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！
shadow passing and repassing on the blind in the style of
head…dress worn by the girl he had previously seen。 The
dinner…bell sounded and the light went out。
As yet it was scarcely dark out of doors； and in a few minutes
Dare had the satisfaction of seeing the same woman cross the
ward and emerge upon the slope without。 This time she was
bonneted； and carried a little basket in her hand。 A nearer
view showed her to be； as he had expected； Milly Birch；
Paula's maid； who had friends living in Markton； whom she was
in the habit of visiting almost every evening during the three
hours of leisure which intervened between Paula's retirement
from the dressing…room and return thither at ten o'clock。
When the young woman had descended the road and passed into
the large drive； Dare rose and followed her。
'O； it is you； Miss Birch；' said Dare； on overtaking her。 'I
am glad to have the pleasure of walking by your side。'
'Yes； sir。 O it's Mr。 Dare。 We don't see you at the castle
now； sir。'
'No。 And do you get a walk like this every evening when the
others are at their busiest？'
'Almost every evening； that's the one return to the poor
lady's maid for losing her leisure when the others get itin
the absence of the family from home。'
'Is Miss Power a hard mistress？'
'No。'
'Rather fanciful than hard； I presume？'
'Just so； sir。'
'And she likes to appear to advantage； no doubt。'
'I suppose so；' said Milly； laughing。 'We all do。'
'When does she appear to the best advantage？ When riding； or
driving； or reading her book？'
'Not altogether then； if you mean the very best。'
'Perhaps it is when she sits looking in the glass at herself；
and you let down her hair。'
'Not particularly； to my mind。'
'When does she to your mind？ When dressed for a dinner…party
or ball？'
'She's middling； then。 But there is one time when she looks
nicer and cleverer than at any。 It is when she is in the
gymnasium。'
'Ogymnasium？'
'Because when she is there she wears such a pretty boy's
costume； and is so charming in her movements； that you think
she is a lovely young youth and not a girl at all。'
'When does she go to this gymnasium？'
'Not so much as she used to。 Only on wet mornings now； when
she can't get out for walks or drives。 But she used to do it
every day。'
'I should like to see her there。'
'Why； sir？'
'I am a poor artist； and can't afford models。 To see her
attitudes would be of great assistance to me in the art I love
so well。'
Milly shook her head。 'She's very strict about the door being
locked。 If I were to leave it open she would dismiss me； as I
should deserve。'
'But consider； dear Miss Birch； the advantage to a poor artist
the sight of her would be： if you could hold the door ajar it
would be worth five pounds to me； and a good deal to you。'
'No；' said the incorruptible Milly； shaking her head。
'Besides； I don't always go there with her。 O no； I
couldn't！'
Milly remained so firm at this point that Dare said no more。
When he had left her he returned to the castle grounds； and
though there was not much light he had no difficulty in
discovering the gymnasium； the outside of which he had
observed before； without thinking to inquire its purpose。
Like the erections in other parts of the shrubberies it was
constructed of wood； the interstices between the framing being
filled up with short billets of fir nailed diagonally。 Dare；
even when without a settled plan in his head； could arrange
for probabilities； and wrenching out one of the billets he
looked inside。 It seemed to be a simple oblong apartment；
fitted up with ropes； with a little dressing…closet at one
end； and lighted by a skylight or lantern in the roof。 Dare
replaced the wood and went on his way。
Havill was smoking on his doorstep when Dare passed up the
street。 He held up his hand。
'Since you have been gone；' said the architect； 'I've hit upon
something that may help you in exhibiting your lady to your
gentleman。 In the summer I had orders to design a gymnasium
for her； which I did； and they say she is very clever on the
ropes and bars。 Now'
'I've discovered it。 I shall contrive for him to see her
there on the first wet morning； which is when she practises。
What made her think of it？'
'As you may have heard； she holds advanced views on social and
other matters； and in those on the higher education of women
she is very strong； talking a good deal about the physical
training of the Greeks； whom she adores； or did。 Every
philosopher and man of science who ventilates his theories in
the monthly reviews has a devout listener in her； and this
subject of the physical development of her sex has had its
turn with other things in her mind。 So she had the place
built on her very first arrival； according to the latest
lights on athletics； and in imitation of those at the new
colleges for women。'
'How deuced clever of the girl！ She means to live to be a
hundred！'
VII。
The wet day arrived with all the promptness that might have
been expected of it in this land of rains and mists。 The
alder bushes behind the gymnasium dripped monotonously leaf
upon leaf； added to this being the purl of the shallow stream
a little way off； producing a sense of satiety in watery
sounds。 Though there was drizzle in the open meads； the rain
here in the thicket was comparatively slight； and two men with
fishing tackle who stood beneath one of the larger bushes
found its boughs a sufficient shelter。
'We may as well walk home again as study nature here； Willy；'
said the taller and elder of the twain。 'I feared it would
continue when we started。 The magnificent sport you speak of
must rest for to…day。'
The other looked at his watch； but made no particular reply。
'Come； let us move on。 I don't like intruding into other
people's grounds like this；' De Stancy continued。
'We are not intruding。 Anybody walks outside this fence。' He
indicated an iron railing newly tarred； dividing the wilder
underwood amid which they stood from the inner and well…kept
parts of the shrubbery； and against which the back of the
gymnasium was built。
Light footsteps upon a gravel walk could be heard on the other
side of the fence； and a trio of cloaked and umbrella…screened
figures were for a moment discernible。 They vanished behind
the gymnasium； and again nothing resounded but the river
murmurs and the clock…like drippings of the leafage。
'Hush！' said Dare。
'No pranks； my boy；' said De Stancy suspiciously。 'You should
be above them。'
'And you should trust to my good sense； captain；' Dare
remonstrated。 'I have not indulged in a prank since the sixth
year of my pilgrimage。 I have found them too damaging to my
interests。 Well； it is not too dry here； and damp injures
your health； you say。 Have a pull for safety's sake。' He
presented a flask to De Stancy。
The artillery officer looked down at his nether garments。
'I don't break my rule without good reason；' he observed。
'I am afraid that reason exists at present。'
'I am afraid it does。 What have you got？'
'Only a little wine。'
'What wine？'
'Do try it