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soul；' he said； dropping his arms； 'can this be true？'
'What？'
'You know。'
Dare shrugged his shoulders； 'Are you going to hand over the
money or no？' he said。
'I am going to make inquiries；' said De Stancy； walking away
with a vehement tread。
'Captain； you are without natural affection；' said Dare；
walking by his side； in a tone which showed his fear that he
had over…estimated that emotion。 'See what I have done for
you。 You have been my constant care and anxiety for I can't
tell how long。 I have stayed awake at night thinking how I
might best give you a good start in the world by arranging
this judicious marriage； when you have been sleeping as sound
as a top with no cares upon your mind at all； and now I have
got into a scrapeas the most thoughtful of us may sometimes…
…you go to make inquiries。'
'I have promised the lady to whom this money belongswhose
generosity has been shamefully abused in some waythat I will
deliver it into no hands but those of one man； and he has not
yet appeared。 I therefore go to find him。'
Dare laid his hand upon De Stancy's arm。 'Captain； we are
both warm； and punctilious on points of honour； this will come
to a split between us if we don't mind。 So； not to bring
matters to a crisis； lend me ten pounds here to enable me to
get home； and I'll disappear。'
In a state bordering on distraction； eager to get the young
man out of his sight before worse revelations should rise up
between them； De Stancy without pausing in his walk gave him
the sum demanded。 He soon reached the post…office； where he
inquired if a Mr。 Somerset had left any directions for
forwarding letters。
It was just what Somerset had done。 De Stancy was told that
Mr。 Somerset had commanded that any letters should be sent on
to him at the Hotel Victoria； San Remo。
It was now evident that the scheme of getting money from Paula
was either of Dare's invention； or that Somerset； ashamed of
his first impulse； had abandoned it as speedily as it had been
formed。 De Stancy turned and went out。 Dare； in keeping with
his promise； had vanished。 Captain De Stancy resolved to do
nothing in the case till further events should enlighten him；
beyond sending a line to Miss Power to inform her that
Somerset had not appeared； and that he therefore retained the
money for further instructions。
BOOK THE FIFTH。 DE STANCY AND PAULA。
I。
Miss Power was reclining on a red velvet couch in the bedroom
of an old…fashioned red hotel at Strassburg； and her friend
Miss De Stancy was sitting by a window of the same apartment。
They were both rather wearied by a long journey of the
previous day。 The hotel overlooked the large open Kleber
Platz； erect in the midst of which the bronze statue of
General Kleber received the rays of a warm sun that was
powerless to brighten him。 The whole square； with its people
and vehicles going to and fro as if they had plenty of time；
was visible to Charlotte in her chair； but Paula from her
horizontal position could see nothing below the level of the
many dormered house…tops on the opposite side of the Platz。
After watching this upper storey of the city for some time in
silence； she asked Charlotte to hand her a binocular lying on
the table； through which instrument she quietly regarded the
distant roofs。
'What strange and philosophical creatures storks are；' she
said。 'They give a taciturn； ghostly character to the whole
town。'
The birds were crossing and recrossing the field of the glass
in their flight hither and thither between the Strassburg
chimneys； their sad grey forms sharply outlined against the
sky； and their skinny legs showing beneath like the limbs of
dead martyrs in Crivelli's emaciated imaginings。 The
indifference of these birds to all that was going on beneath
them impressed her： to harmonize with their solemn and silent
movements the houses beneath should have been deserted； and
grass growing in the streets。
Behind the long roofs thus visible to Paula over the window…
sill； with their tiers of dormer…windows； rose the cathedral
spire in airy openwork； forming the highest object in the
scene； it suggested something which for a long time she
appeared unwilling to utter； but natural instinct had its way。
'A place like this；' she said； 'where he can study Gothic
architecture； would； I should have thought； be a spot more
congenial to him than Monaco。'
The person referred to was the misrepresented Somerset； whom
the two had been gingerly discussing from time to time；
allowing any casual subject； such as that of the storks； to
interrupt the personal one at every two or three sentences。
'It would be more like him to be here；' replied Miss De
Stancy； trusting her tongue with only the barest generalities
on this matter。
Somerset was again dismissed for the stork topic； but Paula
could not let him alone； and she presently resumed； as if an
irresistible fascination compelled what judgment had
forbidden： 'The strongest…minded persons are sometimes caught
unawares at that place； if they once think they will retrieve
their first losses； and I am not aware that he is particularly
strong…minded。'
For a moment Charlotte looked at her with a mixed expression；
in which there was deprecation that a woman with any feeling
should criticize Somerset so frigidly； and relief that it was
Paula who did so。 For； notwithstanding her assumption that
Somerset could never be anything more to her than he was
already； Charlotte's heart would occasionally step down and
trouble her views so expressed。
Whether looking through a glass at distant objects enabled
Paula to bottle up her affection for the absent one； or
whether her friend Charlotte had so little personality in
Paula's regard that she could commune with her as with a lay
figure； it was certain that she evinced remarkable ease in
speaking of Somerset； resuming her words about him in the tone
of one to whom he was at most an ordinary professional
adviser。 'It would be very awkward for the works at the
castle if he has got into a scrape。 I suppose the builders
were well posted with instructions before he left： but he
ought certainly to return soon。 Why did he leave England at
all just now？'
'Perhaps it was to see you。'
'He should have waited； it would not have been so dreadfully
long to May or June。 Charlotte； how can a man who does such a
hare…brained thing as this be deemed trustworthy in an
important work like that of rebuilding Stancy Castle？'
There was such stress in the inquiry that； whatever
factitiousness had gone before； Charlotte perceived Paula to
be at last speaking her mind； and it seemed as if Somerset
must have considerably lost ground in her opinion； or she
would not have criticized him thus。
'My brother will tell us full particulars when he comes：
perhaps it is not at all as we suppose；' said Charlotte。 She
strained her eyes across the Platz and added； 'He ought to
have been here before this time。'
While they waited and talked； Paula still observing the
storks； the hotel omnibus came round the corner from the
station。 'I believe he has arrived；' resumed Miss De Stancy；
'I s