a laodicean-第41章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


apprehending　himself；　'and　is　this　the　end　of　my　vow？'

Paula　was　saying　at　this　moment；　'Ariel　sleeps　in　this
posture；　does　he　not；　Auntie？'　　Suiting　the　action　to　the　word
she　flung　out　her　arms　behind　her　head　as　she　lay　in　the　green
silk　hammock；　idly　closed　her　pink　eyelids；　and　swung　herself
to　and　fro。




BOOK　THE　THIRD。　　DE　STANCY。



I。

Captain　De　Stancy　was　a　changed　man。　　A　hitherto　well…
repressed　energy　was　giving　him　motion　towards　long…shunned
consequences。　　His　features　were；　indeed；　the　same　as　before；
though；　had　a　physiognomist　chosen　to　study　them　with　the
closeness　of　an　astronomer　scanning　the　universe；　he　would
doubtless　have　discerned　abundant　novelty。

In　recent　years　De　Stancy　had　been　an　easy；　melancholy；
unaspiring　officer；　enervated　and　depressed　by　a　parental
affection　quite　beyond　his　control　for　the　graceless　lad　Dare…
…the　obtrusive　memento　of　a　shadowy　period　in　De　Stancy's
youth；　who　threatened　to　be　the　curse　of　his　old　age。
Throughout　a　long　space　he　had　persevered　in　his　system　of
rigidly　incarcerating　within　himself　all　instincts　towards　the
opposite　sex；　with　a　resolution　that　would　not　have　disgraced
a　much　stronger　man。　　By　this　habit；　maintained　with　fair
success；　a　chamber　of　his　nature　had　been　preserved　intact
during　many　later　years；　like　the　one　solitary　sealed…up　cell
occasionally　retained　by　bees　in　a　lobe　of　drained　honey…comb。
And　thus；　though　he　had　irretrievably　exhausted　the　relish　of
society；　of　ambition；　of　action；　and　of　his　profession；　the
love…force　that　he　had　kept　immured　alive　was　still　a
reproducible　thing。

The　sight　of　Paula　in　her　graceful　performance；　which　the
judicious　Dare　had　so　carefully　planned；　led　up　to　and
heightened　by　subtle　accessories；　operated　on　De　Stancy's
surprised　soul　with　a　promptness　almost　magical。

On　the　evening　of　the　self…same　day；　having　dined　as　usual；　he
retired　to　his　rooms；　where　he　found　a　hamper　of　wine　awaiting
him。　　It　had　been　anonymously　sent；　and　the　account　was　paid。
He　smiled　grimly；　but　no　longer　with　heaviness。　　In　this　he
instantly　recognized　the　handiwork　of　Dare；　who；　having　at
last　broken　down　the　barrier　which　De　Stancy　had　erected　round
his　heart　for　so　many　years；　acted　like　a　skilled　strategist；
and　took　swift　measures　to　follow　up　the　advantage　so　tardily
gained。

Captain　De　Stancy　knew　himself　conquered：　　he　knew　he　should
yield　to　Paulahad　indeed　yielded；　but　there　was　now；　in　his
solitude；　an　hour　or　two　of　reaction。　　He　did　not　drink　from
the　bottles　sent。　　He　went　early　to　bed；　and　lay　tossing
thereon　till　far　into　the　night；　thinking　over　the　collapse。
His　teetotalism　had；　with　the　lapse　of　years；　unconsciously
become　the　outward　and　visible　sign　to　himself　of　his　secret
vows；　and　a　return　to　its　opposite；　however　mildly　done；
signified　with　ceremonious　distinctness　the　formal　acceptance
of　delectations　long　forsworn。

But　the　exceeding　freshness　of　his　feeling　for　Paula；　which　by
reason　of　its　long　arrest　was　that　of　a　man　far　under　thirty；
and　was　a　wonder　to　himself　every　instant；　would　not　long
brook　weighing　in　balances。　　He　wished　suddenly　to　commit
himself；　to　remove　the　question　of　retreat　out　of　the　region
of　debate。　　The　clock　struck　two：　　and　the　wish　became
determination。　　He　arose；　and　wrapping　himself　in　his
dressing…gown　went　to　the　next　room；　where　he　took　from　a
shelf　in　the　pantry　several　large　bottles；　which　he　carried　to
the　window；　till　they　stood　on　the　sill　a　goodly　row。　　There
had　been　sufficient　light　in　the　room　for　him　to　do　this
without　a　candle。　　Now　he　softly　opened　the　sash；　and　the
radiance　of　a　gibbous　moon　riding　in　the　opposite　sky　flooded
the　apartment。　　It　fell　on　the　labels　of　the　captain's
bottles；　revealing　their　contents　to　be　simple　aerated　waters
for　drinking。

De　Stancy　looked　out　and　listened。　　The　guns　that　stood　drawn
up　within　the　yard　glistened　in　the　moonlight　reaching　them
from　over　the　barrack…wall：　　there　was　an　occasional　stamp　of
horses　in　the　stables；　also　a　measured　tread　of　sentinelsone
or　more　at　the　gates；　one　at　the　hospital；　one　between　the
wings；　two　at　the　magazine；　and　others　further　off。　　Recurring
to　his　intention　he　drew　the　corks　of　the　mineral　waters；　and
inverting　each　bottle　one　by　one　over　the　window…sill；　heard
its　contents　dribble　in　a　small　stream　on　to　the　gravel　below。

He　then　opened　the　hamper　which　Dare　had　sent。　　Uncorking　one
of　the　bottles　he　murmured；　'To　Paula！'　and　drank　a　glass　of
the　ruby　liquor。

'A　man　again　after　eighteen　years；'　he　said；　shutting　the　sash
and　returning　to　his　bedroom。

The　first　overt　result　of　his　kindled　interest　in　Miss　Power
was　his　saying　to　his　sister　the　day　after　the　surreptitious
sight　of　Paula：　　'I　am　sorry；　Charlotte；　for　a　word　or　two　I
said　the　other　day。'

'Well？'

'I　was　rather　disrespectful　to　your　friend　Miss　Power。'

'I　don't　think　sowere　you？'

'Yes。　　When　we　were　walking　in　the　wood；　I　made　a　stupid　joke
about　her。　。　。　。　　What　does　she　know　about　medo　you　ever
speak　of　me　to　her？'

'Only　in　general　terms。'

'What　general　terms？'

'You　know　well　enough；　William；　of　your　idiosyncrasies　and　so
onthat　you　are　a　bit　of　a　woman…hater；　or　at　least　a
confirmed　bachelor；　and　have　but　little　respect　for　your　own
family。'

'I　wish　you　had　not　told　her　that；'　said　De　Stancy　with
dissatisfaction。

'But　I　thought　you　always　liked　women　to　know　your
principles！'　said　Charlotte；　in　injured　tones；　'and　would
particularly　like　her　to　know　them；　living　so　near。'

'Yes；　yes；'　replied　her　brother　hastily。　　'Well；　I　ought　to
see　her；　just　to　show　her　that　I　am　not　quite　a　brute。'

'That　would　be　very　nice！'　she　answered；　putting　her　hands
together　in　agreeable　astonishment。　　'It　is　just　what　I　have
wished；　though　I　did　not　dream　of　suggesting　it　after　what　I
have　heard　you　say。　　I　am　going　to　stay　with　her　again　to…
morrow；　and　I　will　let　her　know　about　this。'

'Don't　tell　her　anything　plainly；　for　heaven's　sake。　　I　really
want　to　see　the　interior　of　the　castle；　I　have　never　entered
its　walls　since　my　babyhood。'　　He　raised　his　eyes　as　he　spoke
to　where　the　walls　in　question　showed　their　ashlar　faces　over
the　trees。

'You　might　have　gone　over　it　at　any　time。'

'O　yes。　　It　is　only　recently　that　I　have　thought　much　of　the
place：　　I　feel　now　that　I　should　like　to　examine　the　old
building　thoroughly；　since　it　was　for　so　many　generations
associated　with　our　fortunes；　especially　as　most　of　the　old
furniture　is　still　there。　　My　sedulous　avoidance　hitherto　of
all　relating　to　our　family　vicissitudes　has　been；　I　own；
stupid　conduct　for　an　intelligent　being；　but　impossible　grapes
are　always　sour；　and　I　have　unconsciously　adopted　Radical
notions　to　obliterate　disappointed　hereditary　instincts。　　But
these　have　a　trick　of　re…establishing　themselves　as　one　gets
older；　and　the　castle　and　what　it　contains　have　a　keen
interest　for　me　now。'

'It　contains　Paula。'

De　Stancy's　pulse；　which　had　been　beating　languidly　for　many
years；　beat　double　at　the　sound　of　that　name。

'I　meant　furniture　and　pictures　for　the　moment；'　he　said；　'but
I　don't　mind　extending　the　meaning　to　her；　　if　you　wish　it。'

'She　is　the　rarest　thing　there。'

'So　you　have　said　before。'

'The　castle　and　our　family　history　have　as　much　romantic
interest　for　her　as　they　have　for　you；'　Charlotte　went　on。
'She　delights　in　visiting　our　tombs　and　effigies　and　ponders
over　them　for　hours。'

'Indeed！'　said　De　Stancy；　allowing　his　surprise　to　hide　the
satisfaction　which　accompanied　it。　　'That　should　make　us
friendly。　。　。　。　　Does　she　see　many　people？'

'Not　many　as　yet。　　And　she　cannot　have　many　staying　there
during　the　alterations。'

'Ah！　yesthe　alterations。　　Didn't　you　say　that　she　has　had　a
London　architect　stopping　there　on　that　account？　　What　was　he…
…old　or　young？'

'He　is　a　young　man：　　he　has　been　to　our　house。　　Don't　you
remember　you　met　him　there？'

'What　was　his　name？'

'Mr。　Somerset。'

'O；　that　man！　　Yes；　yes；　I　remember。　。　。　。　　Hullo；　Lottie！'

'What？'

'Your　face　is　as　red　as　a　peony。　　Now　I　know　a　secret！'
Charlotte　vainly　endeavoured　to　hide　her　confusion。