the heir of redclyffe-第6节

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is　a　young　Irish　cousin　of　my　own；　a　capital　fellow　at　the　bottom；　but　

a　regular　thoroughgoing　rattle。　　That　was　my　doing。　　I　told　his　father　

that　he　could　not　do　better　than　put　him　into　the　…th。　　Nothing　like　a　

steady　friend　and　a　good　example；　I　said；　and　Kilcoran　always　takes　my　

advice；　and　I　don't　think　he　has　been　sorry。　　Maurice　has　kept　much　

more　out　of　scrapes　of　late。'



'0　papa；'　exclaimed　Charlotte；　'Maurice　has　been　out　riding　on　a　hired　

horse；　racing　with　Mr。　Gordon；　and　the　horse　tumbled　down　at　the　bottom　

of　East…hill；　and　broke　its　knees。'　

　

'That's　the　way；'　said　Mr。　Edmonstone；　'the　instant　my　back　is　turned。'



Thereupon　the　family　fell　into　a　discussion　of　home　affairs；　and　

thought　little　more　of　their　silent　guest。









CHAPTER　3







The　hues　of　bliss　more　brightly　glow　

Chastised　by　sober　tints　of　woe。GRAY





'What　use　shall　I　make　of　him？'　said　Charles　to　himself；　as　he　studied　

Sir　Guy　Morville；　who　sat　by　the　table；　with　a　book　in　his　hand。



He　had　the　unformed　look　of　a　growing　boy；　and　was　so　slender　as　to　

appear　taller　than　he　really　was。　　He　had　an　air　of　great　activity；　and　

though　he　sat　leaning　back；　there　was　no　lounging　in　his　attitude；　and　

at　the　first　summons　he　roused　up　with　an　air　of　alert　attention　that　

recalled　to　mind　the　eager　head　of　a　listening　greyhound。　　He　had　no　

pretension　to　be　called　handsome；　his　eyes　were　his　best　feature；　they　

were　very　peculiar；　of　a　light　hazel；　darker　towards　the　outside　of　the　

iris；　very　brilliant；　the　whites　tinted　with　blue；　and　the　lashes　

uncommonly　thick　and　black；　the　eyebrows　were　also　very　dark；　and　of　a　

sharply…defined　angular　shape；　but　the　hair　was　much　lighter；　loose；　

soft；　and　wavy；　the　natural　fairness　of　the　complexion　was　shown　by　the　

whiteness　of　the　upper　part　of　the　forehead；　though　the　rest　of　the　

face；　as　well　as　the　small　taper　hands；　were　tanned　by　sunshine　and　

sea…breezes；　into　a　fresh；　hardy　brown；　glowing　with　red　on　the　cheeks。



'What　use　shall　I　make　of　him？'　proceeded　Charles's　thoughts。　　'He　

won't　be　worth　his　salt　if　he　goes　on　in　this　way；　he　has　got　a　graver　

specimen　of　literature　there　than　I　ever　saw　Philip　himself　read　on　a　

week…day；　he　has　been　puritanized　till　he　is　good　for　nothing；　I'll　

trouble　myself　no　more　about　him！'　　He　tried　to　read；　but　presently　

looked　up　again。　　'Plague！　　I　can't　keep　my　thoughts　off　him。　　That　

sober　look　does　not　sit　on　that　sun…burnt　face　as　if　it　were　native　to　

it；　those　eyes　don't　look　as　if　the　Redclyffe　spirit　was　extinguished。'

　

Mrs。　Edmonstone　came　in；　and　looking　round；　as　if　to　find　some　

occupation　for　her　guest；　at　length　devised　setting　him　to　play　at　

chess　with　Charles。　　Charles　gave　her　an　amiable　look；　expressing　that　

neither　liked　it；　but　she　was　pretty　well　used　to　doing　him　good　

against　his　will；　and　trusted　to　its　coming　right　in　time。　　Charles　was　

a　capital　chess…player；　and　seldom　found　any　one　who　could　play　well　

enough　to　afford　him　much　real　sport；　but　he　found　Sir　Guy　more　nearly　

a　match　than　often　fell　to　his　lot；　it　was　a　bold　dashing　game；　that　

obliged　him　to　be　on　his　guard；　and　he　was　once　so　taken　by　surprise　as　

to　be　absolutely　check…mated。　　His　ill…humour　evaporated；　he　was　

delighted　to　find　an　opponent　worth　playing　with；　and　henceforth　there　

were　games　almost　every　morning　or　evening；　though　Sir　Guy　seemed　not　

to　care　much　about　them；　except　for　the　sake　of　pleasing　him。



When　left　to　himself；　Guy　spent　his　time　in　reading　or　in　walking　about　

the　lanes　alone。　　He　used　to　sit　in　the　bay…window　of　the　drawing…room　

with　his　book；　but　sometimes；　when　they　least　expected　it；　the　girls　

would　find　his　quick　eyes　following　them　with　an　air　of　amused　

curiosity；　as　Amabel　waited　on　Charles　and　her　flowers；　or　Laura　drew；　

wrote　letters；　and　strove　to　keep　down　the　piles　of　books　and　

periodicals　under　which　it　seemed　as　if　her　brother　might　some　day　be　

stifleda　vain　task；　for　he　was　sure　to　want　immediately　whatever　she　

put　out　of　his　reach。



Laura　and　Amabel　both　played　and　sung；　the　former　remarkably　well；　and　

the　first　time　they　had　any　music　after　the　arrival　of　Sir　Guy；　his　

look　of　delighted　attention　struck　everyone。　　He　ventured　nearer；　stood　

by　the　piano　when　they　practised；　and　at　last　joined　in　with　a　few　

notes　of　so　full　and　melodious　a　voice；　that　Laura　turned　round　in　

surprise；　exclaiming；　'You　sing　better　I　than　any　of　us！'



He　coloured。　　'I　beg　your　pardon；'　he　said；　'I　could　not　help　it；　I　

know　nothing　of　music。'



'Really！'　said　Laura；　smiling　incredulously。　



'I　don't　even　know　the　notes。'



'Then　you　must　have　a　very　good　ear。　　Let　us　try　again。'　



The　sisters　were　again　charmed　and　surprised；　and　Guy　looked　gratified；　

as　people　do　at　the　discovery　of　a　faculty　which　they　are　particularly　

glad　to　possess。　　It　was　the　first　time　he　appeared　to　brighten；　and　

Laura　and　her　mother　agreed　that　it　would　do　him　good　to　have　plenty　of　

music；　and　to　try　to　train　that　fine　voice。　　He　was　beginning　to　

interest　them　all　greatly　by　his　great　helpfulness　and　kindness　to　

Charles；　as　he　learnt　the　sort　of　assistance　he　required；　as　well　as　by　

the　silent　grief　that　showed　how　much　attached　he　must　have　been　to　his　

grandfather。



On　the　first　Sunday；　Mrs。　Edmonstone　coming　into　the　drawing…room　at　

about　half…past　five；　found　him　sitting　alone　by　the　fire；　his　dog　

lying　at　his　feet。　　As　he　started　up；　she　asked　if　he　had　been　here　in　

the　dark　ever　since　church…time？



'I　have　not　wanted　light；'　he　answered　with　a　sigh；　long；　deep；　and　

irrepressible；　and　as　she　stirred　the　fire；　the　flame　revealed　to　her　

the　traces　of　tears。　　She　longed　to　comfort　him；　and　said



'This　Sunday　twilight　is　a　quiet　time　for　thinking。'



'Yes；'　he　said；　'how　few　Sundays　ago'　and　there　he　paused。　



'Ah！　you　had　so　little　preparation。'



'None。　　That　very　morning　he　had　done　business　with　Markham；　and　had　

never　been　more　clear　and　collected。'



'Were　you　with　him　when　he　was　taken　ill？'　asked　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　

perceiving　that　it　would　be　a　relief　to　him　to　talk。　



'No；　it　was　just　before　dinner。　　I　had　been　shooting；　and　went　into　the　

library　to　tell　him　where　I　had　been。　　He　was　well　then；　for　he　spoke；　

but　it　was　getting　dark；　and　I　did　not　see　his　face。　　I　don't　think　I　

was　ten　minutes　dressing；　but　when　I　came　down；　he　had　sunk　back　in　his　

chair。　　I　saw　it　was　not　sleepI　rangand　when　Arnaud　came；　we　knew　

how　it　was。'　　His；　voice　became　low　with　strong　emotion。'



'Did　he　recover　his　consciousness？'　



'Yes；　that　was　_the_　comfort；'　said　Guy；　eagerly。　　'It　was　after　he　had　

been　bled　that　he　seemed　to　wake　up。　　He　could　not　speak　or　move；　but　

he　looked　at　meorI　don't　know　what　I　should　have　done。'　　The　last　

words　were　almost　inaudible　from　the　gush　of　tears　that　he　vainly　

struggled　to　repress；　and　he　was　turning　away　to　hide　them；　when　he　saw　

that　Mrs。　Edmonstone's　were　flowing　fast。



'You　had　great　reason　to　be　attached　to　him！'　said　she；　as　soon　as　she　

could　speak。



'Indeed；　indeed　I　had。'　　And　after　a　long　silence　'He　was　everything　

to　me；　everything　from　the　first　hour　I　can　recollect。　　He　never　let　me　

miss　my　parents。　　How　he　attended　to　all　my　pleasures　and　wishes；　how　

he　watched　and　cared　for　me；　and　bore　with　me；　even　I　can　never　know。'



He　spoke　in　short　half　sentences　of　intense　feeling；　and　Mrs。　

Edmonstone　was　much　moved　by　such　affection　in　one　said　to　have　been　

treated　with　an　excess　of　strictness；　much　compassionating　the　lonely　

boy；　who　had　lost　every　family　tie　in　one。



'When　the　first　pain　of　the　sudden　parting　has　passed；'　said　she；　'you　

will　like　to　remember　the　affection　which　you　knew　how　to　value；'



'If　I　had　but　known！'　said　Guy；　'but　there　was　I；　hasty；　reckless；　

disregarding　his　comfort；　rebelling　against0；　what　would　I　not　give　

to　have　those　restraints　restored！'



'It　is　what　we　all　feel　in　such　losses；'　said　Mrs。　Edmonstone。　　'There　

is　always　much　to　wish　otherwise；　but　I　am　sure　you　can　have　the　

happiness　of　knowing　you　were　his　great　comfort。'



'It　was　what　I　ought　to　have　been。'



She　knew　that　nothing　could　have　been　more　filial　and　affectionate　than　

his　conduct；　and　tried　to　say　something　of　the　kind；　but　he　would　not　

listen。



'That　is　worst　of　all；'　he　said；　'and　you　must　not　trust　what　they　say　

of　me。　　They　would　be　sure　to　praise　me；　if　I　was　anything　short　of　a　

brute。'



A　silence　ensued；　while　Mrs。　Edmonstone　was　trying　to　think　of　some　

consolation。　　Suddenly　Guy　looked　up；　and　spoke　eagerly：…



'I　want　to　ask　somethinga　great　favourbut　you　make　me　venture。　　You　

see　how　I　am　left　aloneyou　know　how　little　I　can　trust　myself。　　Will　

you　take　me　in　handlet　me　talk　to　youand　tell　me　if　I　am　wrong；　as　

freely　as　if　I　were　Charles？　　I　know　it　is　asking　a　gr