a laodicean-第96章

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not　far　from　it。'

'It　is　true；　then；　that　she's　become　Mrs。　Somerset？'
indifferently　asked　a　farmer　in　broadcloth；　tenant　of　an
estate　in　quite　another　direction　than　hers；　as　he
contemplated　the　grain　of　the　table　immediately　surrounding
the　foot　of　his　glass。

'Trueof　course　it　is；'　said　Havill；　who　was　also　present；　in
the　tone　of　one　who；　though　sitting　in　this　rubicund　company；
was　not　of　it。　　'I　could　have　told　you　the　truth　of　it　any　day
these　last　five　weeks。'

Among　those　who　had　lent　an　ear　was　Dairyman　Jinks；　an　old
gnarled　character　who　wore　a　white　fustian　coat　and　yellow
leggings；　the　only　man　in　the　room　who　never　dressed　up　in
dark　clothes　for　marketing。　　He　now　asked；　'Married　abroad；
was　they？　　And　how　long　will　a　wedding　abroad　stand　good　for
in　this　country？'

'As　long　as　a　wedding　at　home。'

'Will　it？　　Faith；　I　didn't　know：　　how　should　I？　　I　thought　it
might　be　some　new　plan　o'　folks　for　leasing　women　now　they　be
so　plentiful；　so　as　to　get　rid　o'　'em　when　the　men　be　tired　o'
'em；　and　hev　spent　all　their　money。'

'He　won't　be　able　to　spend　her　money；'　said　the　landlord　of
Sleeping…Green。　　''Tis　her　very　own　person'ssettled　upon　the
hairs　of　her　head　for　ever。'

'O　nation！　　Then　if　I　were　the　man　I　shouldn't　care　for　such　a
one…eyed　benefit　as　that；'　said　Dairyman　Jinks；　turning　away
to　listen　to　the　talk　on　his　other　hand。

'Is　that　true？'　asked　the　gentleman…farmer　in　broadcloth。

'It　is　sufficiently　near　the　truth；'　said　Havill。　　'There　is
nothing　at　all　unusual　in　the　arrangement；　it　was　only　settled
so　to　prevent　any　schemer　making　a　beggar　of　her。　　If　Somerset
and　she　have　any　children；　which　probably　they　will；　it　will
be　theirs；　and　what　can　a　man　want　more？　　Besides；　there　is　a
large　portion　of　property　left　to　her　personal　usequite　as
much　as　they　can　want。　　Oddly　enough；　the　curiosities　and
pictures　of　the　castle　which　belonged　to　the　De　Stancys　are
not　restricted　from　sale；　they　are　hers　to　do　what　she　likes
with。　　Old　Power　didn't　care　for　articles　that　reminded　him　so
much　of　his　predecessors。'

'Hey？'　said　Dairyman　Jinks；　turning　back　again；　having　decided
that　the　conversation　on　his　right　hand　was；　after　all；　the
more　interesting。　　'Wellwhy　can't　'em　hire　a　travelling　chap
to　touch　up　the　picters　into　her　own　gaffers　and　gammers？
Then　they'd　be　worth　sommat　to　her。'

'Ah；　here　they　are？　　I　thought　so；'　said　Havill；　who　had　been
standing　up　at　the　window　for　the　last　few　moments。　　'The
ringers　were　told　to　begin　as　soon　as　the　train　signalled。'

As　he　spoke　a　carriage　drew　up　to　the　hotel…door；　followed　by
another　with　the　maid　and　luggage。　　The　inmates　crowded　to　the
bow…window；　except　Dairyman　Jinks；　who　had　become　absorbed　in
his　own　reflections。

'What　be　they　stopping　here　for？'　asked　one　of　the　previous
speakers。

'They　are　going　to　stay　here　to…night；'　said　Havill。　　'They
have　come　quite　unexpectedly；　and　the　castle　is　in　such　a
state　of　turmoil　that　there　is　not　a　single　carpet　down；　or
room　for　them　to　use。　　We　shall　get　two　or　three　in　order　by
next　week。'

'Two　little　people　like　them　will　be　lost　in　the　chammers　of
that　wandering　place！'　satirized　Dairyman　Jinks。　　'They　will
be　bound　to　have　a　randy　every　fortnight　to　keep　the　moth　out
of　the　furniture！'

By　this　time　Somerset　was　handing　out　the　wife　of　his　bosom；
and　Dairyman　Jinks　went　on：　　'That's　no　more　Miss　Power　that
was；　than　my　niece's　daughter　Kezia　is　Miss　Powerin　short　it
is　a　different　woman　altogether！'

'There　is　no　mistake　about　the　woman；'　said　the　landlord；　'it
is　her　fur　clothes　that　make　her　look　so　like　a　caterpillar　on
end。　　Well；　she　is　not　a　bad　bargain！　　As　for　Captain　De
Stancy；　he'll　fret　his　gizzard　green。'

'He's　the　man　she　ought　to　ha'　married；'　declared　the　farmer
in　broadcloth。　　'As　the　world　goes　she　ought　to　have　been　Lady
De　Stancy。　　She　gave　up　her　chapel…going；　and　you　might　have
thought　she　would　have　given　up　her　first　young　man：　　but　she
stuck　to　him；　though　by　all　accounts　he　would　soon　have　been
interested　in　another　party。'

''Tis　woman's　nature　to　be　false　except　to　a　man；　and　man's
nature　to　be　true　except　to　a　woman；'　said　the　landlord　of
Sleeping…Green。　　'However；　all's　well　that　ends　well；　and　I
have　something　else　to　think　of　than　new…married　couples；'
saying　which　the　speaker　moved　off；　and　the　others　returned　to
their　seats；　the　young　pair　who　had　been　their　theme　vanishing
through　the　hotel　into　some　private　paradise　to　rest　and　dine。

By　this　time　their　arrival　had　become　known；　and　a　crowd　soon
gathered　outside；　acquiring　audacity　with　continuance　there。
Raising　a　hurrah；　the　group　would　not　leave　till　Somerset　had
showed　himself　on　the　balcony　above；　and　then　declined　to　go
away　till　Paula　also　had　appeared；　when；　remarking　that　her
husband　seemed　a　quiet　young　man　enough；　and　would　make　a　very
good　borough　member　when　their　present　one　misbehaved　himself；
the　assemblage　good…humouredly　dispersed。



Among　those　whose　ears　had　been　reached　by　the　hurrahs　of
these　idlers　was　a　man　in　silence　and　solitude；　far　out　of　the
town。　　He　was　leaning　over　a　gate　that　divided　two　meads　in　a
watery　level　between　Stancy　Castle　and　Markton。　　He　turned　his
head　for　a　few　seconds；　then　continued　his　contemplative　gaze
towards　the　towers　of　the　castle；　visible　over　the　trees　as
far　as　was　possible　in　the　leaden　gloom　of　the　November　eve。
The　military　form　of　the　solitary　lounger　was　recognizable　as
that　of　Sir　William　De　Stancy；　notwithstanding　the　failing
light　and　his　attitude　of　so　resting　his　elbows　on　the　gate
that　his　hands　enclosed　the　greater　part　of　his　face。

The　scene　was　inexpressibly　cheerless。　　No　other　human
creature　was　apparent；　and　the　only　sounds　audible　above　the
wind　were　those　of　the　trickling　streams　which　distributed　the
water　over　the　meadow。　　A　heron　had　been　standing　in　one　of
these　rivulets　about　twenty　yards　from　the　officer；　and　they
vied　with　each　other　in　stillness　till　the　bird　suddenly　rose
and　flew　off　to　the　plantation　in　which　it　was　his　custom　to
pass　the　night　with　others　of　his　tribe。　　De　Stancy　saw　the
heron　rise；　and　seemed　to　imagine　the　creature's　departure
without　a　supper　to　be　owing　to　the　increasing　darkness；　but
in　another　minute　he　became　conscious　that　the　heron　had　been
disturbed　by　sounds　too　distant　to　reach　his　own　ears　at　the
time。　　They　were　nearer　now；　and　there　came　along　under　the
hedge　a　young　man　known　to　De　Stancy　exceedingly　well。

'Ah；'　he　said　listlessly；　'you　have　ventured　back。'

'Yes；　captain。　　Why　do　you　walk　out　here？'

'The　bells　began　ringing　because　she　and　he　were　expected；　and
my　thoughts　naturally　dragged　me　this　way。　　Thank　Heaven　the
battery　leaves　Markton　in　a　few　days；　and　then　the　precious
place　will　know　me　no　more！'

'I　have　heard　of　it。'　　Turning　to　where　the　dim　lines　of　the
castle　rose　he　continued：　　'Well；　there　it　stands。'

'And　I　am　not　in　it。'

'They　are　not　in　it　yet　either。'

'They　soon　will　be。'

'Wellwhat　tune　is　that　you　were　humming；　captain？'

'ALL　IS　LOST　NOW；'　replied　the　captain　grimly。

'O　no；　you　have　got　me；　and　I　am　a　treasure　to　any　man。　　I
have　another　match　in　my　eye　for　you；　and　shall　get　you　well
settled　yet；　if　you　keep　yourself　respectable。　　So　thank　God；
and　take　courage！'

'Ah；　Willyou　are　a　flippant　young　foolwise　in　your　own
conceit；　I　say　it　to　my　sorrow！　　'Twas　your　dishonesty　spoilt
all。　　That　lady　would　have　been　my　wife　by　fair　dealingtime
was　all　I　required。　　But　base　attacks　on　a　man's　character
never　deserve　to　win；　and　if　I　had　once　been　certain　that　you
had　made　them；　my　course　would　have　been　very　different；　both
towards　you　and　others。　　But　why　should　I　talk　to　you　about
this？　　If　I　cared　an　atom　what　becomes　of　you　I　would　take　you
in　hand　severely　enough；　not　caring；　I　leave　you　alone；　to　go
to　the　devil　your　own　way。'

'Thank　you　kindly；　captain。　　Well；　since　you　have　spoken
plainly；　I　will　do　the　same。　　We　De　Stancys　are　a　worn…out　old
partythat's　the　long　and　the　short　of　it。　　We　represent
conditions　of　life　that　have　had　their　dayespecially　me。
Our　one　remaining　chance　was　an　alliance　wi