a laodicean-第11章

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hinderparts；　so　that　they　swayed　right　and　left　as　he　walked。
He　nervously　apologized　to　his　visitor　for　having　kept　him
waiting。

'I　am　so　glad　to　see　you；'　he　said；　with　a　mild　benevolence　of
tone；　as　he　retained　Somerset's　hand　for　a　moment　or　two；
'partly　for　your　father's　sake；　whom　I　met　more　than　once　in
my　younger　days；　before　he　became　so　well…known；　and　also
because　I　learn　that　you　were　a　friend　of　my　poor　nephew　John
Ravensbury。'　　He　looked　over　his　shoulder　to　see　if　his
daughter　were　within　hearing；　and；　with　the　impulse　of　the
solitary　to　make　a　confidence；　continued　in　a　low　tone：　　'She；
poor　girl；　was　to　have　married　John：　　his　death　was　a　sad　blow
to　her　and　to　all　of　us。Pray　take　a　seat；　Mr。　Somerset。'

The　reverses　of　fortune　which　had　brought　Sir　William　De
Stancy　to　this　comfortable　cottage　awakened　in　Somerset　a
warmer　emotion　than　curiosity；　and　he　sat　down　with　a　heart　as
responsive　to　each　speech　uttered　as　if　it　had　seriously
concerned　himself；　while　his　host　gave　some　words　of
information　to　his　daughter　on　the　trifling　events　that　had
marked　the　morning　just　passed；　such　as　that　the　cow　had　got
out　of　the　paddock　into　Miss　Power's　field；　that　the　smith　who
had　promised　to　come　and　look　at　the　kitchen　range　had　not
arrived；　that　two　wasps'　nests　had　been　discovered　in　the
garden　bank；　and　that　Nick　Jones's　baby　had　fallen　downstairs。
Sir　William　had　large　cavernous　arches　to　his　eye…sockets；
reminding　the　beholder　of　the　vaults　in　the　castle　he　once　had
owned。　　His　hands　were　long　and　almost　fleshless；　each　knuckle
showing　like　a　bamboo…joint　from　beneath　his　coat…sleeves；
which　were　small　at　the　elbow　and　large　at　the　wrist。　　All　the
colour　had　gone　from　his　beard　and　locks；　except　in　the　case
of　a　few　isolated　hairs　of　the　former；　which　retained　dashes
of　their　original　shade　at　sudden　points　in　their　length；
revealing　that　all　had　once　been　raven　black。

But　to　study　a　man　to　his　face　for　long　is　a　species　of　ill…
nature　which　requires　a　colder　temperament；　or　at　least　an
older　heart；　than　the　architect's　was　at　that　time。　　Incurious
unobservance　is　the　true　attitude　of　cordiality；　and　Somerset
blamed　himself　for　having　fallen　into　an　act　of　inspection
even　briefly。　　He　would　wait　for　his　host's　conversation；
which　would　doubtless　be　of　the　essence　of　historical　romance。

'The　favourable　Bank…returns　have　made　the　money…market　much
easier　to…day；　as　I　learn？'　said　Sir　William。

'O；　have　they？'　said　Somerset。　　'Yes；　I　suppose　they　have。'

'And　something　is　meant　by　this　unusual　quietness　in　Foreign
stocks　since　the　late　remarkable　fluctuations；'　insisted　the
old　man。　　'Is　the　current　of　speculation　quite　arrested；　or　is
it　but　a　temporary　lull？'

Somerset　said　he　was　afraid　he　could　not　give　an　opinion；　and
entered　very　lamely　into　the　subject；　but　Sir　William　seemed
to　find　sufficient　interest　in　his　own　thoughts　to　do　away
with　the　necessity　of　acquiring　fresh　impressions　from　other
people's　replies；　for　often　after　putting　a　question　he　looked
on　the　floor；　as　if　the　subject　were　at　an　end。　　Lunch　was　now
ready；　and　when　they　were　in　the　dining…room　Miss　De　Stancy；
to　introduce　a　topic　of　more　general　interest；　asked　Somerset
if　he　had　noticed　the　myrtle　on　the　lawn？

Somerset　had　noticed　it；　and　thought　he　had　never　seen　such　a
full…blown　one　in　the　open　air　before。　　His　eyes　were；
however；　resting　at　the　moment　on　the　only　objects　at　all　out
of　the　common　that　the　dining…room　contained。　　One　was　a
singular　glass　case　over　the　fireplace；　within　which　were　some
large　mediaeval　door…keys；　black　with　rust　and　age；　and　the
others　were　two　full…length　oil　portraits　in　the　costume　of
the　end　of　the　last　centuryso　out　of　all　proportion　to　the
size　of　the　room　they　occupied　that　they　almost　reached　to　the
floor。

'Those　originally　belonged　to　the　castle　yonder；'　said　Miss　De
Stancy；　or　Charlotte；　as　her　father　called　her；　noticing
Somerset's　glance　at　the　keys。　　'They　used　to　unlock　the
principal　entrance…doors；　which　were　knocked　to　pieces　in　the
civil　wars。　　New　doors　were　placed　afterwards；　but　the　old
keys　were　never　given　up；　and　have　been　preserved　by　us　ever
since。'

'They　are　quite　uselessmere　lumberparticularly　to　me；'
said　Sir　William。

'And　those　huge　paintings　were　a　present　from　Paula；'　she
continued。　　'They　are　portraits　of　my　great…grandfather　and
mother。　　Paula　would　give　all　the　old　family　pictures　back　to
me　if　we　had　room　for　them；　but　they　would　fill　the　house　to
the　ceilings。'

Sir　William　was　impatient　of　the　subject。　　'What　is　the
utility　of　such　accumulations？'　he　asked。　　'Their　originals
are　but　clay　nowmere　forgotten　dust；　not　worthy　a　moment's
inquiry　or　reflection　at　this　distance　of　time。　　Nothing　can
retain　the　spirit；　and　why　should　we　preserve　the　shadow　of
the　form？London　has　been　very　full　this　year；　sir；　I　have
been　told？'

'It　has；'　said　Somerset；　and　he　asked　if　they　had　been　up　that
season。　　It　was　plain　that　the　matter　with　which　Sir　William
De　Stancy　least　cared　to　occupy　himself　before　visitors　was
the　history　of　his　own　family；　in　which　he　was　followed　with
more　simplicity　by　his　daughter　Charlotte。

'No；'　said　the　baronet。　　'One　might　be　led　to　think　there　is　a
fatality　which　prevents　it。　　We　make　arrangements　to　go　to
town　almost　every　year；　to　meet　some　old　friend　who　combines
the　rare　conditions　of　being　in　London　with　being　mindful　of
me；　but　he　has　always　died　or　gone　elsewhere　before　the　event
has　taken　place。　。　。　。　　But　with　a　disposition　to　be　happy；　it
is　neither　this　place　nor　the　other　that　can　render　us　the
reverse。　　In　short　each　man's　happiness　depends　upon　himself；
and　his　ability　for　doing　with　little。'　　He　turned　more
particularly　to　Somerset；　and　added　with　an　impressive　smile：
'I　hope　you　cultivate　the　art　of　doing　with　little？'

Somerset　said　that　he　certainly　did　cultivate　that　art；　partly
because　he　was　obliged　to。

'Ahyou　don't　mean　to　the　extent　that　I　mean。　　The　world　has
not　yet　learned　the　riches　of　frugality；　says；　I　think；
Cicero；　somewhere；　and　nobody　can　testify　to　the　truth　of　that
remark　better　than　I。　　If　a　man　knows　how　to　spend　less　than
his　income；　however　small　that　may　be；　whyhe　has　the
philosopher's　stone。'　　And　Sir　William　looked　in　Somerset's
face　with　frugality　written　in　every　pore　of　his　own；　as　much
as　to　say；　'And　here　you　see　one　who　has　been　a　living
instance　of　those　principles　from　his　youth　up。'

Somerset　soon　found　that　whatever　turn　the　conversation　took；
Sir　William　invariably　reverted　to　this　topic　of　frugality。
When　luncheon　was　over　he　asked　his　visitor　to　walk　with　him
into　the　garden；　and　no　sooner　were　they　alone　than　he
continued：　　'Well；　Mr。　Somerset；　you　are　down　here　sketching
architecture　for　professional　purposes。　　Nothing　can　be
better：　　you　are　a　young　man；　and　your　art　is　one　in　which
there　are　innumerable　chances。'

'I　had　begun　to　think　they　were　rather　few；'　said　Somerset。

'No；　they　are　numerous　enough：　　the　difficulty　is　to　find　out
where　they　lie。　It　is　better　to　know　where　your　luck　lies　than
where　your　talent　lies：　　that's　an　old　man's　opinion。'

'I'll　remember　it；'　said　Somerset。

'And　now　give　me　some　account　of　your　new　clubs；　new　hotels；
and　new　men。　。　。　。　　What　I　was　going　to　add；　on　the　subject　of
finding　out　where　your　luck　lies；　is　that　nobody　is　so
unfortunate　as　not　to　have　a　lucky　star　in　some　direction　or
other。　　Perhaps　yours　is　at　the　antipodes；　if　so；　go　there。
All　I　say　is；　discover　your　lucky　star。'

'I　am　looking　for　it。'

'You　may　be　able　to　do　two　things；　one　well；　the　other　but
indifferently；　and　yet　you　may　have　more　luck　in　the　latter。
Then　stick　to　that　one；　and　never　mind　what　you　can　do　best。
Your　star　lies　there。'

'There　I　am　not　quite　at　one　with　you；　Sir　William。'

'You　should　be。　　Not　that　I　mean　to　say　that　luck　lies　in　any
one　place　long；　or　at　any　one　person's　door。　　Fortune　likes
new　faces；　and　your　wisdom　lies　in　bringing　your　acquisitions
into　safety　while　her　favour　lasts。　　To　do　that　you　must　make
friends　in　her　time　of　smilesmake　friends　with　people；
wherever　you　find　them。　　My　daughte