a laodicean-第37章

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'My　dear　lad！'　said　De　Stancy；　much　moved　by　recollections。
He　held　Dare's　hand　for　a　moment　in　both　his　own；　and　turned
askance。

'You　are　not　astonished；'　said　Dare；　still　retaining　his
smile；　as　if　to　his　mind　there　were　something　comic　in　the
situation。

'I　knew　you　were　somewhere　near。　　Where　do　you　come　from？'

'From　going　to　and　fro　in　the　earth；　and　walking　up　and　down
in　it；　as　Satan　said　to　his　Maker。Southampton　last；　in
common　speech。'

'Have　you　come　here　to　see　me？'

'Entirely。　　I　divined　that　your　next　quarters　would　be
Markton；　the　previous　batteries　that　were　at　your　station
having　come　on　here。　　I　have　wanted　to　see　you　badly。'

'You　have？'

'I　am　rather　out　of　cash。　　I　have　been　knocking　about　a　good
deal　since　you　last　heard　from　me。'

'I　will　do　what　I　can　again。'

'Thanks；　captain。'

'But；　Willy；　I　am　afraid　it　will　not　be　much　at　present。　　You
know　I　am　as　poor　as　a　mouse。'

'But　such　as　it　is；　could　you　write　a　cheque　for　it　now？'

'I　will　send　it　to　you　from　the　barracks。'

'I　have　a　better　plan。　　By　getting　over　this　stile　we　could　go
round　at　the　back　of　the　villas　to　Sleeping…Green　Church。
There　is　always　a　pen…and…ink　in　the　vestry；　and　we　can　have　a
nice　talk　on　the　way。　　It　would　be　unwise　for　me　to　appear　at
the　barracks　just　now。'

'That's　true。'

De　Stancy　sighed；　and　they　were　about　to　walk　across　the
fields　together。　　'No；'　said　Dare；　suddenly　stopping：　　　my
plans　make　it　imperative　that　we　should　not　run　the　risk　of
being　seen　in　each　other's　company　for　long。　　Walk　on；　and　I
will　follow。　　You　can　stroll　into　the　churchyard；　and　move
about　as　if　you　were　ruminating　on　the　epitaphs。　　There　are
some　with　excellent　morals。　　I'll　enter　by　the　other　gate；　and
we　can　meet　easily　in　the　vestry…room。'

De　Stancy　looked　gloomy；　and　was　on　the　point　of　acquiescing
when　he　turned　back　and　said；　'Why　should　your　photograph　be
shown　to　the　chief　constable？'

'By　whom？'

'Somerset　the　architect。　　He　suspects　your　having　broken　into
his　office　or　something　of　the　sort。'　　De　Stancy　briefly
related　what　Somerset　had　explained　to　him　at　the　dinner…
table。

'It　was　merely　diamond　cut　diamond　between　us；　on　an
architectural　matter；'　murmured　Dare。　　'Ho！　and　he　suspects；
and　that's　his　remedy！'

'I　hope　this　is　nothing　serious？'　asked　De　Stancy　gravely。

'I　peeped　at　his　drawingthat's　all。　　But　since　he　chooses　to
make　that　use　of　my　photograph；　which　I　gave　him　in
friendship；　I'll　make　use　of　his　in　a　way　he　little　dreams　of。
Well　now；　let's　on。'

A　quarter　of　an　hour　later　they　met　in　the　vestry　of　the
church　at　Sleeping…Green。

'I　have　only　just　transferred　my　account　to　the　bank　here；'
said　De　Stancy；　as　he　took　out　his　cheque…book；　'and　it　will
be　more　convenient　to　me　at　present　to　draw　but　a　small　sum。
I　will　make　up　the　balance　afterwards。'

When　he　had　written　it　Dare　glanced　over　the　paper　and　said
ruefully；　'It　is　small；　dad。　　Well；　there　is　all　the　more
reason　why　I　should　broach　my　scheme；　with　a　view　to　making
such　documents　larger　in　the　future。'

'I　shall　be　glad　to　hear　of　any　such　scheme；'　answered　De
Stancy；　with　a　languid　attempt　at　jocularity。

'Then　here　it　is。　　The　plan　I　have　arranged　for　you　is　of　the
nature　of　a　marriage。'

'You　are　very　kind！'　said　De　Stancy；　agape。

'The　lady's　name　is　Miss　Paula　Power；　who；　as　you　may　have
heard　since　your　arrival；　is　in　absolute　possession　of　her
father's　property　and　estates；　including　Stancy　Castle。　　As
soon　as　I　heard　of　her　I　saw　what　a　marvellous　match　it　would
be　for　you；　and　your　family；　it　would　make　a　man　of　you；　in
short；　and　I　have　set　my　mind　upon　your　putting　no　objection
in　the　way　of　its　accomplishment。'

'But；　Willy；　it　seems　to　me　that；　of　us　two；　it　is　you　who
exercise　paternal　authority？'

'True；　it　is　for　your　good。　　Let　me　do　it。'

'Well；　one　must　be　indulgent　under　the　circumstances；　I
suppose。　。　。　。　　But；'　added　De　Stancy　simply；　'Willy；　Idon't
want　to　marry；　you　know。　　I　have　lately　thought　that　some　day
we　may　be　able　to　live　together；　you　and　I：　　go　off　to　America
or　New　Zealand；　where　we　are　not　known；　and　there　lead　a
quiet；　pastoral　life；　defying　social　rules　and　troublesome
observances。'

'I　can't　hear　of　it；　captain；'　replied　Dare　reprovingly。　　'I
am　what　events　have　made　me；　and　having　fixed　my　mind　upon
getting　you　settled　in　life　by　this　marriage；　I　have　put
things　in　train　for　it　at　an　immense　trouble　to　myself。　　If
you　had　thought　over　it　o'　nights　as　much　as　I　have；　you　would
not　say　nay。'

'But　I　ought　to　have　married　your　mother　if　anybody。　　And　as　I
have　not　married　her；　the　least　I　can　do　in　respect　to　her　is
to　marry　no　other　woman。'

'You　have　some　sort　of　duty　to　me；　have　you　not；　Captain　De
Stancy？'

'Yes；　Willy；　I　admit　that　I　have；'　the　elder　replied
reflectively。　　'And　I　don't　think　I　have　failed　in　it　thus
far？'

'This　will　be　the　crowning　proof。　　Paternal　affection；　family
pride；　the　noble　instincts　to　reinstate　yourself　in　the　castle
of　your　ancestors；　all　demand　the　step。　　And　when　you　have
seen　the　lady！　　She　has　the　figure　and　motions　of　a　sylph；　the
face　of　an　angel；　the　eye　of　love　itself。　　What　a　sight　she　is
crossing　the　lawn　on　a　sunny　afternoon；　or　gliding　airily
along　the　corridors　of　the　old　place　the　De　Stancys　knew　so
well！　　Her　lips　are　the　softest；　reddest；　most　distracting
things　you　ever　saw。　　Her　hair　is　as　soft　as　silk；　and　of　the
rarest；　tenderest　brown。'

The　captain　moved　uneasily。　　'Don't　take　the　trouble　to　say
more；　Willy；'　he　observed。　　'You　know　how　I　am。　　My　cursed
susceptibility　to　these　matters　has　already　wasted　years　of　my
life；　and　I　don't　want　to　make　myself　a　fool　about　her　too。'

'You　must　see　her。'

'No；　don't　let　me　see　her；'　De　Stancy　expostulated。　　'If　she
is　only　half　so　good…looking　as　you　say；　she　will　drag　me　at
her　heels　like　a　blind　Samson。　　You　are　a　mere　youth　as　yet；
but　I　may　tell　you　that　the　misfortune　of　never　having　been　my
own　master　where　a　beautiful　face　was　concerned　obliges　me　to
be　cautious　if　I　would　preserve　my　peace　of　mind。'

'Well；　to　my　mind；　Captain　De　Stancy；　your　objections　seem
trivial。　　Are　those　all？'

'They　are　all　I　care　to　mention　just　now　to　you。'

'Captain！　can　there　be　secrets　between　us？'

De　Stancy　paused　and　looked　at　the　lad　as　if　his　heart　wished
to　confess　what　his　judgment　feared　to　tell。　　'There　should
not　beon　this　point；'　he　murmured。

'Then　tell　mewhy　do　you　so　much　object　to　her？'

'I　once　vowed　a　vow。'

'A　vow！'　said　Dare；　rather　disconcerted。

'A　vow　of　infinite　solemnity。　　I　must　tell　you　from　the
beginning；　perhaps　you　are　old　enough　to　hear　it　now；　though
you　have　been　too　young　before。　　Your　mother's　life　ended　in
much　sorrow；　and　it　was　occasioned　entirely　by　me。　　In　my
regret　for　the　wrong　done　her　I　swore　to　her　that　though　she
had　not　been　my　wife；　no　other　woman　should　stand　in　that
relationship　to　me；　and　this　to　her　was　a　sort　of　comfort。
When　she　was　dead　my　knowledge　of　my　own　plaguy
impressionableness；　which　seemed　to　be　ineradicableas　it
seems　stillled　me　to　think　what　safeguards　I　could　set　over
myself　with　a　view　to　keeping　my　promise　to　live　a　life　of
celibacy；　and　among　other　things　I　determined　to　forswear　the
society；　and　if　possible　the　sight；　of　women　young　and
attractive；　as　far　as　I　had　the　power　to　do。'

'It　is　not　so　easy　to　avoid　the　sight　of　a　beautiful　woman　if
she　crosses　your　path；　I　should　think？'

'It　is　not　easy；　but　it　is　possible。'

'How？'

'By　directing　your　attention　another　way。'

'But　do　you　mean　to　say；　captain；　that　you　can　be　in　a　room
with　a　pretty　woman　who　speaks　to　you；　and　not　look　at　her？'

'I　do：　　though　mere　looking　has　less　to　do　with　it　than　mental
attentivenessallowing　your　thoughts　to　flow　out　in　her
directionto　comprehend　her　image。'

'But　it　would　be　considered　very　impolite　not　to　look　at　the
woman　or　comprehend　her　image？'

'It　would；　and　is。　　I　am　considered　the　most　impolite　officer
in　the　service。　　I　have　been　nicknamed　the　man　with　the
averted　eyesthe　man　with　the　detestable　habitthe　man　who
greets　you　with　his　shoulder；　and　so　on。　　Ninety…an