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There the subject dropped。 We were silent for a while。 She was
thinking； and I was looking at her。 On a sudden； she raised her
head。 Her eyes rested on me gravely。
〃It is very strange！〃 she said
〃What is strange？〃
〃I have been thinking of the Lorings。 They encouraged me to doubt
you。 They advised me to be silent about what happened at
Brussels。 And they too are concerned in my husband's desertion of
me。 He first met Father Benwell at their house。〃 Her head drooped
again； her next words were murmured to herself。 〃I am still a
young woman；〃 she said。 〃Oh； God； what is my future to be？〃
This morbid way of thinking distressed me。 I reminded her that
she had dear and devoted friends。
〃Not one；〃 she answered； 〃but you。〃
〃Have you not seen Lady Loring？〃 I asked。
〃She and her husband have written most kindly； inviting me to
make their house my home。 I have no right to blame themthey
meant well。 But after what has happened； I can't go back to
them。〃
〃I am sorry to hear it；〃 I said。
〃Are you thinking of the Lorings？〃 she asked。
〃I don't even know the Lorings。 I can think of nobody but you。〃
I was still looking at herand I am afraid my eyes said more
than my words。 If she had doubted it before； she must have now
known that I was as fond of her as ever。 She looked distressed
rather than confused。 I made an awkward attempt to set myself
right。
〃Surely your brother may speak plainly；〃 I pleaded。
She agreed to this。 But nevertheless she rose to gowith a
friendly word； intended （as I hoped） to show me that I had got my
pardon for that time。 〃Will you come and see us to…morrow？〃 she
said。 〃Can you forgive my mother as generously as you have
forgiven me？ I will take care； Bernard； that she does you justice
at last。〃
She held out her hand to take leave。 How could I reply？ If I had
been a resolute man； I might have remembered that it would be
best for me not to see too much of her。 But I am a poor weak
creatureI accepted her invitation for the next day。
January 30。I have just returned from my visit。
My thoughts are in a state of indescribable conflict and
confusionand her mother is the cause of it。 I wish I had not
gone to the house。 Am I a bad man； I wonder？ and have I only
found it out now？
Mrs。 Eyrecourt was alone in the drawing…room when I went in。
Judging by the easy manner in which she got up to receive me； the
misfortune that has befallen her daughter seemed to have produced
no sobering change in this frivolous woman。
〃My dear Winterfield；〃 she began； 〃I have behaved infamously。 I
won't say that appearances were against you at BrusselsI will
only say I ought not to have trusted to appearances。 You are the
injured person； please forgive me。 Shall we go on with the
subject？ or shall we shake hands； and say no more about it？〃
I shook hands； of course。 Mrs。 Eyrecourt perceived that I was
looking for Stella。
〃Sit down；〃 she said； 〃and be good enough to put up with no more
attractive society than mine。 Unless I set things straight； my
good friend； you and my daughteroh； with the best
intentions！will drift into a false position。 You won't see
Stella to…day。 Quite impossibleand I will tell you why。 I am
the worldly old mother； I don't mind what I say。 My innocent
daughter would die before she would confess what I am going to
tell you。 Can I offer you anything？ Have you had lunch？〃
I begged her to continue。 She perplexedI am not sure that she
did not even alarm me。
〃Very well；〃 she proceeded。 〃You may be surprised to hear itbut
I don't mean to allow things to go on in this way。 My
contemptible son…in…law shall return to his wife。〃
This startled me； and I suppose I showed it。
〃Wait a little；〃 said Mrs。 Eyrecourt。 〃There is nothing to be
alarmed about。 Romayne is a weak fool； and Father Benwell's
greedy hands are （of course） in both his pockets。 But he has；
unless I am e ntirely mistaken； some small sense of shame； and
some little human feeling still left。 After the manner in which
he has behaved； these are the merest possibilities； you will say。
Very likely。 I have boldly appealed to those possibilities
nevertheless。 He has already gone away to Rome； and I need hardly
addFather Benwell would take good care of thathe has left us
no address。 It doesn't in the least matter。 One of the advantages
of being so much in society as I am is that I have nice
acquaintances everywhere； always ready to oblige me； provided I
don't borrow money of them。 I have written to Romayne； under
cover to one of my friends living in Rome。 Wherever he may be；
there my letter will find him。〃
So far； I listened quietly enough； naturally supposing that Mrs。
Eyrecourt trusted to her own arguments and persuasions。 I confess
it even to myself； with shame。 It was a relief to me to feel that
the chances （with such a fanatic as Romayne） were a hundred to
one against her。
This unworthy way of thinking was instantly checked by Mrs。
Eyrecourt's next words。
〃Don't suppose that I am foolish enough to attempt to reason with
him；〃 she went on。 〃My letter begins and ends on the first page。
His wife has a claim on him； which no newly…married man can
resist。 Let me do him justice。 He knew nothing of it before he
went away。 My lettermy daughter has no suspicion that I have
written ittells him plainly what the claim is。〃
She paused。 Her eyes softened； her voice sank lowshe became
quite unlike the Mrs。 Eyrecourt whom I knew。
〃In a few months more； Winterfield；〃 she said； 〃my poor Stella
will be a mother。 My letter calls Romayne back to his wife_and
his child。〃_
Mrs。 Eyrecourt paused； evidently expecting me to offer an opinion
of some sort。 For the moment I was really unable to speak。
Stella's mother never had a very high opinion of my abilities。
She now appeared to consider me the stupidest person in the
circle of her acquaintance。
〃Are you a little deaf； Winterfield？〃 she asked。
〃Not that I know of。〃
〃Do you understand me？〃
〃Oh； yes。〃
〃Then why can't you say something？ I want a man's opinion of our
prospects。 Good gracious； how you fidget！ Put yourself in
Romayne's place； and tell me this。 If _you_ had left Stella〃
〃I should never have left her； Mrs。 Eyrecourt。〃
〃Be quiet。 You don't know what you would have done。 I insist on
your supposing yourself to be a weak； superstitious； conceited；
fanatical fool。 You understand？ Now； tell me； then。 Could you
keep away from your wife； when you were called back to her in the
name of your firstborn child？ Could you resist that？〃
〃Most assuredly not！〃
I contrived to reply with an appearance of tranquillity。 It was
not very easy to speak with composure。 Envious； selfish；
contemptibleno language is too strong to describe the turn my
thoughts now took。 I never hated any human being as I hated
Romayne at that moment。
〃Damn him； he will come back！〃 There was my inmost feeling
expressed in words。
In the meantime； Mrs。 Eyrecourt was satisfied。
She dashed at the next subject as fluent and as confident as
ever。
〃Now； Winterfield； it is surely plain to your mind that you must
not see Stella againexcept when I am present to tie the tongue
of scandal。 My daughter's conduct must not allow her husbandif
you only knew how I detest that man！must not； I say； allow her
husband the slightest excuse for keeping away from her。 If we
give that odious old Jesuit the chance； he will make a priest of
Romayne before we know where we are。 The audacity of these
Papists is really beyond belief。 You remember how they made
Bishops and Archbishops here； in flat defiance of our laws？
Father Benwell follows that example； and sets our other laws at
defianceI mean our marriage laws。 I am so indignant I can't
express myself as clearly as usual。 Did Stella tell you that he
actually shook Romayne's belief in his own marriage？ Ah； I
understandshe kept that to herself； poor dear； and with good
reason； too。 〃
I thought of the turned…down page in the letter。 Mrs。 Eyrecourt
readily revealed what her daughter's delicacy had forbidden me to
readincluding the monstrous assump