a laodicean-第71章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


finally　overtaking　them　at　Carlsruhe；　which　town　he　reached　on
the　morning　after　the　Power　and　De　Stancy　party　had　taken　up
their　quarters　at　the　ancient　inn　above　mentioned。　　When
Somerset　was　about　to　get　out　of　the　train　at　this　place；
little　dreaming　what　a　meaning　the　word　Carlsruhe　would　have
for　him　in　subsequent　years；　he　was　disagreeably　surprised　to
see　no　other　than　Dare　stepping　out　of　the　adjoining　carriage。
A　new　brown　leather　valise　in　one　of　his　hands；　a　new　umbrella
in　the　other；　and　a　new　suit　of　fashionable　clothes　on　his
back；　seemed　to　denote　considerable　improvement　in　the　young
man's　fortunes。　　Somerset　was　so　struck　by　the　circumstance　of
his　being　on　this　spot　that　he　almost　missed　his　opportunity
for　alighting。

Dare　meanwhile　had　moved　on　without　seeing　his　former
employer；　and　Somerset　resolved　to　take　the　chance　that
offered；　and　let　him　go。　　There　was　something　so　mysterious　in
their　common　presence　simultaneously　at　one　place；　five
hundred　miles　from　where　they　had　last　met；　that　he　exhausted
conjecture　on　whether　Dare's　errand　this　way　could　have
anything　to　do　with　his　own；　or　whether　their　juxtaposition　a
second　time　was　the　result　of　pure　accident。　　Greatly　as　he
would　have　liked　to　get　this　answered　by　a　direct　question　to
Dare　himself；　he　did　not　counteract　his　first　instinct；　and
remained　unseen。

They　went　out　in　different　directions；　when　Somerset　for　the
first　time　remembered　that；　in　learning　at　Baden　that　the
party　had　flitted　towards　Carlsruhe；　he　had　taken　no　care　to
ascertain　the　name　of　the　hotel　they　were　bound　for。
Carlsruhe　was　not　a　large　place　and　the　point　was　immaterial；
but　the　omission　would　necessitate　a　little　inquiry。　To　follow
Dare　on　the　chance　of　his　having　fixed　upon　the　same　quarters
was　a　course　which　did　not　commend　itself。　　He　resolved　to　get
some　lunch　before　proceeding　with　his　businessor　fatuityof
discovering　the　elusive　lady；　and　drove　off　to　a　neighbouring
tavern；　which　did　not　happen　to　be；　as　he　hoped　it　might；　the
one　chosen　by　those　who　had　preceded　him。

Meanwhile　Dare；　previously　master　of　their　plans；　went
straight　to　the　house　which　sheltered　them；　and　on　entering
under　the　archway　from　the　Lange…Strasse　was　saved　the　trouble
of　inquiring　for　Captain　De　Stancy　by　seeing　him　drinking
bitters　at　a　little　table　in　the　court。　　Had　Somerset　chosen
this　inn　for　his　quarters　instead　of　the　one　in　the　Market…
Place　which　he　actually　did　choose；　the　three　must　inevitably
have　met　here　at　this　moment；　with　some　possibly　striking
dramatic　results；　though　what　they　would　have　been　remains　for
ever　hidden　in　the　darkness　of　the　unfulfilled。

De　Stancy　jumped　up　from　his　chair；　and　went　forward　to　the
new…comer。　　'You　are　not　long　behind　us；　then；'　he　said；　with
laconic　disquietude。　　'I　thought　you　were　going　straight
home？'

'I　was；'　said　Dare；　'but　I　have　been　blessed　with　what　I　may
call　a　small　competency　since　I　saw　you　last。　　Of　the　two
hundred　francs　you　gave　me　I　risked　fifty　at　the　tables；　and　I
have　multiplied　them；　how　many　times　do　you　think？　　More　than
four　hundred　times。'

De　Stancy　immediately　looked　grave。　　'I　wish　you　had　lost
them；'　he　said；　with　as　much　feeling　as　could　be　shown　in　a
place　where　strangers　were　hovering　near。

'Nonsense；　captain！　　I　have　proceeded　purely　on　a　calculation
of　chances；　and　my　calculations　proved　as　true　as　I　expected；
notwithstanding　a　little　in…and…out　luck　at　first。　　Witness
this　as　the　result。'　　He　smacked　his　bag　with　his　umbrella；
and　the　chink　of　money　resounded　from　within。　　'Just　feel　the
weight　of　it！'

'It　is　not　necessary。　　I　take　your　word。'

'Shall　I　lend　you　five　pounds？'

'God　forbid！　　As　if　that　would　repay　me　for　what　you　have　cost
me！　　But　come；　let's　get　out　of　this　place　to　where　we　can
talk　more　freely。'　　He　put　his　hand　through　the　young　man's
arm；　and　led　him　round　the　corner　of　the　hotel　towards　the
Schloss…Platz。

'These　runs　of　luck　will　be　your　ruin；　as　I　have　told　you
before；'　continued　Captain　De　Stancy。　　'You　will　be　for
repeating　and　repeating　your　experiments；　and　will　end　by
blowing　your　brains　out；　as　wiser　heads　than　yours　have　done。
I　am　glad　you　have　come　away；　at　any　rate。　　Why　did　you　travel
this　way？'

'Simply　because　I　could　afford　it；　of　course。But　come；
captain；　something　has　ruffled　you　to…day。　　I　thought　you　did
not　look　in　the　best　temper　the　moment　I　saw　you。　　Every　sip
you　took　of　your　pick…up　as　you　sat　there　showed　me　something
was　wrong。　　Tell　your　worry！'

'PoohI　can　tell　you　in　two　words；'　said　the　captain
satirically。　　'Your　arrangement　for　my　wealth　and　happiness
for　I　suppose　you　still　claim　it　to　be　yourshas　fallen
through。　　The　lady　has　announced　to…day　that　she　means　to　send
for　Somerset　instantly。　　She　is　coming　to　a　personal
explanation　with　him。　　So　woe　to　meand　in　another　sense；　woe
to　you；　as　I　have　reason　to　fear。'

'Send　for　him！'　said　Dare；　with　the　stillness　of　complete
abstraction。　　'Then　he'll　come。'

'Well；'　said　De　Stancy；　looking　him　in　the　face。　　'And　does　it
make　you　feel　you　had　better　be　off？　　How　about　that　telegram？
Did　he　ask　you　to　send　it；　or　did　he　not？'

'One　minute；　or　I　shall　be　up　such　a　tree　as　nobody　ever　saw
the　like　of。'

'Then　what　did　you　come　here　for？'　burst　out　De　Stancy。　　''Tis
my　belief　you　are　no　more　than　aBut　I　won't　call　you　names；
I'll　tell　you　quite　plainly　that　if　there　is　anything　wrong　in
that　message　to　herwhich　I　believe　there　isno；　I　can't
believe；　though　I　fear　ityou　have　the　chance　of　appearing　in
drab　clothes　at　the　expense　of　the　Government　before　the　year
is　out；　and　I　of　being　eternally　disgraced！'

'No；　captain；　you　won't　be　disgraced。　　I　am　bad　to　beat；　I　can
tell　you。　　And　come　the　worst　luck；　I　don't　say　a　word。'

'But　those　letters　pricked　in　your　skin　would　say　a　good　deal；
it　strikes　me。'

'What！　would　they　strip　me？but　it　is　not　coming　to　that。
Look　here；　now；　I'll　tell　you　the　truth　for　once；　though　you
don't　believe　me　capable　of　it。　　I　DID　concoct　that　telegram
and　sent　it；　just　as　a　practical　joke；　and　many　a　worse　one
has　been　only　laughed　at　by　honest　men　and　officers。　　I　could
show　you　a　bigger　joke　stilla　joke　of　jokeson　the　same
individual。'

Dare　as　he　spoke　put　his　hand　into　his　breast…pocket；　as　if
the　said　joke　lay　there；　but　after　a　moment　he　withdrew　his
hand　empty；　as　he　continued：

'Having　invented　it　I　have　done　enough；　I　was　going　to　explain
it　to　you；　that　you　might　carry　it　out。　　But　you　are　so
serious；　that　I　will　leave　it　alone。　　My　second　joke　shall　die
with　me。'

'So　much　the　better；'　said　De　Stancy。　　'I　don't　like　your
jokes；　even　though　they　are　not　directed　against　myself。　　They
express　a　kind　of　humour　which　does　not　suit　me。'

'You　may　have　reason　to　alter　your　mind；'　said　Dare
carelessly。　　'Your　success　with　your　lady　may　depend　on　it。
The　truth　is；　captain；　we　aristocrats　must　not　take　too　high　a
tone。　　Our　days　as　an　independent　division　of　society；　which
holds　aloof　from　other　sections；　are　past。　　This　has　been　my
argument　（in　spite　of　my　strong　Norman　feelings）　ever　since　I
broached　the　subject　of　your　marrying　this　girl；　who
represents　both　intellect　and　wealthall；　in　fact；　except　the
historical　prestige　that　you　represent。　　And　we　mustn't　flinch
at　things。　　The　case　is　even　more　pressing　than　ordinary
casesowing　to　the　odd　fact　that　the　representative　of　the
new　blood　who　has　come　in　our　way　actually　lives　in　your　own
old　house；　and　owns　your　own　old　lands。　　The　ordinary　reason
for　such　alliances　is　quintupled　in　our　case。　　Do　then　just
think　and　be　reasonable；　before　you　talk　tall　about　not　liking
my　jokes；　and　all　that。　　Beggars　mustn't　be　choosers。'

'There's　really　much　reason　in　your　argument；'　said　De　Stancy；
with　a　bitter　laugh：　　'and　my　own　heart　argues　much　the　same
way。　　But；　leaving　me　to　take　care　of　my　aristocratic　self；　I
advise　your　aristocratic　self　to　slip　off　at　once　to　England
like　any　hang…gallows　dog；　and　if　Somerset　is　here；　and　you
have　been　doing　wrong　in　his　name；　and　it　all　comes　out；　I'll
try　to　save　you；　as　far　as　an　honest　man　can。　　If　you　have
done　no　wrong；　of　cour