words on the effects of her new environment recurred to his
mind。 'Miss De Stancy doesn't think so；' he said。 'She cares
nothing about those things。'
Paula now turned to him： hitherto her remarks had been
sparingly spoken； her eyes being directed elsewhere： 'Yes；
that is very strange； is it not？' she said。 'But it is owing
to the joyous freshness of her nature which precludes her from
dwelling on the pastindeed； the past is no more to her than
it is to a sparrow or robin。 She is scarcely an instance of
the wearing out of old families； for a younger mental
constitution than hers I never knew。'
'Unless that very simplicity represents the second childhood
of her line； rather than her own exclusive character。'
Paula shook her head。 'In spite of the Greek court； she is
more Greek than I。'
'You represent science rather than art； perhaps。'
'How？' she asked； glancing up under her hat。
'I mean；' replied Somerset； 'that you represent the march of
mindthe steamship； and the railway； and the thoughts that
shake mankind。'
She weighed his words； and said： 'Ah； yes： you allude to my
father。 My father was a great man； but I am more and more
forgetting his greatness： that kind of greatness is what a
woman can never truly enter into。 I am less and less his
daughter every day that goes by。'
She walked away a few steps to rejoin the excellent Mrs。
Goodman； who； as Somerset still perceived； was waiting for
Paula at the discreetest of distances in the shadows at the
farther end of the building。 Surely Paula's voice had
faltered； and she had turned to hide a tear？
She came back again。 'Did you know that my father made half
the railways in Europe； including that one over there？' she
said； waving her little gloved hand in the direction whence
low rumbles were occasionally heard during the day。
'Yes。'
'How did you know？'
'Miss De Stancy told me a little； and I then found his name
and doings were quite familiar to me。'
Curiously enough； with his words there came through the broken
windows the murmur of a train in the distance； sounding
clearer and more clear。 It was nothing to listen to； yet they
both listened； till the increasing noise suddenly broke off
into dead silence。
'It has gone into the tunnel；' said Paula。 'Have you seen the
tunnel my father made？ the curves are said to be a triumph of
science。 There is nothing else like it in this part of
England。'
'There is not： I have heard so。 But I have not seen it。'
'Do you think it a thing more to be proud of that one's father
should have made a great tunnel and railway like that； than
that one's remote ancestor should have built a great castle
like this？'
What could Somerset say？ It would have required a casuist to
decide whether his answer should depend upon his conviction；
or upon the family ties of such a questioner。 'From a modern
point of view； railways are； no doubt； things more to be proud
of than castles；' he said； 'though perhaps I myself； from mere
association； should decide in favour of the ancestor who built
the castle。' The serious anxiety to be truthful that Somerset
threw into his observation； was more than the circumstance
required。 'To design great engineering works；' he added
musingly； and without the least eye to the disparagement of
her parent； 'requires no doubt a leading mind。 But to execute
them； as he did； requires； of course； only a following mind。'
His reply had not altogether pleased her； and there was a
distinct reproach conveyed by her slight movement towards Mrs。
Goodman。 He saw it； and was grieved that he should have
spoken so。 'I am going to walk over and inspect that famous
tunnel of your father's；' he added gently。 'It will be a
pleasant study for this afternoon。'
She went away。 'I am no man of the world；' he thought。 'I
ought to have praised that father of hers straight off。 I
shall not win her respect； much less her love！'
XII。
Somerset did not forget what he had planned； and when lunch
was over he walked away through the trees。 The tunnel was
more difficult of discovery than he had anticipated； and it
was only after considerable winding among green lanes； whose
deep ruts were like canyons of Colorado in miniature； that he
reached the slope in the distant upland where the tunnel
began。 A road stretched over its crest； and thence along one
side of the railway…cutting。
He there unexpectedly saw standing Miss Power's carriage； and
on drawing nearer he found it to contain Paula herself； Miss
De Stancy； and Mrs。 Goodman。
'How singular！' exclaimed Miss De Stancy gaily。
'It is most natural；' said Paula instantly。 'In the morning
two people discuss a feature in the landscape； and in the
afternoon each has a desire to see it from what the other has
said of it。 Therefore they accidentally meet。'
Now Paula had distinctly heard Somerset declare that he was
going to walk there； how then could she say this so coolly？
It was with a pang at his heart that he returned to his old
thought of her being possibly a finished coquette and
dissembler。 Whatever she might be； she was not a creature
starched very stiffly by Puritanism。
Somerset looked down on the mouth of the tunnel。 The popular
commonplace that science； steam； and travel must always be
unromantic and hideous； was not proven at this spot。 On
either slope of the deep cutting； green with long grass； grew
drooping young trees of ash； beech； and other flexible
varieties； their foliage almost concealing the actual railway
which ran along the bottom； its thin steel rails gleaming like
silver threads in the depths。 The vertical front of the
tunnel； faced with brick that had once been red； was now
weather…stained； lichened； and mossed over in harmonious
rusty…browns； pearly greys； and neutral greens； at the very
base appearing a little blue…black spot like a mouse…holethe
tunnel's mouth。
The carriage was drawn up quite close to the wood railing； and
Paula was looking down at the same time with him； but he made
no remark to her。
Mrs。 Goodman broke the silence by saying； 'If it were not a
railway we should call it a lovely dell。'
Somerset agreed with her； adding that it was so charming that
he felt inclined to go down。
'If you do； perhaps Miss Power will order you up again； as a
trespasser；' said Charlotte De Stancy。 'You are one of the
largest shareholders in the railway； are you not； Paula？'
Miss Power did not reply。
'I suppose as the road is partly yours you might walk all the
way to London along the rails； if you wished； might you not；
dear？' Charlotte continued。
Paula smiled； and said； 'No； of course not。'
Somerset； feeling himself superfluous； raised his hat to his
companions as if he meant not to see them again for a while；
and began to descend by some steps cut in the earth； Miss De
Stancy asked Mrs。 Goodman to accompany her to a barrow over
the top of the tunnel； and they left the carriage； Paula
remaining alone。
Down Somerset plunged through the long grass； bushes； late
summer flowers； moths； and caterpillars； vexed with himself
that he had come there； since Paula was so inscrutable； and
humming the notes of some song he did not know。 The tunnel
that had seemed so small from the surface was a vast archway
when he reached its mouth； which emitted； as a contrast to the
sultry heat on the slopes of the cutting； a cool breeze； that
had travelled a mile underground from the other end。 Far away
in the darkness of this silent subterranean corridor he could
see that other end as a mere speck of light。
When he had conscientiously admired the construction of the
massive archivault； and the majesty of its nude ungarnished
walls； he looked up the slope at the carriage； it was so small
to the eye that it might have been made for a performance by
canaries； Paula's face being still smaller； as she leaned back
in her seat； idly looking down at him。 There seemed something
roguish in her attitude of criticism； and to be no longer the
subject of her contemplation he entered the tunnel out of her
sight。
In the middle of the speck of light before him appeared a
speck of black； and then a shrill whistle； dulled by millions
of tons of earth； reached his ears from thence。 It was what
he had been on his guard against all the time；a passing
train； and instead of taking the trouble to come out of the
tunnel he stepped into a recess； till the train had rattled
past and vanished onward round a curve。
Somerset still remained where he had placed himself； mentally
balancing science against art； the grandeur of this fine piece
of construction against that of the castle； and thinking
whether Paula's father had not； after all； the best of it；
when all at once he saw Paula's form confronting him at the
entrance of the tunnel。 He instantly went forward into the
light； to his surprise she was as pale as a lily。
'O； Mr。 Somerset！' she exclaimed。 'You ought not to frighten
me soindeed you ought not！ The train came out almost as
soon as you had gone in； and as you did not returnan
accident was possible！'
Somerset at once perceived that he had been to blame in not
thinking of this。
'Please do forgive my thoughtlessness in not reflecting how it
would strike you！' he pleaded。 'II see I have alarmed you。'
Her alarm was； indeed； much greater than he had at first
thought： she trembled so much that she was obliged to sit
down； at which he went up to her full of solicitousness。
'You ought not to have done it！' she said。 'I naturally
thoughtany person would'
Somerset； perhaps wisely； said nothing at this outburst； the
cause of her vexation was； plainly enough； his perception of
her discomposure。 He stood looking in another direction； till
in a few moments she had risen to her feet again； quite calm。
'It would have been dreadful；' she said with faint gaiety； as
the colour returned to her face； 'if I had lost my architect；
and been obliged to engage Mr。 Havill without an alternative。'
'I was really in no danger； but of course I ought to have
considered；' he said。
'I forgive you；' she returned good…naturedly。 'I knew there
was no GREAT danger to a person exercising or