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tent door where he stood； and the light shone out upon the
grass。
'I must go to the drawing…room soon；' she added。 'They will
begin to leave shortly。'
'It is not late。 The thunder…cloud has made it seem darksee
there； a line of pale yellow stretches along the horizon from
west to north。 That's eveningnot gone yet。 Shall we go
into the fresh air for a minute？'
She seemed to signify assent； and he stepped off the tent…
floor upon the ground。 She stepped off also。
The air out…of…doors had not cooled； and without definitely
choosing a direction they found themselves approaching a
little wooden tea…house that stood on the lawn a few yards
off。 Arrived here； they turned； and regarded the tent they
had just left； and listened to the strains that came from
within it。
'I feel more at ease now；' said Paula。
'So do I；' said Somerset。
'I mean；' she added in an undeceiving tone； 'because I saw
Mrs。 Goodman enter the tent again just as we came out here； so
I have no further responsibility。'
'I meant something quite different。 Try to guess what。'
She teasingly demurred； finally breaking the silence by
saying； 'The rain is come at last；' as great drops began to
fall upon the ground with a smack； like pellets of clay。
In a moment the storm poured down with sudden violence； and
they drew further back into the summer…house。 The side of the
tent from which they had emerged still remained open； the rain
streaming down between their eyes and the lighted interior of
the marquee like a tissue of glass threads； the brilliant
forms of the dancers passing and repassing behind the watery
screen； as if they were people in an enchanted submarine
palace。
'How happy they are！' said Paula。 'They don't even know that
it is raining。 I am so glad that my aunt had the tent lined；
otherwise such a downpour would have gone clean through it。'
The thunder…storm showed no symptoms of abatement； and the
music and dancing went on more merrily than ever。
'We cannot go in；' said Somerset。 'And we cannot shout for
umbrellas。 We will stay till it is over； will we not？'
'Yes；' she said； 'if you care to。 Ah！'
'What is it？'
'Only a big drop came upon my head。'
'Let us stand further in。'
Her hand was hanging by her side； and Somerset's was close by。
He took it； and she did not draw it away。 Thus they stood a
long while； the rain hissing down upon the grass…plot； and not
a soul being visible outside the dancing…tent save themselves。
'May I call you Paula？' asked he。
There was no answer。
'May I？' he repeated。
'Yes； occasionally；' she murmured。
'Dear Paula！may I call you that？'
'O nonot yet。'
'But you know I love you？'
'Yes；' she whispered。
'And shall I love you always？'
'If you wish to。'
'And will you love me？'
Paula did not reply。
'Will you； Paula？' he repeated。
'You may love me。'
'But don't you love me in return？'
'I love you to love me。'
'Won't you say anything more explicit？'
'I would rather not。'
Somerset emitted half a sigh： he wished she had been more
demonstrative； yet felt that this passive way of assenting was
as much as he could hope for。 Had there been anything cold in
her passivity he might have felt repressed； but her stillness
suggested the stillness of motion imperceptible from its
intensity。
'We must go in；' said she。 'The rain is almost over； and
there is no longer any excuse for this。'
Somerset bent his lips toward hers。 'No；' said the fair
Puritan decisively。
'Why not？' he asked。
'Nobody ever has。'
'But！' expostulated Somerset。
'To everything there is a season； and the season for this is
not just now；' she answered； walking away。
They crossed the wet and glistening lawn； stepped under the
tent and parted。 She vanished； he did not know whither； and；
standing with his gaze fixed on the dancers； the young man
waited； till； being in no mood to join them； he went slowly
through the artificial passage lined with flowers； and entered
the drawing room。 Mrs。 Goodman was there； bidding good…night
to the early goers； and Paula was just behind her； apparently
in her usual mood。 His parting with her was quite formal； but
that he did not mind； for her colour rose decidedly higher as
he approached； and the light in her eyes was like the ray of a
diamond。
When he reached the door he found that his brougham from the
Quantock Arms； which had been waiting more than an hour； could
not be heard of。 That vagrancy of spirit which love induces
would not permit him to wait； and； leaving word that the man
was to follow him when he returned； he went past the glare of
carriage…lamps ranked in the ward； and under the outer arch。
The night was now clear and beautiful； and he strolled along
his way full of mysterious elation till the vehicle overtook
him； and he got in。
Up to this point Somerset's progress in his suit had been；
though incomplete； so uninterrupted； that he almost feared the
good chance he enjoyed。 How should it be in a mortal of his
calibre to command success with such a sweet woman for long？
He might； indeed； turn out to be one of the singular
exceptions which are said to prove rules； but when fortune
means to men most good； observes the bard； she looks upon them
with a threatening eye。 Somerset would even have been content
that a little disapproval of his course should have occurred
in some quarter； so as to make his wooing more like ordinary
life。 But Paula was not clearly won； and that was drawback
sufficient。 In these pleasing agonies and painful delights he
passed the journey to Markton。
BOOK THE SECOND。 DARE AND HAVILL。
I。
Young Dare sat thoughtfully at the window of the studio in
which Somerset had left him； till the gay scene beneath became
embrowned by the twilight； and the brilliant red stripes of
the marquees； the bright sunshades； the many…tinted costumes
of the ladies； were indistinguishable from the blacks and
greys of the masculine contingent moving among them。 He had
occasionally glanced away from the outward prospect to study a
small old volume that lay before him on the drawing…board。
Near scrutiny revealed the book to bear the title 'Moivre's
Doctrine of Chances。'
The evening had been so still that Dare had heard
conversations from below with a clearness unsuspected by the
speakers themselves； and among the dialogues which thus
reached his ears was that between Somerset and Havill on their
professional rivalry。 When they parted； and Somerset had
mingled with the throng； Havill went to a seat at a distance。
Afterwards he rose； and walked away； but on the bench he had
quitted there remained a small object resembling a book or
leather case。
Dare put away the drawing…board and plotting…scales which he
had kept before him during the evening as a reason for his
presence at that post of espial； locked up the door； and went
downstairs。 Notwithstanding his dismissal by Somerset； he was
so serene in countenance and easy in gait as to make it a fair
conjecture that professional servitude； however profitable；
was no necessity with him。 The gloom now rendered it
practicable for any unbidden g