the heir of redclyffe-第137节

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'A　good　way　from　it；'　said　Charles。　　'He　is　pretty　well　to…day；　

comparatively；　though　that　obstinate　headache　hangs　about　him。　　If　this　

change　last　longer　than　that　and　his　white　looks；　I　shall　not　even　

grudge　him　the　sponsorship　Amy　owed　me。'



'Very　magnanimous！'　said　Mary。　　'Poor　Laura！　　I　am　glad　her　suspense　is　

over。　　I　wondered　to　see　her　at　school。'



'They　are　very　sad　and　sober　lovers；　and　it　is　the　best　way　of　not　

making　themselves　unbearable；　consideringWell；　that　was　a　different　

matter。　　How　little　we　should　have　believed　it；　if　any　one　had　told　us　

last　year　what　would　be　the　state　of　affairs　to…day。　By　the　bye；　Amy's　

godson　is　christened　to…day。'



'Who？'



'Didn't　you　hear　that　the　Ashfords　managed　to　get　Amy　asked　if　she　

would　dislike　their　calling　their　boy　by　that　name　we　shall　never　hear　

again；　and　she　was　very　much　pleased；　and　made　offer　in　her　own　pretty　

way　to　be　godmother。　　I　wonder　how　Markham　endures　it！　　I　believe　he　is　

nearly　crazy。　　He　wrote　me　word　he　should　certainly　have　given　up　all　

concern　with　Redclyffe；　but　for　the　especial　desire　of。What　a　state　

of　mind　he　will　be　in；　when　he　remembers　how　he　has　been　abusing　the　

captain　to　me！'



The　afternoon　was　fresh　and　clear；　and　there　was　a　spring　brightness　in　

the　sunshine　that　Amabel　took　as　a　greeting　to　her　little　maiden；　as　

she　was　carried　along　the　churchyard　path。　　Many　an　eye　was　bent　on　the　

mother　and　child；　especially　on　the　slight　form；　unseen　since　she　had　

last　walked　down　the　aisle；　her　arm　linked　in　her　bridegroom's。　



'Little　Amy　Edmonstone；'　as　they　had　scarcely　learnt　to　cease　from　

calling　her；　before　she　was　among　them　again；　the　widowed　Lady　

Morville；　and　with　those　kind　looks　of　compassion　for　her；　were　joined　

many　affectionate　mourning　thoughts　of　the　young　husband　and　father；　

lying　far　away　in　his　foreign　grave；　and　endeared　by　kindly　

remembrances　to　almost　all　present。　　There　was　much　of　pity　for　his　

unconscious　infant；　and　tears　were　shed　at　the　thought　of　what　the　wife　

must　be　suffering；　but　if　the　face　could　have　been　seen　beneath　the　

thick　crape　folds　of　her　veil；　it　would　have　shown　no　tearsonly　a　

sweet；　calm　look　of　peace；　and　almost　gladness。



The　babe　was　on　her　knees　when　the　time　for　the　christening　came；　she　

was　awake；　and　now　and　then　making　a　little　sound　and　as　she　was　

quieter　with　her　than　any　one　else；　Amabel　thought　she　might　herself　

carry　her　to　the　font。



It　was　deep；　grave　happiness　to　stand　there；　with　her　child　in　her　

arms；　and　with　an　undefined　sense　that　she　was　not　alone　as　if　in　some　

manner　her　husband　was　present　with　her；　praying　with　her　prayers；　and　

joining　in　offering　up　their　treasure；　when　the　babe　was　received　into　

Mr。　Ross's　arms；　and　Amy；　putting　back　her　veil；　gazed　up　with　a　

wistful　but　serene　look。



'To　her　life's　end？'　　Therewith　came　a　vision　of　the　sunrise　at　

Recoara；　and　the　more　glorious　dawn　that　had　shone　in　Guy's　dying　

smile；　and　Amabel　knew　what　would　be　her　best　prayer　for　his　little　

Mary　Verena；　as　she　took　her　back；　the　drops　glistening　on　her　brow；　

her　eyes　open；　and　arms　outspread。　　It　was　at　that　moment　that　Amabel　

was　first　thrilled　with　a　look　in　her　child　that　was　like　its　father。　　

She　had　earnestly　and　often　sought　a　resemblance　without　being　able　

honestly　to　own　that　she　perceived　any；　but　now；　though　she　knew　not　in　

what　it　consisted；　there　was　something　in　that　baby　face　that　recalled　

him　more　vividly　than　picture　or　memory。



'Lord；　now　lettest　Thou　Thy　servant　depart　in　peace。'



Those　words　seemed　to　come　from　her　own　heart。　　She　had　brought　Guy's　

daughter　to　be　baptized；　and　completed　his　work　of　pardon；　and　she　had　

a　yearning　to　be　departing　in　peace；　whither　her　sunshine　was　gone。　　

But　he　had　told　her　not　to　wish　that　his　child　should　be　motherless；　

she　had　to　train　her　to　be　fit　to　meet　him。　　The　sunshine　was　past；　but　

she　had　plenty　to　do　in　the　shade；　and　it　was　for　his　sake。　　She　would；　

therefore；　be　content　to　remain　to　fulfil　her　duties　among　the　dear　

ones　to　whom　he　had　trusted　her　for　comfort；　and　with　the　sense　of　

renewed　communion　with　him　that　she　had　found　in　returning　again　to　

church。



So　felt　Amabel；　as　she　entered　into　the　calm　that　followed　the　one　year　

in　which　she　had　passed　through　the　great　events　of　life；　and　known　the　

chief　joy　and　deepest　grief　that　she　could　ever　experience。



It　was　far　otherwise　with　her　sister。　　Laura's　term　of　trouble　seemed　

to　be　ending；　and　the　spring　of　life　beginning　to　dawn　on　her。



Doubt　and　fear　were　past；　she　and　Philip　were　secure　of　each　other；　he　

was　pardoned；　and　they　could　be　together　without　apprehension；　or　

playing　tricks　with　their　consciences；　but　she　had　as　yet　scarcely　been　

able　to　spend　any　time　with　him；　and　as　Charles　said；　their　ways　were　

far　more　grave　and　less　lover…like　than　would　have　seemed　natural　after　

their　long　separation。



In　truth；　romantic　and　uncalculating　as　their　attachment　was；　they　

never　had　been　lover…like。　　They　had　never　had　any　fears　or　doubts；　her　

surrender　of　her　soul　had　been　total；　and　every　thought；　feeling；　and　

judgment　had　taken　its　colour　from　him　as　entirely　as　if　she　had　been　a　

wife　of　many　years'　standing。　　She　never　opened　her　mind　to　perceive　

that　he　had　led　her　to　act　wrongly；　and　all　her　unhappiness　had　been　

from　anxiety　for　him；　not　repentance　on　her　own　account；　for　so　

complete　was　her　idolatry；　that　she　entirely　overlooked　her　failure　in　

duty　to　her　parents。



It　took　her　by　surprise　when；　as　they　set　out　together　that　evening　to　

walk　home　from　East…hill；　he　said；　as　soon　as　they　were　apart　from　the　

village



'Laura；　you　have　more　to　forgive　than　all。'



'Don't；　speak　so；　Philip；　pray　don't。　　Do　you　think　I　would　not　have　

borne　far　more　unhappiness　willingly　for　your　sake？　　Is　it　not　all　

forgotten　as　if　it　had　not　been？'



'It　is　not　unhappiness　I　meant；'　he　replied；　'though　I　cannot　bear　to　

think　of　what　you　have　undergone。　　Unhappiness　enough　have　I　caused　

indeed。　　But　I　meant；　that　you　have　to　forgive　the　advantage　I　took　of　

your　reliance　on　me　to　lead　you　into　error；　when　you　were　too　young　to　

know　what　it　amounted　to。'



'It　was　not　an　engagement；'　faltered　Laura。



'Laura；　don't；　for　mercy's　sake；　recall　my　own　hateful　sophistries；'　

exclaimed　Philip；　as　if　unable　to　control　the　pain　it　gave　him；　'I　have　

had　enough　of　that　from　my　sister；'　then　softening　instantly：　'it　was　

self…deceit；　a　deception　first　of　myself；　then　of　you。　　You　had　not　

experience　enough　to　know　whither　I　was　leading　you；　till　I　had　

involved　you；　and　when　the　sight　of　death　showed　me　the　fallacy　of　the　

salve　to　my　conscience；　I　had　nothing　for　it　but　to　confess；　and　leave　

you　to　bear　the　consequences。　　0　Laura！　when　I　think　of　my　conduct　

towards　you；　it　seems　even　worse　than　that　towardstowards　your　

brother…in…law！'



His　low；　stern　tone　of　bitter　suffering　and　self…reproach　was　something　

new　and　frightful　to　Laura。　　She　clung　to　his　arm　and　tried　to　say'0；　

don't　speak　in　that　way！　　You　know　you　meant　the　best。　　You　could　not　

help　being　mistaken。'



'If　I　did　know　any　such　thing；　Laura！　but　the　misery　of　perceiving　that　

my　imagined　anxiety　for　his　good；his　good；　indeed！　was　but　a　cloak　

for　my　personal　enmityyou　can　little　guess　it。'



Laura　tried　to　say　that　appearances　were　against　Guy；　but　he　would　not　

hear。



'If　they　were；　I　triumphed　in　them。　　I　see　now　that　a　shade　of　honest　

desire　to　see　him　exculpated　would　have　enabled　me　to　find　the　clue。　　

If　I　had　gone　to　St。　Mildred's　at　onceinterrogated　him　as　a　friend

seen　Wellwoodbut　dwelling　on　the　_ifs_　of　the　last　two　years　can　

bring　nothing　but　distraction；'　he　added；　pausing　suddenly。



'And　remember；'　said　Laura；　'that　dear　Guy　himself　was　always　grateful　

to　you。　　He　always　upheld　that　you　acted　for　his　good。　　Oh！　the　way　he　

took　it　was　the　one　comfort　I　had　last　year。'



'The　acutest　sting；　and　yet　the　only　balm；'　murmured　Philip；　'see；　

Laura；'　and　he　opened　the　first　leaf　of　Guy's　prayer…book；　which　he　had　

been　using　at　the　christening。



A　whispered　'Dear　Guy！'　was　the　best　answer　she　could　make；　and　the　

tears　were　in　her　eyes。　　'He　was　so　very　kind　to　me；　when　he　saw　me　

that　unhappy　wedding…day。'



'Did　Amy　tell　you　his　last　words　to　me？'



'No；'　said　Laura。



'God　bless　you　and　my　sister！'　he　repeated；　so　low　that　she　could　

hardly　hear。



'Amy　left　that　for　you　to　tell；'　said　Laura；　as　her　tears　streamed　

fast。　　How　can　we　speak　of　her；　Philip？'



'Only　as　an　angel　of　pardon　and　peace！'　he　answered。



'I　don't　know　how　to　tell　you　of　all　her　kindness；'　said　Laura；　'half　

the　bitterness　of　it　seemed　to　be　over　when　once　she　was　in　the　house　

again；　and；　all　the　winter；　going　into　her　room　was　like　going　into　

some　peaceful　place　where　one