a laodicean-第67部分

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townward；　he　turned　his　back　upon　the　distant　sprinkle　of
lights；　and　did　not　check　his　walk　till　he　reached　the　lodge
of　Stancy　Castle。

Here　he　pulled　the　wooden　acorn　beside　the　arch；　and　when　the
porter　appeared　his　light　revealed　the　pedestrian's
countenance　to　be　scathed；　as　by　lightning。

'I　beg　your　pardon；　Mr。　Power；'　said　the　porter　with　sudden
deference　as　he　opened　the　wicket。　　'But　we　wasn't　expecting
anybody　to…night；　as　there　is　nobody　at　home；　and　the　servants
on　board　wages；　and　that's　why　I　was　so　long　a…coming。'

'No　matter；　no　matter；'　said　Abner　Power。　　'I　have　returned　on
sudden　business；　and　have　not　come　to　stay　longer　than　to…
night。　　Your　mistress　is　not　with　me。　　I　meant　to　sleep　in
Markton；　but　have　changed　my　mind。'

Mr。　Power　had　brought　no　luggage　with　him　beyond　a　small　hand…
bag；　and　as　soon　as　a　room　could　be　got　ready　he　retired　to
bed。

The　next　morning　he　passed　in　idly　walking　about　the　grounds
and　observing　the　progress　which　had　been　made　in　the　works
now　temporarily　suspended。　　But　that　inspection　was　less　his
object　in　remaining　there　than　meditation；　was　abundantly
evident。　　When　the　bell　began　to　toll　from　the　neighbouring
church　to　announce　the　burial　of　Sir　William　De　Stancy；　he
passed　through　the　castle；　and　went　on　foot　in　the　direction
indicated　by　the　sound。　　Reaching　the　margin　of　the　churchyard
he　looked　over　the　wall；　his　presence　being　masked　by　bushes
and　a　group　of　idlers　from　Markton　who　stood　in　front。　　Soon　a
funeral　procession　of　simplealmost　meagre　and　threadbare
character　arrived；　but　Power　did　not　join　the　people　who
followed　the　deceased　into　the　church。　　De　Stancy　was　the
chief　mourner　and　only　relation　present；　the　other　followers
of　the　broken…down　old　man　being　an　ancient　lawyer；　a　couple
of　faithful　servants；　and　a　bowed　villager　who　had　been　page
to　the　late　Sir　William's　fatherthe　single　living　person
left　in　the　parish　who　remembered　the　De　Stancys　as　people　of
wealth　and　influence；　and　who　firmly　believed　that　family
would　come　into　its　rights　ere　long；　and　oust　the
uncircumcized　Philistines　who　had　taken　possession　of　the　old
lands。

The　funeral　was　over；　and　the　rusty　carriages　had　gone；
together　with　many　of　the　spectators；　but　Power　lingered　in
the　churchyard　as　if　he　were　looking　for　some　one。　　At　length
he　entered　the　church；　passing　by　the　cavernous　pitfall　with
descending　steps　which　stood　open　outside　the　wall　of　the　De
Stancy　aisle。　　Arrived　within　he　scanned　the　few　idlers　of
antiquarian　tastes　who　had　remained　after　the　service　to
inspect　the　monuments；　and　beside　a　recumbent　effigythe
effigy　in　alabaster　whose　features　Paula　had　wiped　with　her
handkerchief　when　there　with　Somersethe　beheld　the　man　it
had　been　his　business　to　find。　　Abner　Power　went　up　and
touched　this　person；　who　was　Dare；　on　the　shoulder。

'Mr。　Powerso　it　is！'　said　the　youth。　　'I　have　not　seen　you
since　we　met　in　Carlsruhe。'

'You　shall　see　all　the　more　of　me　now　to　make　up　for　it。
Shall　we　walk　round　the　church？'

'With　all　my　heart；'　said　Dare。

They　walked　round；　and　Abner　Power　began　in　a　sardonic
recitative：　　'I　am　a　traveller；　and　it　takes　a　good　deal　to
astonish　me。　　So　I　neither　swooned　nor　screamed　when　I　learnt
a　few　hours　ago　what　I　had　suspected　for　a　week；　that　you　are
of　the　house　and　lineage　of　Jacob。'　　He　flung　a　nod　towards
the　canopied　tombs　as　he　spoke。'In　other　words；　that　you　are
of　the　same　breed　as　the　De　Stancys。'

Dare　cursorily　glanced　round。　　Nobody　was　near　enough　to　hear
their　words；　the　nearest　persons　being　two　workmen　just
outside；　who　were　bringing　their　tools　up　from　the　vault
preparatively　to　closing　it。

Having　observed　this　Dare　replied；　'I；　too；　am　a　traveller；
and　neither　do　I　swoon　nor　scream　at　what　you　say。　　But　I
assure　you　that　if　you　busy　yourself　about　me；　you　may　truly
be　said　to　busy　yourself　about　nothing。'

'Well；　that's　a　matter　of　opinion。　　Now；　there's　no　scarlet
left　in　my　face　to　blush　for　men's　follies；　but　as　an　alliance
is　afoot　between　my　niece　and　the　present　Sir　William；　this
must　be　looked　into。'

Dare　reflectively　said　'O；'　as　he　observed　through　the　window
one　of　the　workmen　bring　up　a　candle　from　the　vault　and
extinguish　it　with　his　fingers。

'The　marriage　is　desirable；　and　your　relationship　in　itself　is
of　no　consequence；'　continued　the　elder；　'but　just　look　at
this。　　You　have　forced　on　the　marriage　by　unscrupulous　means；
your　object　being　only　too　clearly　to　live　out　of　the　proceeds
of　that　marriage。'

'Mr。　Power；　you　mock　me；　because　I　labour　under　the　misfortune
of　having　an　illegitimate　father　to　provide　for。　　I　really
deserve　commiseration。'

'You　might　deserve　it　if　that　were　all。　　But　it　looks　bad　for
my　niece's　happiness　as　Lady　De　Stancy；　that　she　and　her
husband　are　to　be　perpetually　haunted　by　a　young　chevalier
d'industrie；　who　can　forge　a　telegram　on　occasion；　and　libel
an　innocent　man　by　an　ingenious　device　in　photography。　　It
looks　so　bad；　in　short；　that；　advantageous　as　a　title　and　old
family　name　would　be　to　her　and　her　children；　I　won't　let　my
brother's　daughter　run　the　risk　of　having　them　at　the　expense
of　being　in　the　grip　of　a　man　like　you。　　There　are　other
suitors　in　the　world；　and　other　titles：　　and　she　is　a
beautiful　woman；　who　can　well　afford　to　be　fastidious。　　I
shall　let　her　know　at　once　of　these　things；　and　break　off　the
businessunless　you　do　ONE　THING。'

A　workman　brought　up　another　candle　from　the　vault；　and
prepared　to　let　down　the　slab。　　'Well；　Mr。　Power；　and　what　is
that　one　thing？'

'Go　to　Peru　as　my　agent　in　a　business　I　have　just　undertaken
there。'

'And　settle　there？'

'Of　course。　　I　am　soon　going　over　myself；　and　will　bring　you
anything　you　require。'

'How　long　will　you　give　me　to　consider？'　said　Dare。

Power　looked　at　his　watch。　　'One；　two；　three；　four　hours；'　he
said。　　'I　leave　Markton　by　the　seven　o'clock　train　this
evening。'

'And　if　I　meet　your　proposal　with　a　negative？'

'I　shall　go　at　once　to　my　niece　and　tell　her　the　whole
circumstancestell　her　that；　by　marrying　Sir　William；　she
allies　herself　with　an　unhappy　gentleman　in　the　power　of　a
criminal　son　who　makes　his　life　a　burden　to　him　by　perpetual
demands　upon　his　purse；　who　will　increase　those　demands　with
his　accession　to　wealth；　threaten　to　degrade　her　by　exposing
her　husband's　antecedents　if　she　opposes　his　extortions；　and
who　will　make　her　miserable　by　letting　her　know　that　her　old
lover　was　shamefully　victimized　by　a　youth　she　is　bound　to
screen　out　of　respect　to　her　husband's　feelings。　　Now　a　man
does　not　care　to　let　his　own　flesh　and　blood　incur　the　danger
of　such　anguish　as　that；　and　I　shall　do　what　I　say　to　prevent
it。　　Knowing　what　a　lukewarm　sentiment　hers　is　for　Sir　William
at　best；　I　shall　not　have　much　difficulty。'

'Well；　I　don't　feel　inclined　to　go　to　Peru。'

'Neither　do　I　want　to　break　off　the　match；　though　I　am　ready
to　do　it。　　But　you　care　about　your　personal　freedom；　and　you
might　be　made　to　wear　the　broad　arrow　for　your　tricks　on
Somerset。'

'Mr。　Power；　I　see　you　are　a　hard　man。'

'I　am　a　hard　man。　　You　will　find　me　one。　　Well；　will　you　go　to
Peru？　　Or　I　don't　mind　Australia　or　California　as
alternatives。　　As　long　as　you　choose　to　remain　in　either　of
those　wealth…producing　places；　so　long　will　Cunningham　Haze　go
uninformed。'

'Mr。　Power；　I　am　overcome。　　Will　you　allow　me　to　sit　down？
Suppose　we　go　into　the　vestry。　　It　is　more　comfortable。'

They　entered　the　vestry；　and　seated　themselves　in　two　chairs；
one　at　each　end　of　the　table。

'In　the　meantime；'　continued　Dare；　'to　lend　a　little　romance
to　stern　realities；　I'll　tell　you　a　singular　dream　I　had　just
before　you　returned　to　England。'　　Power　looked　contemptuous；
but　Dare　went　on：　　'I　dreamt　that　once　upon　a　time　there　were
two　brothers；　born　of　a　Nonconformist　family；　one　of　whom
became　a　railway…contractor；　and　the　other　a　mechanical
engineer。'

'A　mechanical　engineergood；'　said　Power；　beginning　to
attend。

'When　the　first　went　abroad　in　his　profession；　and　became
engaged　on　continental　railways；　the　second；　a　younger　man；
looking　round　for　a　start；　also　betook　himself　to　the
continent。　　But　though　ingenious　and　scientific；　he　had　not
the　business　capacity　of　the　elder；　whose　rebukes　led　to　a
sharp　quarrel　between　them；　and　they　parted　in　bitter
estrangementnever　to　meet　again　as　it　turned　out；　owing　to
the　dogged　obstinacy　and　self…will　of　the　younger　man。　　He；
after　this；　seemed　to　lose　his　moral　ballast　altogether；　and
after　some　eccentric　doings　he　was　reduced　to　a　state　of
poverty；　and　took　lodgings　in　a　court　in　a　back　street　of　a
town　we　will　call　Geneva；　considerably　in　doubt　as　to　what
steps　he　should　take　to　keep　body　and　soul　together。'

Abner　Power　was　shooting　a　narrow　ray　of　eyesight　at　Dare　from
the　corner　of　his　nearly　closed　lids。　　'Your　dream　is　so
interesting；'　he　said；　with　a　hard　smile；　'that　I　could　listen
to　it　all　day。'

'Excellent！'　said　Dare；　and　went　on：　　'Now　it　so　happened　that
the　house　opposite　to　the　one　taken　by　the　mechanician　was
peculiar。　　It　was　a　tall　narrow　building；　wholly　unornamented；
the　walls　covered　with　a　layer　of　white　plaster　cracked　and
soiled　by　time。　　I　seem　to　see　that　house　now！　　Six　stone
steps　led　up　to　the　door；　with　a　rusty　iron　railing　on　each
side；　and　under　these　steps　were　others　which　went　down　to　a
cellarin　my　dream　of　course。'

'Of　coursein　your　dream；'　said　Power；　nodding
comprehensively。

'Sitting　lonely　and　apathetic　without　a　light；　at　his　own
chamber…window　at　night　time；　our　mechanician　frequently
observed　dark　figures　descending　these　steps　and　ultimately
discovered　that　the　house　was　the　meeting…place　of　a
fraternity　of　political　philosophers；　whose　object　was　the
extermination　of　tyrants　and　despots；　and　the　overthrow　of
established　religions。　　The　discovery　was　startling　enough；
but　our　hero　was　not　easily　startled。　　He　kept　their　secret
and　lived　on　as　before。　　At　last　the　mechanician　and　his
affairs　became　known　to　the　society；　as　the　affairs　of　the
society　had　become　known　to　the　mechanician；　and；　instead　of
shooting　him　as　one　who　knew　too　much　for　their　safety；