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friendship for De Stancy； considering that they must be new
acquaintances。
The play proceeded； and Somerset still lingered in his corner。
He could not help fancying that De Stancy's ingenious
relinquishment of his part； and its obvious reason； was
winning Paula's admiration。 His conduct was homage carried to
unscrupulous and inconvenient lengths； a sort of thing which a
woman may chide； but which she can never resent。 Who could do
otherwise than talk kindly to a man； incline a little to him；
and condone his fault； when the sole motive of so audacious an
exercise of his wits was to escape acting with any other
heroine than herself。
His conjectures were brought to a pause by the ending of the
comedy； and the opportunity afforded him of joining the group
in front。 The mass of people were soon gone； and the knot of
friends assembled around Paula were discussing the merits and
faults of the two days' performance。
'My uncle； Mr。 Abner Power；' said Paula suddenly to Somerset；
as he came near； presenting the stranger to the astonished
young man。 'I could not see you before the performance； as I
should have liked to do。 The return of my uncle is so
extraordinary that it ought to be told in a less hurried way
than this。 He has been supposed dead by all of us for nearly
ten yearsever since the time we last heard from him。'
'For which I am to blame；' said Mr。 Power； nodding to Paula's
architect。 'Yet not I； but accident and a sluggish
temperament。 There are times； Mr Somerset； when the human
creature feels no interest in his kind； and assumes that his
kind feels no interest in him。 The feeling is not active
enough to make him fly from their presence； but sufficient to
keep him silent if he happens to be away。 I may not have
described it precisely； but this I know； that after my long
illness； and the fancied neglect of my letters'
'For which my father was not to blame； since he did not
receive them；' said Paula。
'For which nobody was to blameafter that； I say； I wrote no
more。'
'You have much pleasure in returning at last； no doubt；' said
Somerset。
'Sir； as I remained away without particular pain； so I return
without particular joy。 I speak the truth； and no
compliments。 I may add that there is one exception to this
absence of feeling from my heart； namely； that I do derive
great satisfaction from seeing how mightily this young woman
has grown and prevailed。'
This address； though delivered nominally to Somerset； was
listened to by Paula； Mrs。 Goodman； and De Stancy also。 After
uttering it； the speaker turned away； and continued his
previous conversation with Captain De Stancy。 From this time
till the group parted he never again spoke directly to
Somerset； paying him barely so much attention as he might have
expected as Paula's architect； and certainly less than he
might have supposed his due as her accepted lover。
The result of the appearance； as from the tomb； of this wintry
man was that the evening ended in a frigid and formal way
which gave little satisfaction to the sensitive Somerset； who
was abstracted and constrained by reason of thoughts on how
this resuscitation of the uncle would affect his relation with
Paula。 It was possibly also the thought of two at least of
the others。 There had； in truth； scarcely yet been time
enough to adumbrate the possibilities opened up by this
gentleman's return。
The only private word exchanged by Somerset with any one that
night was with Mrs。 Goodman； in whom he always recognized a
friend to his cause； though the fluidity of her character
rendered her but a feeble one at the best of times。 She
informed him that Mr。 Power had no sort of legal control over
Paula； or direction in her estates； but Somerset could not
doubt that a near and only blood relation； even had he
possessed but half the static force of character that made
itself apparent in Mr。 Power； might exercise considerable
moral influence over the girl if he chose。 And in view of Mr。
Power's marked preference for De Stancy； Somerset had many
misgivings as to its operating in a direction favourable to
himself。
XI。
Somerset was deeply engaged with his draughtsmen and builders
during the three following days； and scarcely entered the
occupied wing of the castle。
At his suggestion Paula had agreed to have the works executed
as such operations were carried out in old times； before the
advent of contractors。 Each trade required in the building
was to be represented by a master…tradesman of that
denomination； who should stand responsible for his own section
of labour； and for no other； Somerset himself as chief
technicist working out his designs on the spot。 By this means
the thoroughness of the workmanship would be greatly increased
in comparison with the modern arrangement； whereby a nominal
builder； seldom present； who can certainly know no more than
one trade intimately and well； and who often does not know
that； undertakes the whole。
But notwithstanding its manifest advantages to the proprietor；
the plan added largely to the responsibilities of the
architect； who； with his master…mason； master…carpenter；
master…plumber； and what not； had scarcely a moment to call
his own。 Still； the method being upon the face of it the true
one； Somerset supervised with a will。
But there seemed to float across the court to him from the
inhabited wing an intimation that things were not as they had
been before； that an influence adverse to himself was at work
behind the ashlared face of inner wall which confronted him。
Perhaps this was because he never saw Paula at the windows； or
heard her footfall in that half of the building given over to
himself and his myrmidons。 There was really no reason other
than a sentimental one why he should see her。 The uninhabited
part of the castle was almost an independent structure； and it
was quite natural to exist for weeks in this wing without
coming in contact with residents in the other。
A more pronounced cause than vague surmise was destined to
perturb him； and this in an unexpected manner。 It happened
one morning that he glanced through a local paper while
waiting at the Lord…Quantock…Arms for the pony…carriage to be
brought round in which he often drove to the castle。 The
paper was two days old； but to his unutterable amazement he
read therein a paragraph which ran as follows：
'We are informed that a marriage is likely to be arranged
between Captain De Stancy； of the Royal Horse Artillery； only
surviving son of Sir William De Stancy； Baronet； and Paula；
only daughter of the late John Power； Esq。； M。P。； of Stancy
Castle。'
Somerset dropped the paper； and stared out of the window。
Fortunately for his emotions； the horse and carriage were at
this moment brought to the door； so that nothing hindered
Somerset in driving off to the spot at which he would be
soonest likely to learn what truth or otherwise there was in
the newspaper report。 From the first he doubted it： and yet
how should it have got there？ Such strange rumours； like
paradoxical maxims； generally include a portion of truth。
Five days had elapsed since he last spoke to Paul