the black robe-第30节
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breakfast！ The bride's lacethere； no language can describe it。
Ten bridesmaids； in blue and silver。 Reminded me of the ten
virgins。 Only the proportion of foolish ones； this time； was
certainly more than five。 However； they looked well。 The
Archbishop proposed the health of the bride and bridegroom； so
sweetly pathetic。 Some of us cried。 I thought of my daughter。 Oh；
if I could live to see Stella the central attraction； so to
speak； of such a wedding as that。 Only I would have twelve
bridesmaids at least； and beat the blue and silver with green and
gold。 Trying to the complexion； you will say。 But there are
artificial improvements。 At least； I am told so。 What a house
this would bea broad hint； isn't it； dear Lady Loring？what a
house for a wedding； with the drawing…room to assemble in and the
picture gallery for the breakfast。 I know the Archbishop。 My
darling； he shall marry you。 Why _don't_ you go into the next
room？ Ah； that constitutional indolence。 If you only had my
energy； as I used to say to your poor father。 _Will_ you go？ Yes；
dear Lady Loring； I should like a glass of champagne； and another
of those delicious chicken sandwiches。 If you don't go； Stella； I
shall forget every consideration of propriety； and； big as you
are； I shall push you out。〃
Stella yielded to necessity。 〃Keep her quiet； if you can；〃 she
whispered to Lady Loring； in the moment of silence that followed。
Even Mrs。 Eyrecourt was not able to talk while she was drinking
champagne。
In the next room Stella found Romayne。 He looked careworn and
irritable； but brightened directly when she approached him。
〃My mother has been speaking to you；〃 she said。 〃I am afraid〃
He stopped her there。 〃She _is_ your mother；〃 he interposed；
kindly。 〃Don't think that I am ungrateful enough to forget that。〃
She took his arm； and looked at him with all her heart in her
eyes。 〃Come into a quieter room；〃 she whispered。
Romayne led her away。 Neither of them noticed Penrose as they
left the room。
He had not moved since Stella had spoken to him。 There he
remained in his corner； absorbed in thoughtand not in happy
thought； as his face would have plainly betrayed to any one who
had cared to look at him。 His eyes sadly followed the retiring
figures of Stella and Romayne。 The color rose on his haggard
cheeks。 Like most men who are accustomed to live alone； he had
the habit； when he was strongly excited； of speaking to himself。
〃No；〃 he said； as the unacknowledged lovers disappeared through
the door； 〃it is an insult to ask me to do it！〃 He turned the
other way； escaped Lady Loring's notice in the reception…room；
and left the house。
Romayne and Stella passed through the card…room and the
chess…room； turned into a corridor； and entered the conservatory。
For the first time the place was a solitude。 The air of a
newly…invented dance； faintly audible through the open windows of
the ballroom above； had proved an irresistible temptation。 Those
who knew the dance were eager to exhibit themselves。 Those who
had only heard of it were equally anxious to look on and learn。
Even toward the latter end of the nineteenth century the youths
and maidens of Society can still be in earnestwhen the object
in view is a new dance。
What would Major Hynd have said if he had seen Romayne turn into
one of the recesses of the conservatory； in which there was a
seat which just held two？ But the Major had forgotten his years
and his family； and he too was one of the spectators in the
ballroom。
〃I wonder；〃 said Stella； 〃whether you know how I feel those kind
words of yours when you spoke of my mother。 Shall I tell you？〃
She put her arm round his neck and kissed him。 He was a man new
to love； in the nobler sense of the word。 The exquisite softness
in the touch of her lips； the delicious fragrance of her breath；
intoxicated him。 Again and again he returned the kiss。 She drew
back； she recovered her self…possession with a suddenness and a
certainty incomprehensible to a man。 From the depths of
tenderness she passed to the shallows of frivolity。 In her own
defense she was almost as superficial as her mother； in less than
a moment。
〃What would Mr。 Penrose say if he saw you？〃 she whispered。
〃Why do you speak of Penrose？ Have you seen him to…night？〃
〃Yeslooking sadly out of his element； poor man。 I did my best
to set him at his easebecause I know _you_ like him。〃
〃Dear Stella！〃
〃No； not again！ I am speaking seriously now。 Mr。 Penrose looked
at me with a strange kind of interestI can't describe it。 Have
you taken him into our confidence？〃
〃He is so devotedhe has such a true interest in me；〃 said
Romayne〃I really felt ashamed to treat him like a stranger。 On
our journey to London I did own that it was your charming letter
which had decided me on returning。 I did say； 'I must tell her
myself how well she has understood me； and how deeply I feel her
kindness。' Penrose took my hand； in his gentle； considerate way。
'I understand you； too；' he saidand that was all that passed
between us。〃
〃Nothing more； since that time？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃Not a word of what we said to each other when we were alone last
week in the picture gallery？〃
〃Not a word。 I am self…tormentor enough to distrust myself； even
now。 God knows I have concealed nothing from you； and yet Am I
not selfishly thinking of my own happiness； Stella； when I ought
to be thinking only of you？ You know； my angel； with what a life
you must associate yourself if you marry me。 Are you really sure
tha t you have love enough and courage enough to be my wife？〃
She rested her head caressingly on his shoulder； and looked up at
him with her charming smile。
〃How many times must I say it；〃 she asked； 〃before you will
believe me？ Once moreI have love enough and courage enough to
be your wife； and I knew it； Lewis； the first time I saw you！
Will _that_ confession satisfy your scruples？ And will you
promise never again to doubt yourself or me？〃
Romayne promised； and sealed the promiseunresisted this
timewith a kiss。 〃When are we to be married？〃 he whispered。
She lifted her head from his shoulder with a sigh。 〃If I am to
answer you honestly；〃 she replied； 〃I must speak of my mother；
before I speak of myself。〃
Romayne submitted to the duties of his new position； as well as
he understood them。 〃Do you mean that you have told your mother
of our engagement？〃 he said。 〃In that case； is it my duty or
yoursI am very ignorant in these mattersto consult her
wishes？ My own idea is； that I ought to ask her if she approves
of me as her son…in…law； and that you might then speak to her of
the marriage。〃
Stella thought of Romayne's tastes； all in favor of modest
retirement； and of her mother's tastes； all in favor of
ostentation and display。 She frankly owned the result produced in
her own mind。 〃I am afraid to consult my mother about our
marriage； 〃 she said。
Romayne looked astonished。 〃Do you think Mrs。 Eyrecourt will
disapprove of it？〃 he asked。
Stella was equally astonished on her side。 〃Disapprove of it？〃
she repeated。 〃I know for certain that my mother will be
delighted。〃
〃Then where is the difficulty？〃
There was but one way of definitely answering that question。
Stella boldly described her mother's idea of a weddingincluding
the Archbishop； the twelve bridesmaids in green and gold； and the
hundred guests at breakfast in Lord Loring's picture gallery。
Romayne's consternation literally deprived him； for the moment；
of the power of speech。 To say that he looked at Stella； as a
prisoner in 〃the condemned cell〃 might have looked at the
sheriff； announcing the morning of his execution； would be to do
injustice to the prisoner。 He receives _his_ shock without
flinching； and； in proof of his composure； celebrates his wedding
with the gallows by a breakfast which he will not live to digest。
〃If you think as your mother does；〃 Romayne began； as soon as he
had recovered his self…possession； 〃no opinion of mine shall
stand in the way〃 He could get no further。 His vivid
imagination saw the Archbishop and the bridesmaids； heard the
hundred guests and their dreadful speeches： his voic
