the black robe-第11章
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How can that be； un less there is precisely that sympathy between
you which you have so well described？ I am a sanguine man； and I
believe you will like each other。 Wait till you see him。〃
As the words passed his lips； the door that led to the picture
gallery was opened。 Lord Loring entered the library。
He looked quickly round himapparently in search of some person
who might； perhaps； be found in the room。 A shade of annoyance
showed itself in his face； and disappeared again； as he bowed to
the two Jesuits。
〃Don't let me disturb you；〃 he said； looking at Penrose。 〃Is this
the gentleman who is to assist Mr。 Romayne？〃
Father Benwell presented his young friend。 〃Arthur Penrose； my
lord。 I ventured to suggest that he should call here to…day； in
case you wished to put any questions to him。〃
〃Quite needless； after your recommendation；〃 Lord Loring
answered； graciously。 〃Mr。 Penrose could not have come here at a
more appropriate time。 As it happens； Mr。 Romayne has paid us a
visit todayhe is now in the picture gallery。〃
The priests looked at each other。 Lord Loring left them as he
spoke。 He walked to the opposite door of the libraryopened
itglanced round the hall； and at the stairsand returned
again； with the passing expression of annoyance visible once
more。 〃Come with me to the gallery； gentlemen；〃 he said； 〃I shall
be happy to introduce you to Mr。 Romayne。〃
Penrose accepted the proposal。 Father Benwell pointed with a
smile to the books scattered about him。 〃With permission； I will
follow your lordship；〃 he said。
〃Who was my lord looking for？〃 That was the question in Father
Benwell's mind； while he put some of the books away on the
shelves； and collected the scattered papers on the table；
relating to his correspondence with Rome。 It had become a habit
of his life to be suspicious of any circumstances occurring
within his range of observation； for which he was unable to
account。 He might have felt some stronger emotion on this
occasion； if he had known that the conspiracy in the library to
convert Romayne was matched by the conspiracy in the picture
gallery to marry him。
Lady Loring's narrative of the conversation which had taken place
between Stella and herself had encouraged her husband to try his
proposed experiment without delay。 〃I shall send a letter at once
to Romayne's hotel；〃 he said。
〃Inviting him to come here to…day？〃 her ladyship inquired。
〃Yes。 I shall say I particularly wish to consult him about a
picture。 Are we to prepare Stella to see him？ or would it be
better to let the meeting take her by surprise？〃
〃Certainly not！〃 said Lady Loring。 〃With her sensitive
disposition； I am afraid of taking Stella by surprise。 Let me
only tell her that Romayne is the original of her portrait； and
that he is likely to call on you to see the picture to…dayand
leave the rest to me。〃
Lady Loring's suggestion was immediately carried out。 In the
first fervor of her agitation； Stella had declared that her
courage was not equal to a meeting with Romayne on that day。
Becoming more composed； she yielded to Lady Loring's persuasion
so far as to promise that she would at least make the attempt to
follow her friend to the gallery。 〃If I go down with you；〃 she
said； 〃it will look as if we had arranged the thing between us。 I
can't bear even to think of that。 Let me look in by myself； as if
it was by accident。〃 Consenting to this arrangement； Lady Loring
had proceeded alone to the gallery； when Romayne's visit was
announced。 The minutes passed； and Stella did not appear。 It was
quite possible that she might shrink from openly presenting
herself at the main entrance to the gallery； and might
preferespecially if she was not aware of the priest's presence
in the roomto slip in quietly by the library door。 Failing to
find her； on putting this idea to the test； Lord Loring had
discovered Penrose； and had so hastened the introduction of the
younger of the two Jesuits to Romayne。
Having gathered his papers together； Father Benwell crossed the
library to the deep bow…window which lighted the room； and opened
his dispatch…box； standing on a small table in the recess。 Placed
in this position； he was invisible to any person entering the
room by the hall door。 He had secured his papers in the
dispatch…box； and had just closed and locked it； when he heard
the door cautiously opened。
The instant afterward the rustling of a woman's dress over the
carpet caught his ear。 Other men might have walked out of the
recess and shown themselves。 Father Benwell stayed where he was；
and waited until the lady crossed his range of view。
The priest observed with cold attention her darkly…beautiful eyes
and hair； her quickly…changing color； her modest grace of
movement。 Slowly； and in evident agitation； she advanced to the
door of the picture galleryand paused； as if she was afraid to
open it。 Father Benwell heard her sigh to herself softly； 〃Oh；
how shall I meet him？〃 She turned aside to the looking…glass over
the fire…place。 The reflection of her charming face seemed to
rouse her courage。 She retraced her steps； and timidly opened the
door。 Lord Loring must have been close by at the moment。 His
voice immediately made itself heard in the library。
〃Come in； Stellacome in！ Here is a new picture for you to see；
and a friend whom I want to present to you； who must be your
friend tooMr。 Lewis Romayne。〃
The door was closed again。 Father Benwell stood still as a statue
in the recess； with his head down； deep in thought。 After a while
he roused himself； and rapidly returned to the writing table。
With a roughness strangely unlike his customary deliberation of
movement； he snatched a sheet of paper out of the case； and
frowning heavily； wrote these lines on it： 〃Since my letter was
sealed； I have made a discovery which must be communicated
without the loss of a post。 I greatly fear there may be a woman
in our way。 Trust me to combat this obstacle as I have combated
other obstacles。 In the meantime； the work goes on。 Penrose has
received his first instructions； and has to…day been presented to
Romayne。〃
He addressed this letter to Rome； as he had addressed the letter
preceding it。 〃Now for the woman！〃 he said to himselfand opened
the door of the picture gallery。
CHAPTER IV。
FATHER BENWELL HITS。
ART has its trials as well as its triumphs。 It is powerless to
assert itself against the sordid interests of everyday life。 The
greatest book ever written； the finest picture ever painted；
appeals in vain to minds preoccupied by selfish and secret cares。
On entering Lord Loring's gallery； Father Benwell found but one
person who was not looking at the pictures under false pretenses。
Innocent of all suspicion of the conflicting interests whose
struggle now centered in himself； Romayne was carefully studying
the picture which had been made the pretext for inviting him to
the house。 He had bowed to Stella； with a tranquil admiration of
her beauty； he had shaken hands with Penrose； and had said some
kind words to his future secretaryand then he had turned to the
picture； as if Stella and Penrose had ceased from that moment to
occupy his mind。
〃In your place；〃 he said quietly to Lord Loring； 〃I should not
buy this work。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃It seems to me to have the serious defect of the modern English
school of painting。 A total want of thought in the rendering of
the subject； disguised under dexterous technical tricks of the
brush。 When you have seen one of that man's pictures； you have
seen all。 He manufactureshe doesn't paint。〃
Father Benwell came in while Romayne was speaking。 He went
through the ceremonies of introduction to the master of Vange
Abbey with perfect politeness； but a little absently。 His mind
was bent on putting his suspicion of Stella to the test of
confirmation。 Not waiting to be presented； he turned to her with
the air of fatherly interest and chastened admiration which he
well knew how to assume in his intercourse with women。
〃May I ask if you agree with Mr。 Romayne's estimate of the
picture？〃 he said； in his gentlest tones。
She had heard of him； and of his position in the house。 It was
quite needless for Lady Loring to whisper to her； 〃Father
Benwell； my
dear！〃 Her antipathy identified him as readily as her sympathy
might have identified a man who had produced a favorable
impression on her。 〃I have no pretension to be a critic；〃 she
answered； with frigid politeness。 〃I only know what I personally
like or dislike。〃
The reply exactly answered Father Benwell's purpose。 It diverted
Romayne's attention from the picture to Stella。 The priest had
secured his opportunity of reading their faces while they were
looking at each other。
〃I think you have just stated the true motive for all criticism；〃
Romayne said to Stella。 〃Whether we only express our opinions of
pictures or books in the course of conversation or whether we
assert them at full length； with all the authority of print； we
are really speaking； in either case； of what personally pleases
or repels us。 My poor opinion of that picture means that it says
nothing to Me。 Does it say anything to You？〃
He smiled gently as he put the question to her； but there was no
betrayal of emotion in his eyes or in his voice。 Relieved of
anxiety； so far as Romayne was concerned； Father Benwell looked
at Stella。
Steadily as she controlled herself； the confession of her heart's
secret found its way into her face。 The coldly composed
expression which had confronted the priest when she spoke to him；
melted away softly under the influence of Romayne's voice and
Romayne's look。 Without any positive change of color； her
delicate skin glowed faintly； as if it felt some animating inner
warmth。 Her eyes and lips brightened with a new vitality； her
frail elegant figure seemed insensibly to strengthen and expand；
like the leaf of a flower under a favoring sunny air。 When she
answered Romayne （agreeing with him； it is needless
