a laodicean-第10章
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in this lonely district； had found sweet communion a necessity
of life； and by pure and instinctive good sense had broken
down a barrier which men thrice their age and repute would
probably have felt it imperative to maintain。 But perhaps
this was premature： the omnipotent Miss Power's character
practical or ideal； politic or impulsivehe as yet knew
nothing of； and giving over reasoning from insufficient data
he lapsed into mere conjecture。
V。
The next morning Somerset was again at the castle。 He passed
some interval on the walls before encountering Miss De Stancy；
whom at last he observed going towards a pony…carriage that
waited near the door。
A smile gained strength upon her face at his approach； and she
was the first to speak。 'I am sorry Miss Power has not
returned；' she said； and accounted for that lady's absence by
her distress at the event of two evenings earlier。
'But I have driven over to my father'sSir William De
Stancy'shouse this morning；' she went on。 'And on
mentioning your name to him； I found he knew it quite well。
You will； will you not； forgive my ignorance in having no
better knowledge of the elder Mr。 Somerset's works than a dim
sense of his fame as a painter？ But I was going to say that
my father would much like to include you in his personal
acquaintance； and wishes me to ask if you will give him the
pleasure of lunching with him to…day。 My cousin John； whom
you once knew； was a great favourite of his； and used to speak
of you sometimes。 It will be so kind if you can come。 My
father is an old man； out of society； and he would be glad to
hear the news of town。'
Somerset said he was glad to find himself among friends where
he had only expected strangers； and promised to come that day；
if she would tell him the way。
That she could easily do。 The short way was across that glade
he saw therethen over the stile into the wood； following the
path till it came out upon the turnpike…road。 He would then
be almost close to the house。 The distance was about two
miles and a half。 But if he thought it too far for a walk；
she would drive on to the town； where she had been going when
he came； and instead of returning straight to her father's
would come back and pick him up。
It was not at all necessary； he thought。 He was a walker； and
could find the path。
At this moment a servant came to tell Miss De Stancy that the
telegraph was calling her。
'Ahit is lucky that I was not gone again！' she exclaimed。
'John seldom reads it right if I am away。'
It now seemed quite in the ordinary course that； as a friend
of her father's； he should accompany her to the instrument。
So up they went together； and immediately on reaching it she
applied her ear to the instrument； and began to gather the
message。 Somerset fancied himself like a person overlooking
another's letter； and moved aside。
'It is no secret；' she said； smiling。 '〃Paula to Charlotte；〃
it begins。'
'That's very pretty。'
'Oand it is aboutyou；' murmured Miss De Stancy。
'Me？' The architect blushed a little。
She made no answer； and the machine went on with its story。
There was something curious in watching this utterance about
himself； under his very nose； in language unintelligible to
him。 He conjectured whether it were inquiry； praise； or
blame； with a sense that it might reasonably be the latter； as
the result of his surreptitious look into that blue bedroom；
possibly observed and reported by some servant of the house。
'〃Direct that every facility be given to Mr。 Somerset to visit
any part of the castle he may wish to see。 On my return I
shall be glad to welcome him as the acquaintance of your
relatives。 I have two of his father's pictures。〃'
'Dear me； the plot thickens；' he said； as Miss De Stancy
announced the words。 'How could she know about me？'
'I sent a message to her this morning when I saw you crossing
the park on your way heretelling her that Mr。 Somerset； son
of the Academician； was making sketches of the castle； and
that my father knew something of you。 That's her answer。'
'Where are the pictures by my father that she has purchased？'
'O； not hereat least； not unpacked。'
Miss de Stancy then left him to proceed on her journey to
Markton （so the nearest little town was called）； informing him
that she would be at her father's house to receive him at two
o'clock。 Just about one he closed his sketch…book； and set
out in the direction she had indicated。 At the entrance to
the wood a man was at work pulling down a rotten gate that
bore on its battered lock the initials 'W。 De S。' and erecting
a new one whose ironmongery exhibited the letters 'P。 P。'
The warmth of the summer noon did not inconveniently penetrate
the dense masses of foliage which now began to overhang the
path； except in spots where a ruthless timber…felling had
taken place in previous years for the purpose of sale。 It was
that particular half…hour of the day in which the birds of the
forest prefer walking to flying； and there being no wind； the
hopping of the smallest songster over the dead leaves reached
his ear from behind the undergrowth。 The track had originally
been a well…kept winding drive； but a deep carpet of moss and
leaves overlaid it now； though the general outline still
remained to show that its curves had been set out with as much
care as those of a lawn walk； and the gradient made easy for
carriages where the natural slopes were great。 Felled trunks
occasionally lay across it； and alongside were the hollow and
fungous boles of trees sawn down in long past years。
After a walk of three…quarters of an hour he came to another
gate； where the letters 'P。 P。' again supplanted the
historical 'W。 De S。' Climbing over this； he found himself on
a highway which presently dipped down towards the town of
Markton； a place he had never yet seen。 It appeared in the
distance as a quiet little borough of a few thousand
inhabitants； and； without the town boundary on the side he was
approaching； stood half…a…dozen genteel and modern houses； of
the detached kind usually found in such suburbs。 On inquiry；
Sir William De Stancy's residence was indicated as one of
these。
It was almost new； of streaked brick； having a central door；
and a small bay window on each side to light the two front
parlours。 A little lawn spread its green surface in front；
divided from the road by iron railings； the low line of shrubs
immediately within them being coated with pallid dust from the
highway。 On the neat piers of the neat entrance gate were
chiselled the words 'Myrtle Villa。' Genuine roadside
respectability sat smiling on every brick of the eligible
dwelling。
Perhaps that which impressed Somerset more than the mushroom
modernism of Sir William De Stancy's house was the air of
healthful cheerfulness which pervaded it。 He was shown in by
a neat maidservant in black gown and white apron； a canary
singing a welcome from a cage in the shadow of the window； the
voices of crowing cocks coming over the chimneys from
somewhere behind； and the sun and air riddling the house
everywhere。
A dwelling of those well…known and popular dimensions which
allow the proceedings in the kitchen to be distinctly heard in
the parlours； it was so planned that a raking view might be
obtained through it from the front door to the end of the back
garden。 The drawing…room furniture was comfortable； in the
walnut…and…green…rep style of some years ago。 Somerset had
expected to find his friends living in an old house with
remnants of their own antique furniture； and he hardly knew
whether he ought to meet them with a smile or a gaze of
condolence。 His doubt was terminated； however； by the
cheerful and tripping entry of Miss De Stancy； who had
returned from her drive to Markton； and in a few more moments
Sir William came in from the garden。
He was an old man of tall and spare build； with a considerable
stoop； his glasses dangling against his waistcoat…buttons； and
the front corners of his coat…tails hanging lower than the
hinderparts； so that they swayed right and left as he walked。
He nervously apologized to his visitor for having kept
