a laodicean-第97章

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conditions　of　life　that　have　had　their　dayespecially　me。
Our　one　remaining　chance　was　an　alliance　with　new　aristocrats；
and　we　have　failed。　　We　are　past　and　done　for。　　Our　line　has
had　five　hundred　years　of　glory；　and　we　ought　to　be　content。
Enfin　les　renards　se　trouvent　chez　le　pelletier。'

'Speak　for　yourself；　young　Consequence；　and　leave　the
destinies　of　old　families　to　respectable　philosophers。　　This
fiasco　is　the　direct　result　of　evil　conduct；　and　of　nothing
else　at　all。　　I　have　managed　badly；　I　countenanced　you　too
far。　　When　I　saw　your　impish　tendencies　I　should　have　forsworn
the　alliance。'

'Don't　sting　me；　captain。　　What　I　have　told　you　is　true。　　As
for　my　conduct；　cat　will　after　kind；　you　know。　　You　should
have　held　your　tongue　on　the　wedding　morning；　and　have　let　me
take　my　chance。'

'Is　that　all　I　get　for　saving　you　from　jail？　　GadI　alone　am
the　sufferer；　and　feel　I　am　alone　the　fool！。　。　。　　Come；　off
with　youI　never　want　to　see　you　any　more。'

'Part　we　will；　thentill　we　meet　again。　　It　will　be　a　light
night　hereabouts；　I　think；　this　evening。'

'A　very　dark　one　for　me。'

'Nevertheless；　I　think　it　will　be　a　light　night。　　Au　revoir！'

Dare　went　his　way；　and　after　a　while　De　Stancy　went　his。　　Both
were　soon　lost　in　the　shades。



V。

The　castle　to…night　was　as　gloomy　as　the　meads。　　As　Havill　had
explained；　the　habitable　rooms　were　just　now　undergoing　a
scour；　and　the　main　block　of　buildings　was　empty　even　of　the
few　servants　who　had　been　retained；　they　having　for　comfort's
sake　taken　up　their　quarters　in　the　detached　rooms　adjoining
the　entrance　archway。　　Hence　not　a　single　light　shone　from　the
lonely　windows；　at　which　ivy　leaves　tapped　like　woodpeckers；
moved　by　gusts　that　were　numerous　and　contrary　rather　than
violent。　　Within　the　walls　all　was　silence；　chaos；　and
obscurity；　till　towards　eleven　o'clock；　when　the　thick
immovable　cloud　that　had　dulled　the　daytime　broke　into　a
scudding　fleece；　through　which　the　moon　forded　her　way　as　a
nebulous　spot　of　watery　white；　sending　light　enough；　though　of
a　rayless　kind；　into　the　castle　chambers　to　show　the　confusion
that　reigned　there。

At　this　time　an　eye　might　have　noticed　a　figure　flitting　in
and　about　those　draughty　apartments；　and　making　no　more　noise
in　so　doing　than　a　puff　of　wind。　　Its　motion　hither　and
thither　was　rapid；　but　methodical；　its　bearing　absorbed；　yet
cautious。　　Though　it　ran　more　or　less　through　all　the
principal　rooms；　the　chief　scene　of　its　operations　was　the
Long　Gallery　overlooking　the　Pleasance；　which　was　covered　by
an　ornamental　wood…and…plaster　roof；　and　contained　a　whole
throng　of　family　portraits；　besides　heavy　old　cabinets　and　the
like。　　The　portraits　which　were　of　value　as　works　of　art　were
smaller　than　these；　and　hung　in　adjoining　rooms。

The　manifest　occupation　of　the　figure　was　that　of　removing
these　small　and　valuable　pictures　from　other　chambers　to　the
gallery　in　which　the　rest　were　hung；　and　piling　them　in　a　heap
in　the　midst。　　Included　in　the　group　were　nine　by　Sir　Peter
Lely；　five　by　Vandyck；　four　by　Cornelius　Jansen；　one　by
Salvator　Rosa　（remarkable　as　being　among　the　few　English
portraits　ever　painted　by　that　master）；　many　by　Kneller；　and
two　by　Romney。　　Apparently　by　accident；　the　light　being
insufficient　to　distinguish　them　from　portraits；　the　figure
also　brought　a　Raffaelle　Virgin…and…Child；　a　magnificent
Tintoretto；　a　Titian；　and　a　Giorgione。

On　these　was　laid　a　large　collection　of　enamelled　miniature
portraits　of　the　same　illustrious　line；　afterwards　tapestries
and　cushions　embroidered　with　the　initials　'De　S。'；　and　next
the　cradle　presented　by　Charles　the　First　to　the　contemporary
De　Stancy　mother；　till　at　length　there　arose　in　the　middle　of
the　floor　a　huge　heap　containing　most　of　what　had　been
personal　and　peculiar　to　members　of　the　De　Stancy　family　as
distinct　from　general　furniture。

Then　the　figure　went　from　door　to　door；　and　threw　open　each
that　was　unfastened。　　It　next　proceeded　to　a　room　on　the
ground　floor；　at　present　fitted　up　as　a　carpenter's　shop；　and
knee…deep　in　shavings。　　An　armful　of　these　was　added　to　the
pile　of　objects　in　the　gallery；　a　window　at　each　end　of　the
gallery　was　opened；　causing　a　brisk　draught　along　the　walls；
and　then　the　activity　of　the　figure　ceased；　and　it　was　seen　no
more。

Five　minutes　afterwards　a　light　shone　upon　the　lawn　from　the
windows　of　the　Long　Gallery；　which　glowed　with　more　brilliancy
than　it　had　known　in　the　meridian　of　its　Caroline　splendours。
Thereupon　the　framed　gentleman　in　the　lace　collar　seemed　to
open　his　eyes　more　widely；　he　with　the　flowing　locks　and　turn…
up　mustachios　to　part　his　lips；　he　in　the　armour；　who　was　so
much　like　Captain　De　Stancy；　to　shake　the　plates　of　his　mail
with　suppressed　laughter；　the　lady　with　the　three…stringed
pearl　necklace；　and　vast　expanse　of　neck；　to　nod　with
satisfaction　and　triumphantly　signify　to　her　adjoining　husband
that　this　was　a　meet　and　glorious　end。

The　flame　increased；　and　blown　upon　by　the　wind　roared　round
the　pictures；　the　tapestries；　and　the　cradle；　up　to　the
plaster　ceiling　and　through　it　into　the　forest　of　oak　timbers
above。



The　best　sitting…room　at　the　Lord…Quantock…Arms　in　Markton　was
as　cosy　this　evening　as　a　room　can　be　that　lacks　the　minuter
furniture　on　which　cosiness　so　largely　depends。　　By　the　fire
sat　Paula　and　Somerset；　the　former　with　a　shawl　round　her
shoulders　to　keep　off　the　draught　which；　despite　the　curtains；
forced　its　way　in　on　this　gusty　night　through　the　windows
opening　upon　the　balcony。　　Paula　held　a　letter　in　her　hand；
the　contents　of　which　formed　the　subject　of　their
conversation。　　Happy　as　she　was　in　her　general　situation；
there　was　for　the　nonce　a　tear　in　her　eye。


'MY　EVER　DEAR　PAULA　（ran　the　letter）；Your　last　letter　has
just　reached　me；　and　I　have　followed　your　account　of　your
travels　and　intentions　with　more　interest　than　I　can　tell。
You；　who　know　me；　need　no　assurance　of　this。　　At　the　present
moment；　however；　I　am　in　the　whirl　of　a　change　that　has
resulted　from　a　resolution　taken　some　time　ago；　but　concealed
from　almost　everybody　till　now。　　Why？　　Well；　I　will　ownfrom
cowardicefear　lest　I　should　be　reasoned　out　of　my　plan。　　I
am　going　to　steal　from　the　world；　Paula；　from　the　social
world；　for　whose　gaieties　and　ambitions　I　never　had　much
liking；　and　whose　circles　I　have　not　the　ability　to　grace。　　My
home；　and　resting…place　till　the　great　rest　comes；　is　with　the
Protestant　Sisterhood　at　…。　　Whatever　shortcomings　may　be
found　in　such　a　community；　I　believe　that　I　shall　be　happier
there　than　in　any　other　place。

'Whatever　you　may　think　of　my　judgment　in　taking　this　step；　I
can　assure　you　that　I　have　not　done　it　without　consideration。
My　reasons　are　good；　and　my　determination　is　unalterable。
But；　my　own　very　best　friend；　and　more　than　sister；　don't
think　that　I　mean　to　leave　my　love　and　friendship　for　you
behind　me。　　No；　Paula；　you　will　ALWAYS　be　with　me；　and　I
believe　that　if　an　increase　in　what　I　already　feel　for　you　be
possible；　it　will　be　furthered　by　the　retirement　and
meditation　I　shall　enjoy　in　my　secluded　home。　　My　heart　is
very　full；　deartoo　full　to　write　more。　　God　bless　you；　and
your　husband。　　You　must　come　and　see　me　there；　I　have　not　so
many　friends　that　I　can　afford　to　lose　you　who　have　been　so
kind。　　I　write　this　with　the　fellow…pen　to　yours；　that　you
gave　me　when　we　went　to　Budmouth　together。　　Good…bye！Ever
your　own　sister；　　　　　　　　　　CHARLOTTE。'


Paula　had　first　read　this　through　silently；　and　now　in　reading
it　a　second　time　aloud　to　Somerset　her　voice　faltered；　and　she
wept　outright。　　'I　had　been　expecting　her　to　live　with　us
always；'　she　said　through　her　tears；　'and　to　think　she　should
have　decided　to　do　this！'

'It　is　a　pity　certainly；'　said　Somerset　gently。　　'She　was
genuine；　if　anybody　ever　was；　and　simple　as　she　was　true。'

'I　am　the　more　sorry；'　Paula　presently　resumed；　'because　of　a
little　plan　I　had　been　thinking　of　with　regard　to　her。　　You
know　that　the　pictures　and　curiosities　of　the　castle　are　not
included　in　the　things　I　cannot　touch；　or　impeach；　or　whatever
it　is。　　They　are　our　own　to　do　what　we　like　with。　　My