the black robe-第1章

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The　Black　Robe







by　Wilkie　Collins

























BEFORE　THE　STORY。







FIRST　SCENE。







BOULOGNE…SUR…MER。THE　DUEL。







I。







THE　doctors　could　do　no　more　for　the　Dowager　Lady　Berrick。







When　the　medical　advisers　of　a　lady　who　has　reached　seventy　years



of　age　recommend　the　mild　climate　of　the　South　of　France；　they



mean　in　plain　language　that　they　have　arrived　at　the　end　of　their



resources。　Her　ladyship　gave　the　mild　climate　a　fair　trial；　and



then　decided　（as　she　herself　expressed　it）　to　〃die　at　home。〃



Traveling　slowly；　she　had　reached　Paris　at　the　date　when　I　last



heard　of　her。　It　was　then　the　beginning　of　November。　A　week



later；　I　met　with　her　nephew；　Lewis　Romayne；　at　the　club。







〃What　brings　you　to　London　at　this　time　of　year？〃　I　asked。







〃The　fatality　that　pursues　me；〃　he　answered　grimly。　〃I　am　one　of



the　unluckiest　men　living。〃







He　was　thirty　years　old；　he　was　not　married；　he　was　the　enviable



possessor　of　the　fine　old　country　seat；　called　Vange　Abbey；　he



had　no　poor　relations；　and　he　was　one　of　the　handsomest　men　in



England。　When　I　add　that　I　am；　myself；　a　retired　army　officer；



with　a　wretched　income；　a　disagreeable　wife；　four　ugly　children；



and　a　burden　of　fifty　years　on　my　back；　no　one　will　be　surprised



to　hear　that　I　answered　Romayne；　with　bitter　sincerity；　in　these



words：







〃I　wish　to　heaven　I　could　change　places　with　you！〃







〃I　wish　to　heaven　you　could！〃　he　burst　out；　with　equal　sincerity



on　his　side。　〃Read　that。〃







He　handed　me　a　letter　addressed　to　him　by　the　traveling　medical



attendant　of　Lady　Berrick。　After　resting　in　Paris；　the　patient



had　continued　her　homeward　journey　as　far　as　Boulogne。　In　her



suffering　condition；　she　was　liable　to　sudden　fits　of　caprice。　An



insurmountable　horror　of　the　Channel　passage　had　got　possession



of　her；　she　positively　refused　to　be　taken　on　board　the



steamboat。　In　this　difficulty；　the　lady　who　held　the　post　of　her



〃companion〃　had　ventured　on　a　suggestion。　Would　Lady　Berrick



consent　to　make　the　Channel　passage　if　her　nephew　came　to



Boulogne　expressly　to　accompany　her　on　the　voyage？　The　reply　had



been　so　immediately　favorable；　that　the　doctor　lost　no　time　in



communicating　with　Mr。　Lewis　Romayne。　This　was　the　substance　of



the　letter。







It　was　needless　to　ask　any　more　questionsRomayne　was　plainly　on



his　way　to　Boulogne。　I　gave　him　some　useful　information。　〃Try　the



oysters；〃　I　said；　〃at　the　restaurant　on　the　pier。〃







He　never　even　thanked　me。　He　was　thinking　entirely　of　himself。







〃Just　look　at　my　position；〃　he　said。　〃I　detest　Boulogne；　I



cordially　share　my　aunt's　horror　of　the　Channel　passage；　I　had



looked　forward　to　some　months　of　happy　retirement　in　the　country



among　my　booksand　what　happens　to　me？　I　am　brought　to　London　in



this　season　of　fogs；　to　travel　by　the　tidal　train　at　seven



to…morrow　morningand　all　for　a　woman　with　whom　I　have　no



sympathies　in　common。　If　I　am　not　an　unlucky　manwho　is？〃







He　spoke　in　a　tone　of　vehement　irritation　which　seemed　to　me；



under　the　circumstances；　to　be　simply　absurd。　But　_my_　nervous



system　is　not　the　irritable　systemsorely　tried　by　night　study



and　strong　teaof　my　friend　Romayne。　〃It's　only　a　matter　of　two



days；〃　I　remarked；　by　way　of　reconciling　him　to　his　situation。







〃How　do　I　know　that？〃　he　retorted。　〃In　two　days　the　weather　may



be　stormy。　In　two　days　she　may　be　too　ill　to　be　moved。



Unfortunately；　I　am　her　heir；　and　I　am　told　I　must　submit　to　any



whim　that　seizes　her。　I'm　rich　enough　already；　I　don't　want　her



money。　Besides；　I　dislike　all　travelingand　especially　traveling



alone。　You　are　an　idle　man。　If　you　were　a　good　friend；　you　would



offer　to　go　with　me。〃　He　added；　with　the　delicacy　which　was　one



of　the　redeeming　points　in　his　wayward　character。　〃Of　course　as



my　guest。〃







I　had　known　him　long　enough　not　to　take　offense　at　his　reminding



me；　in　this　considerate　way；　that　I　was　a　poor　man。　The　proposed



change　of　scene　tempted　me。　What　did　I　care　for　the　Channel



passage？　Besides；　there　was　the　irresistible　attraction　of



getting　away　from　home。　The　end　of　it　was　that　I　accepted



Romayne's　invitation。







II。







SHORTLY　after　noon；　on　the　next　day；　we　were　established　at



Boulognenear　Lady　Berrick；　but　not　at　her　hotel。　〃If　we　live　in



the　same　house；〃　Romayne　reminded　me；　〃we　shall　be　bored　by　the



companion　and　the　doctor。　Meetings　on　the　stairs；　you　know；　and



exchanging　bows　and　small　talk。〃　He　hated　those　trivial



conventionalities　of　society；　in　which；　other　people　delight。



When　somebody　once　asked　him　in　what　company　he　felt　most　at



ease？　he　made　a　shocking　answerhe　said；　〃In　the　company　of



dogs。〃







I　waited　for　him　on　the　pier　while　he　went　to　see　her　ladyship。



He　joined　me　again　with　his　bitterest　smile。　〃What　did　I　tell





you？　She　is　not　well　enough　to　see　me　to…day。　The　doctor　looks



grave；　and　the　companion　puts　her　handkerchief　to　her　eyes。　We



may　be　kept　in　this　place　for　weeks　to　come。〃







The　afternoon　proved　to　be　rainy。　Our　early　dinner　was　a　bad　one。



This　last　circumstance　tried　his　temper　sorely。　He　was　no



gourmand；　the　question　of　cookery　was　（with　him）　purely　a　matter



of　digestion。　Those　late　hours　of　study；　and　that　abuse　of　tea　to



which　I　have　already　alluded；　had　sadly　injured　his　stomach。　The



doctors　warned　him　of　serious　consequences　to　his　nervous　system；



unless　he　altered　his　habits。　He　had　little　faith　in　medical



science；　and　he　greatly　overrated　the　restorative　capacity　of　his



constitution。　So　far　as　I　know；　he　had　always　neglected　the



doctors'　advice。







The　weather　cleared　toward　evening；　and　we　went　out　for　a　walk。



We　passed　a　churcha　Roman　Catholic　church；　of　coursethe　doors



of　which　were　still　open。　Some　poor　women　were　kneeling　at　their



prayers　in　the　dim　light。　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　said　Romayne。　〃I　am　in



a　vile　temper。　Let　me　try　to　put　myself　into　a　better　frame　of



mind。〃







I　followed　him　into　the　church。　He　knelt　down　in　a　dark　corner　by



himself。　I　confess　I　was　surprised。　He　had　been　baptized　in　the



Church　of　England；　but；　so　far　as　outward　practice　was　concerned；



he　belonged　to　no　religious　community。　I　had　often　heard　him



speak　with　sincere　reverence　and　admiration　of　the　spirit　of



Christianitybut　he　never；　to　my　knowledge；　attended　any　place



of　public　worship。　When　we　met　again　outside　the　church；　I　asked



if　he　had　been　converted　to　the　Roman　Catholic　faith。







〃No；〃　he　said。　〃I　hate　the　inveterate　striving　of　that　priesthood



after　social　influence　and　political　power　as　cordially　as　the



fiercest　Protestant　living。　But　let　us　not　forget　that　the　Church



of　Rome　has　great　merits　to　set　against　great　faults。　Its　system



is　administered　with　an　admirable　knowledge　of　the　higher　needs



of　human　nature。　Take　as　one　example　what　you　have　just　seen。　The



solemn　tranquillity　of　that　church；　the　poor　people　praying　near



me；　the　few　words　of　prayer　by　which　I　silently　united　myself　to



my　fellow…creatures；　have　calmed　me　and　done　me　good。　In　_our_



country　I　should　have　found　the　church　closed；　out　of　service



hours。〃　He　took　my　arm　and　abruptly　changed　the　subject。　〃How



will　you　occupy　yourself；〃　he　asked；　〃if　my　aunt　receives　me



to…morrow？〃







I　assured　him　that　I　should　easily　find　ways　and　means　of　getting



through　the　time。　The　next　morning　a　message　came　from　Lady



Berrick；　to　say　that　she　would　see　her　nephew　after　breakfast。



Left　by　myself；　I　walked　toward　the　pier；　and　met　with　a　man　who



asked　me　to　hire　his　boat。　He　had　lines　and　bait；　at　my　service。



Most　unfortunately；　as　the　event　proved；　I　decided　on　occupying



an　hour　or　two　by　sea　fishing。







The　wind　shifted　while　we　were　out；　and　before　we　could　get　back



to　the　harbor；　the　tide　had　turned　against　us。　It　was　six　o'clock



when　I　arrived　at　the　hotel。　A　little　open　carriage　was　waiting



at　the　door。　I　found　Romayne　impatiently　expecting　me；　and　no



signs　of　dinner　on　the　table。　He　informed　me　that　he　had　accepted



an　invitation；　in　which　I　was　included；　and　promised　to　explain



everything　in　the　carriage。







Our　driver　took　the　road　that　led　toward　the　High　Town。　I



subordinated　my　curiosity　to　my　sense　of　politeness；　and　asked



for　news　of　his　aunt's　health。







〃She　is　seriously　ill；　poor　soul；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　sorry　I　spoke



so　petulantly　and　s　o　unfairly　when　we　met　at　the　club。　The　near



prospect　of　death　has　developed　qualities　in　her　nature　which　I



ought　to　have　seen　before　this。　No　matter　how　it　may　be　delayed；



I　will　patiently　wait　her　time　for　the　crossing　to　England。〃







So　long　as　he　believed　himself　to　be　in　the　right；　he　was；　as　to



his　actions　and　opinions；　one　of　the　most　obstinate　men　I　ever



met　with。　But　once　let　him　be　convinced　that　he　was　wrong；　and　he



rushed　into　the　other　extremebecame　needlessly　distrustful　of



himself；　and　needlessly　eager　in　seizing　his　opportunity　of



making　atonement。　In　this　latter　mood　he　was　capable　（with　the



best　intentions）　of　committing　acts　of　the　most　childish



imprudence。　With　some　misgivings；　I　asked　how　he　had　amused



himself　in　my　absence。







〃I　waited　for　you；〃　he　said；　〃till　I　lost　all　patience；　and　went



out　for　a　walk。　First；　I　thought　of　going　to　the　beach；　but　the



smell　of　the　harbor　drove　me　back　into　the　town；　and　there；　oddly



enough；　I　met　with　a　man；　a　certain　Captain　Peterkin；　who　had



been　a　friend　of　mine　at　college。〃







〃A　visitor　to　Boulogne？〃　I　inquired。







〃Not　exactly。〃







〃A　resident？〃







〃Yes。　The　fact　is；　I　lost　sight　of　Peterkin　when　I　left



Oxfordand　since　that　time　he　seems　to　have　drifted　into



difficulties。　We　had　a　long　talk。　He　is　living　here；　he　tells　me；



until　his　affairs　are　settled。〃







I　needed　no　further　enlightenmentCaptain　Peterkin　stood　as



plainly　revealed　to　me　as　if　I　had　known　him　for　years。　〃Isn't　it



a　little　imprudent；〃　I　said；　〃to　renew　your　acquaintance　with　a



man　of　that　sort？　Couldn't　you　have　passed　him；　with　a　bow？〃







Bolnayne　smiled　uneasily。　〃I　daresay　you're　right；〃　he　answered。



〃But；　remember；　I　had　left　my　aunt；　feeling　ashamed　of　the　unjust



way　in　which　I　had　thought　and