ditch；　went　on　his　way　again。
  XIII。
  Though　exhibiting　indifference；　Somerset　had　felt　a　pang　of
  disappointment　when　he　heard　the　news　of　Paula's　approaching
  dinner…party。　　It　seemed　a　little　unkind　of　her　to　pass　him
  over；　seeing　how　much　they　were　thrown　together　just　now。
  That　dinner　meant　more　than　it　sounded。　　Notwithstanding　the
  roominess　of　her　castle；　she　was　at　present　living　somewhat
  incommodiously；　owing　partly　to　the　stagnation　caused　by　her
  recent　bereavement；　and　partly　to　the　necessity　for
  overhauling　the　De　Stancy　lumber　piled　in　those　vast　and
  gloomy　chambers　before　they　could　be　made　tolerable　to
  nineteenth…century　fastidiousness。
  To　give　dinners　on　any　large　scale　before　Somerset　had　at
  least　set　a　few　of　these　rooms　in　order　for　her；　showed；　to
  his　thinking；　an　overpowering　desire　for　society。
  During　the　week　he　saw　less　of　her　than　usual；　her　time　being
  to　all　appearance　much　taken　up　with　driving　out　to　make　calls
  on　her　neighbours　and　receiving　return　visits。　　All　this　he
  observed　from　the　windows　of　his　studio　overlooking　the　castle
  ward；　in　which　room　he　now　spent　a　great　deal　of　his　time；
  bending　over　drawing…boards　and　instructing　Dare；　who　worked
  as　well　as　could　be　expected　of　a　youth　of　such　varied
  attainments。
  Nearer　came　the　Wednesday　of　the　party；　and　no　hint　of　that
  event　reached　Somerset；　but　such　as　had　been　communicated　by
  the　Baptist　minister。　　At　last；　on　the　very　afternoon；　an
  invitation　was　handed　into　his　studionot　a　kind　note　in
  Paula's　handwriting；　but　a　formal　printed　card　in　the　joint
  names　of　Mrs。　Goodman　and　Miss　Power。　　It　reached　him　just
  four　hours　before　the　dinner…time。　　He　was　plainly　to　be　used
  as　a　stop…gap　at　the　last　moment　because　somebody　could　not
  come。
  Having　previously　arranged　to　pass　a　quiet　evening　in　his
  rooms　at　the　Lord　Quantock　Arms；　in　reading　up　chronicles　of
  the　castle　from　the　county　history；　with　the　view　of　gathering
  some　ideas　as　to　the　distribution　of　rooms　therein　before　the
  demolition　of　a　portion　of　the　structure；　he　decided　off…hand
  that　Paula's　dinner　was　not　of　sufficient　importance　to　him　as
  a　professional　man　and　student　of　art　to　justify　a　waste　of
  the　evening　by　going。　　He　accordingly　declined　Mrs。　Goodman's
  and　Miss　Power's　invitation；　and　at　five　o'clock　left　the
  castle　and　walked　across　the　fields　to　the　little　town。
  He　dined　early；　and；　clearing　away　heaviness　with　a　cup　of
  coffee；　applied　himself　to　that　volume　of　the　county　history
  which　contained　the　record　of　Stancy　Castle。
  Here　he　read　that　'when　this　picturesque　and　ancient　structure
  was　founded；　or　by　whom；　is　extremely　uncertain。　　But　that　a
  castle　stood　on　the　site　in　very　early　times　appears　from　many
  old　books　of　charters。　　In　its　prime　it　was　such　a　masterpiece
  of　fortification　as　to　be　the　wonder　of　the　world；　and　it　was
  thought；　before　the　invention　of　gunpowder；　that　it　never
  could　be　taken　by　any　force　less　than　divine。'
  He　read　on　to　the　times　when　it　first　passed　into　the　hands　of
  'De　Stancy；　Chivaler；'　and　received　the　family　name；　and　so　on
  from　De　Stancy　to　De　Stancy　till　he　was　lost　in　the　reflection
  whether　Paula　would　or　would　not　have　thought　more　highly　of
  him　if　he　had　accepted　the　invitation　to　dinner。　　Applying
  himself　again　to　the　tome；　he　learned　that　in　the　year　1504
  Stephen　the　carpenter　was　'paid　eleven　pence　for　necessarye
  repayrs；'　and　William　the　mastermason　eight　shillings　'for
  whyt　lyming　of　the　kitchen；　and　the　lyme　to　do　it　with；'
  including　'a　new　rope　for　the　fyer　bell；'　also　the　sundry
  charges　for　'vij　crockes；　xiij　lytyll　pans；　a　pare　of　pot
  hookes；　a　fyer　pane；　a　lanterne；　a　chafynge　dyshe；　and　xij
  candyll　stychs。'
  Bang　went　eight　strokes　of　the　clock：　　it　was　the　dinner…hour。
  'There；　now　I　can't　go；　anyhow！'　he　said　bitterly；　jumping　up；
  and　picturing　her　receiving　her　company。　　How　would　she　look；
  what　would　she　wear？　　Profoundly　indifferent　to　the　early
  history　of　the　noble　fabric；　he　felt　a　violent　reaction
  towards　modernism；　eclecticism；　new　aristocracies；　everything；
  in　short；　that　Paula　represented。　　He　even　gave　himself　up　to
  consider　the　Greek　court　that　she　had　wished　for；　and　passed
  the　remainder　of　the　evening　in　making　a　perspective　view　of
  the　same。
  The　next　morning　he　awoke　early；　and；　resolving　to　be　at　work
  betimes；　started　promptly。　　It　was　a　fine　calm　hour　of　day；
  the　grass　slopes　were　silvery　with　excess　of　dew；　and　the　blue
  mists　hung　in　the　depths　of　each　tree　for　want　of　wind　to　blow
  them　out。　　Somerset　entered　the　drive　on　foot；　and　when　near
  the　castle　he　observed　in　the　gravel　the　wheel…marks　of　the
  carriages　that　had　conveyed　the　guests　thither　the　night
  before。　　There　seemed　to　have　been　a　large　number；　for　the
  road　where　newly　repaired　was　quite　cut　up。　　Before　going
  indoors　he　was　tempted　to　walk　round　to　the　wing　in　which
  Paula　slept。
  Rooks　were　cawing；　sparrows　were　chattering　there；　but　the
  blind　of　her　window　was　as　closely　drawn　as　if　it　were
  midnight。　　Probably　she　was　sound　asleep；　dreaming　of　the
  compliments　which　had　been　paid　her　by　her　guests；　and　of　the
  future　triumphant　pleasures　that　would　follow　in　their　train。
  Reaching　the　outer　stone　stairs　leading　to　the　great　hall　he
  found　them　shadowed　by　an　awning　brilliantly　striped　with　red
  and　blue；　within　which　rows　of　flowering　plants　in　pots
  bordered　the　pathway。　　She　could　not　have　made　more
  preparation　had　the　gathering　been　a　ball。　　He　passed　along
  the　gallery　in　which　his　studio　was　situated；　entered　the
  room；　and　seized　a　drawing…board　to　put　into　correct　drawing
  the　sketch　for　the　Greek　court　that　he　had　struck　out　the
  night　before；　thereby　abandoning　his　art　principles　to　please
  the　whim　of　a　girl。　　Dare　had　not　yet　arrived；　and　after　a
  time　Somerset　threw　down　his　pencil　and　leant　back。
  His　eye　fell　upon　something　that　moved。　　It　was　white；　and　lay
  in　the　folding　chair　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　room。　　On
  near　approach　he　found　it　to　be　a　fragment　of　swan's…down
  fanned　into　motion　by　his　own　movements；　and　partially
  squeezed　into　the　chink　of　the　chair　as　though　by　some　person
  sitting　on　it。
  None　but　a　woman　would　have　worn　or　brought　that　swan's…down
  into　his　studio；　and　it　made　him　reflect　on　the　possible　one。
  Nothing　interrupted　his　conjectures　till　ten　o'clock；　when
  Dare　came。　　Then　one　of　the　servants　tapped　at　the　door　to
  know　if　Mr。　Somerset　had　arrived。　　Somerset　asked　if　Miss
  Power　wished　to　see　him；　and　was　informed　that　she　had　only
  wished　to　know　if　he　had　come。　　Somerset　sent　a　return　message
  that　he　had　a　design　on　the　board　which　he　should　soon　be　glad
  to　submit　to　her；　and　the　messenger　departed。
  'Fine　doings　here　last　night；　sir；'　said　Dare；　as　he　dusted
  his　T…square。
  'O　indeed！'
  'A　dinner…party；　I　hear；　eighteen　guests。'
  'Ah；'　said　Somerset。
  'The　young　lady　was　magnificentsapphires　and　opalsshe
  carried　as　much　as　a　thousand　pounds　upon　her　head　and
  shoulders　during　that　three　or　four　hour。　　Of　course　they　call
  her　charming；　Compuesta　no　hay　muger　fea；　as　they　say　at
  Madrid。'
  'I　don't　doubt　it　for　a　moment；'　said　Somerset；　with　reserve。
  Dare　said　no　more；　and　presently　the　door　opened；　and　there
  stood　Paula。
  Somerset　nodded　to　Dare　to　withdraw　into　an　adjoining　room；
  and　offered　her　a　chair。
  'You　wish　to　show　me　the　design　you　have　prepared？'　she　asked；
  without　taking　the　seat。
  'Yes；　I　have　come　round　to　your　opinion。　　I　have　made　a　plan
  for　the　Greek　court　you　were　anxious　to　build。'　　And　he
  elevated　the　drawing…board　against　the　wall。
  She　regarded　it　attentively　for　some　moments；　her　finger
  resting　lightly　against　her　chin；　and　said；　'I　have　given　up
  the　idea　of　a　Greek　court。'
  He　showed　his　astonishment；　and　was　almost　disappointed。　　He
  had　been　grinding　up　Greek　architecture　entirely　on　her
  account；　had　wrenched　his　mind　round　to　this　strange
  arrangement；　all　for　nothing。
  'Yes；'　she　continued；　'on　reconsideration　I　perceive　the　want
  of　harmony　that　would　result　from　inserting　such　a　piece　of
  marble…work　in　a　mediaeval　fortress；　so　in　future　we　will
  limit　ourselves　strictly　to　synchronism　of　stylethat　is　to
  say；　make　good　the　Norman　work　by　Norman；　the　Perpendicular　by
  Perpendicular；　and　so　on。　　I　have　informed　Mr。　Havill　of　the
  same　thing。'
  Somerset　pulled　the　Greek　drawing　off　the　board；　and　tore　it
  in　two　pieces。
  She　involuntarily　turned　to　look　in　his　face；　but　stopped
  before　she　had　quite　lifted　her　eyes　high　enough。　　'Why　did
  you　do　that？'　she　asked　with　suave　curiosity。
  'It　is　of　no　further　use；'　said　Somerset；　tearing　the　drawing
  in　the　other　direction；　and　throwing　the　pieces　into　the
  fireplace。　　'You　have　been　reading　up　orders　and　styles　to
  some　purpose；　I　perceive。'　　He　regarded　her　with　a　faint
  smile。
  'I　have　had　a　few　books　down　from　town。　　It　is　desirable　to
  know　a　little　about　the　architecture　of　one's　own　house。'
  She　remained　looking　at　the　torn　drawing；　when　Somerset；
  observing　on　the　table　the　particle　of　swan's…down　he　had
  found　in　the　chair；　gently　blew　it　so　that　it　skimmed　across
  the　table　under　her　eyes。
  'It　looks　as　if　it　came　off　a　lady's　dress；'　he　said　idly。
  'Off　a　lady's