proposed to remove the body to England, to be buried in the
family vault at Vange Abbey.

I had undertaken to give the necessary directions for the
funeral, on my arrival in London. Returning to the hotel, I met

Father Benwell in the street. I tried to pass on. He deliberately
stopped me.

"How is Mrs. Romayne?" he asked, with that infernal suavity which
he seems always to have at command. "Fairly well I hope? And the

boy? Ah, he little thought how he was changing his prospects for
the better, when he made that blaze in the fire! Pardon me, Mr.

Winterfield, you don't seem to be quite so cordial as usual.
Perhaps you are thinking of your inconsiderate assault on my

throat? Let us forgive and forget. Or, perhaps, you object to my
having converted poor Romayne, and to my being ready to accept

from him the restoration of the property of the Church. In both
cases I only did my duty as a priest. You are a liberal-minded

man. Surely I deserve a favorableconstruction of my conduct?"
I really could not endure this. "I have my own opinion of what

you deserve," I answered. "Don't provoke me to mention it."
He eyed me with a sinister smile.

"I am not so old as I look," he said; "I may live another twenty
years!"

"Well?" I asked.
"Well," he answered, "much may happen in twenty years!"

With that he left me. If he means any further mischief, I can
tell him this--he will find Me in his way.

To turn to a more pleasant subject. Reflecting on all that had
passed at my memorableinterview with Romayne, I felt some

surprise that one of the persons present had made no effort to
prevent the burning of the will. It was not to be expected of

Stella--or of the doctors, who had no interest in the matter--but
I was unable to understand the passive position maintained by the

lawyer. He enlightened my ignorance in two words.
"The Vange property and the Berrick property were both absolutely

at the disposal of Mr. Romayne," he said. "If he died without
leaving a will, he knew enough of the law to foresee that houses,

lands, and money would go to his 'nearest of kin.' In plainer
words, his widow and his son."

When Penrose can travel, he accompanies me to Beaupark. Stella
and her little son and Mrs. Eyrecourt will be the only other

guests in my house. Time must pass, and the boy will be older,
before I may remind Stella of Romayne's last wishes on that sad

morning when we two knelt on either side of him. In the
meanwhile, it is almost happiness enough for me to look forward

to the day--
NOTE.--The next leaf of the Diary is missing. By some accident, a

manuscript page has got into its place, bearing a later date, and
containing elaborate instructions for executing a design for a

wedding dress. The handwriting has since been acknowledged as her
own, by no less a person than--Mrs. Eyrecourt.

End

• arrival [ə´raivəl] n.到达；到达的人(物) (初中英语单词)
• pardon [´pɑ:dən] n.&vt.原谅；饶恕；赦免 (初中英语单词)
• assault [ə´sɔ:lt] vt.袭击；殴打 n.攻击 (初中英语单词)
• forgive [fə´giv] vt.原谅，谅解，宽恕 (初中英语单词)
• priest [pri:st] n.教士；牧师；神父 (初中英语单词)
• deserve [di´zə:v] v.应受；值得 (初中英语单词)
• favorable [´feivərəbəl] a.赞成的；顺利的 (初中英语单词)
• construction [kən´strʌkʃən] n.建设；修建；结构 (初中英语单词)
• endure [in´djuə] vt.忍耐，忍受；坚持 (初中英语单词)
• mischief [´mistʃif] n.伤害；故障；调皮 (初中英语单词)
• interview [´intəvju:] n.&vt.接见；会见；交谈 (初中英语单词)
• unable [ʌn´eibəl] a.不能的；无能为力的 (初中英语单词)
• passive [´pæsiv] a.被动的 n.被动性 (初中英语单词)
• ignorance [´ignərəns] n.无知，愚昧 (初中英语单词)
• remind [ri´maind] vt.提醒；使记(想)起 (初中英语单词)
• missing [´misiŋ] a.缺掉的；失踪的 (初中英语单词)
• elaborate [i´læbərət, -reit] a.精心设计的 (初中英语单词)
• handwriting [´hænd,raitiŋ] n.笔迹；书法 (初中英语单词)
• cordial [´kɔ:diəl] a.热忱的；亲切的 (高中英语单词)
• restoration [,restə´reiʃən] n.恢复；复辟；重建(物) (高中英语单词)
• provoke [prə´vəuk] vt.挑拨；煽动；引起 (高中英语单词)
• memorable [´memərəbəl] a.难忘的；重大的 (高中英语单词)
• disposal [di´spəuzəl] n.处理；支配 (高中英语单词)
• bearing [´beəriŋ] n.举止；忍耐；关系 (高中英语单词)
• sinister [´sinistə] a.阴险的；不吉的 (英语四级单词)
• foresee [fɔ:´si:] vt.预见，预知 (英语四级单词)
• infernal [in´fə:nəl] a.地狱的，恶魔似的 (英语六级单词)