believe　you　suspect　me　to　have　some　latent　and　unowned
  inclination　for　youthat　you　think　speaking　is　the　only　point
  upon　which　I　am　backward。　。　。　。　　There　now；　it　is　raining；
  what　shall　we　do？　　I　thought　this　wind　meant　rain。'
  'Do？　　Stand　on　here；　as　we　are　standing　now。'
  'Your　sister　and　my　aunt　are　gone　under　the　wall。　　I　think　we
  will　walk　towards　them。'
  'You　had　made　me　hope；'　he　continued　（his　thoughts　apparently
  far　away　from　the　rain　and　the　wind　and　the　possibility　of
  shelter）；　'that　you　might　change　your　mind；　and　give　to　your
  original　promise　a　liberal　meaning　in　renewing　it。　　In　brief　I
  mean　this；　that　you　would　allow　it　to　merge　into　an
  engagement。　　Don't　think　it　presumptuous；'　he　went　on；　as　he
  held　the　umbrella　over　her；　'I　am　sure　any　man　would　speak　as
  I　do。　　A　distinct　permission　to　be　with　you　on　probationthat
  was　what　you　gave　me　at　Carlsruhe：　　and　flinging　casuistry　on
  one　side；　what　does　that　mean？'
  'That　I　am　artistically　interested　in　your　family　history。'
  And　she　went　out　from　the　umbrella　to　the　shelter　of　the　hotel
  where　she　found　her　aunt　and　friend。
  De　Stancy　could　not　but　feel　that　his　persistence　had　made
  some　impression。　　It　was　hardly　possible　that　a　woman　of
  independent　nature　would　have　tolerated　his　dangling　at　her
  side　so　long；　if　his　presence　were　wholly　distasteful　to　her。
  That　evening　when　driving　back　to　the　Hague　by　a　devious　route
  through　the　dense　avenues　of　the　Bosch　he　conversed　with　her
  again；　also　the　next　day　when　standing　by　the　Vijver　looking
  at　the　swans；　and　in　each　case　she　seemed　to　have　at　least　got
  over　her　objection　to　being　seen　talking　to　him；　apart　from
  the　remainder　of　the　travelling　party。
  Scenes　very　similar　to　those　at　Scheveningen　and　on　the　Rhine
  were　enacted　at　later　stages　of　their　desultory　journey。　　Mr。
  Power　had　proposed　to　cross　from　Rotterdam；　but　a　stiff　north…
  westerly　breeze　prevailing　Paula　herself　became　reluctant　to
  hasten　back　to　Stancy　Castle。　　Turning　abruptly　they　made　for
  Brussels。
  It　was　here；　while　walking　homeward　from　the　Park　one　morning；
  that　her　uncle　for　the　first　time　alluded　to　the　situation　of
  affairs　between　herself　and　her　admirer。　　The　captain　had　gone
  up　the　Rue　Royale　with　his　sister　and　Mrs。　Goodman；　either　to
  show　them　the　house　in　which　the　ball　took　place　on　the　eve　of
  Quatre　Bras　or　some　other　site　of　interest；　and　the　two　Powers
  were　thus　left　to　themselves。　　To　reach　their　hotel　they
  passed　into　a　little　street　sloping　steeply　down　from　the　Rue
  Royale　to　the　Place　Ste。　Gudule；　where；　at　the　moment　of
  nearing　the　cathedral；　a　wedding　party　emerged　from　the　porch
  and　crossed　in　front　of　uncle　and　niece。
  'I　hope；'　said　the　former；　in　his　passionless　way；　'we　shall
  see　a　performance　of　this　sort　between　you　and　Captain　De
  Stancy；　not　so　very　long　after　our　return　to　England。'
  'Why？'　asked　Paula；　following　the　bride　with　her　eyes。
  'It　is　diplomatically；　as　I　may　say；　such　a　highly　correct
  thingsuch　an　expedient　thingsuch　an　obvious　thing　to　all
  eyes。'
  'Not　altogether　to　mine；　uncle；'　she　returned。
  ''Twould　be　a　thousand　pities　to　let　slip　such　a　neat　offer　of
  adjusting　difficulties　as　accident　makes　you　in　this。　　You
  could　marry　more　tin；　that's　true；　but　you　don't　want　it；
  Paula。　　You　want　a　name；　and　historic　what…do…they…call…it。
  Now　by　coming　to　terms　with　the　captain　you'll　be　Lady　De
  Stancy　in　a　few　years：　　and　a　title　which　is　useless　to　him；
  and　a　fortune　and　castle　which　are　in　some　degree　useless　to
  you；　will　make　a　splendid　whole　useful　to　you　both。'
  'I've　thought　it　overquite；'　she　answered。　　'And　I　quite　see
  what　the　advantages　are。　　But　how　if　I　don't　care　one　atom　for
  artistic　completeness　and　a　splendid　whole；　and　do　care　very
  much　to　do　what　my　fancy　inclines　me　to　do？'
  'Then　I　should　say　that；　taking　a　comprehensive　view　of　human
  nature　of　all　colours；　your　fancy　is　about　the　silliest　fancy
  existing　on　this　earthly　ball。'
  Paula　laughed　indifferently；　and　her　uncle　felt　that；
  persistent　as　was　his　nature；　he　was　the　wrong　man　to
  influence　her　by　argument。　　Paula's　blindness　to　the
  advantages　of　the　match；　if　she　were　blind；　was　that　of　a
  woman　who　wouldn't　see；　and　the　best　argument　was　silence。
  This　was　in　some　measure　proved　the　next　morning。　　When　Paula
  made　her　appearance　Mrs。　Goodman　said；　holding　up　an　envelope：
  'Here's　a　letter　from　Mr。　Somerset。'
  'Dear　me；'　said　she　blandly；　though　a　quick　little　flush
  ascended　her　cheek。　　'I　had　nearly　forgotten　him！'
  The　letter　on　being　read　contained　a　request　as　brief　as　it
  was　unexpected。　　Having　prepared　all　the　drawings　necessary
  for　the　rebuilding；　Somerset　begged　leave　to　resign　the
  superintendence　of　the　work　into　other　hands。
  'His　letter　caps　your　remarks　very　aptly；'　said　Mrs。　Goodman；
  with　secret　triumph。　　'You　are　nearly　forgetting　him；　and　he
  is　quite　forgetting　you。'
  'Yes；'　said　Paula；　affecting　carelessness。　　'Well；　I　must　get
  somebody　else；　I　suppose。'
  X。
  They　next　deviated　to　Amiens；　intending　to　stay　there　only　one
  night；　but　their　schemes　were　deranged　by　the　sudden　illness
  of　Charlotte。　　She　had　been　looking　unwell　for　a　fortnight
  past；　though；　with　her　usual　self…abnegation；　she　had　made
  light　of　her　ailment。　　Even　now　she　declared　she　could　go　on；
  but　this　was　said　over…night；　and　in　the　morning　it　was
  abundantly　evident　that　to　move　her　was　highly　unadvisable。
  Still　she　was　not　in　serious　danger；　and　having　called　in　a
  physician；　who　pronounced　rest　indispensable；　they　prepared　to
  remain　in　the　old　Picard　capital　two　or　three　additional　days。
  Mr。　Power　thought　he　would　take　advantage　of　the　halt　to　run
  up　to　Paris；　leaving　De　Stancy　in　charge　of　the　ladies。
  In　more　ways　than　in　the　illness　of　Charlotte　this　day　was　the
  harbinger　of　a　crisis。
  It　was　a　summer　evening　without　a　cloud。　　Charlotte　had　fallen
  asleep　in　her　bed；　and　Paula；　who　had　been　sitting　by　her；
  looked　out　into　the　Place　St。　Denis；　which　the　hotel
  commanded。　　The　lawn　of　the　square　was　all　ablaze　with　red　and
  yellow　clumps　of　flowers；　the　acacia　trees　were　brightly
  green；　the　sun　was　soft　and　low。　　Tempted　by　the　prospect
  Paula　went　and　put　on　her　hat；　and　arousing　her　aunt；　who　was
  nodding　in　the　next　room；　to　request　her　to　keep　an　ear　on
  Charlotte's　bedroom；　Paula　descended　into　the　Rue　de　Noyon
  alone；　and　entered　the　green　enclosure。
  While　she　walked　round；　two　or　three　little　children　in　charge
  of　a　nurse　trundled　a　large　variegated　ball　along　the　grass；
  and　it　rolled　to　Paula's　feet。　　She　smiled　at　them；　and
  endeavoured　to　return　it　by　a　slight　kick。　　The　ball　rose　in
  the　air；　and　passing　over　the　back　of　a　seat　which　stood　under
  one　of　the　trees；　alighted　in　the　lap　of　a　gentleman　hitherto
  screened　by　its　boughs。　　The　back　and　shoulders　proved　to　be
  those　of　De　Stancy。　　He　turned　his　head；　jumped　up；　and　was　at
  her　side　in　an　instant；　a　nettled　flush　having　meanwhile
  crossed　Paula's　face。
  'I　thought　you　had　gone　to　the　Hotoie　Promenade；'　she　said
  hastily。　　'I　am　going　to　the　cathedral；'　（obviously　uttered
  lest　it　should　seem　that　she　had　seen　him　from　the　hotel
  windows；　and　entered　the　square　for　his　company）。
  'Of　course：　　there　is　nothing　else　to　go　to　hereeven　for
  Roundheads。'
  'If　you　mean　ME　by　that；　you　are　very　much　mistaken；'　said　she
  testily。
  'The　Roundheads　were　your　ancestors；　and　they　knocked　down　my
  ancestors'　castle；　and　broke　the　stained　glass　and　statuary　of
  the　cathedral；'　said　De　Stancy　slily；　'and　now　you　go　not　only
  to　a　cathedral；　but　to　a　service　of　the　unreformed　Church　in
  it。'
  'In　a　foreign　country　it　is　different　from　home；'　said　Paula
  in　extenuation；　'and　you　of　all　men　should　not　reproach　me　for
  tergiversationwhen　it　has　been　brought　about　byby　my
  sympathies　with'
  'With　the　troubles　of　the　De　Stancys。'
  'Well；　you　know　what　I　mean；'　she　answered；　with　considerable
  anxiety　not　to　be　misunderstood；　'my　liking　for　the　old
  castle；　and　what　it　contains；　and　what　it　suggests。　　I　declare
  I　will　not　explain　to　you　furtherwhy　should　I？　　I　am　not
  answerable　to　you！'
  Paula's　show　of　petulance　was　perhaps　not　wholly　because　she
  had　appeared　to　seek　him；　but　also　from　being　reminded　by　his
  criticism　that　Mr。　Woodwell's　prophecy　on　her　weakly
  succumbing　to　surroundings　was　slowly　working　out　its
  fulfilment。
  She　moved　forward　towards　the　gate　at　the　further　end　of　the
  square；　beyond　which　the　cathedral　lay　at　a　very　short
  distance。　　Paula　did　not　turn　her　head；　and　De　Stancy　strolled
  slowly　after　her　down　the　Rue　du　College。　　The　day　happened　to
  be　one　of　the　church　festivals；　and　people　were　a　second　time
  flocking　into　the　lofty　monument　of　Catholicism　at　its
  meridian。　　Paula　vanished　into　the　porch　with　the　rest；　and；
  almost　catching　the　wicket　as　it　flew　back　from　her　hand；　he
  too　entered　the　high…shouldered　edificean　edifice　doomed　to
  labour　under　the　melancholy　misfortune　of　seeming　only　half　as
  vast　as　it　really　is；　and　as　truly　as　whimsically　described　by
  Heine　as　a　monument　built　with　the　strength　of　Titans；　and
  decorated　with　the　patience　of　dwarfs。
  De　Stancy　walked　up　the　nave；　so　close　beside　her　as　to　touch
  her　dress；　but　she