the heir of redclyffe-第52节

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coolly　to　see　my　daughter　so　treated。'



'I　would　only　give　him　the　opportunity　of　saying　what　he　can　for　

himself。　　He　may　have　some　explanation。'



'I'll　admit　of　no　explanation！　　Passing　himself　off　for　steadiness　

itself；　daring　to　think　of　my　daughter；　and　all　the　time　going　on　in　

this　fashion！　　I　hate　underhand　ways！　　I'll　have　no　explanation。　　He　

may　give　up　all　thoughts　of　her。　　I'll　write　and　tell　him　so　before　I'm　

a　day　older；　nay；　before　I　stir　from　this　room。　　My　little　Amy；　

indeed！'



Philip　put　no　obstacles　in　the　way　of　this　proposal；　for　he　knew　that　

his　uncle's　displeasure；　though　hot　at　first；　was　apt　to　evaporate　in　

exclamations；　and　he　thought　it　likely　that　his　good　nature；　his　

partiality　for　his　ward；　his　dislike　to　causing　pain　to　his　daughter；　

and；　above　all；　his　wife's　blind　confidence　in　Guy；　would；　when　once　at　

home；　so　overpower　his　present　indignation　as　to　prevent　the　salutary　

strictness　which　was　the　only　hope　of　reclaiming　Guy。　　Beside；　a　letter　

written　under　Philip's　inspection　was　likely　to　be　more　guarded；　as　

well　as　more　forcible；　than　an　unassisted　composition　of　his　own；　as　

was；　indeed；　pretty　well　proved　by　the　commencement　of　his　first　

attempt。



'My　dear　Guy；I　am　more　surprised　than　I　could　have　expected　at　your　

application。'



Philip　read　this　aloud；　so　as　to　mark　its　absurdity；　and　he　began　

again。



'I　am　greatly　astonished；　as　well　as　concerned；　at　your　application；　

which　confirms　the　unpleasant　reports'



'Why　say　anything　of　reports？'　said　Philip。　　'Reports　are　nothing。　　A　

man　is　not　forced　to　defend　himself　from　reports。'



'Yes；humha；the　accounts　I　have　received。　　No。　　You　say　there　is　

not　to　be　a　word　of　Mrs。　Henley。'



'Not　a　word　that　can　lead　her　to　be　suspected。'



'Confirmsconfirms'　sighed　Mr。　Edmonstone。



'Don't　write　as　if　you　went　on　hearsay　evidence。　　Speak　of　proofs

irrefragable　proofsand　then　you　convict　him　at　once；　without　power　of　

eluding　you。'



So　Mr。　Edmonstone　proceeded　to　write；　that　the　application　confirmed　

the　irrefragable　proofs；　then　laughed　at　himself；　and　helplessly　begged　

Philip　to　give　him　a　start。　It　now　stood　thus：



'Your　letter　of　this　morning　has　caused　me　more　concern　than　surprise；　

as　it　unhappily　only　adds　confirmation　to　the　intelligence　already　in　

my　possession；　that　either　from　want　of　resolution　to　withstand　the　

seductions　of　designing　persons；　or　by　the　impetuosity　and　instability　

of　your　own　character；　you　have　been　led　into　the　ruinous　and　degrading　

practice　of　gambling；　and　that　from　hence　proceed　the　difficulties　that　

occasion　your　application　to　me　for　money。　　I　am　deeply　grieved　at　thus　

finding　that　neither　the　principles　which　have　hitherto　seemed　to　guide　

you；　nor　the　pledges　which　you　used　to　hold　sacred；　nor；　I　may　add；　the　

feelings　you　have　so　recently　expressed　towards　a　member　of　my　family；　

have　been　sufficient　to　preserve　you　from　yielding　to　a　temptation　

which　could　never　be　presented　to　the　mind　of　any　one　whose　time　was　

properly　occupied　in　the　business　of　his　education。'



'Is　that　all　I　am　to　say　about　her；'　exclaimed　Mr。　Edmonstone；　'after　

the　atrocious　way　the　fellow　has　treated　her　in？'



'Since　it　is；　happily；　no　engagement；　I　cannot　see　how　you　can；　with　

propriety；　assume　that　it　is　one；　by　speaking　of　breaking　it　off。　　

Besides；　give　him　no　ground　for　complaint；　or　he　will　take　refuge　in　

believing　himself　ill…used。　　Ask　him　if　he　can　disprove　it；　and　when　he　

cannot；　it　will　be　time　enough　to　act　further。　　But　waitwait；　sir；'　

as　the　pen　was　moving　over　the　paper；　impatient　to　dash　forward。　　'You　

have　not　told　him　yet　of　what　you　accuse　him。'



Philip　meditated　a　few　moments；　then　produced　another　sentence。



'I　have　no　means　of　judging　how　long　you　have　been　following　this　

unhappy　course；　I　had　rather　believe　it　is　of　recent　adoption；　but　I　do　

not　know　how　to　reconcile　this　idea　with　the　magnitude　of　your　demand；　

unless　your　downward　progress　has　been　more　rapid　than　usual　in　such　

beginnings。　　It　would；　I　fear；　be　quite　vain　for　me　to　urge　upon　you　

all　the　arguments　and　reasons　that　ought　to　have　been　present　to　your　

mind；　and　prevented　you　from　taking　the　first　fatal　step。　　I　can　only　

entreat　you　to　pause；　and　consider　the　ruin　and　degradation　to　which　

this　hateful　vice　almost　invariably　conducts　its　victims；　and　

consistently　with　my　duty　as　your　guardian；　everything　in　my　power　

shall　be　done　to　extricate　you　from　the　embarrassments　in　which　you　

have　involved　yourself。　　But；　in　the　first　place；　I　make　it　a　point　

that　you　treat　me　with　perfect　confidence；　and　make　a　full；　unequivocal　

statement　of　your　proceedings；　above　all；　that　you　explain　the　

circumstances；　occasioning　your　request　for　this　large　sum。　　Remember；　

I　say；　complete　candour　on　your　part　will　afford　the　only　means　of　

rescuing　you　from　difficulties；　or　of　in　any　degree　restoring　you　to　my　

good　opinion。'



So　far　the　letter　had　proceeded　slowly；　for　Philip　was　careful　and　

deliberate　in　composition；　and　while　he　was　weighing　his　words；　Mr。　

Edmonstone　rushed　on　with　something　unfit　to　stand；　so　as　to　have　to　

begin　over　again。　　At　last；　the　town　clock　struck　five；　Philip　started；　

declaring　that　if　he　was　not　at　the　station　in　five　minutes；　he　should　

lose　the　train；　engaged　to　come　to　Hollywell　on　the　day　an　answer　might　

be　expected；　and　hastened　away；　satisfied　by　having　seen　two　sheets　

nearly　filled；　and　having　said　there　was　nothing　more　but　to　sign；　

seal；　and　send　it。



Mr。　Edmonstone　had；　however；　a　page　of　note…paper　more；　and　it　was　with　

a　sensation　of　relief　that　he　wrote；



'I　wish；　from　the　bottom　of　my　heart；　that　you　could　clear　yourself。　　

If　a　dozen　men　had　sworn　it　till　they　were　black　in　the　face；　I　would　

not　have　believed　it　of　you　that　you　could　serve　us　in　such　a　manner；　

after　the　way　you　have　been　treated　at　home；　and　to　dare　to　think　of　my　

daughter　with　such　things　on　your　mind。　　I　could　never　have　believed　

it；　but　for　the　proofs　Philip　has　brought；　and　I　am　sure　he　is　as　sorry　

as　myself。　　Only　tell　the　whole　truth；　and　I　will　do　my　best　to　get　you　

out　of　the　scrape。　　Though　all　else　must　be　at　an　end　between　us；　I　am　

your　guardian　still；　and　I　will　not　be　harsh　with　you。'



He　posted　his　letter；　climbed　up　his　tall　horse；　and　rode　home；　rather　

heavy…hearted；　but　his　wrath　burning　out　as　he　left　Broadstone　behind　

him。　　He　saw　his　little　Amy　gay　and　lively；　and　could　not　bear　to　

sadden　her；　so　he　persuaded　himself　that　there　was　no　need　to　mention　

the　suspicions　till　he　had　heard　what　Guy　had　to　say　for　himself。　　

Accordingly；　he　told　no　one　but　his　wife；　and　she；　who　thought　Guy　as　

unlikely　to　gamble　as　Amy　herself；　had　not　the　least　doubt　that　he　

would　be　able　to　clear　himself；　and　agreed　that　it　was　much　better　to　

keep　silence　for　the　present。









CHAPTER　15







'Tis　not　unknown　to　you；　Antonio；

How　much　I　have　disabled　mine　estate；

By　something　showing　a　more　swelling　port

Than　my　faint　means　would　grant　continuance。　　Merchant　of　Venice





St。　Mildred's　was　a　fashionable　summer　resort；　which　the　virtues　of　a　

mineral　spring；　and　the　reputation　of　Dr。　Henley；　had　contributed　to　

raise　to　a　high　degree　of　prosperity。　　It　stood　at　the　foot　of　a　

magnificent　range　of　beautifully　formed　hills；　where　the　crescents　and　

villas；　white　and　smart；　showed　their　own　insignificance　beneath　the　

purple　peaks　that　rose　high　above　them。



About　ten　miles　distant；　across　the　hills；　was　Stylehurst；　the　parish　

of　the　late　Archdeacon　Morville；　and　the　native　place　of　Philip　and　his　

sister　Margaret。　　It　was　an　extensive　parish；　including　a　wide　tract　of　

the　hilly　country；　and　in　a　farm…house　in　the　midst　of　the　moorland；　

midway　between　St。　Mildred's　and　the　village　of　Stylehurst；　had　Mr。　

Wellwood　fixed　himself　with　his　three　pupils。



Guy's　first　visit　was　of　course　to　Mrs。　Henley；　and　she　was；　on　her　

side；　prepared　by　her　brother　to　patronize　him　as　Philip　would　have　

done　in　her　place。　　Her　patronage　was　valuable　in　her　own　circle；　her　

connections　were　good；　the　Archdeacon's　name　was　greatly　respected；　she　

had　a　handsome　and　well…regulated　establishment；　and　this；　together　

with　talents　which；　having　no　family；　she　had　cultivated　more　than　most　

women　have　time　to　do；　made　her　a　person　of　considerable　distinction　at　

St。　Mildred's。　　She　was；　in　fact；　the　leading　lady　of　the　placethe　

manager　of　the　book…club；　in　the　chair　at　all　the　charitable　

committees；　and　the　principal　person　in　society；　giving　literary　

parties；　with　a　degree　of　exclusiveness　that　made　admission　to　them　a　

privilege。



She　was　a　very　fine　woman；　handsomer　at　two…and…thirty　than　in　her　

early　bloom；　her　height　little　less　than　that　of　her　tall　brother；　and　

her　manner　and　air　had　something　very　distinguished。　　The　first　ti