the black robe-第8章

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what　I　have　noticedand　I　say　with　all　my　heart；　Stella；　I　am



sorry　for　you。〃







She　rose；　and；　with　intuitive　delicacy；　changed　the　subject。　〃I



am　going　out　earlier　than　usual　this　morning；〃　she　resumed。　〃Is



there　anything　I　can　do　for　you？〃　She　laid　her　hand　tenderly　on



Stella's　shoulder；　waiting　for　the　reply。　Stella　lifted　the　hand



and　kissed　it　with　passionate　fondness。







〃Don't　think　me　ungrateful；〃　she　said；　〃I　am　only　ashamed。〃　Her



head　sank　on　her　bosom；　she　burst　into　tears。







Lady　Loring　waited　by　her　in　silence。　She　well　knew　the　girl's



self…contained　nature；　always　shrinking；　except　in　moments　of



violent　emotion；　from　the　outward　betrayal　of　its　trials　and　its



sufferings　to　others。　The　true　depth　of　feeling　which　is　marked



by　this　inbred　modesty　is　most　frequently　found　in　men。　The　few



women　who　possess　it　are　without　the　communicative　consolations



of　the　feminine　heart。　They　are　the　noblest…and　but　too　often



the　unhappiest　of　their　sex。







〃Will　you　wait　a　little　before　you　go　out？〃　Stella　asked　softly。







Lady　Loring　returned　to　the　chair　that　she　had　lefthesitated



for　a　momentand　then　drew　it　nearer　to　Stella。　〃Shall　I　sit　by



you？〃　she　said。







〃Close　by　me。　You　spoke　of　our　school　days　just　now　Adelaide。



There　was　some　difference　between　us。　Of　all　the　girls　I　was　the



youngestand　you　were　the　eldest；　or　nearly　the　eldest；　I



think？〃







〃Quite　the　eldest；　my　dear。　There　is　a　difference　of　ten　years



between　us。　But　why　do　you　go　back　to　that？〃







〃It's　only　a　recollection。　My　father　was　alive　then。　I　was　at



first　home…sick　and　frightened　in　the　strange　place；　among　the



big　girls。　You　used　to　let　me　hide　my　face　on　your　shoulder；　and



tell　me　stories。　May　I　hide　in　the　old　way　and　tell　_my_　story？〃







She　was　now　the　calmest　of　the　two。　The　elder　woman　turned　a



little　pale；　and　looked　down　in　silent　anxiety　at　the　darkly



beautiful　head　that　rested　on　her　shoulder。







〃After　such　an　experience　as　mine　has　been；〃　said　Stella；　〃would



you　think　it　possible　that　I　could　ever　again　feel　my　heart



troubled　by　a　manand　that　man　a　stranger？〃







〃My　dear！　I　think　it　quite　possible。　You　are　only　now　in　your



twenty…third　year。　You　were　innocent　of　all　blame　at　that



wretched　by…gone　time　which　you　ought　never　to　speak　of　again。



Love　and　be　happy；　Stellaif　you　can　only　find　the　man　who　is



worthy　of　you。　But　you　frighten　me　when　you　speak　of　a　stranger。



Where　did　you　meet　with　him？〃







〃On　our　way　back　from　Paris。〃







〃Traveling　in　the　same　carriage　with　you？〃







〃Noit　was　in　crossing　the　Channel。　There　were　few　travelers　in



the　steamboat；　or　I　might　never　have　noticed　him。〃







〃Did　he　speak　to　you？〃







〃I　don't　think　he　even　looked　at　me。〃







〃That　doesn't　say　much　for　his　taste；　Stella。〃







〃You　don't　understand。　I　mean；　I　have　not　explained　myself



properly。　He　was　leaning　on　the　arm　of　a　friend；　weak　and　worn



and　wasted；　as　I　supposed；　by　some　long　and　dreadful　illness。



There　was　an　angelic　sweetness　in　his　facesuch　patience！　such



resignation！　For　heaven's　sake　keep　my　secret。　One　hears　of　men



falling　in　love　with　women　at　first　sight。　But　a　woman　who　looks



at　a　man；　and　feelsoh；　it's　shameful！　I　could　hardly　take　my



eyes　off　him。　If　he　had　looked　at　me　in　return；　I　don't　know　what



I　should　have　doneI　burn　when　I　think　of　it。　He　was　absorbed　in



his　suffering　and　his　sorrow。　My　last　look　at　his　beautiful　face



was　on　the　pier；　before　they　took　me　away。　The　perfect　image　of



him　has　been　in　my　heart　ever　since。　In　my　dreams　I　see　him　as



plainly　as　I　see　you　now。　Don't　despise　me；　Adelaide！〃







〃My　dear；　you　interest　me　indescribably。　Do　you　suppose　he　was　in



our　rank　of　life？　I　mean；　of　course；　did　he　look　like　a



gentleman？〃







〃There　could　be　no　doubt　of　it。〃







〃Do　try　to　describe　him；　Stella。　Was　he　tall　and　well　dressed？〃







〃Neither　tall　nor　shortrather　thinquiet　and　graceful　in　all



his　movementsdressed　plainly；　in　perfect　taste。　How　can　I



describe　him？　When　his　friend　brought　him　on　board；　he　stood　at



the　side　of　the　vessel；　looking　out　thoughtfully　toward　the　sea。



Such　eyes　I　never　saw　before；　Adelaide；　in　any　human　faceso



divinely　tender　and　sadand　the　color　of　them　that　dark　violet



blue；　so　uncommon　and　so　beautifultoo　beautiful　for　a　man。　I



may　say　the　same　of　his　hair。　I　saw　it　completely。　For　a　minute



or　two　he　removed　his　hathis　head　was　fevered；　I　thinkand　he



let　the　sea　breeze　blow　over　it。　The　pure　light　brown　of　his　hair



was　just　warmed　by　a　lovely　reddish　tinge。　His　beard　was　of　the



same　color；　short　and　curling；　like　the　beards　of　the　Roman



heroes　one　sees　in　pictures。　I　shall　never　see　him　againand　it



is　best　for　me　that　I　shall　not。　What　can　I　hope　from　a　man　who



never　once　noticed　me？　But　I　_should_　like　to　hear　that　he　had



recovered　his　health　and　his　tranquillity；　and　that　his　life　was



a　happy　one。　It　has　been　a　comfort　to　me；　Adelaide；　to　open　my



heart　to　you。　I　　am　get　ting　bold　enough　to　confess　everything。



Would　you　laugh　at　me；　I　wonder；　if　I？〃







She　stopped。　Her　pale　complexion　softly　glowed　into　color；　her



grand　dark　eyes　brightenedshe　looked　her　loveliest　at　that



moment。







〃I　am　far　more　inclined；　Stella；　to　cry　over　you　than　to　laugh　at



you；〃　said　Lady　Loring。　〃There　is　something；　to　my　mind；　very　sad



about　this　adventure　of　yours。　I　wish　I　could　find　out　who　the



man　is。　Even　the　best　description　of　a　person　falls　so　short　of



the　reality！〃







〃I　thought　of　showing　you　something；〃　Stella　continued；　〃which



might　help　you　to　see　him　as　I　saw　him。　It's　only　making　one　more



acknowledgment　of　my　own　folly。〃







〃You　don't　mean　a　portrait　of　him！〃　Lady　Loring　exclaimed。







〃The　best　that　I　could　do　from　recollection；〃　Stella　answered



sadly。







〃Bring　it　here　directly！〃







Stella　left　the　room　and　returned　with　a　little　drawing　in



pencil。　The　instant　Lady　Loring　looked　at　it；　she　recognized



Romayne　and　started　excitedly　to　her　feet。







〃You　know　him！〃　cried　Stella。







Lady　Loring　had　placed　herself　in　an　awkward　position。　Her



husband　had　described　to　her　his　interview　with　Major　Hynd；　and



had　mentioned　his　project　for　bringing　Romayne　and　Stella



together；　after　first　exacting　a　promise　of　the　strictest　secrecy



from　his　wife。　She　felt　herself　bounddoubly　bound；　after　what



she　had　now　discoveredto　respect　the　confidence　placed　in　her；



and　this　at　the　time　when　she　had　betrayed　herself　to　Stella！



With　a　woman's　feline　fineness　of　perception；　in　all　cases　of



subterfuge　and　concealment；　she　picked　a　part　of　the　truth　out　of



the　whole；　and　answered　harmlessly　without　a　moment's　hesitation。







〃I　have　certainly　seen　him；〃　she　said〃probably　at　some　party。



But　I　see　so　many　people；　and　I　go　to　so　many　places；　that　I　must



ask　for　time　to　consult　my　memory。　My　husband　might　help　me；　if



you　don't　object　to　my　asking　him；〃　she　added　slyly。







Stella　snatched　the　drawing　away　from　her；　in　terror。　〃You　don't



mean　that　you　will　tell　Lord　Loring？〃　she　said。







〃My　dear　child！　how　can　you　be　so　foolish？　Can't　I　show　him　the



drawing　without　mentioning　who　it　was　done　by？　His　memory　is　a



much　better　one　than　mine。　If　I　say　to　him；　'Where　did　we　meet



that　man？'he　may　tell　me　at　oncehe　may　even　remember　the



name。　Of　course；　if　you　like　to　be　kept　in　suspense；　you　have



only　to　say　so。　It　rests　with　you　to　decide。〃







Poor　Stella　gave　way　directly。　She　returned　the　drawing；　and



affectionately　kissed　her　artful　friend。　Having　now　secured　the



means　of　consulting　her　husband　without　exciting　suspicion；　Lady



Loring　left　the　room。







At　that　time　in　the　morning；　Lord　Loring　was　generally　to　be



found　either　in　the　library　or　the　picture　gallery。　His　wife



tried　the　library　first。　On　entering　the　room；　she　found　but　one



person　in　itnot　the　person　of　whom　she　was　in　search。　There；



buttoned　up　in　his　long　frock　coat；　and　surrounded　by　books　of



all　sorts　and　sizes；　sat　the　plump　elderly　priest　who　had　been



the　especial　object　of　Major　Hynd's　aversion。







〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Father　Benwell；〃　said　Lady　Loring；　〃I　hope　I



don't　interrupt　your　studies？〃







Father　Benwell　rose　and　bowed　with　a　pleasant　paternal　smile。　〃I



am　only　trying　to　organize　an　improved　arrangement　of　the



library；〃　he　said；　simply。　〃Books　are　companionable



creaturesmembers；　as　it　were；　of　his　family；　to　a　lonely　old



priest　like　myself。　Can　I　be　of　any　service　to　your　ladyship？〃







〃Thank　you；　Father。　If　you　can　kindly　tell　me　where　Lord　Loring



is〃







〃To　be　sure！　His　lordship　was　here　five　minutes　sincehe　is　now



in　the　picture　gallery。　Pray　permit　me！〃







With　a　remarkably　light　and　easy　step　for　a　man　of　his　age　and



size；　he　advanced　to　the　further　end　of　the　library；　and　opened　a



door　which　led　into　the　gallery。







〃Lord　Loring　is　among　the　pictures；〃　he　announced。　〃And　alone。〃



He　laid　a　certain　emphasis　on　the　last　word；　which　might　or　might



not　（in　the　case　of　a　spiritual　director　of　the　household）　invite



a　word　of　explanation。







Lady　Loring　merely　said；　〃Just　what　I　wanted；　thank　you　once



more；　Father　Benwell〃and　passed　into　the　picture　gallery。







Left　by　himself　again　in　the　library；　the　priest　walked　slowly　to



and　fro；　thinking。　His　latent　power　and　resolution　began　to　show



themselves　darkly　in　his　face。　A　skilled　observer　would　now　have



seen　plainly　revealed　in　him　the　habit　of　command；　and　the



capacity　for　insisting　on　his　right　to　be　obeyed。　From　head　to



foot；　Father　Benwell　was　one　of　those　valuable　soldiers　of　the



Church　who　acknowledge　no　defeat；　and　who　improve　every　victory。







After　a　while；　he　returned　to　the　table　at　which　he　had　been



writing　when　Lady　Loring　entered　the　room。　An　unfinished　letter



lay　open　on　the　desk。　He　took　up　his　pen　and　completed　it　in



these　words：　〃I　have　therefore　decided　on　trusting　this　serious



matter　in　the　hands　of　Arthur　Penrose。　I　know　he　is　youngbut　we



have　to　set　against　the　drawback　of　his　youth；　the　counter…merits



of　his　incorruptible　honesty　and　his　true　religious　zeal。　No



better　man　is　just　now　within　my　reachand　there　is　n