the heir of redclyffe-第121节

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Amabel　all　the　time；　writing　to　Charles；　or　hearing　her　talk。　　Amy　had　

much　to　say；　for　she　wished　to　make　her　mother　share　the　perfect　peace　

and　thankfulness　that　had　been　breathed　upon　her　during　those　last　

hours　with　her　husband；　and　she　liked　to　tell　the　circumstances　of　his　

illness　and　his　precious　sayings；　to　one　who　would　treasure　them　almost　

like　herself。　　She　spoke　with　her　face　turned　away；　so　as　not　to　see　

her　mother's　tears；　but　her　mild　voice　unwavering；　as　if　secure　in　the　

happiness　of　these　recollections。　　This　was　the　only　comfort　of　Mrs。　

Edmonstone's　day；　but　when　she　heard　her　husband's　boots　creaking　in　

the　corridor；　it　was　a　sure　sign　that　he　was　in　some　perplexity；　and　

that　she　must　go　and　help　him　to　write　a　letter；　or　make　some　

arrangement。　　Philip；　too；　needed　attention；　but　excellent　nurse　as　

Mrs。　Edmonstone　was；　she　only　made　him　worse。　　The　more　he　felt　she　was　

his　kind　aunt　still；　the　more　he　saw　how　he　had　wounded　her；　and　that　

her　pardon　was　an　effort。　　The　fond；　spontaneous；　unreserved　affection…

…almost　pettingwhich　he　had　well…nigh　dared　to　contemn；　was　gone；　her　

manner　was　only　that　of　a　considerate　nurse。　　Much　as　he　longed　for　a　

word　of　Laura；　he　did　not　dare　to　lead　to　it；indeed；　he　was　so　far　

from　speaking　to　her　of　any　subject　which　touched　him；　that　he　did　not　

presume　even　to　inquire　for　Amabel；　he　only　heard　of　her　through　

Arnaud。



At　night　sheer　exhaustion　worked　its　own　cure；　he　slept　soundly；　and　

awoke　in　the　morning　revived。　　He　heard　from　Arnaud　that　Lady　Morville　

was　pretty　well；　but　had　not　slept；　and　presently　Mrs。　Edmonstone　came　

in　and　took　pains　to　make　him　comfortable；　but　with　an　involuntary　

dryness　of　manner。　　She　told　him　his　uncle　would　come　to　see　him　as　

soon　as　he　was　up；　if　he　felt　equal　to　talking　over　some　business。　　

Philip's　brain　reeled　with　dismay　and　consternation；　for　it　flashed　on　

him　that　he　was　heir　of　Redclyffe。　　He　must　profit　by　the　death　he　had　

caused；　he　had　slain；　and　he　must　take　possession　of　the　lands　which；　

with　loathing　and　horror；　he　remembered　that　he　had　almost　coveted。　　

Nothing　more　was　wanting。　　There　was　little　consolation　in　remembering　

that　the　inheritance　would　clear　away　all　difficulties　in　the　way　of　

his　marriage。　　He　had　sinned；　wealth　did　not　alter　his　fault；　and　his　

spirit　could　not　brook　that　if　spurned　in　poverty；　he　should　be　

received　for　his　riches。　　He　honoured　his　aunt　for　being　cold　and　

reserved；　and　could　not　bear　the　idea　of　seeing　his　uncle　ready　to　meet　

him　half…way。



After　the　first　shock　he　became　anxious　to　have　the　meeting　over；　know　

the　worst；　and　hear　on　what　ground　he　stood　with　Laura。　　As　soon　as　he　

was　dressed；　he　sent　a　message　to　announce　that　he　was　ready；　and　lay　

on　the　sofa　awaiting　his　uncle's　arrival；　as　patiently　as　he　could。　　

Mr。　Edmonstone；　meantime；　was　screwing　up　his　couragenot　that　he　

meant　to　say　a　word　of　Laura；Philip　was　too　unwell　to　be　told　his　

opinion　of　him；　but　now　he　had　ceased　to　rely　on　his　nephew；　he　began　

to　dread　him　and　his　overbearing　ways；　and　besides　he　had　a　perfect　

horror　of　witnessing　agitation。



At　last　he　came；　and　Philip　rose　to　meet　him　with　a　feeling　of　shame　

and　inferiority　most　new　to　him。



'Don't；　don't；　I　beg；'　said　Mr。　Edmonstone；　with　what　was　meant　for　

dignity。　　'Lie　still；　you　had　much　better。　　My　stars！　how　ill　you　

look！'　he　exclaimed；　startled　by　Philip's　altered　face　and　figure。　　

'You　have　had　a　sharpish　touch；　but　you　are　better；　eh？'



'Yes；　thank　you。'



'Well；　I　thought　I　had　better　come　and　speak　to　you；　if　you　felt　up　to　

it。　　Here　ishere　isI　hope　it　is　all　right　and　legal；　but　that　you　

can　tell　better　than　I；　and　you　are　concerned　in　it　anyhow。　　Here　is　

poor　Guy's　will；　which　we　thought　you　had　better　look　over；　if　you　

liked；　and　felt　equal；　eh？'



'Thank　you；'　said　Philip；　holding　out　his　hand；　but　Mr。　Edmonstone　

withheld　it；　trying　his　patience　by　an　endless　quantity　of　discursive　

half…sentences；　apparently　without　connection　with　each　other；　about　

disappointment；　and　hopes；　and　being　sorry；　and　prospects；　and　its　

'being　an　unpleasant　thing；'　and　'best　not　raise　his　expectations：'　

during　all　which　time　Philip；　expecting　to　hear　of　Laura；　and　his　heart　

beating　so　fast　as　to　renew　the　sensation　of　faintness；　waited　in　vain；　

and　strove　to　gather　the　meaning；　and　find　out　whether　he　was　forgiven；　

almost　doubting　whether　the　confusion　was　in　his　own　mind　or　in　his　

uncle's　words。　　However；　at　last　the　meaning　bolted　out　in　one　

comprehensive　sentence；　when　Mr。　Edmonstone　thought　he　had　sufficiently　

prepared　him　for　his　disappointment；'Poor　Amy　is　to　be　confined　in　

the　spring。'



There　Mr。　Edmonstone　stopped　short；　very　much　afraid　of　the　effect；　but　

Philip　raised　himself；　his　face　brightened；　as　if　he　was　greatly　

relieved；　and　from　his　heart　he　exclaimed；　'Thank　Heaven！'



'That's　right！　that　is　very　well　said！'　answered　Mr。　Edmonstone；　very　

much　pleased。　　'It　would　be　a　pity　it　should　go　out　of　the　old　line　

after　all；　and　it's　a　very　generous　thing　in　you　to　say　so。'



'Oh　no！'　said　Philip；　shrinking　into　himself　at　even　such　praise　as　

this。



'Well；　well；'　said　his　uncle；　'you　will　see　he　has　thought　of　you；　be　

it　how　it　may。　　There！　　I　only　hope　it　is　right；　though　it　does　seem　

rather　queer；　appointing　poor　little　Amy　executor　rather　than　me。　　If　I　

had　but　been　here　in　time！　　But　'twas　Heaven's　will；　and　so　It　does　

not　signify；　after　all；　if　it　is　not　quite　formal。　　We　understand　each　

other。'



The　will　was　on　a　sheet　of　letter…paper；　in　Arnaud's　stiff　French　

handwriting；　it　was　witnessed　by　the　two　Mr。　Morrises；　and　signed　on　

the　27th　of　September；　in　very　frail　and　feeble　characters。　　Amabel　and　

Markham　were　the　executors；　and　Amabel　was　to　be　sole　guardian；　in　case　

of　the　birth　of　a　child。　　If　it　was　a　son；　￡10；000　was　left　to　Philip　

himself；　if　not；　he　was　to　have　all　the　plate；　furniture；　&c。；　of　

Redclyffe；　with　the　exception　of　whatever　Lady　Morville　might　choose　

for　herself。



Philip　scarcely　regarded　the　legacy　（though　it　smoothed　away　his　chief　

difficulties）　as　more　than　another　of　those　ill…requited　benefits　which　

were　weighing　him　to　the　earth。　　He　read　on　to　a　sentence　which　

reproached　him　so　acutely；　that　he　would　willingly　have　hidden　from　it；　

as　he　had　done　from　Guy's　countenance。　　It　was　the　bequest　of　￡5000　to　

Elizabeth　Wellwood。　　Sebastian　Dixon's　debts　were　to　be　paid　off；　￡1000　

was　left　to　Marianne　Dixon；　and　the　rest　of　the　personal　property　was　

to　be　Amabel's。



He　gave　back　the　paper；　with　only　the　words　'Thank　you。'　　He　did　not　

feel　as　if　it　was　for　him　to　speak；　and　Mr。　Edmonstone　hesitated；　made　

an　attempt　at　congratulating　him；　broke　down；　and　asked　if　it　was　

properly　drawn　up。　　He　glanced　at　the　beginning　and　end；　said　it　was　

quite　correct；　and　laid　his　head　down；　as　if　the　examination　had　been　a　

great　deal　of　trouble。



'And　what　do　you　think　of　Amy's　being　under　age？'　fidgeted　on　Mr。　

Edmonstone。　　'How　is　she　to　act；　poor　dear！　　Shall　I　act　for　her？'



'She　will　soon　be　of　age；'　said　Philip；　wearily。



'In　January；　poor　darling。　　Who　would　have　thought　how　it　would　have　

been　with　her？　　I　little　thought；　last　Maybut；　holloa！　what　have　I　

been　at？'　cried　he；　jumping　up　in　a　great　fright；　as　Philip；　so　weak　as　

to　be　overcome　by　the　least　agitation；　changed　countenance；　covered　his　

face　with　his　hands；　and　turned　away　with　a　suppressed　sob。　　'I　didn't　

mean　it；　I　am　sure！　　Here！　mamma！'



'No；　no；'　said　Philip；　recovering；　and　sitting　up；　'don't　call　her；　I　

beg。　　There　is　nothing　the　matter。'



Mr。　Edmonstone　obeyed；　but　he　was　too　much　afraid　of　causing　a　renewal　

of　agitation　to　continue　the　conversation；　and　after　walking　about　the　

room　a　little　while；　and　shaking　it　more　than　Philip　could　well　bear；　

he　went　away　to　write　his　letters。



In　the　meantime；　Amabel　had　been　spending　her　morning　in　the　same　quiet　

way　as　the　former　day。　　She　wrote　part　of　a　letter　to　Laura；　and　walked　

to　the　graveyard；　rather　against　her　mother's　wish；　but　she　was　so　good　

and　obedient；　it　was　impossible　to　thwart　her；　though　Mrs。　Edmonstone　

was　surprised　at　her　proposal　to　join　her　father　and　Philip　at　tea。　　

'Do　you　like　it；　my　dear？'



'He　told　me　to　take　care　of　him；'　said　Amabel。



'I　cannot　feel　that　he　deserves　you　should　worry　yourself　about　him；'　

said　Mrs。　Edmonstone。　　'If　you　knew　all'



'I　do　know　all；　mamma；if　you　mean　about　Laura。　　Surely　you　must　

forgive。　　Think　how　he　repents。　　What；　have　you　not　had　his　letter？　　

Then　how　did　you　know？'



'I　learned　it　from　Laura　herself。　　Her　trouble　at　his　illness　revealed　

it。　　Do　you　say　he　has　written？'



'Yes；　mamma；　he　told　Guy　all　about　it；　and　was　very　sorry；　and　wrote　as　

soon　as　he　was　able。　　Guy　sent　you　a　long　message。　　He　was　so　anxious