a laodicean-第17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！


feet　to　appear。　　There　was　something　in　her　look；　and　in　the
style　of　her　corsage；　which　reminded　him　of　several　of　the
bygone　beauties　in　the　gallery。　　The　thought　for　a　moment
crossed　his　mind　that　she　might　have　been　imitating　one　of
them。

'Fine　old　screen；　sir！'　said　Mr。　Havill；　in　a　long…drawn　voice
across　the　table　when　they　were　seated；　pointing　in　the
direction　of　the　traceried　oak　division　between　the　dining…
hall　and　a　vestibule　at　the　end。　　'As　good　a　piece　of
fourteenth…century　work　as　you　shall　see　in　this　part　of　the
country。'

'You　mean　fifteenth　century；　of　course？'　said　Somerset。

Havill　was　silent。　　'You　are　one　of　the　profession；　perhaps？'
asked　the　latter；　after　a　while。

'You　mean　that　I　am　an　architect？'　said　Somerset。　　'Yes。'

'Ahone　of　my　own　honoured　vocation。'　　Havill's　face　had　been
not　unpleasant　until　this　moment；　when　he　smiled；　whereupon
there　instantly　gleamed　over　him　a　phase　of　meanness；
remaining　until　the　smile　died　away。

Havill　continued；　with　slow　watchfulness：

'What　enormous　sacrileges　are　committed　by　the　builders　every
day；　I　observe！　　I　was　driving　yesterday　to　Toneborough　where
I　am　erecting　a　town…hall；　and　passing　through　a　village　on　my
way　I　saw　the　workmen　pulling　down　a　chancel…wall　in　which
they　found　imbedded　a　unique　specimen　of　Perpendicular　worka
capital　from　some　old　arcadethe　mouldings　wonderfully
undercut。　　They　were　smashing　it　up　as　filling…in　for　the　new
wall。'

'It　must　have　been　unique；'　said　Somerset；　in　the　too…readily
controversial　tone　of　the　educated　young　man　who　has　yet　to
learn　diplomacy。　　'I　have　never　seen　much　undercutting　in
Perpendicular　stone…work；　nor　anybody　else；　I　think。'

'O　yeslots　of　it！'　said　Mr。　Havill；　nettled。

Paula　looked　from　one　to　the　other。　　'Which　am　I　to　take　as
guide？'　she　asked。　　'Are　Perpendicular　capitals　undercut；　as
you　call　it；　Mr。　Havill；　or　no？'

'It　depends　upon　circumstances；'　said　Mr。　Havill。

But　Somerset　had　answered　at　the　same　time：　　'There　is　seldom
or　never　any　marked　undercutting　in　moulded　work　later　than
the　middle　of　the　fourteenth　century。'

Havill　looked　keenly　at　Somerset　for　a　time：　　then　he　turned
to　Paula：　　'As　regards　that　fine　Saxon　vaulting　you　did　me　the
honour　to　consult　me　about　the　other　day；　I　should　advise
taking　out　some　of　the　old　stones　and　reinstating　new　ones
exactly　like　them。'

'But　the　new　ones　won't　be　Saxon；'　said　Paula。　　'And　then　in
time　to　come；　when　I　have　passed　away；　and　those　stones　have
become　stained　like　the　rest；　people　will　be　deceived。　　I
should　prefer　an　honest　patch　to　any　such　make…believe　of
Saxon　relics。'

As　she　concluded　she　let　her　eyes　rest　on　Somerset　for　a
moment；　as　if　to　ask　him　to　side　with　her。　　Much　as　he　liked
talking　to　Paula；　he　would　have　preferred　not　to　enter　into
this　discussion　with　another　professional　man；　even　though
that　man　were　a　spurious　article；　but　he　was　led　on　to
enthusiasm　by　a　sudden　pang　of　regret　at　finding　that　the
masterly　workmanship　in　this　fine　castle　was　likely　to　be
tinkered　and　spoilt　by　such　a　man　as　Havill。

'You　will　deceive　nobody　into　believing　that　anything　is　Saxon
here；'　he　said　warmly。　　'There　is　not　a　square　inch　of　Saxon
work；　as　it　is　called；　in　the　whole　castle。'

Paula；　in　doubt；　looked　to　Mr。　Havill。

'O　yes；　sir；　you　are　quite　mistaken；'　said　that　gentleman
slowly。　　'Every　stone　of　those　lower　vaults　was　reared　in
Saxon　times。'

'I　can　assure　you；'　said　Somerset　deferentially；　but　firmly；
'that　there　is　not　an　arch　or　wall　in　this　castle　of　a　date
anterior　to　the　year　1100；　no　one　whose　attention　has　ever
been　given　to　the　study　of　architectural　details　of　that　age
can　be　of　a　different　opinion。'

'I　have　studied　architecture；　and　I　am　of　a　different　opinion。
I　have　the　best　reason　in　the　world　for　the　difference；　for　I
have　history　herself　on　my　side。　　What　will　you　say　when　I
tell　you　that　it　is　a　recorded　fact　that　this　was　used　as　a
castle　by　the　Romans；　and　that　it　is　mentioned　in　Domesday　as
a　building　of　long　standing？'

'I　shall　say　that　has　nothing　to　do　with　it；'　replied　the
young　man。　　'I　don't　deny　that　there　may　have　been　a　castle
here　in　the　time　of　the　Romans：　　what　I　say　is；　that　none　of
the　architecture　we　now　see　was　standing　at　that　date。'

There　was　a　silence　of　a　minute；　disturbed　only　by　a　murmured
dialogue　between　Mrs。　Goodman　and　the　minister；　during　which
Paula　was　looking　thoughtfully　on　the　table　as　if　framing　a
question。

'Can　it　be；'　she　said　to　Somerset；　'that　such　certainty　has
been　reached　in　the　study　of　architectural　dates？　　Now；　would
you　really　risk　anything　on　your　belief？　　Would　you　agree　to
be　shut　up　in　the　vaults　and　fed　upon　bread　and　water　for　a
week　if　I　could　prove　you　wrong？'

'Willingly；'　said　Somerset。　　'The　date　of　those　towers　and
arches　is　matter　of　absolute　certainty　from　the　details。　　That
they　should　have　been　built　before　the　Conquest　is　as　unlikely
as；　say；　that　the　rustiest　old　gun　with　a　percussion　lock
should　be　older　than　the　date　of　Waterloo。'

'How　I　wish　I　knew　something　precise　of　an　art　which　makes　one
so　independent　of　written　history！'

Mr。　Havill　had　lapsed　into　a　mannerly　silence　that　was　only
sullenness　disguised。　　Paula　turned　her　conversation　to　Miss
De　Stancy；　who　had　simply　looked　from　one　to　the　other　during
the　discussion；　though　she　might　have　been　supposed　to　have　a
prescriptive　right　to　a　few　remarks　on　the　matter。　　A
commonplace　talk　ensued；　till　Havill；　who　had　not　joined　in
it；　privately　began　at　Somerset　again　with　a　mixed　manner　of
cordiality；　contempt；　and　misgiving。

'You　have　a　practice；　I　suppose；　sir？'

'I　am　not　in　practice　just　yet。'

'Just　beginning？'

'I　am　about　to　begin。'

'In　London；　or　near　here？'

'In　London　probably。'

'H'm。　。　。　。　　I　am　practising　in　Markton。'

'Indeed。　　Have　you　been　at　it　long？'

'Not　particularly。　　I　designed　the　chapel　built　by　this　lady's
late　father；　it　was　my　first　undertakingI　owe　my　start；　in
fact；　to　Mr。　Power。　　Ever　build　a　chapel？'

'Never。　　I　have　sketched　a　good　many　churches。'

'Ahthere　we　differ。　　I　didn't　do　much　sketching　in　my　youth；
nor　have　I　time　for　it　now。　　Sketching　and　building　are　two
different　things；　to　my　mind。　　I　was　not　brought　up　to　the
professiongot　into　it　through　sheer　love　of　it。　　I　began　as
a　landscape　gardener；　then　I　became　a　builder；　then　I　was　a
road　contractor。　　Every　architect　might　do　worse　than　have
some　such　experience。　　But　nowadays　'tis　the　men　who　can　draw
pretty　pictures　who　get　recommended；　not　the　practical　men。
Young　prigs　win　Institute　medals　for　a　pretty　design　or　two
which；　if　anybody　tried　to　build　them；　would　fall　down　like　a
house　of　cards；　then　they　get　travelling　studentships　and　what
not；　and　then　they　start　as　architects　of　some　new　school　or
other；　and　think　they　are　the　masters　of　us　experienced　ones。'

While　Somerset　was　reflecting　how　far　this　statement　was　true；
he　heard　the　voice　of　Paula　inquiring；　'Who　can　he　be？'

Her　eyes　were　bent　on　the　window。　　Looking　out；　Somerset　saw
in　the　mead　beyond　the　dry　ditch；　Dare；　with　his　photographic
apparatus。

'He　is　the　young　gentleman　who　called　about　taking　views　of
the　castle；'　said　Charlotte。

'O　yesI　remember；　it　is　quite　right。　　He　met　me　in　the
village　and　asked　me　to　suggest　him　some　views。　　I　thought　him
a　respectable　young　fellow。'

'I　think　he　is　a　Canadian；'　said　Somerset。

'No；'　said　Paula；　'he　is　from　the　Eastat　least　he　implied　so
to　me。'

'There　is　Italian　blood　in　him；'　said　Charlotte　brightly。
'For　he　spoke　to　me　with　an　Italian　accent。　　But　I　can't　think
whether　he　is　a　boy　or　a　man。'

'It　is　to　be　earnestly　hoped　that　the　gentleman　does　not
prevaricate；'　said　the　minister；　for　the　first　time　attracted
by　the　subject。　　'I　accidentally　met　him　in　the　lane；　and　he
said　something　to　me　about　having　lived　in　Malta。　　I　think　it
was　Malta；　or　Gibraltareven　if　he　did　not　say　that　he　was
born　there。'

'His　manners　are　no　credit　to　his　nationality；'　observed　Mrs。
Goodman；　also　speaking　publicly　for　the　first　time。　　'He　asked
me　this　morning　to　send　him　out　a　pail　of　water　for　his
process；