a laodicean-第42部分

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　STANCY　CASTLE。

　　　　　　　　　　　By　the　kind　permission　of　Miss　Power；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　PLAY

　　　　　　　Will　shortly　be　performed　at　the　above　CASTLE；


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　IN　AID　OF　THE　FUNDS　OF　THE

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　COUNTY　HOSPITAL；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　By　the　Officers　of　the

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ROYAL　HORSE　ARTILLERY；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　MARKTON　BARRACKS；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ASSISTED　BY　SEVERAL

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　LADIES　OF　THE　NEIGHBOURHOOD。

　　The　cast　and　other　particulars　will　be　duly　announced　in
small
　　bills。　　Places　will　be　reserved　on　application　to　Mr。
Clangham；
　　High　Street；　Markton；　where　a　plan　of　the　room　may　be　seen。

　　N。BThe　Castle　is　about　twenty　minutes'　drive　from　Markton
Station；
　　to　which　there　are　numerous　convenient　trains　from　all　parts
of　the
　　county。



In　a　profound　study　Somerset　turned　and　re…entered　the　ball…
room；　where　he　remained　gloomily　standing　here　and　there　for
about　five　minutes；　at　the　end　of　which　he　observed　Captain　De
Stancy；　who　had　returned　punctually　to　his　word；　crossing　the
hall　in　his　direction。

The　gallant　officer　darted　glances　of　lively　search　over　every
group　of　dancers　and　sitters；　and　then　with　rather　a　blank
look　in　his　face；　he　came　on　to　Somerset。　　Replying　to　the
latter's　inquiry　for　his　sister　that　she　had　nearly　recovered；
he　said；　'I　don't　see　my　father's　neighbours　anywhere。'

'They　have　gone　home；'　replied　Somerset；　a　trifle　drily。
'They　asked　me　to　make　their　apologies　to　you　for　leading　you
to　expect　they　would　remain。　　Miss　Power　was　too　anxious　about
Miss　De　Stancy　to　care　to　stay　longer。'

The　eyes　of　De　Stancy　and　the　speaker　met　for　an　instant。
That　curious　guarded　understanding；　or　inimical　confederacy；
which　arises　at　moments　between　two　men　in　love　with　the　same
woman；　was　present　here；　and　in　their　mutual　glances　each　said
as　plainly　as　by　words　that　her　departure　had　ruined　his
evening's　hope。

They　were　now　about　as　much　in　one　mood　as　it　was　possible　for
two　such　differing　natures　to　be。　　Neither　cared　further　for
elaborating　giddy　curves　on　that　town…hall　floor。　　They　stood
talking　languidly　about　this　and　that　local　topic；　till　De
Stancy　turned　aside　for　a　short　time　to　speak　to　a　dapper
little　lady　who　had　beckoned　to　him。　　In　a　few　minutes　he　came
back　to　Somerset。

'Mrs。　Camperton；　the　wife　of　Major　Camperton　of　my　battery；
would　very　much　like　me　to　introduce　you　to　her。　　She　is　an
old　friend　of　your　father's；　and　has　wanted　to　know　you　for　a
long　time。'

De　Stancy　and　Somerset　crossed　over　to　the　lady；　and　in　a　few
minutes；　thanks　to　her　flow　of　spirits；　she　and　Somerset　were
chatting　with　remarkable　freedom。

'It　is　a　happy　coincidence；'　continued　Mrs。　Camperton；　'that　I
should　have　met　you　here；　immediately　after　receiving　a　letter
from　your　father：　　indeed　it　reached　me　only　this　morning。　　He
has　been　so　kind！　　We　are　getting　up　some　theatricals；　as　you
know；　I　suppose；　to　help　the　funds　of　the　County　Hospital；
which　is　in　debt。'

'I　have　just　seen　the　announcementnothing　more。'

'Yes；　such　an　estimable　purpose；　and　as　we　wished　to　do　it
thoroughly　well；　I　asked　Mr。　Somerset　to　design　us　the
costumes；　and　he　has　now　sent　me　the　sketches。　　It　is　quite　a
secret　at　present；　but　we　are　going　to　play　Shakespeare's
romantic　drama；　'Love's　Labour's　Lost；'　and　we　hope　to　get
Miss　Power　to　take　the　leading　part。　　You　see；　being　such　a
handsome　girl；　and　so　wealthy；　and　rather　an　undiscovered
novelty　in　the　county　as　yet；　she　would　draw　a　crowded　room；
and　greatly　benefit　the　funds。'

'Miss　Power　going　to　play　herself？I　am　rather　surprised；'
said　Somerset。　　'Whose　idea　is　all　this？'

'O；　Captain　De　Stancy'she's　the　originator　entirely。　　You
see　he　is　so　interested　in　the　neighbourhood；　his　family
having　been　connected　with　it　for　so　many　centuries；　that
naturally　a　charitable　object　of　this　local　nature　appeals　to
his　feelings。'

'Naturally！'　her　listener　laconically　repeated。　　'And　have　you
settled　who　is　to　play　the　junior　gentleman's　part；　leading
lover；　hero；　or　whatever　he　is　called？'

'Not　absolutely；　though　I　think　Captain　De　Stancy　will　not
refuse　it；　and　he　is　a　very　good　figure。　　At　present　it　lies
between　him　and　Mr。　Mild；　one　of　our　young　lieutenants。　　My
husband；　of　course；　takes　the　heavy　line；　and　I　am　to　be　the
second　lady；　though　I　am　rather　too　old　for　the　part　really。
If　we　can　only　secure　Miss　Power　for　heroine　the　cast　will　be
excellent。'

'Excellent！'　said　Somerset；　with　a　spectral　smile。



VII。

When　he　awoke　the　next　morning　at　the　Lord…Quantock…Arms　Hotel
Somerset　felt　quite　morbid　on　recalling　the　intelligence　he
had　received　from　Mrs。　Camperton。　　But　as　the　day　for　serious
practical　consultation　about　the　castle　works；　to　which　Paula
had　playfully　alluded；　was　now　close　at　hand；　he　determined　to
banish　sentimental　reflections　on　the　frailties　that　were
besieging　her　nature；　by　active　preparation　for　his
professional　undertaking。　　To　be　her　high…priest　in　art；　to
elaborate　a　structure　whose　cunning　workmanship　would　be
meeting　her　eye　every　day　till　the　end　of　her　natural　life；
and　saying　to　her；　'He　invented　it；'　with　all　the　eloquence　of
an　inanimate　thing　long　regardedthis　was　no　mean
satisfaction；　come　what　else　would。

He　returned　to　town　the　next　day　to　set　matters　there　in　such
trim　that　no　inconvenience　should　result　from　his　prolonged
absence　at　the　castle；　for　having　no　other　commission　he
determined　（with　an　eye　rather　to　heart…interests　than　to
increasing　his　professional　practice）　to　make；　as　before；　the
castle　itself　his　office；　studio；　and　chief　abiding…place　till
the　works　were　fairly　in　progress。

On　the　tenth　he　reappeared　at　Markton。　　Passing　through　the
town；　on　the　road　to　Stancy　Castle；　his　eyes　were　again
arrested　by　the　notice…board　which　had　conveyed　such　startling
information　to　him　on　the　night　of　the　ball。　　The　small　bills
now　appeared　thereon；　but　when　he　anxiously　looked　them　over
to　learn　how　the　parts　were　to　be　allotted；　he　found　that
intelligence　still　withheld。　　Yet　they　told　enough；　the　list
of　lady…players　was　given；　and　Miss　Power's　name　was　one。

That　a　young　lady　who；　six　months　ago；　would　scarcely　join　for
conscientious　reasons　in　a　simple　dance　on　her　own　lawn；
should　now　be　willing　to　exhibit　herself　on　a　public　stage；
simulating　love…passages　with　a　stranger；　argued　a　rate　of
development　which　under　any　circumstances　would　have　surprised
him；　but　which；　with　the　particular　addition；　as　leading
colleague；　of　Captain　De　Stancy；　inflamed　him　almost　to　anger。
What　clandestine　arrangements　had　been　going　on　in　his　absence
to　produce　such　a　full…blown　intention　it　were　futile　to
guess。　　Paula's　course　was　a　race　rather　than　a　march；　and
each　successive　heat　was　startling　in　its　eclipse　of　that
which　went　before。

Somerset　was；　however；　introspective　enough　to　know　that　his
morals　would　have　taken　no　such　virtuous　alarm　had　he　been　the
chief　male　player　instead　of　Captain　De　Stancy。

He　passed　under　the　castle…arch　and　entered。　　There　seemed　a
little　turn　in　the　tide　of　affairs　when　it　was　announced　to
him　that　Miss　Power　expected　him；　and　was　alone。

The　well…known　ante…chambers　through　which　he　walked；　filled
with　twilight；　draughts；　and　thin　echoes　that　seemed　to
reverberate　from　two　hundred　years　ago；　did　not　delay　his　eye
as　they　had　done　when　he　had　been　ignorant　that　his　destiny
lay　beyond；　and　he　followed　on　through　all　this　ancientness　to
where　the　modern　Paula　sat　to　receive　him。

He　forgot　everything　in　the　pleasure　of　being　alone　in　a　room
with　her。　　She　met　his　eye　with　that　in　her　own　which　cheered
him。　　It　was　a　light　expressing　that　something　was　understood
between　them。　　She　said　quietly　in　two　or　three　words　that　she
had　expected　him　in　the　forenoon。

Somerset　explained　that　he　had　come　only　that　morning　from
London。

After　a　little　more　talk；　in　which　she　said　that　her　aunt
would　join　them　in　a　few　minutes；　and　Miss　De　Stancy　was　still
indisposed　at　her　father's　house；　she　rang　for　tea　and　sat
down　beside　a　little　table。

'Shall　we　proceed　to　business　at　once？'　she　asked　him。

'I　suppose　so。'

'First　then；　when　will　the　working　drawings　be　ready；　which　I
think　you　said　must　be　made　out　before　the　work　could　begin？'

While　Somerset　informed　her　on　this　and　other　matters；　Mrs。
Goodman　entered　and　joined　in　the　discussion；　after　which　they
found　it　would　be　necessary　to　adjourn　to　the　room　where　the
plans　were　hanging。　　On　their　walk　thither　Paula　asked　if　he
stayed　late　at　the　ball。

'I　left　soon　after　you。'

'That　was　very　early；　seeing　how　late　you　arrived。'

'Yes。　。　。　。　　I　did　not　dance。'

'What　did　you　do　then？'

'I　moped；　and　walked　to　the　door；　and　saw　an　announcement。'

'I　knowthe　play　that　is　to　be　performed。'

'In　which　you　are　to　be　the　Princess。'

'That's　not　settled；I　have　not　agreed　yet。　　I　shall　not　play
the　Princess　of　France　unless　Mr。　Mild　plays　the　King　of
Navarre。'

This　sounded　rather　well。　　The　Princess　was　the　lady　beloved
by　the　King；　and　Mr。　Mild；　the　young　lieutenant　of　artillery；
was　a　diffident；　inexperienced；　rather　plain…looking　fellow；
whose　sole　interest　in　theatricals　lay　in　the　consideration　of
his　costume　and　the　sound　of　his　own　voice　in　the　ears　of　the
audience。　　With　such　an　unobjectionable　person　to　enact　the
part　of　lover；　the　prominent　character　of　leading　young　lady
or　heroine；　which　Paula　was　to　personate；　was　really　the　most
satisfactory　in　the　whole　list　for　her。　　For　although　she　was
to　be　wooed　hard；　there　was　just　as　much　love…making　among　the
remaining　personages；　while；　as　Somerset　had　understood　the
play；　there　could　occur　no　flingings　of　her　person　upon　her
lover's　neck；　or　agonized　downfalls　upon　the　stage；　in　her
whole　performance；　as　there　were　in　the　parts　chosen　by　Mrs。
Camperton；　the　major's　wife；　and　some　of　the　other　ladies。

'Why　do　you　play　at　all！'　he　murmured。

'What　a　question！　　How　could　I　refuse　for　such　an　excellent
purpose？　　They　say　that　my　taking　a　part　will　be　worth　a
hundred　pounds　to　the　charity。　　My　father　always　supported　the
hospital；　which