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winter residence in England？ Ah； this glorious country would be
too perfect if it possessed the delicious climate of Rome！〃
The wine and biscuits were brought in。 Father Benwell filled the
glasses and bowed cordially to his guest。
〃Nothing of this sort at The Retreat！〃 he said gayly。 〃Excellent
water； I am toldwhich is a luxury in its way； especially in
London。 Well； my dear Romayne； I must begin by making my
apologies。 You no doubt thought me a little abrupt in running
away with you from your retirement at a moment's notice？〃
〃I believed that you had good reasons； Fatherand that was
enough for me。〃
〃Thank youyou do me justiceit was in your best interests that
I acted。 There are men of phlegmatic temperament； over whom the
wise monotony of discipline at The Retreat exercises a wholesome
influenceI mean an influence which may be prolonged with
advantage。 You are not one of those persons。 Protracted seclusion
and monotony of life are morally and mentally unprofitable to a
man of your ardent disposition。 I abstained from mentioning these
reasons； at the time； out of a feeling of regard for our
excellent resident director； who believes unreservedly in the
institution over which he presides。 Very good！ The Retreat has
done all that it could usefully do in your case。 We must think
next of how to employ that mental activity which； rightly
developed； is one of the most valuable qualities that you
possess。 Let me ask； first； if you have in some degree recovered
your tranquillity？〃
〃I feel like a different man； Father Benwell。〃
〃That's right！ And your nervous sufferingsI don't ask what they
are； I only want to know if you experience a sense of relief？〃
〃A most welcome sense of relief；〃 Romayne answered； with a
revival of the enthusiasm of other days。 〃The complete change in
all my thoughts and convictions which I owe to you〃
〃And to dear Penrose；〃 Father Benwell interposed； with the prompt
sense of justice which no man could more becomingly assume。 〃We
must not forget Arthur。〃
〃Forget him？〃 Romayne repeated。 〃Not a day passes without my
thinking of him。 It is one of the happy results of the change in
me that my mind does not dwell bitterly on the loss of him now。 I
think of Penrose with admiration； as of one whose glorious life；
with all its dangers； I should like to share！〃
He spoke with a rising color and brightening eyes。 Already； the
absorbent capacity of the Roman Church had drawn to itself that
sympathetic side of his character which was also one of its
strongest sides。 Already； his love for Penrosehitherto inspired
by the virtues of the manhad narrowed its range to sympathy
with the trials and privileges of the priest。 Truly and deeply；
indeed； had the physician consulted； in bygone days； reasoned on
Romayne's case！ That 〃occurrence of some new and absorbing
influence in his life；〃 of which the doctor had spokenthat
〃working of some complete change in his habits of thought〃had
found its way to him at last； after the wife's simple devotion
had failed； through the subtler ministrations of the priest。
Some men； having Father Benwell's object in view； would have
taken instant advantage of the opening offered to them by
Romayne's unguarded enthusiasm。 The illustrious Jesuit held fast
by the wise maxim which forbade him to do anything in a hurry。
〃No；〃 he said； 〃your life must not be the life of our dear
friend。 The service on which the Church employs Penrose is not
the fit service for you。 You have other claims on us。〃
Romayne looked at his spiritual adviser with a momentary change
of expressiona relapse into the ironical bitterness of the past
time。
〃Have you forgotten that I am； and can be； only a layman？〃 he
asked。 〃What claims can I have； except the common claim of all
faithful members of the Church on the good offices of the
priesthood？〃 He paused for a moment； and continued with the
abruptness of a man struck by a new idea。 〃Yes！ I have perhaps
one small aim of my ownthe claim of being allowed to do my
duty。〃
〃In what respect； dear Romayne？〃
〃Surely you can guess？ I am a rich man； I have money lying idle；
which it is my duty （and my privilege） to devote to the charities
and necessities of the Church。 And； while I am speaking of this；
I must own that I am a little surprised at your having said
nothing to me on the subject。 You have never yet pointed out to
me the manner in which I might devote my money to the best and
noblest uses。 Was it forgetfulness on your part？〃
Father Benwell shook his head。 〃No；〃 he replied； 〃I can't
honestly say that。〃
〃Then you had a reason for your silence？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃May I not know it？〃
Father Benwell got up and walked to the fireplace。 Now there are
various methods of getting up and walking to a fireplace； and
they find their way to outward expression through the customary
means of look and manner。 We may feel cold； and may only want to
warm ourselves。 Or we may feel restless； and may need an excuse
for changing our position。 Or we may feel modestly confused； and
may be anxious to hide it。 Father Benwell； from head to foot；
expressed modest confusion； and polite anxiety to hide it。
〃My good friend；〃 he said； 〃I am afraid of hurting your
feelings。〃
Romayne was a sincere convert； but there were instincts still
left in him which resented this expression of regard； even when
it proceeded from a man whom he respected and admired。 〃You will
hurt my feelings；〃 he answered； a little sharply； 〃if you are not
plain with me。〃
〃Then I _will_ be plain with you；〃 Father Benwell rejoined。 〃The
Churchspeaking through me； as her unworthy interpreterfeels a
certain delicacy in approaching You on the subject of money。〃
〃Why？〃
Father Benwell left the fireplace without immediately answering。
He opened a drawer and took out of it a flat mahogany box。 His
gracious familiarity became transformed； by some mysterious
process of congelation； into a dignified formality of manner。 The
priest took the place of the man。
〃The Church； Mr。 Romayne； hesitates to receive； as benevolent
contributions； money derived from property of its own；
arbitrarily taken from it； and placed in a layman's hands。 No！〃
he cried； interrupting Romayne； who instantly understood the
allusion to Vange Abbey〃no！ I must beg you to hear me out。 I
state the case plainly； at your own request。 At the same time； I
am bound to admit that the lapse of centuries has； in the eye of
the law； sanctioned the deliberate act of robbery perpetrated by
Henry the Eighth。 You have lawfully inherited Vange Abbey from
your ancestors。 The Church is not unreasonable enough to assert a
merely moral right against the law of the country。 It may feel
the act of spoliationbut it submits。〃 He unlocked the flat
mahogany box； and gently dropped his dignity： the man took the
place of the priest。 〃As the master of Vange；〃 he said； you may
be interested in looking at a little historical curiosity which
we have preserved。 The title…deeds； dear Romayne； by which the
monks held your present property； in _their_ time。 Take another
glass of wine。〃
Romayne looked at the title…deeds； and laid them aside unread。
Father Benwell had roused his pride； his sense of justice； his
wild and lavish instincts of generosity。 He； who had always
despised moneyexcept when it assumed its only estimable
character； as a means for the attainment of merciful and noble
ends_he_ was in possession of property to which he had no moral
right： without even the poor excuse of associations which
attached him to the place。
〃I hope I have not offended you？〃 said Father Benwell。
〃You have made me ashamed of myself；〃 Romayne answered； warmly。
〃On the day when I became a Catholic； I ought to have remembered
Vange。 Better late than never。 I refuse to take shelter under the
lawI respect the moral right of the Church。 I will at once
restore the property which I have usurped。〃
Father Benwell took both Romayne's hands in his； and pressed them
fervently。
〃I am proud of you！〃 he said。 We shall all be proud of you； when
I write word to Rome of what has passed between us。 Butno；
Romayne！this must not be。 I admire yo