a laodicean-第30章

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The　lad　read　the　letter；　smiled；　and　strolled　about　the
grounds；　only　met　by　an　occasional　pair　of　individuals　of
opposite　sex　in　deep　conversation；　the　state　of　whose　emotions
led　them　to　prefer　the　evening　shade　to　the　publicity　and
glare　of　the　tents　and　rooms。　　At　last　he　observed　the　white
waistcoat　of　the　man　he　sought。

'Mr。　Havill；　the　architect；　I　believe？'　said　Dare。　　'The
author　of　most　of　the　noteworthy　buildings　in　this
neighbourhood？'

Havill　assented　blandly。

'I　have　long　wished　for　the　pleasure　of　your　acquaintance；　and
now　an　accident　helps　me　to　make　it。　　This　pocket…book；　I
think；　is　yours？'

Havill　clapped　his　hand　to　his　pocket；　examined　the　book　Dare
held　out　to　him；　and　took　it　with　thanks。　　'I　see　I　am
speaking　to　the　artist；　archaeologist；　Gothic　photographer
Mr。　Dare。'

'Professor　Dare。'

'Professor？　　Pardon　me；　I　should　not　have　guessed　itso　young
as　you　are。'

'Well；　it　is　merely　ornamental；　and　in　truth；　I　drop　the　title
in　England；　particularly　under　present　circumstances。'

'Ahthey　are　peculiar；　perhaps？　　Ah；　I　remember。　　I　have
heard　that　you　are　assisting　a　gentleman　in　preparing　a　design
in　opposition　to　minea　design'

'〃That　he　is　not　competent　to　prepare　himself；〃　you　were
perhaps　going　to　add？'

'Not　precisely　that。'

'You　could　hardly　be　blamed　for　such　words。　　However；　you　are
mistaken。　　I　did　assist　him　to　gain　a　little　further　insight
into　the　working　of　architectural　plans；　but　our　views　on　art
are　antagonistic；　and　I　assist　him　no　more。　　Mr。　Havill；　it
must　be　very　provoking　to　a　well…established　professional　man
to　have　a　rival　sprung　at　him　in　a　grand　undertaking　which　he
had　a　right　to　expect　as　his　own。'

Professional　sympathy　is　often　accepted　from　those　whose
condolence　on　any　domestic　matter　would　be　considered
intrusive。　　Havill　walked　up　and　down　beside　Dare　for　a　few
moments　in　silence；　and　at　last　showed　that　the　words　had
told；　by　saying：　　'Every　one　may　have　his　opinion。　　Had　I　been
a　stranger　to　the　Power　family；　the　case　would　have　been
different；　but　having　been　specially　elected　by　the　lady's
father　as　a　competent　adviser　in　such　matters；　and　then　to　be
degraded　to　the　position　of　a　mere　competitor；　it　wounds　me　to
the　quick'

'Both　in　purse　and　in　person；　like　the　ill…used　hostess　of　the
Garter。'

'A　lady　to　whom　I　have　been　a　staunch　friend；'　continued
Havill；　not　heeding　the　interruption。

At　that　moment　sounds　seemed　to　come　from　Dare　which　bore　a
remarkable　resemblance　to　the　words；　'Ho；　ho；　Havill！'　　It　was
hardly　credible；　and　yet；　could　he　be　mistaken？　　Havill
turned。　　Dare's　eye　was　twisted　comically　upward。

'What　does　that　mean？'　said　Havill　coldly；　and　with　some
amazement。

'Ho；　ho；　Havill！　　〃Staunch　friend〃　is　goodespecially　after
〃an　iconoclast　and　Vandal　by　blood〃〃monstrosity　in　the　form
of　a　Greek　temple；〃　and　so　on；　eh！'

'Sir；　you　have　the　advantage　of　me。　　Perhaps　you　allude　to
that　anonymous　letter？'

'O…ho；　Havill！'　repeated　the　boy…man；　turning　his　eyes　yet
further　towards　the　zenith。　　'To　an　outsider　such　conduct
would　be　natural；　but　to　a　friend　who　finds　your　pocket…book；
and　looks　into　it　before　returning　it；　and　kindly　removes　a
leaf　bearing　the　draft　of　a　letter　which　might　injure　you　if
discovered　there；　and　carefully　conceals　it　in　his　own　pocket…
…why；　such　conduct　is　unkind！'　　Dare　held　up　the　abstracted
leaf。

Havill　trembled。　　'I　can　explain；'　he　began。

'It　is　not　necessary：　　we　are　friends；'　said　Dare　assuringly。

Havill　looked　as　if　he　would　like　to　snatch　the　leaf　away；　but
altering　his　mind；　he　said　grimly：　　'Well；　I　take　you　at　your
word：　　we　are　friends。　　That　letter　was　concocted　before　I
knew　of　the　competition：　　it　was　during　my　first　disgust；　when
I　believed　myself　entirely　supplanted。'

'I　am　not　in　the　least　surprised。　　But　if　she　knew　YOU　to　be
the　writer！'

'I　should　be　ruined　as　far　as　this　competition　is　concerned；'
said　Havill　carelessly。　　'Had　I　known　I　was　to　be　invited　to
compete；　I　should　not　have　written　it；　of　course。　　To　be
supplanted　is　hard；　and　thereby　hangs　a　tale。'

'Another　tale？　　You　astonish　me。'

'Then　you　have　not　heard　the　scandal；　though　everybody　is
talking　about　it。'

'A　scandal　implies　indecorum。'

'Well；　'tis　indecorous。　　Her　infatuated　partiality　for　him　is
patent　to　the　eyes　of　a　child；　a　man　she　has　only　known　a　few
weeks；　and　one　who　obtained　admission　to　her　house　in　the　most
irregular　manner！　　Had　she　a　watchful　friend　beside　her；
instead　of　that　moonstruck　Mrs。　Goodman；　she　would　be
cautioned　against　bestowing　her　favours　on　the　first
adventurer　who　appears　at　her　door。　　It　is　a　pity；　a　great
pity！'

'O；　there　is　love…making　in　the　wind？'　said　Dare　slowly。
'That　alters　the　case　for　me。　　But　it　is　not　proved？'

'It　can　easily　be　proved。'

'I　wish　it　were；　or　disproved。'

'You　have　only　to　come　this　way　to　clear　up　all　doubts。'

Havill　took　the　lad　towards　the　tent；　from　which　the　strains
of　a　waltz　now　proceeded；　and　on　whose　sides　flitting　shadows
told　of　the　progress　of　the　dance。　　The　companions　looked　in。
The　rosy　silk　lining　of　the　marquee；　and　the　numerous　coronas
of　wax　lights；　formed　a　canopy　to　a　radiant　scene　which；　for
two　at　least　of　those　who　composed　it；　was　an　intoxicating
one。　　Paula　and　Somerset　were　dancing　together。

'That　proves　nothing；'　said　Dare。

'Look　at　their　rapt　faces；　and　say　if　it　does　not；'　sneered
Havill。

Dare　objected　to　a　judgment　based　on　looks　alone。

'Very　welltime　will　show；'　said　the　architect；　dropping　the
tent…curtain。　。　。　。　　'Good　God！　a　girl　worth　fifty　thousand
and　more　a　year　to　throw　herself　away　upon　a　fellow　like　that…
…she　ought　to　be　whipped。'

'Time　must　NOT　show！'　said　Dare。

'You　speak　with　emphasis。'

'I　have　reason。　　I　would　give　something　to　be　sure　on　this
point；　one　way　or　the　other。　　Let　us　wait　till　the　dance　is
over；　and　observe　them　more　carefully。　　Horensagen　ist　halb
gelogen！　　Hearsay　is　half　lies。'

Sheet…lightnings　increased　in　the　northern　sky；　followed　by
thunder　like　the　indistinct　noise　of　a　battle。　　Havill　and
Dare　retired　to　the　trees。　　When　the　dance　ended　Somerset　and
his　partner　emerged　from　the　tent；　and　slowly　moved　towards
the　tea…house。　　Divining　their　goal　Dare　seized　Havill's　arm；
and　the　two　worthies　entered　the　building　unseen；　by　first
passing　round　behind　it。　　They　seated　themselves　in　the　back
part　of　the　interior；　where　darkness　prevailed。

As　before　related；　Paula　and　Somerset　came　and　stood　within
the　door。　　When　the　rain　increased　they　drew　themselves
further　inward；　their　forms　being　distinctly　outlined　to　the
gaze　of　those　lurking　behind　by　the　light　from　the　tent
beyond。　　But　the　hiss　of　the　falling　rain　and　the　lowness　of
their　tones　prevented　their　words　from　being　heard。

'I　wish　myself　out　of　this！'　breathed　Havill　to　Dare；　as　he
buttoned　his　coat　over　his　white　waistcoat。　　'I　told　you　it
was　true；　but　you　wouldn't　believe。　　I　wouldn't　she　should
catch　me　here　eavesdropping　for　the　world！'

'Courage；　Man　Friday；'　said　his　cooler　comrade。

Paula　and　her　lover　backed　yet　further；　till　the　hem　of　her
skirt　touched　Havill's　feet。　　Their　attitudes　were　sufficient
to　prove　their　relations　to　the　most　obstinate　Didymus　who
should　have　witnessed　them。　　Tender　emotions　seemed　to　pervade
the　summer…house　like　an　aroma。　　The　calm　ecstasy　of　the
condition　of　at　least　one　of　them　was　not　without　a　coercive
effect　upon　the　two　invidious　spectators；　so　that　they　must
need　have　remained　passive　had　they　come　there　to　disturb　or
annoy。　　The　serenity　of　Paula　was　even　more　impressive　than
the　hushed　ardour　of　Somerset：　　she　did　not　satisfy　curiosity
as　Somerset　satisfied　it；　she　piqued　it。　　Poor　Somerset　had
reached　a　perfectly　intelligible　depthone　which　had　a　single
blissful　way　out　of　it；　and　nine　calamitous　ones；　but　Paula
remained　an　enigma　all　through　the　scene。

The　rain　ceased；　and　the　pair　moved　away。　　The　enchantment
worked　by　their　presence　vanished；　the　details　of　the　meeting
settled　down　in　the　watchers'　minds；　and　their　tongues　were
loosened。　　Dare；　turning　to　Havill；　said；　'Thank　you；　you　have
done　me