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next week。'
'Two little people like them will be lost in the chammers of
that wandering place！' satirized Dairyman Jinks。 'They will
be bound to have a randy every fortnight to keep the moth out
of the furniture！'
By this time Somerset was handing out the wife of his bosom；
and Dairyman Jinks went on： 'That's no more Miss Power that
was； than my niece's daughter Kezia is Miss Powerin short it
is a different woman altogether！'
'There is no mistake about the woman；' said the landlord； 'it
is her fur clothes that make her look so like a caterpillar on
end。 Well； she is not a bad bargain！ As for Captain De
Stancy； he'll fret his gizzard green。'
'He's the man she ought to ha' married；' declared the farmer
in broadcloth。 'As the world goes she ought to have been Lady
De Stancy。 She gave up her chapel…going； and you might have
thought she would have given up her first young man： but she
stuck to him； though by all accounts he would soon have been
interested in another party。'
''Tis woman's nature to be false except to a man； and man's
nature to be true except to a woman；' said the landlord of
Sleeping…Green。 'However； all's well that ends well； and I
have something else to think of than new…married couples；'
saying which the speaker moved off； and the others returned to
their seats； the young pair who had been their theme vanishing
through the hotel into some private paradise to rest and dine。
By this time their arrival had become known； and a crowd soon
gathered outside； acquiring audacity with continuance there。
Raising a hurrah； the group would not leave till Somerset had
showed himself on the balcony above； and then declined to go
away till Paula also had appeared； when； remarking that her
husband seemed a quiet young man enough； and would make a very
good borough member when their present one misbehaved himself；
the assemblage good…humouredly dispersed。
Among those whose ears had been reached by the hurrahs of
these idlers was a man in silence and solitude； far out of the
town。 He was leaning over a gate that divided two meads in a
watery level between Stancy Castle and Markton。 He turned his
head for a few seconds； then continued his contemplative gaze
towards the towers of the castle； visible over the trees as
far as was possible in the leaden gloom of the November eve。
The military form of the solitary lounger was recognizable as
that of Sir William De Stancy； notwithstanding the failing
light and his attitude of so resting his elbows on the gate
that his hands enclosed the greater part of his face。
The scene was inexpressibly cheerless。 No other human
creature was apparent； and the only sounds audible above the
wind were those of the trickling streams which distributed the
water over the meadow。 A heron had been standing in one of
these rivulets about twenty yards from the officer； and they
vied with each other in stillness till the bird suddenly rose
and flew off to the plantation in which it was his custom to
pass the night with others of his tribe。 De Stancy saw the
heron rise； and seemed to imagine the creature's departure
without a supper to be owing to the increasing darkness； but
in another minute he became conscious that the heron had been
disturbed by sounds too distant to reach his own ears at the
time。 They were nearer now； and there came along under the
hedge a young man known to De Stancy exceedingly well。
'Ah；' he said listlessly； 'you have ventured back。'
'Yes； captain。 Why do you walk out here？'
'The bells began ringing because she and he were expected； and
my thoughts naturally dragged me this way。 Thank Heaven the
battery leaves Markton in a few days； and then the precious
place will know me no more！'
'I have heard of it。' Turning to where the dim lines of the
castle rose he continued： 'Well； there it stands。'
'And I am not in it。'
'They are not in it yet either。'
'They soon will be。'
'Wellwhat tune is that you were humming； captain？'
'ALL IS LOST NOW；' replied the captain grimly。
'O no； you have got me； and I am a treasure to any man。 I
have another match in my eye for you； and shall get you well
settled yet； if you keep yourself respectable。 So thank God；
and take courage！'
'Ah； Willyou are a flippant young foolwise in your own
conceit； I say it to my sorrow！ 'Twas your dishonesty spoilt
all。 That lady would have been my wife by fair dealingtime
was all I required。 But base attacks on a man's character
never deserve to win； and if I had once been certain that you
had made them； my course would have been very different； both
towards you and others。 But why should I talk to you about
this？ If I cared an atom what becomes of you I would take you
in hand severely enough； not caring； I leave you alone； to go
to the devil your own way。'
'Thank you kindly； captain。 Well； since you have spoken
plainly； I will do the same。 We De Stancys are a worn…out old
partythat's the long and the short of it。 We represent
conditions of life that have had their dayespecially me。
Our one remaining chance was an alliance with new aristocrats；
and we have failed。 We are past and done for。 Our line has
had five hundred years of glory； and we ought to be content。
Enfin les renards se trouvent chez le pelletier。'
'Speak for yourself； young Consequence； and leave the
destinies of old families to respectable philosophers。 This
fiasco is the direct result of evil conduct； and of nothing
else at all。 I have managed badly； I countenanced you too
far。 When I saw your impish tendencies I should have forsworn
the alliance。'
'Don't sting me； captain。 What I have told you is true。 As
for my conduct； cat will after kind； you know。 You should
have held your tongue on the wedding morning； and have let me
take my chance。'
'Is that all I get for saving you from jail？ GadI alone am
the sufferer； and feel I am alone the fool！。 。 。 Come； off
with youI never want to see you any more。'
'Part we will； thentill we meet again。 It will be a light
night hereabouts； I think； this evening。'
'A very dark one for me。'
'Nevertheless； I think it will be a light night。 Au revoir！'
Dare went his way； and after a while De Stancy went his。 Both
were soon lost in the shades。
V。
The castle to…night was as gloomy as the meads。 As Havill had
explained； the habitable rooms were just now undergoing a
scour； and the main block of buildings was empty even of the
few servants who had been retained； they having for comfort's
sake taken up their quarters in the detached rooms adjoining
the entrance archway。 Hence not a single light shone from the
lonely windows； at which ivy leaves tapped like woodpeckers；
moved by gusts that were numerous and contrary rather than
violent。 Within the walls all was silence； chaos； and
obscurity； till towards eleven o'clock； when the thick
immovable cloud that had dulled the daytime broke into a
scudding fleece； through which the moon forded her way as a
nebulous spot of watery white； sending light enough； though of
a rayless kind； into the castle chambers to show the confusion
that reigned there。
At this time an e