a laodicean-第87章

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

'Then　why　do　you　keep　him？'

'I　can't　help　myself。　　He　is　Mr。　Dare；　and　having　been
recommended　by　a　higher　power　than　I；　there　he　must　stay　in
spite　of　me。'

'Who　recommended　him？'

'The　sameDe　Stancy。'

'It　is　very　odd；'　murmured　Somerset；　'but　that　young　man　is
the　object　of　my　visit。'

'You　had　better　leave　him　alone；'　said　Havill　drily。

Somerset　asked　why。

'Since　I　call　no　man　master　over　that　way　I　will　inform　you。'
Havill　then　related　in　splenetic　tones；　to　which　Somerset　did
not　care　to　listen　till　the　story　began　to　advance　itself；　how
he　had　passed　the　night　with　Dare　at　the　inn；　and　the
incidents　of　that　night；　relating　how　he　had　seen　some　letters
on　the　young　man's　breast　which　long　had　puzzled　him。　　'They
were　an　E；　a　T；　an　N；　and　a　C。　　I　thought　over　them　long；　till
it　eventually　occurred　to　me　that　the　word　when　filled　out　was
〃De　Stancy；〃　and　that　kinship　explains　the　offensive　and
defensive　alliance　between　them。'

'But；　good　heavens；　man！'　said　Somerset；　more　and　more
disturbed。　　'Does　she　know　of　it？'

'You　may　depend　she　does　not　yet；　but　she　will　soon　enough。
Harkthere　it　is！'　　The　notes　of　the　castle　clock　were　heard
striking　noon。　　'Then　it　is　all　over。'

'What？not　their　marriage！'

'Yes。　　Didn't　you　know　it　was　the　wedding　day？　　They　were　to
be　at　the　church　at　half…past　eleven。　　I　should　have　waited　to
see　her　go；　but　it　was　no　sight　to　hinder　business　for；　as　she
was　only　going　to　drive　over　in　her　brougham　with　Miss　De
Stancy。'

'My　errand　has　failed！'　said　Somerset；　turning　on　his　heel。
'I'll　walk　back　to　the　town　with　you。'

However　he　did　not　walk　far　with　Havill；　society　was　too　much
at　that　moment。　　As　soon　as　opportunity　offered　he　branched
from　the　road　by　a　path；　and　avoiding　the　town　went　by　railway
to　Budmouth；　whence　he　resumed；　by　the　night　steamer；　his
journey　to　Normandy



XIII。

To　return　to　Charlotte　De　Stancy。　　When　the　train　had　borne
Somerset　from　her　side；　and　she　had　regained　her　self…
possession；　she　became　conscious　of　the　true　proportions　of
the　fact　he　had　asserted。　　And；　further；　if　the　telegram　had
not　been　his；　why　should　the　photographic　distortion　be
trusted　as　a　phase　of　his　existence？　　But　after　a　while　it
seemed　so　improbable　to　her　that　God's　sun　should　bear　false
witness；　that　instead　of　doubting　both　evidences　she　was
inclined　to　readmit　the　first。　　Still；　upon　the　whole；　she
could　not　question　for　long　the　honesty　of　Somerset's　denial
and　if　that　message　had　indeed　been　sent　by　him；　it　must　have
been　done　while　he　was　in　another　such　an　unhappy　state　as
that　exemplified　by　the　portrait。　　The　supposition　reconciled
all　differences；　and　yet　she　could　not　but　fight　against　it
with　all　the　strength　of　a　generous　affection。

All　the　afternoon　her　poor　little　head　was　busy　on　this
perturbing　question；　till　she　inquired　of　herself　whether
after　all　it　might　not　be　possible　for　photographs　to
represent　people　as　they　had　never　been。　　Before　rejecting　the
hypothesis　she　determined　to　have　the　word　of　a　professor　on
the　point；　which　would　be　better　than　all　her　surmises。
Returning　to　Markton　early；　she　told　the　coachman　whom　Paula
had　sent；　to　drive　her　to　the　shop　of　Mr。　Ray；　an　obscure
photographic　artist　in　that　town；　instead　of　straight　home。

Ray's　establishment　consisted　of　two　divisions；　the
respectable　and　the　shabby。　　If；　on　entering　the　door；　the
visitor　turned　to　the　left；　he　found　himself　in　a　magazine　of
old　clothes；　old　furniture；　china；　umbrellas；　guns；　fishing…
rods；　dirty　fiddles；　and　split　flutes。　　Entering　the　right…
hand　room；　which　had　originally　been　that　of　an　independent
house；　he　was　in　an　ordinary　photographer's　and　print…
collector's　depository；　to　which　a　certain　artistic　solidity
was　imparted　by　a　few　oil　paintings　in　the　background。
Charlotte　made　for　the　latter　department；　and　when　she　was
inside　Mr。　Ray　appeared　in　person　from　the　lumber…shop
adjoining；　which；　despite　its　manginess；　contributed　by　far
the　greater　share　to　his　income。

Charlotte　put　her　question　simply　enough。　　The　man　did　not
answer　her　directly；　but　soon　found　that　she　meant　no　harm　to
him。　　He　told　her　that　such　misrepresentations　were　quite
possible；　and　that　they　embodied　a　form　of　humour　which　was
getting　more　and　more　into　vogue　among　certain　facetious
persons　of　society。

Charlotte　was　coming　away　when　she　asked；　as　on　second
thoughts；　if　he　had　any　specimens　of　such　work　to　show　her。

'None　of　my　own　preparation；'　said　Mr。　Ray；　with　unimpeachable
probity　of　tone。　　'I　consider　them　libellous　myself。　　Still；　I
have　one　or　two　samples　by　me；　which　I　keep　merely　as
curiosities。There's　one；'　he　said；　throwing　out　a　portrait
card　from　a　drawer。　　'That　represents　the　German　Emperor　in　a
violent　passion：　　this　one　shows　the　Prime　Minister　out　of　his
mind；　this　the　Pope　of　Rome　the　worse　for　liquor。'

She　inquired　if　he　had　any　local　specimens。

'Yes；'　he　said；　'but　I　prefer　not　to　exhibit　them　unless　you
really　ask　for　a　particular　one　that　you　mean　to　buy。'

'I　don't　want　any。'

'O；　I　beg　pardon；　miss。　　Well；　I　shouldn't　myself　own　such
things　were　produced；　if　there　had　not　been　a　young　man　here
at　one　time　who　was　very　ingenious　in　these　mattersa　Mr。
Dare。　　He　was　quite　a　gent；　and　only　did　it　as　an　amusement；
and　not　for　the　sake　of　getting　a　living。'

Charlotte　had　no　wish　to　hear　more。　　On　her　way　home　she　burst
into　tears：　　the　entanglement　was　altogether　too　much　for　her
to　tear　asunder；　even　had　not　her　own　instincts　been　urging
her　two　ways；　as　they　were。

To　immediately　right　Somerset's　wrong　was　her　impetuous　desire
as　an　honest　woman　who　loved　him；　but　such　rectification　would
be　the　jeopardizing　of　all　else　that　gratified　herthe
marriage　of　her　brother　with　her　dearest　friendnow　on　the
very　point　of　accomplishment。　　It　was　a　marriage　which　seemed
to　promise　happiness；　or　at　least　comfort；　if　the　old　flutter
that　had　transiently　disturbed　Paula's　bosom　could　be　kept
from　reviving；　to　which　end　it　became　imperative　to　hide　from
her　the　discovery　of　injustice　to　Somerset。　　It　involved　the
advantage　of　leaving　Somerset　free；　and　though　her　own　tender
interest　in　him　had　been　too　well　schooled　by　habitual　self…
denial　to　run　ahead　on　vain　personal　hopes；　there　was　nothing
more　than　human　in　her　feeling　pleasure　in　prolonging
Somerset's　singleness。　　Paula　might　even　be　allowed　to
discover　his　wrongs　when　her　marriage　had　put　him　out　of　her
power。　　But　to　let　her　discover　his　ill…treatment　now　might
upset　the　impending　union　of　the　families；　and　wring　her　own
heart　with　the　sight　of　Somerset　married　in　her　brother's
place。

Why　Dare；　or　any　other　person；　should　have　set　himself　to
advance　her　brother's　cause　by　such　unscrupulous　blackening　of
Somerset's　character　was　more　than　her　sagacity　could　fathom。
Her　brother　was；　as　far　as　she　could　see；　the　only　man　who
could　directly　profit　by　the　machination；　and　was　therefore
the　natural　one　to　suspect　of　having　set　it　going。　　But　she
would　not　be　so　disloyal　as　to　entertain　the　thought　long；　and
who　or　what　had　instigated　Dare；　who　was　undoubtedly　the
proximate　cause　of　the　mischief；　remained　to　her　an
inscrutable　mystery。

The　contention　of　interests　and　desires　with　honour　in　her
heart　shook　Charlotte　all　that　night；　but　good　principle
prevailed。　　The　wedding　was　to　be　solemnized　the　very　next
morning；　though　for　before…mentioned　reasons　this　was　hardly
known　outside　the　two　houses　interested；　and　there　were　no
visible　preparations　either　at　villa　or　castle。　　De　Stancy　and
his　groomsmana　brother　officerslept　at　the　former
residence。

De　Stancy　was　a　sorry　specimen　of　a　bridegroom　when　he　met　his
sister　in　the　morning。　　Thick…coming　fancies；　for　which　there
was　more　than　good　reason；　had　disturbed　him　only　too
successfully；　and　he　was　as　full　of　apprehension　as　one　who
has　a　league　with　Mephistopheles。　　Charlotte　told　him　nothing
of　what　made　her　likewise　so　wan　and　anxious；　but　drove　off　to
the　castle；　as　had　been　planned；　about　nine　o'clock；　leaving
her　brother　and　his　friend　at　the　breakfast…table