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！
civilization of Europe！ I shall begin by letting my beard grow。
Fifth Extract。
Civita Vecchia； February 28； 1863。Back again on the coast of
Italyafter an absence； at sea and ashore； of nine months！
What have my travels done for me？ They have made me browner and
thinner； they have given me a more patient mind； and a taste for
mild tobacco。 Have they helped me to forget Stella？ Not the least
in the worldI am more eager than ever to see her again。 When I
look back at my diary I am really ashamed of my own fretfulness
and impatience。 What miserable vanity on my part to expect her to
think of me； when she was absorbed in the first cares and joys of
maternity； especially sacred to her； poor soul； as the one
consolation of her melancholy life！ I withdraw all that I wrote
about herand from the bottom of my heart I forgive the baby。
Rome； March 1。I have found my letters waiting for me at the
office of my banker。
The latest news from St。 Germain is all that I could wish。 In
acknowledging the receipt of my last letter from Cairo （I broke
my rash vow of silence when we got into port； after leaving
Naples） Stella sends me the long desired invitation。 〃Pray take
care to return to us； dear Bernard； before the first anniversary
of my boy's birthday； on the twenty…seventh of March。〃 After
those words she need feel no apprehension of my being late at my
appointment。 Travelerthe dog has well merited his name by this
timewill have to bid good…by to the yacht （which he loves）； and
journey homeward by the railway （which he hates）。 No more risk of
storms and delays for me。 Good…by to the sea for one while。
I have sent the news of my safe return from the East； by
telegraph。 But I must not be in too great a hurry to leave Rome；
or I shall commit a serious errorI shall disappoint Stella's
mother。
Mrs。 Eyrecourt writes to me earnestly； requesting； if I return by
way of Italy； that I will get her some information about Romayne。
She is eager to know whether they have made him a priest yet。 I
am also to discover； if I can； what are his prospectswhether he
is as miserable as he deserves to bewhether he has been
disappointed in his expectations； and is likely to be brought
back to his senses in that wayand； above all； whether Father
Benwell is still at Rome with him。 My idea is that Mrs。 Eyrecourt
has not given up her design of making Romayne acquainted with the
birth of his son。
The right person to apply to for information is evidently my
banker。 He has been a resident in Rome for twenty yearsbut he
is too busy a man to be approached； by an idler like myself； in
business hours。 I have asked him to dine with me to…morrow。
March 2。My guest has just left me。 I am afraid Mrs。 Eyrecourt
will be sadly disappointed when she hears what I have to tell her
The moment I mentioned Romayne's name； the banker looked at me
with an expression of surprise。 〃'The man most talked about in
Rome；〃 he said； 〃I wonder you have not heard of him already。〃
〃Is he a priest？〃
〃Certainly！ And； what is more； the ordinary preparations for the
priesthood were expressly shortened by high authority on his
account。 The Pope takes the greatest interest in him； and as for
the people； the Italians have already nicknamed him 'the young
cardinal。' Don't suppose； as some of our countrymen do； that he
is indebted to his wealth for the high position which he has
already attained。 His wealth is only one of the minor influences
in his favor。 The truth is； he unites in himself two opposite
qualities； both of the greatest value to the Church； which are
very rarely found combined in the same man。 He has already made a
popular reputation here； as a most eloquent and convincing
preacher〃
〃A preacher！〃 I exclaimed。 〃And a popular reputation！ How do the
Italians understand him？〃
The banker looked puzzled。
〃Why shouldn't they understand a man who addresses them in their
own language？〃 he said。 〃Romayne could speak Italian when he came
hereand since that time he has learned by constant practice to
think in Italian。 While our Roman season lasts； he preaches
alternately in Italian and in English。 But I was speaking of the
two opposite accomplishments which this remarkable man possesses。
Out of the pulpit； he is capable of applying his mind
successfully to the polit ical necessities of the Church。 As I am
told； his intellect has had severe practical training； by means
of historical studies； in the past years of his life。 Anyhow； in
one of the diplomatic difficulties here between the Church and
the State； he wrote a memorial on the subject； which the
Cardinal…Secretary declared to be a model of ability in applying
the experience of the past to the need of the present time。 If he
doesn't wear himself out； his Italian nickname may prove
prophetically true。 We may live to see the new convert； Cardinal
Romayne。〃
〃Are you acquainted with him yourself？〃 I asked。
〃No Englishman is acquainted with him；〃 the banker answered。
〃There is a report of some romantic event in his life which has
led to his leaving England； and which makes him recoil from
intercourse with his own nation。 Whether this is true or false；
it is certain that the English in Rome find him unapproachable。 I
have even heard that he refuses to receive letters from England。
If you wish to see him； you must do what I have doneyou must go
to church and look at him in the pulpit。 He preaches in
EnglishI think for the last time this seasonon Thursday
evening next。 Shall I call here and take you to the church？〃
If I had followed my inclinations； I should have refused。 I feel
no sort of interest in RomayneI might even say I feel a
downright antipathy toward him。 But I have no wish to appear
insensible to the banker's kindness； and my reception at St。
Germain depends greatly on the attention I show to Mrs。
Eyrecourt's request。 So it was arranged that I should hear the
great preacherwith a mental reservation on my part； which
contemplated my departure from the church before the end of his
sermon。
But； before I see him； I feel assured of one thingespecially
after what the banker has told me。 Stella's view of his character
is the right one。 The man who has deserted her has no heart to be
touched by wife or child。 They are separated forever。
March 3。I have just seen the landlord of the hotel； he can help
me to answer one of Mrs。 Eyrecourt's questions。 A nephew of his
holds some employment at the Jesuit headquarters here； adjoining
their famous church _Il Gesu_。 I have requested the young man to
ascertain if Father Benwell is still in Romewithout mentioning
me。 It would be no small trial to my self…control if we met in
the street。
March 4。Good news this time for Mrs。 Eyrecourt； as far as it
goes。 Father Benwell has long since left Rome； and has returned
to his regular duties in England。 If he exercises any further
influence over Romayne； it must be done by letter。
March 5。I have returned from Romayne's sermon。 This double
renegadehas he not deserted his religion and his wife？has
failed to convince my reason。 But he has so completely upset my
nerves that I ordered a bottle of champagne （to the great
amusement of my friend the banker） the moment we got back to the
hotel。
We drove through the scantily lighted streets of Rome to a small
church in the neighborhood of the Piazza Navona。 To a more
imaginative man than myself； the scene when we entered the
building would have been too impressive to be described in
wordsthough it might perhaps have been painted。 The one light
in the place glimmered mysteriously from a great wax candle；
burning in front of a drapery of black cloth； and illuminating
dimly a sculptured representation； in white marble； of the
crucified Christ； wrought to the size of life。 In front of this
ghastly emblem a platform projected； also covered with black
cloth。 We could penetrate no further than to the space just
inside the door of the church。 Everywhere else the building was
filled with standing； sitting and kneeling figures； shadowy and
mysterious； fading away in far corners into impenetrable gloom。
The only sounds were the low； wailing notes of the organ；
accompanied at intervals by the muffled thump of fanatic
worshi