the black robe-第50节
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and waited for events with all the discretion； and none of the
good faith； of the dog。
〃Forwarded from Beaupark；〃 Winterfield said to himself。 He opened
the letterread it carefully to the endthought over itand
read it again。
〃Father Benwell！〃 he said suddenly。
The priest put down the newspaper。 For a few moments more nothing
was audible but the steady tick…tick of the clock。
〃We have not been very long acquainted；〃 Winterfield resumed。
〃But our association has been a pleasant one； and I think I owe
to you the duty of a friend。 I don't belong to your Church； bu t
I hope you will believe me when I say that ignorant prejudice
against the Catholic priesthood is not one of _my_ prejudices。〃
Father Benwell bowed； in silence。
〃You are mentioned；〃 Winterfield proceeded； 〃in the letter which
I have just read。〃
〃Are you at liberty to tell me the name of your correspondent？〃
Father Benwell asked。
〃I am not at liberty to do that。 But I think it due to you； and
to myself； to tell you what the substance of the letter is。 The
writer warns me to be careful in my intercourse with you。 Your
object （I am told） is to make yourself acquainted with events in
my past life； and you have some motive which my correspondent has
thus far failed to discover。 I speak plainly； but I beg you to
understand that I also speak impartially。 I condemn no man
unheardleast of all； a man whom I have had the honor of
receiving under my own roof。〃
He spoke with a certain simple dignity。 With equal dignity；
Father Benwell answered。 It is needless to say that he now knew
Winterfield's correspondent to be Romayne's wife。
〃Let me sincerely thank you； Mr。 Winterfield； for a candor which
does honor to us both；〃 he said。 〃You will hardly expect meif I
may use such an expressionto condescend to justify myself
against an accusation which is an anonymous accusation so far as
I am concerned。 I prefer to meet that letter by a plain proof；
and I leave you to judge whether I am still worthy of the
friendship to which you have so kindly alluded。〃
With this preface he briefly related the circumstances under
which he had become possessed of the packet； and then handed it
to Winterfieldwith the seal uppermost。
〃Decide for yourself；〃 he concluded； 〃whether a man bent on
prying into your private affairs； with that letter entirely at
his mercy； would have been true to the trust reposed in him。〃
He rose and took his hat； ready to leave the room； if his honor
was profaned by the slightest expression of distrust。
Winterfield's genial and unsuspicious nature instantly accepted
the offered proof as conclusive。 〃Before I break the seal；〃 he
said； 〃let me do you justice。 Sit down again； Father Benwell； and
forgive me if my sense of duty has hurried me into hurting your
feelings。 No man ought to know better than I do how often people
misjudge and wrong each other。〃
They shook hands cordially。 No moral relief is more eagerly
sought than relief from the pressure of a serious explanation。 By
common consent； they now spoke as lightly as if nothing had
happened。 Father Benwell set the example。
〃You actually believe in a priest！〃 he said gayly。 〃We shall make
a good Catholic of you yet。〃
〃Don't be too sure of that；〃 Winterfield replied； with a touch of
his quaint humor。 〃I respect the men who have given to humanity
the inestimable blessing of quinineto say nothing of preserving
learning and civilizationbut I respect still more my own
liberty as a free Christian。〃
〃Perhaps a free thinker； Mr。 Winterfield？〃
〃Anything you like to call it； Father Benwell； so long as it _is_
free。〃
They both laughed。 Father Benwell went back to his newspaper。
Winterfield broke the seal of the envelope and took out the
inclosures。
The confession was the first of the papers at which he happened
to look。 At the opening lines he turned pale。 He read more； and
his eyes filled with tears。 In low broken tones he said to the
priest； 〃You have innocently brought me most distressing news。 I
entreat your pardon if I ask to be left alone。〃
Father Benwell said a few well…chosen words of sympathy； and
immediately withdrew。 The dog licked his master's hand； hanging
listlessly over the arm of the chair。
Later in the evening； a note from Winterfield was left by
messenger at the priest's lodgings。 The writer announced； with
renewed expressions of regret； that he would be again absent from
London on the next day； but that he hoped to return to the hotel
and receive his guest on the evening of the day after。
Father Benwell rightly conjectured that Winterfield's destination
was the town in which his wife had died。
His object in taking the journey was not； as the priest supposed；
to address inquiries to the rector and the landlady； who had been
present at the fatal illness and the deathbut to justify his
wife's last expression of belief in the mercy and compassion of
the man whom she had injured。 On that 〃nameless grave；〃 so sadly
and so humbly referred to in the confession； he had resolved to
place a simple stone cross； giving to her memory the name which
she had shrunk from profaning in her lifetime。 When he had
written the brief inscription which recorded the death of 〃Emma；
wife of Bernard Winterfield；〃 and when he had knelt for a while
by the low turf mound； his errand had come to its end。 He thanked
the good rector； he left gifts with the landlady and her
children； by which he was gratefully remembered for many a year
afterward； and then； with a heart relieved； he went back to
London。
Other men might have made their sad little pilgrimage alone。
Winterfield took his dog with him。 〃I must have something to
love；〃 he said to the rector； 〃at such a time as this。〃
CHAPTER IV。
FATHER BENWELL'S CORRESPONDENCE。
_To the Secretary； S。 J。； Rome。_
WHEN I wrote last； I hardly thought I should trouble you again so
soon。 The necessity has； however； arisen。 I must ask for
instructions； from our Most Reverend General； on the subject of
Arthur Penrose。
I believe that I informed you that I decided to defer my next
visit to Ten Acres Lodge for two or three days； in order that
Winterfield （if he intended to do so） might have time to
communicate with Mrs。 Romayne； after his return from the country。
Naturally enough； perhaps； considering the delicacy of the
subject； he has not taken me into his confidence。 I can only
guess that he has maintained the same reserve with Mrs。 Romayne。
My visit to the Lodge was duly paid this afternoon。
I asked first； of course； for the lady of the house； and hearing
she was in the grounds； joined her there。 She looked ill and
anxious； and she received me with rigid politeness。 Fortunately；
Mrs。 Eyrecourt （now convalescent） was staying at Ten Acres； and
was then taking the air in her chair on wheels。 The good lady's
nimble and discursive tongue offered me an opportunity of
referring； in the most innocent manner possible； to Winterfield's
favorable opinion of Romayne's pictures。 I need hardly say that I
looked at Romayne's wife when I mentioned the name。 She turned
paleprobably fearing that I had some knowledge of her letter
warning Winterfield not to trust me。 If she had already been
informed that he was not to be blamed； but to be pitied； in the
matter of the marriage at Brussels； she would have turned red。
Such； at least； is my experience； drawn from recollections of
other days。 *
The ladies having served my purpose； I ventured into the house；
to pay my respects to Romayne。
He was in the study； and his excellent friend and secretary was
with him。 After the first greetings Penrose left us。 His manner
told me plainly that there was something wrong。 I asked no
questionswaiting on the chance that Romayne might enlighten me。
〃I hope you are in better spirits； now that you have your old
companion with you；〃 I said。
〃I am very glad to have Penrose with me；〃 he answered。 And then
he frowned and looked out of the window at the two ladies in the
grounds。
It occurred to me that Mrs。 Eyrecourt might be occupying the
customary false position of a mother…in…law。 I was mistaken。 He
