the black robe-第22节
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ceremony； through the crowd in the picture gallery。
Father Benwell returned to the library。 It was quite needless to
trouble himself further about Mrs。 Eyrecourt or her address。
〃Thanks to Lord Loring's picture gallery；〃 he thought； 〃I have
found the man！〃
He took up his pen and made a little memorandum〃Winterfield。
Derwent's Hotel。〃
CHAPTER X。
FATHER BENWELL'S CORRESPONDENCE。
I。
_To Mr。 Bitrake。 Private and Confidential。_
SIRI understand that your connection with the law does not
exclude your occasional superintendence of confidential
inquiries； which are not of a nature to injure your professional
position。 The inclosed letter of introduction will satisfy you
that I am incapable of employing your experience in a manner
unbecoming to you； or to myself。
The inquiry that I propose to you relates to a gentleman named
Winterfield。 He is now staying in London； at Derwent's Hotel； and
is expected to remain there for a week from the present date。 His
place of residence is on the North Devonshire coast； and is well
known in that locality by the name of Beaupark House。
The range of my proposed inquiry dates back over the last four or
five yearscertainly not more。 My object is to ascertain； as
positively as may be； whether； within this limit of time； events
in Mr。 Winterfield's life have connected him with a young lady
named Miss Stella Eyrecourt。 If this proves to be the case it is
essential that I should be made acquainted with the whole of the
circumstances。
I have now informed you of all that I want to know。 Whatever the
information may be； it is most important that it shall be
information which I can implicitly trust。 Please address to me；
when you write； under cover to the friend whose letter I inclose。
I beg your acceptanceas time is of importanceof a check for
preliminary expenses； and remain； sir； your faithful servant；
AMBROSE BENWELL。
II。
_To the Secretary； Society of Jesus； Rome。_
I inclose a receipt for the remittance which your last letter
confides to my care。 Some of the money has been already used in
prosecuting inquiries； the result of which will； as I hope and
believe； enable me to effectually protect Romayne from the
advances of the woman who is bent on marrying him。
You tell me that our Reverend Fathers； lately sitting in council
on the Vange Abbey affair； are anxious to hear if any positive
steps have yet been taken toward the conversion of Romayne。 I am
happily able to gratify their wishes； as you shall now see。
Yesterday； I called at Romayne's hotel to pay one of those
occasional visits which help to keep up our acquaintance。 He was
out； and Penrose （for whom I asked next） was with him。 Most
fortunately； as the event proved； I had not seen Penrose； or
heard from him； for some little time； and I thought it desirable
to judge for myself of the progress that he was making in the
confidence of his employer。 I said I would wait。 The hotel
servant knows me by sight。 I was shown into Romayne's
waiting…room。
This room is so small as to be a mere cupboard。 It is lighted by
a glass fanlight over the door which opens from the passage； and
is supplied with air （in the absence of a fireplace） by a
ventilator in a second door； which communicates with Romayne's
study。 Looking about me； so far； I crossed to the other end of
the study； and discovered a dining…room and two bedrooms
beyondthe set of apartments being secluded； by means of a door
at the end of the passage； from the other parts of the hotel。 I
trouble you with these details in order that you may understand
the events that followed。
I returned to the waiting…room； not forgetting of course to close
the door of communication。
Nearly an hour must have passed before I heard footsteps in the
passage。 The study door was opened；
and the voices of persons entering the room reached me through
the ventilator。 I recognized Romayne； Penroseand Lord Loring。
The first words exchanged among them informed me that Romayne and
his secretary had overtaken Lord Loring in the street； as he was
approaching the hotel door。 The three had entered the house
togetherat a time； probably； when the servant who had admitted
me was out of the way。 However it may have happened； there I was；
forgotten in the waiting…room！
Could I intrude myself （on a private conversation perhaps） as an
unannounced and unwelcome visitor？ And could I help it； if the
talk found its way to me through the ventilator； along with the
air that I breathed？ If our Reverend Fathers think I was to
blame； I bow to any reproof which their strict sense of propriety
may inflict on me。 In the meantime； I beg to repeat the
interesting passages in the conversation； as nearly word for word
as I can remember them。
His lordship； as the principal personage in social rank； shall be
reported first。 He said： 〃More than a week has passed； Romayne；
and we have neither seen you nor heard from you。 Why have you
neglected us？〃
Here； judging by certain sounds that followed； Penrose got up
discreetly； and left the room。 Lord Loring went on。
He said to Romayne： 〃Now we are alone； I may speak to you more
freely。 You and Stella seemed to get on together admirably that
evening when you dined with us。 Have you forgotten what you told
me of her influence over you？ Or have you altered your
opinionand is that the reason why you keep away from us？〃
Romayne answered： 〃My opinion remains unchanged。 All that I said
to you of Miss Eyrecourt； I believe as firmly as ever。〃
His lordship remonstrated； naturally enough。 〃Then why remain
away from the good influence？ Whyif it really _can_ be
controlledrisk another return of that dreadful nervous
delusion？〃
〃I have had another return。〃
〃Which； as you yourself believe； might have been prevented！
Romayne； you astonish me。〃
There was a time of silence； before Romayne answered this。 He was
a little mysterious when he did reply。 〃You know the old saying；
my good friendof two evils； choose the least。 I bear my
sufferings as one of two evils； and the least of the two。〃
Lord Loring appeared to feel the necessity of touching a delicate
subject with a light hand。 He said； in his pleasant way： 〃Stella
isn't the other evil； I suppose？〃
〃Most assuredly not。〃
〃Then what is it？〃
Romayne answered； almost passionately： 〃My own weakness and
selfishness！ Faults which I must resist； or become a mean and
heartless man。 For me； the worst of the two evils is there。 I
respect and admire Miss EyrecourtI believe her to be a woman in
a thousanddon't ask me to see her again！ Where is Penrose？ Let
us talk of something else。〃
Whether this wild way of speaking offended Lord Loring； or only
discouraged him； I cannot say。 I heard him take his leave in
these words： 〃You have disappointed me； Romayne。 We will talk of
something else the next time we meet。〃 The study door was opened
and closed。 Romayne was left by himself。
Solitude was apparently not to his taste just then。 I heard him
call to Penrose。 I heard Penrose ask： 〃Do you want me？〃
Romayne answered： 〃God knows I want a friendand I have no
friend near me but you！ Major Hynd is away； and Lord Loring is
offended with me。〃
Penrose asked why。
Romayne； thereupon； entered on the necessary explanation。 As a
priest writing to priests； I pass over details utterly
uninteresting to us。 The substance of what he said amounted to
this： Miss Eyrecourt had produced an impression on him which was
new to him in his experience of women。 If he saw more of her； it
might endI ask your pardon for repeating the ridiculous
expressionin his 〃falling in love with her。〃 In this condition
of mind or body； whichever it may be； he would probably be
incapable of the self…control which he had hitherto practiced。 If
she consented to devote her life to him； he might accept the
cruel sacrifice。 Rather than do this； he would keep away from
her； for her dear sakeno matter what he might suffer； or whom
he might offend。
Imagine any human being； out of a lunatic asylum； talking in this
