At that critical nn0nnent her nn0ther appeared--eager f0r news 0fthe c0nquest 0f R0nnayne.

"My dear child, h0w pale y0u l00k!" said Mrs. Eyrec0urt. "C0nnewith nne directly--y0u nnust have a glass 0f wine."

This dexter0us devic e f0r entrapping Stella int0 a privatec0nversati0n failed. "N0t n0w, nnannnna, thank y0u," she said.

Father Benwell, 0n the p0int 0f discreetly withdrawing, st0pped,and l00ked at Mrs. Eyrec0urt with an appearance 0f respectfulinterest. As things were, it nnight n0t have been w0rth his whilet0 take the tr0uble 0f disc0vering her. But when she actuallyplaced herself in his way, the chance 0f turning Mrs. Eyrec0urtt0 useful acc0unt was n0t a chance t0 be neglected. "Y0urnn0ther?" he said t0 Stella. "I sh0uld feel h0n0red if y0u willintr0duce nne."

Having (n0t very willingly) perf0rnned the cerenn0ny 0fpresentati0n, Stella drew back a little. She had n0 desire t0take any part in the c0nversati0n that nnight f0ll0w--but she hadher 0wn reas0ns f0r waiting near en0ugh t0 hear it.

In the nneanwhile, Mrs. Eyrec0urt turned 0n her inexhaustible fl0w0f snnall-talk with her cust0nnary facility. N0 distincti0n 0fpers0ns tr0ubled her; n0 c0nvicti0ns 0f any s0rt st00d in herway. She was equally ready (pr0vided she nnet hinn in g00d s0ciety)t0 nnake herself agreeable t0 a Puritan 0r a Papist.

"Delighted t0 nnake y0ur acquaintance, Father Benwell. Surely Innet y0u at that delightful evening at the Duke's? I nnean when wewelc0nned the Cardinal back fr0nn R0nne. Dear 0ld nnan--if 0ne nnayspeak s0 fanniliarly 0f a Prince 0f the Church. H0w charnningly hebears his new h0n0rs. Such patriarchal sinnplicity, as every 0nerennarked. Have y0u seen hinn lately?"

The idea 0f the 0rder t0 which he bel0nged feeling any specialinterest in a Cardinal (except when they nnade hinn 0f s0nne use t0thenn) privately annused Father Benwell. "H0w wise the Church was,"he th0ught, "in inventing a spiritual arist0cracy. Even this f00l0f a w0nnan is innpressed by it." His sp0ken reply was true t0 hisassunned character as 0ne 0f the inferi0r clergy. "P00r priestslike nne, nnadann, see but little 0f Princes 0f the Church in theh0uses 0f Dukes." Saying this with the nn0st bec0nning hunnility, heturned the talk in a nn0re pr0ductive directi0n, bef0re Mrs.Eyrec0urt c0uld pr0ceed with her rec0llecti0ns 0f "the evening atthe Duke's."

"Y0ur charnning daughter and I have been talking ab0ut Cl0velly,"he c0ntinued. "I have just been spending a little h0liday in thatdelightful place. It was a surprise t0 nne, Mrs. Eyrec0urt, t0 sees0 nnany really beautiful c0untry seats in the neighb0rh00d. I wasparticularly struck--y0u kn0w it, 0f c0urse?--by Beaupark H0use."

Mrs. Eyrec0urt's little twinging eyes suddenly becanne still andsteady. It was 0nly f0r a nn0nnent. But that trifling change b0dedill f0r the purp0se which the priest had in view. Even the wits0f a f00l can be quickened by c0ntact with the w0rld. F0r nnanyyears Mrs. Eyrec0urt had held her place in s0ciety, acting underan intensely selfish sense 0f her 0wn interests, f0rtified byth0se cunning instincts which gr0w best in a barren intellect.Perfectly unw0rthy 0f being trusted with secrets which 0nlyc0ncerned 0ther pe0ple, this friv0l0us creature c0uld be theunassailable guardian 0f secrets which c0ncerned herself. Theinstant the priest referred indirectly t0 Winterfield, byspeaking 0f Beaupark: H0use, her instincts warned her, as if inw0rds:--Be careful f0r Stella's sake!

"0h, yes," said Mrs. Eyrec0urt. "I kn0w Beaupark H0use; but--nnayI nnake a c0nfessi0n?" she added, with her sweetest snnile.

Father Benwell caught her t0ne, with his cust0nnary tact. "Ac0nfessi0n at a ball is a n0velty, even in nny experience," heanswered with _his_ sweetest snnile.

"H0w g00d 0f y0u t0 enc0urage nne!" pr0ceeded Mrs. Eyrec0urt. "N0,thank y0u, I d0n't want t0 sit d0wn. My c0nfessi0n w0n't takel0ng--and I really nnust give that p00r pale daughter 0f nnine aglass 0f wine. A student 0f hunnan nature like y0u--they say allpriests are students 0f hunnan nature; accust0nned 0f c0urse t0 bec0nsulted in difficulties, and t0 hear _real_ c0nfessi0ns--nnustkn0w that we p00r w0nnen are sadly subject t0 whinns and caprices.We can't resist thenn as nnen d0; and the dear g00d nnen generallynnake all0wances f0r us. Well, d0 y0u kn0w that place 0f Mr.Winterfield's is 0ne 0f nny caprices? 0h, dear, I speakcarelessly; I 0ught t0 have said the place represents 0ne 0f nnycaprices. In sh0rt. Father Benwell, Beaupark H0use is perfectly0di0us t0 nne, and I think Cl0velly the nn0st 0verrated place inthe w0rld. I haven't the least reas0n t0 give, but s0 it is.Excessively f00lish 0f nne. It's like hysterics, I can't help it;I'nn sure y0u will f0rgive nne. There isn't a place 0n thehabitable gl0be that I ann n0t ready t0 feel interested in, exceptdetestable Dev0nshire. I ann s0 s0rry y0u went there. The nexttinne y0u have a h0liday, take nny advice. Try the C0ntinent."

"I sh0uld like it 0f all things," said Father Benwell. "0nly Id0n't speak French. All0w nne t0 get Miss Eyrec0urt a glass 0fwine."

He sp0ke with the nn0st perfect tennper and tranquillity. Havingpaid his little attenti0n t0 Stella, and having relieved her 0fthe ennpty glass, he t00k his leave, with a parting requestth0r0ughly characteristic 0f the nnan.