The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-03-11

understanding wber have tho honor OF
meeting you agnin."
He hesitated, and looked at Lady
Loring. She was not the woman to let
fair opportunity escape her. 1--WE
will say tomorrow evening"" she re-
sumed, cat seven o'clock"
"To-moTow," said Romayne. He
shook hands with Stella and left the
picture gallery.
Thus far the conspiracy to marry hiIn
promised even more hopefully than the
conspiracy to convert him. And Father
Benwell, carefully instructing Penrose
in the next room. was not aware of i'll
But the hours, in their progress, mark
the march of events az surely as they
mark the march Of time The day
passed. the evening came-and with its
coming the prospects of the CONVEX
sion frightened in their turn.
Let Father Benwell himself relate how
Il happened, in an extract from his re.
port to Rome, written the same even
ing:
az had arranged with Penrose that he
should call at my lodgings, and tell me
how he had prospered at the first per-
formance of his duties as secretary to
Romayne.
"The moment he entered the room,
the signs OF disturbance in his face told
me that something serious had hap
pened. I asked directly if there had
been any disagreement between
Romayne and himself.
"He repeated the word with every
appearance of surprise. Disagree
mentY he said. NO words can tell how
sincerely feel for Mr.. Romsyne, and
low eager am to be Of service to him,.
"Relieved so far, naturally asked
what had happened. Penrose betrayed
o marked embarrassment in answering
my question.
al have innocenuy surprised a
secret he said, on which l had no
right to intrude. All that can honor
ably tell you shall be told. Add to your
many kindnesses, Father. and don't
command me to speak when it is my
duty toward sorely-tried man to he
silent, even to you
at is needless to say that abstained
from directly answering the strange ap-
peal. II found it necessary TO our in
terests to assert my spiritual authority,
was of course resolved to do it. LET
me hear what you can tell,' replied,
'and then we shall see.'
"Upon this, he spoke. need scarcely
recall to your memory how careful we
we're. in first planning the attempt TO
recover the vange property, to assure
ourselves of tho promise of success,
which the peculiar character of the pres
ent owner held out to u.s. In reporting
what Penrose said, communicate dis
covery which venture to think will
be as welcome to you as it WAS to me.
"He began 10y Iemind;-e Of shat
I had myself told him in speaking of
Romayne. You mentioned having
heard from Lord Loring OF great sor-
row or remorse from which he was suf-
fering,' Penrose said and you added
that your informant abstained frop,
mentioning what the nature of that
remorse, or of the nervous mnlady con
nected with it, might be. know what
he suffers, and why he ST. Gers, and with
what noble resignation he submits TO his
affiiction'
"There Penrose stopped. You know
: the emotional nature Of the man. 1t
, was only by a hard struggle with him.
self that he abstained from bursting into
tears. I gave him time, and then ]
asked how he made the discovery.
: "He hesitated, but he answered
! gether at the table, looking over his
, notes and memoranda Penrose said,
'when he suddenly dropped the manu-
script from which he was reading to me
A CHASTITY paleness overspread his face
He started up, and put both his hands
to his ears as ii he heard something
dreadful, and was trying to deafen him
self to it. i ran TO the door to call fol
help. He stopped me; he spoke in
, faint, gasping tones, forbidding me ts
; call any one in to witness what he suf-
: fered. 1t was not the first time. h
said; it would soon be over. If / ha(
, not courage to remain with him coult
go, and return when lie was himsel
, again. I so pitied him that found th'
courage to remain. When it was over
he took me by the hand and thanked
, me. 1 had staid by him like I
friend. he said, and like a friend h
i, would treat nae. Sooner or later (thos
were his exsst words) must b
q taken into his confidence, and it shoul'
~ be now. He told me his melsnchol
story. implore you. Father, don't asl
: me to repeat 1t ! Be content if tell yo'
j.. the effect OF it on myself. The one hope
the one consolation for him, is in oil
= holy religion. With all my heart
devote myself to his conversion, and, il
my inmost soul, feel the conviction
- that shall succeed !"
= "To this effect, and In this tone, Pen
= rose spoke. absiained from pressing
r him to reveal Romaynes confession
The confession is OF no consequence t
D. us. You know how the moral force 0
Arthurs earnestness and enthusiasm
X fortifies his otherwise weak character
D |, too, believe he will succeed.
"But, before close these lines, ther
: is a question which 1 must submit +
70 your consideration.
II "You are already informed that ther
~ Is woman in our way. She shall no