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'An unlucky man！' said Dare。
'That； happily for us； will not affect his installation here；'
said De Stancy。 'Now hold your tongue and keep at a distance。
She may come this way。'
Surely enough in a few minutes she came。 De Stancy； to make
conversation； told her of the new misfortune which had just
befallen Mr。 Havill。
Paula was very sorry to hear it； and remarked that it gave her
great satisfaction to have appointed him as architect of the
first wing before he learnt the bad news。 'I owe you best
thanks； Captain De Stancy； for showing me such an expedient。'
'Do I really deserve thanks？' asked De Stancy。 'I wish I
deserved a reward； but I must bear in mind the fable of the
priest and the jester。'
'I never heard it。'
'The jester implored the priest for alms； but the smallest sum
was refused； though the holy man readily agreed to give him
his blessing。 Query； its value？'
'How does it apply？'
'You give me unlimited thanks； but deny me the tiniest
substantial trifle I desire。'
'What persistence！' exclaimed Paula； colouring。 'Very well；
if you WILL photograph my picture you must。 It is really not
worthy further pleading。 Take it when you like。'
When Paula was alone she seemed vexed with herself for having
given way； and rising from her seat she went quietly to the
door of the room containing the picture； intending to lock it
up till further consideration； whatever he might think of her。
But on casting her eyes round the apartment the painting was
gone。 The captain； wisely taking the current when it served；
already had it in the gallery； where he was to be seen bending
attentively over it； arranging the lights and directing Dare
with the instruments。 On leaving he thanked her； and said
that he had obtained a splendid copy。 Would she look at it？
Paula was severe and icy。 'Thank youI don't wish to see
it；' she said。
De Stancy bowed and departed in a glow of triumph； satisfied；
notwithstanding her frigidity； that he had compassed his
immediate aim； which was that she might not be able to dismiss
from her thoughts him and his persevering desire for the
shadow of her face during the next four…and…twenty…hours。 And
his confidence was well founded： she could not。
'I fear this Divine Comedy will be slow business for us；
captain；' said Dare； who had heard her cold words。
'O no！' said De Stancy； flushing a little： he had not been
perceiving that the lad had the measure of his mind so
entirely as to gauge his position at any moment。 But he would
show no shamefacedness。 'Even if it is； my boy；' he answered；
'there's plenty of time before the other can come。'
At that hour and minute of De Stancy's remark 'the other；' to
look at him； seemed indeed securely shelved。 He was sitting
lonely in his chambers far away； wondering why she did not
write； and yet hoping to hearwondering if it had all been
but a short…lived strain of tenderness。 He knew as well as if
it had been stated in words that her serious acceptance of him
as a suitor would be her acceptance of him as an architect
that her schemes in love would be expressed in terms of art；
and conversely that her refusal of him as a lover would be
neatly effected by her choosing Havill's plans for the castle；
and returning his own with thanks。 The position was so clear：
he was so well walled in by circumstances that he was
absolutely helpless。
To wait for the line that would not comethe letter saying
that； as she had desired； his was the design that pleased her…
…was still the only thing to do。 The （to Somerset） surprising
accident that the committee of architects should have
pronounced the designs absolutely equal in point of merit； and
thus have caused the final choice to revert after all to
Paula； had been a joyous thing to him when he first heard of
it； full of confidence in her favour。 But the fact of her
having again become the arbitrator； though it had made
acceptance of his plans all the more probable； made refusal of
them； should it happen； all the more crushing。 He could have
conceived himself favoured by Paula as her lover； even had the
committee decided in favour of Havill as her architect。 But
not to be chosen as architect now was to be rejected in both
kinds。
IV。
It was the Sunday following the funeral of Mrs。 Havill； news
of whose death had been so unexpectedly brought to her husband
at the moment of his exit from Stancy Castle。 The minister；
as was his custom； improved the occasion by a couple of
sermons on the uncertainty of life。 One was preached in the
morning in the old chapel of Markton； the second at evening
service in the rural chapel near Stancy Castle； built by
Paula's father； which bore to the first somewhat the relation
of an episcopal chapel…of…ease to the mother church。
The unscreened lights blazed through the plate…glass windows
of the smaller building and outshone the steely stars of the
early night； just as they had done when Somerset was attracted
by their glare four months before。 The fervid minister's
rhetoric equalled its force on that more romantic occasion：
but Paula was not there。 She was not a frequent attendant now
at her father's votive building。 The mysterious tank； whose
dark waters had so repelled her at the last moment； was
boarded over： a table stood on its centre； with an open
quarto Bible upon it； behind which Havill； in a new suit of
black； sat in a large chair。 Havill held the office of
deacon： and he had mechanically taken the deacon's seat as
usual to…night； in the face of the congregation； and under the
nose of Mr。 Woodwell。
Mr。 Woodwell was always glad of an opportunity。 He was gifted
with a burning natural eloquence； which； though perhaps a
little too freely employed in exciting the 'Wertherism of the
uncultivated；' had in it genuine power。 He was a master of
that oratory which no limitation of knowledge can repress； and
which no training can impart。 The neighbouring rector could
eclipse Woodwell's scholarship； and the freethinker at the
corner shop in Markton could demolish his logic； but the
Baptist could do in five minutes what neither of these had
done in a lifetime； he could move some of the hardest of men
to tears。
Thus it happened that； when the sermon was fairly under way；
Havill began to feel himself in a trying position。 It was not
that he had bestowed much affection upon his deceased wife；
irreproachable woman as she had been； but the suddenness of
her death had shaken his nerves； and Mr。 Woodwell's address on
the uncertainty of life involved considerations of conduct on
earth that bore with singular directness upon Havill's
unprincipled manoeuvre for victory in the castle competition。
He wished he had not been so inadvertent as to take his
customary chair in the chapel。 People who saw Havill's
agitation did not know that it was most largely owing to his
sense of the fraud which had been practised on the unoffending
Somerset； and when； unable longer to endure the torture of
Woodwell's words； he rose from his place and went into the
chapel vestry； the preacher little thought that remorse for a
contemptibly unfair act； rather than grie