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on。
'Not more than that？' said De Stancy； as he followed her。
'But whenever I involuntarily express towards you sentiments
that there can be no mistaking； you seem truly compassionate。'
'If I seem so； I feel so。'
'If you mean no more than mere compassion； I wish you would
show nothing at all； for your mistaken kindness is only
preparing more misery for me than I should have if let alone
to suffer without mercy。'
'I implore you to be quiet； Captain De Stancy！ Leave me； and
look out of the window at the view here； or at the pictures；
or at the armour； or whatever it is we are come to see。'
'Very well。 But pray don't extract amusement from my harmless
remarks。 Such as they are I mean them。'
She stopped him by changing the subject； for they had entered
an octagonal chamber on the first floor； presumably full of
pictures and curiosities； but the shutters were closed； and
only stray beams of light gleamed in to suggest what was
there。
'Can't somebody open the windows？' said Paula。
'The attendant is about to do it；' said her uncle； and as he
spoke the shutters to the east were flung back； and one of the
loveliest views in the forest disclosed itself outside。
Some of them stepped out upon the balcony。 The river lay
along the bottom of the valley； irradiated with a silver
shine。 Little rafts of pinewood floated on its surface like
tiny splinters； the men who steered them not appearing larger
than ants。
Paula stood on the balcony； looking for a few minutes upon the
sight； and then came into the shadowy room； where De Stancy
had remained。 While the rest were still outside she resumed：
'You must not suppose that I shrink from the subject you so
persistently bring before me。 I respect deep affectionyou
know I do； but for me to say that I have any such for you； of
the particular sort you only will be satisfied with； would be
absurd。 I don't feel it； and therefore there can be nothing
between us。 One would think it would be better to feel kindly
towards you than to feel nothing at all。 But if you object to
that I'll try to feel nothing。'
'I don't really object to your sympathy；' said De Stancy；
rather struck by her seriousness。 'But it is very saddening
to think you can feel nothing more。'
'It must be so； since I CAN feel no more；' she decisively
replied； adding； as she stopped her seriousness： 'You must
pray for strength to get over it。'
'One thing I shall never pray for； to see you give yourself to
another man。 But I suppose I shall witness that some day。'
'You may；' she gravely returned。
'You have no doubt chosen him already；' cried the captain
bitterly。
'No； Captain De Stancy；' she said shortly； a faint involuntary
blush coming into her face as she guessed his allusion。
This； and a few glances round at the pictures and curiosities；
completed their survey of the castle。 De Stancy knew better
than to trouble her further that day with special remarks。
During the return journey he rode ahead with Mr。 Power and she
saw no more of him。
She would have been astonished had she heard the conversation
of the two gentlemen as they wound gently downwards through
the trees。
'As far as I am concerned；' Captain De Stancy's companion was
saying； 'nothing would give me more unfeigned delight than
that you should persevere and win her。 But you must
understand that I have no authority over hernothing more
than the natural influence that arises from my being her
father's brother。'
'And for exercising that much； whatever it may be； in my
favour I thank you heartily；' said De Stancy。 'But I am
coming to the conclusion that it is useless to press her
further。 She is right！ I am not the man for her。 I am too
old； and too poor； and I must put up as well as I can with her
lossdrown her image in old Falernian till I embark in
Charon's boat for good！Really； if I had the industry I could
write some good Horatian verses on my inauspicious situation！。
。 。 Ah； well；in this way I affect levity over my troubles；
but in plain truth my life will not be the brightest without
her。'
'Don't be down…hearted！ you are tootoo gentlemanly； De
Stancy； in this matteryou are too soon put offyou should
have a touch of the canvasser about you in approaching her；
and not stick at things。 You have my hearty invitation to
travel with us all the way till we cross to England； and there
will be heaps of opportunities as we wander on。 I'll keep a
slow pace to give you time。'
'You are very good； my friend！ Well； I will try again。 I am
full of doubt and indecision； mind； but at present I feel that
I will try again。 There is； I suppose； a slight possibility
of something or other turning up in my favour； if it is true
that the unexpected always happensfor I foresee no chance
whatever。 。 。 。 Which way do we go when we leave here to…
morrow？'
'To Carlsruhe； she says； if the rest of us have no objection。'
'Carlsruhe； then； let it be； with all my heart； or anywhere。'
To Carlsruhe they went next day； after a night of soft rain
which brought up a warm steam from the Schwarzwald valleys；
and caused the young tufts and grasses to swell visibly in a
few hours。 After the Baden slopes the flat thoroughfares of
'Charles's Rest' seemed somewhat uninteresting； though a busy
fair which was proceeding in the streets created a quaint and
unexpected liveliness。 On reaching the old…fashioned inn in
the Lange…Strasse that they had fixed on； the women of the
party betook themselves to their rooms and showed little
inclination to see more of the world that day than could be
gleaned from the hotel windows。
III。
While the malignant tongues had been playing havoc with
Somerset's fame in the ears of Paula and her companion； the
young man himself was proceeding partly by rail； partly on
foot； below and amid the olive…clad hills； vineyards； carob
groves； and lemon gardens of the Mediterranean shores。
Arrived at San Remo he wrote to Nice to inquire for letters；
and such as had come were duly forwarded； but not one of them
was from Paula。 This broke down his resolution to hold off；
and he hastened directly to Genoa； regretting that he had not
taken this step when he first heard that she was there。
Something in the very aspect of the marble halls of that city；
which at any other time he would have liked to linger over；
whispered to him that the bird had flown； and inquiry
confirmed the fancy。 Nevertheless； the architectural beauties
of the palace…bordered street； looking as if mountains of
marble must have been levelled to supply the materials for
constructing it； detained him there two days： or rather a
feat of resolution； by which he set himself to withstand the
drag…chain of Paula's influence； was operative for that space
of time。
At the end of it he moved onward。 There was no difficulty in
discovering their track northwards； and feeling that he might
as well return to England by the Rhine route as by any other；
he followed in the course they had chosen； getting scent of
them in Strassburg； missing them at Baden by a day； and
finally overtaking them at Carlsruhe； which town he reached on
the morning after the