a laodicean-第31章

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loosened。　　Dare；　turning　to　Havill；　said；　'Thank　you；　you　have
done　me　a　timely　turn　to…day。'

'What！　had　you　hopes　that　way？'　asked　Havill　satirically。

'I！　　The　woman　that　interests　my　heart　has　yet　to　be　born；'
said　Dare；　with　a　steely　coldness　strange　in　such　a　juvenile；
and　yet　almost　convincing。　　'But　though　I　have　not　personal
hopes；　I　have　an　objection　to　this　courtship。　　Now　I　think　we
may　as　well　fraternize；　the　situation　being　what　it　is？'

'What　is　the　situation？〃

'He　is　in　your　way　as　her　architect；　he　is　in　my　way　as　her
lover：　　we　don't　want　to　hurt　him；　but　we　wish　him　clean　out
of　the　neighbourhood。'

'I'll　go　as　far　as　that；'　said　Havill。

'I　have　come　here　at　some　trouble　to　myself；　merely　to
observe：　　I　find　I　ought　to　stay　to　act。'

'If　you　were　myself；　a　married　man　with　people　dependent　on
him；　who　has　had　a　professional　certainty　turned　to　a
miserably　remote　contingency　by　these　events；　you　might　say
you　ought　to　act；　but　what　conceivable　difference　it　can　make
to　you　who　it　is　the　young　lady　takes　to　her　heart　and　home；　I
fail　to　understand。'

'Well；　I'll　tell　youthis　much　at　least。　　I　want　to　keep　the
place　vacant　for　another　man。'

'The　place？'

'The　place　of　husband　to　Miss　Power；　and　proprietor　of　that
castle　and　domain。'

'That's　a　scheme　with　a　vengeance。　　Who　is　the　man？'

'It　is　my　secret　at　present。'

'Certainly。'　　Havill　drew　a　deep　breath；　and　dropped　into　a
tone　of　depression。　　'Well；　scheme　as　you　will；　there　will　be
small　advantage　to　me；'　he　murmured。　　'The　castle　commission
is　as　good　as　gone；　and　a　bill　for　two　hundred　pounds　falls
due　next　week。'

'Cheer　up；　heart！　　My　position；　if　you　only　knew　it；　has　ten
times　the　difficulties　of　yours；　since　this　disagreeable
discovery。　　Let　us　consider　if　we　can　assist　each　other。　　The
competition　drawings　are　to　be　sent　inwhen？'

'In　something　over　six　weeksa　fortnight　before　she　returns
from　the　Scilly　Isles；　for　which　place　she　leaves　here　in　a
few　days。'

'O；　she　goes　awaythat's　better。　　Our　lover　will　be　working
here　at　his　drawings；　and　she　not　present。'

'Exactly。　　Perhaps　she　is　a　little　ashamed　of　the　intimacy。'

'And　if　your　design　is　considered　best　by　the　committee；　he
will　have　no　further　reason　for　staying；　assuming　that　they
are　not　definitely　engaged　to　marry　by　that　time？'

'I　suppose　so；'　murmured　Havill　discontentedly。　　'The
conditions；　as　sent　to　me；　state　that　the　designs　are　to　be
adjudicated　on　by　three　members　of　the　Institute　called　in　for
the　purpose；　so　that　she　may　return；　and　have　seemed　to　show
no　favour。'

'Then　it　amounts　to　this：　　your　design　MUST　be　best。　　It　must
combine　the　excellences　of　your　invention　with　the　excellences
of　his。　　Meanwhile　a　coolness　should　be　made　to　arise　between
her　and　him：　　and　as　there　would　be　no　artistic　reason　for　his
presence　here　after　the　verdict　is　pronounced；　he　would
perforce　hie　back　to　town。　　Do　you　see？'

'I　see　the　ingenuity　of　the　plan；　but　I　also　see　two
insurmountable　obstacles　to　it。　　The　first　is；　I　cannot　add
the　excellences　of　his　design　to　mine　without　knowing　what
those　excellences　are；　which　he　will　of　course　keep　a　secret。
Second；　it　will　not　be　easy　to　promote　a　coolness　between　such
hot　ones　as　they。'

'You　make　a　mistake。　　It　is　only　he　who　is　so　ardent。　　She　is
only　lukewarm。　　If　we　had　any　spirit；　a　bargain　would　be
struck　between　us：　　you　would　appropriate　his　design；　I　should
cause　the　coolness。'

'How　could　I　appropriate　his　design？'

'By　copying　it；　I　suppose。'

'Copying　it？'

'By　going　into　his　studio　and　looking　it　over。'

Havill　turned　to　Dare；　and　stared。　　'By　George；　you　don't
stick　at　trifles；　young　man。　　You　don't　suppose　I　would　go
into　a　man's　rooms　and　steal　his　inventions　like　that？'

'I　scarcely　suppose　you　would；'　said　Dare　indifferently；　as　he
rose。

'And　if　I　were　to；'　said　Havill　curiously；　'how　is　the
coolness　to　be　caused？'

'By　the　second　man。'

'Who　is　to　produce　him？'

'Her　Majesty's　Government。'

Havill　looked　meditatively　at　his　companion；　and　shook　his
head。　　'In　these　idle　suppositions　we　have　been　assuming
conduct　which　would　be　quite　against　my　principles　as　an
honest　man。'



II。

A　few　days　after　the　party　at　Stancy　Castle；　Dare　was　walking
down　the　High　Street　of　Markton；　a　cigarette　between　his　lips
and　a　silver…topped　cane　in　his　hand。　　His　eye　fell　upon　a
brass　plate　on　an　opposite　door；　bearing　the　name　of　Mr。
Havill；　Architect。　　He　crossed　over；　and　rang　the　office　bell。

The　clerk　who　admitted　him　stated　that　Mr。　Havill　was　in　his
private　room；　and　would　be　disengaged　in　a　short　time。　　While
Dare　waited　the　clerk　affixed　to　the　door　a　piece　of　paper
bearing　the　words　'Back　at　2；'　and　went　away　to　his　dinner；
leaving　Dare　in　the　room　alone。

Dare　looked　at　the　different　drawings　on　the　boards　about　the
room。　　They　all　represented　one　subject；　which；　though
unfinished　as　yet；　and　bearing　no　inscription；　was　recognized
by　the　visitor　as　the　design　for　the　enlargement　and
restoration　of　Stancy　Castle。　　When　he　had　glanced　it　over
Dare　sat　down。

The　doors　between　the　office　and　private　room　were　double；　but
the　one　towards　the　office　being　only　ajar　Dare　could　hear　a
conversation　in　progress　within。　　It　presently　rose　to　an
altercation；　the　tenor　of　which　was　obvious。　　Somebody　had
come　for　money。

'Really　I　can　stand　it　no　longer；　Mr。　Havillreally　I　will
not！'　said　the　creditor　excitedly。　　'Now　this　bill　overdue
againwhat　can　you　expect？　　Why；　I　might　have　negotiated　it；
and　where　would　you　have　been　then？　　Instead　of　that；　I　have
locked　it　up　out　of　consideration　for　you；　and　what　do　I　get
for　my　considerateness？　　I　shall　let　the　law　take　its　course！'

'You'll　do　me　inexpressible　harm；　and　get　nothing　whatever；'
said　Havill。　　'If　you　would　renew　for　another　three　months
there　would　be　no　difficulty　in　the　matter。'

'You　have　said　so　before：　　I　will　do　no　such　thing。'

There　was　a　silence；　whereupon　Dare　arose　without　hesitation；
and　walked　boldly　into　the　private　office。　　Havill　was
standing　at　one　end；　as　gloomy　as　a　thundercloud；　and　at　the
other　was　the　unfortunate　creditor　with　his　hat　on。　　Though
Dare's　entry　surprised　them；　both　parties　seemed　relieved。

'I　have　called　in　passing　to　congratulate　you；　Mr。　Havill；'
said　Dare　gaily。　　'Such　a　commission　as　has　been　entrusted　to
you　will　make　you　famous！'

'How　do　you　do？I　wish　it　would　make　me　rich；'　said　Havill
drily。

'It　will　be　a　lift　in　that　direction；　from　what　I　know　of　the
profession。　　What　is　she　going　to　spend？'

'A　hundred　thousand。'

'Your　commission　as　architect；　five　thousand。　　Not　bad；　for
making　a　few　sketches。　　Consider　what　other　great　commissions
such　a　work　will　lead　to。'

'What　great　work　is　this？'　asked　the　creditor。

'Stancy　Castle；'　said　Dare；　since　Havill　seemed　too　agape　to
answer。　　'You　have　not　heard　of　it；　then？　　Those　are　the
drawings；　I　presume；　in　the　next　room？'

Havill　replied　in　the　affirmative；　beginning　to　perceive　the
manoeuvre。　　'Perhaps　you　would　like　to　see　them？'　he　said　to
the　creditor。

The　latter　offered　no　objection；　and　all　three　went　into　the
drawing…office。

'It　will　certainly　be　a　magnificent　structure；'　said　the
creditor；　after　regarding　the　elevations　through　his
spectacles。　　'Stancy　Castle：　　I　had　no　idea　of　it！　and　when　do
you　begin　to　build；　Mr。　Havill？'　he　inquired　in　mollified
tones。

'In　three　months；　I　think？'　said　Dare；　looking　to　Havill。

Havill　assented。

'Five　thousand　pounds　commission；'　murmured　the　creditor。
'Paid　down；　I　suppose？'

Havill　nodded。

'And　the　works　will　not　linger　for　lack　of　money　to　carry　them
out；　I　imagine；'　said　Dare。　　'Two　hundred　thousand　will
probably　be　spent　before　the　work　is　finished。'

'There　is　not　much　doubt　of　it；'　said　Havill。

'You　said　nothing　to　me　about　this？'　whispered　the　creditor　to
Havill；　taking　him　aside；　with　a　look　of　regret。

'You　would　not　listen！'

'It　alters　the　case　greatly。'　　The　creditor　retired　with
Havill　to　the　door；　and　after　a　subdued　colloquy　in　the
passage　he　went　away；　Havill　returning　to　the　office。

'What　the　devil　do　you　mean　b