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The Black Robe-Part49_WILKIE COLLINS (1824-1899)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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purchased by the United States. Here, in the valley of Santa



Cruz, the Jesuits had first attempted the conversion of the

Indian tribes two hundred years since, and had failed. Their



mission-house and chapel are now a heap of ruins, and the

ferocious Apache Indians keep the fertilevalley a solitude by



the mere terror of their name. To this ill-omened place Penrose

and his companions have made their daringpilgrimage; and they



are now risking their lives in the attempt to open the hearts of

these bloodthirsty savages to the influence of Christianity.



Nothing has been yet heard of them. At the best, no trustworthy

news is expected for months to come.



What will Stella say to this? Anyhow, I begin to understand her

interest in Penrose now. He is one of a company of heroes. I am



already anxious to hear more of him.

To-morrow will be a memorable day in my calendar. To-morrow I



leave Rome for St. Germain.

If any further information is to be gained for Mrs. Eyrecourt and



her daughter, I have made the necessary arrangements for

receiving it. The banker has promised to write to me, if there is



a change in Romayne's life and prospects. And my landlord will

take care that I hear of it, in the event of news reaching Rome



from the Mission at Arizona.

Sixth Extract.



St. Germain, March 14.--I arrived yesterday. Between the fatigue

of the journey and the pleasurable agitation caused by seeing



Stella again, I was unfit to make the customary entry in my diary

when I retired for the night.



She is more irresistibly beautiful than ever. Her figure (a

little too slender as I remember it) has filled out. Her lovely



face has lost its haggard, careworn look; her complexion has

recovered its delicacy; I see again in her eyes the pure serenity



of expression which first fascinated me, years since. It may be

due to the consoling influence of the child--assisted, perhaps,



by the lapse of time and the peaceful life which she now

leads--but this at least is certain, such a change for the better



I never could have imagined as the change I find in Stella after

a year's absence.



As for the baby, he is a bright, good-humored little fellow; and

he has one great merit in my estimation--he bears no resemblance



to his father. I saw his mother's features when I first took him

on my knee, and looked at his face, lifted to mine in grave



surprise. The baby and I are certain to get on well together.

Even Mrs. Eyrecourt seems to have improved in the French air, and



under the French diet. She has a better surface to lay the paint

on; her nimble tongue runs faster than ever; and she has so



completely recovered her good spirits, that Monsieur and Madame

Villeray declare she must have French blood in her veins. They



were all so unaffectedly glad to see me (Matilda included), that

it was really like returning to one's home. As for Traveler, I



must interfere (in the interests of his figure and his health) to

prevent everybody in the house from feeding him with every



eatable thing, from plain bread to _pate de foie gras._

My experience of to-day will, as Stella tells me, be my general



experience of the family life at St. Germain.

We begin the morning with the customary cup of coffee. At eleven



o'clock I am summoned from my "pavilion" of three rooms to one of

those delicious and artfully varied breakfasts which are only to



be found in France and in Scotland. An interval of about three

hours follows, during which the child takes his airing and his



siesta, and his elders occupy themselves as they please. At three

o'clock we all go out--with a pony chaise which carries the



weaker members of the household--for a ramble in the forest. At

six o'clock we assemble at the dinner-table. At coffee time, some






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