a laodicean-第91章

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These　figures　were　cloaked　with　little　cobwebs　which　waved　in
the　breeze；　so　that　each　figure　seemed　alive。

She　examined　the　woodwork　closely；　here　and　there　she
discerned　pencil…marks　which　had　no　doubt　been　jotted　thereon
by　Somerset　as　points　of　admeasurement；　in　the　way　she　had
seen　him　mark　them　at　the　castle。　　Some　fragments　of　paper　lay
below：　　there　were　pencilled　lines　on　them；　and　they　bore　a
strong　resemblance　to　a　spoilt　leaf　of　Somerset's　sketch…book。
Paula　glanced　up；　and　from　a　window　above　protruded　an　old
woman's　head；　which；　with　the　exception　of　the　white
handkerchief　tied　round　it；　was　so　nearly　of　the　colour　of　the
carvings　that　she　might　easily　have　passed　as　of　a　piece　with
them。　　The　aged　woman　continued　motionless；　the　remains　of　her
eyes　being　bent　upon　Paula；　who　asked　her　in　Englishwoman's
French　where　the　sketcher　had　gone。　　Without　replying；　the
crone　produced　a　hand　and　extended　finger　from　her　side；　and
pointed　towards　the　lower　end　of　the　street。

Paula　went　on；　the　carriage　following　with　difficulty；　on
account　of　the　obstructions　in　the　thoroughfare。　　At　bottom；
the　street　abutted　on　a　wide　one　with　customary　modern　life
flowing　through　it；　and　as　she　looked；　Somerset　crossed　her
front　along　this　street；　hurrying　as　if　for　a　wager。

By　the　time　that　Paula　had　reached　the　bottom　Somerset　was　a
long　way　to　the　left；　and　she　recognized　to　her　dismay　that
the　busy　transverse　street　was　one　which　led　to　the　railway。
She　quickened　her　pace　to　a　run；　he　did　not　see　her；　he　even
walked　faster。　　She　looked　behind　for　the　carriage。　　The
driver　in　emerging　from　the　sixteenth…century　street　to　the
nineteenth　had　apparently　turned　to　the　right；　instead　of　to
the　left　as　she　had　done；　so　that　her　aunt　had　lost　sight　of
her。　　However；　she　dare　not　mind　it；　if　Somerset　would　but
look　back！　　He　partly　turned；　but　not　far　enough；　and　it　was
only　to　hail　a　passing　omnibus　upon　which　she　discerned　his
luggage。　　Somerset　jumped　in；　the　omnibus　drove　on；　and
diminished　up　the　long　road。　　Paula　stood　hopelessly　still；
and　in　a　few　minutes　puffs　of　steam　showed　her　that　the　train
had　gone。

She　turned　and　waited；　the　two　or　three　children　who　had
gathered　round　her　looking　up　sympathizingly　in　her　face。　　Her
aunt；　having　now　discovered　the　direction　of　her　flight；　drove
up　and　beckoned　to　her。

'What's　the　matter？'　asked　Mrs。　Goodman　in　alarm。

'Why？'

'That　you　should　run　like　that；　and　look　so　woebegone。'

'Nothing：　　only　I　have　decided　not　to　stay　in　this　town。'

'What！　he　is　gone；　I　suppose？'

'Yes！'　exclaimed　Paula；　with　tears　of　vexation　in　her　eyes。
'It　isn't　every　man　who　gets　a　woman　of　my　position　to　run
after　him　on　foot；　and　alone；　and　he　ought　to　have　looked
round！　　Drive　to　the　station；　I　want　to　make　an　inquiry。'

On　reaching　the　station　she　asked　the　booking…clerk　some
questions；　and　returned　to　her　aunt　with　a　cheerful
countenance。　　'Mr。　Somerset　has　only　gone　to　Caen；'　she　said。
'He　is　the　only　Englishman　who　went　by　this　train；　so　there　is
no　mistake。　　There　is　no　other　train　for　two　hours。　　We　will
go　on　thenshall　we？'

'I　am　indifferent；'　said　Mrs。　Goodman。　　'But；　Paula；　do　you
think　this　quite　right？　　Perhaps　he　is　not　so　anxious　for　your
forgiveness　as　you　think。　　Perhaps　he　saw　you；　and　wouldn't
stay。'

A　momentary　dismay　crossed　her　face；　but　it　passed；　and　she
answered；　'Aunt；　that's　nonsense。　　I　know　him　well　enough；　and
can　assure　you　that　if　he　had　only　known　I　was　running　after
him；　he　would　have　looked　round　sharply　enough；　and　would　have
given　his　little　finger　rather　than　have　missed　me！　　I　don't
make　myself　so　silly　as　to　run　after　a　gentleman　without　good
grounds；　for　I　know　well　that　it　is　an　undignified　thing　to
do。　　Indeed；　I　could　never　have　thought　of　doing　it；　if　I　had
not　been　so　miserably　in　the　wrong！'



II。

That　evening　when　the　sun　was　dropping　out　of　sight　they
started　for　the　city　of　Somerset's　pilgrimage。　　Paula　seated
herself　with　her　face　toward　the　western　sky；　watching　from
her　window　the　broad　red　horizon；　across　which　moved　thin
poplars　lopped　to　human　shapes；　like　the　walking　forms　in
Nebuchadnezzar's　furnace。　　It　was　dark　when　the　travellers
drove　into　Caen。

She　still　persisted　in　her　wish　to　casually　encounter　Somerset
in　some　aisle；　lady…chapel；　or　crypt　to　which　he　might　have
betaken　himself　to　copy　and　learn　the　secret　of　the　great
artists　who　had　erected　those　nooks。　　Mrs。　Goodman　was　for
discovering　his　inn；　and　calling　upon　him　in　a　straightforward
way；　but　Paula　seemed　afraid　of　it；　and　they　went　out　in　the
morning　on　foot。　　First　they　searched　the　church　of　St。
Sauveur；　he　was　not　there；　next　the　church　of　St。　Jean；　then
the　church　of　St。　Pierre；　but　he　did　not　reveal　himself；　nor
had　any　verger　seen　or　heard　of　such　a　man。　　Outside　the
latter　church　was　a　public　flower…garden；　and　she　sat　down　to
consider　beside　a　round　pool　in　which　water…lilies　grew　and
gold…fish　swam；　near　beds　of　fiery　geraniums；　dahlias；　and
verbenas　just　past　their　bloom。　　Her　enterprise　had　not　been
justified　by　its　results　so　far；　but　meditation　still　urged
her　to　listen　to　the　little　voice　within　and　push　on。　　She
accordingly　rejoined　her　aunt；　and　they　drove　up　the　hill　to
the　Abbaye　aux　Dames；　the　day　by　this　time　having　grown　hot
and　oppressive。

The　church　seemed　absolutely　empty；　the　void　being　emphasized
by　its　grateful　coolness。　　But　on　going　towards　the　east　end
they　perceived　a　bald　gentleman　close　to　the　screen；　looking
to　the　right　and　to　the　left　as　if　much　perplexed。　　Paula
merely　glanced　over　him；　his　back　being　toward　her；　and
turning　to　her　aunt　said　softly；　'I　wonder　how　we　get　into　the
choir？'

'That's　just　what　I　am　wondering；'　said　the　old　gentleman；
abruptly　facing　round；　and　Paula　discovered　that　the
countenance　was　not　unfamiliar　to　her　eye。　　Since　knowing
Somerset　she　had　added　to　her　gallery　of　celebrities　a
photograph　of　his　father；　the　Academician；　and　he　it　was　now
who　confronted　her。

For　the　moment　embarrassment；　due　to　complicated　feelings；
brought　a　slight　blush　to　her　cheek；　but　being　well　aware　that
he　did　not　know　her；　she　answered；　coolly　enough；　'I　suppose
we　must　ask　some　one。'

'And　we　certainly　would　if　there　were　any　one　to　ask；'　he
said；　still　looking　eastward；　and　not　much　at　her。　　'I　have
been　here　a　long　time；　but　nobody　comes。　　Not　that　I　want　to
get　in　on　my　own　account；　for　though　it　is　thirty　years　since
I　last　set　foot　in　this　place；　I　remember　it　as　if　it　were　but
yesterday。'

'Indeed。　　I　have　never　been　here　before；'　said　Paula。

'Naturally。　　But　I　am　looking　for　a　young　man　who　is　making
sketches　in　some　of　these　buildings；　and　it　is　as　likely　as
not　that　he　is　in　the　crypt　under　this　choir；　for　it　is　just
such　out…of…the…way　nooks　that　he　prefers。　　It　is　very
provoking　that　he　should　not　have　told　me　more　distinctly　in
his　letter　where　to　find　him。'

Mrs。　Goodman；　who　had　gone　to　make　inquiries；　now　came　back；
and　informed　them　that　she　had　learnt　that　it　was　necessary　to
pass　through　the　Hotel…Dieu　to　the　choir；　to　do　which　they
must　go　outside。　　Thereupon　they　walked　on　together；　and　Mr。
Somerset；　quite　ignoring　his　troubles；　made　remarks　upon　the
beauty　of　the　architecture；　and　in　absence　of　mind；　by　reason
either　of　the　subject；　or　of　his　listener；　retained　his　hat　in
his　hand　after　emerging　from　the　church；　while　they　walked　all
the　way　across　the　Place　and　into　the　Hospital　gardens。

'A　very　civil　man；'　said　Mrs。　Goodman　to　Paula　privately。

'Yes；'　said　Paula；　who　had　not　told　her　aunt　that　she
recognized　him。

One　of　the　Sisters　now　preceded　them　towards　the　choir　and
crypt；　Mr。　Somerset　asking　her　if　a　young　Englishman　was　or
had　been　sketching　there。　　On　receiving　a　reply　in　the
negative；　Paula　nearly　betrayed　herself　by　turning；　as　if　her
business　there；　too；　ended　with　the　information。　　However；　she
went　on　again；　and　made　a　pretence　of　looking　round；　Mr。
Somerset　also　staying　in　a　spirit　of　friendly　attention　to　his
countrywomen。　　They　did　not　part　from　him　till　they　had　come
out　from　the　crypt；　and　again　reached　the　west　front；　on　their
way