the heir of redclyffe-第64节

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hurt　by　what　has　passed。'



'I　knowI　know；'　said　Guy；　colouring　deeply；　and　all　irritation　

disappearing　from　voice　and　manner；　'I　know　there　is　no　excuse　for　me。　　

I　can　only　repeat　that　I　am　heartily　sorry　for　whatever　I　may　have　

said；　either　of　him　or　of　you。'



'Of　course；'　returned　Philip；　'I　should　never　think　of　resenting　what　

you　may　have　said　in　a　moment　of　irritation；　especially　as　you　express　

regret　for　it。　　Consider　it　as　entirely　overlooked　on　my　part。'



Guy　was　nearly　choked　in　uttering　a　'Thank　you；'　which　did　not　sound；　

after　all；　much　like　acceptance　of　forgiveness。



'Now　to　the　real　matter　at　issue；'　said　Philip：　'the　application　for　

the　money；　which　so　amazed　Mr。　Edmonstone。'



'I　do　not　see　that　it　is　the　point；'　said　Guy；　'I　wanted　it　for　a　

scheme　of　my　own：　he　did　not　think　fit　to　let　me　have　it；　so　there　is　

an　end　of　the　matter。'



'Mr　Edmonstone　does　not　think　so。　　He　wishes　to　be　convinced　that　you　

have　not　spent　it　beforehand。'



'What　would　you　have　beyond　my　word　and　honour　that　I　have　not？'　

exclaimed　Guy。



Far　be　it　from　me　to　say　that　he　doubts　it；'　said　Philip；　and　as　at　

those　words　the　flash　of　the　Morville　eye　darted　lightning；　he　expected　

that　the　next　moment；　'Do　you？'　would　be　thundered　forth；　and　he　could　

not；　with　truth；　answer　'　No；'　but　it　was　one　of　his　maxims　that　a　man　

need　never　be　forced　into　an　open　quarrel；　and　he　tranquilly　continued…

…'but　it　is　better　not　to　depend　entirely　on　assertion。　　Why　do　you　not　

bring　him　full　proofs　of　your　good　intention；　and　thus　restore　yourself　

to　his　confidence？'



'I　have　said　that　I　am　bound　not　to　mention　the　purpose。'



'Unfortunate！'　said　Philip；　then；　while　Guy　bit　his　lip　till　it　bled；　

the　pain　really　a　relief；　by　giving　some　vent　to　his　anger　at　the　

implied　doubt；　he　went　on；'If　it　is　impossible　to　clear　this　up；　the　

next　advice　I　would　give　is；　that　you　should　show　what　your　expenditure　

has　been；　lay　your　accounts　before　him；　and　let　them　justify　you。'



Most　people　would　have　resented　this　as　an　impertinent　proposal；　were　

it　only　that　doing　so　would　have　served　to　conceal　the　awkward　fact　

that　the　accounts　had　not　been　kept　at　all。　　Guy　had　never　been　taught　

to　regard　exactness　in　this　respect　as　a　duty；　had　no　natural　taste　for　

precision；　and　did　not　feel　responsible　to　any　person；　nor　if　he　had　

kept　any；　could　he　have　shown　them；　without　exposing　his　uncle。　　To　

refuse；　would；　however；　be　a　subterfuge；　and　after　a　moment；　he　made　an　

effort；　and　confessed　he　had　none　to　show；　though　he　knew　Philip　would　

despise　him　for　it　as　a　fool；　and　probably　take　it　as　positive　evidence　

against　him。



It　would　have　been　more　bearable　if　Philip　would　but　have　said　'How　

foolish；'　instead　of　drily　repeating　'Unfortunate！'



After　a　pause；　during　which　Guy　was　not　sufficiently　master　of　himself　

to　speak；　Philip　added'Then　this　matter　of　the　thousand　pounds　is　to　

be　passed　over？　　You　have　no　explanation　to　offer？'



'No：'　and　again　he　paused。　　'When　my　word　is　not　accepted；　I　have　no　

more　to　say。　　But　this　is　not　the　point。　　What　I　would　know　is；　what　

are　the　calumnies　that　accuse　me　of　having　gamed？　　If　you　really　wish　

to　do　me　a　service；　you　will　give　me　an　opportunity　of　answering　these　

precious　proofs。'



'I　will'　answered　Philip；　who　could　venture　on　doing　so　himself；　

though；　for　his　sister's　sake；　it　was　unsafe　to　trust　Mr。　Edmonstone；　

with　whom　what　was　not　an　absolute　secret　was　not　a　secret　at　all。　　'My　

uncle　knows　that　a　thirty　pound　cheque　of　his；　in　your　name；　was　paid　

by　you　to　a　notorious　gamester。'



Guy　did　not　shrink；　as　he　simply　answered'It　is　true。'



'Yet　you　have　neither　played；　nor　betted；　nor　done　anything　that　could　

come　under　the　definition　of　gambling？'



'No。'



'Then　why　this　payment？'



'I　cannot　explain　that。　　I　know　appearances　are　against　me；'　replied　

Guy　steadily；　and　with　less　irritation　than　he　had　hitherto　shown。　　I　

once　thought　my　simple　word　would　have　sufficed；　but；　since　it　seems　

that　will　not　do；　I　will　not　again　make　what　you　call　assertions。'



'In　fact；　while　you　profess　a　desire　to　be　open　and　sincere；　a　mystery　

appears　at　every　turn。　　What　would　you　have　us　do？'



'As　you　think　fit；'　he　answered　proudly。



Philip　had　been　used　to　feel　men's　wills　and　characters　bend　and　give　

way　beneath　his　superior　force　of　mind。　　They　might；　like　Charles；　

chafe　and　rage；　but　his　calmness　always　gave　him　the　ascendant　almost　

without　exertion；　and　few　people　had　ever　come　into　contact　with　him　

without　a　certain　submission　of　will　or　opinion。　　With　Guy　alone　it　was　

not　so；　he　had　been　sensible　of　it　once　or　twice　before；　he　had　no　

mastery；　and　could　no　more　bend　that　spirit　than　a　bar　of　steel。　　This　

he　could　not　bear；　for　it　obliged　him　to　be　continually　making　efforts　

to　preserve　his　own　sense　of　superiority。



'Since　this　is　your　ultimatum；'　he　said'since　you　deny　your　

confidence；　and　refuse　any　reply　to　these　charges；　you　have　no　right　to　

complain　of　suspicion。　　I　shall　do　my　best；　both　as　your　true　friend；　

and　as　acting　with　your　guardian's　authority；　to　discover　all　that　may　

lead　to　the　elucidation　of　the　mystery。　　In　the　first　place；　I　am　

desired　to　make　every　inquiry　here　as　to　your　conduct　and　expenditure。　　

I　hope　they　will　prove　satisfactory。'



'I　am　very　much　obliged　to　you；'　answered　Guy；　his　voice　stern　and　

dignified；　and　the　smile　that　curled　his　lip　was　like　Philip's　own。



Philip　was　positively　annoyed；　and　desirous　to　say　something　to　put　him　

down；　but　he　had　not　committed　himself　by　any　vehemence；　and　Philip　was　

too　cool　and　wise　to　compromise　his　own　dignity；　so　he　rose　to　go；　

saying；　'Good　night！　　I　am　sorry　I　cannot　induce　you　to　act　in　the　only　

way　that　can　right　you。'



'Good　night！'　replied　Guy；　in　the　same　dignified　manner　in　which　he　had　

spoken　ever　since　his　passion　had　been　surmounted。



They　parted；　each　feeling　that　matters　were　just　where　they　were　

before。　　Philip　went　back　to　his　inn；　moralizing　on　the　pride　and　

perverseness　which　made　it　impossible　to　make　any　impression　on　a　

Redclyffe　Morville；　whom　not　even　the　fear　of　detection　could　lead　to　

submission。



Next　morning；　while　Philip　was　hastily　breakfasting；　the　door　opened；　

and　Guy　entered；　pale　and　disturbed；　as　if　he　had　been　awake　all　night。



'Philip！'　said　he；　in　his　frank；　natural　voice；　'I　don't　think　we　

parted　last　night　as　your　good　intentions　deserved。'



'0；　ho！'　thought　Philip；　'the　fear　of　an　investigation　has　brought　him　

to　reason；'　and　he　said；　'Well；　I　am　very　glad　you　see　things　in　a　

truer　light　this　morning；'　then　asked　if　he　had　breakfasted。　　He　had；　

and　his　cousin　added；



'Have　you　anything　to　say　on　the　matter　we　discussed　last　night？'



'No。　　I　can　only　repeat　that　I　am　not　guilty；　and　wait　for　time　to　show　

my　innocence。　　I　only　came　to　see　you　once　more；　that　I　might　feel　we　

parted　friends。'



'I　shall　always　hope　to　be　a　true　friend。'



'I　did　not　come　here　for　altercation；'　said　Guy　（an　answer　rather　to　

the　spirit　than　the　words）；　'so　I　will　say　no　more。　　If　you　wish　to　see　

me　again；　you　will　find　me　in　my　rooms。　　Good…bye。'



Philip　was　puzzled。　　He　wondered　whether　Guy　had　come　wishing　to　

propitiate　him；　but　had　found　pride　indomitable　at　the　last　moment；　or　

whether　he　had　been　showing　himself　too　severely　just　to　admit　

entreaty。　　He　would　be　able　to　judge　better　after　he　had　made　his　

inquiries；　and　he　proceeded　with　them　at　once。　　He　met　with　no　such　

replies　as　he　expected。　　Every　one　spoke　of　Sir　Guy　Morville　in　high　

terms；　as　strict　in　his　habits　of　application；　and　irreproachable　in　

conduct。　　He　was　generally　liked；　and　some　regret　was　expressed　that　he　

lived　in　so　secluded　a　manner；　forming　so　few　intimacies；　but　no　one　

seemed　to　think　it　possible　that　anything　wrong　could　be　imputed　to　

him。　　Philip　could　even　perceive　that　there　was　some　surprise　that　such　

inquiries　should　be　made　at　all；　especially　by　so　young　a　man　as　

himself。　　Mr。　Wellwood；　the　person　whom　he　most　wished　to　see；　was　not　

at　Oxford；　but　was　at　home　preparing　for　his　ordination。



Nor　could　Philip　get　nearer　to　the　solution　of　the　mystery　when　he　went　

to　the　tradesmen；　who　were　evidently　as　much　surprised　as　the　tutors；　

and　said　he　always　paid　in　ready　money。　　Captain　Morville　felt　like　a　

lawyer　whose　case　is　breaking　down；　no　discoveries　made；　nothing　done；　

but　he　was　not　one　whit　convinced　of　his　cousin's　innocence；　thinking　

the　college　authorities　blind　and　careless；　and　the　tradesmen　combined　

to　conceal　their　extortions；　or　else　that　the　mischief　had　been　done　at　

St。　Mildred's。　　He　was　particularly　provoked　when　he　remembered　Guy's　

invitation　to　him　to　come　to　his　rooms；　knowing；　as　he　must　have　done；　

what　would　be　the　result　of　his　inquiry。



Philip　was　consc