A Laodicean : A Story of To-day

by Thomas Hardy

  V.

  And where was the subject of their condemnatory opinions all thiswhile? Having secured a room at his inn, he came forth to complete thediscovery of his dear mistress's halting-place without delay. Afterone or two inquiries he ascertained where such a party of English werestaying; and arriving at the hotel, knew at once that he had trackedthem to earth by seeing the heavier portion of the Power luggageconfronting him in the hall. He sent up intelligence of his presence,and awaited her reply with a beating heart.

  In the meanwhile Dare, descending from his pernicious interview withPaula and the rest, had descried Captain De Stancy in the publicdrawing-room, and entered to him forthwith. It was while they were heretogether that Somerset passed the door and sent up his name to Paula.

  The incident at the railway station was now reversed, Somerset beingthe observed of Dare, as Dare had then been the observed of Somerset.Immediately on sight of him Dare showed real alarm. He had imagined thatSomerset would eventually impinge on Paula's route, but he had scarcelyexpected it yet; and the architect's sudden appearance led Dare toask himself the ominous question whether Somerset had discovered histelegraphic trick, and was in the mood for prompt measures.

  'There is no more for me to do here,' said the boy hastily to De Stancy.'Miss Power does not wish to ask me any more questions. I may as wellproceed on my way, as you advised.'

  De Stancy, who had also gazed with dismay at Somerset's passing figure,though with dismay of another sort, was recalled from his vexation byDare's remarks, and turning upon him he said sharply, 'Well may you bein such a hurry all of a sudden!'

  'True, I am superfluous now.'

  'You have been doing a foolish thing, and you must suffer itsinconveniences.--Will, I am sorry for one thing; I am sorry I everowned you; for you are not a lad to my heart. You have disappointedme--disappointed me almost beyond endurance.'

  'I have acted according to my illumination. What can you expect of a manborn to dishonour?'

  'That's mere speciousness. Before you knew anything of me, and whileyou thought you were the child of poverty on both sides, you were wellenough; but ever since you thought you were more than that, you have leda life which is intolerable. What has become of your plan of alliancebetween the De Stancys and the Powers now? The man is gone upstairs whocan overthrow it all.'

  'If the man had not gone upstairs, you wouldn't have complained of mynature or my plans,' said Dare drily. 'If I mistake not, he will comedown again with the flea in his ear. However, I have done; my play isplayed out. All the rest remains with you. But, captain, grant me this!If when I am gone this difficulty should vanish, and things should gowell with you, and your suit should prosper, will you think of him, badas he is, who first put you on the track of such happiness, and let himknow it was not done in vain?'

  'I will,' said De Stancy. 'Promise me that you will be a better boy?'

  'Very well--as soon as ever I can afford it. Now I am up and away, whenI have explained to them that I shall not require my room.'

  Dare fetched his bag, touched his hat with his umbrella to the captainand went out of the hotel archway. De Stancy sat down in the stuffydrawing-room, and wondered what other ironies time had in store for him.

  A waiter in the interim had announced Somerset to the group upstairs.Paula started as much as Charlotte at hearing the name, and Abner Powerstared at them both.

  'If Mr. Somerset wishes to see me ON BUSINESS, show him in,' said Paula.

  In a few seconds the door was thrown open for Somerset. On receipt ofthe pointed message he guessed that a change had come. Time, absence,ambition, her uncle's influence, and a new wooer, seemed to accountsufficiently well for that change, and he accepted his fate. But astoical instinct to show her that he could regard vicissitudes with theequanimity that became a man; a desire to ease her mind of any fearshe might entertain that his connection with her past would render himtroublesome in future, induced him to accept her permission, and see theact to the end.

  'How do you do, Mr. Somerset?' said Abner Power, with sardonicgeniality: he had been far enough about the world not to be greatlyconcerned at Somerset's apparent failing, particularly when it helped toreduce him from the rank of lover to his niece to that of professionaladviser.

  Miss De Stancy faltered a welcome as weak as that of the Maid ofNeidpath, and Paula said coldly, 'We are rather surprised to see you.Perhaps there is something urgent at the castle which makes it necessaryfor you to call?'

  'There is something a little urgent,' said Somerset slowly, as heapproached her; 'and you have judged rightly that it is the cause ofmy call.' He sat down near her chair as he spoke, put down his hat, anddrew a note-book from his pocket with a despairing sang froid that wasfar more perfect than had been Paula's demeanour just before.

  'Perhaps you would like to talk over the business with Mr. Somersetalone?' murmured Charlotte to Miss Power, hardly knowing what she said.

  'O no,' said Paula, 'I think not. Is it necessary?' she said, turning tohim.

  'Not in the least,' replied he, bestowing a penetrating glance uponhis questioner's face, which seemed however to produce no effect; andturning towards Charlotte, he added, 'You will have the goodness, I amsure, Miss De Stancy, to excuse the jargon of professional details.'

  He spread some tracings on the table, and pointed out certain modifiedfeatures to Paula, commenting as he went on, and exchanging occasionallya few words on the subject with Mr. Abner Power by the distant window.

  In this architectural dialogue over his sketches, Somerset's head andPaula's became unavoidably very close. The temptation was too much forthe young man. Under cover of the rustle of the tracings, he murmured,'Paula, I could not get here before!' in a low voice inaudible to theother two.

  She did not reply, only busying herself the more with the notes andsketches; and he said again, 'I stayed a couple of days at Genoa, andsome days at San Remo, and Mentone.'

  'But it is not the least concern of mine where you stayed, is it?' shesaid, with a cold yet disquieted look.

  'Do you speak seriously?' Somerset brokenly whispered.

  Paula concluded her examination of the drawings and turned from him withsorrowful disregard. He tried no further, but, when she had signifiedher pleasure on the points submitted, packed up his papers, and rosewith the bearing of a man altogether superior to such a class ofmisfortune as this. Before going he turned to speak a few words of ageneral kind to Mr. Power and Charlotte.

  'You will stay and dine with us?' said the former, rather with the airof being unhappily able to do no less than ask the question. 'My chargeshere won't go down to the table-d'hote, I fear, but De Stancy and myselfwill be there.'

  Somerset excused himself, and in a few minutes withdrew. At the doorhe looked round for an instant, and his eyes met Paula's. There was thesame miles-off expression in hers that they had worn when he entered;but there was also a look of distressful inquiry, as if she wereearnestly expecting him to say something more. This of course Somersetdid not comprehend. Possibly she was clinging to a hope of some excusefor the message he was supposed to have sent, or for the other and moredegrading matter. Anyhow, Somerset only bowed and went away.

  A moment after he had gone, Paula, impelled by something or other,crossed the room to the window. In a short time she saw his form in thebroad street below, which he traversed obliquely to an opposite corner,his head somewhat bent, and his eyes on the ground. Before vanishinginto the Ritterstrasse he turned his head and glanced at the hotelwindows, as if he knew that she was watching him. Then he disappeared;and the only real sign of emotion betrayed by Paula during the wholeepisode escaped her at this moment. It was a slight trembling of the lipand a sigh so slowly breathed that scarce anybody could hear--scarcelyeven Charlotte, who was reclining on a couch her face on her hand andher eyes downcast.

  Not more than two minutes had elapsed when Mrs. Goodman came in with amanner of haste.

  'You have returned,' said Mr. Power. 'Have you made your purchases?'
r />   Without answering, she asked, 'Whom, of all people on earth, do youthink I have met? Mr. Somerset! Has he been here?--he passed me almostwithout speaking!'

  'Yes, he has been here,' said Paula. 'He is on the way from Genoa home,and called on business.'

  'You will have him here to dinner, of course?'

  'I asked him,' said Mr. Power, 'but he declined.'

  'O, that's unfortunate! Surely we could get him to come. You would liketo have him here, would you not, Paula?'

  'No, indeed. I don't want him here,' said she.

  'You don't?'

  'No!' she said sharply.

  'You used to like him well enough, anyhow,' bluntly rejoined Mrs.Goodman.

  Paula sedately: 'It is a mistake to suppose that I ever particularlyliked the gentleman mentioned.'

  'Then you are wrong, Mrs. Goodman, it seems,' said Mr. Power.

  Mrs. Goodman, who had been growing quietly indignant, notwithstandinga vigorous use of her fan, at this said. 'Fie, fie, Paula! you did likehim. You said to me only a week or two ago that you should not at allobject to marry him.'

  'It is a mistake,' repeated Paula calmly. 'I meant the other one of thetwo we were talking about.'

  'What, Captain De Stancy?'

  'Yes.'

  Knowing this to be a fiction, Mrs. Goodman made no remark, and hearinga slight noise behind, turned her head. Seeing her aunt's action,Paula also looked round. The door had been left ajar, and De Stancy wasstanding in the room. The last words of Mrs. Goodman, and Paula's reply,must have been quite audible to him.

  They looked at each other much as if they had unexpectedly met atthe altar; but after a momentary start Paula did not flinch fromthe position into which hurt pride had betrayed her. De Stancy bowedgracefully, and she merely walked to the furthest window, whither hefollowed her.

  'I am eternally grateful to you for avowing that I have won favour inyour sight at last,' he whispered.

  She acknowledged the remark with a somewhat reserved bearing. 'ReallyI don't deserve your gratitude,' she said. 'I did not know you werethere.'

  'I know you did not--that's why the avowal is so sweet to me. Can I takeyou at your word?'

  'Yes, I suppose.'

  'Then your preference is the greatest honour that has ever fallen to mylot. It is enough: you accept me?'

  'As a lover on probation--no more.'

  The conversation being carried on in low tones, Paula's uncle and aunttook it as a hint that their presence could be spared, and severallyleft the room--the former gladly, the latter with some vexation.Charlotte De Stancy followed.

  'And to what am I indebted for this happy change?' inquired De Stancy,as soon as they were alone.

  'You shouldn't look a gift-horse in the mouth,' she replied brusquely,and with tears in her eyes for one gone.

  'You mistake my motive. I am like a reprieved criminal, and can scarcelybelieve the news.'

  'You shouldn't say that to me, or I shall begin to think I have been tookind,' she answered, some of the archness of her manner returning. 'Now,I know what you mean to say in answer; but I don't want to hear more atpresent; and whatever you do, don't fall into the mistake of supposingI have accepted you in any other sense than the way I say. If you don'tlike such a limitation you can go away. I dare say I shall get over it.'

  'Go away! Could I go away?--But you are beginning to tease, and willsoon punish me severely; so I will make my escape while all is well. Itwould be presumptuous to expect more in one day.'

  'It would indeed,' said Paula, with her eyes on a bunch of flowers.