a laodicean-第60部分

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in　with　a　manner　of　haste。

'You　have　returned；'　said　Mr。　Power。　　'Have　you　made　your
purchases？'

Without　answering；　she　asked；　'Whom；　of　all　people　on　earth；
do　you　think　I　have　met？　　Mr。　Somerset！　　Has　he　been　here？he
passed　me　almost　without　speaking！'

'Yes；　he　has　been　here；'　said　Paula。　　'He　is　on　the　way　from
Genoa　home；　and　called　on　business。'

'You　will　have　him　here　to　dinner；　of　course？'

'I　asked　him；'　said　Mr。　Power；　'but　he　declined。'

'O；　that's　unfortunate！　　Surely　we　could　get　him　to　come。　　You
would　like　to　have　him　here；　would　you　not；　Paula？'

'No；　indeed。　　I　don't　want　him　here；'　said　she。

'You　don't？'

'No！'　she　said　sharply。

'You　used　to　like　him　well　enough；　anyhow；'　bluntly　rejoined
Mrs。　Goodman。

Paula　sedately：　　'It　is　a　mistake　to　suppose　that　I　ever
particularly　liked　the　gentleman　mentioned。'

'Then　you　are　wrong；　Mrs。　Goodman；　it　seems；'　said　Mr。　Power。

Mrs。　Goodman；　who　had　been　growing　quietly　indignant；
notwithstanding　a　vigorous　use　of　her　fan；　at　this　said。
'Fie；　fie；　Paula！　you　did　like　him。　　You　said　to　me　only　a
week　or　two　ago　that　you　should　not　at　all　object　to　marry
him。'

'It　is　a　mistake；'　repeated　Paula　calmly。　　'I　meant　the　other
one　of　the　two　we　were　talking　about。'

'What；　Captain　De　Stancy？'

'Yes。'

Knowing　this　to　be　a　fiction；　Mrs。　Goodman　made　no　remark；　and
hearing　a　slight　noise　behind；　turned　her　head。　　Seeing　her
aunt's　action；　Paula　also　looked　round。　　The　door　had　been
left　ajar；　and　De　Stancy　was　standing　in　the　room。　　The　last
words　of　Mrs。　Goodman；　and　Paula's　reply；　must　have　been　quite
audible　to　him。

They　looked　at　each　other　much　as　if　they　had　unexpectedly　met
at　the　altar；　but　after　a　momentary　start　Paula　did　not　flinch
from　the　position　into　which　hurt　pride　had　betrayed　her。　　De
Stancy　bowed　gracefully；　and　she　merely　walked　to　the　furthest
window；　whither　he　followed　her。

'I　am　eternally　grateful　to　you　for　avowing　that　I　have　won
favour　in　your　sight　at　last；'　he　whispered。

She　acknowledged　the　remark　with　a　somewhat　reserved　bearing。
'Really　I　don't　deserve　your　gratitude；'　she　said。　　'I　did　not
know　you　were　there。'

'I　know　you　did　notthat's　why　the　avowal　is　so　sweet　to　me。
Can　I　take　you　at　your　word？'

'Yes；　I　suppose。'

'Then　your　preference　is　the　greatest　honour　that　has　ever
fallen　to　my　lot。　　It　is　enough：　　you　accept　me？'

'As　a　lover　on　probationno　more。'

The　conversation　being　carried　on　in　low　tones；　Paula's　uncle
and　aunt　took　it　as　a　hint　that　their　presence　could　be
spared；　and　severally　left　the　roomthe　former　gladly；　the
latter　with　some　vexation。　　Charlotte　De　Stancy　followed。

'And　to　what　am　I　indebted　for　this　happy　change？'　inquired　De
Stancy；　as　soon　as　they　were　alone。

'You　shouldn't　look　a　gift…horse　in　the　mouth；'　she　replied
brusquely；　and　with　tears　in　her　eyes　for　one　gone。

'You　mistake　my　motive。　　I　am　like　a　reprieved　criminal；　and
can　scarcely　believe　the　news。'

'You　shouldn't　say　that　to　me；　or　I　shall　begin　to　think　I
have　been　too　kind；'　she　answered；　some　of　the　archness　of　her
manner　returning。　　'Now；　I　know　what　you　mean　to　say　in
answer；　but　I　don't　want　to　hear　more　at　present；　and　whatever
you　do；　don't　fall　into　the　mistake　of　supposing　I　have
accepted　you　in　any　other　sense　than　the　way　I　say。　　If　you
don't　like　such　a　limitation　you　can　go　away。　　I　dare　say　I
shall　get　over　it。'

'Go　away！　　Could　I　go　away？But　you　are　beginning　to　tease；
and　will　soon　punish　me　severely；　so　I　will　make　my　escape
while　all　is　well。　　It　would　be　presumptuous　to　expect　more　in
one　day。'

'It　would　indeed；'　said　Paula；　with　her　eyes　on　a　bunch　of
flowers。



VI。

On　leaving　the　hotel；　Somerset's　first　impulse　was　to　get　out
of　sight　of　its　windows；　and　his　glance　upward　had　perhaps　not
the　tender　significance　that　Paula　imagined；　the　last　look
impelled　by　any　such　whiff　of　emotion　having　been　the
lingering　one　he　bestowed　upon　her　in　passing　out　of　the　room。
Unluckily　for　the　prospects　of　this　attachment；　Paula's
conduct　towards　him　now；　as　a　result　of　misrepresentation；　had
enough　in　common　with　her　previous　silence　at　Nice　to　make　it
not　unreasonable　as　a　further　development　of　that　silence。
Moreover；　her　social　position　as　a　woman　of　wealth；　always
felt　by　Somerset　as　a　perceptible　bar　to　that　full　and　free
eagerness　with　which　he　would　fain　have　approached　her；
rendered　it　impossible　for　him　to　return　to　the　charge；
ascertain　the　reason　of　her　coldness；　and　dispel　it　by　an
explanation；　without　being　suspected　of　mercenary　objects。
Continually　does　it　happen　that　a　genial　willingness　to　bottle
up　affronts　is　set　down　to　interested　motives　by　those　who　do
not　know　what　generous　conduct　means。　　Had　she　occupied　the
financial　position　of　Miss　De　Stancy　he　would　readily　have
persisted　further　and；　not　improbably；　have　cleared　up　the
cloud。

Having　no　further　interest　in　Carlsruhe；　Somerset　decided　to
leave　by　an　evening　train。　　The　intervening　hour　he　spent　in
wandering　into　the　thick　of　the　fair；　where　steam　roundabouts；
the　proprietors　of　wax…work　shows；　and　fancy…stall　keepers
maintained　a　deafening　din。　　The　animated　environment　was
better　than　silence；　for　it　fostered　in　him　an　artificial
indifference　to　the　events　that　had　just　happenedan
indifference　which；　though　he　too　well　knew　it　was　only
destined　to　be　temporary；　afforded　a　passive　period　wherein　to
store　up　strength　that　should　enable　him　to　withstand　the　wear
and　tear　of　regrets　which　would　surely　set　in　soon。　　It　was
the　case　with　Somerset　as　with　others　of　his　temperament；　that
he　did　not　feel　a　blow　of　this　sort　immediately；　and　what
often　seemed　like　stoicism　after　misfortune　was　only　the
neutral　numbness　of　transition　from　palpitating　hope　to
assured　wretchedness。

He　walked　round　and　round　the　fair　till　all　the　exhibitors
knew　him　by　sight；　and　when　the　sun　got　low　he　turned　into　the
Erbprinzen…Strasse；　now　raked　from　end　to　end　by　ensaffroned
rays　of　level　light。　　Seeking　his　hotel　he　dined　there；　and
left　by　the　evening　train　for　Heidelberg。



Heidelberg　with　its　romantic　surroundings　was　not　precisely
the　place　calculated　to　heal　Somerset's　wounded　heart。　　He　had
known　the　town　of　yore；　and　his　recollections　of　that　period；
when；　unfettered　in　fancy；　he　had　transferred　to　his　sketch…
book　the　fine　Renaissance　details　of　the　Otto…Heinrichs…Bau
came　back　with　unpleasant　force。　　He　knew　of　some　carved　cask…
heads　and　other　curious　wood…work　in　the　castle　cellars；
copies　of　which；　being　unobtainable　by　photographs；　he　had
intended　to　make　if　all　went　well　between　Paula　and　himself。
The　zest　for　this　was　now　well…nigh　over。　　But　on　awaking　in
the　morning　and　looking　up　the　valley　towards　the　castle；　and
at　the　dark　green　height　of　the　Konigsstuhl　alongside；　he　felt
that　to　become　vanquished　by　a　passion；　driven　to　suffer；
fast；　and　pray　in　the　dull　pains　and　vapours　of　despised　love；
was　a　contingency　not　to　be　welcomed　too　readily。　　Thereupon
he　set　himself　to　learn　the　sad　science　of　renunciation；　which
everybody　has　to　learn　in　his　degreeeither　rebelling
throughout　the　lesson；　or；　like　Somerset；　taking　to　it　kindly
by　force　of　judgment。　　A　more　obstinate　pupil　might　have
altogether　escaped　the　lesson　in　the　present　case　by
discovering　its　illegality。

Resolving　to　persevere　in　the　heretofore　satisfactory　paths　of
art　while　life　and　faculties　were　left；　though　every　instinct
must　proclaim　that　there　would　be　no　longer　any　collateral
attraction　in　that　pursuit；　he　went　along　under　the　trees　of
the　Anlage　and　reached　the　castle　vaults；　in　whose　cool　shades
he　spent　the　afternoon；　working　out　his　intentions　with　fair
result。　　When　he　had　strolled　back　to　his　hotel　in　the　evening
the　time　was　approaching　for　the　table…d'hote。　　Having　seated
himself　rather　early；　he　spent　the　few　minutes　of　waiting　in
looking　over　his　pocket…book；　and　putting　a　few　finishing
touches　to　the　afternoon　performance　whilst　the　objects　were
fresh　in　his　memory。　　Thus　occupied　he　was　but　dimly　conscious
of　the　customary　rustle　of　dresses　and　pulling　up　of　chairs　by
the　crowd　of　other　diners　as　they　gathered　around　him。
Serving　began；　and　he　put　away　his　book　and　prepared　for　the
meal。　　He　had　hardly　done　this　when　he　became　conscious　that
the　person　on　his　left　hand　was　not　the　typical　cosmopolite
with　boundless　hotel　knowledge　and　irrelevant　experiences　that
he　was　accustomed　to　find　next　him；　but　a　face　he　recognized
as　that　of　a　young　man　whom　he　had　met　and　talked　to　at　Stancy
Castle　garden…party；　whose　name　he　had　now　forgotten。　　This
young　fellow　was　conversing　with　somebody　on　his　left　handno
other　personage　than　Paula　herself。　　Next　to　Paula　he　beheld
De　Stancy；　and　De　Stancy's　sister　beyond　him。　　It　was　one　of
those　gratuitous　encounters　which　only　happen　to　discarded
lovers　who　have　shown　commendable　stoicism　under
disappointment；　as　if　on　purpose　to　reopen　and　aggravate　their
wounds。

It　seemed　as　if　the　intervening　traveller　had　met　the　other
party　by　accident　there　and　then。　　In　a　minute　he　turned　and
recognized　Somerset；　and　by　degrees　the　young　men's　cursory
remarks　to　each　other　developed　into　a　pretty　regular
conversation；　interrupted　only　when　he　turned　to　speak　to
Paula　on　his　left　hand。

'Your　architectural　adviser　travels　in　your　party：　　how　very
convenient；'　said　the　young　tourist　to　her。　　'Far　pleasanter
than　having　a　medical　attendant　in　one's　train！'

Somerset；　who　had　no　distractions　on　the　other　side　of　him；
could　hear　every　word　of　this。　　He　glanced　at　Paula。　　She　had
not　known　of　his　presence　in　the　room　till　now。　　Their　eyes
met　for　a　second；　and　she　bowed　sedately。　　Somerset　returned
her　bow；　and　her　eyes　were　quickly　withdrawn　with　scarcely
visible　confusion。

'Mr。　Somerset　is　not　travelling　with　us；'　she　said。　　'We　have
met　by　accident。　　Mr。　Somerset　came　to　me　on　business　a　little
while　ago。'

'I　must　congratulate　you　on　having　put　the　castle　into　good
hands；'　continued　the　enthusiastic　young　man。

'I　believe　Mr。　Somerset　is　quite　competent；'　said　Paula
stiffly。

To　include　Somerset　in　the　conversation　the　young　man　turned