the black robe-第17节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
person like myself。〃
〃A large dinner party； Miss Notman？〃
〃Oh； dear； no！ Quite the reverse。 Only one gentlemanMr。
Romayne。〃
Father Benwell set down his cup of coffee； half way to his lips。
He at once drew the correct conclusion that the invitation to
Romayne must have been given and accepted after he had left the
picture gallery。 That the object was to bring Romayne and Stella
together； under circumstances which would rapidly improve their
acquaintance； was as plain to him as if he had heard it confessed
in so many words。 If he had only remained in the gallery； he
might have become acquainted with the form of persuasion used to
induce a man so unsocial as Romayne to accept an invitation。 〃I
have myself to blame；〃 he thought bitterly； 〃for being left in
the dark。〃
〃Anything wrong with the coffee？〃 Miss Notman asked anxiously。
He rushed on his fate。 He said； 〃Nothing whatever。 Pray go on。〃
Miss Notman went on。
〃You see； Father； Lady Loring was unusually particular about the
dinner on this occasion。 She said； 'Lord Loring reminds me that
Mr。 Romayne is a very little eater； and yet very difficult to
please in what he does eat。' Of course I consulted my experience；
and suggested exactly the sort of dinner that was wanted under
the circumstances。 I wish to do her ladyship the utmost justice。
She made no objection to the dinner in itself。 On the contrary；
she complimented me on what she was pleased to call my ready
invention。 But when we came next to the order in which the dishes
were to be served〃 Miss Notman paused in the middle of the
sentence； and shuddered over the private and poignant
recollections which the order of the dishes called up。
By this time Father Benwell had discovered his mistake。 He took a
mean advantage of Miss Notman's susceptibilities to slip his own
private inquiries into the interval of silence。
〃Pardon my ignorance；〃 he said； 〃my own poor dinner is a matter
of ten minutes and one dish。 I don't understand a difference of
opinion on a dinner for three people only； Lord and Lady Loring；
two； Mr。 Romayne； threeoh！ perhaps I am mistaken？ Perhaps Miss
Eyrecourt makes a fourth？〃
〃Certainly； Father！〃
〃A very charming person； Miss Notman。 I only speak as a stranger。
You； no doubt； are much better acquainted with Miss Eyrecourt？〃
〃Much better； indeedif I may presume to say so；〃 Miss Notman
replied。 〃She is my lady's intimate friend； we have often talked
of Miss Eyrecourt during the many years of my residence in this
house。 On such subjects； her ladyship treats me quite on the
footing of a humble friend。 A complete co ntrast to the tone she
took； Father； when we came to the order of the dishes。 We agreed；
of course； about the soup and the fish； but we had a little； a
very little； divergence of opinion； as I may call it； on the
subject of the dishes to follow。 Her ladyship said； 'First the
sweetbreads； and then the cutlets。' I ventured to suggest that
the sweetbreads； as white meat； had better not immediately follow
the turbot； as white fish。 'The brown meat； my lady；' I said； 'as
an agreeable variety presented to the eye； and then the white
meat； recalling pleasant remembrances of the white fish。' You see
the point； Father？〃
〃I see； Miss Notman； that you are a consummate mistress of an art
which is quite beyond poor me。 Was Miss Eyrecourt present at the
little discussion？〃
〃Oh； no！ Indeed； I should have objected to her presence； I should
have said she was a young lady out of her proper place。〃
〃Yes； I understand。 Is Miss Eyrecourt an only child？〃
〃She had two sisters； Father Benwell。 One of them is in a
convent。〃
〃Ah； indeed？〃
〃And the other is dead。〃
〃Sad for the father and mother； Miss Notman！〃
〃Pardon me； sad for the mother； no doubt。 The father died long
since。〃
〃Aye？ aye？ A sweet woman； the mother？ At least； I think I have
heard so。〃
Miss Notman shook her head。 〃I should wish to guard myself
against speaking unjustly of any one；〃 she said； 〃but when you
talk of 'a sweet woman；' you imply （as it seems to me） the
domestic virtues。 Mrs。 Eyrecourt is essentially a frivolous
person。〃
A frivolous person is； in the vast majority of cases； a person
easily persuaded to talk； and not disposed to be reticent in
keeping secrets。 Father Benwell began to see his way already to
the necessary information。 〃Is Mrs。 Eyrecourt living in London？〃
he inquired。
〃Oh； dear； no！ At this time of year she lives entirely in other
people's housesgoes from one country seat to another； and only
thinks of amusing herself。 No domestic qualities； Father。 _She_
would know nothing of the order of the dishes！ Lady Loring； I
should have told you； gave way in the matter of the sweetbread。
It was only at quite the latter part of my 'Menoo' （as the French
call it） that she showed a spirit of oppositionwell！ well！ I
won't dwell on that。 I will only ask _you；_ Father； at what part
of a dinner an oyster…omelet ought to be served？〃
Father Benwell seized his opportunity of discovering Mrs。
Eyrecourt's present address。 〃My dear lady；〃 he said； 〃I know no
more when the omelet ought to be served than Mrs。 Eyrecourt
herself！ It must be very pleasant； to a lady of her way of
thinking； to enjoy the beauties of Nature inexpensivelyas seen
in other people's houses； from the point of view of a welcome
guest。 I wonder whether she is staying at any country seat which
I happen to have seen？〃
〃She may be in England； Scotland； or Ireland； for all I know；〃
Miss Notman answered； with an unaffected ignorance which placed
her good faith beyond doubt。 〃Consult your own taste； Father。
After eating jelly； cream； and ice…pudding； could you even _look_
at an oyster…omelet without shuddering？ Would you believe it？ Her
ladyship proposed to serve the omelet with the cheese。 Oysters；
after sweets！ I am not （as yet） a married woman〃
Father Benwell made a last desperate effort to pave the way for
one more question before he submitted to defeat。 〃That must be
_your_ fault； my dear lady！〃 he interposed； with his persuasive
smile。
Miss Notman simpered。 〃You confuse me； Father！〃 she said softly。
〃I speak from inward conviction； Miss Notman。 To a looker…on；
like myself； it is sad to see how many sweet women who might be
angels in the households of worthy men prefer to lead a single
life。 The Church； I know； exalts the single life to the highest
place。 But even the Church allows exceptions to its rule。 Under
this roof； for example； I think I see two exceptions。 One of them
my unfeigned respect〃 （he bowed to Miss Notman） 〃forbids me to
indicate more particularly。 The other seems； to my humble view；
to be the young lady of whom we have been speaking。 Is it not
strange that Miss Eyrecourt has never been married？〃
The trap had been elaborately set； Father Benwell had every
reason to anticipate that Miss Notman would walk into it。 The
disconcerting housekeeper walked up to itand then proved unable
to advance a step further。
〃I once made the same remark myself to Lady Loring；〃 she said。
Father Benwell's pulse began to quicken its beat。 〃Yes？〃 he
murmured； in tones of the gentlest encouragement。
〃And her ladyship；〃 Miss Notman proceeded； 〃did not encourage me
to go on。 'There are reasons for not pursuing that subject；' she
said； 'reasons into which； I am sure； you will not expect me to
enter。' She spoke with a flattering confidence in my prudence；
which I felt gratefully。 Such a contrast to her tone when the
omelet presented itself in the order of the dishes！ As I said
just now I am not a married woman。 But if I proposed to my
husband to give him an oyster…omelet after his puddings and his
pies； I should not be surprised if he said to me； 'My dear； have
you taken leave of your senses？' I reminded Lady Loring （most
respectfully） that a _cheese_…omelette might be in its proper
place if it followed the sweets。 'An _oyster_…omelet；' I
suggested； 'surely comes after the birds？' I should be sorry to
say that her ladyship lost her temperI will only mention that I
kept mine。 Let me repeat what she said； and leave you； Father； to
draw your own conclusions。 She said； 'Which of us i
