rhetoric　equalled　its　force　on　that　more　romantic　occasion：
  but　Paula　was　not　there。　　She　was　not　a　frequent　attendant　now
  at　her　father's　votive　building。　　The　mysterious　tank；　whose
  dark　waters　had　so　repelled　her　at　the　last　moment；　was
  boarded　over：　　a　table　stood　on　its　centre；　with　an　open
  quarto　Bible　upon　it；　behind　which　Havill；　in　a　new　suit　of
  black；　sat　in　a　large　chair。　　Havill　held　the　office　of
  deacon：　　and　he　had　mechanically　taken　the　deacon's　seat　as
  usual　to…night；　in　the　face　of　the　congregation；　and　under　the
  nose　of　Mr。　Woodwell。
  Mr。　Woodwell　was　always　glad　of　an　opportunity。　　He　was　gifted
  with　a　burning　natural　eloquence；　which；　though　perhaps　a
  little　too　freely　employed　in　exciting　the　'Wertherism　of　the
  uncultivated；'　had　in　it　genuine　power。　　He　was　a　master　of
  that　oratory　which　no　limitation　of　knowledge　can　repress；　and
  which　no　training　can　impart。　　The　neighbouring　rector　could
  eclipse　Woodwell's　scholarship；　and　the　freethinker　at　the
  corner　shop　in　Markton　could　demolish　his　logic；　but　the
  Baptist　could　do　in　five　minutes　what　neither　of　these　had
  done　in　a　lifetime；　he　could　move　some　of　the　hardest　of　men
  to　tears。
  Thus　it　happened　that；　when　the　sermon　was　fairly　under　way；
  Havill　began　to　feel　himself　in　a　trying　position。　　It　was　not
  that　he　had　bestowed　much　affection　upon　his　deceased　wife；
  irreproachable　woman　as　she　had　been；　but　the　suddenness　of
  her　death　had　shaken　his　nerves；　and　Mr。　Woodwell's　address　on
  the　uncertainty　of　life　involved　considerations　of　conduct　on
  earth　that　bore　with　singular　directness　upon　Havill's
  unprincipled　manoeuvre　for　victory　in　the　castle　competition。
  He　wished　he　had　not　been　so　inadvertent　as　to　take　his
  customary　chair　in　the　chapel。　　People　who　saw　Havill's
  agitation　did　not　know　that　it　was　most　largely　owing　to　his
  sense　of　the　fraud　which　had　been　practised　on　the　unoffending
  Somerset；　and　when；　unable　longer　to　endure　the　torture　of
  Woodwell's　words；　he　rose　from　his　place　and　went　into　the
  chapel　vestry；　the　preacher　little　thought　that　remorse　for　a
  contemptibly　unfair　act；　rather　than　grief　for　a　dead　wife；
  was　the　cause　of　the　architect's　withdrawal。
  When　Havill　got　into　the　open　air　his　morbid　excitement　calmed
  down；　but　a　sickening　self…abhorrence　for　the　proceeding
  instigated　by　Dare　did　not　abate。　　To　appropriate　another
  man's　design　was　no　more　nor　less　than　to　embezzle　his　money
  or　steal　his　goods。　　The　intense　reaction　from　his　conduct　of
  the　past　two　or　three　months　did　not　leave　him　when　he　reached
  his　own　house　and　observed　where　the　handbills　of　the
  countermanded　sale　had　been　torn　down；　as　the　result　of　the
  payment　made　in　advance　by　Paula　of　money　which　should　really
  have　been　Somerset's。
  The　mood　went　on　intensifying　when　he　was　in　bed。　　He　lay
  awake　till　the　clock　reached　those　still；　small；　ghastly　hours
  when　the　vital　fires　burn　at　their　lowest　in　the　human　frame；
  and　death　seizes　more　of　his　victims　than　in　any　other　of　the
  twenty…four。　　Havill　could　bear　it　no　longer；　he　got　a　light；
  went　down　into　his　office　and　wrote　the　note　subjoined。
  'MADAM；The　recent　death　of　my　wife　necessitates　a
  considerable　change　in　my　professional　arrangements　and　plans
  with　regard　to　the　future。　　One　of　the　chief　results　of　the
  change　is；　I　regret　to　state；　that　I　no　longer　find　myself　in
  a　position　to　carry　out　the　enlargement　of　the　castle　which
  you　had　so　generously　entrusted　to　my　hands。
  'I　beg　leave　therefore　to　resign　all　further　connection　with
  the　same；　and　to　express；　if　you　will　allow　me；　a　hope　that
  the　commission　may　be　placed　in　the　hands　of　the　other
  competitor。　　Herewith　is　returned　a　cheque　for　one…half　of　the
  sum　so　kindly　advanced　in　anticipation　of　the　commission　I
  should　receive；　the　other　half；　with　which　I　had　cleared　off
  my　immediate　embarrassments　before　perceiving　the　necessity
  for　this　course；　shall　be　returned　to　you　as　soon　as　some
  payments　from　other　clients　drop　in。I　beg　to　remain；　Madam；
  your　obedient　servant；　　　　　　　　　　　　　JAMES　HAVILL。'
  Havill　would　not　trust　himself　till　the　morning　to　post　this
  letter。　　He　sealed　it　up；　went　out　with　it　into　the　street；
  and　walked　through　the　sleeping　town　to　the　post…office。　　At
  the　mouth　of　the　box　he　held　the　letter　long。　　By　dropping　it；
  he　was　dropping　at　least　two　thousand　five　hundred　pounds
  which；　however　obtained；　were　now　securely　his。　　It　was　a
  great　deal　to　let　go；　and　there　he　stood　till　another　wave　of
  conscience　bore　in　upon　his　soul　the　absolute　nature　of　the
  theft；　and　made　him　shudder。　　The　footsteps　of　a　solitary
  policeman　could　be　heard　nearing　him　along　the　deserted
  street；　hesitation　ended；　and　he　let　the　letter　go。
  When　he　awoke　in　the　morning　he　thought　over　the　circumstances
  by　the　cheerful　light　of　a　low　eastern　sun。　　The　horrors　of
  the　situation　seemed　much　less　formidable；　yet　it　cannot　be
  said　that　he　actually　regretted　his　act。　　Later　on　he　walked
  out；　with　the　strange　sense　of　being　a　man　who；　from　one
  having　a　large　professional　undertaking　in　hand；　had；　by　his
  own　act；　suddenly　reduced　himself　to　an　unoccupied
  nondescript。　　From　the　upper　end　of　the　town　he　saw　in　the
  distance　the　grand　grey　towers　of　Stancy　Castle　looming　over
  the　leafless　trees；　he　felt　stupefied　at　what　he　had　done；　and
  said　to　himself　with　bitter　discontent：　　'Well；　well；　what　is
  more　contemptible　than　a　half…hearted　rogue！'
  That　morning　the　post…bag　had　been　brought　to　Paula　and　Mrs。
  Goodman　in　the　usual　way；　and　Miss　Power　read　the　letter。　　His
  resignation　was　a　surprise；　the　question　whether　he　would　or
  would　not　repay　the　money　was　passed　over；　the　necessity　of
  installing　Somerset　after　all　as　sole　architect　was　an
  agitation；　or　emotion；　the　precise　nature　of　which　it　is
  impossible　to　accurately　define。
  However；　she　went　about　the　house　after　breakfast　with　very
  much　the　manner　of　one　who　had　had　a　weight　removed　either
  from　her　heart　or　from　her　conscience；　moreover；　her　face　was
  a　little　flushed　when；　in　passing　by　Somerset's　late　studio；
  she　saw　the　plans　bearing　his　motto；　and　knew　that　his　and　not
  Havill's　would　be　the　presiding　presence　in　the　coming
  architectural　turmoil。　　She　went　on　further；　and　called　to
  Charlotte；　who　was　now　regularly　sleeping　in　the　castle；　to
  accompany　her；　and　together　they　ascended　to　the　telegraph…
  room　in　the　donjon　tower。
  'Whom　are　you　going　to　telegraph　to？'　said　Miss　De　Stancy　when
  they　stood　by　the　instrument。
  'My　architect。'
  'OMr。　Havill。'
  'Mr。　Somerset。'
  Miss　De　Stancy　had　schooled　her　emotions　on　that　side　cruelly
  well；　and　she　asked　calmly；　'What；　have　you　chosen　him　after
  all？'
  'There　is　no　choice　in　itread　that；'　said　Paula；　handing
  Havill's　letter；　as　if　she　felt　that　Providence　had　stepped　in
  to　shape　ends　that　she　was　too　undecided　or　unpractised　to
  shape　for　herself。
  'It　is　very　strange；'　murmured　Charlotte；　while　Paula　applied
  herself　to　the　machine　and　despatched　the　words：
  'Miss　Power；　Stancy　Castle；　to　G。　Somerset；　Esq。；　F。S。A。；
  F。R。I。B。A。；　Queen　Anne's　Chambers；　St。　James's。
  'Your　design　is　accepted　in　its　entirety。　　It　will　be
  necessary　to　begin　soon。　　I　shall　wish　to　see　and　consult　you
  on　the　matter　about　the　10th　instant。'
  When　the　message　was　fairly　gone　out　of　the　window　Paula
  seemed　still　further　to　expand。　　The　strange　spell　cast　over
  her　by　something　or　otherprobably　the　presence　of　De　Stancy；
  and　the　weird　romanticism　of　his　manner　towards　her；　which　was
  as　if　the　historic　past　had　touched　her　with　a　yet　living
  handin　a　great　measure　became　dissipated；　leaving　her　the
  arch　and　serene　maiden　that　she　had　been　before。
  About　this　time　Captain　De　Stancy　and　his　Achates　were
  approaching　the　castle；　and　had　arrived　about　fifty　paces　from
  the　spot　at　which　it　was　Dare's　custom　to　drop　behind　his
  companion；　in　order　that　their　appearance　at　the　lodge　should
  be　that　of　master　and　man。
  Dare　was　saying；　as　he　had　said　before：　'I　can't　help
  fancying；　captain；　that　your　approach　to　this　castle　and　its
  mistress　is　by　a　very　tedious　system。　Your　trenches；　zigzags；
  counterscarps；　and　ravelins　may　be　all　very　well；　and　a　very
  sure　system　of　attack　in　the　long　run；　but　upon　my　soul　they
  are　almost　as　slow　in　maturing　as　those　of　Uncle　Toby　himself。
  For　my　part　I　should　be　inclined　to　try　an　assault。'
  'Don't　pretend　to　give　advice；　Willy；　on　matters　beyond　your
  years。'
  'I　only　meant　it　for　your　good；　and　your　proper　advancement　in
  the　world；'　said　Dare　in　wounded　tones。
  'Different　characters；　different　systems；'　returned　the
  soldier。　　'This　lady　is　of　a　reticent；　independent；
  complicated　disposition；　and　any　sudden　proceeding　would　put
  her　on　her　mettle。　　You　don't　dream　what　my　impatience　is；　my
  boy。　　It　is　a　thing　transcending　your　utmost　conceptions！　　But
  I　proceed　slowly；　I　know　better　than　to　do　otherwise。　　Thank
  God　there　is　plenty　of　time。　　As　long　as　there　is　no　risk　of
  Somerset's　return　my　situation　is　sure。'
  'And　professional　etiquette　will　prevent　him　coming　yet。
  Havill　and　he　will　change　like　the　men　in　a　sentry…box；　when
  Havill　walks　out；　he'll　walk　in；　and　not　a　moment　before。'
  'That　will　not　be　till　eig