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the black robe-第28节

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The attendant circumstances; however; are not so easy to



discover。 Judging by the careful report of the person whom I



employ; there must have been serious reasons; in this case; for



keeping facts secret and witnesses out of the way。 I mention



this; not to discourage you; but to prepare you for delays that



may occur on our way to discovery。







Be pleased to preserve your confidence in me; and to give me



timeand I answer for the result。







BOOK THE SECOND。







CHAPTER I。







THE SANDWICH DANCE。







A FINE spring; after a winter of unusual severity; promised well



for the prospects of the London season。







Among the social entertainments of the time; general curiosity



was excited; in the little sphere which absurdly describes itself



under the big name of Society; by the announcement of a party to



be given by Lady Loring; bearing the quaint title of a Sandwich



Dance。 The invitations were issued at an unusually early hour;



and it was understood that nothing so solid and so commonplace as



the customary supper was to be offered to the guests。 In a word;



Lady Loring's ball was designed as a bold protest against late



hours and heavy midnight meals。 The younger people were all in



favor of the proposed reform。 Their elders declined to give an



opinion beforehand。







In the small inner circle of Lady Loring's most intimate friends;



it was whispered that an innovation in the matter of refreshments



was contemplated; which would put the tolerant principles of the



guests to a severe test。 Miss Notman; the housekeeper; politely



threatening retirement on a small annuity; since the memorable



affair of the oyster…omelet; decided on carrying out her design



when she heard that there was to be no supper。 〃My attachment to



the family can bear a great deal;〃 she said。 〃But when Lady



Loring deliberately gives a ball; without a supper; I must hide



my head somewhereand it had better be out of the house!〃 Taking



Miss Notman as representative of a class; the reception of the



coming experiment looked; to say the least of it; doubtful。







On the appointed evening; the guests made one agreeable discovery



when they entered the reception rooms。 They were left perfectly



free to amuse themselves as they liked。







The drawing…rooms were given up to dancing; the picture gallery



was devoted to chamber music。 Chess…players and card…players



found remote and quiet rooms especially prepared for them。 People



who cared for nothing but talking were accommodated to perfection



in a sphere of their own。 And lovers (in earnest or not in



earnest) discovered; in a dimly…lighted conservatory with many



recesses; that ideal of discreet retirement which combines



solitude and society under one roof。







But the ordering of the refreshments failed; as had been



foreseen; to share in the approval conferred on the arrangement



of the rooms。 The first impression was unfavorable。 Lady Loring;



however; knew enough of human nature to leave results to two



potent alliesexperience and time。







Excepting the conservatory; the astonished guests could go



nowhere without discovering tables prettily decorated with



flowers; and bearing hundreds of little pure white china plates;



loaded with nothing but sandwiches。 All varieties of opinion were



consulted。 People of ordinary tastes; who liked to know what they



were eating; could choose conventional beef or ham; encased in



thin slices of bread of a delicate flavor quite new to them。



Other persons; less easily pleased; were tempted by sandwiches of



_pate de fois gras_ and by exquisite combinations of chicken and



truffles; reduced to a creamy pulp which clung to the bread like



butter。 Foreigners; making experiments; and not averse to garlic;



discovered the finest sausages of Germany and Italy transformed



into English sandwiches。 Anchovies and sardines appealed; in the



same unexpected way; to men who desired to create an artificial



thirstafter having first ascertained that the champagne was



something to be fondly remembered and regretted; at other



parties; to the end of the season。 The hospitable profusion of



the refreshments was all…pervading and inexhaustible。 Wherever



the guests might be; or however they were amusing themselves;



there were the pretty little white plates perpetually tempting



them。 People eat as they had never eat before; and even the



inveterate English prejudice against anything new was conquered



at last。 Universal opinion declared the Sandwich Dance to be an



admirable idea; perfectly carried out。







Many of the guests paid their hostess the compliment of arriving



at the early hour mentioned in the invitations。 One of them was



Major Hynd。 Lady Loring took her first opportunity of speaking to



him apart。







〃I hear you were a little angry;〃 she said; 〃when you were told



that Miss Eyrecourt had taken your inquiries out of your hands。〃







〃I thought it rather a bold proceeding; Lady Loring;〃 the Major



replied。 〃But as the General's widow turned out to be a lady; in



the best sense of the word; Miss Eyrecourt's romantic adventure



has justified itself。 I wouldn't recommend her to run the same



risk a second time。〃







〃I suppos e you know what Romayne thinks of it?〃







〃Not yet。 I have been too busy to call on him since I have been



in town。 Pardon me; Lady Loring; who is that beautiful creature



in the pale yellow dress? Surely I have seen her somewhere



before?〃







〃That beautiful creature; Major; is the bold young lady of whose



conduct you don't approve。〃







〃Miss Eyrecourt?〃







〃Yes。〃







〃I retract everything I said!〃 cried the Major; quite



shamelessly。 〃Such a woman as that may do anything。 She is



looking this way。 Pray introduce me。〃







The Major was introduced; and Lady Loring returned to her guests。







〃I think we have met before; Major Hynd;〃 said Stella。







Her voice supplied the missing link in the Major's memory of



events。 Remembering how she had looked at Romayne on the deck of



the steamboat; he began dimly to understand Miss Eyrecourt's



otherwise incomprehensible anxiety to be of use to the General's



family。 〃I remember perfectly;〃 he answered。 〃It was on the



passage from Boulogne to Folkestoneand my friend was with me。



You and he have no doubt met since that time?〃 He put the



question as a mere formality。 The unexpressed thought in him was;



〃Another of them in love with Romayne! and nothing; as usual;



likely to come of it。〃







〃I hope you have forgiven me for going to Camp's Hill in your



place;〃 said Stella。







〃I ought to be grateful to you;〃 the Major rejoined。 〃No time has



been lost in relieving these poor peopleand your powers of



persuasion have succeeded; where mine might have failed。 Has



Romayne been to see them himself since his return to London?〃







〃No。 He desires to remain unknown; and he is kindly content; for



the present; to be represented by me。〃







〃For the present。〃 Major Hynd repeated。







A faint flush passed over her delicate complexion。 〃I have



succeeded;〃 she resumed; 〃in inducing Madame Marillac to accept



the help offered through me to her son。 The poor creature is



safe; under kind superintendence; in a private asylum。 So far; I



can do no more。〃







〃Will the mother accept nothing?〃







〃Nothing; either for herself or her daughter; so long as they can



work。 I cannot tell you how patiently and beautifully she speaks



of her hard lot。 But her health may give wayand it is possible;



before long; that I may leave London。〃 She paused; the flush



deepened on her face。 〃The failure of the mother's health may



happen in my absence;〃 she continued; 〃and Mr。 Romayne will ask



you to look after the family; from time to time; while I am



away。〃







〃I will do it with pleasure; Miss Eyrecourt。 Is Romayne likely to



be here to…night?〃







She smiled brightly; and looked away。 The Major's curiosity was



excitedhe looked in the same direction。 There was Romayne;



entering the room; to answer for himself。







What was the attraction which drew the unsocial student to an



evening party? Major Hynd's eyes were on the watch。 When Romayne



and Stella shook hands; the attraction stood self…revealed to



him; in Miss Eyrecourt。 Recalling the momentary confusion which



she had betrayed; when she spoke of possibly leaving London; a

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