The Black Robe

h are situated on the north side of Hyde Park, two

h the beauty of Englishwomen. Her younger companion was the unknown lady admired by Major Hynd on the sea passage from France to England. With hair and eyes of the darkest brown; with a pure pallor of complexion, only changing to a faint rose tint in mo

ng ran through her correspondence rapidly, pushed away the l

ning for me," she said. "Any

ide," she answered, with the tender sweetness of tone which made her voice irresistibly charming

ek - all sorts of celebrities among the company, famous beauties included - such dresses! such conversation!- and serious duties, my dear, not neglected - high church and choral service in the town on Sundays - recitations in the evening from Paradise Lost, by an amateur elocutionist - oh, you foolish, headstrong child! why did you make excuses and stay in L

vise your mother," Lady Loring remarked w

ur house? My 'earthly Paradise' is here, where I am allowed to dream away my time over my drawings and my books, and to resign myself to poor health and low spirits, without being dragged into society, and (worse still) thr

face became grave whi

ition. But, since you have been staying with me this time, I see something in you which my intimate knowledge of your character fails to explain. We have been friends since we were together at school - and, in those old days, we never had a

is morning," she resumed. "Is there anything I can do for you?" She laid her hand tenderly on Stel

d; "I am only ashamed." Her head san

betrayal of its trials and its sufferings to others. The true depth of feeling which is marked by this inbred modesty is most frequently found in men. The fe

le before you go out?

eft - hesitated for a moment - and then drew it

ere was some difference between us. Of all the girls I was the y

s a difference of ten years between

ightened in the strange place, among the big girls. You used to let me hide my face

ned a little pale, and looked down in silent anxiety at

, "would you think it possible that I could ever again f

t that wretched by-gone time which you ought never to speak of again. Love and be happy, Stella - if you can only

ay back f

the same carri

There were few travelers in the steamb

speak

nk he even l

ay much for his

s sake keep my secret. One hears of men falling in love with women at first sight. But a woman who looks at a man, and feels - oh, it's shameful! I could hardly take my eyes off him. If he had looked at me in return, I don't know what I should have done - I burn when I thi

you suppose he was in our rank of life? I me

ld be no d

im, Stella. Was he ta

ommon and so beautiful - too beautiful for a man. I may say the same of his hair. I saw it completely. For a minute or two he removed his hat - his head was fevered, I think - and he let the sea breeze blow over it. The pure light brown of his hair was just warmed by a lovely reddish tinge. His beard was of the same color; short and curling, like the beards of the Roman heroes one sees in pict

ed into color; her grand dark eyes brightene

"There is something, to my mind, very sad about this adventure of yours. I wish I could fi

d, "which might help you to see him as I saw him. It'

ortrait of him!" La

do from recollection,

t here d

g in pencil. The instant Lady Loring looked at it, she

him!" cr

a promise of the strictest secrecy from his wife. She felt herself bound - doubly bound, after what she had now discovered - to respect the confidence placed in her; and this at the time when she had betrayed h

people, and I go to so many places, that I must ask for time to consult my memory.

her, in terror. "You don't mean that

ry is a much better one than mine. If I say to him, 'Where did we meet that man?'- he may tell me at once - he may even

ately kissed her artful friend. Having now secured the means of consul

first. On entering the room, she found but one person in it - not the person of whom she was in search. There, buttoned up in his long frock

ell," said Lady Loring; "I hope

ved arrangement of the library," he said, simply. "Books are companionable creatures - members, as i

you can kindly tell me

five minutes since - he is now in t

s age and size, he advanced to the further end of the

a certain emphasis on the last word, which might or might not (in the ca

nted; thank you once more, Father Benwel

in his face. A skilled observer would now have seen plainly revealed in him the habit of command, and the capacity for insisting on his right to be

he counter-merits of his incorruptible honesty and his true religious zeal. No better man is just now within my reach - and there is no time to lose. Romayne has recently inherited a large increase of fortune. He will be the object of the basest conspiracies - conspiracies of men to win his money, and (worse still) of women to marry him. Even these contemptible e

Secretary, Society of Jesus, Rome." As he closed and sealed the envelo

thur Pe