the heir of redclyffe-第108节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



ever　he　had　made　for　himself；　and　the　walk　ended　with　extensive　castle　

building　on　Philip's　account；　in　the　course　of　which　Amy　was　obliged　to　

become　much　less　displeased。　　Guy　told　her；　in　the　evening；　that　she　

would　have　been　still　more　softened　if　she　could　have　heard　him　talk　

about　Stylehurst　and　his　father。　　Guy　had　always　wished　to　hear　him　

speak　of　the　Archdeacon；　though　they　had　never　been　on　terms　to　enter　

on　such　a　subject。　　And　now　Philip　had　been　much　pleased　by　Guy's　

account　of　his　walks　to　Stylehurst；　and　taken　pleasure　in　telling　which　

were　his　old　haunts；　making　out　where　Guy　had　been；　and　describing　his　

father's　ways。



The　next　day　was　Sunday；　and　Amabel　was　to　pay　her　cousin　a　visit。　　Guy　

was　very　eager　about　it；　saying　it　was　like　a　stage　in　his　recovery；　

and　though　the　thought　of　her　mother　and　Laura　could　not　be　laid　aside；　

she　would　not　say　a　word　to　damp　her　husband's　pleasure　in　the　

anticipation。　　It　seemed　as　if　Guy；　wanting　to　bestow　all　he　could　upon　

his　cousin　in　gratitude　for　his　newly…accorded　friendship；　thought　the　

sight　of　his　little　wife　the　very　best　thing　he　had　to　give。



It　was　a　beautiful　day；　early　in　September；　with　a　little　autumnal　

freshness　in　the　mountain　breezes　that　they　enjoyed　exceedingly。　　

Philip's　convalescence；　and　their　own　escape；　might　be　considered　as　so　

far　decided；　that　they　might　look　back　on　the　peril　as　past。　　Amabel　

felt　how　much　cause　there　was　for　thankfulness；　and；　after　all；　Philip　

was　not　half　as　bad　now　as　when　he　was　maintaining　his　system　of　

concealment；　he　had　made　a　great　effort；　and　was　about　to　do　his　best　

by　way　of　reparation；　but　it　was　so　new　to　her　to　pity　him；　that　she　

did　not　know　how　to　begin。



She　tried　to　make　the　day　seem　as　Sunday…like　as　she　could；　by　putting　

on　her　white　muslin　dress　and　white　ribbons；　with　Charles's　hair　

bracelet；　and　a　brooch　of　beautiful　silver　workmanship；　which　Guy　had　

bought　for　her　at　Milan；　the　only　ornament　he　had　ever　given　to　her。　　

She　sat　at　her　window；　watching　the　groups　of　Italians　in　their　holiday　

costume；　and　dwelling　on　the　strange　thoughts　that　had　passed　through　

her　mind　often　before　in　her　lonely　Sundays　in　this　foreign　land；　

thinking　much　of　her　old　home　and　East…hill　Church；　wondering　whether　

the　letter　had　yet　arrived　which　was　to　free　them　from　anxiety；　and　

losing　herself　in　a　maze　of　uncomfortable　marvels　about　Laura。



'Now；　then；'　at　length　said　Guy；　entering；　'I　only　hope　he　has　not　

knocked　himself　up　with　his　preparations；　for　he　would　make　such　a　

setting　to　rights；　that　I　told　him　I　could　almost　fancy　he　expected　the　

queen　instead　of　only　Dame　Amabel　Morville。'



He　led　her　down；　opened　the　door；　and　playfully　announced；　'Lady　

Morville！　　I　have　done　it　right　this　time。　　Here　she　is'！



She　had　of　course　expected　to　see　Philip　much　altered；　but　she　was　

startled　by　the　extent　of　the　change；　for　being　naturally　fair　and　

high…coloured；　he　was　a　person　on　whom　the　traces　of　illness　were　

particularly　visible。　　The　colour　was　totally　gone；　even　from　his　lips；　

his　cheeks　were　sunken；　his　brow　looked　broader　and　more　massive　from　

the　thinness　of　his　face　and　the　loss　of　his　hair；　and　his　eyes　

themselves　appeared　unlike　what　they　used　to　be　in　the　hollows　round　

them。　　He　seemed　tranquil；　and　comfortable；　but　so　wan；　weak；　and　

subdued；　and　so　different　from　himself；　that　she　was　very　much　shocked；　

as　smiling　and　holding　out　a　hand；　where　the　white　skin　seemed　hardly　

to　cover　the　bone　and　blue　vein；　he　said；　in　a　tone；　slow；　feeble；　and　

languid；　though　cheerful；



'Good　morning；　Amy。　　You　see　Guy　was　right；　after　all。　　I　am　sorry　to　

have　made　your　wedding　tour　end　so　unpleasantly。'



'Nay；　most　pleasantly；　since　you　are　better；'　said　Amabel；　laughing；　

because　she　was　almost　ready　to　cry；　and　her　displeasure　went　straight　

out　of　her　head。



'Are　you　doing　the　honours　of　my　room；　Guy？'　said　Philip；　raising　his　

head　from　the　pillow；　with　a　becoming　shade　of　his　ceremonious　

courtesy。　　'Give　her　a　chair。'



Amy　smiled　and　thanked　him；　while　he　lay　gazing　at　her　as　a　sick　person　

is　apt　to　do　at　a　flower；　or　the　first　pretty　enlivening　object　from　

which　he　is　able　to　derive　enjoyment；　and　as　if　he　could　not　help　

expressing　the　feeling；　he　said



'Is　that　your　wedding…dress；　Amy？'



'Oh；　no；　that　was　all　lace　and　finery。'



'You　look　so　nice　and　bridal'



'There's　a　compliment　that　such　an　old　wife　ought　to　make　the　most　of；　

Amy；'　said　Guy；　looking　at　her　with　a　certain　proud　satisfaction　in　

Philip's　admiration。　　'It　is　high　time　to　leave　off　calling　you　a　

bride；　after　your　splendid　appearance　at　the　party　at　Munich；　in　all　

your　whiteness　and　orange…flowers。'



'That　was　quite　enough　of　it；'　said　Amy；　smiling。



'Not　at　all；'　said　Philip；　'you　have　all　your　troubles　in　the　visiting　

line　to　come；　when　you　go　home。'



'Ah！　you　know　the　people；　and　will　be　a　great　help　to　us；'　said　Amy；　

and　Guy　was　much　pleased　to　hear　her　taking　a　voluntary　share　in　the　

invitation；　knowing　as　he　did　that　she　only　half　liked　it。



'Thank　you；　we　shall　see；'　replied　Philip。



'Yes；　we　shall　see　when　you　are　fit　for　the　journey；　and　it　will　not　be　

long　before　we　can　begin；　by　short　stages。　　You　have　got　on　wonderfully　

in　the　last　few　days。　　How　do　you　think　he　is　looking；　Amy？'　finished　

Guy；　with　an　air　of　triumph；　that　was　rather　amusing；　considering　what　

a　pale　skeleton　face　he　was　regarding　with　so　much　satisfaction。



'I　dare　say　he　is　looking　much　mended；'　said　Amy；　'but　you　must　not　

expect　me　to　see　it。'



'You　can't　get　a　compliment　for　me；　Guy；'　said　Philip。　　'I　was　a　good　

deal　surprised　when　Arnaud　brought　me　the　glass　this　morning。'



'It　is　a　pity　you　did　not　see　yourself　a　week　ago；'　said　Guy；　shaking　

his　head　drolly。　



'It　is　certain；　as　the　French　doctor　says；　that　monsieur　has　a　very　

vigorous　constitution。'



'Charles　says；　having　a　good　constitution　is　only　another　name　for　

undergoing　every　possible　malady；'　said　Amy。



'Rather　good'　said　Guy；　'for　I　certainly　find　it　answer　very　well　to　

have　none　at　all。'



'Haven't　you？'　said　Amy；　rather　startled。



'Or　how　do　you　know？'　said　Philip；　'especially　as　you　never　were　ill。'



'It　is　a　dictum　of　old　Walters；　the　Moorworth　doctor；　the　last　time　I　

had　anything　to　do　with　him；　when　I　was　a　small　child。　　I　suppose　I　

remembered　it　for　its　oracular　sound；　and　because　I　was　not　intended　to　

listen。　　He　was　talking　over　with　Markham　some　illness　I　had　just　got　

through；　and　wound　up　with；　〃He　may　be　healthy　and　active　now；　but　he　

has　no　constitution；　there　is　a　tendency　to　low　fever；　and　if　he　meets　

with　any　severe　illness；　it　will　go　hard　with　him。〃'



'How　glad　I　am　I　did　not　know　that　before'　cried　Amy。



'Did　you　remember　it　when　you　came　here？'　said　Philip。



'Yes；'　said　Guy；　not　in　the　least　conscious　of　the　impression　his　words　

made　on　the　others。　　'By　the　bye；　Philip；　I　wish　you　would　tell　us　how　

you　fared　after　we　parted；　and　how　you　came　here。'



'I　went　on　according　to　my　former　plan；'　said　Philip；　'walking　through　

the　Valtelline；　and　coming　down　by　a　mountain　path。　　I　was　not　well　at　

Bolzano；　but　I　thought　it　only　fatigue；　which　a　Sunday's　rest　would　

remove；　so　on　I　went　for　the　next　two　days；　in　spite　of　pain　in　head　

and　limbs。'



'Not　walking！'　said　Amy。



'Yes；　walking。　　I　thought　it　was　stiffness　from　mountain　climbing；　and　

that　I　could　walk　it　off；　but　I　never　wish　to　go　through　anything　like　

what　I　did　the　last　day；　between　the　up　and　downs　of　that　mountain　

path；　and　the　dazzle　of　the　snow　and　heat　of　the　sun。　　I　meant　to　have　

reached　Vicenza；　but　I　must　have　been　quite　knocked　up　when　I　arrived　

here；　though　I　cannot　tell。　　My　head　grew　so　confused；　that　my　dread；　

all　the　way；　was　that　I　should　forget　my　Italian；　I　can　just　remember　

conning　a　phrase　over　and　over　again；　lest　I　should　lose　it。　　I　suppose　

I　was　able　to　speak　when　I　came　here；　but　the　last　thing　I　remember　was　

feeling　very　ill　in　some　room；　different　from　this；　quite　alone；　and　

with　a　horror　of　dying　deserted。　　The　next　is　a　confused　recollection　

of　the　relief　of　hearing　English　again；　and　seeing　my　excellent　nurse　

here。'



There　was　a　little　more　talk；　but　a　little　was　enough　for　Philip's　

feeble　voice；　and　Guy　soon　told　him　he　was　tired；　and　ordered　in　his　

broth。　　He　begged　that　Amy　would　stay；　and　it　was　permitted　on　

condition　that　he　would　not　talk；　Guy　even　cutting　short　a　quotation　

of；'As　Juno　had　been　sick　and　he　her　dieter；'appropriate　to　the　

excellence　of　the　broths；　which　Amabel　and　her　maid；　thanks　to　their　

experience　of　Charles's　fastidious　tastes；　managed　to　devise　and　

execute；　in　spite　of　bad　materials。　　It　was　no　small　merit　in　Guy　to　

stop　the　compliment；　considering　how　edified　he　had　been　by　his　wife's　

unexpec