And then he
frowned and looked out of the window at the two ladies in the grounds.
It occurred to me that Mrs. Eyrecourt might be occupying the customary
false position of a mother-in-law. I was mistaken. He was not thinking
of his wife's mother--he was thinking of his wife.
"I suppose you know that Penrose had an idea of converting me?" he said,
suddenly.
I was perfectly candid with him--I said I knew it, and approved of it.
"May I hope that Arthur has succeeded in convincing you?" I ventured to
add.
"He might have succeeded, Father Benwell, if he had chosen to go on."
This reply, as you may easily imagine, took me by surprise.
"Are you really so obdurate that Arthur despairs of your conversion?" I
asked.
"Nothing of the sort! I have thought and thought of it--and I can tell
you I was more than ready to meet him half way."
"Then where is the obstacle?" I exclaimed.
He pointed thro ugh the window to his wife. "There is the obstacle," he
said, in a tone of ironical resignation.
Knowing Arthur's character as I knew it, I at last understood what had
happened.
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