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The Black Robe-Part10_WILKIE COLLINS (1824-1899)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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dangerous as well."

"Dangerous! In what way?"



"This is for your private ear, Arthur. She is in love with

Romayne. Wait a minute! And Lady Loring--unless I am entirely



mistaken in what I observed--knows it and favors it. The

beautiful Stella may be the destruction of all our hopes, unless



we keep Romayne out of her way."

These words were whispered with an earnestness and agitation



which surprised Penrose. His superior's equanimity was not easily

overthrown. "Are you sure, Father, of what you say?" he asked.



"I am quite sure--or I should not have spoken."

"Do you think Mr. Romayne returns the feeling?"



"Not yet, luckily. You must use your first friendly influence

over him--what is her name? Her surname, I mean."



"Eyrecourt. Miss Stella Eyrecourt."

"Very well. You must use your influence (when you are quite sure



that it _is_ an influence) to keep Mr. Romayne away from Miss

Eyrecourt."



Penrose looked embarrassed. "I am afraid I should hardly know how

to do that," he said "But I should naturally, as his assistant,



encourage him to keep to his studies."

Whatever Arthur's superior might privately think of Arthur's



reply, he received it with outwardindulgence. "That will come to

the same thing," he said. "Besides, when I get the information I



want--this is strictly between ourselves--I may be of some use in

placing obstacles in the lady's way."



Penrose started. "Information!" he repeated. "What information?"

"Tell me something before I answer you," said Father Benwell.



"How old do you take Miss Eyrecourt to be?"

"I am not a good judge in such matters. Between twenty and



twenty-five, perhaps?"

"We will take her age at that estimate, Arthur. In former years,



I have had opportunities of studying women's characters in the

confessional. Can you guess what my experience tells me of Miss



Eyrecourt?"

"No, indeed!"



"A lady is not in love for the first time when she is between

twenty and twenty-five years old--that is my experience," said



Father Benwell. "If I can find a person capable of informing me,

I may make some valuable discoveries in the earlier history of



Miss Eyrecourt's life. No more, now. We had better return to our

friends."



CHAPTER V.

FATHER BENWELL MISSES.



THE group before the picture which had been the subject of

dispute was broken up. In one part of the gallery, Lady Loring



and Stella were whispering together on a sofa. In another part,

Lord Loring was speakingprivately to Romayne.



"Do you think you will like Mr. Penrose?" his lordship asked.

"Yes--so far as I can tell at present. He seems to be modest and



intelligent."

"You are looking ill, my dear Romayne. Have you again heard the



voice that haunts you?"

Romayne answered with evidentreluctance. "I don't know why," he



said--"but the dread of hearing it again has oppressed me all

this morning. To tell you the truth, I came here in the hope that



the change might relieve me."

"Has it done so?"



"Yes--thus far."

"Doesn't that suggest, my friend, that a greater change might be



of use to you?"

"Don't ask me about it, Loring! I can go through my ordeal--but I



hate speaking of it."

"Let us speak of something else then," said Lord Loring. "What do



you think of Miss Eyrecourt?"

"A very striking face; full of expression and character. Leonardo



would have painted a noble portrait of her. But there is

something in her manner--" He stopped, unwilling or unable to



finish the sentence.




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