could　stay　no　longer　he　left　her　in　the　garden　to　return　to
  his　studio。　　As　Somerset　went　in　by　the　garden　door　he　met　a
  strange…looking　personage　coming　out　by　the　same　passagea
  stranger；　with　the　manner　of　a　Dutchman；　the　face　of　a
  smelter；　and　the　clothes　of　an　inhabitant　of　Guiana。　　The
  stranger；　whom　we　have　already　seen　sitting　at　the　back　of　the
  theatre　the　night　before；　looked　hard　from　Somerset　to　Paula；
  and　from　Paula　again　to　Somerset；　as　he　stepped　out。　　Somerset
  had　an　unpleasant　conviction　that　this　queer　gentleman　had
  been　standing　for　some　time　in　the　doorway　unnoticed；　quizzing
  him　and　his　mistress　as　they　talked　together。　　If　so　he　might
  have　learnt　a　secret。
  When　he　arrived　upstairs；　Somerset　went　to　a　window　commanding
  a　view　of　the　garden。　　Paula　still　stood　in　her　place；　and　the
  stranger　was　earnestly　conversing　with　her。　　Soon　they　passed
  round　the　corner　and　disappeared。
  It　was　now　time　for　him　to　see　about　starting　for　Markton；　an
  intelligible　zest　for　circumventing　the　ardent　and　coercive
  captain　of　artillery　saving　him　from　any　unnecessary　delay　in
  the　journey。　　He　was　at　the　station　ten　minutes　before　the
  train　was　due；　and　when　it　drew　up　to　the　platform　the　first
  person　to　jump　out　was　Captain　De　Stancy　in　sportsman's　attire
  and　with　a　gun　in　his　hand。　　Somerset　nodded；　and　De　Stancy
  spoke；　informing　the　architect　that　he　had　been　ten　miles　up
  the　line　shooting　waterfowl。　　'That's　Miss　Power's　carriage；　I
  think；'　he　added。
  'Yes；'　said　Somerset　carelessly。　　'She　expects　a　friend；　I
  believe。　　We　shall　see　you　at　the　castle　again　to…night？'
  De　Stancy　assured　him　that　they　would；　and　the　two　men　parted；
  Captain　De　Stancy；　when　he　had　glanced　to　see　that　the
  carriage　was　empty；　going　on　to　where　a　porter　stood　with　a
  couple　of　spaniels。
  Somerset　now　looked　again　to　the　train。　　While　his　back　had
  been　turned　to　converse　with　the　captain；　a　lady　of　five…and…
  thirty　had　alighted　from　the　identical　compartment　occupied　by
  De　Stancy。　　She　made　an　inquiry　about　getting　to　Stancy
  Castle；　upon　which　Somerset；　who　had　not　till　now　observed
  her；　went　forward；　and　introducing　himself　assisted　her　to　the
  carriage　and　saw　her　safely　off。
  De　Stancy　had　by　this　time　disappeared；　and　Somerset　walked　on
  to　his　rooms　at　the　Lord…Quantock…Arms；　where　he　remained　till
  he　had　dined；　picturing　the　discomfiture　of　his　alert　rival
  when　there　should　enter　to　him　as　Princess；　not　Paula　Power；
  but　Miss　Bell　of　the　Regent's　Theatre；　London。　　Thus　the　hour
  passed；　till　he　found　that　if　he　meant　to　see　the　issue　of　the
  plot　it　was　time　to　be　off。
  On　arriving　at　the　castle；　Somerset　entered　by　the　public　door
  from　the　hall　as　before；　a　natural　delicacy　leading　him　to
  feel　that　though　he　might　be　welcomed　as　an　ally　at　the　stage…
  doorin　other　words；　the　door　from　the　corridorit　was
  advisable　not　to　take　too　ready　an　advantage　of　a　privilege
  which；　in　the　existing　secrecy　of　his　understanding　with
  Paula；　might　lead　to　an　overthrow　of　her　plans　on　that　point。
  Not　intending　to　sit　out　the　whole　performance；　Somerset
  contented　himself　with　standing　in　a　window　recess　near　the
  proscenium；　whence　he　could　observe　both　the　stage　and　the
  front　rows　of　spectators。　　He　was　quite　uncertain　whether
  Paula　would　appear　among　the　audience　to…night；　and　resolved
  to　wait　events。　　Just　before　the　rise　of　the　curtain　the　young
  lady　in　question　entered　and　sat　down。　　When　the　scenery　was
  disclosed　and　the　King　of　Navarre　appeared；　what　was
  Somerset's　surprise　to　find　that；　though　the　part　was　the　part
  taken　by　De　Stancy　on　the　previous　night；　the　voice　was　that
  of　Mr。　Mild；　to　him；　at　the　appointed　season；　entered　the
  Princess；　namely；　Miss　Barbara　Bell。
  Before　Somerset　had　recovered　from　his　crestfallen　sensation
  at　De　Stancy's　elusiveness；　that　officer　himself　emerged　in
  evening　dress　from　behind　a　curtain　forming　a　wing　to　the
  proscenium；　and　Somerset　remarked　that　the　minor　part
  originally　allotted　to　him　was　filled　by　the　subaltern　who　had
  enacted　it　the　night　before。　　De　Stancy　glanced　across；
  whether　by　accident　or　otherwise　Somerset　could　not　determine；
  and　his　glance　seemed　to　say　he　quite　recognized　there　had
  been　a　trial　of　wits　between　them；　and　that；　thanks　to　his
  chance　meeting　with　Miss　Bell　in　the　train；　his　had　proved　the
  stronger。
  The　house　being　less　crowded　to…night　there　were　one　or　two
  vacant　chairs　in　the　best　part。　　De　Stancy；　advancing　from
  where　he　had　stood　for　a　few　moments；　seated　himself
  comfortably　beside　Miss　Power。
  On　the　other　side　of　her　he　now　perceived　the　same　queer
  elderly　foreigner　（as　he　appeared）　who　had　come　to　her　in　the
  garden　that　morning。　　Somerset　was　surprised　to　perceive　also
  that　Paula　with　very　little　hesitation　introduced　him　and　De
  Stancy　to　each　other。　　A　conversation　ensued　between　the
  three；　none　the　less　animated　for　being　carried　on　in　a
  whisper；　in　which　Paula　seemed　on　strangely　intimate　terms
  with　the　stranger；　and　the　stranger　to　show　feelings　of　great
  friendship　for　De　Stancy；　considering　that　they　must　be　new
  acquaintances。
  The　play　proceeded；　and　Somerset　still　lingered　in　his　corner。
  He　could　not　help　fancying　that　De　Stancy's　ingenious
  relinquishment　of　his　part；　　and　its　obvious　reason；　was
  winning　Paula's　admiration。　　His　conduct　was　homage　carried　to
  unscrupulous　and　inconvenient　lengths；　a　sort　of　thing　which　a
  woman　may　chide；　but　which　she　can　never　resent。　　Who　could　do
  otherwise　than　talk　kindly　to　a　man；　incline　a　little　to　him；
  and　condone　his　fault；　when　the　sole　motive　of　so　audacious　an
  exercise　of　his　wits　was　to　escape　acting　with　any　other
  heroine　than　herself。
  His　conjectures　were　brought　to　a　pause　by　the　ending　of　the
  comedy；　and　the　opportunity　afforded　him　of　joining　the　group
  in　front。　　The　mass　of　people　were　soon　gone；　and　the　knot　of
  friends　assembled　around　Paula　were　discussing　the　merits　and
  faults　of　the　two　days'　performance。
  'My　uncle；　Mr。　Abner　Power；'　said　Paula　suddenly　to　Somerset；
  as　he　came　near；　presenting　the　stranger　to　the　astonished
  young　man。　　'I　could　not　see　you　before　the　performance；　as　I
  should　have　liked　to　do。　　The　return　of　my　uncle　is　so
  extraordinary　that　it　ought　to　be　told　in　a　less　hurried　way
  than　this。　　He　has　been　supposed　dead　by　all　of　us　for　nearly
  ten　yearsever　since　the　time　we　last　heard　from　him。'
  'For　which　I　am　to　blame；'　said　Mr。　Power；　nodding　to　Paula's
  architect。　　'Yet　not　I；　but　accident　and　a　sluggish
  temperament。　　There　are　times；　Mr　Somerset；　when　the　human
  creature　feels　no　interest　in　his　kind；　and　assumes　that　his
  kind　feels　no　interest　in　him。　　The　feeling　is　not　active
  enough　to　make　him　fly　from　their　presence；　but　sufficient　to
  keep　him　silent　if　he　happens　to　be　away。　　I　may　not　have
  described　it　precisely；　but　this　I　know；　that　after　my　long
  illness；　and　the　fancied　neglect　of　my　letters'
  'For　which　my　father　was　not　to　blame；　since　he　did　not
  receive　them；'　said　Paula。
  'For　which　nobody　was　to　blameafter　that；　I　say；　I　wrote　no
  more。'
  'You　have　much　pleasure　in　returning　at　last；　no　doubt；'　said
  Somerset。
  'Sir；　as　I　remained　away　without　particular　pain；　so　I　return
  without　particular　joy。　　I　speak　the　truth；　and　no
  compliments。　　I　may　add　that　there　is　one　exception　to　this
  absence　of　feeling　from　my　heart；　namely；　that　I　do　derive
  great　satisfaction　from　seeing　how　mightily　this　young　woman
  has　grown　and　prevailed。'
  This　address；　though　delivered　nominally　to　Somerset；　was
  listened　to　by　Paula；　Mrs。　Goodman；　and　De　Stancy　also。　　After
  uttering　it；　the　speaker　turned　away；　and　continued　his
  previous　conversation　with　Captain　De　Stancy。　　From　this　time
  till　the　group　parted　he　never　again　spoke　directly　to
  Somerset；　paying　him　barely　so　much　attention　as　he　might　have
  expected　as　Paula's　architect；　and　certainly　less　than　he
  might　have　supposed　his　due　as　her　accepted　lover。
  The　result　of　the　appearance；　as　from　the　tomb；　of　this　wintry
  man　was　that　the　evening　ended　in　a　frigid　and　formal　way
  which　gave　little　satisfaction　to　the　sensitive　Somerset；　who
  was　abstracted　and　constrained　by　reason　of　thoughts　on　how
  this　resuscitation　of　the　uncle　would　affect　his　relation　with
  Paula。　　It　was　possibly　also　the　thought　of　two　at　least　of
  the　others。　　There　had；　in　truth；　scarcely　yet　been　time
  enough　to　adumbrate　the　possibilities　opened　up　by　this
  gentleman's　return。
  The　only　private　word　exchanged　by　Somerset　with　any　one　that
  night　was　with　Mrs。　Goodman；　in　whom　he　always　recognized　a
  friend　to　his　cause；　though　the　fluidity　of　her　character
  rendered　her　but　a　feeble　one　at　the　best　of　times。　　She
  informed　him　that　Mr。　Power　had　no　sort　of　legal　control　over
  Paula；　or　direction　in　her　estates；　but　Somerset　could　not
  doubt　that　a　near　and　only　blood　relation；　even　had　he
  possessed　but　half　the　static　force　of　character　that　made
  itself　apparent　in　Mr。　Power；　might　exercise　considerable
  moral　influence　over　the　girl　if　he　chose。　　And　in　view　of　Mr。
  Power's　marked　preference　for　De　Stancy；　Somerset　had　many
  misgivings　as　to　its　operating　in　a　direction　favourable　to
  himself。
  XI。
  Somerset　was　deeply　engaged