a laodicean-第81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！


murmured。

Before　another　minute　had　passed　the　candle　flame　began　to
drown　in　its　own　grease；　slowly　dwindled；　and　went　out。

'I　suppose　that　means　I　am　to　go　into　the　choir　in　spite　of
myself。　　Heaven　is　on　your　side；'　said　Paula。　　And　rising　they
left　their　now　totally　dark　corner；　and　joined　the　noiseless
shadowy　figures　who　in　twos　and　threes　kept　passing　up　the
nave。

Within　the　choir　there　was　a　blaze　of　light；　partly　from　the
altar；　and　more　particularly　from　the　image　of　the　saint　whom
they　had　assembled　to　honour；　which　stood；　surrounded　by
candles　and　a　thicket　of　flowering　plants；　some　way　in　advance
of　the　foot…pace。　　A　secondary　radiance　from　the　same　source
was　reflected　upward　into　their　faces　by　the　polished　marble
pavement；　except　when　interrupted　by　the　shady　forms　of　the
officiating　priests。

When　it　was　over　and　the　people　were　moving　off；　De　Stancy　and
his　companion　went　towards　the　saint；　now　besieged　by　numbers
of　women　anxious　to　claim　the　respective　flower…pots　they　had
lent　for　the　decoration。　　As　each　struggled　for　her　own；
seized　and　marched　off　with　it；　Paula　remarked'This　rather
spoils　the　solemn　effect　of　what　has　gone　before。'

'I　perceive　you　are　a　harsh　Puritan。'

'No；　Captain　De　Stancy！　　Why　will　you　speak　so？　　I　am　far　too
much　otherwise。　　I　have　grown　to　be　so　much　of　your　way　of
thinking；　that　I　accuse　myself；　and　am　accused　by　others；　of
being　worldly；　and　half…and…half；　and　other　dreadful　things
though　it　isn't　that　at　all。'

They　were　now　walking　down　the　nave；　preceded　by　the　sombre
figures　with　the　pot　flowers；　who　were　just　visible　in　the
rays　that　reached　them　through　the　distant　choir　screen　at
their　back；　while　above　the　grey　night　sky　and　stars　looked　in
upon　them　through　the　high　clerestory　windows。

'Do　be　a　little　MORE　of　my　way　of　thinking！'　rejoined　De
Stancy　passionately。

'Don't；　don't　speak；'　she　said　rapidly。　　'There　are　Milly　and
Champreau！'

Milly　was　one　of　the　maids；　and　Champreau　the　courier　and
valet　who　had　been　engaged　by　Abner　Power。　　They　had　been
sitting　behind　the　other　pair　throughout　the　service；　and
indeed　knew　rather　more　of　the　relations　between　Paula　and　De
Stancy　than　Paula　knew　herself。

Hastening　on　the　two　latter　went　out；　and　walked　together
silently　up　the　short　street。　　The　Place　St。　Denis　was　now　lit
up；　lights　shone　from　the　hotel　windows；　and　the　world　without
the　cathedral　had　so　far　advanced　in　nocturnal　change　that　it
seemed　as　if　they　had　been　gone　from　it　for　hours。　　Within　the
hotel　they　found　the　change　even　greater　than　without。　　Mrs。
Goodman　met　them　half…way　on　the　stairs。

'Poor　Charlotte　is　worse；'　she　said。　　'Quite　feverish；　and
almost　delirious。'

Paula　reproached　herself　with　'Why　did　I　go　away！'

The　common　interest　of　De　Stancy　and　Paula　in　the　sufferer　at
once　reproduced　an　ease　between　them　as　nothing　else　could
have　done。　　The　physician　was　again　called　in；　who　prescribed
certain　draughts；　and　recommended　that　some　one　should　sit　up
with　her　that　night。　　If　Paula　allowed　demonstrations　of　love
to　escape　her　towards　anybody　it　was　towards　Charlotte；　and
her　instinct　was　at　once　to　watch　by　the　invalid's　couch
herself；　at　least　for　some　hours；　it　being　deemed　unnecessary
to　call　in　a　regular　nurse　unless　she　should　sicken　further。

'But　I　will　sit　with　her；'　said　De　Stancy。　　'Surely　you　had
better　go　to　bed？'　　Paula　would　not　be　persuaded；　and
thereupon　De　Stancy；　saying　he　was　going　into　the　town　for　a
short　time　before　retiring；　left　the　room。

The　last　omnibus　returned　from　the　last　train；　and　the　inmates
of　the　hotel　retired　to　rest。　　Meanwhile　a　telegram　had
arrived　for　Captain　De　Stancy；　but　as　he　had　not　yet　returned
it　was　put　in　his　bedroom；　with　directions　to　the　night…porter
to　remind　him　of　its　arrival。

Paula　sat　on　with　the　sleeping　Charlotte。　　Presently　she
retired　into　the　adjacent　sitting…room　with　a　book；　and　flung
herself　on　a　couch；　leaving　the　door　open　between　her　and　her
charge；　in　case　the　latter　should　awake。　　While　she　sat　a　new
breathing　seemed　to　mingle　with　the　regular　sound　of
Charlotte's　that　reached　her　through　the　doorway：　　she　turned
quickly；　and　saw　her　uncle　standing　behind　her。

'OI　thought　you　were　in　Paris！'　said　Paula。

'I　have　just　come　from　thereI　could　not　stay。　　Something　has
occurred　to　my　mind　about　this　affair。'　　His　strangely　marked
visage；　now　more　noticeable　from　being　worn　with　fatigue；　had
a　spectral　effect　by　the　night…light。

'What　affair？'

'This　marriage。　。　。　。　　Paula；　De　Stancy　is　a　good　fellow
enough；　but　you　must　not　accept　him　just　yet。'

Paula　did　not　answer。

'Do　you　hear？　　You　must　not　accept　him；'　repeated　her　uncle；
'till　I　have　been　to　England　and　examined　into　matters。　　I
start　in　an　hour's　timeby　the　ten…minutes…past…two　train。'

'This　is　something　very　new！'

'Yes'tis　new；'　he　murmured；　relapsing　into　his　Dutch　manner。
'You　must　not　accept　him　till　something　is　made　clear　to　me
something　about　a　queer　relationship。　　I　have　come　from　Paris
to　say　so。'

'Uncle；　I　don't　understand　this。　　I　am　my　own　mistress　in　all
matters；　and　though　I　don't　mind　telling　you　I　have　by　no
means　resolved　to　accept　him；　the　question　of　her　marriage　is
especially　a　woman's　own　affair。'

Her　uncle　stood　irresolute　for　a　moment；　as　if　his　convictions
were　more　than　his　proofs。　　'I　say　no　more　at　present；'　he
murmured。　　'Can　I　do　anything　for　you　about　a　new　architect？'

'Appoint　Havill。'

'Very　well。　　Good　night。'　　And　then　he　left　her。　　In　a　short
time　she　heard　him　go　down　and　out　of　the　house　to　cross　to
England　by　the　morning　steamboat。

With　a　little　shrug；　as　if　she　resented　his　interference　in　so
delicate　a　point；　she　settled　herself　down　anew　to　her　book。

One；　two；　three　hours　passed；　when　Charlotte　awoke；　but　soon
slumbered　sweetly　again。　　Milly　had　stayed　up　for　some　time
lest　her　mistress　should　require　anything；　but　the　girl　being
sleepy　Paula　sent　her　to　bed。

It　was　a　lovely　night　of　early　summer；　and　drawing　aside　the
window　curtains　she　looked　out　upon　the　flowers　and　trees　of
the　Place；　now　quite　visible；　for　it　was　nearly　three　o'clock；
and　the　morning　light　was　growing　strong。　　She　turned　her　face
upwards。　　Except　in　the　case　of　one　bedroom　all　the　windows　on
that　side　of　the　hotel　were　in　darkness。　　The　room　being
rather　close　she　left　the　casement　ajar；　and　opening　the　door
walked　out　upon　the　staircase　landing。　　A　number　of　caged
canaries　were　kept　here；　and　she　observed　in　the　dim　light　of
the　landing　lamp　how　snugly　their　heads　were　all　tucked　in。
On　returning　to　the　sitting…room　again　she　could　hear　that
Charlotte　was　still　slumbering；　and　this　encouraging
circumstance　disposed　her　to　go　to　bed　herself。　　Before；
however；　she　had　made　a　move　a　gentle　tap　came　to　the　door。

Paula　opened　it。　　There；　in　the　faint　light　by　the　sleeping
canaries；　stood　Charlotte's　brother。

'How　is　she　now？'　he　whispered。

'Sleeping　soundly；'　said　Paula。

'That's　a　blessing。　　I　have　not　been　to　bed。　　I　came　in　late；
and　have　now　come　down　to　know　if　I　had　not　better　take　your
place？'

'Nobody　is　required；　I　think。　　But　you　can　judge　for
yourself。'

Up　to　this　point　they　had　conversed　in　the　doorway　of　the
sitting…room；　which　De　Stancy　now　entered；　crossing　it　to
Charlotte's　apartment。　　He　came　out　from　the　latter　at　a
pensive　pace。

'She　is　doing　well；'　he　said　gently。　　'You　have　been　very　good
to　her。　　Was　the　chair　I　saw　by　her　bed　the　one　you　have　been
sitting　in　all　night？'

'I　sometimes　sat　there；　sometimes　here。'

'I　wish　I　could　have　sat　beside　you；　and　held　your　handI
speak　frankly。'

'To　excess。'

'And　why　not？　　I　do　not　wish　to　hide　from　you　any　corner　of　my
breast；　futile　as　candour　may　be。　　Just　Heaven！　for　what
reason　is　it　ordered　that　courtship；　in　which　soldiers　are
usually　so　successful；　should　be　a　failure　with　me？'

'Your　lack　of　foresight　chiefly　in　indulging　feelings　that
were　not　encouraged。　　That；　and　my　uncle's　indiscreet
permission　to　you　to　travel　with　us；　have　precipitated　our
relations　in　a　way　that　I　could　neither　foresee　nor　avoid；
though　of　late　I　have　had　appreh