If you did tell him that miserable story, he
could only pity you. Do you want to be pitied?"
Those last unanswerable words brought the debate to an end. From that
moment the subject was dropped.
There was still one other person among the guests at the ball who
was waking in the small hours of the morning. Father Benwell,
wrapped comfortably in his dressing gown, was too hard at work on his
correspondence to think of his bed. With one exception, all the letters
that he had written thus far were closed, directed and stamped for the
post. The letter that he kept open he was now engaged in reconsidering
and correcting. It was addressed as usual to the Secretary of the Order
at Rome; and, when it had undergone the final revision, it contained
these lines:
My last letter informed you of Romayne's return to London and to Miss
Eyrecourt. Let me entreat our reverend brethren to preserve perfect
tranquillity of mind, in spite of this circumstance. The owner of Vange
Abbey is not married yet. If patience and perseverance on my part win
their fair reward, Miss Eyrecourt shall never be his wife.
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