the black robe-第29章

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Ten　Acreson　her　way　to　a　garden…party。　Finding　the　house；　to



her　great　relief；　a　modern　building；　supplied　with　all　the　newest



comforts　and　luxuries；　she　at　once　began　to　plan　a　grand　party；



in　celebration　of　the　return　of　the　bride　and　bridegroom。







〃I　don't　wish　to　praise　myself；〃　Mrs。　Eyrecourt　said；　〃but　if



ever　there　was　a　forgiving　woman；　I　am　that　person。　We　will　say



no　more；　Stella；　about　your　truly　contemptible　weddingfive



people　altogether；　including　ourselves　and　the　Lorings。　A　grand



ball　will　set　you　right　with　society；　and　that　is　the　one　thing



needful。　Tea　and　coffee；　my　dear　Romayne；　in　your　study；　Coote's



quadrille　band；　the　supper　from　Gunter's；　the　grounds　illuminated



with　colored　lamps；　Tyrolese　singers　among　the　trees；　relieved　by



military　musicand；　if　there　_are_　any　African　or　other　savages



now　in　London；　there　is　room　enough　in　these　charming　grounds　for



encampments；　dances；　squaws；　scalps；　and　all　the　rest　of　it；　to



end　in　a　blaze　of　fireworks。〃







A　sudden　fit　of　coughing　seized　her；　and　stopped　the　further



enumeration　of　attractions　at　the　contemplated　ball。　Stella　had



observed　that　her　mother　looked　unusually　worn　and　haggard；



through　the　disguises　of　paint　and　powder。　This　was　not　an



uncommon　result　of　Mrs。　Eyrecourt's　devotion　to　the　demands　of



society；　but　the　cough　was　something　new；　as　a　symptom　of



exhaustion。







〃I　am　afraid；　mamma；　you　have　been　overexerting　yourself；〃　said



Stella。　〃You　go　to　too　many　parties。〃







〃Nothing　of　the　sort；　my　dear；　I　am　as　strong　as　a　horse。　The



other　night；　I　was　waiting　for　the　carriage　in　a　draught　（one　of



the　most　perfect　private　concerts　of　the　season；　ending　with　a



delightfully　naughty　little　French　play）and　I　caught　a　slight



cold。　A　glass　of　water　is　all　I　want。　Thank　you。　Romayne；　you　are



looking　shockingly　serious　and　severe；　our　ball　will　cheer　you。



If　you　would　only　make　a　bonfire　of　all　those　horrid　books；　you



don't　know　how　it　would　improve　your　spirits。　Dearest　Stella；　I



will　come　and　lunch　here　to…morrowyou　are　within　such　a　nice



easy　drive　from　townand　I'll　bring　my　visiting…book；　and　settle



about　the　invitations　and　the　day。　Oh；　dear　me；　how　late　it　is。　I



have　nearly　an　hour's　drive　before　I　get　to　my　garden　party。



Good…by；　my　turtle　doves　good…by。〃







She　was　stopped；　on　the　way　to　her　carriage；　by　another　fit　of



coughing。　But　she　still　persisted　in　making　light　of　it。　〃I'm　as



strong　as　a　horse；〃　she　repeated；　as　soon　as　she　could　speakand



skipped　into　the　carriage　like　a　young　girl。







〃Your　mother　is　killing　herself；〃　said　Romayne。







〃If　I　could　persuade　her　to　stay　with　us　a　little　while；〃　Stella



suggested；　〃the　rest　and　quiet　might　do　wonders　for　her。　Would



you　object　to　it；　Lewis？〃







〃My　darling；　I　object　to　nothingexcept　giving　a　ball　and



burning　my　books。　If　your　mother　will　yield　on　these　two　points；



my　house　is　entirely　at　her　disposal。〃







He　spoke　playfullyhe　looked　his　best；　since　he　had　separated



himself　from　the　painful　associations　that　were　now　connected



with　Vange　Abbey。　Had　〃the　torment　of　the　Voice〃　been　left　far



away　in　Yorkshire？　Stella　shrank　from　approaching　the　subject　in



her　husband's　presence；　knowing　that　it　must　remind　him　of　the



fatal　duel。　To　her　surprise；　Romayne　himself　referred　to　the



General's　family。







〃I　have　written　to　Hynd；〃　he　began。　〃Do　you　mind　his　dining　with



us　to…day？〃







〃Of　course　not！〃







〃I　want　to　hear　if　he　has　anything　to　tell　meabout　those　French



ladies。　He　undertook　to　see　them；　in　your　absence；　and　to



ascertain〃　He　was　unable　to　overcome　his　reluctance　to



pronounce　the　next　words。　Stella　was　quick　to　understand　what　he



meant。　She　finished　the　sentence　for　him。







〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃I　wanted　to　hear　how　the　boy　is　getting　on；　and



if　there　is　any　hope　of　curing　him。　Is　it〃　he　trembled　as　he



put　the　question〃Is　it　hereditary　madness？〃







Feeling　the　serious　importance　of　concealing　the　truth；　Stella



only　replied　that　she　had　hesitated　to　ask　if　there　was　a　taint



of　madness　in　the　family。　〃I　suppose；〃　she　added；　〃you　would　not



like　to　see　the　boy；　and　judge　of　his　chances　of　recovery　for



yourself？〃







〃You　suppose？〃　he　burst　out；　with　sudden　anger。　〃You　might　be



sure。　The　bare　idea　of　seeing　him　turns　me　cold。　Oh；　when　shall　I



forget！　when　shall　I　forget！　Who　spoke　of　him　first？〃　he　said；



with　renewed　irritability；　after　a　moment　of　silence。　〃You　or　I？〃







〃It　was　my　fault；　lovehe　is　so　harmless　and　so　gentle；　and　he



has　such　a　sweet　faceI　thought　it　might　soothe　you　to　see　him。



Forgive　me；　we　will　never　speak　of　him　again。　Have　you　any　notes



for　me　to　copy？　You　know；　Lewis；　I　am　your　secretary　now。〃







So　she　led　Romayne　away　to　his　study　and　his　books。　When　Major



Hynd　arrived；　she　contrived　to　be　the　first　to　see　him。　〃Say　as



litt　le　as　possible　about　the　General's　widow　and　her　son；〃　she



whispered。







The　Major　understood　her。　〃Don't　be　uneasy；　Mrs。　Romayne；〃　he



answered。　〃I　know　your　husband　well　enough　to　know　what　you　mean。



Besides；　the　news　I　bring　is　good　news。〃







Romayne　came　in　before　he　could　speak　more　particularly。　When　the



servants　had　left　the　room；　after　dinner；　the　Major　made　his



report。







〃I　am　going　to　agreeably　surprise　you；〃　he　began。　〃All



responsibility　toward　the　General's　family　is　taken　off　our



hands。　The　ladies　are　on　their　way　back　to　France。〃







Stella　was　instantly　reminded　of　one　of　the　melancholy　incidents



associated　with　her　visit　to　Camp's　Hill。　〃Madame　Marillac　spoke



of　a　brother　of　hers　who　disapproved　of　the　marriage；〃　she　said。



〃Has　he　forgiven　her？〃







〃That　is　exactly　what　he　has　done；　Mrs。　Romayne。　Naturally



enough；　he　felt　the　disgrace　of　his　sister's　marriage　to　such　a



man　as　the　General。　Only　the　other　day　he　heard　for　the　first



time　that　she　was　a　widowand　he　at　once　traveled　to　England。　I



bade　them　good…by　yesterdaymost　happily　reunitedon　their



journey　home　again。　Ah；　I　thought　you　would　be　glad；　Mrs。



Romayne；　to　hear　that　the　poor　widow's　troubles　are　over。　Her



brother　is　rich　enough　to　place　them　all　in　easy



circumstanceshe　is　as　good　a　fellow　as　ever　lived。〃







〃Have　you　seen　him？〃　Stella　asked；　eagerly。







〃I　have　been　with　him　to　the　asylum。〃







〃Does　the　boy　go　back　to　France？〃







〃No。　We　took　the　place　by　surprise；　and　saw　for　ourselves　how



well　conducted　it　was。　The　boy　has　taken　a　strong　liking　to　the



proprietora　bright；　cheerful　old　man；　who　is　teaching　him　some



of　our　English　games；　and　has　given　him　a　pony　to　ride　on。　He



burst　out　crying；　poor　creature；　at　the　idea　of　going　awayand



his　mother　burst　out　crying　at　the　idea　of　leaving　him。　It　was　a



melancholy　scene　You　know　what　a　good　mother　isno　sacrifice　is



too　great　for　her。　The　boy　stays　at　the　asylum；　on　the　chance



that　his　healthier　and　happier　life　there　may　help　to　cure　him。



By…the…way；　Romayne；　his　uncle　desires　me　to　thank　you〃







〃Hynd！　you　didn't　tell　the　uncle　my　name？〃







〃Don't　alarm　yourself。　He　is　a　gentleman；　and　when　I　told　him　I



was　pledged　to　secrecy；　he　made　but　one　inquiryhe　asked　if　you



were　a　rich　man。　I　told　him　you　had　eighteen　thousand　a　year。〃







〃Well？〃







〃Well；　he　set　that　matter　right　between　us　with　perfect　taste。　He



said：　'I　cannot　presume　to　offer　repayment　to　a　person　so



wealthy。　We　gratefully　accept　our　obligation　to　our　kind　unknown



friend。　For　the　future；　however；　my　nephew's　expenses　must　be



paid　from　my　purse。'　Of　course　I　could　only　agree　to　that。　From



time　to　time　the　mother　is　to　hear；　and　I　am　to　hear；　how　the　boy



goes　on。　Or；　if　you　like；　Romaynenow　that　the　General's　family



has　left　EnglandI　don't　see　why　the　proprietor　might　not　make



his　report　directly　to　yourself。〃







〃No！〃　Romayne　rejoined；　positively。　〃Let　things　remain　as　they



are。〃







Very　well。　I　can　send　you　any　letters　that　I　may　receive　from　the



asylum。　Will　you　give　us　some　music；　Mrs。　Romayne？　Not　to…night？



Then　let　us　go　to　the　billiard…room；　and　as　I　am　the　worst　of　bad



players；　I　will　ask　you　to　help　me　to　beat　your　accomplished



husband。〃















On　the　afternoon　of　the　next　day；　Mrs。　Eyrecourt's　maid　arrived



at　Ten　Acres　with　a　note　from　her　mistress。







〃Dearest　StellaMatilda　must　bring　you　my　excuses　for　to…day。　I



don't　in　the　least　understand　it；　but　I　seem　to　have　turned　lazy。



It　is　most　ridiculousI　really　cannot　get　out　of　bed。　Perhaps　I



did　do　just　a　little　too　much　yesterday。　The　opera　after　the



garden　party；　and　a　ball　after　the　opera；　and　this　tiresome　cough



all　night　after　the　ball。　Quite　a　series；　isn't　it？　Make　my



apologies　to　our　dear　dismal　Romayneand　if　you　drive　out　this



afternoon；　come　and　have　a　chat　with　me。　Your　affectionate



mother；　Emily　Eyrecourt。　P。　S。You　know　what　a　fidget　Matilda



is。　If　she　talks　about　me；　don't　believe　a　word　she　says　to　you。〃







Stella　turned　to　the　maid　with　a　sinking　heart。







〃Is　my　mother　very　ill？〃　she　asked。







〃So　ill；　ma'am；　that　I　begged　and　prayed　her　to　let　me　send　for　a



doctor。　You　know　what　my　mistress　is。　If　you　would　please　to　use



your　influence〃







〃I　will　order　the　carriage　instantly；　and　take　you　back　with　me。〃







Before　she　dressed　to　go　out；　Stella　showed　the　letter　to　her



husband。　He　spoke　with　perfect　kindness　and　sympathy；　but　he　did



not　conceal　that　he　shared　his　wife's　apprehensions。　〃Go　at



once；〃　were　his　last　words　to　her；　〃and；　if　I　can　be　of　any　use；



send　for　me。〃







It　was　late　in　the　evening　before　Stella　returned。　She　brought



sad　news。







The　physician　consulted　told　her　plainly　that　the　neglected



cough；　and　the　constant　fatigue；　had　together　made　the　case　a



serious　one。　He　declined　to　say　that　there　was　any　absolute



danger　as　yet；　or　any　necessity　for　her　remaining　with　her　mother



at　night。　The　experience　of　the　next　twenty…four　hours；　at　most；



would　enable　him　to　speak　positively。　In　the　meantime；　the



patient　insisted　that　Stella　should　return　to　her　husband。　Even



under　the　influence　of　opiates；　Mrs。　Eyrecourt　was　still　drowsily



equal　to　herself。　〃You　are　a　fidget；　my　dear；　and　Matilda　is　a



fidgetI　can't　have