a laodicean-第24章

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the　Baltic；　the　Indies；　China；　and　the　Caribbean　Sea。　　His
grandfather　had　been　a　notable　metaphysician。　　His　father；　the
Royal　Academician；　was　popular。　　But　perhaps　this　was　not　the
sort　of　reasoning　likely　to　occupy　the　mind　of　a　young　woman；
the　personal　aspect　of　the　situation　was　in　such　circumstances
of　far　more　import。　　He　had　come　as　a　wandering　strangerthat
possibly　lent　some　interest　to　him　in　her　eyes。　　He　was
installed　in　an　office　which　would　necessitate　free　communion
with　her　for　some　time　to　come；　that　was　another　advantage；
and　would　be　a　still　greater　one　if　she　showed；　as　Paula
seemed　disposed　to　do；　such　artistic　sympathy　with　his　work　as
to　follow　up　with　interest　the　details　of　its　progress。

The　carriage　did　not　reappear；　and　he　went　on　towards　Markton；
disinclined　to　return　again　that　day　to　the　studio　which　had
been　prepared　for　him　at　the　castle。　　He　heard　feet　brushing
the　grass　behind　him；　and；　looking　round；　saw　the　Baptist
minister。

'I　have　just　come　from　the　village；'　said　Mr。　Woodwell；　who
looked　worn　and　weary；　his　boots　being　covered　with　dust；　'and
I　have　learnt　that　which　confirms　my　fears　for　her。'

'For　Miss　Power？'

'Most　assuredly。'

'What　danger　is　there？'　said　Somerset。

'The　temptations　of　her　position　have　become　too　much　for　her！
She　is　going　out　of　mourning　next　week；　and　will　give　a　large
dinner…party　on　the　occasion；　for　though　the　invitations　are
partly　in　the　name　of　her　relative　Mrs。　Goodman；　they　must
come　from　her。　　The　guests　are　to　include　people　of　old
cavalier　families　who　would　have　treated　her　grandfather；　sir；
and　even　her　father；　with　scorn　for　their　religion　and
connections；　also　the　parson　and　curateyes；　actually　people
who　believe　in　the　Apostolic　Succession；　and　what's　more；
they're　coming。　　My　opinion　is；　that　it　has　all　arisen　from
her　friendship　with　Miss　De　Stancy。'

'Well；'　cried　Somerset　warmly；　'this　only　shows　liberality　of
feeling　on　both　sides！　　I　suppose　she　has　invited　you　as
well？'

'She　has　not　invited　me！。　。　。　　Mr。　Somerset；　not　withstanding
your　erroneous　opinions　on　important　matters；　I　speak　to　you
as　a　friend；　and　I　tell　you　that　she　has　never　in　her　secret
heart　forgiven　that　sermon　of　mine；　in　which　I　likened　her　to
the　church　at　Laodicea。　　I　admit　the　words　were　harsh；　but　I
was　doing　my　duty；　and　if　the　case　arose　to…morrow　I　would　do
it　again。　　Her　displeasure　is　a　deep　grief　to　me；　but　I　serve
One　greater　than　she。　。　。　。　　You；　of　course；　are　invited　to
this　dinner？'

'I　have　heard　nothing　of　it；'　murmured　the　young　man。

Their　paths　diverged；　and　when　Somerset　reached　the　hotel　he
was　informed　that　somebody　was　waiting　to　see　him。

'Man　or　woman？'　he　asked。

The　landlady；　who　always　liked　to　reply　in　person　to
Somerset's　inquiries；　apparently　thinking　him；　by　virtue　of
his　drawing　implements　and　liberality　of　payment；　a　possible
lord　of　Burleigh；　came　forward　and　said　it　was　certainly　not　a
woman；　but　whether　man　or　boy　she　could　not　say。　　'His　name　is
Mr。　Dare；'　she　added。

'Othat　youth；'　he　said。

Somerset　went　upstairs；　along　the　passage；　down　two　steps；
round　the　angle；　and　so　on　to　the　rooms　reserved　for　him　in
this　rambling　edifice　of　stage…coach　memories；　where　he　found
Dare　waiting。　　Dare　came　forward；　pulling　out　the　cutting　of
an　advertisement。

'Mr。　Somerset；　this　is　yours；　I　believe；　from　the
Architectural　World？'

Somerset　said　that　he　had　inserted　it。

'I　think　I　should　suit　your　purpose　as　assistant　very　well。'

'Are　you　an　architect's　draughtsman？'

'Not　specially。　　I　have　some　knowledge　of　the　same；　and　want
to　increase　it。'

'I　thought　you　were　a　photographer。'

'Also　of　photography；'　said　Dare　with　a　bow。　　'Though　but　an
amateur　in　that　art　I　can　challenge　comparison　with　Regent
Street　or　Broadway。'

Somerset　looked　upon　his　table。　　Two　letters　only；　addressed
in　initials；　were　lying　there　as　answers　to　his　advertisement。
He　asked　Dare　to　wait；　and　looked　them　over。　　Neither　was
satisfactory。　　On　this　account　he　overcame　his　slight　feeling
against　Mr。　Dare；　and　put　a　question　to　test　that　gentleman's
capacities。　　'How　would　you　measure　the　front　of　a　building；
including　windows；　doors；　mouldings；　and　every　other　feature；
for　a　ground　plan；　so　as　to　combine　the　greatest　accuracy　with
the　greatest　despatch？'

'In　running　dimensions；'　said　Dare。

As　this　was　the　particular　kind　of　work　he　wanted　done；
Somerset　thought　the　answer　promising。　　Coming　to　terms　with
Dare；　he　requested　the　would…be　student　of　architecture　to
wait　at　the　castle　the　next　day；　and　dismissed　him。

A　quarter　of　an　hour　later；　when　Dare　was　taking　a　walk　in　the
country；　he　drew　from　his　pocket　eight　other　letters　addressed
to　Somerset　in　initials；　which；　to　judge　by　their　style　and
stationery；　were　from　men　far　superior　to　those　two　whose
communications　alone　Somerset　had　seen。　　Dare　looked　them　over
for　a　few　seconds　as　he　strolled　on；　then　tore　them　into
minute　fragments；　and；　burying　them　under　the　leaves　in　the
ditch；　went　on　his　way　again。



XIII。

Though　exhibiting　indifference；　Somerset　had　felt　a　pang　of
disappointment　when　he　heard　the　news　of　Paula's　approaching
dinner…party。　　It　seemed　a　little　unkind　of　her　to　pass　him
over；　seeing　how　much　they　were　thrown　together　just　now。
That　dinner　meant　more　than　it　sounded。　　Notwithstanding　the
roominess　of　her　castle；　she　was　at　present　living　somewhat
incommodiously；　owing　partly　to　the　stagnation　caused　by　her
recent　bereavement；　and　partly　to　the　necessity　for
overhauling　the　De　Stancy　lumber　piled　in　those　vast　and
gloomy　chambers　before　they　could　be　made　tolerable　to
nineteenth…century　fastidiousness。

To　give　dinners　on　any　large　scale　before　Somerset　had　at
least　set　a　few　of　these　rooms　in　order　for　her；　showed；　to
his　thinking；　an　overpowering　desire　for　society。

During　the　week　he　saw　less　of　her　than　usual；　her　time　being
to　all　appearance　much　taken　up　with　driving　out　to　make　calls
on　her　neighbours　and　receiving　return　visits。　　All　this　he
observed　from　the　windows　of　his　studio　overlooking　the　castle
ward；　in　which　room　he　now　spent　a　great　deal　of　his　time；
bending　over　drawing…boards　and　instructing　Dare；　who　worked
as　well　as　could　be　expected　of　a　youth　of　such　varied
attainments。

Nearer　came　the　Wednesday　of　the　party；　and　no　hint　of　that
event　reached　Somerset；　but　such　as　had　been　communicated　by
the　Baptist　minister。　　At　last；　on　the　very　afternoon；　an
invitation　was　handed　into　his　studionot　a　kind　note　in
Paula's　handwriting；　but　a　formal　printed　card　in　the　joint
names　of　Mrs。　Goodman　and　Miss　Power。　　It　reached　him　just
four　hours　before　the　dinner…time。　　He　was　plainly　to　be　used
as　a　stop…gap　at　the　last　moment　because　somebody　could　not
come。

Having　previously　arranged　to　pass　a　quiet　evening　in　his
rooms　at　the　Lord　Quantock　Arms；　in　reading　up　chronicles　of
the　castle　from　the　county　history；　with　the　view　of　gathering
some　ideas　as　to　the　distribution　of　rooms　therein　before　the
demolition　of　a　portion　of　the　structure；　he　decided　off…hand
that　Paula's　dinner　was　not　of　sufficient　importance　to　him　as
a　professional　man　and　student　of　art　to　justify　a　waste　of
the　evening　by　going。　　He　accordingly　declined　Mrs。　Goodman's
and　Miss　Power's　invitation；　and　at　five　o'clock　left　the
castle　and　walked　across　the　fields　to　the　little　town。

He　dined　early；　and；　clearing　away　heaviness　with　a　cup　of
coffee；　applied　himself　to　that　volume　of　the　county　history
which　contained　the　record　of　Stancy　Castle。

Here　he　read　that　'when　this　picturesque　and　ancient　structure
was　founded；　or　by　whom；　is　extremely　uncertain。　　But　that　a
castle　stood　on　the　site　in　very　early　times　appears　from　many
old　books　of　charters。　　In　its　prime　it　was　such　a　masterpiece
of　fortification　as　to　be　the　wonder　of　the　world；　and　it　was
thought；　before　the　invention　of　gunpowder；　that　it　never
could　be　taken　by　any　force　less　than　divine。'

He　read　on　to　the　times　when　it　first　passed　into　the　hands　of
'De　Stancy；　Chivaler；'　and　received　the　family　name；　and　so　on
from　De　Stancy　to　De　Stancy　till　he　was　lost　in　the　ref