the heir of redclyffe-第63节

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Her　little　heart　was　soon　open。　　It　appeared　that　Felix　was　the　last　

who　had　died；　the　nearest　in　age　to　Marianne；　and　her　favourite　

playfellow。　　She　told　of　some　of　their　sports　in　their　London　home；　

speaking　of　them　with　eagerness　and　fondness　that　showed　what　joys　they　

had　been；　though　to　Guy　they　seemed　but　the　very　proof　of　dreariness　

and　dinginess。　　She　talked　of　walks　to　school；　when　Felix　would　tell　

what　he　would　do　when　he　was　a　man；　and　how　he　took　care　of　her　at　the　

crossings；　and　how　rude　boys　used　to　drive　them；　and　how　they　would　

look　in　at　the　shop　windows　and　settle　what　they　would　buy　if　they　were　

rich。　　Then　she　talked　of　his　being　illill　so　very　long；　how　he　sat　

in　his　little　chair；　and　could　not　play；　and　then　always　lay　in　bed；　

and　she　liked　to　sit　by　him；　there；　but　at　last　he　died；　and　they　

carried　him　away　in　a　great　black　coffin；　and　he　would　never　come　back　

again。　　But　it　was　so　dull　now；　there　was　no　one　to　play　with　her。



Though　the　little　girl　did　not　cry；　she　looked　very　mournful；　and　Guy　

tried　to　comfort　her；　but　she　did　not　understand　him。　　'Going　to　

heaven'　only　conveyed　to　her　a　notion　of　death　and　separation；　and　this　

phrase；　together　with　a　vague　idea　who　had　made　her；　and　that　she　ought　

to　be　good；　seemed　to　be　the　extent　of　the　poor　child's　religious　

knowledge。　　She　hardly　ever　had　been　at　church　and　though　she　had　read　

one　or　two　Bible　stories；　it　seemed　to　have　been　from　their　having　been　

used　as　lessons　at　school。　　She　had　a　dim　notion　that　good　people　read　

the　Bible；　and　there　was　one　on　the　little　table　at　home；　with　the　

shell…turkey…cock　standing　upon　it；　and　mamma　read　it　when　Felix　died；　

but　it　was　a　big　book；　and　the　shell…turkey…cock　always　stood　upon　it；　

in　short；　it　seemed　only　connected　with　mamma's　tears；　and　the　loss　of　

her　brother。



Guy　was　very　much　shocked；　and　so　deep　in　thought　that　he　could　hardly　

talk　to　the　child　in　their　progress　down　the　hill；　but　she　was　just　so　

tired　as　to　be　inclined　to　silence；　and　quite　happy　clinging　to　his　

hand；　till　he　delivered　her　over　to　her　mother　at　the　foot　of　the　hill；　

and　went　to　join　his　tutor；　at　the　place　appointed。



'Wellwood；'　said　he；　breaking　silence；　when　they　had　walked　about　half　

way　back　to　the　farm；　'do　you　think　your　cousin　would　do　me　a　great　

kindness？　　You　saw　that　child？　　Well；　if　the　parents　consent；　it　would　

be　the　greatest　charity　on　earth　if　Miss　Wellwood　would　receive　her　

into　her　school。'



'On　what　terms？　　What　sort　of　an　education　is　she　to　have？'



'The　chief　thing　she　wants　is　to　be　taught　Christianity；　poor　child；　

the　rest　Miss　Wellwood　may　settle。　　She　is　my　first　cousin。　　I　don't　

know　whether　you　are　acquainted　with　our　family　history？'　and　he　went　

on　to　explain　as　much　as　was　needful。　　It　ended　in　a　resolution　that　if　

Miss　Wellwood　would　undertake　the　charge；　the　proposal　should　be　made　

to　Mrs。　Dixon。



It　was　a　way　of　assisting　his　relations　likely　to　do　real　good；　and　on　

the　other　hand；　he　would　be　able；　under　colour　of　the　payment　for　the　

child；　to　further　Miss　Wellwood's　schemes；　and　give　her　the　interest　of　

the　thousand　pounds；　until　his　five　and　twentieth　year　might　put　his　

property　in　his　own　power。



Miss　Wellwood　readily　consented；　much　pleased　with　the　simplicity　and　

absence　of　false　shame　he　showed　in　the　whole　transaction；　and　very　

anxious　for　the　good　of　a　child　in　a　class　so　difficult　to　reach。　　He　

next　went　to　Mrs。　Dixon；　expecting　more　difficulty　with　her；　but　he　

found　none。　　She　thought　it　better　Marianne　should　live　at　St。　

Mildred's　than　die　in　London；　and　was　ready　to　catch　at　the　prospect　of　

her　being　fitted　for　a　governess。　Indeed；　she　was　so　strongly　persuaded　

that　the　rich　cousin　might　make　Marianne's　fortune；　that　she　would　have　

been　very　unwilling　to　interfere　with　the　fancy　he　had　taken　for　her。



Little　Marianne　was　divided　between　fear　of　leaving　mamma　and　liking　

for　St。　Mildred's；　but　her　first　interview　with　Miss　Wellwood；　and　Miss　

Jane's　showing　her　a　little　white　bed；　quite　turned　the　scale　in　their　

favour。　　Before　the　time　came　for　Guy's　return　to　Oxford；　he　had　seen　

her　settled；　heard　her　own　account　of　her　happy　life；　and　had　listened　

to　Miss　Jane　Wellwood's　delight　in　her　sweet　temper　and　good　

disposition。



Those　thousand　pounds；　Guy　considered　again　and　again　whether　he　could　

explain　their　destination；　and　whether　this　would　clear　him。　　It　seemed　

to　him　only　a　minor　charge；　and　besides　his　repugnance　to　mention　such　

a　design；　he　saw　too　many　obstacles　in　his　way。　　Captain　Morville　and　

his　sister　were　the　very　persons　from　whom　Miss　Wellwood's　project　was　

to　be　kept　secret。　　Besides；　what　would　be　gained？　　It　was　evident　that　

Guy's　own　assertions　were　doubted；　and　he　could　bring　no　confirmation　

of　them；　he　had　never　spoken　of　his　intention　to　his　tutor；　and　Mr。　

Wellwood　could；　therefore；　say　nothing　in　his　favour。　　If　Mr。　

Edmonstone　alone　had　been　concerned；　or　if　this　had　been　the　only　

accusation；　Guy　might　have　tried　to　explain　it；　but　with　Philip　he　knew　

it　would　be　useless；　and　therefore　would　not　enter　on　the　subject。　　He　

could　only　wait　patiently。









CHAPTER　19







Most　delicately；　hour　by　hour；

He　canvassed　human　mysteries；

And　stood　aloof　from　other　minds。

Himself　unto　himself　he　sold；

Upon　himself；　himself　did　feed；

Quiet；　dispassionate；　and　cold；

With　chiselled　features　clear　and　sleek。TENNYSON





Guy　had　been　about　a　week　at　Oxford；　when　one　evening；　as　he　was　

sitting　alone　in　his　rooms；　he　received　an　unexpected　visit　from　

Captain　Morville。　　He　was　glad；　for　he　thought　a　personal　interview　

would　remove　all　misconstructions；　and　held　out　his　hand　cordially；　

saying：



'You　here；　Philip！　　When　did　you　come？'



'Half　an　hour　ago。　　I　am　on　my　way　to　spend　a　week　with　the　Thorndales。　　

I　go　on　to…morrow　to　my　sister's。'



While　speaking；　Philip　was　surveying　the　apartment；　for　he　held　that　a　

man's　room　is　generally　an　indication　of　his　disposition；　and　assuredly　

there　was　a　great　deal　of　character　in　his　own；　with　the　scrupulous　

neatness　and　fastidious　taste　of　its　arrangements。　　Here；　he　thought；　

he　could　not　fail　to　see　traces　of　his　cousin's　habits；　but　he　was　

obliged　to　confess　to　himself　that　there　was　very　little　to　guide　him。　　

The　furniture　was　strictly　as　its　former　occupant　had　left　it；　only　

rather　the　worse　for　wear；　and　far　from　being　in　order。　　The　chairs　

were　so　heaped　with　books　and　papers；　that　Guy　had　to　make　a　clearance　

of　one　before　his　visitor　could　sit　down；　but　there　was　nothing　else　to　

complain　of；　not　even　a　trace　of　cigars；　but　knowing　him　to　be　a　great　

reader　and　lover　of　accomplishments；　Philip　wondered　that　the　only　

decorations　were　Laura's　drawing　of　Sintram；　and　a　little　print　of　

Redclyffe；　and　the　books　were　chiefly　such　as　were　wanted　for　his　

studies；　the　few　others　having　for　the　most　part　the　air　of　old　library　

books；　as　if　he　had　sent　for　them　from　Redclyffe。　　Was　this　another　

proof　that　he　had　some　way　of　frittering　away　his　money　with　nothing　to　

show　for　it？　　A　Sophocles　and　a　lexicon　were　open　before　him　on　the　

table；　and　a　blotting…book；　which　he　closed；　but　not　before　Philip　had　

caught　sight　of　what　looked　like　verses。



Neither　did　his　countenance　answer　Philip's　expectations。　　It　had　not　

his　usual　bright　lively　expression；　there　was　a　sadness　which　made　him　

smile　like　a　gleam　on　a　showery　day；　instead　of　constant　sunshine；　but　

there　was　neither　embarrassment　nor　defiance；　and　the　gleam…like　smile　

was　there；　as　with　a　frank；　confiding　tone；　he　said；



'This　is　very　kind　of　you；　to　come　and　see　what　you　can　do　for　me。'



Philip　was　by　no　means　prepared　to　be　thus　met　half…way；　but　he　thought　

Guy　wanted　to　secure　him　as　an　intercessor；　and　hardened　himself　into　

righteous　severity。



'No　one　can　be　more　willing　to　help　you　than　I；　but　you　must；　in　the　

first　place；　help　yourself。'



Instantly　the　sedate　measured　tone　made　Guy's　heart　and　head　throb　with　

impatience；　awakening　all　the　former　memories　so　hardly　battled　down；　

but　with　the　impulse　of　anger　came　the　thought；　'Here　it　is　again！　　If　

I　don't　keep　it　down　now；　I　am　undone！　　The　enemy　will　seize　me　again！'　　

He　forced　himself　not　to　interrupt；　while　Philip　went　calmly　on。



'While　you　are　not　open；　nothing　can　be　done。'



'My　only　wish；　my　only　desire；　is　to　be　open；'　said　Guy；　speaking　fast　

and　low；　and　repressing　the　feeling；　which；　nevertheless；　affected　his　

voice；　'but　the　opportunity　of　explanation　has　never　been　given　me。'



'You　need　complain　of　that　no　longer。　　I　am　here　to　convey　to　my　uncle　

any　explanation　you　may　wish　to　address　to　him。　　I　will　do　my　best　to　

induce　him　to　attend　to　it　favourably；　but　he　is　deeply　offended　and　

hurt　by　what　has　passed。'



'I　knowI　know；'　said　Guy；　colour