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Her air confessed more than her words。 'I am not so very glad
that I am going to the Hunt Ball；' she replied confidentially。
'Thanks for that；' said he。
She lifted her eyes to his for a moment。 Her manner had
suddenly become so nearly the counterpart of that in the tea…
house that to suspect any deterioration of affection in her
was no longer generous。 It was only as if a thin layer of
recent events had overlaid her memories of him； until his
presence swept them away。
Somerset looked up； and finding the shopman to be still some
way off； he added； 'When will you assure me of something in
return for what I assured you that evening in the rain？'
'Not before you have built the castle。 My aunt does not know
about it yet； nor anybody。'
'I ought to tell her。'
'No； not yet。 I don't wish it。'
'Then everything stands as usual？'
She lightly nodded。
'That is； I may love you： but you still will not say you love
me。'
She nodded again； and directing his attention to the advancing
shopman； said； 'Please not a word more。'
Soon after this； they left the jeweller's； and parted； Paula
driving straight off to the station and Somerset going on his
way uncertainly happy。 His re…impression after a few minutes
was that a special journey to town to fetch that magnificent
necklace which she had not once mentioned to him； but which
was plainly to be the medium of some proud purpose with her
this evening； was hardly in harmony with her assertions of
indifference to the attractions of the Hunt Ball。
He got into a cab and drove to his club； where he lunched； and
mopingly spent a great part of the afternoon in making
calculations for the foundations of the castle works。 Later
in the afternoon he returned to his chambers； wishing that he
could annihilate the three days remaining before the tenth；
particularly this coming evening。 On his table was a letter
in a strange writing； and indifferently turning it over he
found from the superscription that it had been addressed to
him days before at the Lord…Quantock…Arms Hotel； Markton；
where it had lain ever since； the landlord probably expecting
him to return。 Opening the missive； he found to his surprise
that it was； after all； an invitation to the Hunt Ball。
'Too late！' said Somerset。 'To think I should be served this
trick a second time！'
After a moment's pause； however； he looked to see the time of
day。 It was five minutes past fivejust about the hour when
Paula would be driving from Markton Station to Stancy Castle
to rest and prepare herself for her evening triumph。 There
was a train at six o'clock； timed to reach Markton between
eleven and twelve； which by great exertion he might save even
now； if it were worth while to undertake such a scramble for
the pleasure of dropping in to the ball at a late hour。 A
moment's vision of Paula moving to swift tunes on the arm of a
person or persons unknown was enough to impart the impetus
required。 He jumped up； flung his dress clothes into a
portmanteau； sent down to call a cab； and in a few minutes was
rattling off to the railway which had borne Paula away from
London just five hours earlier。
Once in the train； he began to consider where and how he could
most conveniently dress for the dance。 The train would
certainly be half…an…hour late； half…an…hour would be spent in
getting to the town…hall； and that was the utmost delay
tolerable if he would secure the hand of Paula for one spin；
or be more than a mere dummy behind the earlier arrivals。 He
looked for an empty compartment at the next stoppage； and
finding the one next his own unoccupied； he entered it and
changed his raiment for that in his portmanteau during the
ensuing run of twenty miles。
Thus prepared he awaited the Markton platform； which was
reached as the clock struck twelve。 Somerset called a fly and
drove at once to the town…hall。
The borough natives had ascended to their upper floors； and
were putting out their candles one by one as he passed along
the streets； but the lively strains that proceeded from the
central edifice revealed distinctly enough what was going on
among the temporary visitors from the neighbouring manors。
The doors were opened for him； and entering the vestibule
lined with flags； flowers； evergreens； and escutcheons； he
stood looking into the furnace of gaiety beyond。
It was some time before he could gather his impressions of the
scene； so perplexing were the lights； the motions； the
toilets； the full…dress uniforms of officers and the harmonies
of sound。 Yet light； sound； and movement were not so much the
essence of that giddy scene as an intense aim at obliviousness
in the beings composing it。 For two or three hours at least
those whirling young people meant not to know that they were
mortal。 The room was beating like a heart； and the pulse was
regulated by the trembling strings of the most popular
quadrille band in Wessex。 But at last his eyes grew settled
enough to look critically around。
The room was crowdedtoo crowded。 Every variety of fair one；
beauties primary； secondary； and tertiary； appeared among the
personages composing the throng。 There were suns and moons；
also pale planets of little account。 Broadly speaking； these
daughters of the county fell into two classes： one the pink…
faced unsophisticated girls from neighbouring rectories and
small country…houses； who knew not town except for an
occasional fortnight； and who spent their time from Easter to
Lammas Day much as they spent it during the remaining nine
months of the year： the other class were the children of the
wealthy landowners who migrated each season to the town…house；
these were pale and collected； showed less enjoyment in their
countenances； and wore in general an approximation to the
languid manners of the capital。
A quadrille was in progress； and Somerset scanned each set。
His mind had run so long upon the necklace； that his glance
involuntarily sought out that gleaming object rather than the
personality of its wearer。 At the top of the room there he
beheld it； but it was on the neck of Charlotte De Stancy。
The whole lucid explanation broke across his understanding in
a second。 His dear Paula had fetched the necklace that
Charlotte should not appear to disadvantage among the county
people by reason of her poverty。 It was generously donea
disinterested act of sisterly kindness； theirs was the
friendship of Hermia and Helena。 Before he had got further
than to realize this； there wheeled round amongst the dancers
a lady whose tournure he recognized well。 She was Paula； and
to the young man's vision a superlative something
distinguished her from all the rest。 This was not dress or
ornament； for she had hardly a gem upon her； her attire being
a model of effective simplicity。 Her partner was Captain De
Stancy。
The discovery of this latter fact slightly obscured his
appreciation of what he had discovered just before。 It was
with rather a lowering brow that he asked himself whether
Paula's predilection d'artiste； as she called it； for the De
Stancy line might not lead to a predilection of a different
sort for its la