a laodicean-第28章

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compacted　that　the　sun　gilded　the　convexity　of　each　knot　like
a　ball。

'You　seem　to　be　alone；'　said　Paula；　who　had　at　last　escaped
from　the　duty　of　receiving　guests。

'I　don't　know　many　people。'

'Yes：　　I　thought　of　that　while　I　was　in　the　drawing…room。　　But
I　could　not　get　out　before。　　I　am　now　no　longer　a　responsible
being：　　Mrs。　Goodman　is　mistress　for　the　remainder　of　the　day。
Will　you　be　introduced　to　anybody？　　Whom　would　you　like　to
know？'

'I　am　not　particularly　unhappy　in　my　solitude。'

'But　you　must　be　made　to　know　a　few。'

'Very　wellI　submit　readily。'

She　looked　away　from　him；　and　while　he　was　observing　upon　her
cheek　the　moving　shadow　of　leaves　cast　by　the　declining　sun；
she　said；　'O；　there　is　my　aunt；'　and　beckoned　with　her　parasol
to　that　lady；　who　approached　in　the　comparatively　youthful
guise　of　a　grey　silk　dress　that　whistled　at　every　touch。

Paula　left　them　together；　and　Mrs。　Goodman　then　made　him
acquainted　with　a　few　of　the　best　people；　describing　what　they
were　in　a　whisper　before　they　came　up；　among　them　being　the
Radical　member　for　Markton；　who　had　succeeded　to　the　seat
rendered　vacant　by　the　death　of　Paula's　father。　　While　talking
to　this　gentleman　on　the　proposed　enlargement　of　the　castle；
Somerset　raised　his　eyes　and　hand　towards　the　walls；　the
better　to　point　out　his　meaning；　in　so　doing　he　saw　a　face　in
the　square　of　darkness　formed　by　one　of　the　open　windows；　the
effect　being　that　of　a　highlight　portrait　by　Vandyck　or
Rembrandt。

It　was　his　assistant　Dare；　leaning　on　the　window…sill　of　the
studio；　as　he　smoked　his　cigarette　and　surveyed　the　gay　groups
promenading　beneath。

After　holding　a　chattering　conversation　with　some　ladies　from
a　neighbouring　country　seat　who　had　known　his　father　in　bygone
years；　and　handing　them　ices　and　strawberries　till　they　were
satisfied；　he　found　an　opportunity　of　leaving　the　grounds；
wishing　to　learn　what　progress　Dare　had　made　in　the　survey　of
the　castle。

Dare　was　still　in　the　studio　when　he　entered。　　Somerset
informed　the　youth　that　there　was　no　necessity　for　his　working
later　that　day；　unless　to　please　himself；　and　proceeded　to
inspect　Dare's　achievements　thus　far。　　To　his　vexation　Dare
had　not　plotted　three　dimensions　during　the　previous　two　days。
This　was　not　the　first　time　that　Dare；　either　from
incompetence　or　indolence；　had　shown　his　inutility　as　a　house…
surveyor　and　draughtsman。

'Mr。　Dare；'　said　Somerset；　'I　fear　you　don't　suit　me　well
enough　to　make　it　necessary　that　you　should　stay　after　this
week。'

Dare　removed　the　cigarette　from　his　lips　and　bowed。　　'If　I
don't　suit；　the　sooner　I　go　the　better；　why　wait　the　week？'　he
said。

'Well；　that's　as　you　like。'

Somerset　drew　the　inkstand　towards　him；　wrote　out　a　cheque　for
Dare's　services；　and　handed　it　across　the　table。

'I'll　not　trouble　you　to…morrow；'　said　Dare；　seeing　that　the
payment　included　the　week　in　advance。

'Very　well；'　replied　Somerset。　　'Please　lock　the　door　when　you
leave。'　　Shaking　hands　with　Dare　and　wishing　him　well；　he　left
the　room　and　descended　to　the　lawn　below。

There　he　contrived　to　get　near　Miss　Power　again；　and　inquired
of　her　for　Miss　De　Stancy。

'O！　did　you　not　know？'　said　Paula；　'her　father　is　unwell；　and
she　preferred　staying　with　him　this　afternoon。'

'I　hoped　he　might　have　been　here。'

'O　no；　he　never　comes　out　of　his　house　to　any　party　of　this
sort；　it　excites　him；　and　he　must　not　be　excited。'

'Poor　Sir　William！'　muttered　Somerset。

'No；'　said　Paula；　'he　is　grand　and　historical。'

'That　is　hardly　an　orthodox　notion　for　a　Puritan；'　said
Somerset　mischievously。

'I　am　not　a　Puritan；'　insisted　Paula。

The　day　turned　to　dusk；　and　the　guests　began　going　in　relays
to　the　dining…hall。　　When　Somerset　had　taken　in　two　or　three
ladies　to　whom　he　had　been　presented；　and　attended　to　their
wants；　which　occupied　him　three…quarters　of　an　hour；　he
returned　again　to　the　large　tent；　with　a　view　to　finding　Paula
and　taking　his　leave。　　It　was　now　brilliantly　lighted　up；　and
the　musicians；　who　during　daylight　had　been　invisible　behind
the　ash…tree；　were　ensconced　at　one　end　with　their　harps　and
violins。　　It　reminded　him　that　there　was　to　be　dancing。　　The
tent　had　in　the　meantime　half　filled　with　a　new　set　of　young
people　who　had　come　expressly　for　that　pastime。　　Behind　the
girls　gathered　numbers　of　newly　arrived　young　men　with　low
shoulders　and　diminutive　moustaches；　who　were　evidently
prepared　for　once　to　sacrifice　themselves　as　partners。

Somerset　felt　something　of　a　thrill　at　the　sight。　　He　was　an
infrequent　dancer；　and　particularly　unprepared　for　dancing　at
present；　but　to　dance　once　with　Paula　Power　he　would　give　a
year　of　his　life。　　He　looked　round；　but　she　was　nowhere　to　be
seen。　　The　first　set　began；　old　and　middle…aged　people
gathered　from　the　different　rooms　to　look　on　at　the　gyrations
of　their　children；　but　Paula　did　not　appear。　　When　another
dance　or　two　had　progressed；　and　an　increase　in　the　average
age　of　the　dancers　was　making　itself　perceptible；　especially
on　the　masculine　side；　Somerset　was　aroused　by　a　whisper　at
his　elbow

'You　dance；　I　think？　　Miss　Deverell　is　disengaged。　　She　has
not　been　asked　once　this　evening。'　　The　speaker　was　Paula。

Somerset　looked　at　Miss　Deverella　sallow　lady　with　black
twinkling　eyes；　yellow　costume；　and　gay　laugh；　who　had　been
there　all　the　afternoonand　said　something　about　having
thought　of　going　home。

'Is　that　because　I　asked　you　to　dance？'　she　murmured。　　'There…
…she　is　appropriated。'　　A　young　gentleman　had　at　that　moment
approached　the　uninviting　Miss　Deverell；　claimed　her　hand　and
led　her　off。

'That's　right；'　said　Somerset。　　'I　ought　to　leave　room　for
younger　men。'

'You　need　not　say　so。　　That　bald…headed　gentleman　is　forty…
five。　　He　does　not　think　of　younger　men。'

'Have　YOU　a　dance　to　spare　for　me？'

Her　face　grew　stealthily　redder　in　the　candle…light。　　　'O！I
have　no　engagement　at　allI　have　refused。　　I　hardly　feel　at
liberty　to　dance；　it　would　be　as　well　to　leave　that　to　my
visitors。'

'Why？'

'My　father；　though　he　allowed　me　to　be　taught；　never　liked　the
idea　of　my　dancing。'

'Did　he　make　you　promise　anything　on　the　point？'

'He　said　he　was　not　in　favour　of　such　amusementsno　more。'

'I　think　you　are　not　bound　by　that；　on　an　informal　occasion
like　the　present。'

She　was　silent。

'You　will　just　once？'　said　he。

Another　silence。　　'If　you　like；'　she　venturesomely　answered　at
last。

Somerset　closed　the　hand　which　was　hanging　by　his　side；　and
somehow　hers　was　in　it。　　The　dance　was　nearly　formed；　and　he
led　her　forward。　　Several　persons　looked　at　them
significantly；　but　he　did　not　notice　it　then；　and　plunged　into
the　maze。

Never　had　Mr。　Somerset　passed　through　such　an　experience
before。　　Had　he　not　felt　her　actual　weight　and　warmth；　he
might　have　fancied　the　whole　episode　a　figment　of　the
imagination。　　It　seemed　as　if　those　musicians　had　thrown　a
double　sweetness　into　their　notes　on　seeing　the　mistress　of
the　castle　in　the　dance；　that　a　perfumed　southern　atmosphere
had　begun　to　pervade　the　marquee；　and　that　human　beings　were
shaking　themselves　free　of　all　inconvenient　gravitation。

Somerset's　feelings　burst　from　his　lips。　　'This　is　the
happiest　moment　I　have　ever　known；'　he　said。　　'Do　you　know
why？'

'I　think　I　saw　a　flash　of　lightning　through　the　opening　of　the
tent；'　said　Paula；　with　roguish　abruptness。

He　did　not　press　for　an　answer。　　Within　a　few　minutes　a　long
growl　of　thunder　was　heard。　　It　was　as　if　Jove　could　not
refrain　from　testifying　his　jealousy　of　Somerset　for　taking
this　covetable　woman　so　presumptuously　in　his　arms。

The　dance　was　over；　and　he　had　retired　with　Paula　to　the　back
of　the　tent；　when　another　faint　flash　of　lightning　was　visible
through　an　opening。　　She　lifted　the　canvas；　and　looked　out；
Somerset　looking　out　behind　her。　　Another　dance　was　begun；　and
being　on　this　account　left　out　of　notice；　Somerset　did　not
hasten　to　leave　Paula's　side。

'I　think　they　begin　to　feel　the　heat；'　she　said。

'A　little　ventilation　would　do　no　harm。'　　He　flung　back　the
tent　door　where　he　stood；　and　the　light　shone　out　upon　the
grass。

'I　must　g