a laodicean-第51部分

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could　you　know　what　a　degree　of　anxiety　you　cause。　　Why；
Paula；　do　you　not　write　or　send　to　me？　　What　have　I　done　that
you　should　treat　me　like　this？　　Do　write；　if　it　is　only　to
reproach　me。　　I　am　compelled　to　pass　the　greater　part　of　the
day　in　this　castle；　which　reminds　me　constantly　of　you；　and
yet　eternally　lacks　your　presence。　　I　am　unfortunate　indeed
that　you　have　not　been　able　to　find　half…an…hour　during　the
last　month　to　tell　me　at　least　that　you　are　alive。

'You　have　always　been　ambiguous；　it　is　true；　but　I　thought　I
saw　encouragement　in　your　eyes；　encouragement　certainly　was　in
your　eyes；　and　who　would　not　have　been　deluded　by　them　and
have　believed　them　sincere？　　Yet　what　tenderness　can　there　be
in　a　heart　that　can　cause　me　pain　so　wilfully！

'There　may；　of　course；　be　some　deliberate　scheming　on　the　part
of　your　relations　to　intercept　our　letters；　but　I　cannot　think
it。　　I　know　that　the　housekeeper　has　received　a　letter　from
your　aunt　this　very　week；　in　which　she　incidentally　mentions
that　all　are　well；　and　in　the　same　place　as　before。　　How　then
can　I　excuse　you？

'Then　write；　Paula；　or　at　least　telegraph；　as　you　proposed。
Otherwise　I　am　resolved　to　take　your　silence　as　a　signal　to
treat　your　fair　words　as　wind；　and　to　write　to　you　no　more。'



III。

He　despatched　the　letter；　and　half…an…hour　afterwards　felt
sure　that　it　would　mortally　offend　her。　　But　he　had　now
reached　a　state　of　temporary　indifference；　and　could
contemplate　the　loss　of　such　a　tantalizing　property　with
reasonable　calm。

In　the　interim　of　waiting　for　a　reply　he　was　one　day　walking
to　Markton；　when；　passing　Myrtle　Villa；　he　saw　Sir　William　De
Stancy　ambling　about　his　garden…path　and　examining　the
crocuses　that　palisaded　its　edge。　　Sir　William　saw　him　and
asked　him　to　come　in。　　Somerset　was　in　the　mood　for　any
diversion　from　his　own　affairs；　and　they　seated　themselves　by
the　drawing…room　fire。

'I　am　much　alone　now；'　said　Sir　William；　'and　if　the　weather
were　not　very　mild；　so　that　I　can　get　out　into　the　garden
every　day；　I　should　feel　it　a　great　deal。'

'You　allude　to　your　daughter's　absence？'

'And　my　son's。　　Strange　to　say；　I　do　not　miss　her　so　much　as　I
miss　him。　　She　offers　to　return　at　any　moment；　but　I　do　not
wish　to　deprive　her　of　the　advantages　of　a　little　foreign
travel　with　her　friend。　　Always；　Mr。　Somerset；　give　your　spare
time　to　foreign　countries；　especially　those　which　contrast
with　your　own　in　topography；　language；　and　art。　　That's　my
advice　to　all　young　people　of　your　age。　　Don't　waste　your
money　on　expensive　amusements　at　home。　　Practise　the　strictest
economy　at　home；　to　have　a　margin　for　going　abroad。'

Economy；　which　Sir　William　had　never　practised；　but　to　which；
after　exhausting　all　other　practices；　he　now　raised　an　altar；
as　the　Athenians　did　to　the　unknown　God；　was　a　topic　likely　to
prolong　itself　on　the　baronet's　lips；　and　Somerset　contrived
to　interrupt　him　by　asking

'Captain　De　Stancy；　too；　has　gone？　　Has　the　artillery；　then；
left　the　barracks？'

'No；'　said　Sir　William。　　'But　my　son　has　made　use　of　his　leave
in　running　over　to　see　his　sister　at　Nice。'

The　current　of　quiet　meditation　in　Somerset　changed　to　a　busy
whirl　at　this　reply。　　That　Paula　should　become　indifferent　to
his　existence　from　a　sense　of　superiority；　physical；
spiritual；　or　social；　was　a　sufficiently　ironical　thing；　but
that　she　should　have　relinquished　him　because　of　the　presence
of　a　rival　lent　commonplace　dreariness　to　her　cruelty。

Sir　William；　noting　nothing；　continued　in　the　tone　of　clever
childishness　which　characterized　him：　　'It　is　very　singular
how　the　present　situation　has　been　led　up　to　by　me。　　Policy；
and　policy　alone；　has　been　the　rule　of　my　conduct　for　many
years　past；　and　when　I　say　that　I　have　saved　my　family　by　it；
I　believe　time　will　show　that　I　am　within　the　truth。　　I　hope
you　don't　let　your　passions　outrun　your　policy；　as　so　many
young　men　are　apt　to　do。　　Better　be　poor　and　politic；　than
rich　and　headstrong：　　that's　the　opinion　of　an　old　man。
However；　I　was　going　to　say　that　it　was　purely　from　policy
that　I　allowed　a　friendship　to　develop　between　my　daughter　and
Miss　Power；　and　now　events　are　proving　the　wisdom　of　my
course。　　Straws　show　how　the　wind　blows；　and　there　are　little
signs　that　my　son　Captain　De　Stancy　will　return　to　Stancy
Castle　by　the　fortunate　step　of　marrying　its　owner。　　I　say
nothing　to　either　of　them；　and　they　say　nothing　to　me；　but　my
wisdom　lies　in　doing　nothing　to　hinder　such　a　consummation；
despite　inherited　prejudices。'

Somerset　had　quite　time　enough　to　rein　himself　in　during　the
old　gentleman's　locution；　and　the　voice　in　which　he　answered
was　so　cold　and　reckless　that　it　did　not　seem　his　own：　　'But
how　will　they　live　happily　together　when　she　is　a　Dissenter；
and　a　Radical；　and　a　New…light；　and　a　Neo…Greek；　and　a　person
of　red　blood；　while　Captain　De　Stancy　is　the　reverse　of　them
all！'

'I　anticipate　no　difficulty　on　that　score；'　said　the　baronet。
'My　son's　star　lies　in　that　direction；　and；　like　the　Magi；　he
is　following　it　without　trifling　with　his　opportunity。　　You
have　skill　in　architecture；　therefore　you　follow　it。　　My　son
has　skill　in　gallantry；　and　now　he　is　about　to　exercise　it
profitably。'

'May　nobody　wish　him　more　harm　in　that　exercise　than　I　do！'
said　Somerset　fervently。

A　stagnant　moodiness　of　several　hours　which　followed　his　visit
to　Myrtle　Villa　resulted　in　a　resolve　to　journey　over　to　Paula
the　very　next　day。　　He　now　felt　perfectly　convinced　that　the
inviting　of　Captain　De　Stancy　to　visit　them　at　Nice　was　a
second　stage　in　the　scheme　of　Paula's　uncle；　the　premature
announcement　of　her　marriage　having　been　the　first。　　The
roundness　and　neatness　of　the　whole　plan　could　not　fail　to
recommend　it　to　the　mind　which　delighted　in　putting　involved
things　straight；　and　such　a　mind　Abner　Power's　seemed　to　be。
In　fact；　the　felicity；　in　a　politic　sense；　of　pairing　the
captain　with　the　heiress　furnished　no　little　excuse　for
manoeuvring　to　bring　it　about；　so　long　as　that　manoeuvring
fell　short　of　unfairness；　which　Mr。　Power's　could　scarcely　be
said　to　do。

The　next　day　was　spent　in　furnishing　the　builders　with　such
instructions　as　they　might　require　for　a　coming　week　or　ten
days；　and　in　dropping　a　short　note　to　Paula；　ending　as
follows：

'I　am　coming　to　see　you。　　Possibly　you　will　refuse　me　an
interview。　　Never　mind；　I　am　comingYours；　　　　　　　　　　　G。
SOMERSET。'

The　morning　after　that　he　was　up　and　away。　　Between　him　and
Paula　stretched　nine　hundred　miles　by　the　line　of　journey　that
he　found　it　necessary　to　adopt；　namely；　the　way　of　London；　in
order　to　inform　his　father　of　his　movements　and　to　make　one　or
two　business　calls。　　The　afternoon　was　passed　in　attending　to
these　matters；　the　night　in　speeding　onward；　and　by　the　time
that　nine　o'clock　sounded　next　morning　through　the　sunless　and
leaden　air　of　the　English　Channel　coasts；　he　had　reduced　the
number　of　miles　on　his　list　by　two　hundred；　and　cut　off　the
sea　from　the　impediments　between　him　and　Paula。

On　awakening　from　a　fitful　sleep　in　the　grey　dawn　of　the
morning　following　he　looked　out　upon　Lyons；　quiet　enough　now；
the　citizens　unaroused　to　the　daily　round　of　bread…winning；
and　enveloped　in　a　haze　of　fog。

Six　hundred　and　fifty　miles　of　his　journey　had　been　got　over；
there　still　intervened　two　hundred　and　fifty　between　him　and
the　end　of　suspense。　　When　he　thought　of　that　he　was
disinclined　to　pause；　and　pressed　on　by　the　same　train；　which
set　him　down　at　Marseilles　at　mid…day。

Here　he　considered。　　By　going　on　to　Nice　that　afternoon　he
would　arrive　at　too　late　an　hour　to　call　upon　her　the　same
evening：　　it　would　therefore　be　advisable　to　sleep　in
Marseilles　and　proceed　the　next　morning　to　his　journey's　end；
so　as　to　meet　her　in　a　brighter　condition　than　he　could　boast
of　to…day。　　This　he　accordingly　did；　and　leaving　Marseilles
the　next　morning　about　eight；　found　himself　at　Nice　early　in
the　afternoon。

Now　that　he　was　actually　at　the　centre　of　his　gravitation　he
seemed　even　further　away　from　a　feasible　meeting　with　her　than
in　England。　　While　afar　off；　his　presence　at　Nice　had　appeared
to　be　the　one　thing　needful　for　the　solution　of　his　trouble；
but　the　very　house　fronts　seemed　now　to　ask　him　what　right　he
had　there。　　Unluckily；　in　writing　from　England；　he　had　not
allowed　her　time　to　reply　before　his　departure；　so　that　he　did
not　know　what　difficulties　might　lie　in　the　way　of　her　seeing
him　privately。　　Before　deciding　what　to　do；　he　walked　down　the
Avenue　de　la　Gare　to　the　promenade　between　the　shore　and　the
Jardin　Public；　and　sat　down　to　think。

The　hotel　which　she　had　given　him　as　her　address　looked　right
out　upon　him　and　the　sea　beyond；　and　he　rested　there　with　the
pleasing　hope　that　her　eyes　might　glance　from　a　window　and
discover　his　form。　　Everything　in　the　scene　was　sunny　and　gay。
Behind　him　in　the　gardens　a　band　was　playing；　before　him　was
the　sea；　the　Great　sea；　the　historical　and　original
Mediterranean；　the　sea　of　innumerable　characters　in　history
and　legend　that　arranged　themselves　before　him　in　a　long
frieze　of　memories　so　diverse　as　to　include　both　AEneas　and
St。　Paul。

Northern　eyes　are　not　prepared　on　a　sudden　for　the　impact　of
such　images　of　warmth　and　colour　as　meet　them　southward；　or
for　the　vigorous　light　that　falls　from　the　sky　of　this
favoured　shore。　　In　any　other　circumstances　the　transparency
and　serenity　of　the　air；　the　perfume　of　the　sea；　the　radiant
houses；　the　palms　and　flowers；　would　have　acted　upon　Somerset
as　an　enchantment；　and　wrapped　him　in　a　reverie；　but　at
present　he　only　saw　and　felt　these　things　as　through　a　thick
glass　which　kept　out　half　their　atmosphere。

At　last　he　made　up　his　mind。　　He　would　take　up　his　quarters　at
her　hotel；　and　catch　echoes　of　her　and　her　people；　to　learn
somehow　if　their　attitude　towards　him　as　a　lover　were　actually
hostile；　before　formally　encountering　them。　　Under　this
crystalline　light；　full　of　gaieties；　sentiment；　languor；
seductiveness；　and　ready…made　romance；　the　memory　of　a
solitary　unimportant　man　in　the　lugubrious　North　might　have
faded　from　her　mind。　　He　was　only　her　hired　designer。　　He　was
an　ar