the black robe-第71节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
with him； either personally or by letter。 I wish I could have
sent you a more favorable report of my interference in this
painful matter。 Perhaps you or your daughter may hear from him。〃
July 4…9。No letter has been received。 Mrs。 Eyrecourt is uneasy。
Stella； on the contrary； seems to be relieved。
July 10。A letter has arrived from London； addressed to Stella
by Romayne's English lawyers。 The income which Mrs。 Romayne has
refused for herself is to be legally settled on her child。
Technical particulars follow； which it is needless to repeat
here。
By return of post； Stella has answered the lawyers； declaring
that； so long as she lives； and has any influence over her son；
he shall not touch the offered income。 Mrs。 Eyrecourt； Monsieur
and Madame Villerayand even Matildaentreated her not to send
the letter。 To my thinking； Stella acted with becoming spirit。
Though there is no entail； still Vange Abbey is morally the boy's
birthrightit is a cruel wrong to offer him anything else。
July 11。For the second time I have proposed to leave St。
Germain。 The presence of the third person； whenever I am in her
company； is becoming unendurable to me。 She still uses her
influence to defer my departure。 〃Nobody sympathizes with me；〃
she said； 〃but you。〃
I am failing to keep my promise to myself； not to write about
myself。 But there is some little excuse this time。 For the relief
of my own conscience； I may surely place it on record that I have
tried to do what is right。 It is not my fault if I remain at St。
Germain； insensible to Madame Villeray's warning。
Ninth Extract。
September 13。Terrible news from Rome of the Jesuit Mission to
Arizona。
The Indians have made a night attack on the new mission…house。
The building is burned to the ground； and the missionaries have
been massacredwith the exception of two priests； carried away
captive。 The names of the priests are not known。 News of the
atrocity has been delayed four months on its way to Europe； owing
partly to the civil war in the United States； and partly to
disturbances in Central America。
Looking at the _Times_ （which we receive regularly at St。
Germain）； I found this statement confirmed in a short
paragraphbut here also the names of the two prisoners failed to
appear。
Our one present hope of getting any further information seems to
me to depend on our English newspaper。 The _Times_ stands alone
as the one public journal which has the whole English nation for
volunteer contributors。 In their troubles at home； they appeal to
the Editor。 In their travels abroad； over civilized and savage
regions alike； if they meet with an adventure worth mentioning
they tell it to the Editor。 If any one of our countrymen knows
anything of this dreadful massacre； I foresee with certainty
where we shall find the information in print。
Soon after my arrival here； Stella had told me of her memorable
conversation with Penrose in the garden at Ten Acres Lodge。 I was
well acquainted with the nature of her obligation to the young
priest； but I was not prepared for the outbreak of grief which
escaped her when she had read the telegram from Rome。 She
actually went the length of saying； 〃I shall never enjoy another
happy moment till I know whether Penrose is one of the two living
priests！〃
The inevitable third person with us； this morning； was Monsieur
Villeray。 Sitting at the window with a book in his
handsometimes reading； sometimes looking at the garden with the
eye of a fond horticulturisthe discovered a strange cat among
his flower beds。 Forgetful of every other consideration； the old
gentleman hobbled out to drive away the intruder； and left us
together。
I spoke to Stella； in words which I would now give everything I
possess to recall。 A detestable jealousy took possession of me。 I
meanly hinted that Penrose could claim no great merit （in the
matter of Romayne's conversion） for yielding to the entreaties of
a beautiful woman who had fascinated him； though he might be
afraid to own it。 She protested against my unworthy
insinuationbut she failed to make me ashamed of myself。 Is a
woman ever ignorant of the influence which her beauty exercises
over a man？ I went on； like the miserable creature that I was；
from bad to worse。
〃Excuse me；〃 I said； 〃if I have unintentionally made you angry。 I
ought to have known that I was treading on delicate ground。 Your
interest in Penrose may be due to a warmer motive than a sense of
obligation。〃
She turned away from mesa dly； not angrilyintending； as it
appeared； to leave the room in silence。 Arrived at the door； she
altered her mind； and came back。
〃Even if you insult me； Bernard； I am not able to resent it；〃 she
said； very gently。 _I_ once wronged _you_I have no right to
complain of your now wronging me。 I will try to forget it。〃
She held out her hand。 She raised her eyesand looked at me。
It was not her fault； I alone am to blame。 In another moment she
was in my arms。 I held her to my breastI felt the quick beating
of her heart on meI poured out the wild confession of my
sorrow； my shame； my loveI tasted again and again and again the
sweetness of her lips。 She put her arms round my neck and drew
her head back with a long sigh。 〃Be merciful to my weakness；〃 she
whispered。 〃We must meet no more。〃
She pushed me back from her； with a trembling hand； and left the
room。
I have broken my resolution not to write about myselfbut there
is no egotism； there is a sincere sense of humiliation in me；
when I record this confession of misconduct。 I can make but one
atonementI must at once leave St。 Germain。 Now； when it is too
late； I feel how hard for me this life of constant repression has
been。
Thus far I had written； when the nursemaid brought me a little
note； addressed in pencil。 No answer was required。
The few lines were in Stella's handwriting： 〃You must not leave
us too suddenly； or you may excite my mother's suspicions。 Wait
until you receive letters from England； and make them the pretext
for your departure。S。〃
I never thought of her mother。 She is right。 Even if she were
wrong； I must obey her。
September 14。The letters from England have arrived。 One of them
presents me with the necessary excuse for my departure； ready
made。 My proposal for the purchase of the yacht is accepted。 The
sailing…master and crew have refused all offers of engagement；
and are waiting at Cowes for my orders。 Here is an absolute
necessity for my return to England。
The newspaper arrived with the letters。 My anticipations have
been realized。 Yesterday's paragraph has produced another
volunteer contributor。 An Englishman just returned from Central
America； after traveling in Arizona； writes to the _Times。_ He
publishes his name and addressand he declares that he has
himself seen the two captive priests。
The name of this correspondent carries its own guarantee with it。
He is no less a person than Mr。 Murthwaitethe well…known
traveler in India； who discovered the lost diamond called 〃the
Moonstone；〃 set in the forehead of a Hindoo idol。 He writes to
the editor as follows：
〃SirI can tell you something of the two Jesuit priests who were
the sole survivors of the massacre in the Santa Cruz Valley four
months since。
〃I was traveling at the time in Arizona； under the protection of
an Apache chief； bribed to show me his country and his nation
（instead of cutting my throat and tearing off my scalp） by a
present tribute of whisky and gunpowder； and by the promise of
more when our association came to an end。
〃About twelve miles northward of the little silver…mining town of
Tubac we came upon an Apache encampment。 I at once discovered two
white men among the Indians These were the captive priests。
〃One of them was a Frenchman； named L'Herbier。 The other was an
Englishman； named Penrose。 They owed their lives to the influence
of two powerful considerations among the Indians。 Unhappy
L'Herbier lost his senses under the horror of the night massacre。
Insanity； as you may have heard； is a sacred thing in the
estimation of the American savages； they regard this poor madman
as a mysteriously inspired person The other priest； P
