a laodicean-第86章

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wonder　how　he　could　have　miscalculated　himself　to　the　extent
of　supposing　that　he　might　pass　the　spot　with　controllable
emotion。

On　entering　Markton　station　he　withdrew　into　a　remote　corner
of　the　carriage；　and　closed　his　eyes　with　a　resolve　not　to
open　them　till　the　embittering　scenes　should　be　passed　by。　　He
had　not　long　to　wait　for　this　event。　　When　again　in　motion　his
eye　fell　upon　the　skirt　of　a　lady's　dress　opposite；　the　owner
of　which　had　entered　and　seated　herself　so　softly　as　not　to
attract　his　attention。

'Ah　indeed！'　he　exclaimed　as　he　looked　up　to　her　face。　　'I　had
not　a　notion　that　it　was　you！'　　He　went　over　and　shook　hands
with　Charlotte　De　Stancy。

'I　am　not　going　far；'　she　said；　'only　to　the　next　station。　　We
often　run　down　in　summer　time。　　Are　you　going　far？'

'I　am　going　to　a　building　further　on；　thence　to　Normandy　by
way　of　Cherbourg；　to　finish　out　my　holiday。'

Miss　De　Stancy　thought　that　would　be　very　nice。

'Well；　I　hope　so。　　But　I　fear　it　won't。'

After　saying　that　Somerset　asked　himself　why　he　should　mince
matters　with　so　genuine　and　sympathetic　a　girl　as　Charlotte　De
Stancy？　　She　could　tell　him　particulars　which　he　burned　to
know。　　He　might　never　again　have　an　opportunity　of　knowing
them；　since　she　and　he　would　probably　not　meet　for　years　to
come；　if　at　all。

'Have　the　castle　works　progressed　pretty　rapidly　under　the　new
architect？'　he　accordingly　asked。

'Yes；'　said　Charlotte　in　her　hastethen　adding　that　she　was
not　quite　sure　if　they　had　progressed　so　rapidly　as　before；
blushingly　correcting　herself　at　this　point　and　that；　in　the
tinkering　manner　of　a　nervous　organization　aiming　at　nicety
where　it　was　not　required。

'Well；　I　should　have　liked　to　carry　out　the　undertaking　to　its
end；'　said　Somerset。　　'But　I　felt　I　could　not　consistently　do
so。　　Miss　Power'　（here　a　lump　came　into　Somerset's　throat
so　responsive　was　he　yet　to　her　image）'seemed　to　have　lost
confidence　in　me；　andit　was　best　that　the　connection　should
be　severed。'

There　was　a　long　pause。　　'She　was　very　sorry　about　it；'　said
Charlotte　gently。

'What　made　her　alter　so？I　never　can　think！'

Charlotte　waited　again　as　if　to　accumulate　the　necessary　force
for　honest　speaking　at　the　expense　of　pleasantness。　　'It　was
the　telegram　that　began　it　of　course；'　she　answered。

'Telegram？'

She　looked　up　at　him　in　quite　a　frightened　waylittle　as
there　was　to　be　frightened　at　in　a　quiet　fellow　like　him　in
this　sad　time　of　his　lifeand　said；　'Yes：　　some　telegramI
thinkwhen　you　were　in　trouble？　　Forgive　my　alluding　to　it；
but　you　asked　me　the　question。'

Somerset　began　reflecting　on　what　messages　he　had　sent　Paula；
troublous　or　otherwise。　　All　he　had　sent　had　been　sent　from
the　castle；　and　were　as　gentle　and　mellifluous　as　sentences
well　could　be　which　had　neither　articles　nor　pronouns。　　'I
don't　understand；'　he　said。　　'Will　you　explain　a　little　more
as　plainly　as　you　likewithout　minding　my　feelings？'

'A　telegram　from　Nice；　I　think？'

'I　never　sent　one。'

'O！　　The　one　I　meant　was　about　money。'

Somerset　shook　his　head。　　'No；'　he　murmured；　with　the
composure　of　a　man　who；　knowing　he　had　done　nothing　of　the
sort　himself；　was　blinded　by　his　own　honesty　to　the
possibility　that　another　might　have　done　it　for　him。　　'That
must　be　some　other　affair　with　which　I　had　nothing　to　do。　　O
no；　it　was　nothing　like　that；　the　reason　for　her　change　of
manner　was　quite　different！'

So　timid　was　Charlotte　in　Somerset's　presence；　that　her
timidity　at　this　juncture　amounted　to　blameworthiness。　　The
distressing　scene　which　must　have　followed　a　clearing　up　there
and　then　of　any　possible　misunderstanding；　terrified　her
imagination；　and　quite　confounded　by　contradictions　that　she
could　not　reconcile；　she　held　her　tongue；　and　nervously　looked
out　of　the　window。

'I　have　heard　that　Miss　Power　is　soon　to　be　married；'
continued　Somerset。

'Yes；'　Charlotte　murmured。　　'It　is　sooner　than　it　ought　to　be
by　rights；　considering　how　recently　my　dear　father　died；　but
there　are　reasons　in　connection　with　my　brother's　position
against　putting　it　off：　　and　it　is　to　be　absolutely　simple　and
private。'

There　was　another　interval。　　'May　I　ask　when　it　is　to　be？'　he
said。

'Almost　at　oncethis　week。'

Somerset　started　back　as　if　some　stone　had　hit　his　face。

Still　there　was　nothing　wonderful　in　such　promptitude：
engagements　broken　in　upon　by　the　death　of　a　near　relative　of
one　of　the　parties　had　been　often　carried　out　in　a　subdued
form　with　no　longer　delay。

Charlotte's　station　was　now　at　hand。　　She　bade　him　farewell；
and　he　rattled　on　to　the　building　he　had　come　to　inspect；　and
next　to　Budmouth；　whence　he　intended　to　cross　the　Channel　by
steamboat　that　night。

He　hardly　knew　how　the　evening　passed　away。　　He　had　taken　up
his　quarters　at　an　inn　near　the　quay；　and　as　the　night　drew　on
he　stood　gazing　from　the　coffee…room　window　at　the　steamer
outside；　which　nearly　thrust　its　spars　through　the　bedroom
casements；　and　at　the　goods　that　were　being　tumbled　on　board
as　only　shippers　can　tumble　them。　　All　the　goods　were　laden；　a
lamp　was　put　on　each　side　the　gangway；　the　engines　broke　into
a　crackling　roar；　and　people　began　to　enter。　　They　were　only
waiting　for　the　last　train：　　then　they　would　be　off。　　Still
Somerset　did　not　move；　he　was　thinking　of　that　curious　half…
told　story　of　Charlotte's；　about　a　telegram　to　Paula　for　money
from　Nice。　　Not　once　till　within　the　last　half…hour　had　it
recurred　to　his　mind　that　he　had　met　Dare　both　at　Nice　and　at
Monte　Carlo；　that　at　the　latter　place　he　had　been　absolutely
out　of　money　and　wished　to　borrow；　showing　considerable
sinister　feeling　when　Somerset　declined　to　lend：　　that　on　one
or　two　previous　occasions　he　had　reasons　for　doubting　Dare's
probity；　and　that　in　spite　of　the　young　man's　impoverishment
at　Monte　Carlo　he　had；　a　few　days　later；　beheld　him　in　shining
raiment　at　Carlsruhe。　　Somerset；　though　misty　in　his
conjectures；　was　seized　with　a　growing　conviction　that　there
was　something　in　Miss　De　Stancy's　allusion　to　the　telegram
which　ought　to　be　explained。

He　felt　an　insurmountable　objection　to　cross　the　water　that
night；　or　till　he　had　been　able　to　see　Charlotte　again；　and
learn　more　of　her　meaning。　　He　countermanded　the　order　to　put
his　luggage　on　board；　watched　the　steamer　out　of　the　harbour；
and　went　to　bed。　　He　might　as　well　have　gone　to　battle；　for
any　rest　that　he　got。　　On　rising　the　next　morning　he　felt
rather　blank；　though　none　the　less　convinced　that　a　matter
required　investigation。　　He　left　Budmouth　by　a　morning　train；
and　about　eleven　o'clock　found　himself　in　Markton。

The　momentum　of　a　practical　inquiry　took　him　through　that
ancient　borough　without　leaving　him　much　leisure　for　those
reveries　which　had　yesterday　lent　an　unutterable　sadness　to
every　object　there。　　It　was　just　before　noon　that　he　started
for　the　castle；　intending　to　arrive　at　a　time　of　the　morning
when；　as　he　knew　from　experience；　he　could　speak　to　Charlotte
without　difficulty。　　The　rising　ground　soon　revealed　the　old
towers　to　him；　and；　jutting　out　behind　them；　the　scaffoldings
for　the　new　wing。

While　halting　here　on　the　knoll　in　some　doubt　about　his
movements　he　beheld　a　man　coming　along　the　road；　and　was　soon
confronted　by　his　former　competitor；　Havill。　　The　first
instinct　of　each　was　to　pass　with　a　nod；　but　a　second　instinct
for　intercourse　was　sufficient　to　bring　them　to　a　halt。　　After
a　few　superficial　words　had　been　spoken　Somerset　said；　'You
have　succeeded　me。'

'I　have；'　said　Havill；　'but　little　to　my　advantage。　　I　have
just　heard　that　my　commission　is　to　extend　no　further　than
roofing　in　the　wing　that　you　began；　and　had　I　known　that
before；　I　would　have　seen　the　castle　fall　flat　as　Jericho
before　I　would　have　accepted　the　superintendence。　　But　I　know
who　I　have　to　thank　for　thatDe　Stancy。'

Somerset　still　looked　towards　the　distant　battlements。　　On　the
scaffolding；　among　the　white…jacketed　workmen；　he　could
discern　one　figure　in　a　dark　suit。

'You　have　a　clerk　of　the　works；　I　see；'　he　observed。

'Nominally　I　have；　but　practically　I　haven't。'

'Then　why　do　you　keep　him？'

'I　can't　help　myself。　　He　is