a laodicean-第92章

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countrywomen。　　They　did　not　part　from　him　till　they　had　come
out　from　the　crypt；　and　again　reached　the　west　front；　on　their
way　to　which　he　additionally　explained　that　it　was　his　son　he
was　looking　for；　who　had　arranged　to　meet　him　here；　but　had
mentioned　no　inn　at　which　he　might　be　expected。

When　he　had　left　them；　Paula　informed　her　aunt　whose　company
they　had　been　sharing。　　Her　aunt　began　expostulating　with
Paula　for　not　telling　Mr。　Somerset　what　they　had　seen　of　his
son's　movements。　　'It　would　have　eased　his　mind　at　least；'　she
said。

'I　was　not　bound　to　ease　his　mind　at　the　expense　of　showing
what　I　would　rather　conceal。　　I　am　continually　hampered　in
such　generosity　as　that　by　the　circumstance　of　being　a　woman！'

'Well；　it　is　getting　too　late　to　search　further　tonight。'

It　was　indeed　almost　evening　twilight　in　the　streets；　though
the　graceful　freestone　spires　to　a　depth　of　about　twenty　feet
from　their　summits　were　still　dyed　with　the　orange　tints　of　a
vanishing　sun。　　The　two　relatives　dined　privately　as　usual；
after　which　Paula　looked　out　of　the　window　of　her　room；　and
reflected　upon　the　events　of　the　day。　　A　tower　rising　into　the
sky　quite　near　at　hand　showed　her　that　some　church　or　other
stood　within　a　few　steps　of　the　hotel　archway；　and　saying
nothing　to　Mrs。　Goodman；　she　quietly　cloaked　herself；　and　went
out　towards　it；　apparently　with　the　view　of　disposing　of　a
portion　of　a　dull　dispiriting　evening。　　The　church　was　open；
and　on　entering　she　found　that　it　was　only　lighted　by　seven
candles　burning　before　the　altar　of　a　chapel　on　the　south
side；　the　mass　of　the　building　being　in　deep　shade。
Motionless　outlines；　which　resolved　themselves　into　the　forms
of　kneeling　women；　were　darkly　visible　among　the　chairs；　and
in　the　triforium　above　the　arcades　there　was　one　hitherto
unnoticed　radiance；　dim　as　that　of　a　glow…worm　in　the　grass。
It　was　seemingly　the　effect　of　a　solitary　tallow…candle　behind
the　masonry。

A　priest　came　in；　unlocked　the　door　of　a　confessional　with　a
click　which　sounded　in　the　silence；　and　entered　it；　a　woman
followed；　disappeared　within　the　curtain　of　the　same；　emerging
again　in　about　five　minutes；　followed　by　the　priest；　who
locked　up　his　door　with　another　loud　click；　like　a　tradesman
full　of　business；　and　came　down　the　aisle　to　go　out。　　In　the
lobby　he　spoke　to　another　woman；　who　replied；　'Ah；　oui；
Monsieur　l'Abbe！'

Two　women　having　spoken　to　him；　there　could　be　no　harm　in　a
third　doing　likewise。　　'Monsieur　l'Abbe；'　said　Paula　in
French；　'could　you　indicate　to　me　the　stairs　of　the
triforium？'　and　she　signified　her　reason　for　wishing　to　know
by　pointing　to　the　glimmering　light　above。

'Ah；　he　is　a　friend　of　yours；　the　Englishman？'　pleasantly　said
the　priest；　recognizing　her　nationality；　and　taking　her　to　a
little　door　he　conducted　her　up　a　stone　staircase；　at　the　top
of　which　he　showed　her　the　long　blind　story　over　the　aisle
arches　which　led　round　to　where　the　light　was。　　Cautioning　her
not　to　stumble　over　the　uneven　floor；　he　left　her　and
descended。　　His　words　had　signified　that　Somerset　was　here。

It　was　a　gloomy　place　enough　that　she　found　herself　in；　but
the　seven　candles　below　on　the　opposite　altar；　and　a　faint　sky
light　from　the　clerestory；　lent　enough　rays　to　guide　her。
Paula　walked　on　to　the　bend　of　the　apse：　　here　were　a　few
chairs；　and　the　origin　of　the　light。

This　was　a　candle　stuck　at　the　end　of　a　sharpened　stick；　the
latter　entering　a　joint　in　the　stones。　　A　young　man　was
sketching　by　the　glimmer。　　But　there　was　no　need　for　the　blush
which　had　prepared　itself　beforehand；　the　young　man　was　Mr。
Cockton；　Somerset's　youngest　draughtsman。

Paula　could　have　cried　aloud　with　disappointment。　　Cockton
recognized　Miss　Power；　and　appearing　much　surprised；　rose　from
his　seat　with　a　bow；　and　said　hastily；　'Mr。　Somerset　left　to…
day。'

'I　did　not　ask　for　him；'　said　Paula。

'No；　Miss　Power：　　but　I　thought'

'Yes；　yesyou　know；　of　course；　that　he　has　been　my　architect。
Well；　it　happens　that　I　should　like　to　see　him；　if　he　can　call
on　me。　　Which　way　did　he　go？'

'He's　gone　to　Etretat。'

'What　for？　　There　are　no　abbeys　to　sketch　at　Etretat。'

Cockton　looked　at　the　point　of　his　pencil；　and　with　a
hesitating　motion　of　his　lip　answered；　'Mr。　Somerset　said　he
was　tired。'

'Of　what？'

'He　said　he　was　sick　and　tired　of　holy　places；　and　would　go　to
some　wicked　spot　or　other；　to　get　that　consolation　which
holiness　could　not　give。　　But　he　only　said　it　casually　to
Knowles；　and　perhaps　he　did　not　mean　it。'

'Knowles　is　here　too？'

'Yes；　Miss　Power；　and　Bowles。　　Mr。　Somerset　has　been　kind
enough　to　give　us　a　chance　of　enlarging　our　knowledge　of
French　Early…pointed；　and　pays　half　the　expenses。'

Paula　said　a　few　other　things　to　the　young　man；　walked　slowly
round　the　triforium　as　if　she　had　come　to　examine　it；　and
returned　down　the　staircase。　　On　getting　back　to　the　hotel　she
told　her　aunt；　who　had　just　been　having　a　nap；　that　next　day
they　would　go　to　Etretat　for　a　change。

'Why？　　There　are　no　old　churches　at　Etretat。'

'No。　　But　I　am　sick　and　tired　of　holy　places；　and　want　to　go
to　some　wicked　spot　or　other　to　find　that　consolation　which
holiness　cannot　give。'

'For　shame；　Paula！　　Now　I　know　what　it　is；　you　have　heard　that
he's　gone　there！　　You　needn't　try　to　blind　me。'

'I　don't　care　where　he's　gone！'　cried　Paula　petulantly。　　In　a
moment；　however；　she　smiled　at　herself；　and　added；　'You　must
take　that　for　what　it　is　worth。　　I　have　made　up　my　mind　to　let
him　know　from　my　own　lips　how　the　misunderstanding　arose。
That　done；　I　shall　leave　him；　and　probably　never　see　him
again。　　My　conscience　will　be　clear。'

The　next　day　they　took　the　steamboat　down　the　Orne；　intending
to　reach　Etretat　by　way　of　Havre。　　Just　as　they　were　moving
off　an　elderly　gentleman　under　a　large　white　sunshade；　and
carrying　his　hat　in　his　hand；　was　seen　leisurely　walking　down
the　wharf　at　some　distance；　but　obviously　making　for　the　boat。

'A　gentleman！'　said　the　mate。

'Who　is　he？'　said　the　captain。

'An　English；'　said　Clementine。

Nobody　knew　more；　but　as　leisure　was　the　order　of　the　day　the
engines　were　stopped；　on　the　chance　of　his　being　a　passenger；
and　all　eyes　were　bent　upon　him　in　conjecture。　　He　disappeared
and　reappeared　from　behind　a　pile　of　merchandise　and
approached　the　boat　at　an　easy　pace；　whereupon　the　gangway　was
replaced；　and　he　came　on　board；　removing　his　hat　to　Paula；
quietly　thanking　the　captain　for　stopping；　and　saying　to　Mrs。
Goodman；　'I　am　nicely　in　time。'

It　was　Mr。　Somerset　the　elder；　who　by　degrees　informed　our
travellers；　as　sitting　on　their　camp…stools　they　advanced
between　the　green　banks　bordered　by　elms；　that　he　was　going　to
Etretat；　that　the　young　man　he　had　spoken　of　yesterday　had
gone　to　that　romantic　watering…place　instead　of　studying　art
at　Caen；　and　that　he　was　going　to　join　him　there。

Paula　preserved　an　entire　silence　as　to　her　own　intentions；
partly　from　natural　reticence；　and　partly；　as　it　appeared；
from　the　difficulty　of　explaining　a　complication　which　was　not
very　clear　to　herself。　　At　Havre　they　parted　from　Mr。
Somerset；　and　did　not　see　him　again　till　they　were　driving
over　the　hills　towards　Etretat　in　a　carriage　and　four；　when
the　white　umbrella　became　visible　far　ahead　among　the　outside
passengers　of　the　coach　to　the　same　place。　　In　a　short　time
they　had　passed　and　cut　in　before　this　vehicle；　but　soon
became　aware　that　their　carriage；　like　the　coach；　was　one　of　a
straggling　procession　of　conveyances；　some　mile　and　a　half　in
length；　all　bound　for　the　village　between　the　cliffs。

In　descending　the　long　hill　shaded　by　lime…trees　which
sheltered　their　place　of　destination；　this　procession　closed
up；　and　they　perceived　that　all　the　visitors　and　native
population　had　turned　out　to　welcome　them；　the　daily　arrival
of　new　sojourners　at　this　hour　being　the　chief　excitement　of
Etretat。　　The　coach　which　had　preceded　them　all　the　way；　at
more　or　less　remoteness；　was　now　quite　close；　and　in　passing
along　the　village　street　they　saw　Mr。　Somerset　wave　his　hand
to　somebody　in　the　crowd　below。　　A　felt　hat　was　waved　in　the
air　in　response；　the　coach　swept