the heir of redclyffe-第13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！



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

window；　where　he　read　a　grave　book；　instead　of　talking；　singing；　or　

finishing　his　volume　of　'Ten　Thousand　a　Year。'　　Charlotte　was　all　this　

time　ill　at　ease。　　She　looked　from　Guy　to　Philip；　from　Philip　to　Guy；　

she　shut　her　mouth　as　if　she　was　forming　some　great　resolve；　then　

coloured；　and　looked　confused；　rushing　into　the　conversation　with　

something　more　mal…apropos　than　usual；　as　if　on　purpose　to　appear　at　

her　ease。　　At　last；　just　before　her　bed…time；　when　the　tea　was　coming　

in；　Mrs。　Edmonstone　engaged　with　that；　Laura　reading；　Amy　clearing　

Charles's　little　table；　and　Philip　helping　Mr。　Edmonstone　to　unravel　

the　confused　accounts　of　the　late　cheating　bailiff；　Guy　suddenly　found　

her　standing　by　him；　perusing　his　face　with　all　the　power　of　her　great　

blue　eyes。　　She　started　as　he　looked　up；　and　put　her　face　into　Amabel's　

great　myrtle　as　if　she　would　make　it　appear　that　she　was　smelling　to　

it。



'Well；　Charlotte？'　said　he；　and　the　sound　of　his　voice　made　her　speak；　

but　in　a　frightened；　embarrassed　whisper。



'GuyGuyOh！　　I　beg　your　pardon；　but　I　wanted　to'



'Well；　what？'　said　he；　kindly。



'I　wanted　to　make　sure　that　you　are　not　angry　with　Philip。　　You　don't　

mean　to　keep　up　the　feud；　do　you？'



'Feud？I　hope　not；'　said　Guy；　too　much　in　earnest　to　be　diverted　with　

her　lecture。　　'I　am　very　much　obliged　to　him。'



'Are　you　really？'　said　Charlotte；　her　head　a　little　on　one　side。　　'I　

thought　he　had　been　scolding　you。'



Scolding　was　so　very　inappropriate　to　Philip's　calm；　argumentative　way　

of　advising；　that　it　became　impossible　not　to　laugh。



'Not　scolding；　then？'　said　Charlotte。　　'You　are　too　nearly　grown　up　for　

that；　but　telling　you　to　learn；　and　being　tiresome。'



'I　was　so　foolish　as　to　be　provoked　at　first；'　answered　Guy；　'but　I　

hope　I　have　thought　better　of　it；　and　am　going　to　act　upon　it。'



Charlotte　opened　her　eyes　wider　than　ever；　but　in　the　midst　of　her　

amazement　Mrs。　Edmonstone　called　to　Guy　to　quit　his　leafy　screen　and　

come　to　tea。



Philip　was　to　return　to　Broadstone　the　next　day；　and　as　Mrs。　Edmonstone　

had　some　errands　there　that　would　occupy　her　longer　than　Charles　liked　

to　wait　in　the　carriage；　it　was　settled　that　Philip　should　drive　her　

there　in　the　pony　phaeton；　and　Guy　accompany　them　and　drive　back；　thus　

having　an　opportunity　of　seeing　Philip's　print　of　the　'Madonna　di　San　

Sisto；'　returning　some　calls；　and　being　introduced　to　Mr。　Lascelles；　

whilst　she　was　shopping。　　They　appointed　an　hour　and　place　of　meeting；　

and　kept　to　it；　after　which　Mrs。　Edmonstone　took　Guy　with　her　to　call　

on　Mrs。　Deane；　the　wife　of　the　colonel。



It　was　currently　believed　among　the　young　Edmonstones　that　Mamma　and　

Mrs。　Deane　never　met　without　talking　over　Mr。　Morville's　good　

qualities；　and　the　present　visit　proved　no　exception。　　Mrs。　Deane；　a　

kind；　open…hearted；　elderly　lady　was　very　fond　of　Mr。　Morville；　and　

proud　of　him　as　a　credit　to　the　regiment；　and　she　told　several　traits　

of　his　excellent　judgment；　kindness　of　heart；　and　power　of　leading　to　

the　right　course。　　Mrs。　Edmonstone　listened；　and　replied　with　delight；　

and　no　less　pleasure　and　admiration　were　seen　reflected　in　her　young　

friend's　radiant　face。



Mrs。　Edmonstone's　first　question；　as　they　set　out　on　their　homeward　

drive；　was；　whether　they　had　seen　Mr。　Lascelles？



'Yes；'　said　Guy；　'I　am　to　begin　to　morrow；　and　go　to　him　every　Monday　

and　Thursday。'



'That　is　prompt。'



'Ah！　　I　have　no　time　to　lose；　besides　I　have　been　leading　too　smooth　a　

life　with　you。　　I　want　something　unpleasant　to　keep　me　in　order。　　

Something　famously　horrid；'　repeated　he；　smacking　the　whip　with　a　

relish；　as　if　he　would　have　applied　that　if　he　could　have　found　nothing　

else。



'You　think　you　live　too　smoothly　at　Hollywell；'　said　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　

hardly　able；　with　all　her　respect　for　his　good　impulses；　to　help　

laughing　at　this　strange　boy。



'Yes。　　Happy；　thoughtless；　vehement；　that　is　what　your　kindness　makes　

me。　　Was　it　not　a　proof；　that　I　must　needs　fly　out　at　such　a　petty　

provocation？'



'I　should　not　have　thought　it　such　a　very　exciting　life；　certainly　not　

such　as　is　usually　said　to　lead　to　thoughtlessness；　and　we　have　been　

even　quieter　than　usual　since　you　came。'



'Ah；　you　don't　know　what　stuff　I　am　made　of；'　said　Guy；　gravely；　though　

smiling；　'your　own　home　party　is　enough　to　do　me　harm；　it　is　so　

exceedingly　pleasant。'



'Pleasant　things　do　not　necessarily　do　harm。'



'Not　to　you；　not　to　people　who　are　not　easily　unsettled；　but　when　I　go　

up…stairs；　after　a　talking；　merry　evening；　such　as　the　night　before　

last；　I　find　that　I　have　enjoyed　it　too　much；　I　am　all　abroad！　　I　can　

hardly　fix　my　thoughts；　and　I　don't　know　what　to　do；　since　here　I　must　

be；　and　I　can't　either　be　silent；　or　sit　up　in　my　own　room。'



'Certainly　not；'　said　she；　smiling；　'there　are　duties　of　society　which　

you　owe　even　to　us　dangerous　people。'



'No；　no：　don't　misunderstand　me。　　The　fault　is　in　myself。　　If　it　was　

not　for　that；　I　could　learn　nothing　but　good；'　said　Guy；　speaking　very　

eagerly；　distressed　at　her　answer。



'I　believe　I　understand　you；'　said　she；　marvelling　at　the　serious；　

ascetic　temper；　coupled　with　the　very　high　animal　spirits。　　'For　your　

comfort；　I　believe　the　unsettled　feeling　you　complain　of　is　chiefly　the　

effect　of　novelty。　　You　have　led　so　very　retired　a　life；　that　a　lively　

family　party　is　to　you　what　dissipation　would　be　to　other　people：　and；　

as　you　must　meet　with　the　world　some　time　or　other；　it　is　better　the　

first　encounter　with　should　be　in　this　comparatively　innocent　form。　　Go　

on　watching　yourself；　and　it　will　do　you　no　harm。'



Yes；　but　if　I　find　it　does　me　harm？　　It　would　be　cowardly　to　run　away；　

and　resistance　should　be　from　within。　　Yet；　on　the　other　hand；　there　is　

the　duty　of　giving　up；　wrenching　oneself　from　all　that　has　temptation　

in　it。'



'There　is　nothing；'　said　Mrs　Edmonstone；　'that　has　no　temptation　in　it；　

but　I　should　think　the　rule　was　plain。　　If　a　duty　such　as　that　of　

living　among　us　for　the　present；　and　making　yourself　moderately　

agreeable；　involves　temptations；　they　must　be　met　and　battled　from　

within。　　In　the　same　way；　your　position　in　society；　with　all　its　

duties；　could　not　be　laid　aside　because　it　is　full　of　trial。　　Those　who　

do　such　things　are　fainthearted；　and　fail　in　trust　in　Him　who　fixed　

their　station；　and　finds　room　for　them　to　deny　themselves　in　the　

trivial　round　and　common　task。　　It　is　pleasure　involving　no　duty　that　

should　be　given　up；　if　we　find　it　liable　to　lead　us　astray。'



'I　see；'　answered　Guy；　musingly；　'and　this　reading　comes　naturally；　and　

is　just　what　I　wanted　to　keep　the　pleasant　things　from　getting　a　full　

hold　of　me。　　I　ought　to　have　thought　of　it　sooner；　instead　of　dawdling　

a　whole　month　in　idleness。　　Then　all　this　would　not　have　happened。　　I　

hope　it　will　be　very　tough。'



'You　have　no　great　love　for　Latin　and　Greek？'



'Oh！'　cried　Guy；　eagerly；　'to　be　sure　I　delight　in　Homer　and　the　

Georgics；　and　plenty　more。　　What　splendid　things　there　are　in　these　old　

fellows！　　But；　I　never　liked　the　drudgery　part　of　the　affair；　and　now　

if　I　am　to　be　set　to　work　to　be　accurate；　and　to　get　up　all　the　grammar　

and　the　Greek　roots；　it　will　be　horrid　enough　in　all　conscience。'



He　groaned　as　deeply　as　if　he　had　not　been　congratulating　himself　just　

before　on　the　difficulty。



'Who　was　your　tutor？'　asked　Mrs。　Edmonstone。



'Mr。　Potts；'　said　Guy。　　'He　is　a　very　clever　man；　he　had　a　common　

grammar…school　education；　but　he　struggled　ontaught　himself　a　great　

dealand　at　last　thought　it　great　promotion　to　be　a　teacher　at　the　

Commercial　Academy；　as　they　call　it；　at　Moorworth；　where　Markham's　

nephews　went　to　school。　　He　is　very　clever；　I　assure　you；　and　very　

patient　of　the　hard；　wearing　life　he　must　have　of　it　there；　and　oh！　so　

enjoying　a　new　book；　or　an　afternoon　to　himself。　　When　I　was　about　

eight　or　nine；　I　began　with　him；　riding　into　Moorworth　three　times　in　a　

week；　and　I　have　gone　on　ever　since。　　I　am　sure　he　has　done　the　best　he　

could　for　me；　and　he　made　the　readings　very　pleasant　by　his　own　

enjoyment。　　If　Philip　had　known　the　difficulties　that　man　has　struggled　

through；　and　his　beautiful　temper；　persevering　in　doing　his　best　and　

being　contented；　I　am　sure　he　could　never　have　spoken　contemptuously　of　

him。'



'I　am　sure　he　would　not；'　said　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　'all　he　meant　was；　that　

a　person　without　a　university　education　cannot　tell　what　the　

requirements　are　to　which　a　man　must　come　up　in　these　days。'



'Ah！'　said　Guy；　laughing；　'how　I　wished　Mr。　Potts　had　been　there　to　

have　enjoyed　listening　to　Philip　and　Mr。　Lascelles　discussing　some　new　

Lexicon；　digging　down　for　roots　of　words；　and　quoting　passages　of　

obscure　Greek　poets　at　such　a　rate；　that　if　my