a laodicean-第57章

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come　down　from　the　tower；　was　looking　on　while　a　man　searched
for　old　foundations　under　the　sod　with　a　crowbar。　　He　was　glad
to　see　her　at　last；　and　noticed　that　she　looked　serene　and
relieved；　but　could　not　for　the　moment　divine　the　cause。
Paula　came　nearer；　returned　his　salutation；　and　regarded　the
man's　operations　in　silence　awhile　till　his　work　led　him　to　a
distance　from　them。

'Do　you　still　wish　to　consult　me？'　asked　Somerset。

'About　the　building　perhaps；'　said　she。　　'Not　about　the　play。'

'But　you　said　so？'

'Yes；　but　it　will　be　unnecessary。'

Somerset　thought　this　meant　skittishness；　and　merely　bowed。

'You　mistake　me　as　usual；'　she　said；　in　a　low　tone。　　'I　am　not
going　to　consult　you　on　that　matter；　because　I　have　done　all
you　could　have　asked　for　without　consulting　you。　　I　take　no
part　in　the　play　to…night。'

'Forgive　my　momentary　doubt！'

'Somebody　else　will　play　for　mean　actress　from　London。　　But
on　no　account　must　the　substitution　be　known　beforehand　or　the
performance　to…night　will　never　come　off：　　and　that　I　should
much　regret。'

'Captain　De　Stancy　will　not　play　his　part　if　he　knows　you　will
not　play　yoursthat's　what　you　mean？'

'You　may　suppose　it　is；'　she　said；　smiling。　　'And　to　guard
against　this　you　must　help　me　to　keep　the　secret　by　being　my
confederate。'

To　be　Paula's　confederate；　to…day；　indeed；　time　had　brought
him　something　worth　waiting　for。　　'In　anything！'　cried
Somerset。

'Only　in　this！'　said　she；　with　soft　severity。　　'And　you　know
what　you　have　promised；　George！　　And　you　remember　there　is　to
be　nowhat　we　talked　about！　　Now　will　you　go　in　the　one…horse
brougham　to　Markton　Station　this　afternoon；　and　meet　the　four
o'clock　train？　　Inquire　for　a　lady　for　Stancy　Castlea　Miss
Bell；　see　her　safely　into　the　carriage；　and　send　her　straight
on　here。　　I　am　particularly　anxious　that　she　should　not　enter
the　town；　for　I　think　she　once　came　to　Markton　in　a　starring
company；　and　she　might　be　recognized；　and　my　plan　be
defeated。'

Thus　she　instructed　her　lover　and　devoted　friend；　and　when　he
could　stay　no　longer　he　left　her　in　the　garden　to　return　to
his　studio。　　As　Somerset　went　in　by　the　garden　door　he　met　a
strange…looking　personage　coming　out　by　the　same　passagea
stranger；　with　the　manner　of　a　Dutchman；　the　face　of　a
smelter；　and　the　clothes　of　an　inhabitant　of　Guiana。　　The
stranger；　whom　we　have　already　seen　sitting　at　the　back　of　the
theatre　the　night　before；　looked　hard　from　Somerset　to　Paula；
and　from　Paula　again　to　Somerset；　as　he　stepped　out。　　Somerset
had　an　unpleasant　conviction　that　this　queer　gentleman　had
been　standing　for　some　time　in　the　doorway　unnoticed；　quizzing
him　and　his　mistress　as　they　talked　together。　　If　so　he　might
have　learnt　a　secret。

When　he　arrived　upstairs；　Somerset　went　to　a　window　commanding
a　view　of　the　garden。　　Paula　still　stood　in　her　place；　and　the
stranger　was　earnestly　conversing　with　her。　　Soon　they　passed
round　the　corner　and　disappeared。

It　was　now　time　for　him　to　see　about　starting　for　Markton；　an
intelligible　zest　for　circumventing　the　ardent　and　coercive
captain　of　artillery　saving　him　from　any　unnecessary　delay　in
the　journey。　　He　was　at　the　station　ten　minutes　before　the
train　was　due；　and　when　it　drew　up　to　the　platform　the　first
person　to　jump　out　was　Captain　De　Stancy　in　sportsman's　attire
and　with　a　gun　in　his　hand。　　Somerset　nodded；　and　De　Stancy
spoke；　informing　the　architect　that　he　had　been　ten　miles　up
the　line　shooting　waterfowl。　　'That's　Miss　Power's　carriage；　I
think；'　he　added。

'Yes；'　said　Somerset　carelessly。　　'She　expects　a　friend；　I
believe。　　We　shall　see　you　at　the　castle　again　to…night？'

De　Stancy　assured　him　that　they　would；　and　the　two　men　parted；
Captain　De　Stancy；　when　he　had　glanced　to　see　that　the
carriage　was　empty；　going　on　to　where　a　porter　stood　with　a
couple　of　spaniels。

Somerset　now　looked　again　to　the　train。　　While　his　back　had
been　turned　to　converse　with　the　captain；　a　lady　of　five…and…
thirty　had　alighted　from　the　identical　compartment　occupied　by
De　Stancy。　　She　made　an　inquiry　about　getting　to　Stancy
Castle；　upon　which　Somerset；　who　had　not　till　now　observed
her；　went　forward；　and　introducing　himself　assisted　her　to　the
carriage　and　saw　her　safely　off。

De　Stancy　had　by　this　time　disappeared；　and　Somerset　walked　on
to　his　rooms　at　the　Lord…Quantock…Arms；　where　he　remained　till
he　had　dined；　picturing　the　discomfiture　of　his　alert　rival
when　there　should　enter　to　him　as　Princess；　not　Paula　Power；
but　Miss　Bell　of　the　Regent's　Theatre；　London。　　Thus　the　hour
passed；　till　he　found　that　if　he　meant　to　see　the　issue　of　the
plot　it　was　time　to　be　off。

On　arriving　at　the　castle；　Somerset　entered　by　the　public　door
from　the　hall　as　before；　a　natural　delicacy　leading　him　to
feel　that　though　he　might　be　welcomed　as　an　ally　at　the　stage…
doorin　other　words；　the　door　from　the　corridorit　was
advisable　not　to　take　too　ready　an　advantage　of　a　privilege
which；　in　the　existing　secrecy　of　his　understanding　with
Paula；　might　lead　to　an　overthrow　of　her　plans　on　that　point。

Not　intending　to　sit　out　the　whole　performance；　Somerset
contented　himself　with　standing　in　a　window　recess　near　the
proscenium；　whence　he　could　observe　both　the　stage　and　the
front　rows　of　spectators。　　He　was　quite　uncertain　whether
Paula　would　appear　among　the　audience　to…night；　and　resolved
to　wait　events。　　Just　before　the　rise　of　the　curtain　the　young
lady　in　question　entered　and　sat　down。　　When　the　scenery　was
disclosed　and　the　King　of　Navarre　appeared；　what　was
Somerset's　surprise　to　find　that；　though　the　part　was　the　part
taken　by　De　Stancy　on　the　previous　night；　the　voice　was　that
of　Mr。　Mild；　to　him；　at　the　appointed　season；　entered　the
Princess；　namely；　Miss　Barbara　Bell。

Before　Somerset　had　recovered　from　his　crestfallen　sensation
at　De　Stancy's　elusiveness；　that　officer　himself　emerged　in
evening　dress　from　behind　a　curtain　forming　a　wing　to　the
proscenium；　and　Somerset　remarked　that　the　minor　part
originally　allotted　to　him　was　filled　by　the　subaltern　who　had
enacted　it　the　night　before。　　De　Stancy　glanced　across；
whether　by　accident　or　otherwise　Somerset　could　not　determine；
and　his　glance　seemed　to　say　he　quite　recognized　there　had
been　a　trial　of　wits　between　them；　and　that；　thanks　to　his
chance　meeting　with　Miss　Bell　in　the　train；　his　had　proved　the
stronger。

The　house　being　less　crowded　to…night　there　were　one　or　two
vacant　chairs　in　the　best　part。　　De　Stancy；　advancing　from
where　he　had　stood　for　a　few　moments；　seated　himself
comfortably　beside　Miss　Power。

On　the　other　side　of　her　he　now　perceived　the　same　queer
elderly　foreigner　（as　he　appeared）　who　had　come　to　her　in　the
garden　that　morning。　　Somerset　was　surprised　to　perceive　also
that　Paula　with　very　little　hesitation　introduced　him　and　De
Stancy　to　each　other。　　A　conversation　ensued　between　the
three；　none　the　less　animated　for　being　carried　on　in　a
whisper；　in　which　Paula　seemed　on　strangely　intimate　terms
with　the　stranger；　and　the　stranger　to　show　feelings　of　great
friendship　for　De　Stancy；　considering　that　they　must　be　new
acquaintances。

The　play　proceeded；　and　Somerset　still　lingered　in　his　corner。
He　could　not　help　fancying　that　De　Stancy's　ingenious
relinquishment　of　his　part；　　and　its　obvious　reason；　was
winning　Paula's　admiration。　　His　conduct　was　homage　carried　to
unscrupulous　and　inconvenient　lengths；　a　sort　of　thing　which　a
woman　may　chide；　but　which　she　can　never　resent。　　Who　could　do
otherwise　than　talk　kindly　to　a　man；　incline　a　little　to　him；
and　condone　his　fault；　when　the　sole　motive　of　so　audacious　an
exercise　of　his　wits　was　to　escape　acting　with　any　other
heroine　than　herself。

His　conjectures　were　brought　to　a　pause　by　the　ending　of　the
comedy；　and　the　opportunity　afforded　him　of　joining　the　group
in　front。　　The　mass　of　people　were　soon　gone；　and　the　knot　of
friends　assembled　around　Paula　were　discussing　the　merits　and
faults　of　the　two　days'　performance。

'My　uncle；　Mr。　Abner　Power；'　said　Paula　suddenly　to　Somerset；
as　he　came　near；　presenting　the　stranger　to　the　astonished
young　man。　　'I　could　not　see　you　bef