a laodicean-第59章

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knew　nothing　of　it。　　Well；　now；　don't　say　any　more　to　me　about
the　matter。'

'I'll　find　out　how　it　got　into　the　paper。'

'Not　nowany　future　time　will　do。　　I　have　something　else　to
tell　you。'

'I　hope　the　news　is　as　good　as　the　last；'　he　said；　looking
into　her　face　with　anxiety；　for　though　that　face　was　blooming；
it　seemed　full　of　a　doubt　as　to　how　her　next　information　would
be　taken。

'O　yes；　it　is　good；　because　everybody　says　so。　　We　are　going
to　take　a　delightful　journey。　　My　new…created　uncle；　as　he
seems；　and　I；　and　my　aunt；　and　perhaps　Charlotte；　if　she　is
well　enough；　are　going　to　Nice；　and　other　places　about　there。'

'To　Nice！'　said　Somerset；　rather　blankly。　　'And　I　must　stay
here？'

'Why；　of　course　you　must；　considering　what　you　have
undertaken！'　she　said；　looking　with　saucy　composure　into　his
eyes。　　'My　uncle's　reason　for　proposing　the　journey　just　now
is；　that　he　thinks　the　alterations　will　make　residence　here
dusty　and　disagreeable　during　the　spring。　　The　opportunity　of
going　with　him　is　too　good　a　one　for　us　to　lose；　as　I　have
never　been　there。'

'I　wish　I　was　going　to　be　one　of　the　party！　。　。　。　　What　do　YOU
wish　about　it？'

She　shook　her　head　impenetrably。　　'A　woman　may　wish　some
things　she　does　not　care　to　tell！'

'Are　you　really　glad　you　are　going；　dearest？as　I　MUST　call
you　just　once；'　said　the　young　man；　gazing　earnestly　into　her
face；　which　struck　him　as　looking　far　too　rosy　and　radiant　to
be　consistent　with　ever　so　little　regret　at　leaving　him
behind。

'I　take　great　interest　in　foreign　trips；　especially　to　the
shores　of　the　Mediterranean：　　and　everybody　makes　a　point　of
getting　away　when　the　house　is　turned　out　of　the　window。'

'But　you　do　feel　a　little　sadness；　such　as　I　should　feel　if
our　positions　were　reversed？'

'I　think　you　ought　not　to　have　asked　that　so　incredulously；'
she　murmured。　　'We　can　be　near　each　other　in　spirit；　when　our
bodies　are　far　apart；　can　we　not？'　　Her　tone　grew　softer　and
she　drew　a　little　closer　to　his　side　with　a　slightly　nestling
motion；　as　she　went　on；　'May　I　be　sure　that　you　will　not　think
unkindly　of　me　when　I　am　absent　from　your　sight；　and　not
begrudge　me　any　little　pleasure　because　you　are　not　there　to
share　it　with　me？'

'May　you！　　Can　you　ask　it？　。　。　。　　As　for　me；　I　shall　have　no
pleasure　to　be　begrudged　or　otherwise。　　The　only　pleasure　I
have　is；　as　you　well　know；　in　you。　　When　you　are　with　me；　I　am
happy：　　when　you　are　away；　I　take　no　pleasure　in　anything。'

'I　don't　deserve　it。　　I　have　no　right　to　disturb　you　so；'　she
said；　very　gently。　　'But　I　have　given　you　some　pleasure；　have
I　not？　　A　little　more　pleasure　than　pain；　perhaps？'

'You　have；　and　yet　。　。　。　。　　But　I　don't　accuse　you；　dearest。
Yes；　you　have　given　me　pleasure。　　One　truly　pleasant　time　was
when　we　stood　together　in　the　summer…house　on　the　evening　of
the　garden…party；　and　you　said　you　liked　me　to　love　you。'

'Yes；　it　was　a　pleasant　time；'　she　returned　thoughtfully。
'How　the　rain　came　down；　and　formed　a　gauze　between　us　and　the
dancers；　did　it　not；　and　how　afraid　we　wereat　least　I　was
lest　anybody　should　discover　us　there；　and　how　quickly　I　ran
in　after　the　rain　was　over！'

'Yes'；　said　Somerset；　'I　remember　it。　　But　no　harm　came　of　it
to　you　。　。　。　。　　And　perhaps　no　good　will　come　of　it　to　me。'

'Do　not　be　premature　in　your　conclusions；　sir；'　she　said
archly。　　'If　you　really　do　feel　for　me　only　half　what　you　say；
we　shallyou　will　make　good　come　of　itin　some　way　or
other。'

'Dear　Paulanow　I　believe　you；　and　can　bear　anything。'

'Then　we　will　say　no　more；　because；　as　you　recollect；　we
agreed　not　to　go　too　far。　　No　expostulations；　for　we　are　going
to　be　practical　young　people；　besides；　I　won't　listen　if　you
utter　them。　　I　simply　echo　your　words；　and　say　I；　too；　believe
you。　　Now　I　must　go。　　Have　faith　in　me；　and　don't　magnify
trifles　light　as　air。'

'I　THINK　I　understand　you。　　And　if　I　do；　it　will　make　a　great
difference　in　my　conduct。　　You　will　have　no　cause　to
complain。'

'Then　you　must　not　understand　me　so　much　as　to　make　much
difference；　for　your　conduct　as　my　architect　is　perfect。　　But
I　must　not　linger　longer；　though　I　wished　you　to　know　this
news　from　my　very　own　lips。'

'Bless　you　for　it！　　When　do　you　leave？'

'The　day　after　to…morrow。'

'So　early？　　Does　your　uncle　guess　anything？　　Do　you　wish　him
to　be　told　just　yet？'

'Yes；　to　the　first；　no；　to　the　second。'

'I　may　write　to　you？'

'On　business；　yes。　　It　will　be　necessary。'

'How　can　you　speak　so　at　a　time　of　parting？'

'Now；　Georgeyou　see　I　say　George；　and　not　Mr。　Somerset；　and
you　may　draw　your　own　inferencedon't　be　so　morbid　in　your
reproaches！　　I　have　informed　you　that　you　may　write；　or　still
better；　telegraph；　since　the　wire　is　so　handyon　business。
Well；　of　course；　it　is　for　you　to　judge　whether　you　will　add
postscripts　of　another　sort。　　There；　you　make　me　say　more　than
a　woman　ought；　because　you　are　so　obtuse　and　literal。　　Good
afternoongood…bye！　　This　will　be　my　address。'

She　handed　him　a　slip　of　paper；　and　flitted　away。

Though　he　saw　her　again　after　this；　it　was　during　the　bustle
of　preparation；　when　there　was　always　a　third　person　present；
usually　in　the　shape　of　that　breathing　refrigerator；　her
uncle。　　Hence　the　few　words　that　passed　between　them　were　of
the　most　formal　description；　and　chiefly　concerned　the
restoration　of　the　castle；　and　a　church　at　Nice　designed　by
him；　which　he　wanted　her　to　inspect。

They　were　to　leave　by　an　early　afternoon　train；　and　Somerset
was　invited　to　lunch　on　that　day。　　The　morning　was　occupied　by
a　long　business　consultation　in　the　studio　with　Mr。　Power　and
Mrs。　Goodman　on　what　rooms　were　to　be　left　locked　up；　what
left　in　charge　of　the　servants；　and　what　thrown　open　to　the
builders　and　workmen　under　the　surveillance　of　Somerset。　　At
present　the　work　consisted　mostly　of　repairs　to　existing
rooms；　so　as　to　render　those　habitable　which　had　long　been
used　only　as　stores　for　lumber。　　Paula　did　not　appear　during
this　discussion；　but　when　they　were　all　seated　in　the　dining…
hall　she　came　in　dressed　for　the　journey；　and；　to　outward
appearance；　with　blithe　anticipation　at　its　prospect　blooming
from　every　feature。　　Next　to　her　came　Charlotte　De　Stancy；
still　with　some　of　the　pallor　of　an　invalid；　but　wonderfully
brightened　up；　as　Somerset　thought；　by　the　prospect　of　a　visit
to　a　delightful　shore。　　It　might　have　been　this；　and　it　might
have　been　that　Somerset's　presence　had　a　share　in　the　change。

It　was　in　the　hall；　when　they　were　in　the　bustle　of　leave…
taking；　that　there　occurred　the　only　opportunity　for　the　two
or　three　private　words　with　Paula　to　which　his　star　treated
him　on　that　last　day。　　His　took　the　hasty　form　of；　'You　will
write　soon？'

'Telegraphing　will　be　quicker；'　she　answered　in　the　same　low
tone；　and　whispering　'Be　true　to　me！'　turned　away。

How　unreasonable　he　was！　　In　addition　to　those　words；　warm　as
they　were；　he　would　have　preferred　a　little　paleness　of　cheek；
or　trembling　of　lip；　instead　of　the　bloom　and　the　beauty　which
sat　upon　her　undisturbed　maidenhood；　to　tell　him　that　in　some
slight　way　she　suffered　at　his　loss。

Immediately　after　this　they　went　to　the　carriages　waiting　at
the　door。　　Somerset；　who　had　in　a　measure　taken　charge　of　the
castle；　accompanied　them　and　saw　them　off；　much　as　if　they
were　his　visitors。　　She　stepped　in；　a　general　adieu　was
spoken；　and　she　was　gone。

While　the　carriages　rolled　away；　he　ascended　to　the　top　of　the
tower；　where　he　saw　them　lessen　to　spots　on　the　road；　and　turn
the　corner　out　of　sight。　　The　chances　of　a　rival　seemed　to
grow　in　proportion　as　Paula　receded　from　his　side；　but　he
could　not　have　answered　why。　　He　had　bidden　her　and　her
relatives　adieu　on　her　own　doorstep；　like　a　privileged　friend
of　the　family；　while　De　Stancy　had　scarcely　seen　her　since　the
play…night。　　That　the　silence　into　which　the　captain　appeared
to　have　sunk　was　the　placidity　of　conscious　power；　was
scarcely　probable；　yet　that　adventitious　aids　existed　for　De
Stancy　he　could　not　deny。　　The　link　formed　by　Charlotte
between　De　Stancy　and　Paula；　much　as　he　liked　the　ingenuous
girl；　was　one　that　he　could　have　wished　awa