a laodicean-第43章
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She now and then crossed to one of the deep embrasures of the
windows； to decipher some sentence from a letter she held in
her hand。 The daylight would have been more than sufficient
for any bystander to discern that the capitals in that letter
were of the peculiar semi…gothic type affected at the time by
Somerset and other young architects of his school in their
epistolary correspondence。 She was very possibly thinking of
him； even when not reading his letter； for the expression of
softness with which she perused the page was more or less with
her when she appeared to examine other things。
She walked about for a little time longer； then put away the
letter； looked at the clock； and thence returned to the
windows； straining her eyes over the landscape without； as she
murmured； 'I wish Charlotte was not so long coming！'
As Charlotte continued to keep away； Paula became less
reasonable in her desires； and proceeded to wish that Somerset
would arrive； then that anybody would come； then； walking
towards the portraits on the wall； she flippantly asked one of
those cavaliers to oblige her fancy for company by stepping
down from his frame。 The temerity of the request led her to
prudently withdraw it almost as soon as conceived： old
paintings had been said to play queer tricks in extreme cases；
and the shadows this afternoon were funereal enough for
anything in the shape of revenge on an intruder who embodied
the antagonistic modern spirit to such an extent as she。
However； Paula still stood before the picture which had
attracted her； and this； by a coincidence common enough in
fact； though scarcely credited in chronicles； happened to be
that one of the seventeenth…century portraits of which De
Stancy had studied the engraved copy at Myrtle Villa the same
morning。
Whilst she remained before the picture； wondering her
favourite wonder； how would she feel if this and its
accompanying canvases were pictures of her own ancestors； she
was surprised by a light footstep upon the carpet which
covered part of the room； and turning quickly she beheld the
smiling little figure of Charlotte De Stancy。
'What has made you so late？' said Paula。 'You are come to
stay； of course？'
Charlotte said she had come to stay。 'But I have brought
somebody with me！'
'Ahwhom？'
'My brother happened to be at home； and I have brought him。'
Miss De Stancy's brother had been so continuously absent from
home in India； or elsewhere； so little spoken of； and； when
spoken of； so truly though unconsciously represented as one
whose interests lay wholly outside this antiquated
neighbourhood； that to Paula he had been a mere nebulosity
whom she had never distinctly outlined。 To have him thus
cohere into substance at a moment's notice lent him the
novelty of a new creation。
'Is he in the drawing…room？' said Paula in a low voice。
'No； he is here。 He would follow me。 I hope you will forgive
him。'
And then Paula saw emerge into the red beams of the dancing
fire； from behind a half…drawn hanging which screened the
door； the military gentleman whose acquaintance the reader has
already made。
'You know the house； doubtless； Captain De Stancy？' said
Paula； somewhat shyly； when he had been presented to her。
'I have never seen the inside since I was three weeks old；'
replied the artillery officer gracefully； 'and hence my
recollections of it are not remarkably distinct。 A year or
two before I was born the entail was cut off by my father and
grandfather； so that I saw the venerable place only to lose
it； at least； I believe that's the truth of the case。 But my
knowledge of the transaction is not profound； and it is a
delicate point on which to question one's father。'
Paula assented； and looked at the interesting and noble figure
of the man whose parents had seemingly righted themselves at
the expense of wronging him。
'The pictures and furniture were sold about the same time； I
think？' said Charlotte。
'Yes；' murmured De Stancy。 'They went in a mad bargain of my
father with his visitor； as they sat over their wine。 My
father sat down as host on that occasion； and arose as guest。'
He seemed to speak with such a courteous absence of regret for
the alienation； that Paula； who was always fearing that the
recollection would rise as a painful shadow between herself
and the De Stancys； felt reassured by his magnanimity。
De Stancy looked with interest round the gallery； seeing which
Paula said she would have lights brought in a moment。
'No； please not；' said De Stancy。 'The room and ourselves are
of so much more interesting a colour by this light！'
As they moved hither and thither； the various expressions of
De Stancy's face made themselves picturesquely visible in the
unsteady shine of the blaze。 In a short time he had drawn
near to the painting of the ancestor whom he so greatly
resembled。 When her quick eye noted the speck on the face；
indicative of inherited traits strongly pronounced； a new and
romantic feeling that the De Stancys had stretched out a
tentacle from their genealogical tree to seize her by the hand
and draw her in to their mass took possession of Paula。 As
has been said； the De Stancys were a family on whom the hall…
mark of membership was deeply stamped； and by the present
light the representative under the portrait and the
representative in the portrait seemed beings not far removed。
Paula was continually starting from a reverie and speaking
irrelevantly； as if such reflections as those seized hold of
her in spite of her natural unconcern。
When candles were brought in Captain De Stancy ardently
contrived to make the pictures the theme of conversation。
From the nearest they went to the next； whereupon Paula as
hostess took up one of the candlesticks and held it aloft to
light up the painting。 The candlestick being tall and heavy；
De Stancy relieved her of it； and taking another candle in the
other hand； he imperceptibly slid into the position of
exhibitor rather than spectator。 Thus he walked in advance
holding the two candles on high； his shadow forming a gigantic
figure on the neighbouring wall； while he recited the
particulars of family history pertaining to each portrait；
that he had learnt up with such eager persistence during the
previous four…and…twenty…hours。 'I have often wondered what
could have been the history of this lady； but nobody has ever
been able to tell me；' Paula observed； pointing to a Vandyck
which represented a beautiful woman wearing curls across her
forehead； a square…cut bodice； and a heavy pearl necklace upon
the smooth expanse of her neck。
'I don't think anybody knows；' Charlotte said。
'O yes；' replied her brother promptly； seeing with enthusiasm
that it was yet another opportunity for making capital of his
acquired knowledge； with which he felt himself as
inconveniently crammed as a candidate for a government
examination。 'That lady has been largely celebrated under a
fancy name； though she is comparatively little known by her
own。 Her parents were the chief ornaments of the almost
irreproachable court of Charles the First； and were not more
distinguished by their politeness and honour than by the
affections and virtues which constitute the great charm of
private life。'
The stock verbiage of the family memoir was somewhat apparent
in this effusion； but it much impressed his listeners； and he
went on to point out that from the lady's necklace was
suspended a heart…shaped portraitthat of the man who broke
his heart by her persistent refusal to encourage his suit。 De
Stancy then led them a little further； where hung a portrait
of the lover； one of his own family； who appeared in full
panoply of plate mail； the pommel of his sword standing up
under his elbow。 The gallant captain then related how this
personage of his line wooed the lady fruitlessly； how； after
her marriage with another； she and her husband visited the
parents of the disappointed lover； the then occupiers of the
castle； how； in a fit of desperation at the sight of her； he
retired to his room； where he composed some passionate verses；
which he wrote with his blood； and after direct
