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！
putting an end to what made her so restless and self…
reproachful。 Seeing old Mr。 Somerset enter to a little side…
table behind for lack of room at the crowded centre tables；
again without his son； she turned her head and asked point…
blank where the young man was。
Mr。 Somerset's face became a shade graver than before。 'My
son is unwell；' he replied； 'so unwell that he has been
advised to stay indoors and take perfect rest。'
'I do hope it is nothing serious。'
'I hope so too。 The fact is； he has overdone himself a
little。 He was not well when he came here； and to make
himself worse he must needs go dancing at the Casino with this
lady and thatamong others with a young American lady who is
here with her family； and whom he met in London last year。 I
advised him against it； but he seemed desperately determined
to shake off lethargy by any rash means； and wouldn't listen
to me。 Luckily he is not in the hotel； but in a quiet cottage
a hundred yards up the hill。'
Paula； who had heard all； did not show or say what she felt at
the news： but after breakfast； on meeting the landlady in a
passage alone； she asked with some anxiety if there were a
really skilful medical man in Etretat； and on being told that
there was； and his name； she went back to look for Mr。
Somerset； but he had gone。
They heard nothing more of young Somerset all that morning；
but towards evening； while Paula sat at her window； looking
over the heads of fuchsias upon the promenade beyond； she saw
the painter walk by。 She immediately went to her aunt and
begged her to go out and ask Mr。 Somerset if his son had
improved。
'I will send Milly or Clementine；' said Mrs。 Goodman。
'I wish you would see him yourself。'
'He has gone on。 I shall never find him。'
'He has only gone round to the front；' persisted Paula。 'Do
walk that way； auntie； and ask him。'
Thus pressed； Mrs。 Goodman acquiesced； and brought back
intelligence to Miss Power； who had watched them through the
window； that his son did not positively improve； but that his
American friends were very kind to him。
Having made use of her aunt； Paula seemed particularly anxious
to get rid of her again； and when that lady sat down to write
letters； Paula went to her own room； hastily dressed herself
without assistance； asked privately the way to the cottage；
and went off thitherward unobserved。
At the upper end of the lane she saw a little house answering
to the description； whose front garden； window…sills； palings；
and doorstep were literally ablaze with nasturtiums in bloom。
She entered this inhabited nosegay； quietly asked for the
invalid； and if he were well enough to see Miss Power。 The
woman of the house soon returned； and she was conducted up a
crooked staircase to Somerset's modest apartments。 It
appeared that some rooms in this dwelling had been furnished
by the landlady of the inn； who hired them of the tenant
during the summer season to use as an annexe to the hotel。
Admitted to the outer room she beheld her architect looking as
unarchitectural as possible； lying on a small couch which was
drawn up to the open casement； whence he had a back view of
the window flowers； and enjoyed a green transparency through
the undersides of the same nasturtium leaves that presented
their faces to the passers without。
When the latch had again clicked into the catch of the closed
door Paula went up to the invalid； upon whose pale and
interesting face a flush had arisen simultaneously with the
announcement of her name。 He would have sprung up to receive
her； but she pressed him down； and throwing all reserve on one
side for the first time in their intercourse； she crouched
beside the sofa； whispering with roguish solicitude； her face
not too far from his own： 'How foolish you are； George； to
get ill just now when I have been wanting so much to see you
again！I am so sorry to see you like thiswhat I said to you
when we met on the shore was not what I had come to say！'
Somerset took her by the hand。 'Then what did you come to
say； Paula？' he asked。
'I wanted to tell you that the mere wanton wandering of a
capricious mind was not the cause of my estrangement from you。
There has been a great deception practisedthe exact nature
of it I cannot tell you plainly just at present； it is too
painfulbut it is all over； and I can assure you of my sorrow
at having behaved as I did； and of my sincere friendship now
as ever。'
'There is nothing I shall value so much as that。 It will make
my work at the castle very pleasant to feel that I can consult
you about it without fear of intruding on you against your
wishes。'
'Yes； perhaps it will。 Butyou do not comprehend me。'
'You have been an enigma always。'
'And you have been provoking； but never so provoking as now。
I wouldn't for the world tell you the whole of my fancies as I
came hither this evening： but I should think your natural
intuition would suggest what they were。'
'It does； Paula。 But there are motives of delicacy which
prevent my acting on what is suggested to me。'
'Delicacy is a gift； and you should thank God for it； but in
some cases it is not so precious as we would persuade
ourselves。'
'Not when the woman is rich； and the man is poor？'
'O； George Somersetbe cold； or angry； or anything； but don't
be like this！ It is never worth a woman's while to show
regret for her injustice； for all she gets by it is an
accusation of want of delicacy。'
'Indeed I don't accuse you of thatI warmly； tenderly thank
you for your kindness in coming here to see me。'
'Well； perhaps you do。 But I am now in I cannot tell what
moodI will not tell what mood； for it would be confessing
more than I ought。 This finding you out is a piece of
weakness that I shall not repeat； and I have only one thing
more to say。 I have served you badly； George； I know that；
but it is never too late to mend； and I have come back to you。
However； I shall never run after you again； trust me for that；
for it is not the woman's part。 Still； before I go； that
there may be no mistake as to my meaning； and misery entailed
on us for want of a word； I'll add this： that if you want to
marry me； as you once did； you must say so； for I am here to
be asked。'
It would be superfluous to transcribe Somerset's reply； and
the remainder of the scene between the pair。 Let it suffice
that half…an…hour afterwards； when the sun had almost gone
down； Paula walked briskly into the hotel； troubled herself
nothing about dinner； but went upstairs to their sitting…room；
where her aunt presently found her upon the couch looking up
at the ceiling through her fingers。 They talked on different
subjects for some time till the old lady said 'Mr。 Somerset's
cottage is the one covered with flowers up the lane； I hear。'
'Yes；' said Paula。
'How do you know？'
'I've been there。 。 。 。 We are going to be married； aunt。'
'Indeed！' replied Mrs。 Goodman。 'Well； I thought this might
be the end of it： you were determined on the point； and I am
not much surprised at your news。 Your father was very wise
after all in entailing everything so strictly upon your
offspring；