a laodicean-第73章

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previously　hung　upon　her　lips　was　arrested　as　if　by　frost　and
she　involuntarily　uttered　a　little　distressed　cry　of　'O！'　like
one　in　bodily　pain。

Paula；　who　had　been　talking　to　her　uncle　during　this
interlude；　started　round；　and　wondering　what　had　happened；
inquiringly　crossed　the　room　to　poor　Charlotte's　side；　asking
her　what　was　the　matter。　　Charlotte　had　regained　self…
possession；　though　not　enough　to　enable　her　to　reply；　and
Paula　asked　her　a　second　time　what　had　made　her　exclaim　like
that。　　Miss　De　Stancy　still　seemed　confused；　whereupon　Paula
noticed　that　her　eyes　were　continually　drawn　as　if　by
fascination　towards　the　photograph　on　the　floor；　which；
contrary　to　his　first　impulse；　Dare；　as　has　been　said；　now
seemed　in　no　hurry　to　regain。　　Surmising　at　last　that　the
card；　whatever　it　was；　had　something　to　do　with　the
exclamation；　Paula　picked　it　up。

It　was　a　portrait　of　Somerset；　but　by　a　device　known　in
photography　the　operator；　though　contriving　to　produce　what
seemed　to　be　a　perfect　likeness；　had　given　it　the　distorted
features　and　wild　attitude　of　a　man　advanced　in　intoxication。
No　woman；　unless　specially　cognizant　of　such　possibilities；
could　have　looked　upon　it　and　doubted　that　the　photograph　was
a　genuine　illustration　of　a　customary　phase　in　the　young　man's
private　life。

Paula　observed　it；　thoroughly　took　it　in；　but　the　effect　upon
her　was　by　no　means　clear。　　Charlotte's　eyes　at　once　forsook
the　portrait　to　dwell　on　Paula's　face。　　It　paled　a　little；　and
this　was　followed　by　a　hot　blushperceptibly　a　blush　of
shame。　　That　was　all。　　She　flung　the　picture　down　on　the
table；　and　moved　away。

It　was　now　Mr。　Power's　turn。　　Anticipating　Dare；　who　was
advancing　with　a　deprecatory　look　to　seize　the　photograph；　he
also　grasped　it。　　When　he　saw　whom　it　represented　he　seemed
both　amused　and　startled；　and　after　scanning　it　a　while　handed
it　to　the　young　man　with　a　queer　smile。

'I　am　very　sorry；'　began　Dare　in　a　low　voice　to　Mr。　Power。　　'I
fear　I　was　to　blame　for　thoughtlessness　in　not　destroying　it。
But　I　thought　it　was　rather　funny　that　a　man　should　permit
such　a　thing　to　be　done；　and　that　the　humour　would　redeem　the
offence。'

'In　you；　for　purchasing　it；'　said　Paula　with　haughty　quickness
from　the　other　side　of　the　room。　　'Though　probably　his
friends；　if　he　has　any；　would　say　not　in　him。'

There　was　silence　in　the　room　after　this；　and　Dare；　finding
himself　rather　in　the　way；　took　his　leave　as　unostentatiously
as　a　cat　that　has　upset　the　family　china；　though　he　continued
to　say　among　his　apologies　that　he　was　not　aware　Mr。　Somerset
was　a　personal　friend　of　the　ladies。

Of　all　the　thoughts　which　filled　the　minds　of　Paula　and
Charlotte　De　Stancy；　the　thought　that　the　photograph　might
have　been　a　fabrication　was　probably　the　last。　　To　them　that
picture　of　Somerset　had　all　the　cogency　of　direct　vision。
Paula's　experience；　much　less　Charlotte's；　had　never　lain　in
the　fields　of　heliographic　science；　and　they　would　as　soon
have　thought　that　the　sun　could　again　stand　still　upon　Gibeon；
as　that　it　could　be　made　to　falsify　men's　characters　in
delineating　their　features。　　What　Abner　Power　thought　he
himself　best　knew。　　He　might　have　seen　such　pictures　before；
or　he　might　never　have　heard　of　them。

While　pretending　to　resume　his　reading　he　closely　observed
Paula；　as　did　also　Charlotte　De　Stancy；　but　thanks　to　the
self…management　which　was　Miss　Power's　as　much　by　nature　as　by
art；　she　dissembled　whatever　emotion　was　in　her。

'It　is　a　pity　a　professional　man　should　make　himself　so
ludicrous；'　she　said　with　such　careless　intonation　that　it　was
almost　impossible；　even　for　Charlotte；　who　knew　her　so　well；
to　believe　her　indifference　feigned。

'Yes；'　said　Mr。　Power；　since　Charlotte　did　not　speak：　　'it　is
what　I　scarcely　should　have　expected。'

'O；　I　am　not　surprised！'　said　Paula　quickly。　　'You　don't　know
all。'　　The　inference　was；　indeed；　inevitable　that　if　her　uncle
were　made　aware　of　the　telegram　he　would　see　nothing　unlikely
in　the　picture。　　'Well；　you　are　very　silent！'　continued　Paula
petulantly；　when　she　found　that　nobody　went　on　talking。　　'What
made　you　cry　out　〃O；〃　Charlotte；　when　Mr。　Dare　dropped　that
horrid　photograph？'

'I　don't　know；　I　suppose　it　frightened　me；'　stammered　the
girl。

'It　was　a　stupid　fuss　to　make　before　such　a　person。　　One　would
think　you　were　in　love　with　Mr。　Somerset。'

'What　did　you　say；　Paula？'　inquired　her　uncle；　looking　up　from
the　newspaper　which　he　had　again　resumed。

'Nothing；　Uncle　Abner。'　　She　walked　to　the　window；　and；　as　if
to　tide　over　what　was　plainly　passing　in　their　minds　about
her；　she　began　to　make　remarks　on　objects　in　the　street。
'What　a　quaint　beinglook；　Charlotte！'　　It　was　an　old　woman
sitting　by　a　stall　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　way；　which
seemed　suddenly　to　hit　Paula's　sense　of　the　humorous；　though
beyond　the　fact　that　the　dame　was　old　and　poor；　and　wore　a
white　handkerchief　over　her　head；　there　was　really　nothing
noteworthy　about　her。

Paula　seemed　to　be　more　hurt　by　what　the　silence　of　her
companions　implieda　suspicion　that　the　discovery　of
Somerset's　depravity　was　wounding　her　heartthan　by　the　wound
itself。　　The　ostensible　ease　with　which　she　drew　them　into　a
bye　conversation　had　perhaps　the　defect　of　proving　too　much：
though　her　tacit　contention　that　no　love　was　in　question　was
not　incredible　on　the　supposition　that　affronted　pride　alone
caused　her　embarrassment。　　The　chief　symptom　of　her　heart
being　really　tender　towards　Somerset　consisted　in　her　apparent
blindness　to　Charlotte's　secret；　so　obviously　suggested　by　her
momentary　agitation。



V。

And　where　was　the　subject　of　their　condemnatory　opinions　all
this　while？　　Having　secured　a　room　at　his　inn；　he　came　forth
to　complete　the　discovery　of　his　dear　mistress's　halting…place
without　delay。　　After　one　or　two　inquiries　he　ascertained
where　such　a　party　of　English　were　staying；　and　arriving　at
the　hotel；　knew　at　once　that　he　had　tracked　them　to　earth　by
seeing　the　heavier　portion　of　the　Power　luggage　confronting
him　in　the　hall。　　He　sent　up　intelligence　of　his　presence；　and
awaited　her　reply　with　a　beating　heart。

In　the　meanwhile　Dare；　descending　from　his　pernicious
interview　with　Paula　and　the　rest；　had　descried　Captain　De
Stancy　in　the　public　drawing…room；　and　entered　to　him
forthwith。　　It　was　while　they　were　here　together　that　Somerset
passed　the　door　and　sent　up　his　name　to　Paula。

The　incident　at　the　railway　station　was　now　reversed；　Somerset
being　the　observed　of　Dare；　as　Dare　had　then　been　the　observed
of　Somerset。　　Immediately　on　sight　of　him　Dare　showed　real
alarm。　　He　had　imagined　that　Somerset　would　eventually　impinge
on　Paula's　route；　but　he　had　scarcely　expected　it　yet；　and　the
architect's　sudden　appearance　led　Dare　to　ask　himself　the
ominous　question　whether　Somerset　had　discovered　his
telegraphic　trick；　and　was　in　the　mood　for　prompt　measures。

'There　is　no　more　for　me　to　do　here；'　said　the　boy　hastily　to
De　Stancy。　　'Miss　Power　does　not　wish　to　ask　me　any　more
questions。　　I　may　as　well　proceed　on　my　way；　as　you　advised。'

De　Stancy；　who　had　also　gazed　with　dismay　at　Somerset's
passing　figure；　though　with　dismay　of　another　sort；　was
recalled　from　his　vexation　by　Dare's　remarks；　and　turning　upon
him　he　said　sharply；　'Well　may　you　be　in　such　a　hurry　all　of　a
sudden！'

'True；　I　am　superfluous　now。'

'You　have　been　doing　a　foolish　thing；　and　you　must　suffer　its
inconveniences。Will；　I　am　sorry　for　one　thing；　I　am　sorry　I
ever　owned　you；　for　you　are　not　a　lad　to　my　heart。　　You　have
disappointed　medisappointed　me　almost　beyond　endurance。'

'I　have　acted　according　to　my　illumination。　　What　can　you
expect　of　a　man　born　to　dishonour？'

'That's　mere　speciousness。　　Before　you　knew　anything　of　me；
and　while　you　thought　you　were　the　child　of　poverty　on　both
sides；　you　were　well　enough；　but　ever　since　you　thought　you
were　more　than　that；　you　have　led　a　life　which　is　intolerable。
What　has　become　of　your　plan　of　alliance　between　the　De
Stancys　and　the　Powers　now？　　The　man　is　gone　upstairs　who　can
overthrow　it　all。'

'If　the　man　had　not　gone　upstairs；　you　wouldn't　have
com