The Black Robe

Lore & Background

The novel relates the misadventures of Lewis Romayne, who accidentally kills a man in a duel and is haunted by the screams of the victim's brother. Romayne is targeted for conversion to Catholicism by Father Benwell, who seeks to reclaim Romayne's family home, Vange Abbey, for the church. Romayne marries Stella Eyrecourt, but Benwell undermines the marriage by revealing Stella's prior bigamous marriage. On his deathbed, Romayne destroys his will, ensuring Vange passes to his family instead of the church.

In Their Own Story

The wind howled across the endless dunes, and I trudged forward, my white scarf trailing behind me. In the distance, atop a crumbling archway, a figure stood still—cloaked in black, unmoving. I chirped, a soft note that echoed into the emptiness. No response. But as I climbed the next hill, I saw it again, now closer, pointing toward a hidden passage. I followed, and it vanished into the shadows, leaving only the whisper of sand. I never learned its name, but its silent guidance carried me through the ruins, a ghost in the storm.

Reader's Guide

The book uses a series of 'scenes' to organize the narrative, a structure Collins also employed in his previous novel No Name.

Did You Know?

• The novel is noted for its anti-Catholic lens.
• Writing for The Spectator, E. A. Collins gave the novel a generally unfavorable review but recommended it for its 'readability.'
• Collins wrote to his Canadian publisher about the Jesuits: 'We must do all that we can to keep these "black-robed gentlemen" within due limits.'