the black robe-第14章

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way？that　is　how　I　look　at　it。　For　example；　the　first　thing　I



heard；　when　I　came　here；　was　that　Romayne　had　left　England。　My



introduction　to　him　was　indefinitely　delayed；　I　had　to　look　to



Lord　Loring　for　all　the　information　I　wanted　relating　to　the　man



and　his　habits。　There　was　another　obstacle！　Not　living　in　the



house；　I　was　obliged　to　find　an　excuse　for　being　constantly　on



the　spot；　ready　to　take　advantage　of　his　lordship's　leisure



moments　for　conversation。　I　sat　down　in　this　room；　and　I　said　to



myself；　'Before　I　get　up　again；　I　mean　to　brush　these　impertinent



obstacles　out　of　my　way！'　The　state　of　the　books　suggested　the



idea　of　which　I　was　in　search。　Before　I　left　the　house；　I　was



charged　with　the　rearrangement　of　the　library。　From　that　moment　I



came　and　went　as　often　as　I　liked。　Whenever　Lord　Loring　was



disposed　for　a　little　talk；　there　I　was；　to　lead　the　talk　in　the



right　direction。　And　what　is　the　result？　On　the　first　occasion



when　Romayne　presents　himself　I　can　place　you　in　a　position　to



become　his　daily　companion。　All　due；　Arthur；　in　the　first



instance；　to　my　impatience　of　obstacles。　Amusing；　isn't　it？〃







Penrose　was　perhaps　deficient　in　the　sense　of　humor。　Instead　of



being　amused；　he　appeared　to　be　anxious　for　more　information。







〃In　what　capacity　am　I　to　be　Mr。　Romayne's　companion？〃　he　asked。







Father　Benwell　poured　himself　out　another　cup　of　coffee。







〃Suppose　I　tell　you　first；〃　he　suggested；　〃how　circumstances



present　Romayne　to　us　as　a　promising　subject　for　conversion。　He



is　young；　still　a　single　man；　not　compromised　by　any　illicit



connection；　romantic；　sensitive；　highly　cultivated。　No　near



relations　are　alive　to　influence　him；　and；　to　my　certain



knowledge；　his　estate　is　not　entailed。　He　has　devoted　himself　for



years　past　to　books；　and　is　collecting　materials　for　a　work　of



immense　research；　on　the　Origin　of　Religions。　Some　great　sorrow



or　remorseLord　Loring　did　not　mention　what　it　washas　told



seriously　on　his　nervous　system；　already　injured　by　night　study。



Add　to　this；　that　he　is　now　within　our　reach。　He　has　lately



returned　to　London；　and　is　living　quite　alone　at　a　private　hotel。



For　some　reason　which　I　am　not　acquainted　with；　he　keeps　away



from　Vange　Abbeythe　very　place；　as　I　should　have　thought；　for　a



studious　man。〃







Penrose　began　to　be　interested。　〃Have　you　been　to　the　Abbey？〃　he



said。







〃I　made　a　little　excursion　to　that　part　of　Yorkshire；　Arthur；　not



long　since。　A　very　pleasant　tripapart　from　the　painful



associations　connected　with　the　ruin　and　profanation　of　a　sacred



place。　There　is　no　doubt　about　the　revenues。　I　know　the　value　of



that　productive　part　of　the　estate　which　stretches　southward；



away　from　the　barren　region　round　the　house。　Let　us　return　for　a



moment　to　Romayne；　and　to　your　position　as　his　future　companion。



He　has　had　his　books　sent　to　him　from　Vange；　and　has　persuaded



himself　that　continued　study　is　the　one　remedy　for　his　troubles；



whatever　they　may　be。　At　Lord　Loring's　suggestion；　a　consultation



of　physicians　was　held　on　his　case　the　other　day。〃







〃Is　he　so　ill　as　that？〃　Penrose　exclaimed。







〃So　it　appears；〃　Father　Benwell　replied。　〃Lord　Loring　is



mysteriously　silent　about　the　illness。　One　result　of　the



consultation　I　extracted　from　him；　in　which　you　are　interested。



The　doctors　protested　against　his　employing　himself　on　his



proposed　work。　He　was　too　obstinate　to　listen　to　them。　There　was



but　one　concession　that　they　could　gain　from　himhe　consented　to



spare　himself；　in　some　small　degree；　by　employing　an　amanuensis。



It　was　left　to　Lord　Loring　to　find　the　man。　I　was　consulted　by



his　lordship；　I　was　even　invited　to　undertake　the　duty　myself。



Each　one　in　his　proper　sphere；　my　son！　The　person　who　converts



Romayne　must　be　young　enough　and　pliable　enough　to　be　his　friend



and　companion。　Your　part　is　there；　Arthuryou　are　the　future



amanuensis。　How　does　the　prospect　strike　you　now？〃







〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Father！　I　fear　I　am　unworthy　of　the



confidence　which　is　placed　in　me。〃







〃In　what　way？〃







Penrose　answered　with　unfeigned　humility。







〃I　am　afraid　I　may　fail　to　justify　your　belief　in　me；〃　he　said；



〃unless　I　can　really　feel　that　I　am　converting　Mr。　Romayne　for



his　own　soul's　sake。　However　righteous　the　cause　may　be；　I　cannot



find；　in　the　restitution　of　the　Church　property；　a　sufficient



motive　for　persuading　him　to　change　his　religious　faith。　There　is



something　so　serious　in　the　responsibility　which　you　lay　on　me；



that　I　shall　sink　under　the　burden　unless　my　whole　heart　is　in



the　work。　If　I　feel　attracted　toward　Mr。　Romayne　when　I　first　see



him；　if　he　wins　upon　me；　little　by　little；　until　I　love　him　like



a　brotherthen；　indeed；　I　can　promise　that　his　conversion　shall



be　the　dearest　object　of　my　life。　But　if　there　is　not　this



intimate　sympathy　between　usforgive　me　if　I　say　it　plainlyI



implore　you　to　pass　me　over；　and　to　commit　the　task　to　the　hands



of　another　man。〃







His　voice　trembled；　his　eyes　moistened。　Father　Benwell　handled



his　young　friend's　rising　emotion　with　the　dexterity　of　a　skilled



angler　humoring　the　struggles　of　a　lively　fish。







〃Good　Arthur！〃　he　said。　〃I　see　muchtoo　much；　dear　boyof



self…seeking　people。　It　is　as　refreshing　to　me　to　hear　you；　as　a



draught　of　water　to　a　thirsty　man。　At　the　same　time；　let　me



suggest　that　you　are　innocently　raising　difficulties；　where　no



difficulties　exist。　I　have　already　mentioned　as　one　of　the



necessities　of　the　case　that　you　and　Romayne　should　be　friends。



How　can　that　be；　un　less　there　is　precisely　that　sympathy　between



you　which　you　have　so　well　described？　I　am　a　sanguine　man；　and　I



believe　you　will　like　each　other。　Wait　till　you　see　him。〃







As　the　words　passed　his　lips；　the　door　that　led　to　the　picture



gallery　was　opened。　Lord　Loring　entered　the　library。







He　looked　quickly　round　himapparently　in　search　of　some　person



who　might；　perhaps；　be　found　in　the　room。　A　shade　of　annoyance



showed　itself　in　his　face；　and　disappeared　again；　as　he　bowed　to



the　two　Jesuits。







〃Don't　let　me　disturb　you；〃　he　said；　looking　at　Penrose。　〃Is　this



the　gentleman　who　is　to　assist　Mr。　Romayne？〃







Father　Benwell　presented　his　young　friend。　〃Arthur　Penrose；　my



lord。　I　ventured　to　suggest　that　he　should　call　here　to…day；　in



case　you　wished　to　put　any　questions　to　him。〃







〃Quite　needless；　after　your　recommendation；〃　Lord　Loring



answered；　graciously。　〃Mr。　Penrose　could　not　have　come　here　at　a



more　appropriate　time。　As　it　happens；　Mr。　Romayne　has　paid　us　a



visit　todayhe　is　now　in　the　picture　gallery。〃







The　priests　looked　at　each　other。　Lord　Loring　left　them　as　he



spoke。　He　walked　to　the　opposite　door　of　the　libraryopened



itglanced　round　the　hall；　and　at　the　stairsand　returned



again；　with　the　passing　expression　of　annoyance　visible　once



more。　〃Come　with　me　to　the　gallery；　gentlemen；〃　he　said；　〃I　shall



be　happy　to　introduce　you　to　Mr。　Romayne。〃







Penrose　accepted　the　proposal。　Father　Benwell　pointed　with　a



smile　to　the　books　scattered　about　him。　〃With　permission；　I　will



follow　your　lordship；〃　he　said。







〃Who　was　my　lord　looking　for？〃　That　was　the　question　in　Father



Benwell's　mind；　while　he　put　some　of　the　books　away　on　the



shelves；　and　collected　the　scattered　papers　on　the　table；



relating　to　his　correspondence　with　Rome。　It　had　become　a　habit



of　his　life　to　be　suspicious　of　any　circumstances　occurring



within　his　range　of