the heir of redclyffe-第44节

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

children　for　that）；　and　on　the　other　hand；　how　delighted　Lord　and　Lady　

Kilcoran　would　be。　　It　was　a　very　pretty　castle　in　the　air；　but　in　the　

midst　of　it；　the　notion　suddenly　darted　into　Mrs。　Edmonstone's　head；　

that　while　she　was　thinking　of　it；　it　was　Amy；　not　Eveleen；　who　was　

constantly　with　Guy。　　Reading　and　music；　roses；　botany；　and　walks　on　

the　terrace！　　She　looked　back；　and　it　was　still　the　same。　　Last　Easter　

vacation；　how　they　used　to　study　the　stars　in　the　evening；　to　linger　in　

the　greenhouse　in　the　morning　nursing　the　geraniums；　and　to　practise　

singing　over　the　school…room　piano；　how；　in　a　long　walk；　they　always　

paired　together；　and　how　they　seemed　to　share　every　pursuit　or　

pleasure。



Now　Mrs。　Edmonstone　was　extremely　fond　of　Guy；　and　trusted　him　

entirely；　but　she　thought　she　ought　to　consider　how　far　this　should　be　

allowed。　　Feeling　that　he　ought　to　see　more　of　the　world；　she　had　sent　

him　as　much　as　she　could　into　society；　but　it　had　only　made　him　cling　

closer　to　home。　　Still　he　was　but　twenty；　it　was　only　a　country　

neighbourhood；　and　there　was　much　more　for　him　to　see　before　he　could　

fairly　be　supposed　to　know　his　own　mind。　　She　knew　he　would　act　

honourably；　but　she　had　a　horror　of　letting　him　entangle　himself　with　

her　daughter　before　he　was　fairly　able　to　judge　of　his　own　feelings。　　

Or；　if　this　was　only　behaving　with　a　brother's　freedom　and　confidence；　

Mrs。　Edmonstone　felt　it　was　not　safe　for　her　poor　little　Amy；　who　might　

learn　so　to　depend　on　him　as　to　miss　him　grievously　when　this　intimacy　

ceased；　as　it　must　when　he　settled　at　his　own　home。　　It　would　be　right；　

while　it　was　still　time；　to　make　her　remember　that　they　were　not　

brother　and　sister；　and　by　checking　their　present　happy；　careless；　

confidential　intercourse；　to　save　her　from　the　chill　which　seemed　to　

have　been　cast　on　Laura。　　Mrs。　Edmonstone　was　the　more　anxious；　because　

she　deeply　regretted　not　having　been　sufficiently　watchful　in　Laura's　

case；　and　perhaps　she　felt　an　unacknowledged　conviction　that　if　there　

was　real　love　on　Guy's　part；　it　would　not　be　hurt　by　a　little　reserve　

on　Amy's。　　Yet　to　have　to　speak　to　her　little　innocent　daughter　on　such　

a　matter　disturbed　her　so　much；　that　she　could　hardly　have　set　about　

it；　if　Amy　had　not；　at　that　very　moment；　knocked　at　her　door。



'My　dear；　what　has　kept　you　up　so　late？'



'We　have　been　sitting　in　Eveleen's　room；　mamma；　hearing　about　her　

London　life；　and　then　we　began　to　settle　our　plans　for　to…morrow；　and　I　

came　to　ask　what　you　think　of　them。　　You　know　Guy　has　promised　to　go　

and　hear　the　East…hill　singing；　and　we　were　proposing；　if　you　did　not　

mind　it；　to　take　the　pony…carriage　and　the　donkey；　and　go　in　the　

morning　to　East…hill；　have　luncheon；　and　get　Mary　to　go　with　us　to　the　

top　of　the　great　down；　where　we　have　never　been。　　Guy　has　been　wanting　

us；　for　a　long　time　past；　to　go　and　see　the　view；　and　saying　there　is　a　

track　quite　smooth　enough　to　drive　Charlie　to　the　top。'



Amy　wondered　at　her　mother's　look　of　hesitation。　　In　fact；　the　scheme　

was　so　accordant　with　their　usual　habits　that　it　was　impossible　to　find　

any　objection；　yet　it　all　hinged　on　Guy；　and　the　appointment　at　East…

hill　might　lead　to　a　great　many　more。



'Do　you　wish　us　to　do　anything　else；　mamma？　　We　don't　care　about　it。'



'No；　my　dear；'　said　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　'I　see　no　reason　against　it。　　But…

…'　and　she　felt　as　if　she　was　making　a　desperate　plunge；　'there　is　

something　I　want　to　say　to　you。'



Amy　stood　ready　to　hear；　but　Mrs。　Edmonstone　paused。　　Another　effort；　

and　she　spoke：…



'Amy；　my　dear；　I　don't　wish　to　find　fault；　but　I　thought　of　advising　

you　to　take　care。　　About　Guy'



The　very　brilliant　pink　which　instantly　overspread　Amy's　face　made　her　

mother　think　her　warning　more　expedient。



'You　have　been　spending　a　great　deal　of　time　with　him　of　late；　very　

sensibly　and　pleasantly；　I　know；　I　don't　blame　you　at　all；　my　dear；　so　

you　need　not　look　distressed。　　I　only　want　you　to　be　careful。　　You　

know；　though　we　call　him　cousin；　he　is　scarcely　a　relation　at　all。'



'0　mamma；　don't　go　on；'　said　poor　little　Amy；　hurriedly；　'indeed　I　am　

very　sorry！'



For　Amy　understood　that　it　was　imputed　to　her　that　she　had　been　forward　

and　unmaidenly。　　Mrs。　Edmonstone　saw　her　extreme　distress；　and；　grieved　

at　the　pain　she　had　inflicted；　tried　to　reassure　her　as　much　as　might　

be　safe。



'Indeed；　my　dear；　you　have　done　nothing　amiss。　　I　only　intended　to　tell　

you　to　be　cautious　for　fear　you　should　get　into　a　way　of　going　on　which　

might　not　look　well。　　Don't　make　any　great　difference；　I　only　meant　

that　there　should　not　be　quite　so　much　singing　and　gardening　alone　with　

him；　or　walking　in　the　garden　in　the　evening。　　You　can　manage　to　draw　

back　a　little；　so　as　to　keep　more　with　me　or　with　Laura；　and　I　think　

that　will　be　the　best　way。'



Every　word；　no　matter　what；　increased　the　burning　of　poor　Amy's　cheeks。　　

A　broad　accusation　of　flirting　would　have　been　less　distressing　to　many　

girls　than　this　mild　and　delicate　warning　was　to　one　of　such　shrinking　

modesty　and　maidenly　feeling。　　She　had　a　sort　of　consciousness　that　she　

enjoyed　partaking　in　his　pursuits；　and　this　made　her　sense　of　confusion　

and　shame　overwhelming。　　What　had　she　been　thoughtlessly　doing？　　She　

could　not　speak；　she　could　not　look。　　Her　mother　put　her　arm　round　her；　

and　Amy　hid　her　head　on　her　shoulder；　and　held　her　fast。　　Mrs。　

Edmonstone　kissed　and　caressed　the　little　fluttering　bird；　then　saying；　

'Good　night；　my　own　dear　child；'　unloosed　her　embrace。



'Good　night；　dear　mamma；'　whispered　Amy。　'I　am　very　sorry。'



'You　need　not　be　sorry；　my　dear；　only　be　careful。　　Good　night。'　　And　it　

would　be　hard　to　say　whether　the　mother　or　the　daughter　had　the　hottest　

cheeks。



Poor　little　Amy！　what　was　her　dismay　as　she　asked　herself；　again　and　

again；　what　she　had　been　doing　and　what　she　was　to　do？　　The　last　was　

plain；she　knew　what　was　right；　and　do　it　she　must。　　There　would　be　an　

end　of　much　that　was　pleasant；　and　a　fresh　glow　came　over　her　as　she　

owned　how　very；　very　pleasant；　but　if　it　was　not　quite　the　thing；if　

mamma　did　not　approve；　so　it　must　be。　　True；　all　her　doings　received　

their　zest　from　Guy；her　heart　bounded　at　the　very　sound　of　his　

whistle；　she　always　heard　his　words　through　all　the　din　of　a　whole　

party；nothing　was　complete　without　him；　nothing　good　without　his　

without　his　approval；but　so　much　the　more　shame　for　her。　　It　was　a　

kind　of　seeking　him　which　was　of　all　things　the　most　shocking。　　So　

there　should　be　an　end　of　it；never　mind　the　rest！　　Amy　knelt　down；　

and　prayed　that　she　might　keep　her　resolution。



She　did　not　know　how　much　of　her　severity　towards　herself　was　learned　

from　the　example　that　had　been　two　years　before　her。　　Nor　did　she　think　

whether　the　seeking　had　been　mutual；　she　imagined　it　all　her　own　doing；　

and　did　not　guess　that　she　would　give　pain　to　Guy　by　withdrawing　

herself　from　him。



The　morning　gave　vigour　to　her　resolution；　and　when　Laura　came　to　ask　

what　mamma　thought　of　their　project；　Amy　looked　confusedsaid　she　did　

not　knowshe　believed　it　would　not　do。　　But　just　then　in　came　her　

mother；　to　say　she　had　been　considering　of　the　expedition；　and　meant　to　

join　it　herself。　　Amy　understood；　blushed；　and　was　silently　grateful。



When　Laura　wanted　to　alter　her　demeanour　towards　Guy；　being　perfectly　

cool；　and　not　in　the　least　conscious；　she　had　acted　with　great　

judgment；　seen　exactly　what　to　do；　and　what　to　leave　undone；　so　as　to　

keep　up　appearances。　　But　it　was　not　so　with　Amy。　　She　was　afraid　of　

herself；　and　was　in　extremes。　　She　would　not　come　down　till　the　last　

moment；　that　there　might　be　no　talking　in　the　window。　　She　hardly　spoke　

at　breakfast…time；　and　adhered　closely　to　Laura　and　Eveleen　when　they　

wandered　in　the　garden。　　Presently　Charles　looked　out　from　the　

dressing…room　window；　calling；



'Amy；　Guy　is　ready　to　read。'



'I　can't　come。　　Read　without　me；'　she　answered；　hoping　Charlie　would　

not　be　vexed；　and　feeling　her　face　light　up　again。



The　hour　for　the　expedition　came；　and　Amy　set　off　walking　with　Laura；　

because　Guy　was　with　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　but　presently；　after　holding　open　

a　gate　for　Charlotte；　who　was　on　the　donkey；　he　came　up　to　the　sisters；　

and　joined　in　the　conversation。　　Amy　saw　something　in　the　hedgea　

foxglove；　she　believedit　would　have　done　as　well　if　it　had　been　a　

nettleshe　stopped　to　gather　it；　hoping　to　fall　behind　them；　but　they　

waited　for　her。　　She　grew　silent；　but　Guy　appealed　to　her。　　She　ran　on　

to　Charlotte　and　her　donkey；　but　at　the　next　gate　Guy　had　joined　

company　again。　　At　last　she　put　herself　under　her　mother's　wing；　and　by　

keeping　with　her　did　pretty　well　all　the　time　she　was　at　East…hill。　　

But　when　they　went　on；　she　was　riding　the　donkey；　and　it；　as　d