a laodicean-第70章

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winds；　and　all。　　If　we　were　to　go　there　any　time　with　a　highly
magnifying　pair　of　spectacles　it　would　look　as　fine　as　this
and　save　a　deal　of　travelling。'

'I　know　the　place；　and　I　agree　with　you；'　said　Paula。

'You　agree　with　me　on　all　subjects　but　one；'　he　presently
observed；　in　a　voice　not　intended　to　reach　the　others。

Paula　looked　at　him；　but　was　silent。

Onward　and　upward　they　went；　the　same　pattern　and　colour　of
tree　repeating　themselves　endlessly；　till　in　a　couple　of　hours
they　reached　the　castle　hill　which　was　to　be　the　end　of　their
journey；　and　beheld　stretched　beneath　them　the　valley　of　the
Murg。　　They　alighted　and　entered　the　fortress。

'What　did　you　mean　by　that　look　of　kindness　you　bestowed　upon
me　just　now；　when　I　said　you　agreed　with　me　on　all　subjects
but　one？'　asked　De　Stancy　half　humorously；　as　he　held　open　a
little　door　for　her；　the　others　having　gone　ahead。

'I　meant；　I　suppose；　that　I　was　much　obliged　to　you　for　not
requiring　agreement　on　that　one　subject；'　she　said；　passing
on。

'Not　more　than　that？'　said　De　Stancy；　as　he　followed　her。
'But　whenever　I　involuntarily　express　towards　you　sentiments
that　there　can　be　no　mistaking；　you　seem　truly　compassionate。'

'If　I　seem　so；　I　feel　so。'

'If　you　mean　no　more　than　mere　compassion；　I　wish　you　would
show　nothing　at　all；　for　your　mistaken　kindness　is　only
preparing　more　misery　for　me　than　I　should　have　if　let　alone
to　suffer　without　mercy。'

'I　implore　you　to　be　quiet；　Captain　De　Stancy！　　Leave　me；　and
look　out　of　the　window　at　the　view　here；　or　at　the　pictures；
or　at　the　armour；　or　whatever　it　is　we　are　come　to　see。'

'Very　well。　　But　pray　don't　extract　amusement　from　my　harmless
remarks。　　Such　as　they　are　I　mean　them。'

She　stopped　him　by　changing　the　subject；　for　they　had　entered
an　octagonal　chamber　on　the　first　floor；　presumably　full　of
pictures　and　curiosities；　but　the　shutters　were　closed；　and
only　stray　beams　of　light　gleamed　in　to　suggest　what　was
there。

'Can't　somebody　open　the　windows？'　said　Paula。

'The　attendant　is　about　to　do　it；'　said　her　uncle；　and　as　he
spoke　the　shutters　to　the　east　were　flung　back；　and　one　of　the
loveliest　views　in　the　forest　disclosed　itself　outside。

Some　of　them　stepped　out　upon　the　balcony。　　The　river　lay
along　the　bottom　of　the　valley；　irradiated　with　a　silver
shine。　　Little　rafts　of　pinewood　floated　on　its　surface　like
tiny　splinters；　the　men　who　steered　them　not　appearing　larger
than　ants。

Paula　stood　on　the　balcony；　looking　for　a　few　minutes　upon　the
sight；　and　then　came　into　the　shadowy　room；　where　De　Stancy
had　remained。　　While　the　rest　were　still　outside　she　resumed：
'You　must　not　suppose　that　I　shrink　from　the　subject　you　so
persistently　bring　before　me。　　I　respect　deep　affectionyou
know　I　do；　but　for　me　to　say　that　I　have　any　such　for　you；　of
the　particular　sort　you　only　will　be　satisfied　with；　would　be
absurd。　　I　don't　feel　it；　and　therefore　there　can　be　nothing
between　us。　　One　would　think　it　would　be　better　to　feel　kindly
towards　you　than　to　feel　nothing　at　all。　　But　if　you　object　to
that　I'll　try　to　feel　nothing。'

'I　don't　really　object　to　your　sympathy；'　said　De　Stancy；
rather　struck　by　her　seriousness。　　'But　it　is　very　saddening
to　think　you　can　feel　nothing　more。'

'It　must　be　so；　since　I　CAN　feel　no　more；'　she　decisively
replied；　adding；　as　she　stopped　her　seriousness：　　'You　must
pray　for　strength　to　get　over　it。'

'One　thing　I　shall　never　pray　for；　to　see　you　give　yourself　to
another　man。　　But　I　suppose　I　shall　witness　that　some　day。'

'You　may；'　she　gravely　returned。

'You　have　no　doubt　chosen　him　already；'　cried　the　captain
bitterly。

'No；　Captain　De　Stancy；'　she　said　shortly；　a　faint　involuntary
blush　coming　into　her　face　as　she　guessed　his　allusion。

This；　and　a　few　glances　round　at　the　pictures　and　curiosities；
completed　their　survey　of　the　castle。　　De　Stancy　knew　better
than　to　trouble　her　further　that　day　with　special　remarks。
During　the　return　journey　he　rode　ahead　with　Mr。　Power　and　she
saw　no　more　of　him。

She　would　have　been　astonished　had　she　heard　the　conversation
of　the　two　gentlemen　as　they　wound　gently　downwards　through
the　trees。

'As　far　as　I　am　concerned；'　Captain　De　Stancy's　companion　was
saying；　'nothing　would　give　me　more　unfeigned　delight　than
that　you　should　persevere　and　win　her。　　But　you　must
understand　that　I　have　no　authority　over　hernothing　more
than　the　natural　influence　that　arises　from　my　being　her
father's　brother。'

'And　for　exercising　that　much；　whatever　it　may　be；　in　my
favour　I　thank　you　heartily；'　said　De　Stancy。　　'But　I　am
coming　to　the　conclusion　that　it　is　useless　to　press　her
further。　　She　is　right！　　I　am　not　the　man　for　her。　　I　am　too
old；　and　too　poor；　and　I　must　put　up　as　well　as　I　can　with　her
lossdrown　her　image　in　old　Falernian　till　I　embark　in
Charon's　boat　for　good！Really；　if　I　had　the　industry　I　could
write　some　good　Horatian　verses　on　my　inauspicious　situation！。
。　。　　Ah；　well；in　this　way　I　affect　levity　over　my　troubles；
but　in　plain　truth　my　life　will　not　be　the　brightest　without
her。'

'Don't　be　down…hearted！　you　are　tootoo　gentlemanly；　De
Stancy；　in　this　matteryou　are　too　soon　put　offyou　should
have　a　touch　of　the　canvasser　about　you　in　approaching　her；
and　not　stick　at　things。　　You　have　my　hearty　invitation　to
travel　with　us　all　the　way　till　we　cross　to　England；　and　there
will　be　heaps　of　opportunities　as　we　wander　on。　　I'll　keep　a
slow　pace　to　give　you　time。'

'You　are　very　good；　my　friend！　　Well；　I　will　try　again。　　I　am
full　of　doubt　and　indecision；　mind；　but　at　present　I　feel　that
I　will　try　again。　　There　is；　I　suppose；　a　slight　possibility
of　something　or　other　turning　up　in　my　favour；　if　it　is　true
that　the　unexpected　always　happensfor　I　foresee　no　chance
whatever。　。　。　。　　Which　way　do　we　go　when　we　leave　here　to…
morrow？'

'To　Carlsruhe；　she　says；　if　the　rest　of　us　have　no　objection。'

'Carlsruhe；　then；　let　it　be；　with　all　my　heart；　or　anywhere。'

To　Carlsruhe　they　went　next　day；　after　a　night　of　soft　rain
which　brought　up　a　warm　steam　from　the　Schwarzwald　valleys；
and　caused　the　young　tufts　and　grasses　to　swell　visibly　in　a
few　hours。　　After　the　Baden　slopes　the　flat　thoroughfares　of
'Charles's　Rest'　seemed　somewhat　uninteresting；　though　a　busy
fair　which　was　proceeding　in　the　streets　created　a　quaint　and
unexpected　liveliness。　　On　reaching　the　old…fashioned　inn　in
the　Lange…Strasse　that　they　had　fixed　on；　the　women　of　the
party　betook　themselves　to　their　rooms　and　showed　little
inclination　to　see　more　of　the　world　that　day　than　could　be
gleaned　from　the　hotel　windows。



III。

While　the　malignant　tongues　had　been　playing　havoc　with
Somerset's　fame　in　the　ears　of　Paula　and　her　companion；　the
young　man　himself　was　proceeding　partly　by　rail；　partly　on
foot；　below　and　amid　the　olive…clad　hills；　vineyards；　carob
groves；　and　lemon　gardens　of　the　Mediterranean　shores。
Arrived　at　San　Remo　he　wrote　to　Nice　to　inquire　for　letters；
and　such　as　had　come　were　duly　forwarded；　but　not　one　of　them
was　from　Paula。　　This　broke　down　his　resolution　to　hold　off；
and　he　hastened　directly　to　Genoa；　regretting　that　he　had　not
taken　this　step　when　he　first　heard　that　she　was　there。

Something　in　the　very　aspect　of　the　marble　halls　of　that　city；
which　at　any　other　time　he　would　have　liked　to　linger　over；
whispered　to　him　that　the　bird　had　flown；　and　inquiry
confirmed　the　fancy。　　Nevertheless；　the　architectural　beauties
of　the　palace…bordered　street；　looking　as　if　mountains　of
marble　must　have　been　levelled　to　supply　the　materials　for
constructing　it；　detained　him　there　two　days：　　or　rather　a
feat　of　resolution；　by　which　he　set　himself　to　withstand　the
drag…chain　of　Paula's　influence；　was　operative　for　that　space
of　time。

At　the　end　of　it　he　moved　onward。　　There　was　no　difficulty　in
discovering　their　track　northwards；　and　feeling　that　he　might
as　well　return　to　England　by　the　Rhine　route　as　by　any　other；
he　followed　in　the　course　they　had　chosen；　getting　scent　of
them　in　Strassburg；　missing　them　at　Baden　by　a　day；　and
finally　overtaking　them　at　Carlsruhe；　which　town　he　reached　on
the　morni