a laodicean-第29章

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tent　door　where　he　stood；　and　the　light　shone　out　upon　the
grass。

'I　must　go　to　the　drawing…room　soon；'　she　added。　　'They　will
begin　to　leave　shortly。'

'It　is　not　late。　　The　thunder…cloud　has　made　it　seem　darksee
there；　a　line　of　pale　yellow　stretches　along　the　horizon　from
west　to　north。　　That's　eveningnot　gone　yet。　　Shall　we　go
into　the　fresh　air　for　a　minute？'

She　seemed　to　signify　assent；　and　he　stepped　off　the　tent…
floor　upon　the　ground。　　She　stepped　off　also。

The　air　out…of…doors　had　not　cooled；　and　without　definitely
choosing　a　direction　they　found　themselves　approaching　a
little　wooden　tea…house　that　stood　on　the　lawn　a　few　yards
off。　　Arrived　here；　they　turned；　and　regarded　the　tent　they
had　just　left；　and　listened　to　the　strains　that　came　from
within　it。

'I　feel　more　at　ease　now；'　said　Paula。

'So　do　I；'　said　Somerset。

'I　mean；'　she　added　in　an　undeceiving　tone；　'because　I　saw
Mrs。　Goodman　enter　the　tent　again　just　as　we　came　out　here；　so
I　have　no　further　responsibility。'

'I　meant　something　quite　different。　　Try　to　guess　what。'

She　teasingly　demurred；　finally　breaking　the　silence　by
saying；　'The　rain　is　come　at　last；'　as　great　drops　began　to
fall　upon　the　ground　with　a　smack；　like　pellets　of　clay。

In　a　moment　the　storm　poured　down　with　sudden　violence；　and
they　drew　further　back　into　the　summer…house。　　The　side　of　the
tent　from　which　they　had　emerged　still　remained　open；　the　rain
streaming　down　between　their　eyes　and　the　lighted　interior　of
the　marquee　like　a　tissue　of　glass　threads；　the　brilliant
forms　of　the　dancers　passing　and　repassing　behind　the　watery
screen；　as　if　they　were　people　in　an　enchanted　submarine
palace。

'How　happy　they　are！'　said　Paula。　　'They　don't　even　know　that
it　is　raining。　　I　am　so　glad　that　my　aunt　had　the　tent　lined；
otherwise　such　a　downpour　would　have　gone　clean　through　it。'

The　thunder…storm　showed　no　symptoms　of　abatement；　and　the
music　and　dancing　went　on　more　merrily　than　ever。

'We　cannot　go　in；'　said　Somerset。　　'And　we　cannot　shout　for
umbrellas。　　We　will　stay　till　it　is　over；　will　we　not？'

'Yes；'　she　said；　'if　you　care　to。　　Ah！'

'What　is　it？'

'Only　a　big　drop　came　upon　my　head。'

'Let　us　stand　further　in。'

Her　hand　was　hanging　by　her　side；　and　Somerset's　was　close　by。
He　took　it；　and　she　did　not　draw　it　away。　　Thus　they　stood　a
long　while；　the　rain　hissing　down　upon　the　grass…plot；　and　not
a　soul　being　visible　outside　the　dancing…tent　save　themselves。

'May　I　call　you　Paula？'　asked　he。

There　was　no　answer。

'May　I？'　he　repeated。

'Yes；　occasionally；'　she　murmured。

'Dear　Paula！may　I　call　you　that？'

'O　nonot　yet。'

'But　you　know　I　love　you？'

'Yes；'　she　whispered。

'And　shall　I　love　you　always？'

'If　you　wish　to。'

'And　will　you　love　me？'

Paula　did　not　reply。

'Will　you；　Paula？'　he　repeated。

'You　may　love　me。'

'But　don't　you　love　me　in　return？'

'I　love　you　to　love　me。'

'Won't　you　say　anything　more　explicit？'

'I　would　rather　not。'

Somerset　emitted　half　a　sigh：　　he　wished　she　had　been　more
demonstrative；　yet　felt　that　this　passive　way　of　assenting　was
as　much　as　he　could　hope　for。　　Had　there　been　anything　cold　in
her　passivity　he　might　have　felt　repressed；　but　her　stillness
suggested　the　stillness　of　motion　imperceptible　from　its
intensity。

'We　must　go　in；'　said　she。　　'The　rain　is　almost　over；　and
there　is　no　longer　any　excuse　for　this。'

Somerset　bent　his　lips　toward　hers。　　'No；'　said　the　fair
Puritan　decisively。

'Why　not？'　he　asked。

'Nobody　ever　has。'

'But！'　expostulated　Somerset。

'To　everything　there　is　a　season；　and　the　season　for　this　is
not　just　now；'　she　answered；　walking　away。

They　crossed　the　wet　and　glistening　lawn；　stepped　under　the
tent　and　parted。　　She　vanished；　he　did　not　know　whither；　and；
standing　with　his　gaze　fixed　on　the　dancers；　the　young　man
waited；　till；　being　in　no　mood　to　join　them；　he　went　slowly
through　the　artificial　passage　lined　with　flowers；　and　entered
the　drawing　room。　　Mrs。　Goodman　was　there；　bidding　good…night
to　the　early　goers；　and　Paula　was　just　behind　her；　apparently
in　her　usual　mood。　　His　parting　with　her　was　quite　formal；　but
that　he　did　not　mind；　for　her　colour　rose　decidedly　higher　as
he　approached；　and　the　light　in　her　eyes　was　like　the　ray　of　a
diamond。

When　he　reached　the　door　he　found　that　his　brougham　from　the
Quantock　Arms；　which　had　been　waiting　more　than　an　hour；　could
not　be　heard　of。　　That　vagrancy　of　spirit　which　love　induces
would　not　permit　him　to　wait；　and；　leaving　word　that　the　man
was　to　follow　him　when　he　returned；　he　went　past　the　glare　of
carriage…lamps　ranked　in　the　ward；　and　under　the　outer　arch。
The　night　was　now　clear　and　beautiful；　and　he　strolled　along
his　way　full　of　mysterious　elation　till　the　vehicle　overtook
him；　and　he　got　in。

Up　to　this　point　Somerset's　progress　in　his　suit　had　been；
though　incomplete；　so　uninterrupted；　that　he　almost　feared　the
good　chance　he　enjoyed。　　How　should　it　be　in　a　mortal　of　his
calibre　to　command　success　with　such　a　sweet　woman　for　long？
He　might；　indeed；　turn　out　to　be　one　of　the　singular
exceptions　which　are　said　to　prove　rules；　but　when　fortune
means　to　men　most　good；　observes　the　bard；　she　looks　upon　them
with　a　threatening　eye。　　Somerset　would　even　have　been　content
that　a　little　disapproval　of　his　course　should　have　occurred
in　some　quarter；　so　as　to　make　his　wooing　more　like　ordinary
life。　　But　Paula　was　not　clearly　won；　and　that　was　drawback
sufficient。　　In　these　pleasing　agonies　and　painful　delights　he
passed　the　journey　to　Markton。




BOOK　THE　SECOND。　　DARE　AND　HAVILL。



I。

Young　Dare　sat　thoughtfully　at　the　window　of　the　studio　in
which　Somerset　had　left　him；　till　the　gay　scene　beneath　became
embrowned　by　the　twilight；　and　the　brilliant　red　stripes　of
the　marquees；　the　bright　sunshades；　the　many…tinted　costumes
of　the　ladies；　were　indistinguishable　from　the　blacks　and
greys　of　the　masculine　contingent　moving　among　them。　　He　had
occasionally　glanced　away　from　the　outward　prospect　to　study　a
small　old　volume　that　lay　before　him　on　the　drawing…board。
Near　scrutiny　revealed　the　book　to　bear　the　title　'Moivre's
Doctrine　of　Chances。'

The　evening　had　been　so　still　that　Dare　had　heard
conversations　from　below　with　a　clearness　unsuspected　by　the
speakers　themselves；　and　among　the　dialogues　which　thus
reached　his　ears　was　that　between　Somerset　and　Havill　on　their
professional　rivalry。　　When　they　parted；　and　Somerset　had
mingled　with　the　throng；　Havill　went　to　a　seat　at　a　distance。
Afterwards　he　rose；　and　walked　away；　but　on　the　bench　he　had
quitted　there　remained　a　small　object　resembling　a　book　or
leather　case。

Dare　put　away　the　drawing…board　and　plotting…scales　which　he
had　kept　before　him　during　the　evening　as　a　reason　for　his
presence　at　that　post　of　espial；　locked　up　the　door；　and　went
downstairs。　　Notwithstanding　his　dismissal　by　Somerset；　he　was
so　serene　in　countenance　and　easy　in　gait　as　to　make　it　a　fair
conjecture　that　professional　servitude；　however　profitable；
was　no　necessity　with　him。　　The　gloom　now　rendered　it
practicable　for　any　unbidden　guest　to　join　Paula's　assemblage
without　criticism；　and　Dare　walked　boldly　out　upon　the　lawn。
The　crowd　on　the　grass　was　rapidly　diminishing；　the　tennis…
players　had　relinquished　sport；　many　people　had　gone　in　to
dinner　or　supper；　and　many　others；　attracted　by　the　cheerful
radiance　of　the　candles；　were　gathering　in　the　large　tent　that
had　been　lighted　up　for　dancing。

Dare　went　to　the　garden…chair　on　which　Havill　had　been　seated；
and　found　the　article　left　behind　to　be　a　pocket…book。
Whether　because　it　was　unclasped　and　fell　open　in　his　hand；　or
otherwise；　he　did　not　hesitate　to　examine　the　contents。　　Among
a　mass　of　architect's　customary　memoranda　occurred　a　draft　of
the　letter　abusing　Paula　as　an　iconoclast　or　Vandal　by　blood；
which　had　appeared　in　the　newspaper：　　the　draft　was　so
interlined　and　altered　as　to　bear　evidence　of　being　the
original　conception　of　that　ungentlemanly　attack。

The　lad　read　the　letter；　smiled；　and　strolled　about　the
grounds；　only　met　by　an　occasional　pair　of　indivi