a laodicean-第50部分

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content'

'Very　well；'　said　Somerset；　with　repressed　sadness；　'I　will
not　expect　you　to　say　more。　　But　you　do　like　me　a　little；
Paula？'

'Now！'　she　said；　shaking　her　head　with　symptoms　of　tenderness
and　looking　into　his　eyes。　　'What　have　you　just　promised？
Perhaps　I　like　you　a　little　more　than　a　little；　which　is　much
too　much！　　Yes；Shakespeare　says　so；　and　he　is　always　right。
Do　you　still　doubt　me？　　Ah；　I　see　you　do！'

'Because　somebody　has　stood　nearer　to　you　to…night　than　I。'

'A　fogy　like　him！half　as　old　again　as　either　of　us！　　How　can
you　mind　him？　　What　shall　I　do　to　show　you　that　I　do　not　for　a
moment　let　him　come　between　me　and　you？'

'It　is　not　for　me　to　suggest　what　you　should　do。　　Though　what
you　should　permit　ME　to　do　is　obvious　enough。'

She　dropped　her　voice：　　'You　mean；　permit　you　to　do　really　and
in　earnest　what　he　only　seemed　to　do　in　the　play。'

Somerset　signified　by　a　look　that　such　had　been　his　thought。

Paula　was　silent。　　'No；'　she　murmured　at　last。　　'That　cannot
be。　　He　did　not；　nor　must　you。'

It　was　said　none　the　less　decidedly　for　being　spoken　low。

'You　quite　resent　such　a　suggestion：　　you　have　a　right　to。　　I
beg　your　pardon；　not　for　speaking　of　it；　but　for　thinking　it。'

'I　don't　resent　it　at　all；　and　I　am　not　offended　one　bit。　　But
I　am　not　the　less　of　opinion　that　it　is　possible　to　be
premature　in　some　things；　and　to　do　this　just　now　would　be
premature。　　I　know　what　you　would　saythat　you　would　not　have
asked　it；　but　for　that　unfortunate　improvisation　of　it　in　the
play。　　But　that　I　was　not　responsible　for；　and　therefore　owe
no　reparation　to　you　now。　。　。　。　　Listen！'

'PaulaPaula！　　Where　in　the　world　are　you？'　was　heard
resounding　along　the　corridor　in　the　voice　of　her　aunt。　　'Our
friends　are　all　ready　to　leave；　and　you　will　surely　bid　them
good…night！'

'I　must　be　goneI　won't　ring　for　you　to　be　shown　outcome
this　way。'

'But　how　will　you　get　on　in　repeating　the　play　tomorrow
evening　if　that　interpolation　is　against　your　wish？'　he　asked；
looking　her　hard　in　the　face。

'I'll　think　it　over　during　the　night。　　Come　to…morrow　morning
to　help　me　settle。　　But；'　she　added；　with　coy　yet　genial
independence；　'listen　to　me。　　Not　a　word　more　about　awhat
you　asked　for；　mind！　　I　don't　want　to　go　so　far；　and　I　will
notnot　just　yet　anyhowI　mean　perhaps　never。　　You　must
promise　that；　or　I　cannot　see　you　again　alone。'

'It　shall　be　as　you　request。'

'Very　well。　　And　not　a　word　of　this　to　a　soul。　　My　aunt
suspects：　　but　she　is　a　good　aunt　and　will　say　nothing。　　Now
that　is　clearly　understood；　I　should　be　glad　to　consult　with
you　tomorrow　early。　　I　will　come　to　you　in　the　studio　or
Pleasance　as　soon　as　I　am　disengaged。'

She　took　him　to　a　little　chamfered　doorway　in　the　corner；
which　opened　into　a　descending　turret；　and　Somerset　went　down。
When　he　had　unfastened　the　door　at　the　bottom；　and　stepped
into　the　lower　corridor；　she　asked；　'Are　you　down？'　　And　on
receiving　an　affirmative　reply　she　closed　the　top　door。



X。

Somerset　was　in　the　studio　the　next　morning　about　ten　o'clock
superintending　the　labours　of　Knowles；　Bowles；　and　Cockton；
whom　he　had　again　engaged　to　assist　him　with　the　drawings　on
his　appointment　to　carry　out　the　works。　　When　he　had　set　them
going　he　ascended　the　staircase　of　the　great　tower　for　some
purpose　that　bore　upon　the　forthcoming　repairs　of　this　part。
Passing　the　door　of　the　telegraph…room　he　heard　little　sounds
from　the　instrument；　which　somebody　was　working。　　Only　two
people　in　the　castle；　to　the　best　of　his　knowledge；　knew　the
trick　of　this；　Miss　Power；　and　a　page　in　her　service　called
John。　　Miss　De　Stancy　could　also　despatch　messages；　but　she
was　at　Myrtle　Villa。

The　door　was　closed；　and　much　as　he　would　have　liked　to　enter；
the　possibility　that　Paula　was　not　the　performer　led　him　to
withhold　his　steps。　　He　went　on　to　where　the　uppermost　masonry
had　resisted　the　mighty　hostility　of　the　elements　for　five
hundred　years　without　receiving　worse　dilapidation　than　half…
a…century　produces　upon　the　face　of　man。　　But　he　still
wondered　who　was　telegraphing；　and　whether　the　message　bore　on
housekeeping；　architecture；　theatricals；　or　love。

Could　Somerset　have　seen　through　the　panels　of　the　door　in
passing；　he　would　have　beheld　the　room　occupied　by　Paula
alone。

It　was　she　who　sat　at　the　instrument；　and　the　message　she　was
despatching　ran　as　under：

'Can　you　send　down　a　competent　actress；　who　will　undertake　the
part　of　Princess　of　France　in　〃Love's　Labour's　Lost〃　this
evening　in　a　temporary　theatre　here？　　Dresses　already　provided
suitable　to　a　lady　about　the　middle　height。　　State　price。'

The　telegram　was　addressed　to　a　well…known　theatrical　agent　in
London。

Off　went　the　message；　and　Paula　retired　into　the　next　room；
leaving　the　door　open　between　that　and　the　one　she　had　just
quitted。　　Here　she　busied　herself　with　writing　some　letters；
till　in　less　than　an　hour　the　telegraph　instrument　showed
signs　of　life；　and　she　hastened　back　to　its　side。　　The　reply
received　from　the　agent　was　as　follows：

'Miss　Barbara　Bell　of　the　Regent's　Theatre　could　come。　　Quite
competent。　　Her　terms　would　be　about　twenty…five　guineas。'

Without　a　moment's　pause　Paula　returned　for　answer：

'The　terms　are　quite　satisfactory。'

Presently　she　heard　the　instrument　again；　and　emerging　from
the　next　room　in　which　she　had　passed　the　intervening　time　as
before；　she　read：

'Miss　Barbara　Bell's　terms　were　accidentally　understated。
They　would　be　forty　guineas；　in　consequence　of　the　distance。
Am　waiting　at　the　office　for　a　reply。'

Paula　set　to　work　as　before　and　replied：

'Quite　satisfactory；　only　let　her　come　at　once。'

She　did　not　leave　the　room　this　time；　but　went　to　an　arrow…
slit　hard　by　and　gazed　out　at　the　trees　till　the　instrument
began　to　speak　again。　　Returning　to　it　with　a　leisurely
manner；　implying　a　full　persuasion　that　the　matter　was
settled；　she　was　somewhat　surprised　to　learn　that

'Miss　Bell；　in　stating　her　terms；　understands　that　she　will
not　be　required　to　leave　London　till　the　middle　of　the
afternoon。　　If　it　is　necessary　for　her　to　leave　at　once；　ten
guineas　extra　would　be　indispensable；　on　account　of　the　great
inconvenience　of　such　a　short　notice。'

Paula　seemed　a　little　vexed；　but　not　much　concerned　she　sent
back　with　a　readiness　scarcely　politic　in　the　circumstances：　…

'She　must　start　at　once。　　Price　agreed　to。'

Her　impatience　for　the　answer　was　mixed　with　curiosity　as　to
whether　it　was　due　to　the　agent　or　to　Miss　Barbara　Bell　that
the　prices　had　grown　like　Jack's　Bean…stalk　in　the
negotiation。　　Another　telegram　duly　came：

'Travelling　expenses　are　expected　to　be　paid。'

With　decided　impatience　she　dashed　off：

'Of　course；　but　nothing　more　will　be　agreed　to。'

Then；　and　only　then；　came　the　desired　reply：

'Miss　Bell　starts　by　the　twelve　o'clock　train。'

This　business　being　finished；　Paula　left　the　chamber　and
descended　into　the　inclosure　called　the　Pleasance；　a　spot
grassed　down　like　a　lawn。　　Here　stood　Somerset；　who；　having
come　down　from　the　tower；　was　looking　on　while　a　man　searched
for　old　foundations　under　the　sod　with　a　crowbar。　　He　was　glad
to　see　her　at　last；　and　noticed　that　she　looked　serene　and
relieved；　but　could　not　for　the　moment　divine　the　cause。
Paula　came　nearer；　returned　his　salutation；　and　regarded　the
man's　operations　in　silence　awhile　till　his　work　led　him　to　a
distance　from　them。

'Do　you　still　wish　to　consult　me？'　asked　Somerset。

'About　the　building　perhaps；'　said　she。　　'Not　about　the　play。'

'But　you　said　so？'

'Yes；　but　it　will　be　unnecessary。'

Somerset　thought　this　meant　skittishness；　and　merely　bowed。

'You　mistake　me　as　usual；'　she　said；　in　a　low　tone。　　'I　am　not
going　to　consult　you　on　that　matter；　because　I　have　done　all
you　could　have　asked　for　without　consulting　you。　　I　take　no
part　in　the　play　to…night。'

'Forgive　my　momentary　doubt！'

'Somebody　else　will　play　for　mean　actress　from　London。　　But
on　no　account　must　the　substitution　be　known　beforehand　or　the
performance　to…night　will　never　come　off：　　and　that　I　should
much　regret。'

'Captain　De　Stancy　will　not　play　his　part　if　he　knows　you　will
not　play　yoursthat's　what　you　mean？'

'You　may　suppose　it　is；'　she　said；　smiling。　　'And　to　guard
against　this　you　must　help　me　to　keep　the　secret　by　being　my
confederate。'

To　be　Paula's　confederate；　to…day；　indeed；　time　had　brought
him　something　worth　waiting　for。　　'In　anything！'　cried
Somerset。

'Only　in　this！'　said　she；　with　soft　severity。　　'And　you　know
what　you　have　promised；　George！　　And　you　remember　there　is　to
be　nowhat　we　talked　about！　　Now　will　you　go　in　the　one…horse
brougham　to　Markton　Station　this　afternoon；　and　meet　the　four
o'clock　train？　　Inquire　for　a　lady　for　Stancy　Castlea　Miss
Bell；　see　her　safely　into　the　carriage；　and　send　her　straight
on　here。　　I　am　particularly　anxious　that　she　should　not　enter
the　town；　for　I　think　she　once　came　to　Markton　in　a　starring
company；　and　she　might　be　recognized；　and　my　plan　be
defeated。'

Thus　she　instructed　her　lover　and　devoted　friend；　and　when　he
could　stay　no　longer　he　left　her　in　the　garden　to　return　to
his　studio。