a laodicean-第48章

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'Your　design　is　accepted　in　its　entirety。　　It　will　be
necessary　to　begin　soon。　　I　shall　wish　to　see　and　consult　you
on　the　matter　about　the　10th　instant。'


When　the　message　was　fairly　gone　out　of　the　window　Paula
seemed　still　further　to　expand。　　The　strange　spell　cast　over
her　by　something　or　otherprobably　the　presence　of　De　Stancy；
and　the　weird　romanticism　of　his　manner　towards　her；　which　was
as　if　the　historic　past　had　touched　her　with　a　yet　living
handin　a　great　measure　became　dissipated；　leaving　her　the
arch　and　serene　maiden　that　she　had　been　before。

About　this　time　Captain　De　Stancy　and　his　Achates　were
approaching　the　castle；　and　had　arrived　about　fifty　paces　from
the　spot　at　which　it　was　Dare's　custom　to　drop　behind　his
companion；　in　order　that　their　appearance　at　the　lodge　should
be　that　of　master　and　man。

Dare　was　saying；　as　he　had　said　before：　'I　can't　help
fancying；　captain；　that　your　approach　to　this　castle　and　its
mistress　is　by　a　very　tedious　system。　Your　trenches；　zigzags；
counterscarps；　and　ravelins　may　be　all　very　well；　and　a　very
sure　system　of　attack　in　the　long　run；　but　upon　my　soul　they
are　almost　as　slow　in　maturing　as　those　of　Uncle　Toby　himself。
For　my　part　I　should　be　inclined　to　try　an　assault。'

'Don't　pretend　to　give　advice；　Willy；　on　matters　beyond　your
years。'

'I　only　meant　it　for　your　good；　and　your　proper　advancement　in
the　world；'　said　Dare　in　wounded　tones。

'Different　characters；　different　systems；'　returned　the
soldier。　　'This　lady　is　of　a　reticent；　independent；
complicated　disposition；　and　any　sudden　proceeding　would　put
her　on　her　mettle。　　You　don't　dream　what　my　impatience　is；　my
boy。　　It　is　a　thing　transcending　your　utmost　conceptions！　　But
I　proceed　slowly；　I　know　better　than　to　do　otherwise。　　Thank
God　there　is　plenty　of　time。　　As　long　as　there　is　no　risk　of
Somerset's　return　my　situation　is　sure。'

'And　professional　etiquette　will　prevent　him　coming　yet。
Havill　and　he　will　change　like　the　men　in　a　sentry…box；　when
Havill　walks　out；　he'll　walk　in；　and　not　a　moment　before。'

'That　will　not　be　till　eighteen　months　have　passed。　　And　as
the　Jesuit　said；　〃Time　and　I　against　any　two。〃　。　。　。　　Now　drop
to　the　rear；'　added　Captain　De　Stancy　authoritatively。　　And
they　passed　under　the　walls　of　the　castle。

The　grave　fronts　and　bastions　were　wrapped　in　silence；　so　much
so；　that；　standing　awhile　in　the　inner　ward；　they　could　hear
through　an　open　window　a　faintly　clicking　sound　from　within。

'She's　at　the　telegraph；'　said　Dare；　throwing　forward　his
voice　softly　to　the　captain。　　'What　can　that　be　for　so　early？
That　wire　is　a　nuisance；　to　my　mind；　such　constant　intercourse
with　the　outer　world　is　bad　for　our　romance。'

The　speaker　entered　to　arrange　his　photographic　apparatus；　of
which；　in　truth；　he　was　getting　weary；　and　De　Stancy　smoked　on
the　terrace　till　Dare　should　be　ready。　　While　he　waited　his
sister　looked　out　upon　him　from　an　upper　casement；　having
caught　sight　of　him　as　she　came　from　Paula　in　the　telegraph…
room。

'Well；　Lottie；　what　news　this　morning？'　he　said　gaily。

'Nothing　of　importance。　　We　are　quite　well。'　。　。　。　。　She　added
with　hesitation；　'There　is　one　piece　of　news；　Mr。　Havillbut
perhaps　you　have　heard　it　in　Markton？'

'Nothing。'

'Mr。　Havill　has　resigned　his　appointment　as　architect　to　the
castle。'

'What？who　has　it；　then？'

'Mr。　Somerset。'

'Appointed？'

'Yesby　telegraph。'

'When　is　he　coming？'　said　De　Stancy　in　consternation。

'About　the　tenth；　we　think。'

Charlotte　was　concerned　to　see　her　brother's　face；　and
withdrew　from　the　window　that　he　might　not　question　her
further。　　De　Stancy　went　into　the　hall；　and　on　to　the　gallery；
where　Dare　was　standing　as　still　as　a　caryatid。

'I　have　heard　every　word；'　said　Dare。

'Well；　what　does　it　mean？　　Has　that　fool　Havill　done　it　on
purpose　to　annoy　me？　　What　conceivable　reason　can　the　man　have
for　throwing　up　an　appointment　he　has　worked　so　hard　for；　at
the　moment　he　has　got　it；　and　in　the　time　of　his　greatest
need？'

Dare　guessed；　for　he　had　seen　a　little　way　into　Havill's　soul
during　the　brief　period　of　their　confederacy。　　But　he　was　very
far　from　saying　what　he　guessed。　　Yet　he　unconsciously
revealed　by　other　words　the　nocturnal　shades　in　his　character
which　had　made　that　confederacy　possible。

'Somerset　coming　after　all！'　he　replied。　　'By　God！　that　little
six…barrelled　friend　of　mine；　and　a　good　resolution；　and　he
would　never　arrive！'

'What！'　said　Captain　De　Stancy；　paling　with　horror　as　he
gathered　the　other's　sinister　meaning。

Dare　instantly　recollected　himself。　　'One　is　tempted　to　say
anything　at　such　a　moment；'　he　replied　hastily。

'Since　he　is　to　come；　let　him　come；　for　me；'　continued　De
Stancy；　with　reactionary　distinctness；　and　still　gazing
gravely　into　the　young　man's　face。　　'The　battle　shall　be
fairly　fought　out。　　Fair　play；　even　to　a　rivalremember　that；
boy。　。　。　。　　Why　are　you　here？unnaturally　concerning　yourself
with　the　passions　of　a　man　of　my　age；　as　if　you　were　the
parent；　and　I　the　son？　　Would　to　heaven；　Willy；　you　had　done
as　I　wished　you　to　do；　and　led　the　life　of　a　steady；
thoughtful　young　man！　　Instead　of　meddling　here；　you　should
now　have　been　in　some　studio；　college；　or　professional　man's
chambers；　engaged　in　a　useful　pursuit　which　might　have　made
one　proud　to　own　you。　　But　you　were　so　precocious　and
headstrong；　and　this　is　what　you　have　come　to：　　you　promise　to
be　worthless！'

'I　think　I　shall　go　to　my　lodgings　to…day　instead　of　staying
here　over　these　pictures；'　said　Dare；　after　a　silence　during
which　Captain　De　Stancy　endeavoured　to　calm　himself。　　'I　was
going　to　tell　you　that　my　dinner　to…day　will　unfortunately　be
one　of　herbs；　for　want　of　the　needful。　　I　have　come　to　my　last
stiver。You　dine　at　the　mess；　I　suppose；　captain？'

De　Stancy　had　walked　away；　but　Dare　knew　that　he　played　a
pretty　sure　card　in　that　speech。　　De　Stancy's　heart　could　not
withstand　the　suggested　contrast　between　a　lonely　meal　of
bread…and…cheese　and　a　well…ordered　dinner　amid　cheerful
companions。　　'Here；'　he　said；　emptying　his　pocket　and
returning　to　the　lad's　side。　　'Take　this；　and　order　yourself　a
good　meal。　　You　keep　me　as　poor　as　a　crow。　　There　shall　be
more　to…morrow。'

The　peculiarly　bifold　nature　of　Captain　De　Stancy；　as　shown　in
his　conduct　at　different　times；　was　something　rare　in　life；
and　perhaps　happily　so。　　That　mechanical　admixture　of　black
and　white　qualities　without　coalescence；　on　which　the　theory
of　men's　characters　was　based　by　moral　analysis　before　the
rise　of　modern　ethical　schools；　fictitious　as　it　was　in
general　application；　would　have　almost　hit　off　the　truth　as
regards　Captain　De　Stancy。　　Removed　to　some　half…known
century；　his　deeds　would　have　won　a　picturesqueness　of　light
and　shade　that　might　have　made　him　a　fascinating　subject　for
some　gallery　of　illustrious　historical　personages。　　It　was
this　tendency　to　moral　chequer…work　which　accounted　for　his
varied　bearings　towards　Dare。

Dare　withdrew　to　take　his　departure。　　When　he　had　gone　a　few
steps；　despondent；　he　suddenly　turned；　and　ran　back　with　some
excitement。

'Captainhe's　coming　on　the　tenth；　don't　they　say？　　Well；
four　days　before　the　tenth　comes　the　sixth。　　Have　you
forgotten　what's　fixed　for　the　sixth？'

'I　had　quite　forgotten！'

'That　day　will　be　worth　three　months　of　quiet　attentions：
with　luck；　skill；　and　a　bold　heart；　what　mayn't　you　do？'

Captain　De　Stancy's　face　softened　with　satisfaction。

'There　is　something　in　that；　the　game　is　not　up　after　all。
The　sixthit　had　gone　clean　out　of　my　head；　by　gad！'



V。

The　cheering　message　from　Paula　to　Somerset　sped　through　the
loophole　of　Stancy　Castle　keep；　over　the　trees；　along　the
railway；　under　bridges；　across　four　countiesfrom　extreme
antiquity　of　environment　to　sheer　modernismand　finally
landed　itself　on　a　table　in　Somerset's　chambers　in　the　midst
of　a　cloud　of　fog。　　He　read　it　and；　in　the　moment　of　reaction
from　the　depression　of　his　past　days；　clapped　his　hands　like　a
child。

Then　he　considered　the　date　at　which　she　wanted　to　see　him。
Had　she　so　worded　her　despatch　he　would　have　gone　that　very
day；　but　ther