the black robe-第36章

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words：Be　careful　for　Stella's　sake！







〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Eyrecourt。　〃I　know　Beaupark　House；　butmay



I　make　a　confession？〃　she　added；　with　her　sweetest　smile。







Father　Benwell　caught　her　tone；　with　his　customary　tact。　〃A



confession　at　a　ball　is　a　novelty；　even　in　my　experience；〃　he



answered　with　_his_　sweetest　smile。







〃How　good　of　you　to　encourage　me！〃　proceeded　Mrs。　Eyrecourt。　〃No；



thank　you；　I　don't　want　to　sit　down。　My　confession　won't　take



longand　I　really　must　give　that　poor　pale　daughter　of　mine　a



glass　of　wine。　A　student　of　human　nature　like　youthey　say　all



priests　are　students　of　human　nature；　accustomed　of　course　to　be



consulted　in　difficulties；　and　to　hear　_real_　confessionsmust



know　that　we　poor　women　are　sadly　subject　to　whims　and　caprices。



We　can't　resist　them　as　men　do；　and　the　dear　good　men　generally



make　allowances　for　us。　Well；　do　you　know　that　place　of　Mr。



Winterfield's　is　one　of　my　caprices？　Oh；　dear；　I　speak



carelessly；　I　ought　to　have　said　the　place　represents　one　of　my



caprices。　In　short。　Father　Benwell；　Beaupark　House　is　perfectly



odious　to　me；　and　I　think　Clovelly　the　most　overrated　place　in



the　world。　I　haven't　the　least　reason　to　give；　but　so　it　is。



Excessively　foolish　of　me。　It's　like　hysterics；　I　can't　help　it；



I'm　sure　you　will　forgive　me。　There　isn't　a　place　on　the



habitable　globe　that　I　am　not　ready　to　feel　interested　in；　except



detestable　Devonshire。　I　am　so　sorry　you　went　there。　The　next



time　you　have　a　holiday；　take　my　advice。　Try　the　Continent。〃







〃I　should　like　it　of　all　things；〃　said　Father　Benwell。　〃Only　I



don't　speak　French。　Allow　me　to　get　Miss　Eyrecourt　a　glass　of



wine。〃







He　spoke　with　the　most　perfect　temper　and　tranquillity。　Having



paid　his　little　attention　to　Stella；　and　having　relieved　her　of



the　empty　glass；　he　took　his　leave；　with　a　parting　request



thoroughly　characteristic　of　the　man。







〃Are　you　staying　in　town；　Mrs。　Eyrecourt？〃　he　asked。







〃Oh；　of　course；　at　the　height　of　the　season！〃







〃May　I　have　the　honor　of　calling　on　youand　talking　a　little



more　about　the　Continent？〃







If　he　had　said　it　in　so　many　words　he　could　hardly　have　informed



Mrs。　Eyrecourt　more　plainly　that　he　thoroughly　understood　her；



and　that　he　meant　to　try　again。　Strong　in　the　worldly　training　of



half　a　lifetime；　she　at　once　informed　him　of　her　address；　with



the　complimentary　phrases　proper　to　the　occasion。　〃Five　o'clock



tea　on　Wednesdays；　Father　Benwell。　Don't　forget！〃







The　moment　he　was　gone；　she　drew　her　daughter　into　a　quiet



corner。　〃Don't　be　frightened；　Stella。　That　sly　old　person　has



some　interest　in　trying　to　find　out　about　Winterfield。　Do　you



know　why？〃







〃Indeed　I　don't；　mamma。　I　hate　him！〃







〃Oh；　hush　！　hush！　Hate　him　as　much　as　you　like；　but　always　be



civil　to　him。　Tell　mehave　you　been　in　the　conservatory　with



Romayne？〃







〃Yes。〃







〃All　going　on　well？〃







〃Yes。〃







〃My　sweet　child！　Dear；　dear　me；　the　wine　has　done　you　no　good；



you're　as　pale　as　ever。　Is　it　that　priest？　Oh；　pooh；　pooh；　leave



Father　Benwell　to　me。〃







CHAPTER　IV。







IN　THE　SMALL　HOURS。







WHEN　Stella　left　the　conservatory；　the　attraction　of　the　ball　for



Romayne　was　at　an　end。　He　went　back　to　his　rooms　at　the　hotel。







Penrose　was　waiting　to　speak　to　him。　Romayne　noticed　signs　of



suppressed　agitation　in　his　secretary's　face。　〃Has　anything



happened？〃　he　inquired。







〃Nothing　of　any　importance；〃　Penrose　answered；　in　sad　subdued



tones。　〃I　only　wanted　to　ask　you　for　leave　of　absence。〃







〃Certainly。　Is　it　for　a　long　time？〃







Penrose　hesitated。　〃You　have　a　new　life　opening　before　you；〃　he



said。　〃If　your　experience　of　that　life　isas　I　hope　and　pray　it



may　bea　happy　one；　you　will　need　me　no　longer；　we　may　not　meet



again。〃　His　voice　began　to　tremble；　he　could　say　no　more。







〃Not　meet　again？〃　Romayne　repeated。　〃My　dear　Penrose；　if　_you_



forget　how　many　happy　days　I　owe　to　your　companionship；　_my_



memory　is　to　be　trusted。　Do　you　really　know　what　my　new　life　is



to　be？　Shall　I　tell　you　what　I　have　said　to　Stella　to…night？〃







Penrose　lifted　his　hand　with　a　gesture　of　entreaty。







〃Not　a　word！〃　he　said；　eagerly。　〃Do　me　one　more　kindnessleave



me　to　be　prepared　（as　I　am　prepared）　for　the　change　that　is　to



come；　without　any　confidence　on　your　part　to　enlighten　me



further。　Don't　think　me　ungrateful。　I　have　reasons　for　saying



what　I　have　just　saidI　cannot　mention　what　they　areI　can　only



tell　you　they　are　serious　reasons。　You　have　spoken　of　my　devotion



to　you。　If　you　wish　to　reward　me　a　hundred…fold　more　than　I



deserve；　bear　in　mind　our　conversations　on　religion；　and　keep　the



books　I　asked　you　to　read　as　gifts　from　a　friend　who　loves　you



with　his　whole　heart。　No　new　duties　that　you　can　undertake　are



incompatible　with　the　higher　interests　of　your　soul。　Think　of　me



sometimes。　When　I　leave　you　I　go　back　to　a　lonely　life。　My　poor



heart　is　full　of　your　brotherly　kindness　at　this　last　moment　when



I　may　be　saying　good…by　forever。　And　what　is　my　one　consolation？



What　helps　me　to　bear　my　hard　lot？　The　Faith　that　I　hold！



Remember　that；　Romayne。　If　there　comes　a　time　of　sorrow　in　the



future；　remember　that。〃







Romayne　was　more　than　surprised；　he　was　shocked。　〃Why　must　you



leave　me？〃　he　asked。







〃It　is　best　for　you　and　for　_her；_〃　said　Penrose；　〃that　I　should



withdraw　myself　from　your　new　life。〃







He　held　out　his　hand。　Romayne　refused　to　let　him　go。　〃Penrose！〃



he　said；　〃I　can't　match　your　resignation。　Give　me　something　to



look　forward　to。　I　must　and　will　see　you　again。〃







Penrose　smiled　sadly。　〃You　know　that　my　career　in　life　depends



wholly　on　my　superiors；〃　he　answered。　〃But　if　I　am　still　in



Englandand　if　you　have　sorrows　in　the　future　that　I　can　share



and　alleviateonly　let　me　know　it。　There　is　nothing　within　the



compass　of　my　power　which　I　will　not　do　for　your　sake。　God　bless



and　prosper　you！　Good…by！〃







In　spite　of　his　fortitude；　the　tears　rose　in　his　eyes。　He　hurried



out　of　the　room。







Romayne　sat　down　at　his　writing…table；　and　hid　his　face　in　his



hands。　He　had　entered　the　room　with　the　bright　image　of　Stella　in



his　mind。　The　image　had　faded　from　it　nowthe　grief　that　was　in



him　not　even　the　beloved　woman　could　share。　His　thoughts　were



wholly　with　the　brave　and　patient　Christian　who　had　left　himthe



true　man；　whose　spotless　integrity　no　evil　influence　could



corrupt。　By　what　inscrutable　fatality　do　some　men　find　their　way



into　spheres　that　are　unworthy　of　them？　Oh；　Penrose；　if　the



priests　of　your　Order　were　all　like　you；　how　easily　I　should　be



converted！　These　were　Romayne's　thoughts；　in　the　stillness　of　the



first　hours　of　the　morning。　The　books　of　which　his　lost　friend



had　spoken　were　close　by　him　on　the　table。　He　opened　one　of　them；



and　turned　to　a　page　marked　by　pencil　lines。　His　sensitive　nature



was　troubled　to　its　inmost　depths。　The　confession　of　that　Faith



which　had　upheld　Penrose　was　before　him　in　words。　The　impulse　was



strong　in　him　to　read　those　words；　and　think　over　them　again。















He　trimmed　his　lamp；　and　bent　his　mind　on　his　book。　While　he　was



still　reading；　the　ball　at　Lord　Loring's　house　came　to　its　end。



Stella　and　Lady　Loring　were　alone　together；　talking　of　him；



before　they　retired　to　their　rooms。







〃Forgive　me　for　owning　it　plainly；〃　said　Lady　Loring〃I　think



you　and　yo