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！
Romayne！this must not be。 I admire you； feel with you； and I
refuse。 On behalf of the Church； I say itI refuse the gift。〃
〃Wait a little； Father Benwell！ You don't know the state of my
affairs。 I don't deserve the admiration which you feel for me。
The loss of the Vange property will be no pecuniary loss； in my
case。 I have inherited a fortune from my aunt。 My income from
that source is far larger than my income from the Yorkshire
property。〃
〃Romayne； it must not be！〃
〃Pardon me； it must be。 I have more money than I can
spendwithout Vange。 And I have painful associations with the
house which disincline me ever to enter it again。〃
Even this confession failed to move Father Benwell。 He
obstinately crossed his arms； obstinately tapped his foot on the
floor。 〃No！〃 he said。 〃Plead as generously as you may； my answer
is； No。〃
Romayne only became more resolute on his side。 〃The property is
absolutely my own；〃 he persisted。 〃I am without a near relation
in the world。 I have no children。 My wife is already provided for
at my death； out of the fortune left me by my aunt。 It is
downright obstinacyforgive me for saying soto persist in your
refusal。〃
〃It is downright duty； Romayne。 If I gave way to you； I should be
the means of exposing the priesthood to the vilest
misinterpretation。 I should be deservedly reprimanded； and your
proposal of restitutionif you expressed it in writingwould；
without a moment's hesitation； be torn up。 If you have any regard
for me； drop the subject。〃
Romayne refused to yield； even to this unanswerable appeal。
〃Very well；〃 he said； 〃there is one document you can't tear up。
You can't interfere with my making another will。 I shall leave
the Vange property to the Church； and I shall appoint you one of
the trustees。 You can't object to that。〃
Father Benwell smiled sadly。
〃The law spares me the ungracious necessity of objecting； in this
case；〃 he answered。 〃My friend； you forget the Statutes of
Mortmain。 They positively forbid you to carry out the intention
which you have just expressed。〃
Romayne dismissed this appeal to the law irritably； by waving his
hand。 〃The Statutes of Mortmain；〃 he rejoined； 〃can't prevent my
bequeathing my property to an individual。 I shall leave Vange
Abbey to You。 Now； Father Benwell！ have I got the better of you
at last？〃
With Christian humility the Jesuit accepted the defeat； for which
he had paved the way from the outset of the interview。 A t the
same time； he shuffled all personal responsibility off his own
shoulders。 He had gained the victory for the Churchwithout （to
do him justice） thinking of himself。
〃Your generosity has conquered me；〃 he said。 〃But I must be
allowed to clear myself of even the suspicion of an interested
motive。 On the day when your will is executed； I shall write to
the General of our Order at Rome； leaving my inheritance to him。
This proceeding will be followed by a deed； in due form；
conveying the property to the Church。 You have no objection to my
taking that course？ No？ My dear Romayne； words are useless at
such a time as this。 My acts shall speak for me。 I am too
agitated to say more。 Let us talk of something elselet us have
some wine。〃
He filled the glasses； he offered more biscuits。he was really；
and even perceptibly； agitated by the victory that he had won。
But one last necessity now confronted himthe necessity of
placing a serious obstacle in the way of any future change of
purpose on the part of Romayne。 As to the choice of that
obstacle； Father Benwell's mind had been made up for some time
past。
〃What _was_ it I had to say to you？〃 he resumed 〃Surely； I was
speaking on the subject of your future life？〃
〃You are very kind； Father Benwell。 The subject has little
interest for me。 My future life is shaped outdomestic
retirement； ennobled by religious duties。〃
Still pacing the room； Father Benwell stopped at that reply； and
put his hand kindly on Romayne's shoulder。
〃We don't allow a good Catholic to drift into domestic
retirement； who is worthy of better things；〃 he said。 〃The
Church； Romayne wishes to make use of you。 I never flattered any
one in my life； but I may say before your face what I have said
behind your back。 A man of your strict sense of honorof your
intellectof your high aspirationsof your personal charm and
influenceis not a man whom we can allow to run to waste。 Open
your mind； my friend； fairly to me； and I will open my mind
fairly to you。 Let me set the example。 I say it with authority；
an enviable future is before you。〃
Romayne's pale cheeks flushed with excitement。 〃What future？〃 he
asked； eagerly。 〃Am I free to choose？ Must I remind you that a
man with a wife cannot think only of himself？〃
〃Suppose you were _not_ a man with a wife。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Romayne； I am trying to break my way through that inveterate
reserve which is one of the failings in your character。 Unless
you can prevail on yourself to tell me those secret thoughts；
those unexpressed regrets； which you can confide to no other man；
this conversation must come to an end。 Is there no yearning； in
your inmost soul； for anything beyond the position which you now
occupy？〃
There was。 a pause。 The flush on Romayne' s face faded away。 He
was silent。
〃You are not in the confessional；〃 Father Benwell reminded him；
with melancholy submission to circumstances。 〃You are under no
obligation to answer me。〃
Romayne roused himself。 He spoke in low； reluctant tones。 〃I am
afraid to answer you；〃 he said。
That apparently discouraging reply armed Father Benwell with the
absolute confidence of success which he had thus far failed to
feel。 He wound his way deeper and deeper into Romayne's mind；
with the delicate ingenuity of penetration； of which the practice
of years had made him master。
〃Perhaps I have failed to make myself clearly understood；〃 he
said。 〃I will try to put it more plainly。 You are no half…hearted
man； Romayne。 What you believe； you believe fervently。
Impressions are not dimly and slowly produced on _your_ mind。 As
the necessary result； your conversion being once accomplished；
your whole soul is given to the Faith that is in you。 Do I read
your character rightly？〃
〃So far as I know ityes。〃
Father Benwell went on。
〃Bear in mind what I have just said；〃 he resumed； 〃and you will
understand why I feel it my duty to press the question which you
have not answered yet。 You have found in the Catholic Faith the
peace of mind which you have failed to obtain by other means。 If
I had been dealing with an ordinary man； I should have expected
from the change no happier result than this。 But I ask You； has
that blessed influence taken no deeper and nobler hold on your
heart？ Can you truly say to me； 'I am content with what I have
gained； I wish for no more'？〃
〃I cannot truly say it；〃 Romayne answered。
The time had now come for speaking plainly。 Father Benwell no
longer advanced to his end under cover of a cloud of words。
〃A little while since；〃 he said； 〃you spoke of Penrose as of a
man whose lot in life you longed to share。 The career which has
associated him with an Indian mission is； as I told you； only
adapted to a man of his special character and special gifts。 But
the career which has carried him into the sacred ranks of the
priesthood is open to every man who feels the sense of divine
vocation； which has made Penrose one of Us。〃
〃No； Father Benwell！ Not open to every man。〃
〃I say； Yes！〃
〃It is not open to Me！〃
〃I say it is open to You。 And moreI enjoin； I command； you to
dismiss from your mind all merely human obstacles and
discouragements。 They are beneath the notice of a man who feels
himself called to the priesthood。 Give me your hand； Romayne！
Does your conscience tell you that you are that man？〃
Romayne started to his feet； shaken to the soul by the solemnity
of the appeal。
〃I can't dismiss the obstacles that surround me！〃 he cried；
passionately。 〃To a man in my position； your advice is absolutely
useless。 The ties that bind me are beyond the limit of a priest's
sympat