the black robe-第41节
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course of medicine。 Don't suppose that I trouble you by
mentioning these trumpery circumstances without a reason。 We
shall have occasion to return to Mrs。 Eyrecourt and her doctor。
Before I had been five minutes in his company； Romayne asked me
if I had seen Winterfield since his visit to Ten Acres Lodge。
I said I had seen him； and waited； anticipating the next
question。 Romayne fulfilled my expectations。 He inquired if
Winterfield had left London。
There are certain cases （as I am told by medical authorities） in
which the dangerous system of bleeding a patient still has its
advantages。 There are other cases in which the dangerous system
of telling the truth becomes equally judicious。 I said to
Romayne； 〃If I answer you honestly； will you consider it as
strictly confidential？ Mr。 Winterfield； I regret to say； has no
intention of improving his acquaintance with you。 He asked me to
conceal from you that he is still in London。〃
Romayne's face plainly betrayed that he was annoyed and
irritated。 〃Nothing that you say to me； Father Benwell； shall
pass the walls of this room；〃 he replied。 〃Did Winterfield give
any reason for not continuing his acquaintance with me？〃
I told the truth once more； with courteous expressions of regret。
〃Mr。 Winterfield spoke of an ungracious reception on the part of
Mrs。 Romayne。〃
He started to his feet； and walked irritably up and down the
room。 〃It is beyond endurance！〃 he said to himself。
The truth had served its purpose by this time。 I affected not to
have heard him。 〃Did you speak to me？〃 I asked。
He used a milder form of expression。 〃It is most unfortunate；〃 he
said。 〃I must immediately send back the valuable book which Mr。
Winterfield has lent to me。 And that is not the worst of it。
There are other volumes in his library which I have the greatest
interest in consultingand it is impossible for me to borrow
them now。 At this time； too； when I have lost Penrose； I had
hoped to find in Winterfield another friend who sympathized with
my pursuits。 There is something so cheering and attractive in his
mannerand he has just the boldness and novelty of view in his
opinions that appeal to a man like me。 It was a pleasant future
to look forward to； and it must be sacrificedand to what？ To a
woman's caprice。〃
From our point of view this was a frame of mind to be encouraged。
I tried the experiment of modestly taking the blame on myself。 I
suggested that I might be （quite innocently） answerable for
Romayne's disappointment。
He looked at me thoroughly puzzled。 I repeated what I had said to
Winterfield。 〃Did you mention to Mrs。 Romayne that I was the
means of introducing you？〃
He was too impatient to let me finish the sentence。 〃I did
mention it to Mrs。 Romayne；〃 he said。 〃And what of it？〃
〃Pardon me for reminding you that Mrs。 Romayne has Protestant
prejudices；〃 I rejoined。 〃Mr。 Winterfield would； I fear； not be
very welcome to her as the friend of a Catholic priest。〃
He was almost angry with me for suggesting the very explanation
which had proved so acceptable to Winterfield。
〃Nonsense！〃 he cried。 〃My wife is far too well…bred a woman to
let her prejudices express themselves in _that_ way。
Winterfield's personal appearance must have inspired her with
some unreasonable antipathy； or〃
He stopped； and turned away thoughtfully to the window。 Some
vague suspicion had probably entered his mind； which he had only
become aware of at that moment； and which he was not quite able
to realize as yet。 I did my best to encourage the new train of
thought。
〃What other reason _can_ there be？〃 I asked。
He turned on me sharply。 〃I don't know。 Do you？〃
I ventured on a courteous remonstrance。 〃My dear sir！ if you
can't find another reason； how can I？ It must have been a sudden
antipathy； as you say。 Such things do happen between strangers。 I
suppose I am right in assuming that Mrs。 Romayne and Mr。
Winterfield are strangers？〃
His eyes flashed with a sudden sinister brightnessthe new idea
had caught light in his mind。 〃They _met_ as strangers；〃 he said。
There he stopped again； and returned to the window。 I felt that I
might lose the place I had gained in his confidence if I pressed
the subject any further。 Besides； I had my reasons for saying a
word about Penrose next。 As it happened； I had received a letter
from him； relating to his present employment； and sending kindest
regards to his dear friend and master in the postscript。
I gave the message。 Romayne looked round； with an instant change
in his face。 The mere sound of Penrose's name seemed to act as a
relief to the gloom and suspicion that had oppressed him the
moment before。 〃You don't know how I miss the dear gentle little
fellow；〃 he said； sadly。
〃Why not write to him？〃 I suggested。 〃He would be so glad to hear
from you again。〃
〃I don't know where to write。〃
〃Did I not send you his address when I forwarded your letter to
him？〃
〃No。〃
〃Then let me atone for my forgetfulness at once。〃
I wrote down the address； and took my leave。
As I approached the door I noticed on a side table the Catholic
volumes which Penrose left with Romayne。 One of them was open；
with a pencil lying beside it。 I thought that a good signbut I
said nothing。
Romayne pressed my hand at parting。 〃You have been very kind and
friendly； Father Benwell；〃 he said。 〃I shall be glad to see you
again。〃
Don't mention it in quarters where it might do me harm。 Do you
know； I really pitied him。 He has sacrificed everything to his
marriageand his marriage has disappointed him。 He was even
reduced to be friendly with Me。
Of course when the right time comes I shall give Penrose leave of
absence。 Do you foresee； as I do； the speedy return of 〃the dear
gentle little fellow〃 to his old employment； the resumed work of
conversion advancing more rapidly than ever； and the jealousy of
the Protestant wife aggravating the false position in which she
is already placed by her equivocal reception of Winterfield？ You
may answer this by reminding me of the darker side of the
prospect。 An heir may be born； and the heir's mother； backed by
general opinion； may insistif there is any hesitation in the
matteron asserting the boy's natural right to succeed his
father。
Patience； my reverend colleague！ There is no threatening of any
such calamity yet。 And； even if it happens； don't forget that
Romayne has inherited a second fortune。 The Vange estate has an
estimated value。 If the act of restitution represented that value
in ready money； do you think the Church would discourage a good
convert by refusing his check？ You know better than thatand so
do I。
The next day I called to inquire how Mrs。 Eyrecourt was getting
on。 The report was favorable。 Three days later I called again。
The report was still more encouraging。 I was also informed that
Mrs。 Romayne had returned to Ten Acres Lodge。
Much of my success in life has been achieved by never being in a
hurry。 I was not in a hurry now。 Time sometimes brings
opportunitiesand opportunities are worth waiting for。
Let me make this clear by an example。
A man of headlong disposition； in my place； would have probably
spoken of Miss Eyrecourt's marriage to Romayne at his first
meeting with Winterfield； and would have excited their distrust；
and put them respectively on their guard； without obtaining any
useful result。 I can； at any time； make the disclosure to Romayne
which informs him that his wife had been Winterfield's guest in
Devonshire； when she affected to meet her former host on the
footing of a stranger。 In the meanwhile； I give Penrose ample
opportunity for innocently widening the breach between husband
and wife。
You see； I hope； that if I maintain a passive position； it is not
from indolence or discouragement。 Now we may get on。
After an interval of a few days more I decided on making further
inquiries at Mrs。 Eyrecourt's house。 This time； when I left my
card； I sent a message； asking if the lady could receive me。
Shall I own my weakness？ She possesses all the information that
