Catholic--"

Romayne's temper gave way once more.



"If anything can make me a Catholic," he said, "your interference

will do it. "



"Out of sheer perversity, dear Romayne?"

"Not at all, Mrs. Eyrecourt. If I became a Catholic, I might



escape from the society of ladies, in the refuge of a monastery."

Mrs. Eyrecourt hit him back again with the readiest dexterity.



"Remain a Protestant, my dear, and go to your club. There is a

refuge for you from the ladies--a monastery, with nice little



dinners, and all the newspapers and periodicals." Having launched

this shaft, she got up, and recovered her easy courtesy of look



and manner. "I am so much obliged to you, Father Benwell. I have

not offended you, I hope and trust?"



"You have done me a service, dear Mrs. Eyrecourt. But for your

salutory caution, I _might_ have drifted into controversial



subjects. I shall be on my guard now."

"How very good of you! We shall meet again, I hope, under more



agreeable circumstances. After that politeallusion to a

monastery, I understand that my visit to my son-in-law may as



well come to an end. Please don't forget five o'clock tea at my

house."



As she approached the door, it was opened from the outer side.

Her daughter met her half-way. "Why are you here, mamma?" Stella



asked.

"Why, indeed, my love! You had better leave the room with me. Our



amiable Romayne's present idea is to relieve himself of our

society by retiring to a monastery. Don't you see Father



Benwell?"

Stella coldly returned the priest's bow--and looked at Romayne.



She felt a vague forewarning of what had happened. Mrs. Eyrecourt

proceeded to enlighten her, as an appropriate expression of



gratitude. "We are indeed indebted to Father Benwell, my dear. He

has been most considerate and kind--"



Romayne interrupted her without ceremony. "Favor me," he said,

addressing his wife, "by inducing Mrs. Eyrecourt to continue her



narrative in some other room."

Stella was hardly conscious of what her mother or her husband had



said. She felt that the priest's eyes were on her. Under any

other circumstances, Father Benwell's good breeding and knowledge



of the world would have impelled him to take his departure. As

things were, he knew perfectly well that the more seriously



Romayne was annoyed, in his presence, the better his own private

interests would be served. Accordingly, he stood apart, silently



observant of Stella. In spite of Winterfield's reassuring reply

to her letter, Stella instinctively suspected and dreaded the



Jesuit. Under the spell of those watchful eyes she trembled

inwardly; her customary tact deserted her; she made an indirect



apology to the man whom she hated and feared.

"Whatever my mother may have said to you, Father Benwell, has



been without my knowledge."

Romayne attempted to speak, but Father Benwell was too quick for



him.

"Dear Mrs. Romayne, nothing has been said which needs any



disclaimer on your part."

"I should think not!" Mrs. Eyrecourt added. "Really, Stella, I



don't understand you. Why may I not say to Father Benwell what

you said to Mr. Penrose? You trusted Mr. Penrose as your friend.



I can tell you this--I am quite sure you may trust Father

Benwell."



Once more Romayne attempted to speak. And, once more, Father

Benwell was beforehand with him.



"May I hope," said the priest, with a finely ironical smile,

"that Mrs. Romayne agrees with her excellent mother?"



With all her fear of him, the exasperating influence of his tone

and his look was more than Stella could endure. Before she could



restrain them, the rash words flew out of her lips.

"I am not sufficiently well acquainted with you, Father Benwell,



to express an opinion."

• waiting [´weitiŋ] n.等候；伺候 (初中英语单词)


• gratefully [´greitfuli] ad.感激地 (初中英语单词)


• carriage [´kæridʒ] n.马车；客车；货运 (初中英语单词)


• relief [ri´li:f] n.救济；援救；减轻 (初中英语单词)


• miserable [´mizərəbəl] a.悲惨的；可怜的 (初中英语单词)


• silently [´sailəntli] ad.寂静地；沉默地 (初中英语单词)


• interval [´intəvəl] n.间隙；(工间)休息 (初中英语单词)


• blessing [´blesiŋ] n.祝福 (初中英语单词)


• spoken [´spəukən] speak的过去分词 (初中英语单词)


• invitation [,invi´teiʃən] n.邀请；请帖；吸引 (初中英语单词)


• priest [pri:st] n.教士；牧师；神父 (初中英语单词)


• confess [kən´fes] vt.供认；坦白；承认 (初中英语单词)


• persuade [pə´sweid] v.(被)说服；使相信 (初中英语单词)


• withdraw [wið´drɔ:] v.收回；撤销；撤退 (初中英语单词)


• mission [´miʃən] n.代表团；使馆vt.派遣 (初中英语单词)


• character [´kæriktə] n.特性；性质；人物；字 (初中英语单词)


• temper [´tempə] n.韧度 v.锻炼；调和 (初中英语单词)


• statue [´stætʃu:] n.塑像，雕像 (初中英语单词)


• gesture [´dʒestʃə] n.手势 v.打手势 (初中英语单词)


• strongly [´strɔŋli] ad.强烈地；强有力地 (初中英语单词)


• absence [´æbsəns] n.不在，缺席；缺乏 (初中英语单词)


• interrupt [,intə´rʌpt] v.中断；打扰 (初中英语单词)


• motive [´məutiv] n.动机；主题 a.运动的 (初中英语单词)


• catholic [´kæθəlik] a.天主教 n.天主教徒 (初中英语单词)


• deceive [di´si:v] vt.欺骗，欺诈 (初中英语单词)


• extraordinary [ik´strɔ:dinəri] a.非常的；额外的 (初中英语单词)


• worthy [´wə:ði] a.有价值的；值得的 (初中英语单词)


• modest [´mɔdist] a.谦虚的；朴素的 (初中英语单词)


• maiden [´meidn] n.少女 a.未婚的 (初中英语单词)


• ignorant [´ignərənt] a.无知的，愚昧的 (初中英语单词)


• lively [´laivli] a.活泼的；热烈的 (初中英语单词)


• imagination [i,mædʒi´neiʃən] n.想象(力) (初中英语单词)


• domestic [də´mestik] a.家庭的；本国的 (初中英语单词)


• oblige [ə´blaidʒ] vt.责成；迫使；使感激 (初中英语单词)


• unhappy [ʌn´hæpi] a.不幸的；不快乐的 (初中英语单词)


• furious [´fjuəriəs] a.狂怒的；猛烈的 (初中英语单词)


• prospect [´prɔspekt, prəs´pekt] n.景色；境界 v.勘察 (初中英语单词)


• refuge [´refju:dʒ] v.&n.避难(所)；庇护 (初中英语单词)


• polite [pə´lait] a.有礼貌的；温和的 (初中英语单词)


• relieve [ri´li:v] v.救济，援救；减轻 (初中英语单词)


• coldly [´kəuldli] ad.冷淡地 (初中英语单词)


• ceremony [´seriməni] n.典礼；礼仪；客气 (初中英语单词)


• conscious [´kɔnʃəs] a.意识的；自觉的 (初中英语单词)


• departure [di´pɑ:tʃə] n.离开，出发 (初中英语单词)


• accordingly [ə´kɔ:diŋli] ad.因此；从而；依照 (初中英语单词)


• endure [in´djuə] vt.忍耐，忍受；坚持 (初中英语单词)


• sufficiently [sə´fiʃəntli] ad.充分地，足够地 (初中英语单词)


• tenderness [´tendənis] n.娇嫩；柔软；温柔 (高中英语单词)


• outward [´autwəd] a.外面的 ad.向外 (高中英语单词)


• admirable [´ædmərəbəl] a.极佳的，值得赞美的 (高中英语单词)


• confession [kən´feʃən] n.招供；认错；交待 (高中英语单词)


• proceeding [prə´si:diŋ] n.程序；进程；行动 (高中英语单词)


• customary [´kʌstəməri] a.通常的；惯例的 (高中英语单词)


• learned [´lə:nid] a.有学问的，博学的 (高中英语单词)


• courteous [´kə:tiəs] a.有礼貌的；殷勤的 (高中英语单词)


• exhibition [eksi´biʃ(ə)n] n.展览；显示；表演 (高中英语单词)


• lament [lə´ment] v.哀悼 n.哀悼；恸哭 (高中英语单词)


• reverend [´revərənd] a.可尊敬的 (高中英语单词)


• sensitive [´sensitiv] a.敏感的；感光的 (高中英语单词)


• appeal [ə´pi:l] vi.&n.请求；呼吁；上诉 (高中英语单词)


• protestant [´prɔtistənt] a.新教的 n.新教徒 (高中英语单词)


• monastery [´mɔnəstri] n.修道院；庙宇 (高中英语单词)


• courtesy [´kə:tisi] n.礼貌；殷勤；好意 (高中英语单词)


• caution [´kɔ:ʃən] n.&vt.小心；告诫；警告 (高中英语单词)


• half-way [´hɑ:fwei] ad.半途；几乎 (高中英语单词)


• appropriate [ə´prəupri-it, ə´prəuprieit] a.适宜的 vt.私占；拨给 (高中英语单词)


• perfectly [´pə:fiktli] ad.理想地；完美地 (高中英语单词)


• finely [´fainli] ad.美好地；精细地 (高中英语单词)


• resolute [´rezəlu:t] a.坚决的；不屈不挠的 (英语四级单词)


• pedestal [´pedistl] n.垫座 vt.给…装上座 (英语四级单词)


• briskly [´briskli] ad.轻快地；活泼地 (英语四级单词)


• conversion [kən´və:ʃən] n.转化；变换；皈依 (英语四级单词)


• graciously [´greiʃəsli] ad.仁慈地，和蔼庄重地 (英语四级单词)


• moderation [,mɔdə´reiʃən] n.适度；温和；节制 (英语四级单词)


• comply [kəm´plai] vi.照做 (英语四级单词)


• allusion [ə´lu:ʒən] n.暗指；提及；引喻 (英语四级单词)


• enlighten [in´laitn] vt.启发，开导 (英语四级单词)


• breeding [´bri:diŋ] n.饲养，教养 (英语四级单词)


• instinctively [in´stiŋktivli] ad.本能地 (英语四级单词)


• watchful [´wɔtʃfəl] a.注意的；戒备的 (英语四级单词)


• beforehand [bi´fɔ:hænd] ad.事先；提前 (英语四级单词)


• impulsive [im´pʌlsiv] a.易冲动的 (英语六级单词)


• fireside [´faiəsaid] n.炉边；家；家庭生活 (英语六级单词)


• acknowledgment [ək´nɔlidʒmənt] n.承认；鸣谢 (英语六级单词)


• paternal [pə´tə:nl] a.(象)父亲的；父方的 (英语六级单词)


• malicious [mə´liʃəs] a.恶意的；预谋的 (英语六级单词)


• persuasive [pə´sweisiv] a.有说服力的 n.动机 (英语六级单词)


• insolent [´insələnt] a.傲慢的；无礼的 (英语六级单词)


• indebted [in´detid] a.负债的；感恩的 (英语六级单词)


• considerate [kən´sidərit] a.考虑周到的；体谅的 (英语六级单词)