tremendous；　and　Somerset　was　at　once　consulted　about　some
  necessary　carpentry　which　was　to　be　specially　made　at　Markton。
  After　that　he　was　looked　on　as　one　of　the　band；　which　resulted
  in　a　large　addition　to　the　number　of　his　acquaintance　in　this
  part　of　England。
  But　his　own　feeling　was　that　of　being　an　outsider　still。　　This
  vagary　had　been　originated；　the　play　chosen；　the　parts
  allotted；　all　in　his　absence；　and　calling　him　in　at　the　last
  moment　might；　if　flirtation　were　possible　in　Paula；　be　but　a
  sop　to　pacify　him。　　What　would　he　have　given　to　impersonate
  her　lover　in　the　piece！　　But　neither　Paula　nor　any　one　else
  had　asked　him。
  The　eventful　evening　came。　　Somerset　had　been　engaged　during
  the　day　with　the　different　people　by　whom　the　works　were　to　be
  carried　out　and　in　the　evening　went　to　his　rooms　at　the　Lord…
  Quantock…Arms；　Markton；　where　he　dined。　　He　did　not　return　to
  the　castle　till　the　hour　fixed　for　the　performance；　and　having
  been　received　by　Mrs。　Goodman；　entered　the　large　apartment；
  now　transfigured　into　a　theatre；　like　any　other　spectator。
  Rumours　of　the　projected　representation　had　spread　far　and
  wide。　　Six　times　the　number　of　tickets　issued　might　have　been
  readily　sold。　　Friends　and　acquaintances　of　the　actors　came
  from　curiosity　to　see　how　they　would　acquit　themselves；　while
  other　classes　of　people　came　because　they　were　eager　to　see
  well…known　notabilities　in　unwonted　situations。　　When　ladies；
  hitherto　only　beheld　in　frigid；　impenetrable　positions　behind
  their　coachmen　in　Markton　High　Street；　were　about　to　reveal
  their　hidden　traits；　home　attitudes；　intimate　smiles；　nods；
  and　perhaps　kisses；　to　the　public　eye；　it　was　a　throwing　open
  of　fascinating　social　secrets　not　to　be　missed　for　money。
  The　performance　opened　with　no　further　delay　than　was
  occasioned　by　the　customary　refusal　of　the　curtain　at　these
  times　to　rise　more　than　two　feet　six　inches；　but　this　hitch
  was　remedied；　and　the　play　began。　　It　was　with　no　enviable
  emotion　that　Somerset；　who　was　watching　intently；　saw；　not　Mr。
  Mild；　but　Captain　De　Stancy；　enter　as　the　King　of　Navarre。
  Somerset　as　a　friend　of　the　family　had　had　a　seat　reserved　for
  him　next　to　that　of　Mrs。　Goodman；　and　turning　to　her　he　said
  with　some　excitement；　'I　understood　that　Mr。　Mild　had　agreed
  to　take　that　part？'
  'Yes；'　she　said　in　a　whisper；　'so　he　had；　but　he　broke　down。
  Luckily　Captain　De　Stancy　was　familiar　with　the　part；　through
  having　coached　the　others　so　persistently；　and　he　undertook　it
  off…hand。　　Being　about　the　same　figure　as　Lieutenant　Mild　the
  same　dress　fits　him；　with　a　little　alteration　by　the　tailor。'
  It　did　fit　him　indeed；　and　of　the　male　costumes　it　was　that　on
  which　Somerset　had　bestowed　most　pains　when　designing　them。
  It　shrewdly　burst　upon　his　mind　that　there　might　have　been
  collusion　between　Mild　and　De　Stancy；　the　former　agreeing　to
  take　the　captain's　place　and　act　as　blind　till　the　last
  moment。　　A　greater　question　was；　could　Paula　have　been　aware
  of　this；　and　would　she　perform　as　the　Princess　of　France　now
  De　Stancy　was　to　be　her　lover？
  'Does　Miss　Power　know　of　this　change？'　he　inquired。
  'She　did　not　till　quite　a　short　time　ago。'
  He　controlled　his　impatience　till　the　beginning　of　the　second
  act。　　The　Princess　entered；　it　was　Paula。　　But　whether　the
  slight　embarrassment　with　which　she　pronounced　her　opening
  words；
  'Good　Lord　Boyet；　my　beauty；　though　but　mean；
  Needs　not　the　painted　flourish　of　your　praise；'
  was　due　to　the　newness　of　her　situation；　or　to　her　knowledge
  that　De　Stancy　had　usurped　Mild's　part　of　her　lover；　he　could
  not　guess。　　De　Stancy　appeared；　and　Somerset　felt　grim　as　he
  listened　to　the　gallant　captain's　salutation　of　the　Princess；
  and　her　response。
  De　S。　　　Fair　Princess；　welcome　to　the　court　of　Navarre。
  Paula。　　Fair；　I　give　you　back　again：　　and　welcome；　I　have
  not　yet。
  Somerset　listened　to　this　and　to　all　that　which　followed　of
  the　same　sort；　with　the　reflection　that；　after　all；　the
  Princess　never　throughout　the　piece　compromised　her　dignity　by
  showing　her　love　for　the　King；　and　that　the　latter　never
  addressed　her　in　words　in　which　passion　got　the　better　of
  courtesy。　　Moreover；　as　Paula　had　herself　observed；　they　did
  not　marry　at　the　end　of　the　piece；　as　in　Shakespeare's　other
  comedies。　　Somewhat　calm　in　this　assurance；　he　waited　on　while
  the　other　couples　respectively　indulged　in　their　love…making；
  and　banter；　including　Mrs。　Camperton　as　the　sprightly
  Rosaline。　　But　he　was　doomed　to　be　surprised　out　of　his　humour
  when　the　end　of　the　act　came　on。　　In　abridging　the　play　for
  the　convenience　of　representation；　the　favours　or　gifts　from
  the　gentlemen　to　the　ladies　were　personally　presented：　　and
  now　Somerset　saw　De　Stancy　advance　with　the　necklace　fetched
  by　Paula　from　London；　and　clasp　it　on　her　neck。
  This　seemed　to　throw　a　less　pleasant　light　on　her　hasty
  journey。　　To　fetch　a　valuable　ornament　to　lend　it　to　a　poorer
  friend　was　estimable；　but　to　fetch　it　that　the　friend's
  brother　should　have　something　magnificent　to　use　as　a　lover's
  offering　to　herself　in　public；　that　wore　a　different
  complexion。　　And　if　the　article　were　recognized　by　the
  spectators　as　the　same　that　Charlotte　had　worn　at　the　ball；
  the　presentation　by　De　Stancy　of　what　must　seem　to　be　an
  heirloom　of　his　house　would　be　read　as　symbolizing　a　union　of
  the　families。
  De　Stancy's　mode　of　presenting　the　necklace；　though
  unauthorized　by　Shakespeare；　had　the　full　approval　of　the
  company；　and　set　them　in　good　humour　to　receive　Major
  Camperton　as　Armado　the　braggart。　　Nothing　calculated　to
  stimulate　jealousy　occurred　again　till　the　fifth　act；　and　then
  there　arose　full　cause　for　it。
  The　scene　was　the　outside　of　the　Princess's　pavilion。　　De
  Stancy；　as　the　King　of　Navarre；　stood　with　his　group　of
  attendants　awaiting　the　Princess；　who　presently　entered　from
  her　door。　　The　two　began　to　converse　as　the　play　appointed；　De
  Stancy　turning　to　her　with　this　reply
  'Rebuke　me　not　for　that　which　you　provoke；
  The　virtue　of　your　eye　must　break　my　oath。'
  So　far　all　was　well；　and　Paula　opened　her　lips　for　the　set
  rejoinder。　　But　before　she　had　spoken　De　Stancy　continued
  'If　I　profane　with　my　unworthy　hand
  （Taking　her　hand）
  This　holy　shrine；　the　gentle　fine　is　this
  My　lips；　two　blushing　pilgrims；　ready　stand
  To　smooth　that　rough　touch　with　a　tender　kiss。'
  Somerset　stared。　　Surely　in　this　comedy　the　King　never
  addressed　the　Princess　in　such　warm　words；　and　yet　they　were
  Shakespeare's；　for　they　were　quite　familiar　to　him。　　A　dim
  suspicion　crossed　his　mind。　　Mrs。　Goodman　had　brought　a　copy
  of　Shakespeare　with　her；　which　she　kept　in　her　lap　and　never
  looked　at：　　borrowing　it；　Somerset　turned　to　'Romeo　and
  Juliet；'　and　there　he　saw　the　words　which　De　Stancy　had
  introduced　as　gag；　to　intensify　the　mild　love…making　of　the
  other　play。　　Meanwhile　De　Stancy　continued
  'O　then；　dear　Saint；　let　lips　do　what　hands　do；
  They　pray；　grant　thou；　lest　faith　turn　to　despair。
  Then　move　not；　while　my　prayer's　effect　I　take。
  Thus　from　my　lips；　by　yours；　my　sin　is　purg'd！'
  Could　it　be　that　De　Stancy　was　going　to　do　what　came　next　in
  the　stage　directionkiss　her？　　Before　there　was　time　for
  conjecture　on　that　point　the　sound　of　a　very　sweet　and　long…
  drawn　osculation　spread　through　the　room；　followed　by　loud
  applause　from　the　people　in　the　cheap　seats。　　De　Stancy
  withdrew　from　bending　over　Paula；　and　she　was　very　red　in　the
  face。　　Nothing　seemed　clearer　than　that　he　had　actually　done
  the　deed。　　The　applause　continuing；　Somerset　turned　his　head。
  Five　hundred　faces　had　regarded　the　act；　without　a
  consciousness　that　it　was　an　interpolation；　and　four　hundred
  and　fifty　mouths　in　those　faces　were　smiling。　　About　one　half
  of　them　were　tender　smiles；　these　came　from　the　women。　　The
  other　half　were　at　best　humorous；　and　mainly　satirical；　these
  came　from　the　men。　　It　was　a　profanation　without　parallel；　and
  his　face　blazed　like　a　coal。
  The　play　was　now　nearly　at　an　end；　and　Somerset　sat　on；
  feeling　what　he　could　not　express。　　More　than　ever　was　he
  assured　that　there　had　been　collusion　between　the　two
  artillery　officers　to　bring　about　this　end。　　That　he　should
  have　been　the　unhappy　man　to　design　those　picturesque　dresses
  in　which　his　rival　so　audaciously　played　the　lover　to　his；
  Somerset's；　mistress；　was　an　added　point　to　the　satire。　　He
  could　hardly　go　so　far　as　to　assume　that　Paula　was　a
  consenting　party　to　this　startling　interlude；　but　her
  otherwise　unaccountable　wish　that　his　own　love　should　be
  clandestinely　shown　lent　immense　force　to　a　doubt　of　her
  sincerity。　　The　ghastly　thought　that　she　had　merely　been
  keeping　him　on；　like　a　pet　spaniel；　to　amuse　her　leisure
  moments　till　she　should　have　found　appropriate　opportunity　for
  an　open　engagement　with　some　one　else；　trusting　to　his　sense
  of　chivalry　to　keep　secret　their　little　episode；　filled　him
  with　a　grim　heat。
  IX。
  At　the　back　of　the　room　the　applause　had　been　loud　at　the
  moment　of　the　kiss；　real　or　counterfeit。　　The　cause　was　partly
  owing　to　an　exceptional　circumstance　which　had　occurred　i