the black robe-第64章

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Inside　The　Retreat；　the　paternal　care　of　the　Church　took



possession　of　him；　surrounded　him　with　monastic　simplicity　in　his



neat　little　bedroom；　and　dazzled　him　with　devotional　splendor



when　his　religious　duties　called　him　into　the　chapel。　The　perfect



tasteso　seldom　found　in　the　modern　arrangement　and　decoration



of　convents　and　churches　in　southern　countriesshowed　itself



here；　pressed　into　the　service　of　religion；　in　every　part　of　the



house。　The　severest　discipline　had　no　sordid　and　hideous　side　to



it　in　The　Retreat。　The　inmates　fasted　on　spotless　tablecloths；



and　handled　knives　and　forks　（the　humble　servants　of　half…filled



stomachs）　without　a　speck　on　their　decent　brightness。　Penitents



who　kissed　the　steps　of　the　altar　（to　use　the　expressive　Oriental



phrase）；　〃eat　no　dirt。〃　Friends；　liberal　friends；　permitted　to



visit　the　inmates　on　stated　days；　saw　copies　of　famous　Holy



Families　in　the　reception…room　which　were　really　works　of　Art；



and　trod　on　a　carpet　of　studiously　modest　pretensions；　exhibiting



pious　emblems　beyond　reproach　in　color　and　design。　The　Retreat



had　its　own　artesian　well；　not　a　person　in　the　house　drank



impurity　in　his　water。　A　faint　perfume　of　incense　was　perceptible



in　the　corridors。　The　soothing　and　mysterious　silence　of　the



place　was　intensified　rather　than　disturbed　by　soft　footsteps；



and　gentle　opening　and　closing　of　doors。　Animal　life　was　not　even



represented　by　a　cat　in　the　kitchen。　And　yet；　pervaded　by　some



inscrutable　influence；　the　house　was　not　dull。　Heretics；　with



lively　imaginations；　might　have　not　inappropriately　likened　it　to



an　enchanted　castle。　In　one　word；　the　Catholic　system　here　showed



to　perfection　its　masterly　knowledge　of　the　weakness　of　human



nature；　and　its　inexhaustible　dexterity　in　adapting　the　means　to



the　end。







On　the　morning　when　Mrs。　Eyrecourt　and　her　daughter　held　their



memorable　interview　by　the　fireside　at　Ten　Acres；　Father　Benwell



entered　one　of　the　private　rooms　at　The　Retreat；　devoted　to　the



use　of　the　priesthood。　The　demure　attendant；　waiting　humbly　for



instructions；　was　sent　to　request　the　presence　of



　one　of　the　inmates　of　the　house；　named　Mortleman。







Father　Benwell's　customary　serenity　was　a　little　ruffled；　on　this



occasion；　by　an　appearance　of　anxiety。　More　than　once　he　looked



impatiently　toward　the　door；　and　he　never　even　noticed　the　last



new　devotional　publications　laid　invitingly　on　the　table。







Mr。　Mortleman　made　his　appearancea　young　man　and　a　promising



convert。　The　wild　brightness　of　his　eyes　revealed　that　incipient



form　of　brain　disease　which　begins　in　fanaticism；　and　ends　not



infrequently　in　religious　madness。　His　manner　of　greeting　the



priest　was　absolutely　servile。　He　cringed　before　the　illustrious



Jesuit。







Father　Benwell　took　no　notice　of　these　demonstrations　of



humility。　〃Be　seated；　my　son；〃　he　said。　Mr。　Mortleman　looked　as



if　he　would　have　preferred　going　down　on　his　knees；　but　he



yielded；　and　took　a　chair。







〃I　think　you　have　been　Mr。　Romayne's　companion　for　a　few　days；　in



the　hours　of　recreation？〃　the　priest　began。







〃Yes；　Father。〃







〃Does　he　appear　to　be　at　all　weary　of　his　residence　in　this



house？〃







〃Oh；　far　from　it！　He　feels　the　benign　influence　of　The　Retreat；



we　have　had　some　delightful　hours　together。〃







〃Have　you　anything　to　report？〃







Mr。　Mortleman　crossed　his　hands　on　his　breast　and　bowed



profoundly。　〃I　have　to　report　of　myself；　Father；　that　I　have



committed　the　sin　of　presumption。　I　presumed　that　Mr。　Romayne



was；　like　myself；　not　married。〃







〃Have　I　spoken　to　you　on　that　subject？〃







〃No；　Father。〃







〃Then　you　have　committed　no　sin。　You　have　only　made　an　excusable



mistake。　How　were　you　led　into　error？〃







〃In　this　way；　Father。　Mr。　Romayne　had　been　speaking　to　me　of　a



book　which　you　had　been　so　good　as　to　send　to　him。　He　had　been



especially　interested　by　the　memoir　therein　contained　of　the



illustrious　Englishman；　Cardinal　Acton。　The　degrees　by　which　his



Eminence　rose　to　the　rank　of　a　Prince　of　the　Church　seemed；　as　I



thought；　to　have　aroused　in　my　friend　a　new　sense　of　vocation。　He



asked　me　if　I　myself　aspired　to　belong　to　the　holy　priesthood。　I



answered　that　this　was　indeed　my　aspiration；　if　I　might　hope　to



be　found　worthy。　He　appeared　to　be　deeply　affected。　I　ventured　to



ask　if　he　too　had　the　same　prospect　before　him。　He　grieved　me



indescribably。　He　sighed　and　said；　'I　have　no　such　hope；　I　am



married。'　Tell　me　Father；　I　entreat　you；　have　I　done　wrong？〃







Father　Benwell　considered　for　a　moment。　〃Did　Mr。　Romayne　say



anything　more？〃　he　asked。







〃No；　Father。〃







〃Did　you　attempt　to　return　to　the　subject？〃







〃I　thought　it　best　to　be　silent。〃







Father　Benwell　held　out　his　hand。　〃My　young　friend；　you　have　not



only　done　no　wrongyou　have　shown　the　most　commendable



discretion。　I　will　detain　you　no　longer　from　your　duties。　Go　to



Mr。　Romayne；　and　say　that　I　wish　to　speak　with　him。〃







Mr。　Mortleman　dropped　on　one　knee；　and　begged　for　a　blessing。



Father　Benwell　lifted　the　traditional　two　fingers；　and　gave　the



blessing。　The　conditions　of　human　happiness　are　easily　fulfilled



if　we　rightly　understand　them。　Mr。　Mortleman　retired　perfectly



happy。







Left　by　himself　again；　Father　Benwell　paced　the　room　rapidly　from



end　to　end。　The　disturbing　influence　visible　in　his　face　had　now



changed　from　anxiety　to　excitement。　〃I'll　try　it　to…day！〃　he　said



to　himselfand　stopped；　and　looked　round　him　doubtfully。　〃No；



not　here；〃　he　decided；　〃it　may　get　talked　about　too　soon。　It　will



be　safer　in　every　way　at　my　lodgings。〃　He　recovered　his



composure；　and　returned　to　his　chair。







Romayne　opened　the　door。







The　double　influence　of　the　conversion；　and　of　the　life　in　The



Retreat；　had　already　changed　him。　His　customary　keenness　and



excitability　of　look　had　subsided；　and　had　left　nothing　in　their



place　but　an　expression　of　suave　and　meditative　repose。　All　his



troubles　were　now　in　the　hands　of　his　priest。　There　was　a　passive



regularity　in　his　bodily　movements　and　a　beatific　serenity　in　his



smile。







〃My　dear　friend；〃　said　Father　Benwell；　cordially　shaking　hands；



〃you　were　good　enough　to　be　guided　by　my　advice　in　entering　this



house。　Be　guided　by　me　again；　when　I　say　that　you　have　been　here



long　enough。　You　can　return；　after　an　interval；　if　you　wish　it。



But　I　have　something　to　say　to　you　firstand　I　beg　to　offer　the



hospitality　of　my　lodgings。〃







The　time　had　been　when　Romayne　would　have　asked　for　some



explanation　of　this　abrupt　notice　of　removal。　Now；　he　passively



accepted　the　advice　of　his　spiritual　director。　Father　Benwell



made　the　necessary　communication　to　the　authorities；　and　Romayne



took　leave　of　his　friends　in　The　Retreat。　The　great　Jesuit　and



the　great　landowner　left　the　place；　with　becoming　humility；　in　a



cab。







〃I　hope　I　have　not　disappointed　you？〃　said　Father　Benwell。







〃I　am　only　anxious；〃　Romayne　answered；　〃to　hear　what　you　have　to



say。〃







CHAPTER　III。







THE　HARVEST　IS　REAPED。







ON　their　way　through　the　streets；　Father　Benwell　talked　as



persistently　of　the　news　of　the　day　as　if　he　had　nothing　else　in



his　thoughts。　To　keep　his　companion's　mind　in　a　state　of　suspense



was；　in　certain　emergencies；　to　exert　a　useful　preparatory



influence　over　a　man　of　Romayne's　character。　Even　when　they



reached　his　lodgings；　the　priest　stil