a laodicean-第8章

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years　before　I　was　born；　and　not　long　after　his　father's
death。　　It　was　purchased　by　a　man　named　Wilkins；　a　rich　man
who　became　blind　soon　after　he　had　bought　it；　and　never　lived
here；　so　it　was　left　uncared　for。'

She　went　out　upon　the　terrace；　and　without　exactly　knowing
why；　Somerset　followed。

'Your　friend'

'Has　only　come　here　quite　recently。　　She　is　away　from　home　to…
day。　。　。　。　　It　was　very　sad；'　murmured　the　young　girl
thoughtfully。　　'No　sooner　had　Mr。　Power　bought　it　of　the
representatives　of　Mr。　Wilkinsalmost　immediately　indeed
than　he　died　from　a　chill　caught　after　a　warm　bath。　　On
account　of　that　she　did　not　take　possession　for　several
months；　and　even　now　she　has　only　had　a　few　rooms　prepared　as
a　temporary　residence　till　she　can　think　what　to　do。　　Poor
thing；　it　is　sad　to　be　left　alone！'

Somerset　heedfully　remarked　that　he　thought　he　recognized　that
name　Power；　as　one　he　had　seen　lately；　somewhere　or　other。

'Perhaps　you　have　been　hearing　of　her　father。　　Do　you　know
what　he　was？'

Somerset　did　not。

She　looked　across　the　distant　country；　where　undulations　of
dark…green　foliage　formed　a　prospect　extending　for　miles。　　And
as　she　watched；　and　Somerset's　eyes；　led　by　hers；　watched
also；　a　white　streak　of　steam；　thin　as　a　cotton　thread；　could
be　discerned　ploughing　that　green　expanse。　　'Her　father　made
THAT；'　Miss　De　Stancy　said；　directing　her　finger　towards　the
object。

'That　what？'

'That　railway。　　He　was　Mr。　John　Power；　the　great　railway
contractor。　　And　it　was　through　making　the　railway　that　he
discovered　this　castlethe　railway　was　diverted　a　little　on
its　account。'

'A　clash　between　ancient　and　modern。'

'Yes；　but　he　took　an　interest　in　the　locality　long　before　he
purchased　the　estate。　　And　he　built　the　people　a　chapel　on　a
bit　of　freehold　he　bought　for　them。　　He　was　a　great
Nonconformist；　a　staunch　Baptist　up　to　the　day　of　his　deatha
much　stauncher　one；'　she　said　significantly；　'than　his
daughter　is。'

'Ah；　I　begin　to　spot　her！'

'You　have　heard　about　the　baptism？'

'I　know　something　of　it。'

'Her　conduct　has　given　mortal　offence　to　the　scattered　people
of　the　denomination　that　her　father　was　at　such　pains　to　unite
into　a　body。'

Somerset　could　guess　the　remainder；　and　in　thinking　over　the
circumstances　did　not　state　what　he　had　seen。　　She　added；　as
if　disappointed　at　his　want　of　curiosity

'She　would　not　submit　to　the　rite　when　it　came　to　the　point。
The　water　looked　so　cold　and　dark　and　fearful；　she　said；　that
she　could　not　do　it　to　save　her　life。'

'Surely　she　should　have　known　her　mind　before　she　had　gone　so
far？'　　Somerset's　words　had　a　condemnatory　form；　but　perhaps
his　actual　feeling　was　that　if　Miss　Power　had　known　her　own
mind；　she　would　have　not　interested　him　half　so　much。

'Paula's　own　mind　had　nothing　to　do　with　it！'　said　Miss　De
Stancy；　warming　up　to　staunch　partizanship　in　a　moment。　　'It
was　all　undertaken　by　her　from　a　mistaken　sense　of　duty。　　It
was　her　father's　dying　wish　that　she　should　make　public
profession　of　herwhat　do　you　call　itof　the　denomination
she　belonged　to；　as　soon　as　she　felt　herself　fit　to　do　it：　　so
when　he　was　dead　she　tried　and　tried；　and　didn't　get　any　more
fit；　and　at　last　she　screwed　herself　up　to　the　pitch；　and
thought　she　must　undergo　the　ceremony　out　of　pure　reverence
for　his　memory。　　It　was　very　short…sighted　of　her　father　to
put　her　in　such　a　position：　　because　she　is　now　very　sad；　as
she　feels　she　can　never　try　again　after　such　a　sermon　as　was
delivered　against　her。'

Somerset　presumed　that　Miss　Power　need　not　have　heard　this
Knox　or　Bossuet　of　hers　if　she　had　chosen　to　go　away？

'She　did　not　hear　it　in　the　face　of　the　congregation；　but　from
the　vestry。　　She　told　me　some　of　it　when　she　reached　home。
Would　you　believe　it；　the　man　who　preached　so　bitterly　is　a
tenant　of　hers？　　I　said；　〃Surely　you　will　turn　him　out　of　his
house？〃But　she　answered；　in　her　calm；　deep；　nice　way；　that
she　supposed　he　had　a　perfect　right　to　preach　against　her；
that　she　could　not　in　justice　molest　him　at　all。　　I　wouldn't
let　him　stay　if　the　house　were　mine。　　But　she　has　often　before
allowed　him　to　scold　her　from　the　pulpit　in　a　smaller　way
once　it　was　about　an　expensive　dress　she　had　wornnot
mentioning　her　by　name；　you　know；　but　all　the　people　are　quite
aware　that　it　is　meant　for　her；　because　only　one　person　of　her
wealth　or　position　belongs　to　the　Baptist　body　in　this
county。'

Somerset　was　looking　at　the　homely　affectionate　face　of　the
little　speaker。　　'You　are　her　good　friend；　I　am　sure；'　he
remarked。

She　looked　into　the　distant　air　with　tacit　admission　of　the
impeachment。　　'So　would　you　be　if　you　knew　her；'　she　said；　and
a　blush　slowly　rose　to　her　cheek；　as　if　the　person　spoken　of
had　been　a　lover　rather　than　a　friend。

'But　you　are　not　a　Baptist　any　more　than　I？'　continued
Somerset。

'O　no。　　And　I　never　knew　one　till　I　knew　Paula。　　I　think　they
are　very　nice；　though　I　sometimes　wish　Paula　was　not　one；　but
the　religion　of　reasonable　persons。'

They　walked　on；　and　came　opposite　to　where　the　telegraph
emerged　from　the　trees；　leapt　over　the　parapet；　and　up　through
the　loophole　into　the　interior。

'That　looks　strange　in　such　a　building；'　said　her　companion。

'Miss　Power　had　it　put　up　to　know　the　latest　news　from　town。
It　costs　six　pounds　a　mile。　　She　can　work　it　herself；
beautifully：　　and　so　can　I；　but　not　so　well。　　It　was　a　great
delight　to　learn。　　Miss　Power　was　so　interested　at　first　that
she　was　sending　messages　from　morning　till　night。　　And　did　you
hear　the　new　clock？'

'Is　it　a　new　one？Yes；　I　heard　it。'

'The　old　one　was　quite　worn　out；　so　Paula　has　put　it　in　the
cellar；　and　had　this　new　one　made；　though　it　still　strikes　on
the　old　bell。　　It　tells　the　seconds；　but　the　old　one；　which　my
very　great　grandfather　erected　in　the　eighteenth　century；　only
told　the　hours。　　Paula　says　that　time；　being　so　much　more
valuable　now；　must　of　course　be　cut　up　into　smaller　pieces。'

'She　does　not　appear　to　be　much　impressed　by　the　spirit　of
this　ancient　pile。'

Miss　De　Stancy　shook　her　head　too　slightly　to　express　absolute
negation。

'Do　you　wish　to　come　through　this　door？'　she　asked。　　'There　is
a　singular　chimney…piece　in　the　kitchen；　which　is　considered　a
unique　example　of　its　kind；　though　I　myself　don't　know　enough
about　it　to　have　an　opinion　on　the　subject。'

When　they　had　looked　at　the　corbelled　chimney…piece　they
returned　to　the　hall；　where　his　eye　was　caught　anew　by　a　large
map　that　he　had　conned　for　some　time　when　alone；　without　being
able　to　divine　the　locality　represented。　　It　was　called
'General　Plan　of　the　Town；'　and　showed　streets　and　open　spaces
corresponding　with　nothing　he　had　seen　in　the　county。

'Is　that　town　here？'　he　asked。

'It　is　not　anywhere　but　in　Paula's　brain；　she　has　laid　it　out
from　her　own　design。　　The　site　is　supposed　to　be　near　our
railway　station；　just　across　there；　where　the　land　belongs　to
her。　　She　is　going　to　grant　cheap　building　leases；　and　develop
the　manufacture　of　pottery。'

'Potteryhow　very　practical　she　must　be！'

'O　no！　no！'　replied　Miss　De　Stancy；　in　tones　showing　how
supremely　ignorant　he　must　be　of　Miss　Power's　nature　if　he
characterized　her　in　those　terms。　　'It　is　GREEK　pottery　she
meansHellenic　pottery　she　tells　me　to　call　it；　only　I
forget。　　There　is　beautiful　clay　at　the　place；　her　father　told
her：　　he　found　it　in　making　the　railway　tunnel。　　She　has
visited　the　British　Museum；　continental　museums；　and　Greece；
and　Spain：　　and　hopes　to　imitate　the　old　fictile　work　in　time；
especially　the　Greek　of　the　best　period；　four　hundred　years
after　Christ；　or　before　ChristI　forget　which　it　was　Paula
said。　。　。　。　　O　no；　she　is　not　practical　in　the　sense　you　mean；
at　all。'

'A　mixed　young　lady；　rather。'

Miss　De　Stancy　appeared　unable　to　settle　whether　this　new
definition　of　her　dear　friend　should　be　accepted　as　kindly；　or
disallowed　as　decidedly　sarcastic。　　'You　would　like　her　if　you
knew　her；'　she　insisted；　in　half　tones　of　pique；　after　which
she　walked　on　a　few　steps。

'I　think　very　highly　of　her；'　said　Somerset。

'And　I！　　And　yet　at　one　time　I　could　never　have　believed　that
I　shoul