A Laodicean : A Story of To-day

by Thomas Hardy

  XI.

  Somerset was deeply engaged with his draughtsmen and builders duringthe three following days, and scarcely entered the occupied wing of thecastle.

  At his suggestion Paula had agreed to have the works executed assuch operations were carried out in old times, before the advent ofcontractors. Each trade required in the building was to be representedby a master-tradesman of that denomination, who should stand responsiblefor his own section of labour, and for no other, Somerset himself aschief technicist working out his designs on the spot. By this means thethoroughness of the workmanship would be greatly increased in comparisonwith the modern arrangement, whereby a nominal builder, seldom present,who can certainly know no more than one trade intimately and well, andwho often does not know that, undertakes the whole.

  But notwithstanding its manifest advantages to the proprietor, the planadded largely to the responsibilities of the architect, who, withhis master-mason, master-carpenter, master-plumber, and what not, hadscarcely a moment to call his own. Still, the method being upon the faceof it the true one, Somerset supervised with a will.

  But there seemed to float across the court to him from the inhabitedwing an intimation that things were not as they had been before; thatan influence adverse to himself was at work behind the ashlared face ofinner wall which confronted him. Perhaps this was because he never sawPaula at the windows, or heard her footfall in that half of the buildinggiven over to himself and his myrmidons. There was really no reasonother than a sentimental one why he should see her. The uninhabitedpart of the castle was almost an independent structure, and it was quitenatural to exist for weeks in this wing without coming in contact withresidents in the other.

  A more pronounced cause than vague surmise was destined to perturbhim, and this in an unexpected manner. It happened one morning that heglanced through a local paper while waiting at the Lord-Quantock-Armsfor the pony-carriage to be brought round in which he often drove to thecastle. The paper was two days old, but to his unutterable amazement heread therein a paragraph which ran as follows:--

  'We are informed that a marriage is likely to be arranged betweenCaptain De Stancy, of the Royal Horse Artillery, only surviving son ofSir William De Stancy, Baronet, and Paula, only daughter of the lateJohn Power, Esq., M.P., of Stancy Castle.'

  Somerset dropped the paper, and stared out of the window. Fortunatelyfor his emotions, the horse and carriage were at this moment brought tothe door, so that nothing hindered Somerset in driving off to the spotat which he would be soonest likely to learn what truth or otherwisethere was in the newspaper report. From the first he doubted it: andyet how should it have got there? Such strange rumours, like paradoxicalmaxims, generally include a portion of truth. Five days had elapsedsince he last spoke to Paula.

  Reaching the castle he entered his own quarters as usual, and aftersetting the draughtsmen to work walked up and down pondering how hemight best see her without making the paragraph the ground of hisrequest for an interview; for if it were a fabrication, such a reasonwould wound her pride in her own honour towards him, and if it werepartly true, he would certainly do better in leaving her alone than inreproaching her. It would simply amount to a proof that Paula was anarrant coquette.

  In his meditation he stood still, closely scanning one of thejamb-stones of a doorless entrance, as if to discover where the oldhinge-hook had entered the stonework. He heard a footstep behind him,and looking round saw Paula standing by. She held a newspaper in herhand. The spot was one quite hemmed in from observation, a fact of whichshe seemed to be quite aware.

  'I have something to tell you,' she said; 'something important. But youare so occupied with that old stone that I am obliged to wait.'

  'It is not true surely!' he said, looking at the paper.

  'No, look here,' she said, holding up the sheet. It was not what he hadsupposed, but a new one--the local rival to that which had containedthe announcement, and was still damp from the press. She pointed, and heread--

  'We are authorized to state that there is no foundation whatever for theassertion of our contemporary that a marriage is likely to be arrangedbetween Captain De Stancy and Miss Power of Stancy Castle.'

  Somerset pressed her hand. 'It disturbed me,' he said, 'though I did notbelieve it.'

  'It astonished me, as much as it disturbed you; and I sent thiscontradiction at once.'

  'How could it have got there?'

  She shook her head.

  'You have not the least knowledge?'

  'Not the least. I wish I had.'

  'It was not from any friends of De Stancy's? or himself?'

  'It was not. His sister has ascertained beyond doubt that he knewnothing of it. Well, now, don't say any more to me about the matter.'

  'I'll find out how it got into the paper.'

  'Not now--any future time will do. I have something else to tell you.'

  'I hope the news is as good as the last,' he said, looking into her facewith anxiety; for though that face was blooming, it seemed full of adoubt as to how her next information would be taken.

  'O yes; it is good, because everybody says so. We are going to take adelightful journey. My new-created uncle, as he seems, and I, and myaunt, and perhaps Charlotte, if she is well enough, are going to Nice,and other places about there.'

  'To Nice!' said Somerset, rather blankly. 'And I must stay here?'

  'Why, of course you must, considering what you have undertaken!' shesaid, looking with saucy composure into his eyes. 'My uncle's reason forproposing the journey just now is, that he thinks the alterationswill make residence here dusty and disagreeable during the spring. Theopportunity of going with him is too good a one for us to lose, as Ihave never been there.'

  'I wish I was going to be one of the party!... What do YOU wish aboutit?'

  She shook her head impenetrably. 'A woman may wish some things she doesnot care to tell!'

  'Are you really glad you are going, dearest?--as I MUST call you justonce,' said the young man, gazing earnestly into her face, which struckhim as looking far too rosy and radiant to be consistent with ever solittle regret at leaving him behind.

  'I take great interest in foreign trips, especially to the shores ofthe Mediterranean: and everybody makes a point of getting away when thehouse is turned out of the window.'

  'But you do feel a little sadness, such as I should feel if ourpositions were reversed?'

  'I think you ought not to have asked that so incredulously,' shemurmured. 'We can be near each other in spirit, when our bodies are farapart, can we not?' Her tone grew softer and she drew a little closer tohis side with a slightly nestling motion, as she went on, 'May I be surethat you will not think unkindly of me when I am absent from your sight,and not begrudge me any little pleasure because you are not there toshare it with me?'

  'May you! Can you ask it?... As for me, I shall have no pleasure to bebegrudged or otherwise. The only pleasure I have is, as you well know,in you. When you are with me, I am happy: when you are away, I take nopleasure in anything.'

  'I don't deserve it. I have no right to disturb you so,' she said, verygently. 'But I have given you some pleasure, have I not? A little morepleasure than pain, perhaps?'

  'You have, and yet.... But I don't accuse you, dearest. Yes, you havegiven me pleasure. One truly pleasant time was when we stood togetherin the summer-house on the evening of the garden-party, and you said youliked me to love you.'

  'Yes, it was a pleasant time,' she returned thoughtfully. 'How the raincame down, and formed a gauze between us and the dancers, did it not;and how afraid we were--at least I was--lest anybody should discover usthere, and how quickly I ran in after the rain was over!'

  'Yes', said Somerset, 'I remember it. But no harm came of it to you....And perhaps no good will come of it to me.'

  'Do not be premature in your conclusions, sir,' she said archly. 'If youreally do feel for me only half what you say, we shall--you will makegood come of it--in some way or other.'

  'Dear Paula
--now I believe you, and can bear anything.'

  'Then we will say no more; because, as you recollect, we agreed not togo too far. No expostulations, for we are going to be practical youngpeople; besides, I won't listen if you utter them. I simply echo yourwords, and say I, too, believe you. Now I must go. Have faith in me, anddon't magnify trifles light as air.'

  'I THINK I understand you. And if I do, it will make a great differencein my conduct. You will have no cause to complain.'

  'Then you must not understand me so much as to make much difference; foryour conduct as my architect is perfect. But I must not linger longer,though I wished you to know this news from my very own lips.'

  'Bless you for it! When do you leave?'

  'The day after to-morrow.'

  'So early? Does your uncle guess anything? Do you wish him to be toldjust yet?'

  'Yes, to the first; no, to the second.'

  'I may write to you?'

  'On business, yes. It will be necessary.'

  'How can you speak so at a time of parting?'

  'Now, George--you see I say George, and not Mr. Somerset, and you maydraw your own inference--don't be so morbid in your reproaches! I haveinformed you that you may write, or still better, telegraph, since thewire is so handy--on business. Well, of course, it is for you to judgewhether you will add postscripts of another sort. There, you make mesay more than a woman ought, because you are so obtuse and literal. Goodafternoon--good-bye! This will be my address.'

  She handed him a slip of paper, and flitted away.

  Though he saw her again after this, it was during the bustle ofpreparation, when there was always a third person present, usually inthe shape of that breathing refrigerator, her uncle. Hence the fewwords that passed between them were of the most formal description, andchiefly concerned the restoration of the castle, and a church at Nicedesigned by him, which he wanted her to inspect.

  They were to leave by an early afternoon train, and Somerset was invitedto lunch on that day. The morning was occupied by a long businessconsultation in the studio with Mr. Power and Mrs. Goodman on what roomswere to be left locked up, what left in charge of the servants, andwhat thrown open to the builders and workmen under the surveillance ofSomerset. At present the work consisted mostly of repairs to existingrooms, so as to render those habitable which had long been used only asstores for lumber. Paula did not appear during this discussion; butwhen they were all seated in the dining-hall she came in dressed forthe journey, and, to outward appearance, with blithe anticipation atits prospect blooming from every feature. Next to her came CharlotteDe Stancy, still with some of the pallor of an invalid, but wonderfullybrightened up, as Somerset thought, by the prospect of a visit to adelightful shore. It might have been this; and it might have been thatSomerset's presence had a share in the change.

  It was in the hall, when they were in the bustle of leave-taking, thatthere occurred the only opportunity for the two or three private wordswith Paula to which his star treated him on that last day. His took thehasty form of, 'You will write soon?'

  'Telegraphing will be quicker,' she answered in the same low tone; andwhispering 'Be true to me!' turned away.

  How unreasonable he was! In addition to those words, warm as they were,he would have preferred a little paleness of cheek, or trembling oflip, instead of the bloom and the beauty which sat upon her undisturbedmaidenhood, to tell him that in some slight way she suffered at hisloss.

  Immediately after this they went to the carriages waiting at the door.Somerset, who had in a measure taken charge of the castle, accompaniedthem and saw them off, much as if they were his visitors. She steppedin, a general adieu was spoken, and she was gone.

  While the carriages rolled away, he ascended to the top of the tower,where he saw them lessen to spots on the road, and turn the corner outof sight. The chances of a rival seemed to grow in proportion as Paulareceded from his side; but he could not have answered why. He had biddenher and her relatives adieu on her own doorstep, like a privilegedfriend of the family, while De Stancy had scarcely seen her since theplay-night. That the silence into which the captain appeared to havesunk was the placidity of conscious power, was scarcely probable; yetthat adventitious aids existed for De Stancy he could not deny. The linkformed by Charlotte between De Stancy and Paula, much as he liked theingenuous girl, was one that he could have wished away. It constituted abridge of access to Paula's inner life and feelings which nothing couldrival; except that one fact which, as he firmly believed, did actuallyrival it, giving him faith and hope; his own primary occupation ofPaula's heart. Moreover, Mrs. Goodman would be an influence favourableto himself and his cause during the journey; though, to be sure, to setagainst her there was the phlegmatic and obstinate Abner Power, in whom,apprised by those subtle media of intelligence which lovers possess, hefancied he saw no friend.

  Somerset remained but a short time at the castle that day. The lightof its chambers had fled, the gross grandeur of the dictatorial towersoppressed him, and the studio was hateful. He remembered a promise madelong ago to Mr. Woodwell of calling upon him some afternoon; and avisit which had not much attractiveness in it at other times recommendeditself now, through being the one possible way open to him of hearingPaula named and her doings talked of. Hence in walking back toMarkton, instead of going up the High Street, he turned aside into theunfrequented footway that led to the minister's cottage.

  Mr. Woodwell was not indoors at the moment of his call, and Somersetlingered at the doorway, and cast his eyes around. It was a house whichtypified the drearier tenets of its occupier with great exactness.It stood upon its spot of earth without any natural union with it: nomosses disguised the stiff straight line where wall met earth; nota creeper softened the aspect of the bare front. The garden walk wasstrewn with loose clinkers from the neighbouring foundry, which rolledunder the pedestrian's foot and jolted his soul out of him before hereached the porchless door. But all was clean, and clear, and dry.

  Whether Mr. Woodwell was personally responsible for this condition ofthings there was not time to closely consider, for Somerset perceivedthe minister coming up the walk towards him. Mr. Woodwell welcomedhim heartily; and yet with the mien of a man whose mind has scarcelydismissed some scene which has preceded the one that confronts him. Whatthat scene was soon transpired.

  'I have had a busy afternoon,' said the minister, as they walkedindoors; 'or rather an exciting afternoon. Your client at Stancy Castle,whose uncle, as I imagine you know, has so unexpectedly returned, hasleft with him to-day for the south of France; and I wished to ask herbefore her departure some questions as to how a charity organized byher father was to be administered in her absence. But I have been veryunfortunate. She could not find time to see me at her own house, and Iawaited her at the station, all to no purpose, owing to the presence ofher friends. Well, well, I must see if a letter will find her.'

  Somerset asked if anybody of the neighbourhood was there to see themoff.

  'Yes, that was the trouble of it. Captain De Stancy was there, and quitemonopolized her. I don't know what 'tis coming to, and perhaps I have nobusiness to inquire, since she is scarcely a member of our church now.Who could have anticipated the daughter of my old friend John Powerdeveloping into the ordinary gay woman of the world as she has done? Whocould have expected her to associate with people who show contempt fortheir Maker's intentions by flippantly assuming other characters thanthose in which He created them?'

  'You mistake her,' murmured Somerset, in a voice which he vainlyendeavoured to attune to philosophy. 'Miss Power has some very rare andbeautiful qualities in her nature, though I confess I tremble--fear lestthe De Stancy influence should be too strong.'

  'Sir, it is already! Do you remember my telling you that I thought theforce of her surroundings would obscure the pure daylight of her spirit,as a monkish window of coloured images attenuates the rays of God's sun?I do not wish to indulge in rash surmises, but her oscillation fromher family creed of Calvinistic truth towards the traditions
of the DeStancys has been so decided, though so gradual, that--well, I may bewrong.'

  'That what?' said the young man sharply.

  'I sometimes think she will take to her as husband the presentrepresentative of that impoverished line--Captain De Stancy--which shemay easily do, if she chooses, as his behaviour to-day showed.'

  'He was probably there on account of his sister,' said Somerset, tryingto escape the mental picture of farewell gallantries bestowed on Paula.

  'It was hinted at in the papers the other day.'

  'And it was flatly contradicted.'

  'Yes. Well, we shall see in the Lord's good time; I can do no more forher. And now, Mr. Somerset, pray take a cup of tea.'

  The revelations of the minister depressed Somerset a little, and he didnot stay long. As he went to the door Woodwell said, 'There is a worthyman--the deacon of our chapel, Mr. Havill--who would like to be friendlywith you. Poor man, since the death of his wife he seems to havesomething on his mind--some trouble which my words will not reach. Ifever you are passing his door, please give him a look in. He fears thatcalling on you might be an intrusion.'

  Somerset did not clearly promise, and went his way. The minister'sallusion to the announcement of the marriage reminded Somerset that shehad expressed a wish to know how the paragraph came to be inserted. Thewish had been carelessly spoken; but he went to the newspaper office tomake inquiries on the point.

  The reply was unexpected. The reporter informed his questioner that inreturning from the theatricals, at which he was present, he shared a flywith a gentleman who assured him that such an alliance was certain,so obviously did it recommend itself to all concerned, as a means ofstrengthening both families. The gentleman's knowledge of the Powers wasso precise that the reporter did not hesitate to accept his assertion.He was a man who had seen a great deal of the world, and his face wasnoticeable for the seams and scars on it.

  Somerset recognized Paula's uncle in the portrait.

  Hostilities, then, were beginning. The paragraph had been meant as thefirst slap. Taking her abroad was the second.

  BOOK THE FOURTH. SOMERSET, DARE AND DE STANCY.