第2章

SHORTLY after noon, on the next day, we were established at Boulogne--near Lady Berrick, but not at her hotel."If we live in the same house," Romayne reminded me, "we shall be bored by the companion and the doctor.Meetings on the stairs, you know, and exchanging bows and small talk." He hated those trivial conventionalities of society, in which, other people delight.

When somebody once asked him in what company he felt most at ease? he made a shocking answer--he said, "In the company of dogs."I waited for him on the pier while he went to see her ladyship.

He joined me again with his bitterest smile."What did I tell you? She is not well enough to see me to-day.The doctor looks grave, and the companion puts her handkerchief to her eyes.We may be kept in this place for weeks to come."The afternoon proved to be rainy.Our early dinner was a bad one.

This last circumstance tried his temper sorely.He was no gourmand; the question of cookery was (with him) purely a matter of digestion.Those late hours of study, and that abuse of tea to which I have already alluded, had sadly injured his stomach.The doctors warned him of serious consequences to his nervous system, unless he altered his habits.He had little faith in medical science, and he greatly overrated the restorative capacity of his constitution.So far as I know, he had always neglected the doctors' advice.

The weather cleared toward evening, and we went out for a walk.

We passed a church--a Roman Catholic church, of course--the doors of which were still open.Some poor women were kneeling at their prayers in the dim light."Wait a minute," said Romayne."I am in a vile temper.Let me try to put myself into a better frame of mind."I followed him into the church.He knelt down in a dark corner by himself.I confess I was surprised.He had been baptized in the Church of England; but, so far as outward practice was concerned, he belonged to no religious community.I had often heard him speak with sincere reverence and admiration of the spirit of Christianity--but he never, to my knowledge, attended any place of public worship.When we met again outside the church, I asked if he had been converted to the Roman Catholic faith.

"No," he said."I hate the inveterate striving of that priesthood after social influence and political power as cordially as the fiercest Protestant living.But let us not forget that the Church of Rome has great merits to set against great faults.Its system is administered with an admirable knowledge of the higher needs of human nature.Take as one example what you have just seen.The solemn tranquillity of that church, the poor people praying near me, the few words of prayer by which I silently united myself to my fellow-creatures, have calmed me and done me good.In _our_country I should have found the church closed, out of service hours." He took my arm and abruptly changed the subject."How will you occupy yourself," he asked, "if my aunt receives me to-morrow?"I assured him that I should easily find ways and means of getting through the time.The next morning a message came from Lady Berrick, to say that she would see her nephew after breakfast.

Left by myself, I walked toward the pier, and met with a man who asked me to hire his boat.He had lines and bait, at my service.

Most unfortunately, as the event proved, I decided on occupying an hour or two by sea fishing.