a laodicean-第68章

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spire　in　airy　openwork；　forming　the　highest　object　in　the
scene；　it　suggested　something　which　for　a　long　time　she
appeared　unwilling　to　utter；　but　natural　instinct　had　its　way。

'A　place　like　this；'　she　said；　'where　he　can　study　Gothic
architecture；　would；　I　should　have　thought；　be　a　spot　more
congenial　to　him　than　Monaco。'

The　person　referred　to　was　the　misrepresented　Somerset；　whom
the　two　had　been　gingerly　discussing　from　time　to　time；
allowing　any　casual　subject；　such　as　that　of　the　storks；　to
interrupt　the　personal　one　at　every　two　or　three　sentences。

'It　would　be　more　like　him　to　be　here；'　replied　Miss　De
Stancy；　trusting　her　tongue　with　only　the　barest　generalities
on　this　matter。

Somerset　was　again　dismissed　for　the　stork　topic；　but　Paula
could　not　let　him　alone；　and　she　presently　resumed；　as　if　an
irresistible　fascination　compelled　what　judgment　had
forbidden：　　'The　strongest…minded　persons　are　sometimes　caught
unawares　at　that　place；　if　they　once　think　they　will　retrieve
their　first　losses；　and　I　am　not　aware　that　he　is　particularly
strong…minded。'

For　a　moment　Charlotte　looked　at　her　with　a　mixed　expression；
in　which　there　was　deprecation　that　a　woman　with　any　feeling
should　criticize　Somerset　so　frigidly；　and　relief　that　it　was
Paula　who　did　so。　　For；　notwithstanding　her　assumption　that
Somerset　could　never　be　anything　more　to　her　than　he　was
already；　Charlotte's　heart　would　occasionally　step　down　and
trouble　her　views　so　expressed。

Whether　looking　through　a　glass　at　distant　objects　enabled
Paula　to　bottle　up　her　affection　for　the　absent　one；　or
whether　her　friend　Charlotte　had　so　little　personality　in
Paula's　regard　that　she　could　commune　with　her　as　with　a　lay
figure；　it　was　certain　that　she　evinced　remarkable　ease　in
speaking　of　Somerset；　resuming　her　words　about　him　in　the　tone
of　one　to　whom　he　was　at　most　an　ordinary　professional
adviser。　　'It　would　be　very　awkward　for　the　works　at　the
castle　if　he　has　got　into　a　scrape。　　I　suppose　the　builders
were　well　posted　with　instructions　before　he　left：　　but　he
ought　certainly　to　return　soon。　　Why　did　he　leave　England　at
all　just　now？'

'Perhaps　it　was　to　see　you。'

'He　should　have　waited；　it　would　not　have　been　so　dreadfully
long　to　May　or　June。　　Charlotte；　how　can　a　man　who　does　such　a
hare…brained　thing　as　this　be　deemed　trustworthy　in　an
important　work　like　that　of　rebuilding　Stancy　Castle？'

There　was　such　stress　in　the　inquiry　that；　whatever
factitiousness　had　gone　before；　Charlotte　perceived　Paula　to
be　at　last　speaking　her　mind；　and　it　seemed　as　if　Somerset
must　have　considerably　lost　ground　in　her　opinion；　or　she
would　not　have　criticized　him　thus。

'My　brother　will　tell　us　full　particulars　when　he　comes：
perhaps　it　is　not　at　all　as　we　suppose；'　said　Charlotte。　　She
strained　her　eyes　across　the　Platz　and　added；　'He　ought　to
have　been　here　before　this　time。'

While　they　waited　and　talked；　Paula　still　observing　the
storks；　the　hotel　omnibus　came　round　the　corner　from　the
station。　　'I　believe　he　has　arrived；'　resumed　Miss　De　Stancy；
'I　see　something　that　looks　like　his　portmanteau　on　the　top　of
the　omnibus。　。　。　。　　Yes；　it　is　his　baggage。　　I'll　run　down　to
him。'

De　Stancy　had　obtained　six　weeks'　additional　leave　on　account
of　his　health；　which　had　somewhat　suffered　in　India。　　The
first　use　he　made　of　his　extra　time　was　in　hastening　back　to
meet　the　travelling　ladies　here　at　Strassburg。　　Mr。　Power　and
Mrs。　Goodman　were　also　at　the　hotel；　and　when　Charlotte　got
downstairs；　the　former　was　welcoming　De　Stancy　at　the　door。

Paula　had　not　seen　him　since　he　set　out　from　Genoa　for　Nice；
commissioned　by　her　to　deliver　the　hundred　pounds　to　Somerset。
His　note；　stating　that　he　had　failed　to　meet　Somerset；
contained　no　details；　and　she　guessed　that　he　would　soon
appear　before　her　now　to　answer　any　question　about　that
peculiar　errand。

Her　anticipations　were　justified　by　the　event；　she　had　no
sooner　gone　into　the　next　sitting…room　than　Charlotte　De
Stancy　appeared　and　asked　if　her　brother　might　come　up。　　The
closest　observer　would　have　been　in　doubt　whether　Paula's
ready　reply　in　the　affirmative　was　prompted　by　personal
consideration　for　De　Stancy；　or　by　a　hope　to　hear　more　of　his
mission　to　Nice。　　As　soon　as　she　had　welcomed　him　she　reverted
at　once　to　the　subject。

'Yes；　as　I　told　you；　he　was　not　at　the　place　of　meeting；'　De
Stancy　replied。　　And　taking　from　his　pocket　the　bag　of　ready
money　he　placed　it　intact　upon　the　table。

De　Stancy　did　this　with　a　hand　that　shook　somewhat　more　than　a
long　railway　journey　was　adequate　to　account　for；　and　in　truth
it　was　the　vision　of　Dare's　position　which　agitated　the
unhappy　captain：　　for　had　that　young　man；　as　De　Stancy　feared；
been　tampering　with　Somerset's　name；　his　fate　now　trembled　in
the　balance；　Paula　would　unquestionably　and　naturally　invoke
the　aid　of　the　law　against　him　if　she　discovered　such　an
imposition。

'Were　you　punctual　to　the　time　mentioned？'　she　asked
curiously。

De　Stancy　replied　in　the　affirmative。

'Did　you　wait　long？'　she　continued。

'Not　very　long；'　he　answered；　his　instinct　to　screen　the
possibly　guilty　one　confining　him　to　guarded　statements；　while
still　adhering　to　the　literal　truth。

'Why　was　that？'

'Somebody　came　and　told　me　that　he　would　not　appear。'

'Who？'

'A　young　man　who　has　been　acting　as　his　clerk。　　His　name　is
Dare。　　He　informed　me　that　Mr。　Somerset　could　not　keep　the
appointment。'

'Why？'

'He　had　gone　on　to　San　Remo。'

'Has　he　been　travelling　with　Mr。　Somerset？'

'He　had　been　with　him。　　They　know　each　other　very　well。　　But
as　you　commissioned　me　to　deliver　the　money　into　no　hands　but
Mr。　Somerset's；　I　adhered　strictly　to　your　instructions。'

'But　perhaps　my　instructions　were　not　wise。　　Should　it　in　your
opinion　have　been　sent　by　this　young　man？　　Was　he　commissioned
to　ask　you　for　it？'

De　Stancy　murmured　that　Dare　was　not　commissioned　to　ask　for
it；　that　upon　the　whole　he　deemed　her　instructions　wise；　and
was　still　of　opinion　that　the　best　thing　had　been　done。

Although　De　Stancy　was　distracted　between　his　desire　to
preserve　Dare　from　the　consequences　of　folly；　and　a
gentlemanly　wish　to　keep　as　close　to　the　truth　as　was
compatible　with　that　condition；　his　answers　had　not　appeared
to　Paula　to　be　particularly　evasive；　the　conjuncture　being　one
in　which　a　handsome　heiress's　shrewdness　was　prone　to　overleap
itself　by　setting　down　embarrassment　on　the　part　of　the　man
she　questioned　to　a　mere　lover's　difficulty　in　steering
between　honour　and　rivalry。

She　put　but　one　other　question。　　'Did　it　appear　as　if　he；　Mr。
Somerset；　after　telegraphing；　hadhadregretted　doing　so；
and　evaded　the　result　by　not　keeping　the　appointment？'

'That's　just　how　it　appears。'　　The　words；　which　saved　Dare
from　ignominy；　cost　De　Stancy　a　good　deal。　　He　was　sorry　for
Somerset；　sorry　for　himself；　and　very　sorry　for　Paula。　　But
Dare　was　to　De　Stancy　what　Somerset　could　never　be：　　and　'for
his　kin　that　is　near　unto　him　shall　a　man　be　defiled。'

After　that　interview　Charlotte　saw　with　warring　impulses　that
Somerset　slowly　diminished　in　Paula's　estimate；　slowly　as　the
moon　wanes；　but　as　certainly。　　Charlotte's　own　love　was　of　a
clinging；　uncritical　sort；　and　though　the　shadowy　intelligence
of　Somerset's　doings　weighed　down　her　soul　with　regret；　it
seemed　to　make　not　the　least　difference　in　her　affection　for
him。

In　the　afternoon　the　whole　party；　including　De　Stancy；　drove
about　the　streets。　　Here　they　looked　at　the　house　in　which
Goethe　had　lived；　and　afterwards　entered　the　cathedral。
Observing　in　the　south　transept　a　crowd　of　people　waiting
patiently；　they　were　reminded　that　they　unwittingly　stood　in
the　presence　of　the　popular　clock…work　of　Schwilgue。

Mr。　Power　and　Mrs。　Goodman　decided　that　they　would　wait　with
the　rest　of　the　idlers　and　see　the　puppets　perform　at　the
striking。　　Charlotte　also　waited　with　them；　but　as　it　wanted
eight　minutes　to　the　hour；　and　as　Paula　had　seen　the　show
before；　she　moved　on　into　the　nave。

Presently　she　found　that　De　Stancy　had　followed。　　He　did　not
come　close　till　she；　seeing　him　stand　silent；　said；　'If　it
were　no