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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
sympathies。〃
〃Nothing is beyond the limit of a priest's sympathies。〃
〃Father Benwell； I am married！〃
Father Benwell folded his arms over his breastlooked with
immovable resolution straight in Romayne's faceand struck the
blow which he had been meditating for months past。
〃Rouse your courage；〃 he said sternly。 〃You are no more married
than I am。〃
CHAPTER IV。
ON THE ROAD TO ROME。
THERE was not a sound in the room。 Romayne stood； looking at the
priest
〃Did you hear what I said？〃 Father Benwell asked。
〃Yes。〃
〃Do you understand that I really mean what I said？〃
He made no replyhe waited； like a man expecting to hear more。
Father Benwell was alive to the vast importance； at such a
moment； of not shrinking from the responsibility which he had
assumed。 〃I see how I distress you；〃 he said； 〃but； for your
sake； I am bound to speak out。 Romayne！ the woman whom you have
married is the wife of another man。 Don't ask me how I know itI
do know it。 You shall have positive proof； as soon as you have
recovered。 Come！ rest a little in the easy…chair。〃
He took Romayne's arm； and led him to the chair； and made him
drink some wine。 They waited a while。 Romayne lifted his head；
with a heavy sigh。
〃The woman whom I have married is the wife of another man。〃 He
slowly repeated the words to himselfand then looked at Father
Benwell。
〃Who is the man？〃 he asked。
〃I introduced you to him； when I was as ignorant of the
circumstances as you are；〃 the priest answered。 〃The man is Mr。
Bernard Winterfield。〃
Romayne half raised himself from the chair。 A momentary anger
glittered in his eyes； and faded out again； extinguished by the
nobler emotions of grief and shame。 He remembered Winterfield's
introduction to Stella。
〃Her husband！〃 he said； speaking again to himself。 〃And she let
me introduce him to her。 And she received him like a stranger。〃
He paused； and thought of it。 〃The proofs； if you please； sir；〃
he resumed； with sudden humility。 〃I don't want to hear any
particulars。 It will be enough for me if I know beyond all doubt
that I have been deceived and disgraced。〃
Father Benwell unlocked his desk and placed two papers before
Romayne。 He did his duty with a grave indifference to all minor
considerations。 The time had not yet come for expressions of
sympathy and regret。
〃The first paper；〃 he said； 〃is a certified copy of the register
of the marriage of Miss Eyrecourt to Mr。 Winterfield； celebrated
（as you will see） by the English chaplain at Brussels； and
witnessed by three persons。 Look at the names。〃
The bride's mother was the first witness。 The two names t hat
followed were the names of Lord and Lady Loring。 〃_They_； too； in
the conspiracy to deceive me！〃 Romayne said； as he laid the paper
back on the table。
〃I obtained that piece of written evidence；〃 Father Benwell
proceeded； 〃by the help of a reverend colleague of mine； residing
at Brussels。 I will give you his name and address； if you wish to
make further inquiries。〃
〃Quite needless。 What is this other paper？〃
〃This other paper is an extract from the short…hand writer's
notes （suppressed in the reports of the public journals） of
proceedings in an English court of law； obtained at my request by
my lawyer in London。〃
〃What have I to do with it？〃
He put the question in a tone of passive enduranceresigned to
the severest moral martyrdom that could be inflicted on him。
〃I will answer you in two words；〃 said Father Benwell。 〃In
justice to Miss Eyrecourt； I am bound to produce her excuse for
marrying you。〃
Romayne looked at him in stern amazement。
〃Excuse！〃 he repeated。
〃Yesexcuse。 The proceedings to which I have alluded declare
Miss Eyrecourt's marriage to Mr。 Winterfield to be null and
voidby the English lawin consequence of his having been
married at the time to another woman。 Try to follow me。 I will
put it as briefly as possible。 In justice to yourself； and to
your future career； you must understand this revolting case
thoroughly； from beginning to end。〃
With those prefatory words； he told the story of Winterfield's
first marriage； altering nothing； concealing nothing； doing the
fullest justice to Winterfield's innocence of all evil motive；
from first to last。 When the plain truth served his purpose； as
it most assuredly did in this case； the man has never yet been
found who could match Father Benwell at stripping himself of
every vestige of reserve； and exhibiting his naked heart to the
moral admiration of mankind。
〃You were mortified； and I was surprised；〃 he went on； 〃when Mr。
Winterfield dropped his acquaintance with you。 We now know that
he acted like an honorable man。〃
He waited to see what effect he had produced。 Romayne was in no
state of mind to do justice to Winterfield or to any one。 His
pride was mortally wounded； his high sense of honor and delicacy
writhed under the outrage inflicted on it。
〃And mind this；〃 Father Benwell persisted； 〃poor human nature has
its right to all that can be justly conceded in the way of excuse
and allowance。 Miss Eyrecourt would naturally be advised by her
friends； would naturally be eager； on her own part； to keep
hidden from you what happened at Brussels。 A sensitive woman；
placed in a position so horribly false and degrading； must not be
too severely judged； even when she does wrong。 I am bound to say
thisand more。 Speaking from my own knowledge of all the
parties； I have no doubt that Miss Eyrecourt and Mr。 Winterfield
did really part at the church door。〃
Romayne answered by a lookso disdainfully expressive of the
most immovable unbelief that it absolutely justified the fatal
advice by which Stella's worldly…wise friends had encouraged her
to conceal the truth。 Father Benwell prudently closed his lips。
He had put the case with perfect fairnesshis bitterest enemy
could not have denied that。
Romayne took up the second paper； looked at it； and threw it back
again on the table with an expression of disgust。
〃You told me just now；〃 he said； 〃that I was married to the wife
of another man。 And there is the judge's decision； releasing Miss
Eyrecourt from her marriage to Mr。 Winterfield。 May I ask you to
explain yourself？〃
〃Certainly。 Let me first remind you that you owe religious
allegiance to the principles which the Church has asserted； for
centuries past； with all the authority of its divine institution。
You admit that？〃
〃I admit it。〃
〃Now； listen！ In _our_ church； Romayne； marriage is even more
than a religious institutionit is a sacrament。 We acknowledge
no human laws which profane that sacrament。 Take two examples of
what I say。 When the great Napoleon was at the height of his
power； Pius the Seventh refused to acknowledge the validity of
the Emperor's second marriage to Maria Louisawhile Josephine
was living； divorced by the French Senate。 Again； in the face of
the Royal Marriage Act； the Church sanctioned the marriage of
Mrs。 Fitzherbert to George the Fourth； and still declares； in
justice to her memory； that she was the king's lawful wife。 In
one word； marriage； to _be_ marriage at all； must be the object
of a purely religious celebrationand； this condition complied
with； marriage is only to be dissolved by death。 You remember
what I told you of Mr。 Winterfield？〃
〃Yes。 His first marriage took place before the registrar。〃
〃In plain English； Romayne； Mr。 Winterfield and the woman…rider
in the circus pronounced a formula of words before a layman in an
office。 That is not only no marriage； it is a blasphemous
profanation of a holy rite。 Acts of Parliament which sanction
such proceedings are acts of infidelity。 The Church declares it；
in defense of religion。〃
〃I understand you；〃 said Romayne。 〃Mr。 Winterfield's marriage at
Brussels〃
〃Which the English law；〃 Father Benwell interposed； 〃declares to
be annulled by the marriage before the registrar； stands good；
nevertheless； by the h