a laodicean-第39部分

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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
far　from　saying　what　he　guessed。　　Yet　he　unconsciously
revealed　by　other　words　the　nocturnal　shades　in　his　character
which　had　made　that　confederacy　possible。

'Somerset　coming　after　all！'　he　replied。　　'By　God！　that　little
six…barrelled　friend　of　mine；　and　a　good　resolution；　and　he
would　never　arrive！'

'What！'　said　Captain　De　Stancy；　paling　with　horror　as　he
gathered　the　other's　sinister　meaning。

Dare　instantly　recollected　himself。　　'One　is　tempted　to　say
anything　at　such　a　moment；'　he　replied　hastily。

'Since　he　is　to　come；　let　him　come；　for　me；'　continued　De
Stancy；　with　reactionary　distinctness；　and　still　gazing
gravely　into　the　young　man's　face。　　'The　battle　shall　be
fairly　fought　out。　　Fair　play；　even　to　a　rivalremember　that；
boy。　。　。　。　　Why　are　you　here？unnaturally　concerning　yourself
with　the　passions　of　a　man　of　my　age；　as　if　you　were　the
parent；　and　I　the　son？　　Would　to　heaven；　Willy；　you　had　done
as　I　wished　you　to　do；　and　led　the　life　of　a　steady；
thoughtful　young　man！　　Instead　of　meddling　here；　you　should
now　have　been　in　some　studio；　college；　or　professional　man's
chambers；　engaged　in　a　useful　pursuit　which　might　have　made
one　proud　to　own　you。　　But　you　were　so　precocious　and
headstrong；　and　this　is　what　you　have　come　to：　　you　promise　to
be　worthless！'

'I　think　I　shall　go　to　my　lodgings　to…day　instead　of　staying
here　over　these　pictures；'　said　Dare；　after　a　silence　during
which　Captain　De　Stancy　endeavoured　to　calm　himself。　　'I　was
going　to　tell　you　that　my　dinner　to…day　will　unfortunately　be
one　of　herbs；　for　want　of　the　needful。　　I　have　come　to　my　last
stiver。You　dine　at　the　mess；　I　suppose；　captain？'

De　Stancy　had　walked　away；　but　Dare　knew　that　he　played　a
pretty　sure　card　in　that　speech。　　De　Stancy's　heart　could　not
withstand　the　suggested　contrast　between　a　lonely　meal　of
bread…and…cheese　and　a　well…ordered　dinner　amid　cheerful
companions。　　'Here；'　he　said；　emptying　his　pocket　and
returning　to　the　lad's　side。　　'Take　this；　and　order　yourself　a
good　meal。　　You　keep　me　as　poor　as　a　crow。　　There　shall　be
more　to…morrow。'

The　peculiarly　bifold　nature　of　Captain　De　Stancy；　as　shown　in
his　conduct　at　different　times；　was　something　rare　in　life；
and　perhaps　happily　so。　　That　mechanical　admixture　of　black
and　white　qualities　without　coalescence；　on　which　the　theory
of　men's　characters　was　based　by　moral　analysis　before　the
rise　of　modern　ethical　schools；　fictitious　as　it　was　in
general　application；　would　have　almost　hit　off　the　truth　as
regards　Captain　De　Stancy。　　Removed　to　some　half…known
century；　his　deeds　would　have　won　a　picturesqueness　of　light
and　shade　that　might　have　made　him　a　fascinating　subject　for
some　gallery　of　illustrious　historical　personages。　　It　was
this　tendency　to　moral　chequer…work　which　accounted　for　his
varied　bearings　towards　Dare。

Dare　withdrew　to　take　his　departure。　　When　he　had　gone　a　few
steps；　despondent；　he　suddenly　turned；　and　ran　back　with　some
excitement。

'Captainhe's　coming　on　the　tenth；　don't　they　say？　　Well；
four　days　before　the　tenth　comes　the　sixth。　　Have　you
forgotten　what's　fixed　for　the　sixth？'

'I　had　quite　forgotten！'

'That　day　will　be　worth　three　months　of　quiet　attentions：
with　luck；　skill；　and　a　bold　heart；　what　mayn't　you　do？'

Captain　De　Stancy's　face　softened　with　satisfaction。

'There　is　something　in　that；　the　game　is　not　up　after　all。
The　sixthit　had　gone　clean　out　of　my　head；　by　gad！'



V。

The　cheering　message　from　Paula　to　Somerset　sped　through　the
loophole　of　Stancy　Castle　keep；　over　the　trees；　along　the
railway；　under　bridges；　across　four　countiesfrom　extreme
antiquity　of　environment　to　sheer　modernismand　finally
landed　itself　on　a　table　in　Somerset's　chambers　in　the　midst
of　a　cloud　of　fog。　　He　read　it　and；　in　the　moment　of　reaction
from　the　depression　of　his　past　days；　clapped　his　hands　like　a
child。

Then　he　considered　the　date　at　which　she　wanted　to　see　him。
Had　she　so　worded　her　despatch　he　would　have　gone　that　very
day；　but　there　was　nothing　to　complain　of　in　her　giving　him　a
week's　notice。　　Pure　maiden　modesty　might　have　checked　her
indulgence　in　a　too　ardent　recall。

Time；　however；　dragged　somewhat　heavily　along　in　the　interim；
and　on　the　second　day　he　thought　he　would　call　on　his　father
and　tell　him　of　his　success　in　obtaining　the　appointment。

The　elder　Mr。　Somerset　lived　in　a　detached　house　in　the　north…
west　part　of　fashionable　London；　and　ascending　the　chief
staircase　the　young　man　branched　off　from　the　first　landing
and　entered　his　father's　painting…room。　　It　was　an　hour　when
he　was　pretty　sure　of　finding　the　well…known　painter　at　work；
and　on　lifting　the　tapestry　he　was　not　disappointed；　Mr。
Somerset　being　busily　engaged　with　his　back　towards　the　door。

Art　and　vitiated　nature　were　struggling　like　wrestlers　in　that
apartment；　and　art　was　getting　the　worst　of　it。　　The
overpowering　gloom　pervading　the　clammy　air；　rendered　still
more　intense　by　the　height　of　the　window　from　the　floor；
reduced　all　the　pictures　that　were　standing　around　to　the
wizened　feebleness　of　corpses　on　end。　　The　shadowy　parts　of
the　room　behind　the　different　easels　were　veiled　in　a　brown
vapour；　precluding　all　estimate　of　the　extent　of　the　studio；
and　only　subdued　in　the　foreground　by　the　ruddy　glare　from　an
open　stove　of　Dutch　tiles。　　Somerset's　footsteps　had　been　so
noiseless　over　the　carpeting　of　the　stairs　and　landing；　that
his　father　was　unaware　of　his　presence；　he　continued　at　his
work　as　before；　which　he　performed　by　the　help　of　a
complicated　apparatus　of　lamps；　candles；　and　reflectors；　so
arranged　as　to　eke　out　the　miserable　daylight；　to　a　power
apparently　sufficient　for　the　neutral　touches　on　which　he　was
at　that　moment　engaged。

The　first　thought　of　an　unsophisticated　stranger　on　entering
that　room　could　only　be　the　amazed　inquiry　why　a　professor　of
the　art　of　colour；　which　beyond　all　other　arts　requires　pure
daylight　for　its　exercise；　should　fix　himself　on　the　single
square　league　in　habitable　Europe　to　which　light　is　denied　at
noonday　for　weeks　in　succession。

'O！　it's　you；　George；　is　it？'　said　the　Academician；　turning
from　the　lamps；　which　shone　over　his　bald　crown　at　such　a
slant　as　to　reveal　every　cranial　irregularity。　　'How　are　you
this　morning？　　Still　a　dead　silence　about　your　grand　castle
competition？'

Somerset　told　the　news。　　His　father　duly　congratulated　him；
and　added　genially；　'It　is　well　to　be　you；　George。　　One　large
commission　to　attend　to；　and　nothing　to　distract　you　from　it。
I　am　bothered　by　having　a　dozen　irons　in　the　fire　at　once。
And　people　are　so　unreasonable。Only　this　morning；　among
other　things；　when　you　got　your　order　to　go　on　with　your
single　study；　I　received　a　letter　from　a　woman；　an　old　friend
whom　I　can　scarcely　refuse；　begging　me　as　a　great　favour　to
design　her　a　set　of　theatrical　costumes；　in　which　she　and　her
friends　can　perform　for　some　charity。　　It　would　occupy　me　a
good　week　to　go　into　the　subject　and　do　the　thing　properly。
Such　are　the　sort　of　letters　I　get。　　I　wish；　George；　you　could
knock　out　something　for　her　before　you　leave　town。　　It　is
positively　impossible　for　me　to　do　it　with　all　this　work　in
hand；　and　these　eternal　fogs　to　contend　against。'

'I　fear　costumes　are　rather　out　of　my　line；'　said　the　son。
'However；　I'll　do　what　I　can。　　What　period　and　country　are
they　to　represent？'

His　father　didn't　know。　　He　had　never　looked　at　the　play　of
late　years。　　It　was　'Love's　Labour's　Lost。'　　'You　had　better
read　it　for　yourself；'　he　said；　'and　do　the　best　you　can。'

During　the　morning　Somerset　junior　found　time　to　refresh　his
memory　of　the　play；　and　afterwards　went　and　hunted　up
materials　for　designs　to　suit　the　same；　which　occupied　his
spare　hours　for　the　next　three　days。　　As　these　occupations
made　no　great　demands　upon　his　reasoning　faculties　he　mostly
found　his　mind　wandering　off　to　imaginary　scenes　at　Stancy
Castle：　　particularly　did　he　dwell　at　this　time　upon　Paula's
lively　interest　in　the　history；　relics；　tombs；　architecture；
nay；　the　very　Christian　names　of　the　De　Stancy　line；　and　her
'artistic'　preference　for　Charlotte's　ancestors　instead　of　her
own。　　Yet　what　more　natural　than　that　a　clever　meditative
girl；　encased　in　the　feudal　lumber　of　that　family；　should
imbibe　at　least　an　antiquarian　interest　in　it？　　Human　nature
at　bottom　is　romantic　rather　than　ascetic；　and　the　local
habitation　which　accident　had　provided　for　Paula　was　perhaps
acting　as　a　solvent　of　the　hard；　morbidly　introspective　views
thrust　upon　her　in　early　life。

Somerset　wondered　if　his　own　possession　of　a　substantial
genealogy　like　Captain　De　Stancy's　would　have　had　any
appreciable　effect　upon　her　regard　for　him。　　His　suggestion　to
Paula　of　her　belonging　to　a　worthy　strain　of　engineers　had
been　based　on　his　content　with　his　own　intellectual　line　of
descent　through　Pheidias；　Ictinus　and　Callicrates；
Chersiphron；　Vitruvius；　Wilars　of　Cambray；　William　of　Wykeham；
and　the　rest　of　that　long　and　illustrious　roll；　but　Miss
Power's　marked　preference　for　an　animal　pedigree　led　him　to
muse　on　what　he　could　show　for　himself　in　that　kind。

These　thoughts　so　far　occupied　him　that　when　he　took　the
sketches　to　his　father；　on　the　morning　of　the　fifth；　he　was
led　to　ask：　　'Has　any　one　ever　sifted　out　our　family
pedigree？'

'Family　pedigree？'

'Yes。　　Have　we　any　pedigree　worthy　to　be　compared　with　that　of
professedly　old　families？　　I　never　remember　hearing　of　any
ancestor　further　back　than　my　great…grandfather。'

Somerset　the　elder　reflected　and　said　that　he　believed　there
was　a　genealogical　tree　about　the　house　somewhere；　reaching
back　to　a　very　respectable　distance。　　'Not　that　I　ever　took
much　interest　in　it；'　he　continued；　without　looking　up　from
his　canvas；　'but　your　great　uncle　John　was　a　man　with　a　taste
for　those　subjects；　and　he　drew　up　such　a　sheet：　　he　made
several　copies　on　parchment；　and　gave　one　to　each　of　his
brothers　and　sisters。　　The　one　he　gave　to　my　father　is　still
in　my　possession；　I　think。'

Somerset　said　that　he　should　li