a laodicean-第23章
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no remark to her。
Mrs。 Goodman broke the silence by saying； 'If it were not a
railway we should call it a lovely dell。'
Somerset agreed with her； adding that it was so charming that
he felt inclined to go down。
'If you do； perhaps Miss Power will order you up again； as a
trespasser；' said Charlotte De Stancy。 'You are one of the
largest shareholders in the railway； are you not； Paula？'
Miss Power did not reply。
'I suppose as the road is partly yours you might walk all the
way to London along the rails； if you wished； might you not；
dear？' Charlotte continued。
Paula smiled； and said； 'No； of course not。'
Somerset； feeling himself superfluous； raised his hat to his
companions as if he meant not to see them again for a while；
and began to descend by some steps cut in the earth； Miss De
Stancy asked Mrs。 Goodman to accompany her to a barrow over
the top of the tunnel； and they left the carriage； Paula
remaining alone。
Down Somerset plunged through the long grass； bushes； late
summer flowers； moths； and caterpillars； vexed with himself
that he had come there； since Paula was so inscrutable； and
humming the notes of some song he did not know。 The tunnel
that had seemed so small from the surface was a vast archway
when he reached its mouth； which emitted； as a contrast to the
sultry heat on the slopes of the cutting； a cool breeze； that
had travelled a mile underground from the other end。 Far away
in the darkness of this silent subterranean corridor he could
see that other end as a mere speck of light。
When he had conscientiously admired the construction of the
massive archivault； and the majesty of its nude ungarnished
walls； he looked up the slope at the carriage； it was so small
to the eye that it might have been made for a performance by
canaries； Paula's face being still smaller； as she leaned back
in her seat； idly looking down at him。 There seemed something
roguish in her attitude of criticism； and to be no longer the
subject of her contemplation he entered the tunnel out of her
sight。
In the middle of the speck of light before him appeared a
speck of black； and then a shrill whistle； dulled by millions
of tons of earth； reached his ears from thence。 It was what
he had been on his guard against all the time；a passing
train； and instead of taking the trouble to come out of the
tunnel he stepped into a recess； till the train had rattled
past and vanished onward round a curve。
Somerset still remained where he had placed himself； mentally
balancing science against art； the grandeur of this fine piece
of construction against that of the castle； and thinking
whether Paula's father had not； after all； the best of it；
when all at once he saw Paula's form confronting him at the
entrance of the tunnel。 He instantly went forward into the
light； to his surprise she was as pale as a lily。
'O； Mr。 Somerset！' she exclaimed。 'You ought not to frighten
me soindeed you ought not！ The train came out almost as
soon as you had gone in； and as you did not returnan
accident was possible！'
Somerset at once perceived that he had been to blame in not
thinking of this。
'Please do forgive my thoughtlessness in not reflecting how it
would strike you！' he pleaded。 'II see I have alarmed you。'
Her alarm was； indeed； much greater than he had at first
thought： she trembled so much that she was obliged to sit
down； at which he went up to her full of solicitousness。
'You ought not to have done it！' she said。 'I naturally
thoughtany person would'
Somerset； perhaps wisely； said nothing at this outburst； the
cause of her vexation was； plainly enough； his perception of
her discomposure。 He stood looking in another direction； till
in a few moments she had risen to her feet again； quite calm。
'It would have been dreadful；' she said with faint gaiety； as
the colour returned to her face； 'if I had lost my architect；
and been obliged to engage Mr。 Havill without an alternative。'
'I was really in no danger； but of course I ought to have
considered；' he said。
'I forgive you；' she returned good…naturedly。 'I knew there
was no GREAT danger to a person exercising ordinary
discretion； but artists and thinkers like you are indiscreet
for a moment sometimes。 I am now going up again。 What do you
think of the tunnel？'
They were crossing the railway to ascend by the opposite path；
Somerset keeping his eye on the interior of the tunnel for
safety； when suddenly there arose a noise and shriek from the
contrary direction behind the trees。 Both knew in a moment
what it meant； and each seized the other as they rushed off
the permanent way。 The ideas of both had been so centred on
the tunnel as the source of danger； that the probability of a
train from the opposite quarter had been forgotten。 It rushed
past them； causing Paula's dress； hair； and ribbons to flutter
violently； and blowing up the fallen leaves in a shower over
their shoulders。
Neither spoke； and they went up several steps； holding each
other by the hand； till； becoming conscious of the fact； she
withdrew hers； whereupon Somerset stopped and looked earnestly
at her； but her eyes were averted towards the tunnel wall。
'What an escape！' he said。
'We were not so very near； I think； were we？' she asked
quickly。 'If we were； I think you werevery good to take my
hand。'
They reached the top at last； and the new level and open air
seemed to give her a new mind。 'I don't see the carriage
anywhere；' she said； in the common tones of civilization。
He thought it had gone over the crest of the hill； he would
accompany her till they reached it。
'NopleaseI would rather notI can find it very well。'
Before he could say more she had inclined her head and smiled
and was on her way alone。
The tunnel…cutting appeared a dreary gulf enough now to the
young man； as he stood leaning over the rails above it；
beating the herbage with his stick。 For some minutes he could
not criticize or weigh her conduct； the warmth of her presence
still encircled him。 He recalled her face as it had looked
out at him from under the white silk puffing of her black hat；
and the speaking power of her eyes at the moment of danger。
The breadth of that clear…complexioned foreheadalmost
concealed by the masses of brown hair bundled up around it
signified that if her disposition were oblique and insincere
enough for trifling； coquetting； or in any way making a fool
of him； she had the intellect to do it cruelly well。
But it was ungenerous to ruminate so suspiciously。 A girl not
an actress by profession could hardly turn pale artificially
as she had done； though perhaps mere fright meant nothing； and
would have arisen in her just as readily had he been one of
the labourers on her estate。
The reflection that such feeling as she had exhibited could
have no tender meaning returned upon him with masterful force
when he thought of her wealth and the social position into
which she had drifted。 Somerset； being of a solitary and
studious nature； was not quite competent to estimate precisely
the disqualifying effect； if any； of her nonconformity； her
newness of blood； and other things； among the old county
families established round her； but the toughest prejudices；
he thought； were not likely to be long invulnerable to such
cheerful beauty and brightness of intellect as Paula's。 When
she emerged； as she was plainly about to do； from the
seclusion in which she had been living since her father's
death； she would inevitably win her way among her neighbours。
She would become the local topic。 Fortune…hunters would learn
of her existence and draw near in shoals。 What chance would
there then be for him？
The points in his favour were indeed few； but they were just
enough to keep a tantalizing hope alive。 Modestly leaving out
of count his personal and intellectual qualifications； he
thought of his family。 It was an old stock enough； though not
a rich one。 His great…uncle had been the well…known Vice…
admiral Sir Armstrong Somerset； who served his country well in
the Baltic； the Indies； China； and the Caribbean Sea。 His
grandfather had been a notable metaphysician。 His
