the heir of redclyffe-第12节

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with　whom　I　had　to　deal；　yet　you　see　how　it　is。'



'What　did　he　say？'　asked　Charles。



'He　said　nothing；　so　far　I　give　him　credit；　but　he　strode　on　furiously　

for　the　last　half　mile；　and　this　explosion　is　the　finale。　　I　am　very　

sorry　for　him；　poor　boy；　I　beg　no　further　notice　may　be　taken　of　it。　　

Don't　you　want　an　arm；　Charlie？'



'No　thank　you；'　answered　Charles；　with　a　little　surliness。



'You　had　better。　　It　really　is　too　much　for　Amy；'　said　Philip；　making　a　

move　as　if　to　take　possession　of　him；　as　he　arrived　at　the　foot　of　the　

stairs。



'Like　the　camellia；　I　suppose；'　he　replied；　and　taking　his　other　crutch　

from　Charlotte；　he　began　determinedly　to　ascend　without　assistance；　

resolved　to　keep　Philip　a　prisoner　below　him　as　long　as　he　could；　and　

enjoying　the　notion　of　chafing　him　by　the　delay。　　Certainly　teasing　

Philip　was　a　dear　delight　to　Charles；　though　it　was　all　on　trust；　as；　

if　he　succeeded；　his　cousin　never　betrayed　his　annoyance　by　look　or　

sign。



About　a　quarter　of　an　hour　after；　there　was　a　knock　at　the　dressing…

room　door。　　'Come　in；'　said　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　looking　up　from　her　

letter…writing；　and　Guy　made　his　appearance；　looking　very　downcast。



'I　am　come；'　he　said；　'to　ask　pardon　for　the　disturbance　I　made　just　

now。　　I　was　so　foolish　as　to　be　irritated　at　Philip's　manner；　when　he　

was　giving　me　some　good　advice；　and　I　am　very　sorry。'



'What　has　happened　to　your　lip？'　she　exclaimed。　



He　put　his　handkerchief　to　it。　　'Is　it　bleeding　still？　　　It　is　a　trick　

of　mine　to　bite　my　lip　when　I　am　vexed。　　It　seems　to　help　to　keep　down　

words。　　There！　　I　have　given　myself　a　mark　of　this　hateful　outbreak。'



He　looked　very　unhappy；　more　so；　Mrs。　Edmonstone　thought；　than　the　

actual　offence　required。　　'You　have　only　failed　in　part；'　she　said。　　

'It　was　a　victory　to　keep　down　words。'



'The　feeling　is　the　_thing_；'　said　Guy；　'besides；　I　showed　it　plainly　

enough；　without　speaking。'



'It　is　not　easy　to　take　advice　from　one　so　little　your　elder；'　began　

Mrs。　Edmonstone；　but　he　interrupted　her。　　'It　was　not　the　advice。　　That　

was　very　good；　I'　but　he　spoke　with　an　effort；'I　am　obliged　to　him。　　

It　wasno；　I　won't　say　what；'　he　added；　his　eyes　kindling；　then　

changing　in　a　moment　to　a　sorrowful；　resolute　tone；　'Yes；　but　I　_will_；　

and　then　I　shall　make　myself　thoroughly　ashamed。　　It　was　his　veiled　

assumption　of　superiority；　his　contempt　for　all　I　have　been　taught。　　

Just　as　if　he　had　not　every　right　to　despise　me；　with　his　talent　and　

scholarship；　after　such　egregious　mistakes　as　I　had　made　in　the　

morning。　　I　gave　him　little　reason　to　think　highly　of　my　attainments；　

but　let　him　slight　me　as　much　as　he　pleases；　he　must　not　slight　those　

who　taught　me。　　It　was　not　Mr。　Potts'　fault。'



Even　the　name　could　not　spoil　the　spirited　sound　of　the　speech；　and　

Mrs。　Edmonstone　was　full　of　sympathy。　　'You　must　remember；'　she　said；　

'that　in　the　eyes　of　a　man　brought　up　at　public　school；　nothing　

compensates　for　the　want　of　the　regular　classical　education。　　I　have　no　

doubt　it　was　very　provoking。'



'I　don't　want　to　be　excused；　thank　you；'　said　Guy。　　'Oh　I　am　grieved；　

for　I　thought　the　worst　of　my　temper　had　been　subdued。　　After　all　that　

has　passedall　I　feltI　thought　it　impossible。　　Is　there　no　hope　for…

…'　He　covered　his　face　with　his　hands；　then　recovering　and　turning　to　

Mrs。　Edmonstone；　he　said；　'It　is　encroaching　too　much　on　your　kindness　

to　come　here　and　trouble　you　with　my　confessions。'



'No；　no；　indeed；'　said　she；　earnestly。　　'Remember　how　we　agreed　that　

you　should　come　to　me　like　one　of　my　own　children。　　And；　indeed；　I　do　

not　see　why　you　need　grieve　in　this　despairing　way；　for　you　almost　

overcame　the　fit　of　anger；　and　perhaps　you　were　off　your　guard　because　

the　trial　came　in　an　unexpected　way？'



'It　did；　it　did；'　he　said；　eagerly；　'I　don't；　mind　being　told　point　

blank　that　I　am　a　dunce；　but　that　Mr。　Pottsnay；　by　implicationmy　

grandfather　should　be　set　at　nought　in　that　cool　But　here　I　am　

again！'　said　he；　checking　himself　in　the　midst　of　his　vehemence；　'he　

did　not　mean　that；　of　course。　　I　have　no　one　to　blame　but　myself。'



'I　am　sure；'　said　Mrs；　Edmonstone；　'that　if　you　always　treat　your　

failings　in　this　way；　you　must　subdue　them　at　last。'



'It　is　all　failing；　and　resolving；　and　failing　again！'　said　Guy。



'Yes；　but　the　failures　become　slighter　and　less　frequent；　and　the　end　

is　victory。'



'The　end　victory！'　repeated　Guy；　in　a　musing　tone；　as　he　stood　leaning　

against　the　mantelshelf。



'Yes；　to　all　who　persevere　and　seek　for　help；'　said　Mrs　Edmonstone；　and　

he　raised　his　eyes　and　fixed　them　on　her　with　an　earnest　look　that　

surprised　her；　for　it　was　almost　as　if　the　hope　came　home　to　him　as　

something　new。　　At　that　moment；　however；　she　was　called　away；　and　

directly　after　a　voice　in　the　next　room　exclaimed；　'Are　you　there；　Guy？　　

I　want　an　arm！'　while　he　for　the　first　time　perceived　that　Charles's　

door　was　ajar。



Charles　thought　all　this　a　great　fuss　about　nothing；　indeed　he　was　glad　

to　find　there　was　anyone　who　had　no　patience　with　Philip；　and　in　his　

usual　mischievous　manner；　totally　reckless　of　the　fearful　evil　of　

interfering　with　the　influence　for　good　which　it　was　to　be　hoped　that　

Philip　might　exert　over　Guy；　he　spoke　thus：　'I　begin　to　think　the　world　

must　be　more　docile　than　I　have　been　disposed　to　give　it　credit　for。　　

How　a　certain　cousin　of　ours　has　escaped　numerous　delicate　hints　to　

mind　his　own　business　is　to　me　one　of　the　wonders　of　the　world。'



'No　one　better　deserves　that　his　advice　should　be　followed；'　said　Guy；　

with　some　constraint。



'An　additional　reason　against　it；'　said　Charles。　　'Plague　on　that　bell！　　

I　meant　to　have　broken　through　your　formalities　and　had　a　candid　

opinion　of　Don　Philip　before　it　rang。'



'Then　I　am　glad　of　it；　I　could　hardly　have　given　you　a　candid　opinion　

just　at　present。'



Charles　was　vexed；　but　he　consoled　himself　by　thinking　that　Guy　did　not　

yet　feel　himself　out　of　his　leading…strings；　and　was　still　on　his　good　

behaviour。　　After　such　a　flash　as　this　there　was　no　fear；　but　there　was　

that　in　him　which　would　create　mischief　and　disturbance　enough。　　

Charles　was　well　principled　at　the　bottom；　and　would　have　shrunk　with　

horror　had　it　been　set　before　him　how　dangerous　might　be　the　effect　of　

destroying　the　chance　of　a　friendship　between　Guy　and　the　only　person　

whose　guidance　was　likely　to　be　beneficial　to　him；　but　his　idle；　

unoccupied　life；　and　habit　of　only　thinking　of　things　as　they　concerned　

his　immediate　amusement；　made　him　ready　to　do　anything　for　the　sake　of　

opposition　to　Philip；　and　enjoy　the　vague　idea　of　excitement　to　be　

derived　from　anxiety　about　his　father's　ward；　whom　at　the　same　time　he　

regarded　with　increased　liking　as　he　became　certain　that　what　he　called　

the　Puritan　spirit　was　not　native　to　him。



At　dinner…time；　Guy　was　as　silent　as　on　his　first　arrival；　and　there　

would　have　been　very　little　conversation　had　not　the　other　gentleman　

talked　politics；　Philip　leading　the　discussion　to　bear　upon　the　duties　

and　prospects　of　landed　proprietors；　and　dwelling　on　the　extent　of　

their　opportunities　for　doing　good。　　He　tried　to　get　Guy's　attention；　

by　speaking　of　Redclyffe；　of　the　large　circle　influenced　by　the　head　of　

the　Morville　family；　and　of　the　hopes　entertained　by　Lord　Thorndale　

that　this　power　would　prove　a　valuable　support　to　the　rightful　cause。　　

He　spoke　in　vain；　the　young　heir　of　Redclyffe　made　answers　as　brief；　

absent；　and　indifferent；　as　if　all　this　concerned　him　no　more　than　the　

Emperor　of　Morocco；　and　Philip；　mentally　pronouncing　him　sullen；　turned　

to　address　himself　to　Laura。



As　soon　as　the　ladies　had　left　the　dining…room；　Guy　roused　himself；　and　

began　by　saying　to　his　guardian　that　he　was　afraid　he　was　very　

deficient　in　classical　knowledge；　that　he　found　be　must　work　hard　

before　going　to　Oxford；　and　asked　whether　there　was　any　tutor　in　the　

neighbourhood　to　whom　he　could　apply。



Mr。　Edmonstone　opened　his　eyes；　as　much　amazed　as　if　Guy　had　asked　if　

there　was　any　executioner　in　the　neighbourhood　who　could　cut　off　his　

head。　　Philip　was　no　less　surprised；　but　he　held　his　peace；　thinking　it　

was　well　Guy　bad　sense　enough　to　propose　it　voluntarily；　as　he　would　

have　suggested　it　to　his　uncle　as　soon　as　there　was　an　opportunity　of　

doing　so　in　private。　　As　soon　as　Mr。　Edmonstone　had　recollected　

himself；　and　pronounced　it　to　be　exceedingly　proper；　&c。；　they　entered　

into　a　discussion　on　the　neighbouring　curates；　and　came　at　last　to　a　

resolution　that　Philip　should　see　whether　Mr。　Lascelles；　a　curate　of　

Broadstone；　and　an　old　schoolfellow　of　his　own；　would　read　with　Guy　a　

few　hours　in　every　week。



After　this　was　settled；　Guy　looked　relieved；　though　he　was　not　himself　

all　the　evening；　and　sat　in　his　old　corner　between　the　plants　and　the　

window；　where　he