the heir of redclyffe-第127节

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In　effect；　it　was　a　relapse　of　the　former　disease；　chiefly　affecting　

the　brain；　and　his　impatience　to　leave　Recoara；　and　free　himself　from　

Arnaud；　had　been　a　symptom　of　its　approach；　though　it　fortunately　did　

not　absolutely　overpower　him　till　after　he　had　embarked　for　Corfu；　and　

was　in　the　way　to　be　tended　with　the　greatest　solicitude。　　Long　after　

the　fever　was　subdued；　and　his　strength　returning；　his　mind　was　astray；　

and　even　when　torturing　delusions　ceased；　and　he　resumed　the　perception　

of　surrounding　objects；　memory　and　reflection　wavered　in　dizzy　

confusion；　more　distressing　than　either　his　bodily　weakness；　or　the　

perpetual　pain　in　his　head；　which　no　remedy　could　relieve。



The　first　date　to　which　he　could　afterwards　recur；　though　for　more　than　

a　week　he　had　apparently　been　fully　himself；　was　a　time　when　he　was　

sitting　in　an　easy…chair　by　the　window；　obliged　to　avert　his　heavy　eyes　

from　the　dazzling　waters　of　the　Corcyran　bay；　where　Ulysses'　

transformed　ship　gleamed　in　the　sunshine；　and　the　rich　purple　hills　of　

Albania　sloped　upwards　in　the　distance。　　James　Thorndale　was；　as　usual；　

with　him；　and　was　explaining　that　there　had　been　a　consultation　between　

the　doctor　and　the　colonel；　and　they　had　decided　that　as　there　was　not　

much　chance　of　restoring　his　health　in　that　climate　in　the　spring。



'Spring！'　he　interrupted；　with　surprise　and　eagerness；　'Is　it　spring？'



'Hardlyexcept　that　there　is　no　winter　here。　　This　is　the　8th　of　

January。'



He　let　his　head　fall　on　his　hand　again；　and　listened　with　indifference　

when　told　he　was　to　be　sent　to　England　at　once；　under　the　care　of　his　

servant；　Bolton；　and　Mr。　Thorndale　himself；　who　was　resolved　to　see　him　

safe　in　his　sister's　hands。　　He　made　no　objection；　he　had　become　used　

to　be　passive；　and　one　place　was　much　the　same　to　him　as　another；　so　he　

merely　assented；　without　a　question　about　the　arrangements。　　Presently；　

however；　he　looked　up；　and　inquired　for　his　letters。　　Though　he　had　

done　so　before；　the　request　had　always　been　evaded；　until　now　he　spoke　

in　a　manner　which　decided　his　friend　on　giving　him　all　except　one　with　

broad　black　edges；　and　Broadstone　post…mark；　the　effect　of　which；　it　

was　thought；　might　be　very　injurious　to　his　shattered　nerves　and　

spirits。



However；　he　turned　over　the　other　letters　without　interest；　just　

glancing　languidly　through　them；　looked　disappointed；　and　exclaimed



'None　from　Hollywell！　　Has　nothing　been　heard　from　them？　　Thorndale；　I　

insist　on　knowing　whether　De　Courcy　has　heard　anything　of　Lady　

Morville。'



'He　has　heard　of　her　arrival　in　England。'



'My　sister　mentions　thatmore　than　two　months　agoI　can　hardly　

believe　she　has　not　written；　if　she　was　able。　　She　promised；　yet　how　

can　I　expect'　then　interrupting　himself；　he　added；　authoritatively；　

'Thorndale；　is　there　no　letter　for　me？　　I　see　there　is。　　Let　me　have　

it。'



His　friend　could　not　but　comply；　and　had　no　reason　to　regret　having　

done　so；　for　after　reading　it　twice；　though　he　sighed　deeply；　and　the　

tears　were　in　his　eyes；　he　was　more　calm　and　less　oppressed　than　he　had　

been　at　any　time　since　his　arrival　in　Corfu。　　He　was　unable　to　write；　

but　Colonel　Deane　had　undertaken　to　write　to　Mrs。　Henley　to　announce　

his　coming；　and　as　the　cause　of　his　silence　must　be　known　at　Hollywell；　

he　resolved　to　let　Amabel's　letter　wait　for　a　reply　till　his　arrival　in　

England。



It　was　on　a　chilly　day　in　February　that　Mrs。　Henley　drove　to　the　

station　to　meet　her　brother；　looking　forward　with　a　sister's　

satisfaction　to　nursing　his　recovery；　and　feeling　（for　she　had　a　heart；　

after　all）　as　if　it　was　a　renewal　of　the　days；　which　she　regarded　with　

a　tenderness　mixed　with　contempt；　when　all　was　confidence　between　the　

brother　and　sister；　the　days　of　nonsense　and　romance。　　She　hoped　that　

now　poor　Philip；　who　had　acted　hastily　on　his　romance；　and　ruined　his　

own　prospects　for　her　sake　in　his　boyish　days；　had　a　chance　of　having　

it　all　made　up　to　him；　and　reigning　at　Redclyffe　according　to　her　

darling　wish。



As　she　anxiously　watched　the　arrival　of　the　train；　she　recognized　Mr。　

Thorndale；　whom　she　had　known　in　his　school…days　as　Philip's　protege

but　could　that　be　her　brother？　　It　was　his　height；　indeed；　but　his　slow　

weary　step　as　he　crossed　the　platform；　and　left　the　care　of　his　baggage　

to　others；　was　so　unlike　his　prompt；　independent　air；　that　she　could　

hardly　believe　it　to　be　himself；　till；　with　his　friend；　he　actually　

advanced　to　the　carriage；　and　then　she　saw　far　deeper　traces　of　illness　

than　she　was　prepared　for。　　A　confusion　of　words　took　place；　greetings　

on　one　hand；　and　partings　on　the　other；　for　James　Thorndale　was　going　

on　by　the　train；　and　made　only　a　few　minutes'　halt　in　which　to　assure　

Mrs。　Henley　that　though　the　landing　and　the　journey　had　knocked　up　his　

patient　to…day；　he　was　much　better　since　leaving　Corfu；　and　to　beg　

Philip　to　write　as　soon　as　possible。　　The　bell　rang；　he　rushed　back；　

and　was　whirled　away。



'Then　you　are　better；'　said　Mrs。　Henley；　anxiously　surveying　her　

brother。　　'You　are　sadly　altered！　　You　must　let　us　take　good　care　of　

you。'



'Thank　you！　　I　knew　you　would　be　ready　to　receive　me；　though　I　fear　I　

am　not　very　good　company。'



'Say　no　more；　my　dearest　brother。　　You　know　both　Dr。　Henley　and　myself　

have　made　it　our　first　object　that　our　house　should　be　your　home。'



'Thank　you。'



'This　salubrious　air　must　benefit　you；'　she　added。　　'How　thin　you　are！　　

Are　you　very　much　fatigued？'



'Rather；'　said　Philip；　who　was　leaning　back　wearily；　but　the　next　

moment　he　exclaimed；　'What　do　you　hear　from　Hollywell？'



'There　is　no　news　yet。'



'Do　you　know　how　she　is？　　When　did　you　hear　of　her？'



'About　a　week　ago；　when　she　wrote　to　inquire　for　you。'



'She　did？　　What　did　she　say　of　herself？'



'Nothing　particular；　poor　little　thing；　I　believe　she　is　always　on　the　

sofa。　　My　aunt　would　like　nothing　so　well　as　making　a　great　fuss　about　

her。'



'Have　you　any　objection　to　show　me　her　letter？'　said　Philip；　unable　to　

bear　hearing　Amabel　thus　spoken　of；　yet　desirous　to　learn　all　he　could　

respecting　her。



'I　have　not　preserved　it；'　was　the　answer。　　'My　correspondence　is　so　

extensive　that　there　would　be　no　limit　to　the　accumulation　if　I　did　not　

destroy　the　trivial　letters。'



There　was　a　sudden　flush　on　Philip's　pale　face　that　caused　his　sister　

to　pause　in　her　measured；　self…satisfied　speech；　and　ask　if　he　was　in　

pain。



'No；'　he　replied；　shortly；　and　Margaret　pondered　on　his　strange　manner；　

little　guessing　what　profanation　her　mention　of　Amabel's　letter　had　

seemed　to　him；　or　how　it　jarred　on　him　to　hear　this　exaggerated　

likeness　of　his　own　self…complacent　speeches。



She　was　much　shocked　and　grieved　to　see　him　so　much　more　unwell　than　

she　had　expected。　　He　was　unfit　for　anything　but　to　go　to　bed　on　his　

arrival。　　Dr。　Henley　said　the　system　had　received　a　severe　shock；　and　

it　would　be　long　before　the　effects　would　be　shaken　off；　but　that　there　

was　no　fear　but　his　health　would　be　completely　restored　if　he　would　

give　himself　entire　rest。



There　was　no　danger　that　Margaret　would　not　lavish　care　enough　on　her　

brother。　　She　waited　on　him　in　his　room　all　the　next　day；　bringing　him　

everything　he　could　want；　and　trying　to　make　him　come　down…stairs；　for　

she　thought　sitting　alone　there　very　bad　for　his　spirits；　but　he　said　

he　had　a　letter　to　write；　and　very　curious　she　was　to　know　why　he　was　

so　long　doing　it；　and　why　he　did　not　tell　her　to　whom　it　was　addressed。　　

However；　she　saw　when　it　was　put　into　the　post…bag；　that　it　was　for　

Lady　Morville。



At　last；　too　late　to　see　any　of　the　visitors　who　had　called　to　inquire；　

when　the　evening　had　long　closed　in；　she　had　the　satisfaction　of　seeing　

Philip　enter　the　drawing…room；　and　settling　him　in　the　most　comfortable　

of　her　easy…chairs　on　one　side　of　the　fire　to　wait　till　the　Doctor　

returned　for　dinner。　　The　whole　apartment　was　most　luxurious；　spacious；　

and　richly　furnished；　the　fire；　in　its　brilliant　steel　setting；　

glancing　on　all　around；　and　illuminating　her　own　stately　presence；　and　

rich　glace　silk；　as　she　sat　opposite　her　brother　cutting　open　the　

leaves　of　one　of　the　books　of　the　club　over　which　she　presided。　　She　

felt　that　this　was　something　like　attaining　one　of　the　objects　for　

which　she　used　to　say　and　think　she　married；namely；　to　be　able　to　

receive　her　brother　in　a　comfortable　home。　　If　only　he　would　but　look　

more　like　himself。



'Do　you　like　a　cushion　for　your　head；　Philip？　　Is　it　better？'



'Better　since　morning；　thank　you。'



'Did　those　headaches　come　on　before　your　second　illness？'



'I　can't　distinctly　remember。'



'Ah！　　I　cannot　think　how　the　Edmonstones　could　leave　you。　　I　shall　

always　blame　them　for　that　relapse。'



'It　had　nothing　to　do　with　it。　　Their　remaining　was　impossible。'