a laodicean-第53章

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intelligence　still　withheld。　　Yet　they　told　enough；　the　list
of　lady…players　was　given；　and　Miss　Power's　name　was　one。

That　a　young　lady　who；　six　months　ago；　would　scarcely　join　for
conscientious　reasons　in　a　simple　dance　on　her　own　lawn；
should　now　be　willing　to　exhibit　herself　on　a　public　stage；
simulating　love…passages　with　a　stranger；　argued　a　rate　of
development　which　under　any　circumstances　would　have　surprised
him；　but　which；　with　the　particular　addition；　as　leading
colleague；　of　Captain　De　Stancy；　inflamed　him　almost　to　anger。
What　clandestine　arrangements　had　been　going　on　in　his　absence
to　produce　such　a　full…blown　intention　it　were　futile　to
guess。　　Paula's　course　was　a　race　rather　than　a　march；　and
each　successive　heat　was　startling　in　its　eclipse　of　that
which　went　before。

Somerset　was；　however；　introspective　enough　to　know　that　his
morals　would　have　taken　no　such　virtuous　alarm　had　he　been　the
chief　male　player　instead　of　Captain　De　Stancy。

He　passed　under　the　castle…arch　and　entered。　　There　seemed　a
little　turn　in　the　tide　of　affairs　when　it　was　announced　to
him　that　Miss　Power　expected　him；　and　was　alone。

The　well…known　ante…chambers　through　which　he　walked；　filled
with　twilight；　draughts；　and　thin　echoes　that　seemed　to
reverberate　from　two　hundred　years　ago；　did　not　delay　his　eye
as　they　had　done　when　he　had　been　ignorant　that　his　destiny
lay　beyond；　and　he　followed　on　through　all　this　ancientness　to
where　the　modern　Paula　sat　to　receive　him。

He　forgot　everything　in　the　pleasure　of　being　alone　in　a　room
with　her。　　She　met　his　eye　with　that　in　her　own　which　cheered
him。　　It　was　a　light　expressing　that　something　was　understood
between　them。　　She　said　quietly　in　two　or　three　words　that　she
had　expected　him　in　the　forenoon。

Somerset　explained　that　he　had　come　only　that　morning　from
London。

After　a　little　more　talk；　in　which　she　said　that　her　aunt
would　join　them　in　a　few　minutes；　and　Miss　De　Stancy　was　still
indisposed　at　her　father's　house；　she　rang　for　tea　and　sat
down　beside　a　little　table。

'Shall　we　proceed　to　business　at　once？'　she　asked　him。

'I　suppose　so。'

'First　then；　when　will　the　working　drawings　be　ready；　which　I
think　you　said　must　be　made　out　before　the　work　could　begin？'

While　Somerset　informed　her　on　this　and　other　matters；　Mrs。
Goodman　entered　and　joined　in　the　discussion；　after　which　they
found　it　would　be　necessary　to　adjourn　to　the　room　where　the
plans　were　hanging。　　On　their　walk　thither　Paula　asked　if　he
stayed　late　at　the　ball。

'I　left　soon　after　you。'

'That　was　very　early；　seeing　how　late　you　arrived。'

'Yes。　。　。　。　　I　did　not　dance。'

'What　did　you　do　then？'

'I　moped；　and　walked　to　the　door；　and　saw　an　announcement。'

'I　knowthe　play　that　is　to　be　performed。'

'In　which　you　are　to　be　the　Princess。'

'That's　not　settled；I　have　not　agreed　yet。　　I　shall　not　play
the　Princess　of　France　unless　Mr。　Mild　plays　the　King　of
Navarre。'

This　sounded　rather　well。　　The　Princess　was　the　lady　beloved
by　the　King；　and　Mr。　Mild；　the　young　lieutenant　of　artillery；
was　a　diffident；　inexperienced；　rather　plain…looking　fellow；
whose　sole　interest　in　theatricals　lay　in　the　consideration　of
his　costume　and　the　sound　of　his　own　voice　in　the　ears　of　the
audience。　　With　such　an　unobjectionable　person　to　enact　the
part　of　lover；　the　prominent　character　of　leading　young　lady
or　heroine；　which　Paula　was　to　personate；　was　really　the　most
satisfactory　in　the　whole　list　for　her。　　For　although　she　was
to　be　wooed　hard；　there　was　just　as　much　love…making　among　the
remaining　personages；　while；　as　Somerset　had　understood　the
play；　there　could　occur　no　flingings　of　her　person　upon　her
lover's　neck；　or　agonized　downfalls　upon　the　stage；　in　her
whole　performance；　as　there　were　in　the　parts　chosen　by　Mrs。
Camperton；　the　major's　wife；　and　some　of　the　other　ladies。

'Why　do　you　play　at　all！'　he　murmured。

'What　a　question！　　How　could　I　refuse　for　such　an　excellent
purpose？　　They　say　that　my　taking　a　part　will　be　worth　a
hundred　pounds　to　the　charity。　　My　father　always　supported　the
hospital；　which　is　quite　undenominational；　and　he　said　I　was
to　do　the　same。'

'Do　you　think　the　peculiar　means　you　have　adopted　for
supporting　it　entered　into　his　view？'　inquired　Somerset；
regarding　her　with　critical　dryness。　　'For　my　part　I　don't。'

'It　is　an　interesting　way；'　she　returned　persuasively；　though
apparently　in　a　state　of　mental　equipoise　on　the　point　raised
by　his　question。　　'And　I　shall　not　play　the　Princess；　as　I
said；　to　any　other　than　that　quiet　young　man。　　Now　I　assure
you　of　this；　so　don't　be　angry　and　absurd！　　Besides；　the　King
doesn't　marry　me　at　the　end　of　the　play；　as　in　Shakespeare's
other　comedies。　　And　if　Miss　De　Stancy　continues　seriously
unwell　I　shall　not　play　at　all。'

The　young　man　pressed　her　hand；　but　she　gently　slipped　it
away。

'Are　we　not　engaged；　Paula！'　he　asked。　　She　evasively　shook
her　head。

'Comeyes　we　are！　　Shall　we　tell　your　aunt？'　he　continued。
Unluckily　at　that　moment　Mrs。　Goodman；　who　had　followed　them
to　the　studio　at　a　slower　pace；　appeared　round　the　doorway。

'No；to　the　last；'　replied　Paula　hastily。　　Then　her　aunt
entered；　and　the　conversation　was　no　longer　personal。

Somerset　took　his　departure　in　a　serener　mood　though　not
completely　assured。



VIII。

His　serenity　continued　during　two　or　three　following　days；
when；　continuing　at　the　castle；　he　got　pleasant　glimpses　of
Paula　now　and　then。　　Her　strong　desire　that　his　love　for　her
should　be　kept　secret；　perplexed　him；　but　his　affection　was
generous；　and　he　acquiesced　in　that　desire。

Meanwhile　news　of　the　forthcoming　dramatic　performance
radiated　in　every　direction。　　And　in　the　next　number　of　the
county　paper　it　was　announced；　to　Somerset's　comparative
satisfaction；　that　the　cast　was　definitely　settled；　Mr。　Mild
having　agreed　to　be　the　King　and　Miss　Power　the　French
Princess。　　Captain　De　Stancy；　with　becoming　modesty　for　one
who　was　the　leading　spirit；　figured　quite　low　down；　in　the
secondary　character　of　Sir　Nathaniel。

Somerset　remembered　that；　by　a　happy　chance；　the　costume　he
had　designed　for　Sir　Nathaniel　was　not　at　all　picturesque；
moreover　Sir　Nathaniel　scarcely　came　near　the　Princess　through
the　whole　play。

Every　day　after　this　there　was　coming　and　going　to　and　from
the　castle　of　railway　vans　laden　with　canvas　columns；
pasteboard　trees；　limp　house…fronts；　woollen　lawns；　and　lath
balustrades。　　There　were　also　frequent　arrivals　of　young
ladies　from　neighbouring　country　houses；　and　warriors　from　the
X　and　Y　batteries　of　artillery；　distinguishable　by　their
regulation　shaving。

But　it　was　upon　Captain　De　Stancy　and　Mrs。　Camperton　that　the
weight　of　preparation　fell。　　Somerset；　through　being　much
occupied　in　the　drawing…office；　was　seldom　present　during　the
consultations　and　rehearsals：　　until　one　day；　tea　being　served
in　the　drawing…room　at　the　usual　hour；　he　dropped　in　with　the
rest　to　receive　a　cup　from　Paula's　table。　　The　chatter　was
tremendous；　and　Somerset　was　at　once　consulted　about　some
necessary　carpentry　which　was　to　be　specially　made　at　Markton。
After　that　he　was　looked　on　as　one　of　the　band；　which　resulted
in　a　large　addition　to　the　number　of　his　acquaintance　in　this
part　of　England。

But　his　own　feeling　was　that　of　being　an　outsider　still。　　This
vagary　had　been　originated；　the　play　chosen；　the　parts
allotted；　all　in　his　absence；　and　calling　him　in　at　the　last
moment　might；　if　flirtation　were　possible　in　Paula；　be　but　a
sop　to　pacify　him。　　What　would　he　have　given　to　impersonate
her　lover　in　the　piece！　　But　neither　Paula　nor　any　one　else
had　asked　him。

The　eventful　evening　came。　　Somerset　had　been　engaged　during
the　day　with　the　different　people　by　whom　the　works　were　to　be
carried　out　and　in　the　evening　went　to　his　rooms　at　the　Lord…
Quantock…Arms；　Markton；　where　he　dined。　　He　did　not　return　to
the　castle　till　the　hour　fixed　for　the　performance；　and　having
been　received　by　Mrs。　Goodman；　entered　the　large　apartment；
now　transfigured　into　a　theatre；　like　any　other　spectator。

Rumours　of　the　projected　representation　had　spread　far　and
wide。　　Six　ti