a laodicean-第94章

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he　had　met　on　his　journey　at　two　or　three　different　times；
moreover；　that　if　she　were　his　son's　clientthe　woman　who　was
to　have　become　Lady　De　Stancyshe　was　Miss　Power　still；　for
he　had　seen　in　some　newspaper　two　days　before　leaving　England
that　the　wedding　had　been　postponed　on　account　of　her　illness。

Somerset　was　so　greatly　moved　that　he　could　hardly　speak
connectedly　to　his　father　as　they　paced　on　together。　　'But　she
is　not　ill；　as　far　as　I　can　see；'　he　said。　　'The　wedding
postponed？You　are　sure　the　word　was　postponed？Was　it
broken　off？'

'No；　it　was　postponed。　　I　meant　to　have　told　you　before；
knowing　you　would　be　interested　as　the　castle　architect；　but
it　slipped　my　memory　in　the　bustle　of　arriving。'

'I　am　not　the　castle　architect。'

'The　devil　you　are　notwhat　are　you　then？'

'Well；　I　am　not　that。'

Somerset　the　elder；　though　not　of　penetrating　nature；　began　to
see　that　here　lay　an　emotional　complication　of　some　sort；　and
reserved　further　inquiry　till　a　more　convenient　occasion。
They　had　reached　the　end　of　the　level　beach　where　the　cliff
began　to　rise；　and　as　this　impediment　naturally　stopped　their
walk　they　retraced　their　steps。　　On　again　nearing　the　spot
where　Paula　and　her　aunt　were　sitting；　the　painter　would　have
deviated　to　the　hotel；　but　as　his　son　persisted　in　going
straight　on；　in　due　course　they　were　opposite　the　ladies
again。　　By　this　time　Miss　Power；　who　had　appeared　anxious
during　their　absence；　regained　her　self…control。　　Going
towards　her　old　lover　she　said；　with　a　smile；　'I　have　been
looking　for　you！'

'Why　have　you　been　doing　that？'　said　Somerset；　in　a　voice
which　he　failed　to　keep　as　steady　as　he　could　wish。

'BecauseI　want　some　architect　to　continue　the　restoration。
Do　you　withdraw　your　resignation？'

Somerset　appeared　unable　to　decide　for　a　few　instants。　　'Yes；'
he　then　answered。

For　the　moment　they　had　ignored　the　presence　of　the　painter
and　Mrs。　Goodman；　but　Somerset　now　made　them　known　to　one
another；　and　there　was　friendly　intercourse　all　round。

'When　will　you　be　able　to　resume　operations　at　the　castle？'
she　asked；　as　soon　as　she　could　again　speak　directly　to
Somerset。

'As　soon　as　I　can　get　back。　　Of　course　I　only　resume　it　at
your　special　request。'

'Of　course。'　　To　one　who　had　known　all　the　circumstances　it
would　have　seemed　a　thousand　pities　that；　after　again　getting
face　to　face　with　him；　she　did　not　explain；　without　delay；　the
whole　mischief　that　had　separated　them。　　But　she　did　not　do
itperhaps　from　the　inherent　awkwardness　of　such　a　topic　at
this　idle　time。　　She　confined　herself　simply　to　the　above…
mentioned　business…like　request；　and　when　the　party　had　walked
a　few　steps　together　they　separated；　with　mutual　promises　to
meet　again。

'I　hope　you　have　explained　your　mistake　to　him；　and　how　it
arose；　and　everything？'　said　her　aunt　when　they　were　alone。

'No；　I　did　not。'

'What；　not　explain　after　all？'　said　her　amazed　relative。

'I　decided　to　put　it　off。'

'Then　I　think　you　decided　very　wrongly。　　Poor　young　man；　he
looked　so　ill！'

'Did　you；　too；　think　he　looked　ill？　　But　he　danced　last　night。
Why　did　he　dance？'　　She　turned　and　gazed　regretfully　at　the
corner　round　which　the　Somersets　had　disappeared。

'I　don't　know　why　he　danced；　but　if　I　had　known　you　were　going
to　be　so　silent；　I　would　have　explained　the　mistake　myself。'

'I　wish　you　had。　　But　no；　I　have　said　I　would；　and　I　must。'

Paula's　avoidance　of　tables　d'hote　did　not　extend　to　the
present　one。　　It　was　quite　with　alacrity　that　she　went　down；
and　with　her　entry　the　antecedent　hotel　beauty　who　had　reigned
for　the　last　five　days　at　that　meal；　was　unceremoniously
deposed　by　the　guests。　　Mr。　Somerset　the　elder　came　in；　but
nobody　with　him。　　His　seat　was　on　Paula's　left　hand；　Mrs。
Goodman　being　on　Paula's　right；　so　that　all　the　conversation
was　between　the　Academician　and　the　younger　lady。　　When　the
latter　had　again　retired　upstairs　with　her　aunt；　Mrs。　Goodman
expressed　regret　that　young　Mr。　Somerset　was　absent　from　the
table。　　'Why　has　he　kept　away？'　she　asked。

'I　don't　knowI　didn't　ask；'　said　Paula　sadly。　　'Perhaps　he
doesn't　care　to　meet　us　again。'

'That's　because　you　didn't　explain。'

'Wellwhy　didn't　the　old　man　give　me　an　opportunity？'
exclaimed　the　niece　with　suppressed　excitement。　　'He　would
scarcely　say　anything　but　yes　and　no；　and　gave　me　no　chance　at
all　of　introducing　the　subject。　　I　wanted　to　explainI　came
all　the　way　on　purposeI　would　have　begged　George's　pardon　on
my　two　knees　if　there　had　been　any　way　of　beginning；　but　there
was　not；　and　I　could　not　do　it！'

Though　she　slept　badly　that　night；　Paula　promptly　appeared　in
the　public　room　to　breakfast；　and　that　not　from　motives　of
vanity；　for；　while　not　unconscious　of　her　accession　to　the
unstable　throne　of　queen…beauty　in　the　establishment；　she
seemed　too　preoccupied　to　care　for　the　honour　just　then；　and
would　readily　have　changed　places　with　her　unhappy
predecessor；　who　lingered　on　in　the　background　like　a　candle
after　sunrise。

Mrs。　Goodman　was　determined　to　trust　no　longer　to　Paula　for
putting　an　end　to　what　made　her　so　restless　and　self…
reproachful。　　Seeing　old　Mr。　Somerset　enter　to　a　little　side…
table　behind　for　lack　of　room　at　the　crowded　centre　tables；
again　without　his　son；　she　turned　her　head　and　asked　point…
blank　where　the　young　man　was。

Mr。　Somerset's　face　became　a　shade　graver　than　before。　　'My
son　is　unwell；'　he　replied；　'so　unwell　that　he　has　been
advised　to　stay　indoors　and　take　perfect　rest。'

'I　do　hope　it　is　nothing　serious。'

'I　hope　so　too。　　The　fact　is；　he　has　overdone　himself　a
little。　　He　was　not　well　when　he　came　here；　and　to　make
himself　worse　he　must　needs　go　dancing　at　the　Casino　with　this
lady　and　thatamong　others　with　a　young　American　lady　who　is
here　with　her　family；　and　whom　he　met　in　London　last　year。　　I
advised　him　against　it；　but　he　seemed　desperately　determined
to　shake　off　lethargy　by　any　rash　means；　and　wouldn't　listen
to　me。　　Luckily　he　is　not　in　the　hotel；　but　in　a　quiet　cottage
a　hundred　yards　up　the　hill。'

Paula；　who　had　heard　all；　did　not　show　or　say　what　she　felt　at
the　news：　　but　after　breakfast；　on　meeting　the　landlady　in　a
passage　alone；　she　asked　with　some　anxiety　if　there　were　a
really　skilful　medical　man　in　Etretat；　and　on　being　told　that
there　was；　and　his　name；　she　went　back　to　look　for　Mr。
Somerset；　but　he　had　gone。

They　heard　nothing　more　of　young　Somerset　all　that　morning；
but　towards　evening；　while　Paula　sat　at　her　window；　looking
over　the　heads　of　fuchsias　upon　the　promenade　beyond；　she　saw
the　painter　walk　by。　　She　immediately　went　to　her　aunt　and
begged　her　to　go　out　and　ask　Mr。　Somerset　if　his　son　had
improved。

'I　will　send　Milly　or　Clementine；'　said　Mrs。　Goodman。

'I　wish　you　would　see　him　yourself。'

'He　has　gone　on。　　I　shall　never　find　him。'

'He　has　only　gone　round　to　the　front；'　persisted　Paula。　　'Do
walk　that　way；　auntie；　and　ask　him。'

Thus　pressed；　Mrs。　Goodman　acquiesced；　and　brought　back
intelligence　to　Miss　Power；　who　had　watched　them　through　the
window；　that　his　son　did　not　positively　improve；　but　that　his
American　friends　were　very　kind　to　him。

Having　made　use　of　her　aunt；　Paula　seemed　particularly　anxious
to　get　rid　of　her　again；　and　when　that　lady　sat　down　to　write
letters；　Paula　went　to　her　own　room；　hastily　dressed　herself
without　assistance；　asked　privately　the　way　to　the　cottage；
and　went　off　thitherward　unobserved。

At　the　upper　end　of　the　lane　she　saw　a　little　house　answering
to　the　description；　whose　front　garden；　window…sills；　palings；
and　doorstep　were　literally　ablaze　with　nasturtiums　in　bloom。

She　entered　this　inhabited　nosegay；　quietly　asked　for　the
invalid；　and　if　he　were　well　enough　to　see　Miss　Power。　　The
woman　of　the　house　soon　returned；　and　she　was　conducted　up　a
crooked　staircase　to　Somerset's　modest　apartments。　　It
appeared　that　some　rooms　in　this　dwelling　had　been　furnished
by　the　landlady　of　the　inn；　who　hired　them　of　the　tenant
during　the　summer　season　to　use　as　an　annexe　to　the　hotel。

Admitted　to　the　outer　room　she　beheld　her　architect　looking　as
unarchitectural　as　possible；　lying　on　a　sma