the black robe-第61节
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be annulled by the marriage before the registrar； stands good；
nevertheless； by the higher law of the Church。 Mr。 Winterfield is
Miss Eyrecourt's husband； as long as they both live。 An ordained
priest performed the ceremony in a consecrated buildingand
Protestant marriages； so celebrated； are marriages acknowledged
by the Catholic Church。 Under those circumstances； the ceremony
which afterward united you to Miss Eyrecourtthough neither you
nor the clergyman were to blamewas a mere mockery。 Need I to
say any more？ Shall I leave you for a while by yourself？〃
〃No！ I don't know what I may think； I don't know what I may do；
if you leave me by myself。〃
Father Benwell took a chair by Romayne's side。 〃It has been my
hard duty to grieve and humiliate you；〃 he said。 〃Do you bear me
no ill will？〃 He held out his hand。
Romayne took itas an act of justice； if not as an act of
gratitude。
〃Can I be of any use in advising you？〃 Father Benwell asked。
〃Who can advise a man in my position？〃 Romayne bitterly rejoined。
〃I can at least suggest that you should take time to think over
your position。〃
〃Time？ take time？ You talk as if my situation was endurable。〃
〃Everything is endurable； Romayne！〃
〃It may be so to you； Father Benwell。 Did you part with your
humanity when you put on the black robe of the priest？〃
〃I parted； my son； with those weaknesses of _our_ humanity on
which women practice。 You talk of your position。 I will put it
before you at its worst。〃
〃For what purpose？〃
〃To show you exactly what you have now to decide。 Judged by the
law of England； Mrs。 Romayne is your wife。 Judged by the
principles held sacred among the religious community to which you
belong； she is not Mrs。 Romayneshe is Mrs。 Winterfield； living
with you in adultery。 If you regret your conversion〃
〃I don't regret it； Father Benwell。〃
〃If you renounce the holy aspirations which you have yourself
acknowledged to me； return to your domestic life。 But don't ask
us； while you are living with that lady； to respect you as a
member of our communion。〃
Romayne was silent。 The more violent emotions aroused in him had；
with time； subsided into calm。 Tenderness； mercy； past affection；
found their opportunity； and pleaded with him。 The priest's bold
language had missed the object at which it aimed。 It had revived
in Romayne's memory the image of Stella in the days when he had
first seen her。 How gently her influence had wrought on him for
good！ how tenderly； how truly； she had loved him。 〃Give me some
more wine！〃 he cried。 〃I feel faint and giddy。 Don't despise me；
Father BenwellI was once so fond of her！〃
The priest poured out the wine。 〃I feel for you；〃 he said。
〃Indeed； indeed； I feel for you。〃
It was not all a liethere were grains of truth in that outburst
of sympathy。 Father Benwell was not wholly merciless。 His
far…seeing intellect； his daring duplicity； carried him straight
on to his end in view。 But； that end once gainedand； let it be
remembered； not gained； in this case； whol ly for himselfthere
were compassionate impulses left in him which sometimes forced
their way to the surface。 A man of high intelligencehowever he
may misuse it； however unworthy he may be of ithas a gift from
Heaven。 When you want to see unredeemed wickedness； look for it
in a fool。
〃Let me mention one circumstance；〃 Father Benwell proceeded；
〃which may help to relieve you for the moment。 In your present
state of mind； you cannot return to The Retreat。〃
〃Impossible！〃
〃I have had a room prepared for you in this house。 Here； free
from any disturbing influence； you can shape the future course of
your life。 If you wish to communicate with your residence at
Highgate〃
〃Don't speak of it！〃
Father Benwell sighed。 〃Ah； I understand！〃 he said； sadly。 〃The
house associated with Mr。 Winterfield's visit〃
Romayne again interrupted himthis time by gesture only。 The
hand that had made the sign clinched itself when it rested
afterward on the table。 His eyes looked downward； under frowning
brows。 At the name of Winterfield； remembrances that poisoned
every better influence in him rose venomously in his mind。 Once
more he loathed the deceit that had been practiced on him。 Once
more the detestable doubt of that asserted parting at the church
door renewed its stealthy torment； and reasoned with him as if in
words： She has deceived you in one thing； why not in another？
〃Can I see my lawyer here？〃 he asked； suddenly。
〃My dear Romayne； you can see any one whom you like to invite。〃
〃I shall not trouble you by staying very long； Father Benwell。〃
〃Do nothing in a hurry； my son。 Pray do nothing in a hurry！〃
Romayne paid no attention to this entreaty。 Shrinking from the
momentous decision that awaited him； his mind instinctively took
refuge in the prospect of change of scene。 〃I shall leave
England；〃 he said； impatiently。
〃Not alone！〃 Father Benwell remonstrated。
〃Who will be my companion？〃
〃I will；〃 the priest answered。
Romayne's weary eyes brightened faintly。 In his desolate
position； Father Benwell was the one friend on whom he could
rely。 Penrose was far away； the Lorings had helped to keep him
deceived； Major Hynd had openly pitied and despised him as a
victim to priestcraft。
〃Can you go with me at any time？〃 he asked。 〃Have you no duties
that keep you in England？〃
〃My duties； Romayne； are already confided to other hands。〃
〃Then you have foreseen this？〃
〃I have thought it possible。 Your journey may be long； or it may
be shortyou shall not go away alone。〃
〃I can think of nothing yet； my mind is a blank；〃 Romayne
confessed sadly。 〃I don't know where I shall go。〃
〃I know where you ought to goand where you _will_ go；〃 said
Father Benwell； emphatically。
〃Where？〃
〃To Rome。〃
Romayne understood the true meaning of that brief reply。 A vague
sense of dismay began to rise in his mind。 While he was still
tortured by doubt； it seemed as if Father Benwell had； by some
inscrutable process of prevision； planned out his future
beforehand。 Had the priest foreseen events？
Nohe had only foreseen possibilities； on the day when it first
occurred to him that Romayne's marriage was assailable； before
the court of Romayne's conscience； from the Roman Catholic point
of view。 By this means； the misfortune of Romayne's marriage
having preceded his conversion might be averted； and the one
certain obstacle in the way of any change of purpose on his
partthe obstacle of the priesthoodmight still be set up； by
the voluntary separation of the husband from the wife。 Thus far
the Jesuit had modestly described himself to his reverend
colleagues； as regarding his position toward Romayne in a new
light。 His next letter might boldly explain to them what he had
really meant。 The triumph was won。 Not a word more passed between
his guest and himself that morning。
Before post…time； on the same day； Father Benwell wrote his last
report to the Secretary of the Society of Jesus； in these lines：
〃Romayne is free from the domestic ties that bound him。 He leaves
it to me to restore Vange Abbey to the Church； and he
acknowledges a vocation for the priesthood。 Expect us at Rome in
a fortnight's time。〃
AFTER THE STORY。
EXTRACTS FROM BERNARD WINTERFIELD'S DIARY。
I。
WINTERFIELD DEFENDS HIMSELF。
Beaupark House； June 17th； 18。
You and I； Cousin Beeminster； seldom meet。 But I occasionally
hear of you； from friends acquainted with both of us。
I have heard of you last at Sir Philip's rent…day dinner a week
since。 My name happened to be mentioned by one of the gentlemen
present； a guest like yourself。 You took up the subject of your
own free will； and spoke of me in these terms：
〃I am sorry to say it of the existing head of the familybut
Bernard is really unfit for the position which he holds。 He has；
to say the least of it； compromised himself and his relatives on
more than one occasion。 He began as a young man by marrying a
circus…rider。 He got into some other scrape
