a laodicean-第80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！


Brussels。

It　was　here；　while　walking　homeward　from　the　Park　one　morning；
that　her　uncle　for　the　first　time　alluded　to　the　situation　of
affairs　between　herself　and　her　admirer。　　The　captain　had　gone
up　the　Rue　Royale　with　his　sister　and　Mrs。　Goodman；　either　to
show　them　the　house　in　which　the　ball　took　place　on　the　eve　of
Quatre　Bras　or　some　other　site　of　interest；　and　the　two　Powers
were　thus　left　to　themselves。　　To　reach　their　hotel　they
passed　into　a　little　street　sloping　steeply　down　from　the　Rue
Royale　to　the　Place　Ste。　Gudule；　where；　at　the　moment　of
nearing　the　cathedral；　a　wedding　party　emerged　from　the　porch
and　crossed　in　front　of　uncle　and　niece。

'I　hope；'　said　the　former；　in　his　passionless　way；　'we　shall
see　a　performance　of　this　sort　between　you　and　Captain　De
Stancy；　not　so　very　long　after　our　return　to　England。'

'Why？'　asked　Paula；　following　the　bride　with　her　eyes。

'It　is　diplomatically；　as　I　may　say；　such　a　highly　correct
thingsuch　an　expedient　thingsuch　an　obvious　thing　to　all
eyes。'

'Not　altogether　to　mine；　uncle；'　she　returned。

''Twould　be　a　thousand　pities　to　let　slip　such　a　neat　offer　of
adjusting　difficulties　as　accident　makes　you　in　this。　　You
could　marry　more　tin；　that's　true；　but　you　don't　want　it；
Paula。　　You　want　a　name；　and　historic　what…do…they…call…it。
Now　by　coming　to　terms　with　the　captain　you'll　be　Lady　De
Stancy　in　a　few　years：　　and　a　title　which　is　useless　to　him；
and　a　fortune　and　castle　which　are　in　some　degree　useless　to
you；　will　make　a　splendid　whole　useful　to　you　both。'

'I've　thought　it　overquite；'　she　answered。　　'And　I　quite　see
what　the　advantages　are。　　But　how　if　I　don't　care　one　atom　for
artistic　completeness　and　a　splendid　whole；　and　do　care　very
much　to　do　what　my　fancy　inclines　me　to　do？'

'Then　I　should　say　that；　taking　a　comprehensive　view　of　human
nature　of　all　colours；　your　fancy　is　about　the　silliest　fancy
existing　on　this　earthly　ball。'

Paula　laughed　indifferently；　and　her　uncle　felt　that；
persistent　as　was　his　nature；　he　was　the　wrong　man　to
influence　her　by　argument。　　Paula's　blindness　to　the
advantages　of　the　match；　if　she　were　blind；　was　that　of　a
woman　who　wouldn't　see；　and　the　best　argument　was　silence。

This　was　in　some　measure　proved　the　next　morning。　　When　Paula
made　her　appearance　Mrs。　Goodman　said；　holding　up　an　envelope：
'Here's　a　letter　from　Mr。　Somerset。'

'Dear　me；'　said　she　blandly；　though　a　quick　little　flush
ascended　her　cheek。　　'I　had　nearly　forgotten　him！'

The　letter　on　being　read　contained　a　request　as　brief　as　it
was　unexpected。　　Having　prepared　all　the　drawings　necessary
for　the　rebuilding；　Somerset　begged　leave　to　resign　the
superintendence　of　the　work　into　other　hands。

'His　letter　caps　your　remarks　very　aptly；'　said　Mrs。　Goodman；
with　secret　triumph。　　'You　are　nearly　forgetting　him；　and　he
is　quite　forgetting　you。'

'Yes；'　said　Paula；　affecting　carelessness。　　'Well；　I　must　get
somebody　else；　I　suppose。'



X。

They　next　deviated　to　Amiens；　intending　to　stay　there　only　one
night；　but　their　schemes　were　deranged　by　the　sudden　illness
of　Charlotte。　　She　had　been　looking　unwell　for　a　fortnight
past；　though；　with　her　usual　self…abnegation；　she　had　made
light　of　her　ailment。　　Even　now　she　declared　she　could　go　on；
but　this　was　said　over…night；　and　in　the　morning　it　was
abundantly　evident　that　to　move　her　was　highly　unadvisable。
Still　she　was　not　in　serious　danger；　and　having　called　in　a
physician；　who　pronounced　rest　indispensable；　they　prepared　to
remain　in　the　old　Picard　capital　two　or　three　additional　days。
Mr。　Power　thought　he　would　take　advantage　of　the　halt　to　run
up　to　Paris；　leaving　De　Stancy　in　charge　of　the　ladies。

In　more　ways　than　in　the　illness　of　Charlotte　this　day　was　the
harbinger　of　a　crisis。

It　was　a　summer　evening　without　a　cloud。　　Charlotte　had　fallen
asleep　in　her　bed；　and　Paula；　who　had　been　sitting　by　her；
looked　out　into　the　Place　St。　Denis；　which　the　hotel
commanded。　　The　lawn　of　the　square　was　all　ablaze　with　red　and
yellow　clumps　of　flowers；　the　acacia　trees　were　brightly
green；　the　sun　was　soft　and　low。　　Tempted　by　the　prospect
Paula　went　and　put　on　her　hat；　and　arousing　her　aunt；　who　was
nodding　in　the　next　room；　to　request　her　to　keep　an　ear　on
Charlotte's　bedroom；　Paula　descended　into　the　Rue　de　Noyon
alone；　and　entered　the　green　enclosure。

While　she　walked　round；　two　or　three　little　children　in　charge
of　a　nurse　trundled　a　large　variegated　ball　along　the　grass；
and　it　rolled　to　Paula's　feet。　　She　smiled　at　them；　and
endeavoured　to　return　it　by　a　slight　kick。　　The　ball　rose　in
the　air；　and　passing　over　the　back　of　a　seat　which　stood　under
one　of　the　trees；　alighted　in　the　lap　of　a　gentleman　hitherto
screened　by　its　boughs。　　The　back　and　shoulders　proved　to　be
those　of　De　Stancy。　　He　turned　his　head；　jumped　up；　and　was　at
her　side　in　an　instant；　a　nettled　flush　having　meanwhile
crossed　Paula's　face。

'I　thought　you　had　gone　to　the　Hotoie　Promenade；'　she　said
hastily。　　'I　am　going　to　the　cathedral；'　（obviously　uttered
lest　it　should　seem　that　she　had　seen　him　from　the　hotel
windows；　and　entered　the　square　for　his　company）。

'Of　course：　　there　is　nothing　else　to　go　to　hereeven　for
Roundheads。'

'If　you　mean　ME　by　that；　you　are　very　much　mistaken；'　said　she
testily。

'The　Roundheads　were　your　ancestors；　and　they　knocked　down　my
ancestors'　castle；　and　broke　the　stained　glass　and　statuary　of
the　cathedral；'　said　De　Stancy　slily；　'and　now　you　go　not　only
to　a　cathedral；　but　to　a　service　of　the　unreformed　Church　in
it。'

'In　a　foreign　country　it　is　different　from　home；'　said　Paula
in　extenuation；　'and　you　of　all　men　should　not　reproach　me　for
tergiversationwhen　it　has　been　brought　about　byby　my
sympathies　with'

'With　the　troubles　of　the　De　Stancys。'

'Well；　you　know　what　I　mean；'　she　answered；　with　considerable
anxiety　not　to　be　misunderstood；　'my　liking　for　the　old
castle；　and　what　it　contains；　and　what　it　suggests。　　I　declare
I　will　not　explain　to　you　furtherwhy　should　I？　　I　am　not
answerable　to　you！'

Paula's　show　of　petulance　was　perhaps　not　wholly　because　she
had　appeared　to　seek　him；　but　also　from　being　reminded　by　his
criticism　that　Mr。　Woodwell's　prophecy　on　her　weakly
succumbing　to　surroundings　was　slowly　working　out　its
fulfilment。

She　moved　forward　towards　the　gate　at　the　further　end　of　the
square；　beyond　which　the　cathedral　lay　at　a　very　short
distance。　　Paula　did　not　turn　her　head；　and　De　Stancy　strolled
slowly　after　her　down　the　Rue　du　College。　　The　day　happened　to
be　one　of　the　church　festivals；　and　people　were　a　second　time
flocking　into　the　lofty　monument　of　Catholicism　at　its
meridian。　　Paula　vanished　into　the　porch　with　the　rest；　and；
almost　catching　the　wicket　as　it　flew　back　from　her　hand；　he
too　entered　the　high…shouldered　edificean　edifice　doomed　to
labour　under　the　melancholy　misfortune　of　seeming　only　half　as
vast　as　it　really　is；　and　as　truly　as　whimsically　described　by
Heine　as　a　monument　built　with　the　strength　of　Titans；　and
decorated　with　the　patience　of　dwarfs。

De　Stancy　walked　up　the　nave；　so　close　beside　her　as　to　touch
her　dress；　but　she　would　not　recognize　his　presence；　the
darkness　that　evening　had　thrown　over　the　interior；　which　was
scarcely　broken　by　the　few　candles　dotted　about；　being　a
sufficient　excuse　if　she　required　one。

'Miss　Power；'　De　Stancy　said　at　last；　'I　am　coming　to　the
service　with　you。'

She　received　the　intelligence　without　surprise；　and　he　knew
she　had　been　conscious　of　him　all　the　way。

Paula　went　no　further　than　the　middle　of　the　nave；　where　there
was　hardly　a　soul；　and　took　a　chair　beside　a　solitary
rushlight　which　looked　amid　the　vague　gloom　of　the
inaccessible　architecture　like　a　lighthouse　at　the　foot　of
tall　cliffs。

He　put　his　hand　on　the　next　chair；　saying；　'Do　you　object？'

'Not　at　all；'　she　replied；　and　he　sat　down。

'Suppose　we　go　into　the　choir；'　said　De　Stancy　presently。
'Nobody　sits　out　here　in　the　shadows。'

'This　is　sufficiently　near；　and　we　have　a　candle；'　Paula
murmured。

Before　another　minute　had　passed　the　candle　flame　began　to
drown　in　its　own　grease；　slowly　dw