a laodicean-第54章

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now　transfigured　into　a　theatre；　like　any　other　spectator。

Rumours　of　the　projected　representation　had　spread　far　and
wide。　　Six　times　the　number　of　tickets　issued　might　have　been
readily　sold。　　Friends　and　acquaintances　of　the　actors　came
from　curiosity　to　see　how　they　would　acquit　themselves；　while
other　classes　of　people　came　because　they　were　eager　to　see
well…known　notabilities　in　unwonted　situations。　　When　ladies；
hitherto　only　beheld　in　frigid；　impenetrable　positions　behind
their　coachmen　in　Markton　High　Street；　were　about　to　reveal
their　hidden　traits；　home　attitudes；　intimate　smiles；　nods；
and　perhaps　kisses；　to　the　public　eye；　it　was　a　throwing　open
of　fascinating　social　secrets　not　to　be　missed　for　money。

The　performance　opened　with　no　further　delay　than　was
occasioned　by　the　customary　refusal　of　the　curtain　at　these
times　to　rise　more　than　two　feet　six　inches；　but　this　hitch
was　remedied；　and　the　play　began。　　It　was　with　no　enviable
emotion　that　Somerset；　who　was　watching　intently；　saw；　not　Mr。
Mild；　but　Captain　De　Stancy；　enter　as　the　King　of　Navarre。

Somerset　as　a　friend　of　the　family　had　had　a　seat　reserved　for
him　next　to　that　of　Mrs。　Goodman；　and　turning　to　her　he　said
with　some　excitement；　'I　understood　that　Mr。　Mild　had　agreed
to　take　that　part？'

'Yes；'　she　said　in　a　whisper；　'so　he　had；　but　he　broke　down。
Luckily　Captain　De　Stancy　was　familiar　with　the　part；　through
having　coached　the　others　so　persistently；　and　he　undertook　it
off…hand。　　Being　about　the　same　figure　as　Lieutenant　Mild　the
same　dress　fits　him；　with　a　little　alteration　by　the　tailor。'

It　did　fit　him　indeed；　and　of　the　male　costumes　it　was　that　on
which　Somerset　had　bestowed　most　pains　when　designing　them。
It　shrewdly　burst　upon　his　mind　that　there　might　have　been
collusion　between　Mild　and　De　Stancy；　the　former　agreeing　to
take　the　captain's　place　and　act　as　blind　till　the　last
moment。　　A　greater　question　was；　could　Paula　have　been　aware
of　this；　and　would　she　perform　as　the　Princess　of　France　now
De　Stancy　was　to　be　her　lover？

'Does　Miss　Power　know　of　this　change？'　he　inquired。

'She　did　not　till　quite　a　short　time　ago。'

He　controlled　his　impatience　till　the　beginning　of　the　second
act。　　The　Princess　entered；　it　was　Paula。　　But　whether　the
slight　embarrassment　with　which　she　pronounced　her　opening
words；

　　　　　'Good　Lord　Boyet；　my　beauty；　though　but　mean；
　　　　　　Needs　not　the　painted　flourish　of　your　praise；'

was　due　to　the　newness　of　her　situation；　or　to　her　knowledge
that　De　Stancy　had　usurped　Mild's　part　of　her　lover；　he　could
not　guess。　　De　Stancy　appeared；　and　Somerset　felt　grim　as　he
listened　to　the　gallant　captain's　salutation　of　the　Princess；
and　her　response。

　　De　S。　　　Fair　Princess；　welcome　to　the　court　of　Navarre。
　　Paula。　　Fair；　I　give　you　back　again：　　and　welcome；　I　have
not　yet。

Somerset　listened　to　this　and　to　all　that　which　followed　of
the　same　sort；　with　the　reflection　that；　after　all；　the
Princess　never　throughout　the　piece　compromised　her　dignity　by
showing　her　love　for　the　King；　and　that　the　latter　never
addressed　her　in　words　in　which　passion　got　the　better　of
courtesy。　　Moreover；　as　Paula　had　herself　observed；　they　did
not　marry　at　the　end　of　the　piece；　as　in　Shakespeare's　other
comedies。　　Somewhat　calm　in　this　assurance；　he　waited　on　while
the　other　couples　respectively　indulged　in　their　love…making；
and　banter；　including　Mrs。　Camperton　as　the　sprightly
Rosaline。　　But　he　was　doomed　to　be　surprised　out　of　his　humour
when　the　end　of　the　act　came　on。　　In　abridging　the　play　for
the　convenience　of　representation；　the　favours　or　gifts　from
the　gentlemen　to　the　ladies　were　personally　presented：　　and
now　Somerset　saw　De　Stancy　advance　with　the　necklace　fetched
by　Paula　from　London；　and　clasp　it　on　her　neck。

This　seemed　to　throw　a　less　pleasant　light　on　her　hasty
journey。　　To　fetch　a　valuable　ornament　to　lend　it　to　a　poorer
friend　was　estimable；　but　to　fetch　it　that　the　friend's
brother　should　have　something　magnificent　to　use　as　a　lover's
offering　to　herself　in　public；　that　wore　a　different
complexion。　　And　if　the　article　were　recognized　by　the
spectators　as　the　same　that　Charlotte　had　worn　at　the　ball；
the　presentation　by　De　Stancy　of　what　must　seem　to　be　an
heirloom　of　his　house　would　be　read　as　symbolizing　a　union　of
the　families。

De　Stancy's　mode　of　presenting　the　necklace；　though
unauthorized　by　Shakespeare；　had　the　full　approval　of　the
company；　and　set　them　in　good　humour　to　receive　Major
Camperton　as　Armado　the　braggart。　　Nothing　calculated　to
stimulate　jealousy　occurred　again　till　the　fifth　act；　and　then
there　arose　full　cause　for　it。

The　scene　was　the　outside　of　the　Princess's　pavilion。　　De
Stancy；　as　the　King　of　Navarre；　stood　with　his　group　of
attendants　awaiting　the　Princess；　who　presently　entered　from
her　door。　　The　two　began　to　converse　as　the　play　appointed；　De
Stancy　turning　to　her　with　this　reply

　　　　　'Rebuke　me　not　for　that　which　you　provoke；
　　　　　　The　virtue　of　your　eye　must　break　my　oath。'

So　far　all　was　well；　and　Paula　opened　her　lips　for　the　set
rejoinder。　　But　before　she　had　spoken　De　Stancy　continued

　　　　　'If　I　profane　with　my　unworthy　hand
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（Taking　her　hand）
　　　　　　This　holy　shrine；　the　gentle　fine　is　this
　　　　　　My　lips；　two　blushing　pilgrims；　ready　stand
　　　　　　To　smooth　that　rough　touch　with　a　tender　kiss。'

Somerset　stared。　　Surely　in　this　comedy　the　King　never
addressed　the　Princess　in　such　warm　words；　and　yet　they　were
Shakespeare's；　for　they　were　quite　familiar　to　him。　　A　dim
suspicion　crossed　his　mind。　　Mrs。　Goodman　had　brought　a　copy
of　Shakespeare　with　her；　which　she　kept　in　her　lap　and　never
looked　at：　　borrowing　it；　Somerset　turned　to　'Romeo　and
Juliet；'　and　there　he　saw　the　words　which　De　Stancy　had
introduced　as　gag；　to　intensify　the　mild　love…making　of　the
other　play。　　Meanwhile　De　Stancy　continued

　　　　　'O　then；　dear　Saint；　let　lips　do　what　hands　do；
　　　　　　They　pray；　grant　thou；　lest　faith　turn　to　despair。
　　　　　　Then　move　not；　while　my　prayer's　effect　I　take。
　　　　　　Thus　from　my　lips；　by　yours；　my　sin　is　purg'd！'

Could　it　be　that　De　Stancy　was　going　to　do　what　came　next　in
the　stage　directionkiss　her？　　Before　there　was　time　for
conjecture　on　that　point　the　sound　of　a　very　sweet　and　long…
drawn　osculation　spread　through　the　room；　followed　by　loud
applause　from　the　people　in　the　cheap　seats。　　De　Stancy
withdrew　from　bending　over　Paula；　and　she　was　very　red　in　the
face。　　Nothing　seemed　clearer　than　that　he　had　actually　done
the　deed。　　The　applause　continuing；　Somerset　turned　his　head。
Five　hundred　faces　had　regarded　the　act；　without　a
consciousness　that　it　was　an　interpolation；　and　four　hundred
and　fifty　mouths　in　those　faces　were　smiling。　　About　one　half
of　them　were　tender　smiles；　these　came　from　the　women。　　The
other　half　were　at　best　humorous；　and　mainly　satirical；　these
came　from　the　men。　　It　was　a　profanation　without　parallel；　and
his　face　blazed　like　a　coal。

The　play　was　now　nearly　at　an　end；　and　Somerset　sat　on；
feeling　what　he　could　not　express。　　More　than　ever　was　he
assured　that　there　had　been　collusion　between　the　two
artillery　officers　to　bring　about　this　end。　　That　he　should
have　been　the　unhappy　man　to　design　those　picturesque　dresses
in　which　his　rival　so　audaciously　played　the　lover　to　his；
Somerset's；　mistress；　was　an　added　point　to　the　satire。　　He
could　hardly　go　so　far　as　to　assume　that　Paula　was　a
consenting　party　to　this　startling　interlude；　but　her
otherwise　unaccountable　wish　that　his　own　love　should　be
clandestinely　shown　lent　immense　force　to　a　doubt　of　her
sincerity。　　The　ghastly　thought　that　she　had　merely　been
keeping　him　on；　like　a　pet　spaniel；　to　amuse　her　leisure
moments　till　she　should　have　found　appropriate　opportunity　for
an　open　engagement　with　some　one　else；　trusting　to　his　sense
of　chivalry　to　keep　secret　their　little　episode；　filled　him
with　a　grim　heat。



IX。

At　the　back　of　the　room　the　applause　had　been　loud　at　the
moment　of　the　kiss；　real　or　counterfeit。　　The　cause　was　partly
owing　to　an　exceptional　circumstance　which　had　occurred　in
that