按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
impossible to mistake。 〃Do you like music； mademoiselle？〃 he
asked； gently。 Stella asked him to play his little vaudeville air
again。 He proudly complied with the request。 His sister seemed to
resent the presence of a stranger。 〃The work is at a standstill；〃
she saidand passed into the front room。 Her mother followed her
as far as the door； to give her some necessary directions。 Stella
seized her opportunity。 She put the bank…notes into the pocket of
the boy's jacket； and whispered to him： 〃Give them to your mother
when I have gone away。〃 Under those circumstances； she felt sure
that Madame Marillac would yield to the temptation。 She could
resist muchbut she could not resist her son。
The boy nodded； to show that he understood her。 The moment after。
he laid down his flageolet with an expression of surprise。
〃You are trembling！〃 he said。 〃Are you frightened？〃
She _was_ frightened。 The mere sense of touching him had made her
shudder。 Did she feel a vague presentiment of some evil to come
from that momentary association with him？
Madame Marillac； turning away again from her daughter； noticed
Stella's agitation。 〃Surely； my poor boy doesn't alarm you？〃 she
said。 Before Stella could answer； some one outside knocked at the
door。 Lady Loring's servant appeared； charged with a
carefully…worded message。 〃If you please； miss； a friend is
waiting for you below。〃 Any excuse for departure was welcome to
Stella at that moment。 She promised to call at the house again in
a few days。 Madame Marillac kissed her on the forehead as she
took leave。 Her nerves were still shaken by that momentary
contact with the boy。 Descending the stairs； she trembled so that
she was obliged to hold by the servant's arm。 She was not
naturally timid。 What did it mean？
Lady Loring's carriage was waiting at the entrance of the street；
with all the children in the neighborhood assembled to admire it。
She impulsively forestalled the servant in opening the carriage
door。 〃Come in！〃 she cried。 〃Oh； Stella； you don't know how you
have frightened me！ Good heavens； you look frightened yourself！
From what wretches have I rescued you？ Take my smelling bottle；
and tell me all about it。〃
The fresh air； and the reassuring presence of her old friend；
revived Stella。 She was able to describe her interview with the
General's family； and to answer the inevitable inquiries which
the narrative called forth。 Lady Loring's last question was the
most important of the series： 〃What are you going to do about
Romayne？〃
〃I am going to write to him the moment we get home。〃
The answer seemed to alarm Lady Loring。 〃You won't betray me？〃
she said。
〃What do you mean？〃
〃You won't let Romayne discover that I have told you about the
duel？〃
〃Certainly not。 You shall see my letter before I send it to be
forwarded。〃
Tranquilized so far； Lady Loring bethought herself next of Major
Hynd。 〃Can we tell him what you have done？〃 her ladyship asked。
〃Of course we can tell him；〃 Stella replied。 〃I shall conceal
nothing from Lord Loring； and I shall beg your good husband to
write to the Major。 He need only say that I have made the
necessary inquiries； after being informed of the circumstances by
you； and that I have communicated the favorable result to Mr。
Romayne。〃
〃It's easy enough to write the letter； my dear。 But it's not so
easy to say what Major Hynd may think of you。〃
〃Does it matter to me what Major Hynd thinks？〃
Lady Loring looked at Stella with a malicious smile。 〃Are you
equally indifferent；〃 she said； 〃to what Romayne's opinion of
your conduct may be？〃
Stella's color rose。 〃Try to be serious； Adelaide； when you speak
to me of Romayne；〃 she answered； gravely。 〃His good opinion of me
is the breath of my life。〃
An hour later； the important letter to Romayne was written。
Stella scrupulously informed him of all that had happenedwith
two necessary omissions。 In the first place； nothing was said of
the widow's reference to her son's death； and of the effect
produced by it on his younger brother。 The boy was simply
described as being of weak intellect； and as requiring to be kept
under competent control。 In the second place； Romayne was left to
infer that ordinary motives of benevolence were the only motives；
on his part； known to Miss Eyrecourt。
The letter ended in these lines：
〃If I have taken an undue liberty in venturing； unasked； to
appear as your representative； I can only plead that I meant
well。 It seemed to me to be hard on these poor people； and not
just to you in your absence； to interpose any needless delays in
carrying out those kind intentions of yours； which had no doubt
been properly considered beforehand。 In forming your opinion of
my conduct； pray remember that I have been careful not to com
promise you in any way。 You are only known to Madame Marillac as
a compassionate person who offers to help her； and who wishes to
give that help anonymously。 If； notwithstanding this； you
disapprove of what I have done； I must not conceal that it will
grieve and humiliate meI have been so eager to be of use to
you； when others appeared to hesitate。 I must find my consolation
in remembering that I have become acquainted with one of the
sweetest and noblest of women； and that I have helped to preserve
her afflicted son from dangers in the future which I cannot
presume to estimate。 You will complete what I have only begun。 Be
forbearing and kind to me if I have innocently offended in this
matterand I shall gratefully remember the day when I took it on
myself to be Mr。 Romayne's almoner。〃
Lady Loring read these concluding sentences twice over。
〃I think the end of your letter will have its effect on him；〃 she
said。
〃If it brings me a kind letter in reply；〃 Stella answered； 〃it
will have all the effect I hope for。〃
〃If it does anything；〃 Lady Loring rejoined； 〃it will do more
than that。〃
〃What more can it do？〃
〃My dear； it can bring Romayne back to you。 〃
Those hopeful words seemed rather to startle Stella than to
encourage her。
〃Bring him back to me？〃 she repeated 〃Oh； Adelaide； I wish I
could think as you do！〃
〃Send the letter to the post；〃 said Lady Loring； 〃and we shall
see。〃
CHAPTER XIII
FATHER BENWELL'S CORRESPONDENCE。
I。
_Arthur Penrose to Father Benwell。_
REVEREND AND DEAR FATHERWhen I last had the honor of seeing
you； I received your instructions to report； by letter； the
result of my conversations on religion with Mr。 Romayne。
As events have turned out； it is needless to occupy your time by
dwelling at any length on this subject； in writing。 Mr。 Romayne
has been strongly impressed by the excellent books which I have
introduced to his notice。 He raises certain objections； which I
have done my best to meet； and he promises to consider my
arguments with his closest attention； in the time to come。 I am
happier in the hope of restoring his mental tranquillityin
other and worthier words； of effecting his conversionthan I can
tell you in any words of mine。 I respect and admire； I may almost
say I love； Mr。 Romayne。
The details which are wanting in this brief report of progress I
shall have the privilege of personally relating to you。 Mr。
Romayne no longer desires to conceal himself from his friends。 He
received a letter this morning which has changed all his plans；
and has decided him on immediately returning to London。 I am not
acquainted with the contents of the letter； or with the name of
the writer； but I am pleased； for Mr。 Romayne's sake； to see that
the reading of it has made him happy。
By to…morrow evening I hope to present my respects to you。
II。
_Mr。 Bitrake to Father Benwell。_
SIRThe inquiries which I have instituted at your request have
proved successful in one respect。
I am in a position to tell you that events in Mr。 Winterfield's
life have unquestionably connected him with the young lady named
Miss Stella Eyrecourt。
The attendant circumstances； however； are not so easy to
discover。 Judging by the careful report of the person whom I
employ； the