[A Laodicean by Thomas Hardy]@TWC D-Link book
A Laodicean

BOOK THE SECOND
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'I have been waiting for that these six weeks.' Havill did not ask questions as to the meaning of this unexpected remark.
When they were downstairs Dare's first act was to ring the bell and ask if his Army and Navy Gazette had arrived.
While the servant was gone Havill cleared his throat and said, 'I am an architect, and I take in the Architect; you are an architect, and you take in the Army and Navy Gazette.' 'I am not an architect any more than I am a soldier; but I have taken in the Army and Navy Gazette these many weeks.' When they were at breakfast the paper came in.

Dare hastily tore it open and glanced at the pages.
'I am going to Markton after breakfast!' he said suddenly, before looking up; 'we will walk together if you like ?' They walked together as planned, and entered Markton about ten o'clock.
'I have just to make a call here,' said Dare, when they were opposite the barrack-entrance on the outskirts of the town, where wheel-tracks and a regular chain of hoof-marks left by the departed batteries were imprinted in the gravel between the open gates.

'I shall not be a moment.' Havill stood still while his companion entered and asked the commissary in charge, or somebody representing him, when the new batteries would arrive to take the place of those which had gone away.
He was informed that it would be about noon.
'Now I am at your service,' said Dare, 'and will help you to rearrange your design by the new intellectual light we have acquired.' They entered Havill's office and set to work.

When contrasted with the tracing from Somerset's plan, Havill's design, which was not far advanced, revealed all its weaknesses to him.

After seeing Somerset's scheme the bands of Havill's imagination were loosened: he laid his own previous efforts aside, got fresh sheets of drawing-paper and drew with vigour.
'I may as well stay and help you,' said Dare.


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