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near middle…age for a girl like you。' Paula did not reply to
either of these remarks； being seemingly so interested in
Ehrenbreitstein's heights as not to hear them。
IX。
It was midnight at Coblenz； and the travellers had retired to
rest in their respective apartments； overlooking the river。
Finding that there was a moon shining； Paula leant out of her
window。 The tall rock of Ehrenbreitstein on the opposite
shore was flooded with light； and a belated steamer was
drawing up to the landing…stage； where it presently deposited
its passengers。
'We should have come by the last boat； so as to have been
touched into romance by the rays of this moon； like those
happy people；' said a voice。
She looked towards the spot whence the voice proceeded； which
was a window quite near at hand。 De Stancy was smoking
outside it； and she became aware that the words were addressed
to her。
'You left me very abruptly；' he continued。
Paula's instinct of caution impelled her to speak。
'The windows are all open；' she murmured。 'Please be
careful。'
'There are no English in this hotel except ourselves。 I thank
you for what you said to…day。'
'Please be careful；' she repeated。
'My dear Miss P'
'Don't mention names； and don't continue the subject！'
'Life and death perhaps depend upon my renewing it soon！'
She shut the window decisively； possibly wondering if De
Stancy had drunk a glass or two of Steinberg more than was
good for him； and saw no more of moonlit Ehrenbreitstein that
night； and heard no more of De Stancy。 But it was some time
before he closed his window； and previous to doing so saw a
dark form at an adjoining one on the other side。
It was Mr。 Power； also taking the air。 'Well； what luck to…
day？' said Power。
'A decided advance；' said De Stancy。
None of the speakers knew that a little person in the room
above heard all this out…of…window talk。 Charlotte； though
not looking out； had left her casement open； and what reached
her ears set her wondering as to the result。
It is not necessary to detail in full De Stancy's
imperceptible advances with Paula during that northward
journeyso slowly performed that it seemed as if she must
perceive there was a special reason for delaying her return to
England。 At Cologne one day he conveniently overtook her when
she was ascending the hotel staircase。 Seeing him； she went
to the window of the entresol landing； which commanded a view
of the Rhine； meaning that he should pass by to his room。
'I have been very uneasy；' began the captain； drawing up to
her side； 'and I am obliged to trouble you sooner than I meant
to do。'
Paula turned her eyes upon him with some curiosity as to what
was coming of this respectful demeanour。 'Indeed！' she said；
He then informed her that he had been overhauling himself
since they last talked； and had some reason to blame himself
for bluntness and general want of euphemism； which； although
he had meant nothing by it； must have been very disagreeable
to her。 But he had always aimed at sincerity； particularly as
he had to deal with a lady who despised hypocrisy and was
above flattery。 However； he feared he might have carried his
disregard for conventionality too far。 But from that time he
would promise that she should find an alteration by which he
hoped he might return the friendship at least of a young lady
he honoured more than any other in the world。
This retrograde movement was evidently unexpected by the
honoured young lady herself。 After being so long accustomed
to rebuke him for his persistence there was novelty in finding
him do the work for her。 The guess might even have been
hazarded that there was also disappointment。
Still looking across the river at the bridge of boats which
stretched to the opposite suburb of Deutz： 'You need not
blame yourself；' she said； with the mildest conceivable
manner； 'I can make allowances。 All I wish is that you should
remain under no misapprehension。'
'I comprehend；' he said thoughtfully。 'But since； by a
perverse fate； I have been thrown into your company； you could
hardly expect me to feel and act otherwise。'
'Perhaps not。'
'Since I have so much reason to be dissatisfied with myself；'
he added； 'I cannot refrain from criticizing elsewhere to a
slight extent； and thinking I have to do with an ungenerous
person。'
'Why ungenerous？'
'In this way； that since you cannot love me； you see no reason
at all for trying to do so in the fact that I so deeply love
you； hence I say that you are rather to be distinguished by
your wisdom than by your humanity。'
'It comes to this； that if your words are all seriously meant
it is much to be regretted we ever met；' she murmured。 'Now
will you go on to where you were going； and leave me here？'
Without a remonstrance he went on； saying with dejected
whimsicality as he smiled back upon her； 'You show a wisdom
which for so young a lady is perfectly surprising。'
It was resolved to prolong the journey by a circuit through
Holland and Belgium； but nothing changed in the attitudes of
Paula and Captain De Stancy till one afternoon during their
stay at the Hague； when they had gone for a drive down to
Scheveningen by the long straight avenue of chestnuts and
limes； under whose boughs tufts of wild parsley waved their
flowers； except where the buitenplaatsen of retired merchants
blazed forth with new paint of every hue。 On mounting the
dune which kept out the sea behind the village a brisk breeze
greeted their faces； and a fine sand blew up into their eyes。
De Stancy screened Paula with his umbrella as they stood with
their backs to the wind； looking down on the red roofs of the
village within the sea wall； and pulling at the long grass
which by some means found nourishment in the powdery soil of
the dune。
When they had discussed the scene he continued； 'It always
seems to me that this place reflects the average mood of human
life。 I mean； if we strike the balance between our best moods
and our worst we shall find our average condition to stand at
about the same pitch in emotional colour as these sandy dunes
and this grey scene do in landscape。'
Paula contended that he ought not to measure everybody by
himself。
'I have no other standard；' said De Stancy； 'and if my own is
wrong； it is you who have made it so。 Have you thought any
more of what I said at Cologne？'
'I don't quite remember what you did say at Cologne？'
'My dearest life！' Paula's eyes rounding somewhat； he
corrected the exclamation。 'My dear Miss Power； I will；
without reserve； tell it to you all over again。'
'Pray spare yourself the effort；' she said drily。 'What has
that one fatal step betrayed me into！。 。 。 Do you seriously
mean to say that I am the cause of your life being coloured
like this scene of grass and sand？ If so； I have committed a
very great fault！'
'It can be nullified by a word。'
'Such a word！'
'It is a very short one。'
'There's a still shorter one more to the purpose。 Frankly； I
believe you suspect me to have some latent and unowned
inclination for youthat you think speaking is the only point
upon which I