the heir of redclyffe-第145节

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she　stood　in　the　spot　where　he　had　loved　to　think　of　seeing　her；　and　

with　Philip　by　her　side。　　His　sea；　his　own　dear　sea；　the　vision　of　

which　had　cheered；　his　last　day；　like　the　face　of　a　dear　old　friend；　

his　sea；　rippling　and　glancing　on；　unknowing　that　the　eyes　that　had　

loved　it　so　well　would　gaze　on　it　no　more；　the　wind　that　he　had　longed　

for　to　cool　his　fevered　brow；　the　rock　which　had　been　like　a　playmate　

in　his　boyhood；　and　where　he　had　perilled　his　life；　and　rescued　so　

many。　　It　was　one　of　the　seasons　when　a　whole　gush　of　fresh　perceptions　

of　his　feelings；　like　a　new　meeting　with　himself；　would　come　on　her；　

her　best　of　joys；　and　there　she　stood；　gazing　fixedly；　her　black　veil　

fluttering　in　the　wind；　and　her　hands　pressed　close　together；　till　

Philip；　little　knowing　what　the　sight　was　to　her；　shivered；　saying　it　

was　very　cold　and　windy；　and　without　hesitation　she　turned　away；　

feeling　that　now　Redclyffe　was　precious　indeed。



She　brought　her　mind　back　to　listen；　while　Philip　was　considering　of　

means　of　taking　Charles　out　of　doors；　he　supposed　there　might　be　some　

vehicle　about　the　place；　but　he　thought　there　was　no　horse。　　Very　

unlike　was　this　to　the　exact　Philip。　　The　great　range　of　stables　was　

before　them；　where　the　Morvilles　had　been　wont　to　lodge　their　horses　as　

sumptuously　as　themselves；　and　Amabel　proposed　to　go　and　see　what　they　

could　find；　but　nothing　was　there　but　emptiness；　till　they　came　to　a　

pony　in　one　stall；　a　goat　in　another；　and　one　wheelbarrow　in　the　coach…

house。



On　leaving　it；　under　the　long…sheltered　sunny　wall；　they　came　in　sight　

of　a　meeting　between　the　baby　taking　the　air　in　Anne's　arms；　and　

Markham；　who　had　been　hovering　about　all　day；　anxious　to　know　how　

matters　were　going　on。　　His　back　was　towards　them；　so　that　he　was　

unconscious　of　their　approach；　and　they　saw　how　he　spoke　to　Anne；　

looked　fixedly　at　the　child；　made　her　laugh；　and　finally　took　her　in　

his　arms；　as　he　had　so　often　carried　her　father；　studying　earnestly　her　

little　face。　　As　soon　as　he　saw　them　coming；　he　hastily　gave　her　back　

to　Anne；　as　if　ashamed　to　be　thus　caught；　but　he　was　obliged　to　grunt　

and　put　his　hand　up　to　his　shaggy　eyelashes；　before　he　could　answer　

Amabel's　greeting。



He　could　hardly　believe　his　eyes；　that　here　was　Mr。　Morville；　who　

yesterday　was　scarcely　able　to　raise　his　head　from　the　pillow；　and　

could　attend　to　nothing。　　He　could　not　think　what　Lady　Morville　had　

done　to　him；　when　he　heard　him　inquiring　and　making　arrangements　about　

sending　for　a　pony　carriage；　appearing　thoroughly　roused；　and　the　dread　

of　being　seen　or　spoken　to　entirely　passed　away；　Markham　was　greatly　

rejoiced；　for　Mr。　Morville's　illness；　helplessness；　and　dependence　upon　

himself；　had　softened　and　won　him　to　regard　him　kindly　as　nothing　else　

would　have　done；　and　his　heart　was　entirely　gained　when；　after　they　had　

wished　him　good…bye；　he　saw　Philip　and　Amabel　walk　on；　overtake　Anne；　

Amy　take　the　baby　and　hold　her　up　to　Philip；　who　looked　at　her　with　the　

same　earnest　interest。　　From　thenceforward　Markham　knew　that　Redclyffe　

was　nothing　but　a　burden　to　Mr。　Morville；　and　he　could　bear　to　see　it　

in　his　possession　since　like　himself；　he　seemed　to　regard　Sir　Guy's　

daughter　like　a　disinherited　princess。



This　short　walk　fatigued　Philip　thoroughly。　　He　slept　till　dinner…time；　

and　when　he　awoke　said　it　was　the　first　refreshing　dreamless　sleep　he　

had　had　for　weeks。　　His　head　was　much　better；　and　at　dinner　he　had　

something　like　an　appetite。



It　was　altogether　a　day　of　refreshment；　and　so　were　the　ensuing　ones。　　

Each　day　Philip　became　stronger；　and　resumed　more　of　his　usual　habits。　　

From　writing　a　few　lines　in　Amabel's　daily　letter　to　Laura；　he　

proceeded　to　filling　the　envelope；　and　from　being　put　to　sleep　by　

Charles's　reading；　to　reading　aloud　the　whole　evening　himself。　　The　

pony　carriage　was　set　up；　and　he　drove　Charles　out　every　day；　Amabel　

being　then　released　from　attending　him；　and　free　to　enjoy　herself　in　

her　own　way　in　rambles　about　the　house　and　park；　and　discoveries　of　the　

old　haunts　she　knew　so　well　by　description。



She　early　found　her　way　to　Guy's　own　room；　where　she　would　walk　up　and　

down　with　her　child　in　her　arms；　talking　to　her；　and　holding　up　to　her；　

to　be　admired；　the　treasures　of　his　boyhood；　that　Mrs。　Drew　delighted　

to　keep　in　order。　　One　day；　when　alone　in　the　sitting…room；　she　thought　

of　trying　the　piano　he　had　chosen　for　her。　　It　was　locked；　but　the　key　

was　on　her　own　split…ring；　where　he　had　put　it　for　her　the　day　he　

returned　from　London。　　She　opened　it；　and　it　so　happened；　that　the　

first　note　she　struck　reminded　her　of　one　of　the　peculiarly　sweet　and　

deep　tones　of　Guy's　voice。　　It　was　like　awaking　its　echo　again；　and　as　

it　died　away；　she　hid　her　face　and　wept。　　But　from　that　time　the　first　

thing　she　did　when　her　brother　and　cousin　were　out；　was　always　to　bring　

down　her　little　girl；　and　play　to　her；　watching　how　she　enjoyed　the　

music。



Little　Mary　prospered　in　the　sea　air；　gained　colour；　took　to　springing　

and　laughing；　and　her　intelligent　lively　way　of　looking　about　brought　

out　continually　more　likeness　to　her　father。　　Amabel　herself　was　no　

longer　drooping　and　pining；　her　step　grew　light　and　elastic；　a　shade　of　

pink　returned　to　her　cheek；　and　the　length　of　walk　she　could　take　was　

wonderful；　considering　her　weakness　in　the　summer。　　Every　day　she　stood　

on　the　cliff　and　looked　at　'Guy's　sea；'　before　setting　out　to　visit　the　

cottages；　and　hear　the　fond　rough　recollections　of　Sir　Guy；　or　to　

wander　far　away　into　the　woods　or　on　the　moor；　and　find　the　way　to　the　

places　he　had　loved。　　One　day；　when　Philip　and　Charles　came　in　from　a　

drive；　they　overtook　her　in　the　court；　her　cloak　over　her　arm；　her　

crape　limp　with　spray；　her　cheeks　brightened　to　a　rosy　glow　by　the　

wind；　and　a　real　smile　as　she　looked　up　to　them。　　When　Charles　was　on　

his　sofa；　she　stooped　over　him　and　whispered；　'James　and　Ben　Robinson　

have　taken　me　out　to　the　Shag！'



She　saw　Mr。　Wellwood；　and　heard　a　good　account　of　Coombe　Prior。　　She　

made　great　friends　with　the　Ashfords；　especially　little　Lucy　and　the　

baby。　　She　delighted　in　visits　to　the　cottages；　and　Charles　every　day　

wondered　where　was　the　drooping　dejection　that　she　could　not　shake　off　

at　home。　　She　would　have　said　that　in　Guy's　own　home；　'the　joy'　had　

come　to　her；　no　longer　in　fitful　gleams　and　held　by　an　effort　for　a　

moment；　but　steadily　brightening。　　She　missed　him　indeed；　but　the　power　

of　finding　rest　in　looking　forward　to　meeting　him；　the　pleasure　of　

dwelling　on　the　days　he　had　been　with　her；　and　the　satisfaction　of　

doing　his　work　for　the　present；　had　made　a　happiness　for　her；　and　still　

in　him；　quiet；　grave；　and　subdued；　but　happiness　likely　to　bloom　more　

and　more　brightly　throughout　her　life。　　The　anniversary　of　his　death　

was　indeed　a　day　of　tears；　but　the　tears　were　blessed　ones；　and　she　was　

more　full　of　the　feeling　that　had　sustained　her　on　that　morning；　than　

she　had　been　through　all　the　year　before。



Charles　and　Philip；　meanwhile；　proceeded　excellently　together；　each　

very　anxious　for　the　comfort　of　the　other。　　Philip　was　a　good　deal　

overwhelmed　at　first　by　the　quantity　of　business　on　his　hands；　and　

setting　about　it　while　his　head　was　still　weak；　would　have　seriously　

hurt　himself　again；　if　Charles　had　not　come　to　his　help；　worked　with　a　

thorough　good　will；　great　clearness　and　acuteness；　and　surprised　Philip　

by　his　cleverness　and　perseverance。　　He　was　elated　at　being　of　so　much　

use；　and　begged　to　be　considered　for　the　future　as　Philip's　private　

secretary；　to　which　the　only　objection　was；　that　his　handwriting　was　as　

bad　as　Philip's　was　good；　but　it　was　an　arrangement　so　much　to　the　

benefit　of　both　parties；　that　it　was　gladly　made。　　Philip　was　very　

grateful　for　such　valuable　assistance；　and　Charles　amused　himself　with　

triumphing　in　his　importance；　when　he　should　sit　in　state　on　his　sofa　

at　Hollywell；　surrounded　with　blue…books；　getting　up　the　statistics　for　

some　magnificent　speech　of　the　honourable　member　for　Moorworth。



In　the　meantime；　Charles　and　Amabel　saw　no　immediate　prospect　of　their　

party　returning　from　Ireland；　and　thought　it　best　to　remain　at　

Redclyffe；　since　Philip　had　so　much　to　do　there；　and　besides；　events　

were　occurring　at　Kilcoran　which　would　have　prevented　his　visit；　even　

without　his　illness。



One　of　the　first　drives　that　Charles　and　Philip　took；　after　the　latter　

was　equal　to　any　exertion；　was　to　Thorndale。　　There　Charles　was　much　

amused　by　the　manner　in　which　Philip　was　received；　and　he　himself；　for　

his　sake；　and　as　he　said　to　Amabel　on　his　return；　there　was　no　question　

now；　that　the　blame　of　spoiling　Philip　did　not　solely　rest　at　

Hollywell。



Finding　only　Lady　Thorndale　at　home；　and　hearing　that　Lord　Thorndale　

was　in　the　grounds；　Philip　went　out　to　look　for　him；　leaving　Charl