a laodicean-第59节

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'He's　a　harmless　inoffensive　soldier；　as　far　as　I　know。　　If　he
is　notlet　him　be　what　he　may　for　me。'

'And　do　his　worst　to　cut　you　out；　I　suppose？'

'Ayif　you　will。'　　Somerset；　much　against　his　judgment；　was
being　stimulated　by　these　pricks　into　words　of　irritation。
'Captain　De　Stancy　might；　I　think；　be　better　employed　than　in
dangling　at　the　heels　of　a　lady　who　can　well　dispense　with　his
company。　　And　you　might　be　better　employed　than　in　wasting
your　wages　here。'

'Wagesa　fit　word　for　my　money。　　May　I　ask　you　at　what　stage
in　the　appearance　of　a　man　whose　way　of　existence　is　unknown；
his　money　ceases　to　be　called　wages　and　begins　to　be　called
means？'

Somerset　turned　and　left　him　without　replying；　Dare　following
his　receding　figure　with　a　look　of　ripe　resentment；　not　less
likely　to　vent　itself　in　mischief　from　the　want　of　moral
ballast　in　him　who　emitted　it。　　He　then　fixed　a　nettled　and
unsatisfied　gaze　upon　the　gaming…rooms；　and　in　another　minute
or　two　left　the　Casino　also。

Dare　and　Somerset　met　no　more　that　day。　　The　latter　returned
to　Nice　by　the　evening　train　and　went　straight　to　the　hotel。
He　now　thanked　his　fortune　that　he　had　not　precipitately　given
up　his　room　there；　for　a　telegram　from　Paula　awaited　him。　　His
hand　almost　trembled　as　he　opened　it；　to　read　the　following
few　short　words；　dated　from　the　Grand　Hotel；　Genoa：

'Letter　received。　　Am　glad　to　hear　of　your　journey。　　We　are
not　returning　to　Nice；　but　stay　here　a　week。　　I　direct　this　at
a　venture。'

This　tantalizing　messagethe　first　breaking　of　her　recent
silencewas　saucy；　almost　cruel；　in　its　dry　frigidity。　　It
led　him　to　give　up　his　idea　of　following　at　once　to　Genoa。
That　was　what　she　obviously　expected　him　to　do；　and　it　was
possible　that　his　non…arrival　might　draw　a　letter　or　message
from　her　of　a　sweeter　composition　than　this。　　That　would　at
least　be　the　effect　of　his　tardiness　if　she　cared　in　the　least
for　him；　if　she　did　not　he　could　bear　the　worst。　　The　argument
was　good　enough　as　far　as　it　went；　but；　like　many　more；　failed
from　the　narrowness　of　its　premises；　the　contingent
intervention　of　Dare　being　entirely　undreamt　of。　　It　was
altogether　a　fatal　miscalculation；　which　cost　him　dear。

Passing　by　the　telegraph…office　in　the　Rue　Pont…Neuf　at　an
early　hour　the　next　morning　he　saw　Dare　coming　out　from　the
door。　　It　was　Somerset's　momentary　impulse　to　thank　Dare　for
the　information　given　as　to　Paula's　whereabouts；　information
which　had　now　proved　true。　　But　Dare　did　not　seem　to
appreciate　his　friendliness；　and　after　a　few　words　of　studied
civility　the　young　man　moved　on。

And　well　he　might。　　Five　minutes　before　that　time　he　had
thrown　open　a　gulf　of　treachery　between　himself　and　the
architect　which　nothing　in　life　could　ever　close。　　Before
leaving　the　telegraph…office　Dare　had　despatched　the　following
message　to　Paula　direct；　as　a　set…off　against　what　he　called
Somerset's　ingratitude　for　valuable　information；　though　it　was
really　the　fruit　of　many　passions；　motives；　and　desires：

'G。　Somerset；　Nice；　to　Miss　Power；　Grand　Hotel；　Genoa。

'Have　lost　all　at　Monte　Carlo。　　Have　learnt　that　Captain　D。　S。
returns　here　to…morrow。　　Please　send　me　one　hundred　pounds　by
him；　and　save　me　from　disgrace。　　Will　await　him　at　eleven
o'clock　and　four；　on　the　Pont…Neuf。'



V。

Five　hours　after　the　despatch　of　that　telegram　Captain　De
Stancy　was　rattling　along　the　coast　railway　of　the　Riviera
from　Genoa　to　Nice。　　He　was　returning　to　England　by　way　of
Marseilles；　but　before　turning　northwards　he　had　engaged　to
perform　on　Miss　Power's　account　a　peculiar　and　somewhat
disagreeable　duty。　　This　was　to　place　in　Somerset's　hands　a
hundred　and　twenty…five　napoleons　which　had　been　demanded　from
her　by　a　message　in　Somerset's　name。　　The　money　was　in　his
pocketall　in　gold；　in　a　canvas　bag；　tied　up　by　Paula's　own
hands；　which　he　had　observed　to　tremble　as　she　tied　it。

As　he　leaned　in　the　corner　of　the　carriage　he　was　thinking
over　the　events　of　the　morning　which　had　culminated　in　that
liberal　response。　　At　ten　o'clock；　before　he　had　gone　out　from
the　hotel　where　he　had　taken　up　his　quarters；　which　was　not
the　same　as　the　one　patronized　by　Paula　and　her　friends；　he
had　been　summoned　to　her　presence　in　a　manner　so　unexpected　as
to　imply　that　something　serious　was　in　question。　　On　entering
her　room　he　had　been　struck　by　the　absence　of　that　saucy
independence　usually　apparent　in　her　bearing　towards　him；
notwithstanding　the　persistency　with　which　he　had　hovered　near
her　for　the　previous　month；　and　gradually；　by　the　position　of
his　sister；　and　the　favour　of　Paula's　uncle　in　intercepting
one　of　Somerset's　letters　and　several　of　his　telegrams；
established　himself　as　an　intimate　member　of　the　travelling
party。　　His　entry；　however；　this　time　as　always；　had　had　the
effect　of　a　tonic；　and　it　was　quite　with　her　customary　self…
possession　that　she　had　told　him　of　the　object　of　her　message。

'You　think　of　returning　to　Nice　this　afternoon？'　she　inquired。

De　Stancy　informed　her　that　such　was　his　intention；　and　asked
if　he　could　do　anything　for　her　there。

Then；　he　remembered；　she　had　hesitated。　　'I　have　received　a
telegram；'　she　said　at　length；　and　so　she　allowed　to　escape
her　bit　by　bit　the　information　that　her　architect；　whose　name
she　seemed　reluctant　to　utter；　had　travelled　from　England　to
Nice　that　week；　partly　to　consult　her；　partly　for　a　holiday
trip；　that　he　had　gone　on　to　Monte　Carlo；　had　there　lost　his
money　and　got　into　difficulties；　and　had　appealed　to　her　to
help　him　out　of　them　by　the　immediate　advance　of　some　ready
cash。　　It　was　a　sad　case；　an　unexpected　case；　she　murmured；
with　her　eyes　fixed　on　the　window。　　Indeed　she　could　not
comprehend　it。

To　De　Stancy　there　appeared　nothing　so　very　extraordinary　in
Somerset's　apparent　fiasco；　except　in　so　far　as　that　he　should
have　applied　to　Paula　for　relief　from　his　distresses　instead
of　elsewhere。　　It　was　a　self…humiliation　which　a　lover　would
have　avoided　at　all　costs；　he　thought。　　Yet　after　a　momentary
reflection　on　his　theory　of　Somerset's　character；　it　seemed
sufficiently　natural　that　he　should　lean　persistently　on
Paula；　if　only　with　a　view　of　keeping　himself　linked　to　her
memory；　without　thinking　too　profoundly　of　his　own　dignity。
That　the　esteem　in　which　she　had　held　Somerset　up　to　that　hour
suffered　a　tremendous　blow　by　his　apparent　scrape　was　clearly
visible　in　her；　reticent　as　she　was；　and　De　Stancy；　while
pitying　Somerset；　thanked　him　in　his　mind　for　having
gratuitously　given　a　rival　an　advantage　which　that　rival's
attentions　had　never　been　able　to　gain　of　themselves。

After　a　little　further　conversation　she　had　said：　　'Since　you
are　to　be　my　messenger；　I　must　tell　you　that　I　have　decided　to
send　the　hundred　pounds　asked　for；　and　you　will　please　to
deliver　them　into　no　hands　but　his　own。'　　A　curious　little
blush　crept　over　her　sobered　faceperhaps　it　was　a　blush　of
shame　at　the　conduct　of　the　young　man　in　whom　she　had　of　late
been　suspiciously　interestedas　she　added；　'He　will　be　on　the
Pont…Neuf　at　four　this　afternoon　and　again　at　eleven　tomorrow。
Can　you　meet　him　there？'

'Certainly；'　De　Stancy　replied。

She　then　asked　him；　rather　anxiously；　how　he　could　account　for
Mr。　Somerset　knowing　that　he；　Captain　De　Stancy；　was　about　to
return　to　Nice？

De　Stancy　informed　her　that　he　left　word　at　the　hotel　of　his
intention　to　return；　which　was　quite　true；　moreover；　there　did
not　lurk　in　his　mind　at　the　moment　of　speaking　the　faintest
suspicion　that　Somerset　had　seen　Dare。

She　then　tied　the　bag　and　handed　it　to　him；　leaving　him　with　a
serene　and　impenetrable　bearing；　which　he　hoped　for　his　own
sake　meant　an　acquired　indifference　to　Somerset　and　his
fortunes。　　Her　sending　the　architect　a　sum　of　money　which　she
could　easily　spare　might　be　set　down　to　natural　generosity
towards　a　man　with　whom　she　was　artistically　co…operating　for
the　improvement　of　her　home。

She　came　back　to　him　again　for　a　moment。　　'Could　you　possibly
get　there　before　four　this　afternoon？'　she　asked；　and　he
informed　her　that　he　could　just　do　so　by　leaving　almost　at
once；　which　he　was　very　willing　to　do；　though　by　so
forestalling　his　time　he　would　lose　the　projected　morning　with
her　and　the　rest　at　the　Palazzo　Doria。

'I　may　tell　you　that　I　shall　not　go　to　the　Palazzo　Doria
either；　if　it　is　any　consolation　to　you　to　know　it；'　was　her
reply。　　'I　shall　sit　indoors　and　think　of　you　on　your
journey。'

The　answer　admitted　of　two　translations；　and　conjectures
thereon　filled　the　gallant　soldier's　mind　during　the　greater
part　of　the　journey。　　He　arrived　at　the　hotel　they　had　all
stayed　at　in　succession　about　six　hours　after　Somerset　had
left　it　for　a　little　excursion　to　San　Remo　and　its
neighbourhood；　as　a　means　of　passing　a　few　days　till　Paula
should　write　again　to　inquire　why　he　had　not　come　on。　　De
Stancy　saw　no　one　he　knew；　and　in　obedience　to　Paula's
commands　he　promptly　set　off　on　foot　for　the　Pont…Neuf。

Though　opposed　to　the　architect　as　a　lover；　De　Stancy　felt　for
him　as　a　poor　devil　in　need　of　money；　having　had　experiences
of　that　sort　himself；　and　he　was　really　anxious　that　the
needful　supply　entrus