a laodicean-第79章

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'The　windows　are　all　open；'　she　murmured。　　'Please　be
careful。'

'There　are　no　English　in　this　hotel　except　ourselves。　　I　thank
you　for　what　you　said　to…day。'

'Please　be　careful；'　she　repeated。

'My　dear　Miss　P'

'Don't　mention　names；　and　don't　continue　the　subject！'

'Life　and　death　perhaps　depend　upon　my　renewing　it　soon！'

She　shut　the　window　decisively；　possibly　wondering　if　De
Stancy　had　drunk　a　glass　or　two　of　Steinberg　more　than　was
good　for　him；　and　saw　no　more　of　moonlit　Ehrenbreitstein　that
night；　and　heard　no　more　of　De　Stancy。　　But　it　was　some　time
before　he　closed　his　window；　and　previous　to　doing　so　saw　a
dark　form　at　an　adjoining　one　on　the　other　side。

It　was　Mr。　Power；　also　taking　the　air。　　'Well；　what　luck　to…
day？'　said　Power。

'A　decided　advance；'　said　De　Stancy。

None　of　the　speakers　knew　that　a　little　person　in　the　room
above　heard　all　this　out…of…window　talk。　　Charlotte；　though
not　looking　out；　had　left　her　casement　open；　and　what　reached
her　ears　set　her　wondering　as　to　the　result。

It　is　not　necessary　to　detail　in　full　De　Stancy's
imperceptible　advances　with　Paula　during　that　northward
journeyso　slowly　performed　that　it　seemed　as　if　she　must
perceive　there　was　a　special　reason　for　delaying　her　return　to
England。　　At　Cologne　one　day　he　conveniently　overtook　her　when
she　was　ascending　the　hotel　staircase。　　Seeing　him；　she　went
to　the　window　of　the　entresol　landing；　which　commanded　a　view
of　the　Rhine；　meaning　that　he　should　pass　by　to　his　room。

'I　have　been　very　uneasy；'　began　the　captain；　drawing　up　to
her　side；　'and　I　am　obliged　to　trouble　you　sooner　than　I　meant
to　do。'

Paula　turned　her　eyes　upon　him　with　some　curiosity　as　to　what
was　coming　of　this　respectful　demeanour。　　'Indeed！'　she　said；

He　then　informed　her　that　he　had　been　overhauling　himself
since　they　last　talked；　and　had　some　reason　to　blame　himself
for　bluntness　and　general　want　of　euphemism；　which；　although
he　had　meant　nothing　by　it；　must　have　been　very　disagreeable
to　her。　　But　he　had　always　aimed　at　sincerity；　particularly　as
he　had　to　deal　with　a　lady　who　despised　hypocrisy　and　was
above　flattery。　　However；　he　feared　he　might　have　carried　his
disregard　for　conventionality　too　far。　　But　from　that　time　he
would　promise　that　she　should　find　an　alteration　by　which　he
hoped　he　might　return　the　friendship　at　least　of　a　young　lady
he　honoured　more　than　any　other　in　the　world。

This　retrograde　movement　was　evidently　unexpected　by　the
honoured　young　lady　herself。　　After　being　so　long　accustomed
to　rebuke　him　for　his　persistence　there　was　novelty　in　finding
him　do　the　work　for　her。　　The　guess　might　even　have　been
hazarded　that　there　was　also　disappointment。

Still　looking　across　the　river　at　the　bridge　of　boats　which
stretched　to　the　opposite　suburb　of　Deutz：　　'You　need　not
blame　yourself；'　she　said；　with　the　mildest　conceivable
manner；　'I　can　make　allowances。　　All　I　wish　is　that　you　should
remain　under　no　misapprehension。'

'I　comprehend；'　he　said　thoughtfully。　　'But　since；　by　a
perverse　fate；　I　have　been　thrown　into　your　company；　you　could
hardly　expect　me　to　feel　and　act　otherwise。'

'Perhaps　not。'

'Since　I　have　so　much　reason　to　be　dissatisfied　with　myself；'
he　added；　'I　cannot　refrain　from　criticizing　elsewhere　to　a
slight　extent；　and　thinking　I　have　to　do　with　an　ungenerous
person。'

'Why　ungenerous？'

'In　this　way；　that　since　you　cannot　love　me；　you　see　no　reason
at　all　for　trying　to　do　so　in　the　fact　that　I　so　deeply　love
you；　hence　I　say　that　you　are　rather　to　be　distinguished　by
your　wisdom　than　by　your　humanity。'

'It　comes　to　this；　that　if　your　words　are　all　seriously　meant
it　is　much　to　be　regretted　we　ever　met；'　she　murmured。　　'Now
will　you　go　on　to　where　you　were　going；　and　leave　me　here？'

Without　a　remonstrance　he　went　on；　saying　with　dejected
whimsicality　as　he　smiled　back　upon　her；　'You　show　a　wisdom
which　for　so　young　a　lady　is　perfectly　surprising。'

It　was　resolved　to　prolong　the　journey　by　a　circuit　through
Holland　and　Belgium；　but　nothing　changed　in　the　attitudes　of
Paula　and　Captain　De　Stancy　till　one　afternoon　during　their
stay　at　the　Hague；　when　they　had　gone　for　a　drive　down　to
Scheveningen　by　the　long　straight　avenue　of　chestnuts　and
limes；　under　whose　boughs　tufts　of　wild　parsley　waved　their
flowers；　except　where　the　buitenplaatsen　of　retired　merchants
blazed　forth　with　new　paint　of　every　hue。　　On　mounting　the
dune　which　kept　out　the　sea　behind　the　village　a　brisk　breeze
greeted　their　faces；　and　a　fine　sand　blew　up　into　their　eyes。
De　Stancy　screened　Paula　with　his　umbrella　as　they　stood　with
their　backs　to　the　wind；　looking　down　on　the　red　roofs　of　the
village　within　the　sea　wall；　and　pulling　at　the　long　grass
which　by　some　means　found　nourishment　in　the　powdery　soil　of
the　dune。

When　they　had　discussed　the　scene　he　continued；　'It　always
seems　to　me　that　this　place　reflects　the　average　mood　of　human
life。　　I　mean；　if　we　strike　the　balance　between　our　best　moods
and　our　worst　we　shall　find　our　average　condition　to　stand　at
about　the　same　pitch　in　emotional　colour　as　these　sandy　dunes
and　this　grey　scene　do　in　landscape。'

Paula　contended　that　he　ought　not　to　measure　everybody　by
himself。

'I　have　no　other　standard；'　said　De　Stancy；　'and　if　my　own　is
wrong；　it　is　you　who　have　made　it　so。　　Have　you　thought　any
more　of　what　I　said　at　Cologne？'

'I　don't　quite　remember　what　you　did　say　at　Cologne？'

'My　dearest　life！'　　Paula's　eyes　rounding　somewhat；　he
corrected　the　exclamation。　　'My　dear　Miss　Power；　I　will；
without　reserve；　tell　it　to　you　all　over　again。'

'Pray　spare　yourself　the　effort；'　she　said　drily。　　'What　has
that　one　fatal　step　betrayed　me　into！。　。　。　　Do　you　seriously
mean　to　say　that　I　am　the　cause　of　your　life　being　coloured
like　this　scene　of　grass　and　sand？　　If　so；　I　have　committed　a
very　great　fault！'

'It　can　be　nullified　by　a　word。'

'Such　a　word！'

'It　is　a　very　short　one。'

'There's　a　still　shorter　one　more　to　the　purpose。　　Frankly；　I
believe　you　suspect　me　to　have　some　latent　and　unowned
inclination　for　youthat　you　think　speaking　is　the　only　point
upon　which　I　am　backward。　。　。　。　　There　now；　it　is　raining；
what　shall　we　do？　　I　thought　this　wind　meant　rain。'

'Do？　　Stand　on　here；　as　we　are　standing　now。'

'Your　sister　and　my　aunt　are　gone　under　the　wall。　　I　think　we
will　walk　towards　them。'

'You　had　made　me　hope；'　he　continued　（his　thoughts　apparently
far　away　from　the　rain　and　the　wind　and　the　possibility　of
shelter）；　'that　you　might　change　your　mind；　and　give　to　your
original　promise　a　liberal　meaning　in　renewing　it。　　In　brief　I
mean　this；　that　you　would　allow　it　to　merge　into　an
engagement。　　Don't　think　it　presumptuous；'　he　went　on；　as　he
held　the　umbrella　over　her；　'I　am　sure　any　man　would　speak　as
I　do。　　A　distinct　permission　to　be　with　you　on　probationthat
was　what　you　gave　me　at　Carlsruhe：　　and　flinging　casuistry　on
one　side；　what　does　that　mean？'

'That　I　am　artistically　interested　in　your　family　history。'
And　she　went　out　from　the　umbrella　to　the　shelter　of　the　hotel
where　she　found　her　aunt　and　friend。

De　Stancy　could　not　but　feel　that　his　persistence　had　made
some　impression。　　It　was　hardly　possible　that　a　woman　of
independent　nature　would　have　tolerated　his　dangling　at　her
side　so　long；　if　his　presence　were　wholly　distasteful　to　her。
That　evening　when　driving　back　to　the　Hague　by　a　devious　route
through　the　dense　avenues　of　the　Bosch　he　conversed　with　her
again；　also　the　next　day　when　standing　by　the　Vijver　looking
at　the　swans；　and　in　each　case　she　seemed　to　have　at　least　got
over　her　objection　to　being　seen　talking　to　him；　apart　from
the　remainder　of　the　travelling　party。

Scenes　very　similar　to　those　at　Scheveningen　and　on　the　Rhine
were　enacted　at　later　stages　of　their　desultory　journey。　　Mr。
Power　had　proposed　to　cross　from　Rotterdam；　but　a　stiff　north…
westerly　breeze　prevailing　Paula　herself　became　reluctant　to
hasten　back　to　Stancy　Castle。　　Turning　abruptly　they　made　for
Brussels。

It　was　here；　while　walking　homeward　from　the　Park　one　morning；
that　her　uncle　for　the　first　time　alluded　to　the　sit