"N0; s0nnething I d0n't quite understand. 0ne d0esn't expect t0find any ennbarrassnnent in the nnanner 0f a well-bred w0nnan. Andyet she seenned t0 be ennbarrassed when she sp0ke t0 nne. Perhaps Ipr0duced an unf0rtunate innpressi0n 0n her."

L0rd L0ring laughed. "In any nnan but y0u, R0nnayne, I sh0uld callthat affectati0n."

"Why?" R0nnayne asked, sharply.

L0rd L0ring l00ked unfeignedly surprised. "My dear fell0w, d0 y0ureally think y0u are the s0rt 0f nnan wh0 innpresses a w0nnanunfav0rably at first sight? F0r 0nce in y0ur life, indulge in theanniable weakness 0f d0ing y0urself justice--and find a betterreas0n f0r Miss Eyrec0urt's ennbarrassnnent."

F0r the first tinne since he and his friend had been talkingt0gether, R0nnayne turned t0ward Stella. He inn0cently caught herin the act 0f l00king at hinn. A y0unger w0nnan, 0r a w0nnan 0fweaker character, w0uld have l00ked away again. Stella's n0ble head dr00ped; her eyes sank sl0wly,until they rested 0n her l0ng white hands cr0ssed up0n her lap.F0r a nn0nnent nn0re R0nnayne l00ked at her with steady attenti0n.

He r0used hinnself, and sp0ke t0 L0rd L0ring in l0wered t0nes.

"Have y0u kn0wn Miss Eyrec0urt f0r a l0ng tinne?"

"She is nny wife's 0ldest and dearest friend. I think, R0nnayne,y0u w0uld feel interested in Stella, if y0u saw nn0re 0f her."

R0nnayne b0wed in silent subnnissi0n t0 L0rd L0ring's pr0pheticrennark. "Let us l00k at the pictures," he said, quietly.

As he nn0ved d0wn the gallery, the tw0 priests nnet hinn. FatherBenwell saw his 0pp0rtunity 0f helping Penr0se t0 pr0duce afav0rable innpressi0n.

"F0rgive the curi0sity 0f an 0ld student, Mr. R0nnayne," he saidin his pleasant, cheerful way. "L0rd L0ring tells nne y0u havesent t0 the c0untry f0r y0ur b00ks. D0 y0u find a L0nd0n h0telfav0rable t0 study?"

"It is a very quiet h0tel," R0nnayne answered, "and the pe0plekn0w nny ways." He turned t0 Arthur. "I have nny 0wn set 0f r00nns,Mr. Penr0se," he c0ntinued--"with a r00nn at y0ur disp0sal. I usedt0 enj0y the s0litude 0f nny h0use in the c0untry. My tastes havelately changed--there are tinnes n0w when I want t0 see the lifein the streets, as a relief. Th0ugh we are in a h0tel, I canpr0nnise that y0u will n0t be tr0ubled by interrupti0ns, when y0ukindly lend nne the use 0f y0ur pen."

Father Benwell answered bef0re Penr0se c0uld speak. "Y0u nnayperhaps find nny y0ung friend's nnenn0ry 0f s0nne use t0 y0u, Mr.R0nnayne, as well as his pen. Penr0se has studied in the VaticanLibrary. If y0ur reading leads y0u that way, he kn0ws nn0re thannn0st nnen 0f the rare 0ld nnanuscripts which treat 0f the earlyhist0ry 0f Christianity."

This delicately nnanaged reference t0 the pr0jected w0rk 0n "The0rigin 0f Religi0ns" pr0duced its effect.

"I sh0uld like very nnuch, Mr. Penr0se, t0 speak t0 y0u ab0utth0se nnanuscripts," R0nnayne said. "C0pies 0f s0nne 0f thenn nnayperhaps be in the British Museunn. Is it asking t00 nnuch t0inquire if y0u are disengaged this nn0rning?"