the heir of redclyffe-第43节

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vacation；　but　that　he　thought　he　could　not　give　time　enough　to　his　

studies　here；　and　had　settled；　at　Oxford；　to　make　one　of　a　reading…

party；　under　the　tutorship　of　his　friend；　Mr。　Wellwood。



'Where　do　they　go？'



'It　is　not　settled。　　Guy　wished　it　to　be　the　sea…side；　but　Philip　has　

been　recommending　a　farmhouse　in　Stylehurst　parish；　rather　nearer　St。　

Mildred's　Wells　than　Stylehurst；　but　quite　out　in　the　moor；　and　an　

immense　way　from　both。'



'Do　you　think　it　will　be　the　place？'



'Yes；　Guy　thinks　it　would　suit　Mr。　Wellwood；　because　he　has　friends　at　

St。　Mildred's；　so　he　gave　his　vote　for　it。　　He　expects　to　hear　how　it　

is　settled　to…day　or　to…morrow。'



Coming　out　on　the　lawn；　they　found　the　three　ladies　sitting　under　the　

acacia；　with　their　books　and　work。　　Laura　did；　indeed；　look　older　than　

her　real　age；　as　much　above　twenty　as　Amy　looked　under　nineteen。　　She　

was　prettier　than　ever；　her　complexion　exquisite　in　delicacy；　her　fine　

figure　and　the　perfect　outline　of　her　features　more　developed；　but　the　

change　from　girl　to　woman　had　passed　over　her；　and　set　its　stamp　on　the　

anxious　blue　eye；　and　almost　oppressed　brow。　　Mary　thought　it　would　be　

hard　to　define　where　was　that　difference。　　It　was　not　want　of　bloom；　

for　of　that　Laura　had　more　than　any　of　the　others；　fresh；　healthy；　and　

bright；　while　Amy　was　always　rather　pale；　and　Lady　Eveleen　was　

positively　wan　and　faded　by　London　and　late　hours；　nor　was　it　loss　of　

animation；　for　Laura　talked　and　laughed　with　interest　and　eagerness；　

nor　was　it　thought；　for　little　Amy；　when　at　rest；　wore　a　meditative；　

pensive　countenance；　but　there　was　something　either　added　or　taken　

away；　which　made　it　appear　that　the　serenity　and　carelessness　of　early　

youth　had　fled　from　her；　and　the　air　of　the　cares　of　life　had　come　over　

her。



Mary　told　her　plans；Church　service　at　four；　followed　by　a　tea…

drinking　in　the　fields；　tea　in　the　garden　for　the　company；　and　play　for　

the　school　children　and　all　who　liked　to　join　them。　　Every　one　likes　

such　festivals；　which　have　the　recommendation　of　permitting　all　to　do　

as　they　please；　bringing　friends　together　in　perfect　ease　and　freedom；　

with　an　object　that　raises　them　above　the　rank　of　mere　gatherings　for　

the　pleasure　of　rich　neighbours。



Mrs。　Edmonstone　gladly　made　the　engagement　and　Lady　Eveleen　promised　to　

be　quite　well；　and　to　teach　the　children　all　manner　of　new　games；　

though　she　greatly　despised　the　dullness　of　English　children；　and　had　

many　droll　stories　of　the　stupidity　of　Laura's　pupils；　communicated　to　

her；　with　perhaps　a　little　exaggeration；　by　Charles；　and　still　further　

embellished　by　herself；　for　the　purpose　of　exciting　Charlotte's　

indignation。



Mary　proceeded　to　her　consultation　about　the　singing；　and　was　conducted　

by　Guy　and　Amy　to　the　piano；　and　when　her　ears　could　not　be　

indoctrinated　by　their　best　efforts；　they　more　than　half　engaged　to　

walk　to　East…hill；　and　have　a　conversation　with　the　new　school…master；　

whom　Mary　pitied　for　having　fallen　on　people　so　unable　to　appreciate　

his　musical　training　as　herself　and　her　father。　　The　whole　party　walked　

back　with　her　as　far　as　the　shade　lasted；　and　at　the　end　of　the　next　

field　she　turned；　saw　them　standing　round　the　stile；　thought　what　happy　

people　they　were；　and　then　resumed　her　wonder　whither　Laura's　

youthfulness　had　flown。



The　situation　of　Philip　and　Laura　had　not　changed。　　His　regiment　had　

never　been　at　any　great　distance　from　Hollywell；　and　he　often　came；　

venturing　more　as　Laura　learnt　to　see　him　with　less　trepidation。　　He　

seldom　or　never　was　alone　with　her；　but　his　influence　was　as　strong　as　

ever；　and　look；　word；　and　gesture；　which　she　alone　could　understand；　

told　her　what　she　was　to　him；　and　revealed　his　thoughts。　　To　him　she　

was　devoted；　all　her　doings　were　with　a　view　to　please　him；　and　deserve　

his　affection；　he　was　her　world；　and　sole　object。　　Indeed；　she　was　

sometimes　startled　by　perceiving　that　tenderly　as　she　loved　her　own　

family；　all　were　subordinate　to　him。　　She　had　long　since　known　the　true　

name　of　her　feelings　for　him；　she　could　not　tell　when　or　how　the　

certainty　had　come；　but　she　was　conscious　that　it　was　love　that　they　

had　acknowledged　for　one　another　and　that　she　only　lived　in　the　light　

of　his　love。　　Still　she　did　not　realize　the　evil　of　concealment；　it　was　

so　deep　a　sensation　of　her　innermost　heart；　that　she　never　could　

imagine　revealing　it　to　any　living　creature；　and　she　had　besides　so　

surrendered　her　judgment　to　her　idol；　that　no　thought　could　ever　cross　

her　that　he　had　enjoined　what　was　wrong。　　Her　heart　and　soul　were　his　

alone；　and　she　left　the　future　to　him　without　an　independent　desire　or　

reflection。　　All　the　embarrassments　and　discomforts　which　her　secret　

occasioned　her　were　met　willingly　for　his　sake；　and　these　were　not　a　

few；　though　time　had　given　her　more　self…command；　or；　perhaps；　more　

properly　speaking；　had　hardened　her。



She　always　had　a　dread　of　tete…a…tetes　and　conversations　over　novels；　

and　these　were　apt　to　be　unavoidable　when　Eveleen　was　at　Hollywell。　　

The　twilight　wanderings　on　the　terrace　were　a　daily　habit；　and　Eveleen　

almost　always　paired　with　her。　　On　this　evening　in　particular；　Laura　

was　made　very　uncomfortable　by　Eveleen's　declaring　that　it　was　

positively　impossible　and　unnatural　that　the　good　heroine　of　some　novel　

should　have　concealed　her　engagement　from　her　parents。　　Laura　could　not　

help　saying　that　there　might　be　many　excuses；　then　afraid　that　she　was　

exciting　suspicion；　changed　the　subject　in　great　haste；　and　tried　to　

make　Eveleen　come　indoors；　telling　her　she　would　tire　herself　to　death；　

and　vexed　by　her　cousin's　protestations　that　the　fresh　cool　air　did　her　

good。　　Besides；　Eveleen　was　looking　with　attentive　eyes　at　another　pair　

who　were　slowly　walking　up　and　down　the　shady　walk　that　bordered　the　

grass…plot；　and　now　and　then　standing　still　to　enjoy　the　subdued　

silence　of　the　summer　evening；　and　the　few　distant　sounds　that　marked　

the　perfect　lull。



'How　calmhow　beautiful！'　murmured　Amabel。



'It　only　wants　the　low　solemn　surge　and　ripple　of　the　tide；　and　its　

dash　on　the　rocks；'　said　Guy。　'If　ever　there　was　music；　it　is　there；　

but　it　makes　one　think　what　the　ear　must　be　that　can　take　in　the　whole　

of　those　harmonics。'



'How　I　should　like　to　hear　it！'



'And　see　it。　　0　Amy！　to　show　you　the　sunny　sea；the　sense　of　breadth　

and　vastness　in　that　pale　clear　horizon　line；　and　the　infinite　number　

of　fields　of　light　between　you　and　it；and　the　free　feelings　as　you　

stand　on　some　high　crag；　the　wind　blowing　in　your　face　across　half　the　

globe；　and　the　waves　dashing　far　below！　　I　am　growing　quite　thirsty　for　

the　sea。'



'You　know；　papa　said　something　about　your　taking　your　reading…party　to　

Redclyffe。'



'True；　but　I　don't　think　Markham　would　like　it；　and　it　would　put　old　

Mrs。　Drew　into　no　end　of　a　fuss。'



'Not　like　to　have　you？'



'0　yes；　I　should　be　all　very　well；　but　if　they　heard　I　was　bringing　

three　or　four　men　with　me；　they　would　think　them　regular　wild　beasts。　　

They　would　be　in　an　awful　fright。　　Besides；　it　is　so　long　since　I　have　

been　at　home；　that　I　don't　altogether　fancy　going　there　till　I　settle　

there　for　good。'



'Ah！　it　will　be　sad　going　there　at　first。'



'And　it　has　not　been　my　duty　yet。'



'But　you　will　be　glad　when　you　get　there？'



'Sha'n't　I？　　I　wonder　if　any　one　has　been　to　shoot　the　rabbits　on　the　

shag　rock。　　They　must　have　quite　overrun　it　by　this　time。　　But　I　don't　

like　the　notion　of　the　first　day。　　There　is　not　only　the　great　change；　

but　a　stranger　at　the　vicarage。'



'Do　you　know　anything　about　the　new　clergyman？　　I　believe　Mrs。　Ashford　

is　a　connection　of　Lady　Thorndale's？'



'Yes；　Thorndale　calls　them　pattern　people；　and　I　have　no　doubt　they　

will　do　great　good　in　the　parish。　　I　am　sure　we　want　some　

enlightenment；　for　we　are　a　most　primitive　race；　and　something　beyond　

Jenny　Robinson's　dame　school　would　do　us　no　harm。'



Here　Mr。　Edmonstone　called　from　the　window　that　they　must　come　in。



Mrs。　Edmonstone　thought　deeply　that　night。　　She　had　not　forgotten　her　

notion　that　Eveleen　was　attracted　by　Guy's　manners；　and　had　been　

curious　to　see　what　would　happen　when　Eveleen　was　sent　to　Hollywell　for　

country　air。



She　had　a　very　good　opinion　of　Lady　Eveleen。　　Since　the　former　visit；　

she　had　shown　more　spirit　of　improvement；　and　laid　aside　many　little　

follies；　she　had　put　herself　under　Laura's　guidance；　and　tamed　down　

into　what　gave　the　promise　of　a　sensible　woman；　more　than　anything　that　

had　hitherto　been　observed　in　her；　and　little　addicted　to　match…making　

as　Mrs。　Edmonstone　was；　she　could　not　help　thinking　that　Eva　was　almost　

worthy　of　her　dear　Guy　（she　never　could　expect　to　find　anyone　she　

should　think　quite　worthy　of　him；　he　was　too　like　one　of　her　own　

children　for　that）；　and　on　the　oth