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hands were close together again。 They had been close together
half…an…hour earlier； and he had sedulously avoided touching
hers。 He dared not let such an accident happen now。 And yet…
…surely she saw the situation！ Was the inscrutable
seriousness with which she applied herself to his lesson a
mockery？ There was such a bottomless depth in her eyes that
it was impossible to guess truly。 Let it be that destiny
alone had ruled that their hands should be together a second
time。
All rumination was cut short by an impulse。 He seized her
forefinger between his own finger and thumb； and drew it along
the hollow； saying； 'That is the curve I mean。'
Somerset's hand was hot and trembling； Paula's； on the
contrary； was cool and soft as an infant's。
'Now the arch…mould；' continued he。 'Therethe depth of that
cavity is tremendous； and it is not geometrical； as in later
work。' He drew her unresisting fingers from the capital to
the arch； and laid them in the little trench as before。
She allowed them to rest quietly there till he relinquished
them。 'Thank you；' she then said； withdrawing her hand；
brushing the dust from her finger…tips； and putting on her
glove。
Her imperception of his feeling was the very sublimity of
maiden innocence if it were real； if not； well； the coquetry
was no great sin。
'Mr。 Somerset； will you allow me to have the Greek court I
mentioned？' she asked tentatively； after a long break in their
discourse； as she scanned the green stones along the base of
the arcade； with a conjectural countenance as to his reply。
'Will your own feeling for the genius of the place allow you？'
'I am not a mediaevalist： I am an eclectic。'
'You don't dislike your own house on that account。'
'I did at firstI don't so much now。 。 。 。 I should love it；
and adore every stone； and think feudalism the only true
romance of life； if'
'What？'
'If I were a De Stancy； and the castle the long home of my
forefathers。'
Somerset was a little surprised at the avowal： the minister's
words on the effects of her new environment recurred to his
mind。 'Miss De Stancy doesn't think so；' he said。 'She cares
nothing about those things。'
Paula now turned to him： hitherto her remarks had been
sparingly spoken； her eyes being directed elsewhere： 'Yes；
that is very strange； is it not？' she said。 'But it is owing
to the joyous freshness of her nature which precludes her from
dwelling on the pastindeed； the past is no more to her than
it is to a sparrow or robin。 She is scarcely an instance of
the wearing out of old families； for a younger mental
constitution than hers I never knew。'
'Unless that very simplicity represents the second childhood
of her line； rather than her own exclusive character。'
Paula shook her head。 'In spite of the Greek court； she is
more Greek than I。'
'You represent science rather than art； perhaps。'
'How？' she asked； glancing up under her hat。
'I mean；' replied Somerset； 'that you represent the march of
mindthe steamship； and the railway； and the thoughts that
shake mankind。'
She weighed his words； and said： 'Ah； yes： you allude to my
father。 My father was a great man； but I am more and more
forgetting his greatness： that kind of greatness is what a
woman can never truly enter into。 I am less and less his
daughter every day that goes by。'
She walked away a few steps to rejoin the excellent Mrs。
Goodman； who； as Somerset still perceived； was waiting for
Paula at the discreetest of distances in the shadows at the
farther end of the building。 Surely Paula's voice had
faltered； and she had turned to hide a tear？
She came back again。 'Did you know that my father made half
the railways in Europe； including that one over there？' she
said； waving her little gloved hand in the direction whence
low rumbles were occasionally heard during the day。
'Yes。'
'How did you know？'
'Miss De Stancy told me a little； and I then found his name
and doings were quite familiar to me。'
Curiously enough； with his words there came through the broken
windows the murmur of a train in the distance； sounding
clearer and more clear。 It was nothing to listen to； yet they
both listened； till the increasing noise suddenly broke off
into dead silence。
'It has gone into the tunnel；' said Paula。 'Have you seen the
tunnel my father made？ the curves are said to be a triumph of
science。 There is nothing else like it in this part of
England。'
'There is not： I have heard so。 But I have not seen it。'
'Do you think it a thing more to be proud of that one's father
should have made a great tunnel and railway like that； than
that one's remote ancestor should have built a great castle
like this？'
What could Somerset say？ It would have required a casuist to
decide whether his answer should depend upon his conviction；
or upon the family ties of such a questioner。 'From a modern
point of view； railways are； no doubt； things more to be proud
of than castles；' he said； 'though perhaps I myself； from mere
association； should decide in favour of the ancestor who built
the castle。' The serious anxiety to be truthful that Somerset
threw into his observation； was more than the circumstance
required。 'To design great engineering works；' he added
musingly； and without the least eye to the disparagement of
her parent； 'requires no doubt a leading mind。 But to execute
them； as he did； requires； of course； only a following mind。'
His reply had not altogether pleased her； and there was a
distinct reproach conveyed by her slight movement towards Mrs。
Goodman。 He saw it； and was grieved that he should have
spoken so。 'I am going to walk over and inspect that famous
tunnel of your father's；' he added gently。 'It will be a
pleasant study for this afternoon。'
She went away。 'I am no man of the world；' he thought。 'I
ought to have praised that father of hers straight off。 I
shall not win her respect； much less her love！'
XII。
Somerset did not forget what he had planned； and when lunch
was over he walked away through the trees。 The tunnel was
more difficult of discovery than he had anticipated； and it
was only after considerable winding among green lanes； whose
deep ruts were like canyons of Colorado in miniature； that he
reached the slope in the distant upland where the tunnel
began。 A road stretched over its crest； and thence along one
side of the railway…cutting。
He there unexpectedly saw standing Miss Power's carriage； and
on drawing nearer he found it to contain Paula herself； Miss
De Stancy； and Mrs。 Goodman。
'How singular！' exclaimed Miss De Stancy gaily。
'It is most natural；' said Paula instantly。 'In the morning
two people discuss a feature in the landscape； and in the
afternoon each has a desire to see it from what the other has
said of it。 Therefore they accidentally meet。'
Now Paula had distinctly heard Somerset declare that he was
going to walk there； how then could she say this so coolly？
It was with a pang at his heart that he returned to his old
thought of her being possibly a finished coquette and
dissembler。 Whatever she might be； she was not a creat