the black robe-第52节
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in your estimate of Father Benwell's character。 But I know； by
sad experience； how you hold to your opinions when they are once
formed； and I am eager to relieve you of all anxiety； so far as I
am concerned。 I have not said one wordI have not even let slip
the slightest hintwhich could inform Father Benwell of that
past event in our lives to which your letter alludes。 Your secret
is a sacred secret to me； and it has been； and shall be； sacredly
kept。
There is a sentence in your letter which has given me great pain。
You reiterate the cruel language of the bygone time。 You say；
〃Heaven knows I have little reason to trust you。〃
I have reasons； on my side； for not justifying myselfexcept
under certain conditions。 I mean under conditions which might
place me in a position to serve and advise you as a friend or
brother。 In that case； I undertake to prove； even to you； that it
was a cruel injustice ever to have doubted me； and that there is
no man living whom y ou can more implicitly trust than myself。
My address； when I am in London； is at the head of this page。
III。
_From Dr。 Wybrow to Mr。 Winterfield。_
Dear SirI have received your letter； mentioning that you wish
to accompany me； at my next visit to the asylum； to see the
French boy； so strangely associated with the papers delivered to
you by Father Benwell。
Your proposal reaches me too late。 The poor creature's troubled
life has come to an end。 He never rallied from the exhausting
effect of the fever。 To the last he was attended by his mother。
I write with true sympathy for that excellent ladybut I cannot
conceal from you or from myself that this death is not to be
regretted。 In a case of the same extraordinary kind； recorded in
print； the patient recovered from the fever； and his insanity
returned with his returning health。
Faithfully yours；
JOSEPH WYBROW。
CHAPTER VI。
THE SADDEST OF ALL WORDS。
ON the tenth morning； dating from the dispatch of Father
Benwell's last letter to Rome； Penrose was writing in the study
at Ten Acres Lodge； while Romayne sat at the other end of the
room； looking listlessly at a blank sheet of paper； with the pen
lying idle beside it。 On a sudden he rose； and； snatching up
paper and pen； threw them irritably into the fire。
〃Don't trouble yourself to write any longer；〃 he said to Penrose。
〃My dream is over。 Throw my manuscripts into the waste paper
basket； and never speak to me of literary work again。〃
〃Every man devoted to literature has these fits of despondency；〃
Penrose answered。 〃Don't think of your work。 Send for your horse；
and trust to fresh air and exercise to relieve your mind。〃
Romayne barely listened。 He turned round at the fireplace and
studied the reflection of his face in the glass。
〃I look worse and worse；〃 he said thoughtfully to himself。
It was true。 His flesh had fallen away； his face had withered and
whitened； he stooped like an old man。 The change for the worse
had been steadily proceeding from the time when he left Vange
Abbey。
〃It's useless to conceal it from me！〃 he burst out； turning
toward Penrose。 〃I believe I am in some way answerablethough
you all deny itfor the French boy's death。 Why not？ His voice
is still in my ears； and the stain of his brother's blood is on
me。 I am under a spell！ Do you believe in the witchesthe
merciless old women who made wax images of the people who injured
them； and stuck pins in their mock likenesses； to register the
slow wasting away of their victims day after day？ People
disbelieve it in these times； but it has never been disproved。〃
He stopped； looked at Penrose； and suddenly changed his tone。
〃Arthur！ what is the matter with you？ Have you had a bad night？
Has anything happened？〃
For the first time in Romayne's experience of him； Penrose
answered evasively。
〃Is there nothing to make me anxious；〃 he said； 〃when I hear you
talk as you are talking now？ The poor French boy died of a fever。
Must I remind you again that he owed the happiest days of his
life to you and your good wife？〃
Romayne still looked at him without attending to what he said。
〃Surely you don't think I am deceiving you？〃 Penrose
remonstrated。
〃No； I was thinking of something else。 I was wondering whether I
really know you as well as I thought I did。 Am I mistaken in
supposing that you are not an ambitious man？〃
〃My only ambition is to lead a worthy life； and to be as useful
to my fellow…creatures as I can。 Does that satisfy you？〃
Romayne hesitated。 〃It seems strange〃 he began。
〃What seems strange？〃
〃I don't say it seems strange that you should be a priest；〃
Romayne explained。 〃I am only surprised that a man of your simple
way of thinking should have attached himself to the Order of the
Jesuits。〃
〃I can quite understand that；〃 said Penrose。 〃But you should
remember that circumstances often influence a man in his choice
of a vocation。 It has been so with me。 I am a member of a Roman
Catholic family。 A Jesuit College was near our place of abode；
and a near relative of minesince deadwas one of the resident
priests。〃 He paused； and added in a lower tone： 〃When I was
little more than a lad I suffered a disappointment； which altered
my character for life。 I took refuge in the College； and I have
found patience and peace of mind since that time。 Oh； my friend；
you might have been a more contented man〃 He stopped again。 His
interest in the husband had all but deceived him into forgetting
his promise to the wife。
Romayne held out his hand。 〃I hope I have not thoughtlessly hurt
you？〃 he said。
Penrose took the offered hand； and pressed it fervently。 He tried
to speakand suddenly shuddered； like a man in pain。 〃I am not
very well this morning；〃 he stammered； 〃a turn in the garden will
do me good。〃
Romayne's doubts were confirmed by the manner in which Penrose
left him。 Something had unquestionably happened； which his friend
shrank from communicating to him。 He sat down again at his desk
and tried to read。 The time passedand he was still left alone。
When the door was at last opened it was only Stella who entered
the room。
〃Have you seen Penrose？〃 he asked。
The estrangement between them had been steadily widening of late。
Romayne had expressed his resentment at his wife's interference
between Penrose and himself by that air of contemptuous endurance
which is the hardest penalty that a man can inflict on the woman
who loves him。 Stella had submitted with a proud and silent
resignationthe most unfortunate form of protest that she could
have adopted toward a man of Romayne's temper。 When she now
appeared； however； in her husband's study； there was a change in
her expression which he instantly noticed。 She looked at him with
eyes softened by sorrow。 Before she could answer his first
question； he hurriedly added another。 〃Is Penrose really ill？〃
〃No； Lewis。 He is distressed。〃
〃About what？〃
〃About you； and about himself。〃
〃Is he going to leave us？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃But he will come back again？〃
Stella took a chair by her husband's side。 〃I am truly sorry for
you； Lewis；〃 she said。 〃It is even a sad parting for Me。 If you
will let me say it； I have a sincere regard for dear Mr。
Penrose。〃
Under other circumstances； this confession of feeling for the man
who had sacrificed his dearest aspiration to the one
consideration of her happiness； might have provoked a sharp
reply。 But by this time Romayne had really become alarmed。 〃You
speak as if Arthur was going to leave England；〃 he said。
〃He leaves England this afternoon；〃 she answered； 〃for Rome。〃
〃Why does he tell this to you； and not to me？〃 Romayne asked。
〃He cannot trust himself to speak of it to you。 He begged me to
prepare you〃
Her courage failed her。 She paused。 Romayne beat his hand
impatiently on the desk before him。 〃Speak out！〃 he cried。 〃If
Rome is not the end of the journeywhat is？〃
Stella hesitated no longer。
〃He goes to Rome；〃 she said 〃to receive his instructions； and to
become personall
