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！
when they met on the deck of the steamboat； was again
visiblenot softened and chastened now by the touching
resignation of the bygone time； but intensified by the dogged and
despairing endurance of a man weary of himself and his life。 Her
heart ached for him。 She said； softly： 〃I don't mean to reproach
you。〃
〃Are you jealous of Penrose？〃 he asked； with a bitter smile。
She desperately told him the truth。 〃I am afraid of Penrose；〃 she
answered。
He eyed her with a strange expression of suspicious surprise。
〃Why are you afraid of Penrose？〃
It was no time to run the risk of irritating him。 The torment of
the Voice had returned in the past night。 The old gnawing remorse
of the fatal day of the duel had betrayed itself in the wild
words that had escaped him； when he sank into a broken slumber as
the morning dawned。 Feeling the truest pity for him； she was
still resolute to assert herself against the coming interference
of Penrose。 She tried her ground by a dangerous meansthe means
of an indirect reply。
〃I think you might have told me；〃 she said； 〃that Mr。 Penrose was
a Catholic priest。〃
He looked down again at his book。 〃How did you know Penrose was a
Catholic priest？〃
〃I had only to look at the direction on your letters to him。〃
〃Well； and what is there to frighten you in his being a priest？
You told me at the Loring's ball that you took an interest in
Penrose because I liked him。〃
〃I didn't know then； Lewis； that he had concealed his profession
from us。 I can't help distrusting a man who does that。〃
He laughednot very kindly。 〃You might as well say you distrust
a man who conceals that he is an author； by writing an anonymous
book。 What Penrose did； he did under orders from his
superiorand； moreover； he frankly owned to me that he was a
priest。 If you blame anybody； you had better blame me for
respecting his confidence。〃
She drew back from him； hurt by the tone in which he spoke to
her。 〃I remember the time； Lewis；〃 she said； 〃when you would have
been more indulgent toward my errorseven if I am wrong。〃
That simple appeal touched his better nature。 〃I don't mean to be
hard on you； Stella；〃 he answered。 〃It is a little irritating to
hear you say that you distrust the most devoted and most
affectionate friend that man ever had。 Why can't I love my wife；
and love my friend； too？ You don't know； when I am trying to get
on with my book； how I miss the help and sympathy of Penrose。 The
very sound of his voice used to encourage me。 Come； Stella； give
me a kissand let us； as the children say； make it up！〃
He rose from his writing…table。 She met him more than half way；
and pressed all her loveand perhaps a little of her fearon
his lips。 He returned the kiss as warmly as it was given； and
then； unhappily for both of them； he went back to the subject。
〃My own love；〃 he said； 〃try to like my friend for my sake； and
be tolerant of other forms of Christianity besides the form which
happens to be yours。〃
Her smiling lips closed； she turned from him。 With the sensitive
selfishness of a woman's love； she looked on Penrose as a robber
who had stolen the sympathies which should have been wholly hers。
As she moved away； her quick observation noticed the open book on
the desk； with notes and lines in pencil on the margin of the
page。 What had Romayne been reading which interested him in
_that_ way？ If he had remained silent； she would have addressed
the inquiry to him openly。 But he was hurt on his side by the
sudden manner of her withdrawal from him。 He spokeand his tone
was colder than ever。
〃I won't attempt to combat your prejudices；〃 he said。 〃But one
thing I must seriously ask of you。 When my friend Penrose comes
here to…morrow； don't treat him as you treated Mr。 Winterfield。〃
There was a momentary paleness in her face which looked like
fear； but it passed away again。 She confronted him firmly with
steady eyes。
〃Why do you refer again to that？〃 she asked。 〃Is〃 （she
hesitated and recovered herself）〃Is Mr。 Winterfield another
devoted friend of yours？〃
He walked to the door； as if he could hardly trust his temper if
he answered herstoppedand； thinking better of it； turned
toward her again。
〃We won't quarrel； Stella；〃 he rejoined； 〃I will only say I am
sorry you don't appreciate my forbearance。 Your reception of Mr。
Winterfield has lost me the friendship of a man whom I sincerely
liked； and who might have assisted my literary labors。 You were
ill at the time； and anxious about Mrs。 Eyrecourt。 I respected
your devotion to your mother。 I remembered your telling me； when
you first went away to nurse her； that your conscience accused
you of having sometimes thoughtlessly neglected your mother in
her days of health and good spirits； and I admired the motive of
atonement which took you to her bedside。 For those reasons I
shrank from saying a word that might wound you。 But； because I
was silent； it is not the less true that you surprised and
disappointed me。 Don't do it again！ Whatever you may privately
think of Catholic priests； I once more seriously request you not
to let Penrose see it。〃
He left the room。
She stood； looking after him as he closed the door； like a woman
thunderstruck。 Never yet had he looked at her as he looked when
he spoke his last warning words。 With a heavy sigh she roused
herself。 The vague dread with which his tone rather than his
words had inspired her； strangely associated itself with the
momentary curiosity which she had felt on noticing the annotated
book that lay on his desk。
She snatched up the volume and looked at the open page。 It
contained the closing paragraphs of an eloquent attack on
Protestantism； from the Roman Catholic point of view。 With
trembling hands she turned back to the title…page。 It presented
this written inscription： 〃To Lewis Romayne from his attached
friend and servant； Arthur Penrose。〃
〃God help me！〃 she said to herself； 〃the priest has got between
us already！〃
CHAPTER II。
A CHRISTIAN JESUIT。
ON the next day Penrose arrived on his visit to Romayne。
The affectionate meeting between the two men tested Stella's
self…control as it had never been tried yet。 She submitted to the
ordeal with the courage of a woman whose happiness depended on
her outward graciousness of manner toward her husband's friend。
Her reception of Penrose； viewed as an act of refined courtesy；
was beyond reproach。 When she found her opportunity of leaving
the room； Romayne gratefully opened the door for her。 〃Thank
you！〃 he whispered； with a look which was intended to reward her。
She only bowed to him； and took refuge in her own room。
Even in trifles； a woman's nature is degraded by the falsities of
language and manner which the artificial condition of modern
society exacts from her。 When she yields herself to more serious
deceptions； intended to protect her dearest domestic interests；
the mischief is increased in proportion。 Deceit； which is the
natural weapon of defense used by the weak creature against the
strong； then ceases to be confined within the limits assigned by
the sense of self…respect and by the restraints of education。 A
woman in this position will descend； self… blinded； to acts of
meanness which would be revolting to her if they were related of
another person。
Stella had already begun the process of self…degradation by
writing secretly to Winterfield。 It was only to warn him of the
danger of trusting Father Benwellbut it was a letter； claiming
him as her accomplice in an act of deception。 That morning she
had received Penrose with the outward cordialities of welcome
which are offered to an old and dear friend。 And now； in the safe
solitude of her room； she had fallen to a lower depth still。 She
was deliberately considering the safest means of acquainting
herself with the confidential conversation which Romayne and
Penrose would certainly hold when she left them together。 〃He
will try to set my husband against me； and I have a right to know
what means he uses； in my own defense。〃 With that thought she
reconciled herself to an action which she would have despised if
she had heard of it as the action of another woma