
from　her　heart　or　from　her　conscience；　moreover；　her　face　was
a　little　flushed　when；　in　passing　by　Somerset's　late　studio；
she　saw　the　plans　bearing　his　motto；　and　knew　that　his　and　not
Havill's　would　be　the　presiding　presence　in　the　coming
architectural　turmoil。　　She　went　on　further；　and　called　to
Charlotte；　who　was　now　regularly　sleeping　in　the　castle；　to
accompany　her；　and　together　they　ascended　to　the　telegraph…
room　in　the　donjon　tower。

'Whom　are　you　going　to　telegraph　to？'　said　Miss　De　Stancy　when
they　stood　by　the　instrument。

'My　architect。'

'OMr。　Havill。'

'Mr。　Somerset。'

Miss　De　Stancy　had　schooled　her　emotions　on　that　side　cruelly
well；　and　she　asked　calmly；　'What；　have　you　chosen　him　after
all？'

'There　is　no　choice　in　itread　that；'　said　Paula；　handing
Havill's　letter；　as　if　she　felt　that　Providence　had　stepped　in
to　shape　ends　that　she　was　too　undecided　or　unpractised　to
shape　for　herself。

'It　is　very　strange；'　murmured　Charlotte；　while　Paula　applied
herself　to　the　machine　and　despatched　the　words：


'Miss　Power；　Stancy　Castle；　to　G。　Somerset；　Esq。；　F。S。A。；
F。R。I。B。A。；　Queen　Anne's　Chambers；　St。　James's。

'Your　design　is　accepted　in　its　entirety。　　It　will　be
necessary　to　begin　soon。　　I　shall　wish　to　see　and　consult　you
on　the　matter　about　the　10th　instant。'


When　the　message　was　fairly　gone　out　of　the　window　Paula
seemed　still　further　to　expand。　　The　strange　spell　cast　over
her　by　something　or　otherprobably　the　presence　of　De　Stancy；
and　the　weird　romanticism　of　his　manner　towards　her；　which　was
as　if　the　historic　past　had　touched　her　with　a　yet　living
handin　a　great　measure　became　dissipated；　leaving　her　the
arch　and　serene　maiden　that　she　had　been　before。

About　this　time　Captain　De　Stancy　and　his　Achates　were
approaching　the　castle；　and　had　arrived　about　fifty　paces　from
the　spot　at　which　it　was　Dare's　custom　to　drop　behind　his
companion；　in　order　that　their　appearance　at　the　lodge　should
be　that　of　master　and　man。

Dare　was　saying；　as　he　had　said　before：　'I　can't　help
fancying；　captain；　that　your　approach　to　this　castle　and　its
mistress　is　by　a　very　tedious　system。　Your　trenches；　zigzags；
counterscarps；　and　ravelins　may　be　all　very　well；　and　a　very
sure　system　of　attack　in　the　long　run；　but　upon　my　soul　they
are　almost　as　slow　in　maturing　as　those　of　Uncle　Toby　himself。
For　my　part　I　should　be　inclined　to　try　an　assault。'

'Don't　pretend　to　give　advice；　Willy；　on　matters　beyond　your
years。'

'I　only　meant　it　for　your　good；　and　your　proper　advancement　in
the　world；'　said　Dare　in　wounded　tones。

'Different　characters；　different　systems；'　returned　the
soldier。　　'This　lady　is　of　a　reticent；　independent；
complicated　disposition；　and　any　sudden　proceeding　would　put
her　on　her　mettle。　　You　don't　dream　what　my　impatience　is；　my
boy。　　It　is　a　thing　transcending　your　utmost　conceptions！　　But
I　proceed　slowly；　I　know　better　than　to　do　otherwise。　　Thank
God　there　is　plenty　of　time。　　As　long　as　there　is　no　risk　of
Somerset's　return　my　situation　is　sure。'

'And　professional　etiquette　will　prevent　him　coming　yet。
Havill　and　he　will　change　like　the　men　in　a　sentry…box；　when
Havill　walks　out；　he'll　walk　in；　and　not　a　moment　before。'

'That　will　not　be　till　eighteen　months　have　passed。　　And　as
the　Jesuit　said；　〃Time　and　I　against　any　two。〃　。　。　。　　Now　drop
to　the　rear；'　added　Captain　De　Stancy　authoritatively。　　And
they　passed　under　the　walls　of　the　castle。

The　grave　fronts　and　bastions　were　wrapped　in　silence；　so　much
so；　that；　standing　awhile　in　the　inner　ward；　they　could　hear
through　an　open　window　a　faintly　clicking　sound　from　within。

'She's　at　the　telegraph；'　said　Dare；　throwing　forward　his
voice　softly　to　the　captain。　　'What　can　that　be　for　so　early？
That　wire　is　a　nuisance；　to　my　mind；　such　constant　intercourse
with　the　outer　world　is　bad　for　our　romance。'

The　speaker　entered　to　arrange　his　photographic　apparatus；　of
which；　in　truth；　he　was　getting　weary；　and　De　Stancy　smoked　on
the　terrace　till　Dare　should　be　ready。　　While　he　waited　his
sister　looked　out　upon　him　from　an　upper　casement；　having
caught　sight　of　him　as　she　came　from　Paula　in　the　telegraph…
room。

'Well；　Lottie；　what　news　this　morning？'　he　said　gaily。

'Nothing　of　importance。　　We　are　quite　well。'　。　。　。　。　She　added
with　hesitation；　'There　is　one　piece　of　news；　Mr。　Havillbut
perhaps　you　have　heard　it　in　Markton？'

'Nothing。'

'Mr。　Havill　has　resigned　his　appointment　as　architect　to　the
castle。'

'What？who　has　it；　then？'

'Mr。　Somerset。'

'Appointed？'

'Yesby　telegraph。'

'When　is　he　coming？'　said　De　Stancy　in　consternation。

'About　the　tenth；　we　think。'

Charlotte　was　concerned　to　see　her　brother's　face；　and
withdrew　from　the　window　that　he　might　not　question　her
further。　　De　Stancy　went　into　the　hall；　and　on　to　the　gallery；
where　Dare　was　standing　as　still　as　a　caryatid。

'I　have　heard　every　word；'　said　Dare。

'Well；　what　does　it　mean？　　Has　that　fool　Havill　done　it　on
purpose　to　annoy　me？　　What　conceivable　reason　can　the　man　have
for　throwing　up　an　appointment　he　has　worked　so　hard　for；　at
the　moment　he　has　got　it；　and　in　the　time　of　his　greatest
need？'

Dare　guessed；　for　he　had　seen　a　little　way　into　Havill's　soul
during　the　brief　period　of　their　confederacy。　　But　he　was　very