a laodicean-第19章

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of　business　and　seated　herself　at　ease　on　an　ottoman　which　was
among　the　diversified　furniture　of　the　apartment。

'I　want　to　consult　you　professionally；'　she　went　on。　　'I　have
been　much　impressed　by　your　great　knowledge　of　castellated
architecture。　　Will　you　sit　in　that　leather　chair　at　the
table；　as　you　may　have　to　take　notes？'

The　young　man　assented；　expressed　his　gratification；　and　went
to　the　chair　she　designated。

'But；　Mr。　Somerset；'　she　continued；　from　the　ottomanthe
width　of　the　table　only　dividing　them'I　first　should　just
like　to　know；　and　I　trust　you　will　excuse　my　inquiry；　if　you
are　an　architect　in　practice；　or　only　as　yet　studying　for　the
profession？'

'I　am　just　going　to　practise。　　I　open　my　office　on　the　first
of　January　next；'　he　answered。

'You　would　not　mind　having　me　as　a　clientyour　first　client？'
She　looked　curiously　from　her　sideway　face　across　the　table　as
she　said　this。

'Can　you　ask　it！'　said　Somerset　warmly。　　'What　are　you　going
to　build？'

'I　am　going　to　restore　the　castle。'

'What；　all　of　it？'　said　Somerset；　astonished　at　the　audacity
of　such　an　undertaking。

'Not　the　parts　that　are　absolutely　ruinous：　　the　walls
battered　by　the　Parliament　artillery　had　better　remain　as　they
are；　I　suppose。　　But　we　have　begun　wrong；　it　is　I　who　should
ask　you；　not　you　me　。　。　。　。　　I　fear；'　she　went　on；　in　that　low
note　which　was　somewhat　difficult　to　catch　at　a　distance；　'I
fear　what　the　antiquarians　will　say　if　I　am　not　very　careful。
They　come　here　a　great　deal　in　summer　and　if　I　were　to　do　the
work　wrong　they　would　put　my　name　in　the　papers　as　a　dreadful
person。　　But　I　must　live　here；　as　I　have　no　other　house；
except　the　one　in　London；　and　hence　I　must　make　the　place
habitable。　　I　do　hope　I　can　trust　to　your　judgment？'

'I　hope　so；'　he　said；　with　diffidence；　for；　far　from　having
much　professional　confidence；　he　often　mistrusted　himself。　　'I
am　a　Fellow　of　the　Society　of　Antiquaries；　and　a　Member　of　the
Institute　of　British　Architectsnot　a　Fellow　of　that　body
yet；　though　I　soon　shall　be。'

'Then　I　am　sure　you　must　be　trustworthy；'　she　said；　with
enthusiasm。　　'Well；　what　am　I　to　do？How　do　we　begin？'

Somerset　began　to　feel　more　professional；　what　with　the
business　chair　and　the　table；　and　the　writing…paper；
notwithstanding　that　these　articles；　and　the　room　they　were
in；　were　hers　instead　of　his；　and　an　evenness　of　manner　which
he　had　momentarily　lost　returned　to　him。　　'The　very　first
step；'　he　said；　'is　to　decide　upon　the　outlaywhat　is　it　to
cost？'

He　faltered　a　little；　for　it　seemed　to　disturb　the　softness　of
their　relationship　to　talk　thus　of　hard　cash。　　But　her
sympathy　with　his　feeling　was　apparently　not　great；　and　she
said；　'The　expenditure　shall　be　what　you　advise。'

'What　a　heavenly　client！'　he　thought。　　'But　you　must　just　give
some　idea；'　he　said　gently。　　'For　the　fact　is；　any　sum　almost
may　be　spent　on　such　a　building：　　five　thousand；　ten　thousand；
twenty　thousand；　fifty　thousand；　a　hundred　thousand。'

'I　want　it　done　well；　so　suppose　we　say　a　hundred　thousand？
My　father's　solicitormy　solicitor　nowsays　I　may　go　to　a
hundred　thousand　without　extravagance；　if　the　expenditure　is
scattered　over　two　or　three　years。'

Somerset　looked　round　for　a　pen。　　With　quickness　of　insight
she　knew　what　he　wanted；　and　signified　where　one　could　be
found。　　He　wrote　down　in　large　figures

　　　　　100；000。

It　was　more　than　he　had　expected；　and　for　a　young　man　just
beginning　practice；　the　opportunity　of　playing　with　another
person's　money　to　that　extent　would　afford　an　exceptionally
handsome　opening；　not　so　much　from　the　commission　it
represented；　as　from　the　attention　that　would　be　bestowed　by
the　art…world　on　such　an　undertaking。

Paula　had　sunk　into　a　reverie。　　'I　was　intending　to　intrust
the　work　to　Mr。　Havill；　a　local　architect；'　she　said。　　'But　I
gathered　from　his　conversation　with　you　to…day　that　his
ignorance　of　styles　might　compromise　me　very　seriously。　In
short；　though　my　father　employed　him　in　one　or　two　little
matters；　it　would　not　be　righteven　a　morally　culpable　thing…
…to　place　such　an　historically　valuable　building　in　his
hands。'

'Has　Mr。　Havill　ever　been　led　to　expect　the　commission？'　he
asked。

'He　may　have　guessed　that　he　would　have　it。　　I　have　spoken　of
my　intention　to　him　more　than　once。'

Somerset　thought　over　his　conversation　with　Havill。　　Well；　he
did　not　like　Havill　personally；　and　he　had　strong　reasons　for
suspecting　that　in　the　matter　of　architecture　Havill　was　a
quack。　　But　was　it　quite　generous　to　step　in　thus；　and　take
away　what　would　be　a　golden　opportunity　to　such　a　man　of
making　both　ends　meet　comfortably　for　some　years　to　come；
without　giving　him　at　least　one　chance？　　He　reflected　a　little
longer；　and　then　spoke　out　his　feeling。

'I　venture　to　propose　a　slightly　modified　arrangement；'　he
said。　　'Instead　of　committing　the　whole　undertaking　to　my
hands　without　better　proof　of　my　ability　to　carry　it　out　than
you　have　at　present；　let　there　be　a　competition　between　Mr。
Havill　and　myselflet　our　rival　plans　for　the　restoration　and
enlargement　be　submitted　to　a　committee　of　the　Royal　Institute
of　British　Architectsand　let　the　choice　rest　with　them；
subject　of　course　to　your　approval。'

'It　is　indeed　generous　of　you　to　suggest　it。'　　She　looked
thoughtfully　at　him；　he　appeared　to　strike　her　in　a　new　light。
'You　really　recommend　it？'　　The　fairness　which　had　prompted
his　words　seemed　to　incline　her　still　more　than　before　to
resign　herself　entirely　to　him　in　the　matter。

'I　do；'　said　Somerset　deliberately。

'I　will　think　of　it；　since　you　wish　it。　　And　now；　what　general
idea　have　you　of　the　plan　to　adopt？　　I　do　not　positively　agree
to　your　suggestion　as　yet；　so　I　may　perhaps　ask　the　question。'

Somerset；　being　by　this　time　familiar　with　the　general　plan　of
the　castle；　took　out　his　pencil　and　made　a　rough　sketch。
While　he　was　doing　it　she　rose；　and　coming　to　the　back　of　his
chair；　bent　over　him　in　silence。

'Ah；　I　begin　to　see　your　conception；'　she　murmured；　and　the
breath　of　her　words　fanned　his　ear。　　He　finished　the　sketch；
and　held　it　up　to　her；　saying

'I　would　suggest　that　you　walk　over　the　building　with　Mr。
Havill　and　myself；　and　detail　your　ideas　to　us　on　each
portion。'

'Is　it　necessary？'

'Clients　mostly　do　it。'

'I　will；　then。　　But　it　is　too　late　for　me　this　evening。
Please　meet　me　to…morrow　at　ten。'



X。

At　ten　o'clock　they　met　in　the　same　room；　Paula　appearing　in　a
straw　hat　having　a　bent…up　brim　lined　with　plaited　silk；　so
that　it　surrounded　her　forehead　like　a　nimbus；　and　Somerset
armed　with　sketch…book；　measuring…rod；　and　other　apparatus　of
his　craft。

'And　Mr。　Havill？'　said　the　young　man。

'I　have　not　decided　to　employ　him：　　if　I　do　he　shall　go　round
with　me　independently　of　you；'　she　replied　rather　brusquely。

Somerset　was　by　no　means　sorry　to　hear　this。　　His　duty　to
Havill　was　done。

'And　now；'　she　said；　as　they　walked　on　together　through　the
passages；　'I　must　tell　you　that　I　am　not　a　mediaevalist
myself；　and　perhaps　that's　a　pity。'

'What　are　you？'

'I　am　Greekthat's　why　I　don't　wish　to　influence　your
design。'

Somerset；　as　they　proceeded；　pointed　out　where　roofs　had　been
and　should　be　again；　where　gables　had　been　pulled　down；　and
where　floors　had　vanished；　showing　her　how　to　reconstruct
their　details　from　marks　in　the　walls；　much　as　a　comparative
anatomist　reconstructs　an　antediluvian　from　fragmentary　bones
and　teeth。　　She　appeared　to　be　interested；　listened
attentively；　but　said　little　in　reply。　　They　were　ultimately
in　a　long　narrow　passage；　indifferently　lighted；　when
Somerset；　treading　on　a　loose　stone；　felt　a　twinge　of　weakness
in　one　knee；　and　knew　in　a　moment　that　it　was　the　result　of
the　twist　given　by　his　yesterday's　fall。　　He　paused；　leaning
against　the　wall。

'What　is　it？'　said　Paula；　with　a　sudden　timidity　in　her　voice。

'I　slipped　down　yesterday；'　he　said。　　'It　will　be　right　in　a
moment。'

'Ican　I　help　you？'　said　Paula。　　But　she　did　not　come　near
him；　indeed；　she　withdrew　a　little。　　She　looked　up　the
passage；　and　down　the　passage；　and　became　conscious　that　it
was　long　and　gloomy；　and　that