a laodicean-第51章

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shopman；　said；　'Please　not　a　word　more。'

Soon　after　this；　they　left　the　jeweller's；　and　parted；　Paula
driving　straight　off　to　the　station　and　Somerset　going　on　his
way　uncertainly　happy。　　His　re…impression　after　a　few　minutes
was　that　a　special　journey　to　town　to　fetch　that　magnificent
necklace　which　she　had　not　once　mentioned　to　him；　but　which
was　plainly　to　be　the　medium　of　some　proud　purpose　with　her
this　evening；　was　hardly　in　harmony　with　her　assertions　of
indifference　to　the　attractions　of　the　Hunt　Ball。

He　got　into　a　cab　and　drove　to　his　club；　where　he　lunched；　and
mopingly　spent　a　great　part　of　the　afternoon　in　making
calculations　for　the　foundations　of　the　castle　works。　　Later
in　the　afternoon　he　returned　to　his　chambers；　wishing　that　he
could　annihilate　the　three　days　remaining　before　the　tenth；
particularly　this　coming　evening。　　On　his　table　was　a　letter
in　a　strange　writing；　and　indifferently　turning　it　over　he
found　from　the　superscription　that　it　had　been　addressed　to
him　days　before　at　the　Lord…Quantock…Arms　Hotel；　Markton；
where　it　had　lain　ever　since；　the　landlord　probably　expecting
him　to　return。　　Opening　the　missive；　he　found　to　his　surprise
that　it　was；　after　all；　an　invitation　to　the　Hunt　Ball。

'Too　late！'　said　Somerset。　　'To　think　I　should　be　served　this
trick　a　second　time！'

After　a　moment's　pause；　however；　he　looked　to　see　the　time　of
day。　　It　was　five　minutes　past　fivejust　about　the　hour　when
Paula　would　be　driving　from　Markton　Station　to　Stancy　Castle
to　rest　and　prepare　herself　for　her　evening　triumph。　　There
was　a　train　at　six　o'clock；　timed　to　reach　Markton　between
eleven　and　twelve；　which　by　great　exertion　he　might　save　even
now；　if　it　were　worth　while　to　undertake　such　a　scramble　for
the　pleasure　of　dropping　in　to　the　ball　at　a　late　hour。　　A
moment's　vision　of　Paula　moving　to　swift　tunes　on　the　arm　of　a
person　or　persons　unknown　was　enough　to　impart　the　impetus
required。　　He　jumped　up；　flung　his　dress　clothes　into　a
portmanteau；　sent　down　to　call　a　cab；　and　in　a　few　minutes　was
rattling　off　to　the　railway　which　had　borne　Paula　away　from
London　just　five　hours　earlier。

Once　in　the　train；　he　began　to　consider　where　and　how　he　could
most　conveniently　dress　for　the　dance。　　The　train　would
certainly　be　half…an…hour　late；　half…an…hour　would　be　spent　in
getting　to　the　town…hall；　and　that　was　the　utmost　delay
tolerable　if　he　would　secure　the　hand　of　Paula　for　one　spin；
or　be　more　than　a　mere　dummy　behind　the　earlier　arrivals。　　He
looked　for　an　empty　compartment　at　the　next　stoppage；　and
finding　the　one　next　his　own　unoccupied；　he　entered　it　and
changed　his　raiment　for　that　in　his　portmanteau　during　the
ensuing　run　of　twenty　miles。

Thus　prepared　he　awaited　the　Markton　platform；　which　was
reached　as　the　clock　struck　twelve。　　Somerset　called　a　fly　and
drove　at　once　to　the　town…hall。

The　borough　natives　had　ascended　to　their　upper　floors；　and
were　putting　out　their　candles　one　by　one　as　he　passed　along
the　streets；　but　the　lively　strains　that　proceeded　from　the
central　edifice　revealed　distinctly　enough　what　was　going　on
among　the　temporary　visitors　from　the　neighbouring　manors。
The　doors　were　opened　for　him；　and　entering　the　vestibule
lined　with　flags；　flowers；　evergreens；　and　escutcheons；　he
stood　looking　into　the　furnace　of　gaiety　beyond。

It　was　some　time　before　he　could　gather　his　impressions　of　the
scene；　so　perplexing　were　the　lights；　the　motions；　the
toilets；　the　full…dress　uniforms　of　officers　and　the　harmonies
of　sound。　　Yet　light；　sound；　and　movement　were　not　so　much　the
essence　of　that　giddy　scene　as　an　intense　aim　at　obliviousness
in　the　beings　composing　it。　　For　two　or　three　hours　at　least
those　whirling　young　people　meant　not　to　know　that　they　were
mortal。　　The　room　was　beating　like　a　heart；　and　the　pulse　was
regulated　by　the　trembling　strings　of　the　most　popular
quadrille　band　in　Wessex。　　But　at　last　his　eyes　grew　settled
enough　to　look　critically　around。

The　room　was　crowdedtoo　crowded。　　Every　variety　of　fair　one；
beauties　primary；　secondary；　and　tertiary；　appeared　among　the
personages　composing　the　throng。　　There　were　suns　and　moons；
also　pale　planets　of　little　account。　　Broadly　speaking；　these
daughters　of　the　county　fell　into　two　classes：　　one　the　pink…
faced　unsophisticated　girls　from　neighbouring　rectories　and
small　country…houses；　who　knew　not　town　except　for　an
occasional　fortnight；　and　who　spent　their　time　from　Easter　to
Lammas　Day　much　as　they　spent　it　during　the　remaining　nine
months　of　the　year：　　the　other　class　were　the　children　of　the
wealthy　landowners　who　migrated　each　season　to　the　town…house；
these　were　pale　and　collected；　showed　less　enjoyment　in　their
countenances；　and　wore　in　general　an　approximation　to　the
languid　manners　of　the　capital。

A　quadrille　was　in　progress；　and　Somerset　scanned　each　set。
His　mind　had　run　so　long　upon　the　necklace；　that　his　glance
involuntarily　sought　out　that　gleaming　object　rather　than　the
personality　of　its　wearer。　　At　the　top　of　the　room　there　he
beheld　it；　but　it　was　on　the　neck　of　Charlotte　De　Stancy。

The　whole　lucid　explanation　broke　across　his　understanding　in
a　second。　　His　dear　Paula　had　fetched　the　necklace　that
Charlotte　should　not　appear　to　disadvantage　among　the　county
people　by　reason　of　her　poverty。　　It　was　generously　donea
disinterested　act　of　sisterly　kindness；　theirs　was　the
friendship　of　Hermia　and　Helena。　　Before　he　had　got　further
than　to　realize　this；　there　wheeled　round　amongst　the　dancers
a　lady　whose　tournure　he　recognized　well。　　She　was　Paula；　and
to　the　young　man's　vision　a　superlative　something
distinguished　her　from　all　the　rest。　　This　was　not　dress　or
ornament；　for　she　had　hardly　a　gem　upon　her；　her　attire　being
a　model　of　effective　simplicity。　　Her　partner　was　Captain　De
Stancy。

The　discovery　of　this　latter　fact　slightly　obscured　his
appreciation　of　what　he　had　discovered　just　before。　　It　was
with　rather　a　lowering　brow　that　he　asked　himself　whether
Paula's　predilection　d'artiste；　as　she　called　it；　for　the　De
Stancy　line　might　not　lead　to　a　predilection　of　a　different
sort　for　its　last　representative　which　would　be　not　at　all
satisfactory。

The　architect　remained　in　the　background　till　the　dance　drew
to　a　conclusion；　and　then　he　went　forward。　　The　circumstance
of　having　met　him　by　accident　once　already　that　day　seemed　to
quench　any　surprise　in　Miss　Power's　bosom　at　seeing　him　now。
There　was　nothing　in　her　parting　from　Captain　De　Stancy；　when
he　led　her　to　a　seat；　calculated　to　make　Somerset　uneasy　after
his　long　absence。　　Though；　for　that　matter；　this　proved
nothing；　for；　like　all　wise　maidens；　Paula　never　ventured　on
the　game　of　the　eyes　with　a　lover　in　public；　well　knowing　that
every　moment　of　such　indulgence　overnight　might　mean　an　hour's
sneer　at　her　expense　by　the　indulged　gentleman　next　day；　when
weighing　womankind　by　the　aid　of　a　cold　morning　light　and　a
bad　headache。

While　Somerset　was　explaining　to　Paula　and　her　aunt　the　reason
of　his　sudden　appearance；　their　attention　was　drawn　to　a　seat
a　short　way　off　by　a　fluttering　of　ladies　round　the　spot。　　In
a　moment　it　was　whispered　that　somebody　had　fallen　ill；　and　in
another　that　the　sufferer　was　Miss　De　Stancy。　　Paula；　Mrs。
Goodman；　and　Somerset　at　once　joined　the　group　of　friends　who
were　assisting　her。　　Neither　of　them　imagined　for　an　instant
that　the　unexpected　advent　of　Somerset　on　the　scene　had
anything　to　do　with　the　poor　girl's　indisposition。

She　was　assisted　out　of　the　room；　and　her　brother；　who　now
came　up；　prepared　to　take　her　home；　Somerset　exchanging　a　few
civil　words　with　him；　which　the　hurry　of　the　moment　prevented
them　from　continuing；　though　on　taking　his　leave　with
Charlotte；　who　was　now　better；　De　Stancy　informed　Somerset　in
answer　to　a　cursory　inquiry；　that　he　hoped　to　be　back　again　at
the　ball　in　half…an…hour。

When　they　were　gone　Somerset；　feeling　that　now　another　dog
might　have　his　day；　sounded　Paula　on　the　delightful　question
of　a　dance。

Paula　replied　in　the　negative。

'How　is　that？'　asked　Somerset　with　reproachful　disappointment。

'I　cannot　dance　again；'　she　said　in　a　somew