a laodicean-第55章

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owing　to　an　exceptional　circumstance　which　had　occurred　in
that　quarter　early　in　the　play。

The　people　had　all　seated　themselves；　and　the　first　act　had
begun；　when　the　tapestry　that　screened　the　door　was　lifted
gently　and　a　figure　appeared　in　the　opening。　　The　general
attention　was　at　this　moment　absorbed　by　the　newly　disclosed
stage；　and　scarcely　a　soul　noticed　the　stranger。　　Had　any　one
of　the　audience　turned　his　head；　there　would　have　been
sufficient　in　the　countenance　to　detain　his　gaze；
notwithstanding　the　counter…attraction　forward。

He　was　obviously　a　man　who　had　come　from　afar。　　There　was　not
a　square　inch　about　him　that　had　anything　to　do　with　modern
English　life。　　His　visage；　which　was　of　the　colour　of　light
porphyry；　had　little　of　its　original　surface　left；　it　was　a
face　which　had　been　the　plaything　of　strange　fires　or
pestilences；　that　had　moulded　to　whatever　shape　they　chose　his
originally　supple　skin；　and　left　it　pitted；　puckered；　and
seamed　like　a　dried　water…course。　　But　though　dire
catastrophes　or　the　treacherous　airs　of　remote　climates　had
done　their　worst　upon　his　exterior；　they　seemed　to　have
affected　him　but　little　within；　to　judge　from　a　certain
robustness　which　showed　itself　in　his　manner　of　standing。

The　face…marks　had　a　meaning；　for　any　one　who　could　read　them；
beyond　the　mere　suggestion　of　their　origin：　　they　signified
that　this　man　had　either　been　the　victim　of　some　terrible
necessity　as　regarded　the　occupation　to　which　he　had　devoted
himself；　or　that　he　was　a　man　of　dogged　obstinacy；　from　sheer
sang　froid　holding　his　ground　amid　malign　forces　when　others
would　have　fled　affrighted　away。

As　nobody　noticed　him；　he　dropped　the　door　hangings　after　a
while；　walked　silently　along　the　matted　alley；　and　sat　down　in
one　of　the　back　chairs。　　His　manner　of　entry　was　enough　to
show　that　the　strength　of　character　which　he　seemed　to　possess
had　phlegm　for　its　base　and　not　ardour。　　One　might　have　said
that　perhaps　the　shocks　he　had　passed　through　had　taken　all
his　original　warmth　out　of　him。　　His　beaver　hat；　which　he　had
retained　on　his　head　till　this　moment；　he　now　placed　under　the
seat；　where　he　sat　absolutely　motionless　till　the　end　of　the
first　act；　as　if　he　were　indulging　in　a　monologue　which　did
not　quite　reach　his　lips。

When　Paula　entered　at　the　beginning　of　the　second　act　he
showed　as　much　excitement　as　was　expressed　by　a　slight
movement　of　the　eyes。　　When　she　spoke　he　turned　to　his　next
neighbour；　and　asked　him　in　cold　level　words　which　had　once
been　English；　but　which　seemed　to　have　lost　the　accent　of
nationality：　　'Is　that　the　young　woman　who　is　the　possessor　of
this　castlePower　by　name？'

His　neighbour　happened　to　be　the　landlord　at　Sleeping…Green；
and　he　informed　the　stranger　that　she　was　what　he　supposed。

'And　who　is　that　gentleman　whose　line　of　business　seems　to　be
to　make　love　to　Power？'

'He's　Captain　De　Stancy；　Sir　William　De　Stancy's　son；　who　used
to　own　this　property。'

'Baronet　or　knight？'

'Baroneta　very　old…established　family　about　here。'

The　stranger　nodded；　and　the　play　went　on；　no　further　word
being　spoken　till　the　fourth　act　was　reached；　when　the
stranger　again　said；　without　taking　his　narrow　black　eyes　from
the　stage：　　'There's　something　in　that　love…making　between
Stancy　and　Power　that's　not　all　sham！'

'Well；'　said　the　landlord；　'I　have　heard　different　stories
about　that；　and　wouldn't　be　the　man　to　zay　what　I　couldn't
swear　to。　　The　story　is　that　Captain　De　Stancy；　who　is　as　poor
as　a　gallicrow；　is　in　full　cry　a'ter　her；　and　that　his　on'y
chance　lies　in　his　being　heir　to　a　title　and　the　wold　name。
But　she　has　not　shown　a　genuine　hanker　for　anybody　yet。'

'If　she　finds　the　money；　and　this　Stancy　finds　the　name　and
blood；　'twould　be　a　very　neat　match　between　'em；hey？'

'That's　the　argument。'

Nothing　more　was　said　again　for　a　long　time；　but　the
stranger's　eyes　showed　more　interest　in　the　passes　between
Paula　and　De　Stancy　than　they　had　shown　before。　　At　length　the
crisis　came；　as　described　in　the　last　chapter；　De　Stancy
saluting　her　with　that　semblance　of　a　kiss　which　gave　such
umbrage　to　Somerset。　　The　stranger's　thin　lips　lengthened　a
couple　of　inches　with　satisfaction；　he　put　his　hand　into　his
pocket；　drew　out　two　half…crowns　which　he　handed　to　the
landlord；　saying；　'Just　applaud　that；　will　you；　and　get　your
comrades　to　do　the　same。'

The　landlord；　though　a　little　surprised；　took　the　money；　and
began　to　clap　his　hands　as　desired。　　The　example　was
contagious；　and　spread　all　over　the　room；　for　the　audience；
gentle　and　simple；　though　they　might　not　have　followed　the
blank　verse　in　all　its　bearings；　could　at　least　appreciate　a
kiss。　　It　was　the　unusual　acclamation　raised　by　this　means
which　had　led　Somerset　to　turn　his　head。

When　the　play　had　ended　the　stranger　was　the　first　to　rise；
and　going　downstairs　at　the　head　of　the　crowd　he　passed　out　of
doors；　and　was　lost　to　view。　　Some　questions　were　asked　by　the
landlord　as　to　the　stranger's　individuality；　but　few　had　seen
him；　fewer　had　noticed　him；　singular　as　he　was；　and　none　knew
his　name。

While　these　things　had　been　going　on　in　the　quarter　allotted
to　the　commonalty；　Somerset　in　front　had　waited　the　fall　of
the　curtain　with　those　sick　and　sorry　feelings　which　should　be
combated　by　the　aid　of　philosophy　and　a　good　conscience；　but
which　really　are　only　subdued　by　time　and　the　abrading　rush　of
affairs。　　He　was；　however；　stoical　enough；　when　it　was　all
over；　to　accept　Mrs。　Goodman's　invitation　to　accompany　her　to
the　drawing…room；　fully　expecting　to　find　there　a　large
company；　including　Captain　De　Stancy。

But　none　of　the　acting　ladies　and　gentlemen　had　emerged　from
their　dressing…rooms　as　yet。　　Feeling　that　he　did　not　care　to
meet　any　of　them　that　night；　he　bade　farewell　to　Mrs。　Goodman
after　a　few　minutes　of　conversation；　and　left　her。　　While　he
was　passing　along　the　corridor；　at　the　side　of　the　gallery
which　had　been　used　as　the　theatre；　Paula　crossed　it　from　the
latter　apartment　towards　an　opposite　door。　　She　was　still　in
the　dress　of　the　Princess；　and　the　diamond　and　pearl　necklace
still　hung　over　her　bosom　as　placed　there　by　Captain　De
Stancy。

Her　eye　caught　Somerset's；　and　she　stopped。　　Probably　there
was　something　in　his　face　which　told　his　mind；　for　she　invited
him　by　a　smile　into　the　room　she　was　entering。

'I　congratulate　you　on　your　performance；'　he　said
mechanically；　when　she　pushed　to　the　door。

'Do　you　really　think　it　was　well　done？'　　She　drew　near　him
with　a　sociable　air。

'It　was　startlingly　donethe　part　from　〃Romeo　and　Juliet〃
pre…eminently　so。'

'Do　you　think　I　knew　he　was　going　to　introduce　it；　or　do　you
think　I　didn't　know？'　she　said；　with　that　gentle　sauciness
which　shows　itself　in　the　loved　one's　manner　when　she　has　had
a　triumphant　evening　without　the　lover's　assistance。

'I　think　you　may　have　known。'

'No；'　she　averred；　decisively　shaking　her　head。　　'It　took　me
as　much　by　surprise　as　it　probably　did　you。　　But　why　should　I
have　told！'

Without　answering　that　question　Somerset　went　on。　　'Then　what
he　did　at　the　end　of　his　gag　was　of　course　a　surprise　also。'

'He　didn't　really　do　what　he　seemed　to　do；'　she　serenely
answered。

'Well；　I　have　no　right　to　make　observationsyour　actions　are
not　subject　to　my　surveillance；　you　float　above　my　plane；'
said　the　young　man　with　some　bitterness。　　'But　to　speak
plainly；　surely　hekissed　you？'

'No；'　she　said。　　'He　only　kissed　the　air　in　front　of　meever
so　far　off。'

'Was　it　six　inches　off？'

'No；　not　six　inches。'

'Nor　three。'

'It　was　quite　one；'　she　said　with　an　ingenuous　air。

'I　don't　call　that　very　far。'

'A　miss　is　as　good　as　a　mile；　says　the　time…honoured　proverb；
and　it　is　not　for　us　modern　mortals　to　question　its　truth。'

'How　can　you　be　so　off…hand？'　broke　out　Somerset。　　'I　love　you
wildly　and　desperately；　Paula；　and　you　know　it　well！'

'I　have　never　denied　knowing　it；'　she　said　softly。

'Then　why　do　you；　with　such　knowledge；　adopt　an　air　of　levity
at　such　a　moment　as　this！　　You　keep　me　at　arm's…length；　and
won't　say　whether　you　care　for　me　one　bit；　or　no。　　I　have
owned　all　to　you；　yet　ne