a laodicean-第25章

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from　De　Stancy　to　De　Stancy　till　he　was　lost　in　the　reflection
whether　Paula　would　or　would　not　have　thought　more　highly　of
him　if　he　had　accepted　the　invitation　to　dinner。　　Applying
himself　again　to　the　tome；　he　learned　that　in　the　year　1504
Stephen　the　carpenter　was　'paid　eleven　pence　for　necessarye
repayrs；'　and　William　the　mastermason　eight　shillings　'for
whyt　lyming　of　the　kitchen；　and　the　lyme　to　do　it　with；'
including　'a　new　rope　for　the　fyer　bell；'　also　the　sundry
charges　for　'vij　crockes；　xiij　lytyll　pans；　a　pare　of　pot
hookes；　a　fyer　pane；　a　lanterne；　a　chafynge　dyshe；　and　xij
candyll　stychs。'

Bang　went　eight　strokes　of　the　clock：　　it　was　the　dinner…hour。

'There；　now　I　can't　go；　anyhow！'　he　said　bitterly；　jumping　up；
and　picturing　her　receiving　her　company。　　How　would　she　look；
what　would　she　wear？　　Profoundly　indifferent　to　the　early
history　of　the　noble　fabric；　he　felt　a　violent　reaction
towards　modernism；　eclecticism；　new　aristocracies；　everything；
in　short；　that　Paula　represented。　　He　even　gave　himself　up　to
consider　the　Greek　court　that　she　had　wished　for；　and　passed
the　remainder　of　the　evening　in　making　a　perspective　view　of
the　same。

The　next　morning　he　awoke　early；　and；　resolving　to　be　at　work
betimes；　started　promptly。　　It　was　a　fine　calm　hour　of　day；
the　grass　slopes　were　silvery　with　excess　of　dew；　and　the　blue
mists　hung　in　the　depths　of　each　tree　for　want　of　wind　to　blow
them　out。　　Somerset　entered　the　drive　on　foot；　and　when　near
the　castle　he　observed　in　the　gravel　the　wheel…marks　of　the
carriages　that　had　conveyed　the　guests　thither　the　night
before。　　There　seemed　to　have　been　a　large　number；　for　the
road　where　newly　repaired　was　quite　cut　up。　　Before　going
indoors　he　was　tempted　to　walk　round　to　the　wing　in　which
Paula　slept。

Rooks　were　cawing；　sparrows　were　chattering　there；　but　the
blind　of　her　window　was　as　closely　drawn　as　if　it　were
midnight。　　Probably　she　was　sound　asleep；　dreaming　of　the
compliments　which　had　been　paid　her　by　her　guests；　and　of　the
future　triumphant　pleasures　that　would　follow　in　their　train。
Reaching　the　outer　stone　stairs　leading　to　the　great　hall　he
found　them　shadowed　by　an　awning　brilliantly　striped　with　red
and　blue；　within　which　rows　of　flowering　plants　in　pots
bordered　the　pathway。　　She　could　not　have　made　more
preparation　had　the　gathering　been　a　ball。　　He　passed　along
the　gallery　in　which　his　studio　was　situated；　entered　the
room；　and　seized　a　drawing…board　to　put　into　correct　drawing
the　sketch　for　the　Greek　court　that　he　had　struck　out　the
night　before；　thereby　abandoning　his　art　principles　to　please
the　whim　of　a　girl。　　Dare　had　not　yet　arrived；　and　after　a
time　Somerset　threw　down　his　pencil　and　leant　back。

His　eye　fell　upon　something　that　moved。　　It　was　white；　and　lay
in　the　folding　chair　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　room。　　On
near　approach　he　found　it　to　be　a　fragment　of　swan's…down
fanned　into　motion　by　his　own　movements；　and　partially
squeezed　into　the　chink　of　the　chair　as　though　by　some　person
sitting　on　it。

None　but　a　woman　would　have　worn　or　brought　that　swan's…down
into　his　studio；　and　it　made　him　reflect　on　the　possible　one。
Nothing　interrupted　his　conjectures　till　ten　o'clock；　when
Dare　came。　　Then　one　of　the　servants　tapped　at　the　door　to
know　if　Mr。　Somerset　had　arrived。　　Somerset　asked　if　Miss
Power　wished　to　see　him；　and　was　informed　that　she　had　only
wished　to　know　if　he　had　come。　　Somerset　sent　a　return　message
that　he　had　a　design　on　the　board　which　he　should　soon　be　glad
to　submit　to　her；　and　the　messenger　departed。

'Fine　doings　here　last　night；　sir；'　said　Dare；　as　he　dusted
his　T…square。

'O　indeed！'

'A　dinner…party；　I　hear；　eighteen　guests。'

'Ah；'　said　Somerset。

'The　young　lady　was　magnificentsapphires　and　opalsshe
carried　as　much　as　a　thousand　pounds　upon　her　head　and
shoulders　during　that　three　or　four　hour。　　Of　course　they　call
her　charming；　Compuesta　no　hay　muger　fea；　as　they　say　at
Madrid。'

'I　don't　doubt　it　for　a　moment；'　said　Somerset；　with　reserve。

Dare　said　no　more；　and　presently　the　door　opened；　and　there
stood　Paula。

Somerset　nodded　to　Dare　to　withdraw　into　an　adjoining　room；
and　offered　her　a　chair。

'You　wish　to　show　me　the　design　you　have　prepared？'　she　asked；
without　taking　the　seat。

'Yes；　I　have　come　round　to　your　opinion。　　I　have　made　a　plan
for　the　Greek　court　you　were　anxious　to　build。'　　And　he
elevated　the　drawing…board　against　the　wall。

She　regarded　it　attentively　for　some　moments；　her　finger
resting　lightly　against　her　chin；　and　said；　'I　have　given　up
the　idea　of　a　Greek　court。'

He　showed　his　astonishment；　and　was　almost　disappointed。　　He
had　been　grinding　up　Greek　architecture　entirely　on　her
account；　had　wrenched　his　mind　round　to　this　strange
arrangement；　all　for　nothing。

'Yes；'　she　continued；　'on　reconsideration　I　perceive　the　want
of　harmony　that　would　result　from　inserting　such　a　piece　of
marble…work　in　a　mediaeval　fortress；　so　in　future　we　will
limit　ourselves　strictly　to　synchronism　of　stylethat　is　to
say；　make　good　the　Norman　work　by　Norman；　the　Perpendicular　by
Perpendicular；　and　so　on。　　I　have　informed　Mr。　Havill　of　the
same　thing。'

Somerset　pulled　the　Greek　drawing　off　the　board；　and　tore　it
in　two　pieces。

She　involuntarily　turned　to　look　in　his　face；　but　stopped
before　she　had　quite　lifted　her　eyes　high　enough。　　'Why　did
you　do　that？'　she　asked　with　suave　curiosity。

'It　is　of　no　further　use；'　said　Somerset；　tearing　the　drawing
in　the　other　direction；　and　throwing　the　pieces　into　the
fireplace。　　'You　have　been　reading　up　orders　and　styles　to
some　purpose；　I　perceive。'　　He　regarded　her　with　a　faint
smile。

'I　have　had　a　few　books　down　from　town。　　It　is　desirable　to
know　a　little　about　the　architecture　of　one's　own　house。'

She　remained　looking　at　the　torn　drawing；　when　Somerset；
observing　on　the　table　the　particle　of　swan's…down　he　had
found　in　the　chair；　gently　blew　it　so　that　it　skimmed　across
the　table　under　her　eyes。

'It　looks　as　if　it　came　off　a　lady's　dress；'　he　said　idly。

'Off　a　lady's　fan；'　she　replied。

'O；　off　a　fan？'

'Yes；　off　mine。'

At　her　reply　Somerset　stretched　out　his　hand　for　the　swan's…
down；　and　put　it　carefully　in　his　pocket…book；　whereupon
Paula；　moulding　her　cherry…red　lower　lip　beneath　her　upper　one
in　arch　self…consciousness　at　his　act；　turned　away　to　the
window；　and　after　a　pause　said　softly　as　she　looked　out；　'Why
did　you　not　accept　our　invitation　to　dinner？'

It　was　impossible　to　explain　why。　　He　impulsively　drew　near
and　confronted　her；　and　said；　'I　hope　you　pardon　me？'

'I　don't　know　that　I　can　quite　do　that；'　answered　she；　with
ever　so　little　reproach。　　'I　know　why　you　did　not　comeyou
were　mortified　at　not　being　asked　sooner！　　But　it　was　purely
by　an　accident　that　you　received　your　invitation　so　late。　　My
aunt　sent　the　others　by　post；　but　as　yours　was　to　be　delivered
by　hand　it　was　left　on　her　table；　and　was　overlooked。'

Surely　he　could　not　doubt　her　words；　those　nice　friendly
accents　were　the　embodiment　of　truth　itself。

'I　don't　mean　to　make　a　serious　complaint；'　she　added；　in
injured　tones；　showing　that　she　did。　　'Only　we　had　asked
nearly　all　of　them　to　meet　you；　as　the　son　of　your　illustrious
father；　whom　many　of　my　friends　know　personally；　andthey
were　disappointed。'

It　was　now　time　for　Somerset　to　be　genuinely　grieved　at　what
he　had　done。　　Paula　seemed　so　good　and　honourable　at　that
moment　that　he　could　have　laid　down　his　life　for　her。

'When　I　was　dressed；　I　came　in　here　to　ask　you　to　reconsider
your　decision；'　she　continued；　'or　to　meet　us　in　the　drawing…
room　if　you　could　not　possibly　be　ready　for　dinner。　　But　you
were　gone。'

'And　you　sat　down　in　that　chair；　didn't　you；　darling；　and
remained　there　a　long　time　musing！'　he　thought。　　But　that　he
did　not　say。

'I　am　very　sorry；'　he　murmured。

'Will　you　make　amends　by　coming　to　our　garden　party？　　I　ask
you　the　very　first。'

'I　will；'　replied　Somerset。　　To　add　that　it　would　give　him
great　pleasure；　etc。；　seemed　an　absurdly　weak　way　of
expressing　his　feelings；　and　he　said　no　more。

'It　is　on　the　nineteenth。　　Don't　forge