按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Paula concluded her examination of the drawings and turned
from him with sorrowful disregard。 He tried no further； but；
when she had signified her pleasure on the points submitted；
packed up his papers； and rose with the bearing of a man
altogether superior to such a class of misfortune as this。
Before going he turned to speak a few words of a general kind
to Mr。 Power and Charlotte。
'You will stay and dine with us？' said the former； rather with
the air of being unhappily able to do no less than ask the
question。 'My charges here won't go down to the table…d'hote；
I fear； but De Stancy and myself will be there。'
Somerset excused himself； and in a few minutes withdrew。 At
the door he looked round for an instant； and his eyes met
Paula's。 There was the same miles…off expression in hers that
they had worn when he entered； but there was also a look of
distressful inquiry； as if she were earnestly expecting him to
say something more。 This of course Somerset did not
comprehend。 Possibly she was clinging to a hope of some
excuse for the message he was supposed to have sent； or for
the other and more degrading 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 the broad street below； which he traversed
obliquely to an opposite corner； his head somewhat bent； and
his eyes on the ground。 Before vanishing into the
Ritterstrasse he turned his head and glanced at the hotel
windows； as if he knew that she was watching him。 Then he
disappeared； and the only real sign of emotion betrayed by
Paula during the whole episode escaped her at this moment。 It
was a slight trembling of the lip and a sigh so slowly
breathed that scarce anybody could hearscarcely even
Charlotte； who was reclining on a couch her face on her hand
and her eyes downcast。
Not more than two minutes had elapsed when Mrs。 Goodman came
in with a manner of haste。
'You have returned；' said Mr。 Power。 'Have you made your
purchases？'
Without answering； she asked； 'Whom； of all people on earth；
do you think I have met？ Mr。 Somerset！ Has he been here？he
passed me almost without 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 like to 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
particularly liked the gentleman mentioned。'
'Then you are wrong； Mrs。 Goodman； it seems；' said Mr。 Power。
Mrs。 Goodman； who had been growing quietly indignant；
notwithstanding a vigorous use of her fan； at this said。
'Fie； fie； Paula！ you did like him。 You said to me only a
week or two ago that you should not at all object to marry
him。'
'It is a mistake；' repeated Paula calmly。 'I meant the other
one of the two we were talking about。'
'What； Captain De Stancy？'
'Yes。'
Knowing this to be a fiction； Mrs。 Goodman made no remark； and
hearing a slight noise behind； turned her head。 Seeing her
aunt's action； Paula also looked round。 The door had been
left ajar； and De Stancy was standing 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
at the altar； but after a momentary start Paula did not flinch
from the position into which hurt pride had betrayed her。 De
Stancy bowed gracefully； and she merely walked to the furthest
window； whither he followed her。
'I am eternally grateful to you for avowing that I have won
favour in your sight at last；' he whispered。
She acknowledged the remark with a somewhat reserved bearing。
'Really I don't deserve your gratitude；' she said。 'I did not
know you were there。'
'I know you did notthat's why the avowal is so sweet to me。
Can I take you at your word？'
'Yes； I suppose。'
'Then your preference is the greatest honour that has ever
fallen to my lot。 It is enough： you accept me？'
'As a lover on probationno more。'
The conversation being carried on in low tones； Paula's uncle
and aunt took it as a hint that their presence could be
spared； and severally left the roomthe 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 scarcely believe the news。'
'You shouldn't say that to me； or I shall begin to think I
have been too kind；' 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 at present； and whatever
you do； don't fall into the mistake of supposing I have
accepted you in any other sense than the way I say。 If you
don't like 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 will soon punish me severely； so I will make my escape
while all is well。 It would be presumptuous to expect more in
one day。'
'It would indeed；' said Paula； with her eyes on a bunch of
flowers。
VI。
On leaving the hotel； Somerset's first impulse was to get out
of sight of its windows； and his glance upward had perhaps not
the tender significance that Paula imagined； the last look
impelled by any such whiff of emotion having been the
lingering one he bestowed upon her in passing out of the room。
Unluckily for the prospects of this attachment； Paula's
conduct towards him now； as a result of misrepresentation； had
enough in common with her previous silence at Nice to make it
not unreasonable as a further development of that silence。
Moreover； her social position as a woman of wealth； always
felt by Somerset as a perceptible bar to that full and free
eagerness with which he would fain have approached her；
rendered it impossible for him to return to the charge；
ascertain the reason of her coldness； and dispel it by an
explanation； without being suspected of mercenary objects。
Continually does it happen that a genial willingness to bottle
up affronts is set down to interested motives by those who do
not know what generous conduct means。 Had she occupied the
financial position of Miss De Stancy he would readily have
persisted further and； not improbably； have cleared up the
cloud。
Having no further interest in Carlsruhe； Somerset decided to
leave by an evening train。 The intervening hour he spent in
wandering into the thick of the fair； where steam roundabouts；
the proprietors of wax…work shows； and fancy…stall keepers
maintained a deafening din。 The animate