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readincluding the monstrous assumption which connected my
marriage before the registrar with her son…in…law's scruples。
〃Yes；〃 she proceeded； 〃these Catholics are all alike。 My
daughterI don't mean my sweet Stella； I mean the unnatural
creature in the nunnerysets herself above her own mother。 Did I
ever tell you she was impudent enough to say she would pray for
me？ Father Benwell and the Papal Aggression over again！ Now tell
me； Winterfield； don't you think； taking the circumstances into
considerationthat you will act like a thoroughly sensible man
if you go back to Devonshire while we are in our present
situation？ What with foot…warmers in the carriage； and newspapers
and magazines to amuse you； it isn't such a very long journey。
And then Beauparkdear Beauparkis such a remarkably
comfortable house in the winter； and you； you enviable creature；
are such a popular man in the neighborhood。 Oh； go back！ go
back！〃
I got up and took my hat。 She patted me on the shoulder。 I could
have throttled her at that moment。 And yet she was right。
〃You will make my excuses to Stella？〃 I said。
〃You dear； good fellow； I will do more than make your excuses； I
will sing your praisesas the poet says。〃 In her ungovernable
exultation at having got rid of me； she burst into extravagant
language。 〃I feel like a mother to you；〃 she went on； as we shook
hands at parting。 〃I declare I could almost let you kiss me。〃
There was not a single kissable place about Mrs。 Eyrecourt；
unpainted； undyed； or unpowdered。 I resisted temptation and
opened the door。 There was still one last request that I could
not help making。
〃Will you let me know；〃 I said； 〃when you hear from Rome？〃
〃With the greatest pleasure；〃 Mrs。 Eyrecourt answered； briskly。
〃Good…by； you best of friendsgood…by。〃
I write these lines while the servant is packing my portmanteau。
Traveler knows what that means。 My dog is glad； at any rate； to
get away from London。 I think I shall hire a yacht； and try what
a voyage round the world will do for me。 I wish to God I had
never seen Stella！
Second Extract。
Beaupark； February 10。News at last from Mrs。 Eyrecourt。
Romayne has not even read the letter that she addressed to
himit has actually been returned to her by Father Benwell。 Mrs。
Eyrecourt writes； naturally enough； in a state of fury。 Her one
consolation； under this insulting treatment； is that her daughter
knows nothing of the circumstances。 She warns me （quite
needlessly） to keep the secretand sends me a copy of Father
Benwell's letter：
〃Dear MadamMr。 Romayne can read nothing that diverts his
attention from his preparation for the priesthood； or that
recalls past associations with errors which he has renounced
forever。 When a letter reaches him； it is his wise custom to look
at the signature first。 He has handed your letter to me；
_unread_with a request that I will return it to you。 In his
presence； I instantly sealed it up。 Neither he nor I know； or
wish to know； on what subject you have addressed him。 We
respectfully advise you not to write again。〃
This is really too bad； but it has one advantage； so far as I am
concerned。 It sets my own unworthy doubts and jealousies before
me in a baser light than ever。 How honestly I defended Father
Benwell！ and how completely he has deceived me！ I wonder whether
I shall live long enough to see the Jesuit caught in one of his
own traps？
11th。I was disappointed at not hearing from Stella； yesterday。
This morning has made amends； it has brought me a letter from
her。
She is not well； and her mother's conduct sadly perplexes her。 At
one time； Mrs。 Eyrecourt's sense of injury urges her to indulge
in violent measuresshe is eager to place her deserted daughter
under the protection of the law； to insist on a restitution of
conjugal rights or on a judicial separation。 At another time she
sinks into a state of abject depression； declares that it is
impossible for her； in Stella's deplorable situation； to face
society； and recommends immediate retirement to some place on the
Contin ent in which they can live cheaply。 This latter suggestion
Stella is not only ready； but eager； to adopt。 She proves it by
asking for my advice； in a postscript； no doubt remembering the
happy days when I courted her in Paris； and the many foreign
friends of mine who called at our hotel。
The postscript gave me the excuse that I wanted。 I knew perfectly
well that it would be better for me not to see herand I went to
London； for the sole purpose of seeing her； by the first train。
London； February 12。I found mother and daughter together in the
drawing…room。 It was one of Mrs。 Eyrecourt's days of depression。
Her little twinkling eyes tried to cast on me a look of tragic
reproach； she shook her dyed head and said； 〃Oh。 Winterfield； I
didn't think you would have done this！Stella； fetch me my
smelling bottle。
But Stella refused to take the hint。 She almost brought the tears
into my eyes； she received me so kindly。 If her mother had not
been in the roombut her mother _was_ in the room； I had no
other choice than to enter on my business； as if I had been the
family lawyer
Mrs。 Eyrecourt began by reproving Stella for asking my advice；
and then assured me that she had no intention of leaving London。
〃How am I to get rid of my house？〃 she asked； irritably enough。 I
knew that 〃her house〃 （as she called it） was the furnished upper
part of a house belonging to another person； and that she could
leave it at a short notice。 But I said nothing。 I addressed
myself to Stella。
〃I have been thinking of two or three places which you might
like；〃 I went on。 〃The nearest place belongs to an old French
gentleman and his wife。 They have no children； and they don't let
lodgings； but I believe they would be glad to receive friends of
mine； if their spare rooms are not already occupied。 They live at
St。 Germainclose to Paris。〃
I looked at Mrs。 Eyrecourt as I said those last wordsI was as
sly as Father Benwell himself。 Paris justified my confidence： the
temptation was too much for her。 She not only gave way； but
actually mentioned the amount of rent which she could afford to
pay。 Stella whispered her thanks to me as I went out。 〃My name is
not mentioned； but my misfortune is alluded to in the
newspapers；〃 she said。 〃Well…meaning friends are calling and
condoling with me already。 I shall die； if you don't help me to
get away among strangers！〃
I start for Paris by the mail train； to…night。
Paris； February 13。It is evening。 I have just returned from St。
Germain。 Everything is settledwith more slyness on my part。 I
begin to think I am a born Jesuit； there must have been some
detestable sympathy between Father Benwell and me。
My good friends； Monsieur and Madame Villeray； will be only too
glad to receive English ladies； known to me for many years。 The
spacious and handsome first floor of their house （inherited from
once wealthy ancestors by Madame Villeray） can be got ready to
receive Mrs。 Eyrecourt and her daughter in a week's time。 Our one
difficulty related to the question of money。 Monsieur Villeray；
living on a Government pension； was modestly unwilling to ask
terms； and I was too absolutely ignorant of the subject to be of
the slightest assistance to him。 It ended in our appealing to a
house…agent at St。 Germain。 His estimate appeared to me to be
quite reasonable。 But it exceeded the pecuniary limit mentioned
by Mrs。 Eyrecourt。 I had known the Villerays long enough to be in
no danger of offending them by proposing a secret arrangement
which permitted me to pay the difference。 So that difficulty was
got over in due course of time。
We went into the large garden at the back of the house； and there
I committed another act of duplicity。
In a nice sheltered corner I discovered one of those essentially
French buildings called a 〃pavilion；〃 a delightful little toy
house of three rooms。 Another private arrangement made me the
tenant of this place。 Madame Villeray smiled。 〃I bet you；〃 she
said to me in her very best English； 〃one of these ladies is in
her fascinating first youth。〃 The good lady little knows what a
hopeless love affair mine is。 I must see Stella sometimesI ask；