the black robe-第13节
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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 observation； for which he was unable to
account。 He might have felt some stronger emotion on this
occasion； if he had known that the conspiracy in the library to
convert Romayne was matched by the conspiracy in the picture
gallery to marry him。
Lady Loring's narrative of the conversation which had taken place
between Stella and herself had encouraged her husband to try his
proposed experiment without delay。 〃I shall send a letter at once
to Romayne's hotel；〃 he said。
〃Inviting him to come here to…day？〃 her ladyship inquired。
〃Yes。 I shall say I particularly wish to consult him about a
picture。 Are we to prepare Stella to see him？ or would it be
better to let the meeting take her by surprise？〃
〃Certainly not！〃 said Lady Loring。 〃With her sensitive
disposition； I am afraid of taking Stella by surprise。 Let me
only tell her that Romayne is the original of her portrait； and
that he is likely to call on you to see the picture to…dayand
leave the rest to me。〃
Lady Loring's suggestion was immediately carried out。 In the
first fervor of her agitation； Stella had declared that her
courage was not equal to a meeting with Romayne on that day。
Becoming more composed； she yielded to Lady Loring's persuasion
so far as to promise that she would at least make the attempt to
follow her friend to the gallery。 〃If I go down with you；〃 she
said； 〃it will look as if we had arranged the thing between us。 I
can't bear even to think of that。 Let me look in by myself； as if
it was by accident。〃 Consenting to this arrangement； Lady Loring
had proceeded alone to the gallery； when Romayne's visit was
announced。 The minutes passed； and Stella did not appear。 It was
quite possible that she might shrink from openly presenting
herself at the main entrance to the gallery； and might
preferespecially if she was not aware of the priest's presence
in the roomto slip in quietly by the library door。 Failing to
find her； on putting this idea to the test； Lord Loring had
discovered Penrose； and had so hastened the introduction of the
younger of the two Jesuits to Romayne。
Having gathered his papers together； Father Benwell crossed the
library to the deep bow…window which lighted the room； and opened
his dispatch…box； standing on a small table in the recess。 Placed
in this position； he was invisible to any person entering the
room by the hall door。 He had secured his papers in the
dispatch…box； and had just closed and locked it； when he heard
the door cautiously opened。
The instant afterward the rustling of a woman's dress over the
carpet caught his ear。 Other men might have walked out of the
recess and shown themselves。 Father Benwell stayed where he was；
and waited until the lady crossed his range of view。
The priest observed with cold attention her darkly…beautiful eyes
and hair； her quickly…changing color； her modest grace of
movement。 Slowly； and in evident agitation； she advanced to the
door of the picture galleryand paused； as if she was afraid to
open it。 Father Benwell heard her sigh to herself softly； 〃Oh；
how shall I meet him？〃 She turned aside to the looking…glass over
the fire…place。 The reflection of her charming face seemed to
rouse her courage。 She retraced her steps； and timidly opened the
door。 Lord Loring must have been close by at the moment。 His
voice immediately made itself heard in the library。
〃Come in； Stellacome in！ Here is a new picture for you to see；
and a friend whom I want to present to you； who must be your
friend tooMr。 Lewis Romayne。〃
The door was closed again。 Father Benwell stood still as a statue
in the recess； with his head down； deep in thought。 After a while
he roused himself； and rapidly returned to the writing table。
With a roughness strangely unlike his customary deliberation of
movement； he snatched a sheet of paper out of the case； and
frowning heavily； wrote these lines on it： 〃Since my letter was
sealed； I have made a discovery which must be communicated
without the loss of a post。 I greatly fear there may be a woman
in our way。 Trust me to combat this obstacle as I have combated
other obstacles。 In the meantime； the work goes on。 Penrose has
received his first instructions； and has to…day been presented to
Romayne。〃
He addressed this letter to Rome； as he had addressed the letter
preceding it。 〃Now for the woman！〃 he said to himselfand opened
the door of the picture gallery。
CHAPTER IV。
FATHER BENWELL HITS。
ART has its trials as well as its triumphs。 It is powerless to
