the black robe-第19节
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other predisposing causes； which led youI really hardly like to
go on。〃
〃Which led me；〃 Romayne continued； finishing the sentence for his
friend； 〃to feel that I never shall forgive myselfaccident or
no accidentfor having taken that man's life。 Now go on。〃
〃The delusion that you still hear the voice；〃 Lord Loring
proceeded； 〃is； in the doctor's opinion； the moral result of the
morbid state of your mind at the time when you really heard the
voice on the scene of the duel。 The influence acts physically； of
course； by means of certain nerves。 But it is essentially a moral
influence； and its power over you is greatly maintained by the
self…accusing view of the circumstances which you persist in
taking。 That； in substance； is my recollection of what the doctor
said。〃
〃And when he was asked what remedies he proposed to try；〃 Romayne
inquired； 〃do you remember his answer？ 'The mischief which moral
influences have caused； moral influences alone can remedy。' 〃
〃I remember；〃 said Lord Loring。 〃And he mentioned； as examples of
what he meant； the occurrence of some new and absorbing interest
in your life； or the working of some complete change in your
habits of thoughtor perhaps some influence exercised over you
by a person previously unknown； appearing under unforeseen
circumstances； or in scenes quite new to you。〃
Romayne's eyes sparkled。
〃Now you are coming to it！〃 he cried。 〃Now I feel sure that I
recall correctly the last words the doctor said： 'If my view is
the right one； I should not be surprised to hear that the
recovery which we all wish to see had found its beginning in such
apparently trifling circumstances as the tone of some other
person's voice or the influence of some other person's look。'
That plain expression of his opinion only occurred to my memory
after I had written my foolish letter of excuse。 I spare you the
course of other recollections that followed； to come at once to
the result。 For the first time I have the hope； the faint hope；
that the voice which haunts me has been once already controlled
by one of the influences of which the doctor spokethe influence
of a look。〃
If he had said this to Lady Loring； instead of to her husband；
she would have understood him at once。 Lord Loring asked for a
word more of explanation。
〃I told you yesterday；〃 Romayne answered； 〃that a dread of the
return of the voice had been present to me all the morning； and
that I had come to see the picture with an idea of trying if
change would relieve me。 While I was in the gallery I was free
from the dread； and free from the voice。 When I returned to the
hotel it tortured meand Mr。 Penrose； I grieve to say； saw what
I suffered。 You and I attributed the remission to the change of
scene。 I now believe we were both wrong。 Where was the change？ In
seeing you and Lady Loring； I saw the two oldest friends I have。
In visiting your gallery； I only revived the familiar
associations of hundreds of other visits。 To what in fluence was
I really indebted for my respite？ Don't try to dismiss the
question by laughing at my morbid fancies。 Morbid fancies are
realities to a man like me。 Remember the doctor's words； Loring。
Think of a new face； seen in your house！ Think of a look that
searched my heart for the first time！〃
Lord Loring glanced once more at the clock on the mantel…piece。
The hands pointed to the dinner hour。
〃Miss Eyrecourt？〃 he whispered。
〃Yes； Miss Eyrecourt。〃
The library door was thrown open by a servant。 Stella herself
entered the room。
CHAPTER VIII。
THE PRIEST OR THE WOMAN？
LORD LORING hurried away to his dressing room。 〃I won't be more
than ten minutes；〃 he saidand left Romayne and Stella together。
She was attired with her customary love of simplicity。 White lace
was the only ornament on her dress of delicate silvery gray。 Her
magnificent hair was left to plead its own merits； without
adornment of any sort。 Even the brooch which fastened her lace
pelerine was of plain gold only。 Conscious that she was showing
her beauty to the greatest advantage in the eyes of a man of
taste； she betrayed a little of the embarrassment which Romayne
had already noticed at the moment when she gave him her hand。
They were alone； and it was the first time she had seen him in
evening dress。
It may be that women have no positive appreciation of what is
beautiful in form and coloror it may be that they have no
opinions of their own when the laws of fashion have spoken。 This
at least is certain； that not one of them in a thousand sees
anything objectionable in the gloomy and hideous evening costume
of a gentleman in the nineteenth century。 A handsome man is； to
their eyes； more seductive than ever in the contemptible black
coat and the stiff white cravat which he wears in common with the
servant who waits on him at table。 After a stolen glance at
Romayne； Stella lost all confidence in herselfshe began turning
over the photographs on the table。
The momentary silence which followed their first greeting became
intolerable to her。 Rather than let it continue； she impulsively
confessed the uppermost idea in her mind when she entered the
room。
〃I thought I heard my name when I came in；〃 she said。 〃Were you
and Lord Loring speaking of me？〃
Romayne owned without hesitation that they had been speaking of
her。
She smiled and turned over another photograph。 But when did
sun…pictures ever act as a restraint on a woman's curiosity？ The
words passed her lips in spite of her。 〃I suppose I mustn't ask
what you were saying？〃
It was impossible to answer this plainly without entering into
explanations from which Romayne shrank。 He hesitated。
She turned over another photograph。 〃I understand；〃 she said。
〃You were talking of my faults。〃 She paused； and stole another
look at him。 〃I will try to correct my faults； if you will tell
me what they are。〃
Romayne felt that he had no alternative but to tell the
truthunder certain reserves。 〃Indeed you are wrong；〃 he said。
〃We were talking of the influence of a tone or a look on a
sensitive person。〃
〃The influence on Me？〃 she asked。
〃No。 The influence which You might exercise on another person。〃
She knew perfectly well that he was speaking of himself。 But she
was determined to feel the pleasure of making him own it。
〃If I have any such influence as you describe；〃 she began； 〃I
hope it is for good？〃
〃Certainly for good。〃
〃You speak positively； Mr。 Romayne。 Almost as positivelyonly
that can hardly beas if you were speaking from experience。〃
He might still have evaded a direct reply； if she had been
content with merely saying this。 But she looked at him while she
spoke。 He answered the look。
〃Shall I own that you are right？〃 he said。 〃I was thinking of my
own experience yesterday。〃
She returned to the photographs。 〃It sounds impossible；〃 she
rejoined； softly。 There was a pause。 〃Was it anything I said？〃
she asked。
〃No。 It was only when you looked at me。 But for that look； I
don't think I should have been here to…day。〃
She shut up the photographs on a sudden； and drew her chair a
little away from him。
〃I hope；〃 she said； 〃you have not so poor an opinion of me as to
think I like to be flattered？〃
Romayne answered with an earnestness that instantly satisfied
her。
〃I should think it an act of insolence to flatter you；〃 he said。
〃If you knew the true reason why I hesitated to accept Lady
Loring's invitationif I could own to you the new hope for
myself that has brought me hereyou would feel； as I feel； that
I have been only speaking the truth。 I daren't say yet that I owe
you a debt of gratitude for such a little thing as a look。 I must
wait till time puts certain strange fancies of mine to the
proof。〃
〃Fancies about me； Mr。 Romayne？〃
Before he could answer； the dinner bell rang。 Lord and Lady
Loring entered the library together。
The dinner having pursued its appointed course （always excepting
the case of the omelet）； the head servant who had waited at table
was graciously invited to rest； after his labors； in
