the heir of redclyffe-第70节

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her　he　came　from　Oxford；　admired　her　good　fire；　and　warmed　his　hands　

over　it；　before　he　even　asked　if　the　'something'　had　arrived　which　was　

to　take　him　home。　　It　was　coming　to　the　door　at　the　moment；　and　proved　

to　be　Mr。　Markham's　tall；　high…wheeled　gig；　drawn　by　the　old　white…

faced　chestnut；　and　driven　by　Markham　himselfa　short；　sturdy；　brown…

red；　honest…faced　old　man；　with　frosted　hair　and　whiskers；　an　air　more　

of　a　yeoman　than　of　a　lawyer；　and　though　not　precisely　gentlemanlike；　

yet　not　ungentlemanlike；　as　there　was　no　pretension　about　him。



Guy　darted　out　to　meet　him；　and　was　warmly　shaken　by　the　hand；　though　

the　meeting　was　gruff。



'So；　Sir　Guy！　how　d'ye　do？　　I　wonder　what　brings　you　here　on　such　short　

notice？　　Good　morning；　Mrs。　Lavers。　　Bad　roads　this　winter。'



'Good　morning；　Mr。　Markham。　　It　is　a　treat；　indeed；　to　have　Sir　Guy　

here　once　more；　so　grown；　too。'



'Grownhum！'　said　Markham；　surveying　him；　'I　don't　see　it。　　He'll　

never　be　as　tall　as　his　father。　　Have　you　got　your　things；　Sir　Guy？　　

Ay；　that's　the　way；care　for　nothing　but　the　dog。　　Gone　on　by　the　

coach；　most　likely。'



They　might　have　been；　for　aught　Guy　knew　to　the　contrary；　but　Boots　had　

been　more　attentive；　and　they　were　right。　　Mrs。　Lavers　begged　he　would　

walk　in；　and　warm　himself；　but　Markham　answered；



'What　do　you　say；　Sir　Guy？　　The　road　is　shocking；　and　it　will　be　as　

dark　as　a　pit　by　the　time　we　get　home。'



'Very　well；　we　won't　keep　old　Whiteface　standing；'　said　Guy。　　'Good…

bye；　Mrs。　Lavers　thank　you。　　I　shall　see　you　again　before　long。'



Before　Markham　had　finished　a　short　private　growl　on　the　shocking　state　

of　the　Moorworth　pavement；　and　a　protest　that　somebody　should　be　called　

over　the　coals；　Guy　began；'



'What　a　horrible　place　Coombe　Prior　is！'



'I　only　know　I　wish　you　had　more　such　tenants　as　Todd；'　was　Markham's　

answer。　'Pays　his　rent　to　a　day；　and　improves　his　land。'



'But　what　sort　of　man　is　he？'



'A　capital　farmer。　　A　regular　screw；　I　believe；　but　that　is　no　concern　

of　mine。'



'There　are　all　the　cottages　tumbling　down。'



'Ay？　　Are　they？　　I　shouldn't　wonder；　for　they　are　all　in　his　lease；　and　

he　would　not　lay　out　an　unproductive　farthing。　　And　a　precious　bad　lot　

they　are　there；　too！　　There　were　actually　three　of　them　poaching　in　

Cliffstone　hanger　this　autumn；　but　we　have　them　in　jail。　　A　pretty　pass　

of　impudence　to　be　coming　that　distance　to　poach。'



Guy　used　to　be　kindled　into　great　wrath　by　the　most　distant　hint　of　

poachers；　but　now　he　cared　for　men；　not　for　game；　and　instead　of　

asking；　as　Markham　expected；　the　particulars　of　their　apprehension；　

continued



'The　clergyman　is　that　Halroyd；　is　he　not？'



'Yes；　every　one　knows　what　he　is。　　I　declare　it　went　against　me　to　take　

his　offer　for　the　living；　but　it　could　not　be　helped。　　Money　must　be　

had；　but　there！　least　said；　soonest　mended。'



'We　must　mend　it；'　said　Guy；　so　decidedly；　that　Markham　looked　at　him　

with　surprise。



'I　don't　see　what's　to　be　done　till　Halroyd　dies；　and　then　you　may　give　

the　living　to　whom　you　please。　　He　lives　so　hard　he　can't　last　long；　

that　is　one　comfort。'



Guy　sighed　and　pondered；　and　presently　Markham　resumed　the　

conversation。



'And　what　has　brought　you　home　at　a　moment's　notice？　　You　might　as　well　

have　written　two　or　three　days　before；　at　least。'



'I　was　waiting　in　hopes　of　going　to　Hollywell；'　said　Guy　sorrowfully。



'Well；　and　what　is　the　matter？　　You　have　not　been　quarrelling　with　your　

guardian；　I　hope　and　trust！　　Going　the　old　way；　after　all！'　exclaimed　

Markham；　not　in　his　usual　gruff；　grumbling　note；　but　with　real　anxiety；　

and　almost　mournfulness。



'He　took　up　some　unjust　suspicion　of　me。　　I　could　not　bear　it　

patiently；　and　said　something　that　has　offended　him。'



'Oh；　Sir　Guy！　hot　and　fiery　as　ever。　　I　always　told　you　that　hasty　

temper　would　be　the　ruin　of　you。'



'Too　true！'　said　Guy；　so　dejectedly；　that　the　old　man　instantly　grew　

kinder；　and　was　displeased　with　Mr；　Edmonstone。　　



'What　could　he　have　taken　into　his　head　to　suspect　you　of？'



'Of　gaming　at　St。　Mildred's。'



'You　have　not？'



'Never！'



'Then　why　does　not　he　believe　you？'



'He　thinks　he　has　proof　against　me。　　I　can't　guess　how　he　discovered　

it；　but　I　was　obliged　to　pay　some　money　to　a　gambling　sort　of　man；　and　

he　thinks　I　lost　it。'



'Then　why　don't　you　show　him　your　accounts？'



'For　one　reasonbecause　I　have　kept　none。'



As　if　it　was　an　immense　relief　to　his　mind；　Markham　launched　out　into　a　

discourse　on　the　extreme　folly；　imprudence；　and　all　other　evils　of　such　

carelessness。　　He　was　so　glad　to　find　this　was　the　worst；　that　his　

lecture　lasted　for　two　miles　and　a　half；　during　which　Guy；　though　

attentive　at　first；　had　ample　space　for　all　the　thrills　of　recognition　

at　each　well…known　spot。



There　was　the　long　green…wooded　valley　between　the　hills　where　he　had　

shot　his　first　woodcock；　there　was　the　great　stone　on　which　he　had　

broken　his　best　knife　in　a　fit　of　geological　research；　there　was　the　

pool　where　he　used　to　skate；　there　the　sudden　break　in　the　lulls　that　

gave　the　first　view　of　the　sea。　　He　could　not　help　springing　up　at　the　

sightpale；　leaden；　and　misty　as　it　was；　and　though　Markham　forthwith　

rebuked　him　for　not　listening；　his　heart　was　still　beating　as　at　the　

first　sight　of　a　dear　old　friend；　when　that　peep　was　far　behind。　　More　

black　heaths；　with　stacks　of　peat　and　withered　ferns。　　Guy　was　

straining　his　eyes　far　off　in　the　darkness　to　look　for　the　smoke　of　the　

old　keeper's　cottage　chimney；　and　could　with　difficulty　refrain　from　

interrupting　Markham　to　ask　after　the　old　man。



Another　long　hill；　and　then　began　a　descent　into　a　rich　valley；　

beautiful　fields　of　young　wheat；　reddish　soil；　full　of　fatness；　large　

spreading　trees　with　noble　limbs；　cottages；　and　cottage　gardens；　very　

unlike　poor　Coombe　Prior；　Markham's　housea　perfect　little　snuggery　

covered　all　over　with　choice　climbing　plants；　the　smart　plastered　

doctor's　house；　the　Morville　Arms；　looking　honest　and　venerable；　the　

church；　with　its　disproportionately　high　tower；　the　parsonage　rather　

hidden　behind　it；　and；　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　road；　the　park…wall　

and　the　gate；　where　old　Sarah　stood；　in　an　ecstasy　of　curtsies。



Guy　jumped　out　to　meet　her；　and　to　spare　Whiteface；　for　there　was　a　

sharp；　steep　bit　of　hill；　rising　from　the　lodge；　trying　to　horses；　in　

spite　of　the　road　being　cut　out　in　long　spirals。　　On　he　ran；　leaving　

the　road　to　Markham；　straight　up　the　high；　steep；　slippery　green　slope。　　

He　came　in　sight　at　the　great　dark…red　sandstone　pile　of　building；　but　

he　passed　it；　and　ran　on　to　where　the　ground　rose　on　one　side　of　it　

still　more　abruptly；　and　at　the　highest　point　was　suddenly　broken　away　

and　cut　off　into　a　perpendicular　crag；　descending　in　some　parts　sheer　

down　to　the　sea；　in　others　a　little　broken；　and　giving　space　for　the　

growth　of　stunted　brushwood。　　He　stood　at　the　highest　point；　where　the　

precipice　was　most　abrupt。　　The　sea　was　dashing　far　beneath；　the　

ripple；　dash；　and　roar　were　in　his　ears　once　more；　the　windsuch　wind　

as　only　blows　over　the　seawas　breathing　on　his　face；　the　broad；　free　

horizon　far　before　him；　the　field　of　waves；　in　gray　and　brown　shade　

indeed；　but　still　his　own　beloved　waves；　the　bay；　shut　in　with　rocks；　

and　with　Black　Shag　Island　and　its　train　of　rocks　projecting　far　out　to　

the　west；　and　almost　immediately　beneath　him；　to　the　left；　the　little　

steep　street　of　the　fishing　part　of　the　village；　nestled　into　the　cove；　

which　was　formed　by　the　mouth　of　a　little　mountain…stream；　and　the　

dozen　boats　it　could　muster　rocking　on　the　water。



Guy　stood　and　looked　as　if　he　could　never　cease　looking；　or　enjoying　

the　sea　air　and　salt　breeze。　　It　was　real　pleasure　at　first；　for　there　

were　his　home；　his　friends；　and　though　there　was　a　throb　and　tightness　

of　heart　at　thinking　how　all　was　changed　but　such　as　this；　and　how　all　

must　change；　how　he　had　talked　with　Amy　of　this　very　thing；　and　had　

longed　to　have　her　standing　beside　him　there；　yet　there　was　more　of　

soothing　than　suffering　in　the　sensation。



So　many　thoughts　rushed　through　his　mind；　that　he　fancied　he　had　stood　

there　a　long　time；　when　he　turned　and　hastened　down　again；　but　he　had　

been　so　rapid　as　to　meet　Markham　before　the　servants　had　had　time　to　

miss　him。



The　servants　were　indeed　few。　　There　was；　alas！　William　of　Deloraine；　

waiting　to　hold　Whiteface；　there　was　Arnaud；　an　old　Swiss；　first　

courier　and　then　butler　to　old　Sir　Guy；　there　was　Mrs。　Drew；　the　

housekeeper；　also　a　very　old　servant；　and　these　were　all；　but　their　

welcome　was　of　the　heartiest；　in　feeling；　if　not　in　demonstration　as　

the　gig　went　with　an　echoing；　thundering　sound　under　the　deep　archway　

that　led　into　the　paved　quadrangle；　round　which　the　house　was　built；　

that　court　whe