the heir of redclyffe-第66节

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with　Markham；　the　steward；　and；　as　has　been　said　before；　he　expected　to　

discover　in　the　accounts　something　that　might　explain　why　Guy　had　

ceased　to　press　for　the　thousand　pounds。　　However；　he　could　find　

nothing　amiss　in　them；　thoughbearing　in　mind　that　it　is　less　easy　to　

detect　the　loss　of　a　score　of　sheep　than　of　onehe　subjected　them　to　a　

scrutiny　which　seemed　by　no　means　agreeable　to　the　gruff　old　grumbling　

steward。　　He　also　walked　about　the　park；　saw　to　the　marking　of　certain　

trees　that　were　injuring　each　other；　and　finding　that　there　was　a　

misunderstanding　between　Markham　and　the　new　rector；　Mr。　Ashford；　about　

certain　parish　matters；　where　the　clergyman　was　certainly　right；　he　

bore　down　Markham's　opposition　with　Mr。　Edmonstone's　weight；　and　felt　

he　was　doing　good　service。



He　paused　at　the　gate；　and　looked　back　at　the　wide　domain　and　fine　old　

house。　　He　pitied　them；　and　the　simple…hearted；　honest　tenantry；　for　

being　the　heritage　of　such　a　family；　and　the　possession　of　one　so　

likely　to　misuse　them；　instead　of　training　them　into　the　means　of　

conferring　benefits　on　them；　on　his　country。　　What　would　not　Philip　

himself　do　if　those　lands　were　his；just　what　was　needed　to　give　his　

talents　free　scope？　and　what　would　it　be　to　see　his　beautiful　Laura　

their　mistress？









CHAPTER　20







The　longing　for　ignoble　things；

The　strife　for　triumph　more　than　truth；

The　hardening　of　the　heart；　that　brings

Irreverence　for　the　dreams　of　youth。LONGFELLOW





After　his　week　at　Thorndale　Park；　Captain　Morville　returned　to　make　his　

farewell　visit　at　Hollywell；　before　joining　his　regiment　at　Cork；　

whence　it　was　to　sail　for　the　Mediterranean。　　He　reckoned　much　on　this　

visit；　for　not　even　Laura　herself　could　fathom　the　depth　of　his　

affection　for　her；　strengthening　in　the　recesses　where　he　so　sternly　

concealed　it；　and　viewing　her　ever　as　more　faultless　since　she　had　been　

his　own。　　While　she　was　his　noble；　strong…minded；　generous；　fond　Laura；　

he　could　bear　with　his　disappointment　in　his　sister；　with　the　loss　of　

his　home；　and　with　the　trials　that　had　made　him　a　grave；　severe　man。　　

She　had　proved　the　strength　of　her　mind　by　the　self…command　he　had　

taught　her；　and　for　which　he　was　especially　grateful　to　her；　as　it　made　

him　safer　and　more　unconstrained；　able　to　venture　on　more　demonstration　

than　in　those　early　days　when　every　look　had　made　her　blush　and　

tremble。



Mr。　Edmonstone　brought　the　carriage　to　fetch　him　from　the　station；　and　

quickly　began；



'I　suppose；　as　you　have　not　written；　you　have　found　nothing　out？'



'Nothing。'



'And　you　could　do　nothing　with　him。　　Eh？'



'No；　I　could　not　get　a　word　of　explanation；　nor　break　through　the　fence　

of　pride　and　reserve。　　I　must　do　him　the　justice　to　say　that　he　bears　

the　best　of　characters　at　Oxford；　and　if　there　were　any　debts　I　could　

not　get　at　them　from　the　tradesmen。'



'Well；　well；　say　no　more　about　it；　he　is　an　ungrateful　young　dog；　and　I　

am　sick　of　it。　　I　only　wish　I　could　wash　my　hands　of　him　altogether。　　

It　was　mere　folly　to　expect　any　of　that　set　could　ever　come　to　good。　　

There's　everything　going　wrong　all　at　once　now；　poor　little　Amy　

breaking　her　heart　after　him；　and；　worse　than　all；　there's　poor　Charlie　

laid　up　again；'　said　Mr。　Edmonstone；　one　of　the　most　affectionate　

people　in　the　world；　but　his　maundering　mood　making　him　speak　of　

Charles's　illness　as　if　he　only　regarded　it　as　an　additional　

provocation　for　himself。



'Charles　ill！'　exclaimed　Philip。



'Yes；　another；　of　those　formations　in　the　joint。　　I　hoped　and　trusted　

that　was　all　over　now；　but　he　is　as　bad　as　ever；has　not　been　able　to　

move　for　a　week；　and　goodness　knows　when　he　will　again。'



'Indeed！　　I　am　very　sorry。　　Is　there　as　much　pain　as　before？'



'Oh；　yes。　　He　has　not　slept　a　wink　these　four　nights。　　Mayerne　talks　of　

opium；　but　he　says　he　won't　have　it　till　he　has　seen　you；　he　is　so　

anxious　about　this　unlucky　business。　　If　anything　could　persuade　me　to　

have　Guy　back　again　it　would　be　that　this　eternal　fretting　after　him　is　

so　bad　for　poor　Charlie。'



'It　is　on　Amy's　account　that　it　is　impossible　to　have　him　here；'　said　

Philip。



'Ay！　　He　shall　never　set　eyes　on　Amy　again　unless　all　this　is　cleared　

up；　which　it　never　will　be；　as　I　desire　mamma　to　tell　her。　　By　the　bye；　

Philip；　Amy　said　something　of　your　having　a　slip　with　Charles　on　the　

stairs。'



There　was　very　nearly　an　accident；　but　I　believed　he　was　not　hurt。　　I　

hope　it　has　nothing　to　do　with　this　illness？'



'He　says　it　was　all　his　own　fault；'　said　Mr。　Edmonstone；　'and　that　he　

should　have　been　actually　down　but　for　you。'



'But　is　it　really　thought　it　can　have　caused　this　attack？'



'I　can　hardly　suppose　so；　but　Thompson　fancies　there　may　have　been　some　

jar。　　However；　don't　distress　yourself；　I　dare　say　it　would　have　come　

on　all　the　same。'



Philip　did　not　like　to　be　forgiven　by　Mr。　Edmonstone；　and　there　was　

something　very　annoying　in　having　this　mischance　connected　with　his　

name；　though　without　his　fault；　nor　did　he　wish　Charles　to　have　the　

kind　of　advantage　over　him　that　might　be　derived　from　seeming　to　pass　

over　his　share　in　the　misfortune。



When　they　arrived　at　Hollywell；　it　was　twilight；　but　no　one　was　in　the　

drawing…room；　generally　so　cheerful　at　that　time　of　day；　the　fire　had　

lately　been　smothered　with　coals；　and　looked　gloomy　and　desolate。　　Mr。　

Edmonstone　left　Philip　there；　and　ran　up　to　see　how　Charles　was；　and　

soon　after　Laura　came　in；　sprang　to　his　side；　and　held　his　hand　in　both　

hers。



'You　bring　no　good　news？'　said　she；　sadly；　as　she　read　the　answer　in　

his　face。　　'0！　how　I　wish　you　had。　　It　would　be　such　a　comfort　now。　　

You　have　heard　about　poor　Charlie？'



'Yes；　and　very　sorry　I　am。　　But；　Laura；　is　it　really　thought　that　

accident　could　have　occasioned　it？'



'Dr。　Mayerne　does　not　think　so；　only　Mr。　Thompson　talked　of　remote　

causes；　when　Amy　mentioned　it。　　I　don't　believe　it　did　any　harm；　and　

Charlie　himself　says　you　saved　him　from　falling　down…stairs。'



Philip　had　begun　to　give　Laura　his　version　of　the　accident；　as　he　had　

already　done　to　her　father；　when　Mrs。　Edmonstone　came　down；　looking　

harassed　and　anxious。　　She　told　her　nephew　that　Charles　was　very　

desirous　to　see　him；　and　sent　him　up　at　once。



There　was　a　fire　in　the　dressing…room；　and　the　door　was　open　into　the　

little　room；　which　was　only　lighted　by　a　lamp　on　a　small　table；　where　

Amy　was　sitting　at　work。　　After　shaking　hands；　she　went　away；　leaving　

him　alone　with　Charles；　who　lay　in　his　narrow　bed　against　the　wall；　

fixed　in　one　position；　his　forehead　contracted　with　pain；　his　eyelids　

red　and　heavy　from　sleeplessness；　his　eyes　very　quick　and　eager；　and　

his　hands　and　arms　thrown　restlessly　outside　the　coverings。



'I　am　very　sorry　to　find　you　here；'　said　Philip；　coming　up　to　him；　and　

taking；　rather　than　receiving；　his　hot；　limp　hand。　　'Is　the　pain　very　

bad？'



'That　is　a　matter　of　course；'　said　Charles；　in　a　sharp；　quick　manner；　

his　voice　full　of　suffering。　　'I　want　to　hear　what　you　have　been　doing　

at　Oxford　and　St。　Mildred's。'



'I　am　sorry　I　do　not　bring　the　tidings　you　wish。'



'I　did　not　expect　you　would。　　I　know　you　too　well；　but　I　want　to　hear　

what　you　have　been　doingwhat　he　said；'　answered　Charles；　in　short；　

impatient　sentences。



'It　can　be　of　no　use；　Charlie。　　You　are　not　in　a　state　to　enter　on　

agitating　subjects。'



'I　tell　you　I　will　hear　all；'　returned　Charles；　with　increased　

asperity。　　'I　know　you　will　say　nothing　to　his　advantage　that　you　can　

help；　but　still　I　know　you　will　speak　what　you　think　the　truth；　and　I　

want　to　judge　for　myself。'



'You　speak　as　if　I　was　not　acting　for　his　good。'



'Palaver！'　cried　Charles；　fully　sensible　of　the　advantage　his　illness　

gave　him。　　'I　want　the　facts。　　Begin　at　the　beginning。　　Sit　down

there's　a　chair　by　you。　　Now　tell　me；　where　did　you　find　him？'



Philip　could　not　set　Charles　down　in　his　present　state；　and　was　obliged　

to　submit　to　a　cross…examination；　in　which　he　showed　no　abatement　of　

his　natural　acuteness；　and；　unsparing　as　he　always　was；　laid　himself　

under　no　restraint　at　all。　　Philip　was　compelled　to　give　a　full　history　

of　his　researches；　and　if　he　had　afforded　no　triumph　to　Guy；　Charles　

revenged　him。



'Pray；　what　did　Guy　say　when　he　heard　the　result　of　this　fine　voyage　of　

discovery？'



'I　did　not　see　him　again。'



'Not　see　him！　not　tell　him　he　was　so　far　justified！'



'I　had　no　timeat　least　I　thought　not。　　It　would　have　been　useless；　

for　while　these　mysteries　continue；　my　opinion　is　unchanged；　and　there　

was　no　benefit　in　renewing　vain　disputes。'



'Say　no　more！'　exclaimed　Charles。　　'You　have　said　all　I　expected；　and　

more　too。　　I　gave　you　credit　for　domineering　and　prejudice；　now　I　see　

it　is　malignity。'



As　he　spoke；　Laura　entered　fr