the black robe-第38节
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to kill the manif his death was my misfortune as well as
hisand if （as frequently happens） I am nevertheless troubled by
remorse； the true cause lies in my own inability fairly to
realize my own motivesbefore I look to results。 I am the
ignorant victim of false remorse； and if I will only ask myself
boldly what has blinded me to the true state of the case； I shall
find the mischief due to that misdirected appreciation of my own
importance which is nothing but egotism in disguise。〃
〃I entirely agree with you；〃 said Father Benwell； 〃I have had
occasion to say the same thing in the confessional。〃
Mr。 Winterfield looked at his dog； and changed the subject。 〃Do
you like dogs； Mr。 Romayne？〃 he asked。 〃I see my spaniel's eyes
saying that he likes you； and his tail begging you to take some
notice of him。〃
Romayne caressed the dog rather absently。
His new friend had unconsciously presented to him a new view of
the darker aspect of his own life。 Winterfield's refined；
pleasant manners； his generous readiness in placing the treasures
of his library at a stranger's disposal； had already appealed
irresistibly to Romayne's sensitive nature。 The favorable
impression was now greatly strengthened by the briefly bold
treatment which he had just heard of a subject in which he was
seriously interested。 〃I must see more of this man；〃 was his
thought； as he patted the companionable spaniel。
Father Benwell's trained observation followed the vivid changes
of expression on Romayne's face； and marked the eager look in his
eyes as he lifted his head from the dog to the dog's master。 The
priest saw his opportunity and took it。
〃Do you remain long at Ten Acres Lodge？〃 he said to Romayne。
〃I hardly know as yet。 We have no other plans at present。〃
〃You inherit the place； I think； from your late aunt； Lady
Berrick？〃
〃Yes。〃
The tone of the reply was not encouraging； Romayne felt no
interest in talking of Ten Acres Lodge。 Father Benwell persisted。
〃I was told by Mrs。 Eyrecourt；〃 he went on 〃that Lady Berrick had
some fine pictures。 Are they still at the Lodge？〃
〃Certainly。 I couldn't live in a house without pictures。〃
Father Benwell looked at Winterfield。 〃Another taste in common
between you and Mr。 Romayne；〃 he said； 〃besides your liking for
dogs。〃
This at once produced the desired result。 Romayne eagerly invited
Winterfield to see his pictures。 〃There are not many of them；〃 he
said。 〃But they are really worth looking at。 When will you come？〃
〃The sooner the better；〃 Winterfield answered； cordially。 〃Will
to…morrow doby the noonday light？〃
〃Whenever you please。 Your time is mine。〃
Among his other accomplishments； Father Benwell was a
chess…player。 If his thoughts at that moment had been expressed
in language； they would have said； 〃Check to the queen。〃
CHAPTER IV。
THE END OF THE HONEYMOON。
ON the next morning； Winterfield arrived alone at Romayne's
house。
Having been included； as a matter of course； in the invitation to
see the pictures； Father Benwell had made an excuse； and had
asked leave to defer the proposed visit。 From his point of view；
he had nothing further to gain by being present at a second
meeting between the two menin the absence of Stella。 He had it
on Romayne's own authority that she was in constant attendance on
her mother； and that her husband was alone。 〃Either Mrs。
Eyrecourt will get better； or she will die；〃 Father Benwell
reasoned。 〃I shall make constant inquiries after her health； and；
in either case； I shall know when Mrs。 Romayne returns to Ten
Acres Lodge。 After that domestic event； the next time Mr。
Winterfield visits Mr。 Romayne； I shall go and see the pictures。〃
It is one of the defects of a super…subtle intellect to trust too
implicitly to calculation； and to leave nothing to chance。 Once
or twice already Father Benwell had been （in the popular phrase）
a little too cleverand chance had thrown him out。 As events
happened； chance was destined to throw him out once more。
Of the most modest pretensions； in regard to numbers and size；
the pictures collected by the late Lady Berrick were masterly
works of modern art。 With few exceptions； they had been produced
by the matchless English landscape painters of half a century
since。 There was no formal gallery here。 The pictures were so few
that they could be hung in excellent lights in the different
living…rooms of the villa。 Turner； Constable； Collins； Danby；
Callcott； Linnellthe master of Beaupark House passed from one
to the other with the enjoyment of a man who thoroughly
appreciated the truest and finest landscape art that the world
has yet seen。
〃You had better not have asked me here；〃 he said to Romayne； in
his quaintly good…humored way。 〃I can't part with those pictures
when I say good…by to…day。 You will find me calling here again
and again； till you are perfectly sick of me。 Look at this sea
piece。 Who thinks of the brushes and palette of _that_ painter？
There； truth to Nature and poetical feeling go hand in hand
together。 It is absolutely lovelyI could kiss that picture。〃
They were in Romayne's study when this odd outburst of enthusiasm
escaped Winterfield。 He happened to look toward the writing…table
next。 Some pages of manuscript； blotted and interlined with
corrections； at once attracted his attention。
〃Is that the forthcoming history？〃 he asked。 〃You are not one of
the authors who perform the process of correction mentallyyou
revise and improve with the pen in your hand。〃
Romayne looked at him in surprise。 〃I suspect； Mr。 Winterfield；
you have used your pen for other purposes than writing letters。〃
〃No； indeed； you pay me an undeserved compliment。 When you come
to see me in Devonshire； I can show you some manuscripts； and
corrected proofs； left by our great writers； collected by my
father。 My knowledge of the secrets of the craft has been gained
by examining those literary treasures。 If the public only knew
that every writer worthy of the name is the severest critic of
his own book before it ever gets into the hands of the reviewers；
how surprised they would be！ The man who has worked in the full
fervor of composition yesterday is the same man who sits in
severe and merciless judgment to…day on what he has himself
produced。 What a fascination there must be in the Art which
exacts and receives such double labor as this？〃
Romayne thoughtnot unkindlyof his wife。 Stella had once asked
him how long a time he was usually occupied in writing one page。
The reply had filled her with pity and wonder。 〃Why do you take
all that trouble？〃 she had gently remonstrated。 〃It would be just
the same to the people； darling； if you did it in half the time。〃
By way of changing the topic； Romayne led his visitor into
another room。 〃I have a picture here；〃 he said； 〃which belongs to
a newer school of painting。 You have been talking of hard work in
one Art； there it is in another。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Winterfield；
〃there it isthe misdirected hard work； which has been guided
by no critical faculty； and which doesn't know where to stop。 I
try to admire it； and I end in pitying the poor artist。 Look at
that leafless felled tree in the middle distance。 Every little
twig； on the smallest branch； is conscientiously paintedand the
result is like a colored photograph。 You don't look at a
landscape as a series of separate parts； you don't discover every
twig on a tree； you see the whole in Nature； and you want to see
the whole in a picture。 That canvas presents a triumph of
patience and pains； produced exactly as a piece of embroidery is
produced； all in little separate bits； worked with the same
mechanically complete care。 I turn away from it to your shrubbery
there； with an ungrateful sense of relief。〃
He walked to the window as he spoke。 It looked out on the grounds
in front of the house。 At the same moment the noise of rolling
wheels became audible on the drive。 An open carriage appeared at
the turn in the road。 Winterfield called Romayne to the window。
〃A visitor；〃 he beganand suddenly drew back； without saying a
word more。
Romayne looked out； and recognized his wife。
〃Excuse me for one m
