a laodicean-第12章

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friends　in　her　time　of　smilesmake　friends　with　people；
wherever　you　find　them。　　My　daughter　has　unconsciously
followed　that　maxim。　　She　has　struck　up　a　warm　friendship　with
our　neighbour；　Miss　Power；　at　the　castle。　　We　are
diametrically　different　from　her　in　associations；　traditions；
ideas；　religionshe　comes　of　a　violent　dissenting　family
among　other　thingsbut　I　say　to　Charlotte　what　I　say　to　you：
win　affection　and　regard　wherever　you　can；　and　accommodate
yourself　to　the　times。　　I　put　nothing　in　the　way　of　their
intimacy；　and　wisely　so；　for　by　this　so　many　pleasant　hours
are　added　to　the　sum　total　vouchsafed　to　humanity。'

It　was　quite　late　in　the　afternoon　when　Somerset　took　his
leave。　　Miss　De　Stancy　did　not　return　to　the　castle　that
night；　and　he　walked　through　the　wood　as　he　had　come；　feeling
that　he　had　been　talking　with　a　man　of　simple　nature；　who
flattered　his　own　understanding　by　devising　Machiavellian
theories　after　the　event；　to　account　for　any　spontaneous
action　of　himself　or　his　daughter；　which　might　otherwise　seem
eccentric　or　irregular。

Before　Somerset　reached　the　inn　he　was　overtaken　by　a　slight
shower；　and　on　entering　the　house　he　walked　into　the　general
room；　where　there　was　a　fire；　and　stood　with　one　foot　on　the
fender。　　The　landlord　was　talking　to　some　guest　who　sat　behind
a　screen；　and；　probably　because　Somerset　had　been　seen　passing
the　window；　and　was　known　to　be　sketching　at　the　castle；　the
conversation　turned　on　Sir　William　De　Stancy。

'I　have　often　noticed；'　observed　the　landlord；　'that　volks　who
have　come　to　grief；　and　quite　failed；　have　the　rules　how　to
succeed　in　life　more　at　their　vingers'　ends　than　volks　who
have　succeeded。　　I　assure　you　that　Sir　William；　so　full　as　he
is　of　wise　maxims；　never　acted　upon　a　wise　maxim　in　his　life；
until　he　had　lost　everything；　and　it　didn't　matter　whether　he
was　wise　or　no。　　You　know　what　he　was　in　his　young　days；　of
course？'

'No；　I　don't；'　said　the　invisible　stranger。

'O；　I　thought　everybody　knew　poor　Sir　William's　history。　　He
was　the　star；　as　I　may　zay；　of　good　company　forty　years　ago。
I　remember　him　in　the　height　of　his　jinks；　as　I　used　to　zee
him　when　I　was　a　very　little　boy；　and　think　how　great　and
wonderful　he　was。　　I　can　seem　to　zee　now　the　exact　style　of
his　clothes；　white　hat；　white　trousers；　white　silk
handkerchief；　and　his　jonnick　face；　as　white　as　his　clothes
with　keeping　late　hours。　There　was　nothing　black　about　him　but
his　hair　and　his　eyeshe　wore　no　beard　at　that　timeand　they
were　black　as　slooes。　The　like　of　his　coming　on　the　race…
course　was　never　seen　there　afore　nor　since。　　He　drove　his
ikkipage　hisself；　and　it　was　always　hauled　by　four　beautiful
white　horses；　and　two　outriders　rode　in　harness　bridles。
There　was　a　groom　behind　him；　and　another　at　the　rubbing…post；
all　in　livery　as　glorious　as　New　Jerusalem。　　What　a
'stablishment　he　kept　up　at　that　time！　　I　can　mind　him；　sir；
with　thirty　race…horses　in　training　at　once；　seventeen　coach…
horses；　twelve　hunters　at　his　box　t'other　side　of　London；　four
chargers　at　Budmouth；　and　ever　so　many　hacks。'

'And　he　lost　all　by　his　racing　speculations？'　the　stranger
observed；　and　Somerset　fancied　that　the　voice　had　in　it
something　more　than　the　languid　carelessness　of　a　casual
sojourner。

'Partly　by　that；　partly　in　other　ways。　　He　spent　a　mint　o'
money　in　a　wild　project　of　founding　a　watering…place；　and　sunk
thousands　in　a　useless　silver　mine；　so　'twas　no　wonder　that
the　castle　named　after　him　vell　into　other　hands。　。　。　。　　The
way　it　was　done　was　curious。　　Mr。　Wilkins；　who　was　the　first
owner　after　it　went　from　Sir　William；　actually　sat　down　as　a
guest　at　his　table；　and　got　up　as　the　owner。　　He　took　off；　at
a　round　sum；　everything　saleable；　furniture；　plate；　pictures；
even　the　milk　and　butter　in　the　dairy。　　That's　how　the
pictures　and　furniture　come　to　be　in　the　castle　still；
wormeaten　rubbish　zome　o'　it；　and　hardly　worth　moving。'

'And　off　went　the　baronet　to　Myrtle　Villa？'

'O　no！　he　went　away　for　many　years。　　'Tis　quite　lately；　since
his　illness；　that　he　came　to　that　little　place；　in　zight　of
the　stone　walls　that　were　the　pride　of　his　forefathers。'

'From　what　I　hear；　he　has　not　the　manner　of　a　broken…hearted
man？'

'Not　at　all。　　Since　that　illness　he　has　been　happy；　as　you　see
him：　　no　pride；　quite　calm　and　mild；　at　new　moon　quite
childish。　　'Tis　that　makes　him　able　to　live　there；　before　he
was　so　ill　he　couldn't　bear　a　zight　of　the　place；　but　since
then　he　is　happy　nowhere　else；　and　never　leaves　the　parish
further　than　to　drive　once　a　week　to　Markton。　　His　head　won't
stand　society　nowadays；　and　he　lives　quite　lonely　as　you　zee；
only　zeeing　his　daughter；　or　his　son　whenever　he　comes　home；
which　is　not　often。　　They　say　that　if　his　brain　hadn't
softened　a　little　he　would　ha'　died'twas　that　saved　his
life。'

'What's　this　I　hear　about　his　daughter？　　Is　she　really　hired
companion　to　the　new　owner？'

'Now　that's　a　curious　thing　again；　these　two　girls　being　so
fond　of　one　another；　one　of　'em　a　dissenter；　and　all　that；　and
t'other　a　De　Stancy。　　O　no；　not　hired　exactly；　but　she　mostly
lives　with　Miss　Power；　and　goes　about　with　her；　and　I　dare　say
Miss　Power　makes　it　wo'th　her　while。　　One　can't　move　a　step
without　the　other　following；　though　judging　by　ordinary　volks
you'd　think　'twould　be　a　cat…and…dog　friendship　rather。'

'But　'tis　not？'

''Tis　not；　they　be　more　like　lovers　than　maid　and　maid。　　Miss
Power　is　looked　up　to　by　little　De　Stancy　as　if　she　were　a
god…a'mighty；　and　Miss　Power　lets　her　love　her　to　her　heart's
content。　　But　whether　Miss　Power　loves　back　again　I　can't　zay；
for　she's　as　deep　as　the　North　Star。'

The　landlord　here　left　the　stranger　to　go　to　some　other　part
of　the　house；　and　Somerset　drew　near　to　the　glass　partition　to
gain　a　glimpse　of　a　man　whose　interest　in　the　neighbourhood
seemed　to　have　arisen　so　simultaneously　with　his　own。　　But　the
inner　room　was　empty：　　the　man　had　apparently　departed　by
another　door。



VI。

The　telegraph　had　almost　the　attributes　of　a　human　being　at
Stancy　Castle。　　When　its　bell　rang　people　rushed　to　the　old
tapestried　chamber　allotted　to　it；　and　waited　its　pleasure
with　all　the　deference　due　to　such　a　novel　inhabitant　of　that
ancestral　pile。　　This　happened　on　the　following　afternoon
about　four　o'clock；　while　Somerset　was　sketching　in　the　room
adjoining　that　occupied　by　the　instrument。　　Hearing　its　call；
he　looked　in　to　learn　if　anybody　were　attending；　and　found
Miss　De　Stancy　bending　over　it。

She　welcomed　him　without　the　least　embarrassment。　　'Another
message；'　she　said。'〃Paula　to　Charlotte。Have　returned　to
Markton。　　Am　starting　for　home。　　Will　be　at　the　gate　between
four　and　five　if　possible。〃'

Miss　De　Stancy　blushed　with　pleasure　when　she　raised　her　eyes
from　the　machine。　　'Is　she　not　thoughtful　to　let　me　know
beforehand？'

Somerset　said　she　certainly　appeared　to　be；　feeling　at　the
same　time　that　he　was　not　in　possession　of　sufficient　data　to
make　the　opinion　of　great　value。

'Now　I　must　get　everything　ready；　and　order　what　she　will
want；　as　Mrs。　Goodman　is　away。　　What　will　she　want？　　Dinner
would　be　bestshe　has　had　no　lunch；　I　know；　or　tea　perhaps；
and　dinner　at　the　usual　time。　　Still；　if　she　has　had　no　lunch…
…Hark；　what　do　I　hear？'

She　ran　to　an　arrow…slit；　and　Somerset；　who　had　also　heard
something；　looked　out　of　an　adjoining　one。　　They　could　see
from　their　elevated　position　a　great　way　along　the　white　road；
stretching　like　a　tape　amid　the　green　expanses　on　each　side。
There　had　arisen　a　cloud　of　dust；　accompanied　by　a　noise　of
wheels。

'It　is　she；'　said　Charlotte。　　'O　yesit　is　past　fourthe
telegram　has　been　delayed。'

'How　would　she　be　likely　to　come？'

'She　has　doubtless　hired　a　carriage　at　the　inn：　　she　said　it
would　be　useless　to　send　to　meet　her；　as　she　couldn't　name　a
time。　。　。　。　　Where　is　she　now？'

'Just　where　the　boughs　of　those　beeches　overhang　the　road
there　she　is　again！'

Miss　De　Stancy　went　away　to　give　directions；　and　Somerset
continued　to　watch。　　The　vehicle；　which　was　of　no　great
pretension；　soon　crossed　the　bridge　and　stopped：　　there　was　a
ring　at　the　bell；　and　Miss　D