a laodicean-第32章

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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　by　hoaxing　him　like　this；　when　the
job　is　no　more　mine　than　Inigo　Jones's？'

'Don't　be　too　curious；'　said　Dare；　laughing。　　'Rather　thank　me
for　getting　rid　of　him。'

'But　it　is　all　a　vision！'　said　Havill；　ruefully　regarding　the
pencilled　towers　of　Stancy　Castle。　　'If　the　competition　were
really　the　commission　that　you　have　represented　it　to　be　there
might　be　something　to　laugh　at。'

'It　must　be　made　a　commission；　somehow；'　returned　Dare
carelessly。　　'I　am　come　to　lend　you　a　little　assistance。　　I
must　stay　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　I　have　nothing　else　to
do。'

A　carriage　slowly　passed　the　window；　and　Havill　recognized　the
Power　liveries。　　'Hulloshe's　coming　here！'　he　said　under　his
breath；　as　the　carriage　stopped　by　the　kerb。　　'What　does　she
want；　I　wonder？　　Dare；　does　she　know　you？'

'I　would　just　as　soon　be　out　of　the　way。'

'Then　go　into　the　garden。'

Dare　went　out　through　the　back　office　as　Paula　was　shown　in　at
the　front。　　She　wore　a　grey　travelling　costume；　and　seemed　to
be　in　some　haste。

'I　am　on　my　way　to　the　railway…station；'　she　said　to　Havill。
'I　shall　be　absent　from　home　for　several　weeks；　and　since　you
requested　it；　I　have　called　to　inquire　how　you　are　getting　on
with　the　design。'

'Please　look　it　over；'　said　Havill；　placing　a　seat　for　her。

'No；'　said　Paula。　　'I　think　it　would　be　unfair。　　I　have　not
looked　at　Mr。the　other　architect's　plans　since　he　has　begun
to　design　seriously；　and　I　will　not　look　at　yours。　　Are　you
getting　on　quite　well；　and　do　you　want　to　know　anything　more？
If　so；　go　to　the　castle；　and　get　anybody　to　assist　you。　　Why
would　you　not　make　use　of　the　room　at　your　disposal　in　the
castle；　as　the　other　architect　has　done？'

In　asking　the　question　her　face　was　towards　the　window；　and
suddenly　her　cheeks　became　a　rosy　red。　　She　instantly　looked
another　way。

'Having　my　own　office　so　near；　it　was　not　necessary；　thank
you；'　replied　Havill；　as；　noting　her　countenance；　he　allowed
his　glance　to　stray　into　the　street。　　Somerset　was　walking
past　on　the　opposite　side。

'The　time　isthe　time　fixed　for　sending　in　the　drawings　is
the　first　of　November；　I　believe；'　she　said　confusedly；　'and
the　decision　will　be　come　to　by　three　gentlemen　who　are
prominent　members　of　the　Institute　of　Architects。'

Havill　then　accompanied　her　to　the　carriage；　and　she　drove
away。

Havill　went　to　the　back　window　to　tell　Dare　that　he　need　not
stay　in　the　garden；　but　the　garden　was　empty。　　The　architect
remained　alone　in　his　office　for　some　time；　at　the　end　of　a
quarter　of　an　hour；　when　the　scream　of　a　railway　whistle　had
echoed　down　the　still　street；　he　beheld　Somerset　repassing　the
window　in　a　direction　from　the　railway；　with　somewhat　of　a　sad
gait。　　In　another　minute　Dare　entered；　humming　the　latest　air
of　Offenbach。

''Tis　a　mere　piece　of　duplicity！'　said　Havill。

'What　is？'

'Her　pretending　indifference　as　to　which　of　us　comes　out
successful　in　the　competition；　when　she　colours　carmine　the
moment　Somerset　passes　by。'　　He　described　Paula's　visit；　and
the　incident。

'It　may　not　mean　Cupid's　Entire　XXX　after　all；'　said　Dare
judicially。　　'The　mere　suspicion　that　a　certain　man　loves　her
would　make　a　girl　blush　at　his　unexpected　appearance。　　Well；
she's　gone　from　him　for　a　time；　the　better　for　you。'

'He　has　been　privileged　to　see　her　off　at　any　rate。'

'Not　privileged。'

'How　do　you　know　that？'

'I　went　out　of　your　garden　by　the　back　gate；　and　followed　her
carriage　to　the　railway。　　He　simply　went　to　the　first　bridge
outside　the　station；　and　waited。　　When　she　was　in　the　train；
it　moved　forward；　he　was　all　expectation；　and　drew　out　his
handkerchief　ready　to　wave；　while　she　looked　out　of　the　window
towards　the　bridge。　　The　train　backed　before　it　reached　the
bridge；　to　attach　the　box　containing　her　horses；　and　the
carriage…truck。　　Then　it　started　for　good；　and　when　it　reached
the　bridge　she　looked　out　again；　he　waving　his　handkerchief　to
her。'

'And　she　waving　hers　back？'

'No；　she　didn't。'

'Ah！'

'She　looked　at　himnothing　more。　　I　wouldn't　give　much　for
his　chance。'　　After　a　while　Dare　added　musingly：　　'You　are　a
mathematician：　　did　you　ever　investigate　the　doctrine　of
expectations？'

'Never。'

Dare　drew　from　his　pocket　his　'Book　of　Chances；'　a　volume　as
well　thumbed　as　the　minister's　Bible。　　'This　is　a　treatise　on
the　subject；'　he　said。　　'I　will　teach　it　to　you　some　day。'



The　same　evening　Havill　asked　Dare　to　dine　with　him。　　He　was
just　at　this　time　living　en　garcon；　his　wife　and　children
being　away　on　a　visit。　　After　dinner　they　sat　on　till　their
faces　were　rather　flushed。　　The　talk　turned；　as　before；　on　the
castle…competition。

'To　know　his　design　is　to　win；'　said　Dare。　　'And　to　win　is　to
send　him　back　to　London　where　he　came　from。'

Havill　inquired　if　Dare　had　seen　any　sketch　of　the　design
while　with　Somerset？

'Not　a　line。　　I　was　concerned　only　with　the　old　building。'

'Not　to　know　it　is　to　lose；　undoubtedly；'　murmured　Havill。

'Suppose　we　go　for　a　walk　that　way；　instead　of　consulting
here？'

They　went　down　the　town；　and　along　the　highway。　　When　they
reached　the　entrance　to　the　park　a　man　driving　a　basket…
carriage　came　out　from　the　gate　and　passed　them　by　in　the
gloom。

'That　was　he；'　said　Dare。　　'He　sometimes　drives　over　from　the
hotel；　and　sometimes　walks。　　He　has　been　working　late　this
evening。'

Strolling　on　under　the　trees　they　met　three　masculine　figures；
laughing　and　talking　loudly。

'Those　are　the　three　first…class　London　draughtsmen；　Bowles；
Knowles；　and　Cockton；　whom　he　has　engaged　to　assist　him；
regardless　of　expense；'　continued　Dare。

'O　Lord！'　groaned　Havill。　　'There's　no　chance　for　me。'

The　castle　now　arose　before　them；　endowed　by　the　rayless　shade
with　a　more　massive　majesty　than　either　sunlight　or　moonlight
could　impart；　and　Havill　sighed　again　as　he　thought　of　what　he
was　losing　by　Somerset's　rivalry。　　'Well；　what　was　the　use　of
coming　here？'　he　asked。

'I　thought　it　might　suggest　somethingsome　way　of　seeing　the
design。　　The　servants　would　let　us　into　his　room；　I　dare　say。'

'I　don't　care　to　ask。　　Let　us　walk　through　the　wards；　and　then
homeward。'

They　sauntered　on　smoking；　Dare　leading　the　way　through　the
gate…house　into　a　corridor　which　was　not　inclosed；　a　lamp
hanging　at　the　further　end。

'We　are　getting　into　the　inhabited　part；　I　think；'　said
Havill。

Dare；　however；　had　gone　on；　and　knowing　the　tortuous　passages
from　his　few　days'　experience　in　measuring　them　with　Somerset；
he　came　to　the　butler's　pantry。　　Dare　knocked；　and　nobody
answering　he　entered；　took　down　a　key　which　hung　behind　the
door；　and　rejoined　Havill。　　'It　is　all　right；'　he　said。　　'The
cat's　away；　and　the　mice　are　at　play　in　consequence。'

Proceeding　up　a　stone　staircase　he　unlocked　the　door　of　a　room
in　the　dark；　struck　a　light　inside；　and　returning　to　the　door
called　in　a　whisper　to　Havill；　who　had　remained　behind。　　'This
is　Mr。　Somerset's　studio；'　he　said。

'How　did　you　get　permission？'　inquired　Havill；　not　knowing
that　Dare　had　seen　no　one。

'Anyhow；'　said　Dare　carelessly。　　'We　can　examine　the　plans　at
leisure；　for　if　the　placid　Mrs。　Goodman；　who　is　the　only　one
at　home；　sees　the　light；　she　will　only　think　it　is　Somerset
still　at　work。'

Dare　uncovered　the　drawings；　and　young　Somerset's　brain…work
for　the　last　six　weeks　lay　under　their　eyes。　　To　Dare；　who　was
too　cursory　to　trouble　himself　by　entering　into　such　details；
it　had　very　little　meaning；　but　the　design　shone　into　Havill's
head　like　a　light　into　a　dark　place。　　It　was　original；　and　it
was　fascinating。　　Its　originality　lay　partly　in　the
circumstance　that　Somerset　had　not　attempted　to　adapt　an　old
building　to　the　wants　of　the　new　civilization。　　He　had　placed
his　new　erection　beside　it　as　a　slightly　attached　structure；
harmonizing　with　the　old；　heightening　and　beautifying；　rather
than　subduing　it。　　His　work　formed　a　palace；　with　a　ruinous
castle　annexed　as　a　curiosity。　　To　Havill　the　conception　had
more　charm　than　it　could　have　to　the　most　apprecia