the heir of redclyffe-第82节

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and　Markham　in　London　on　Easter　Tuesday。　　'If　you　will　clear　up　the　

gambling　story；'　he　wrote；　'all　may　yet　be　well。'



Guy　sighed　as　he　laid　aside　the　letter。　　'All　in　vain；　kind　Charlie；'　

said　he　to　himself；　'vain　as　are　my　attempts　to　keep　my　poor　uncle　from　

sinking　himself　further！　　Is　it　fair；　though；'　continued　he；　with　

vehemence；　'that　the　happiness　of　at　least　one　life　should　be　

sacrificed　to　hide　one　step　in　the　ruin　of　a　man　who　will　not　let　

himself　be　saved？　　Is　it　not　a　waste　of　self…devotion？　　Have　I　any　

right　to　sacrifice　hers？　　Ought　I　not　rather'and　a　flash　of　joy　came　

over　him'to　make　my　uncle　give　me　back　my　promise　of　concealment？　　I　

can　make　it　up　to　him。　　It　cannot　injure　him；　since　only　the　

Edmonstones　will　know　it！　　But'and　he　pressed　his　lips　firmly　

together'is　this　the　spirit　I　have　been　struggling　for　this　whole　

winter？　　Did　I　not　see　that　patient　waiting　and　yielding　is　fit　penance　

for　my　violence。　　It　would　be　ungenerous。　　I　will　wait　and　bear；　

contented　that　Heaven　knows　my　innocence　at　least　in　this。　　For　her；　

when　at　my　best　I　dreaded　that　my　love　might　bring　sorrow　on　herhow　

much　more　now；　when　I　have　seen　my　doom　face　to　face；　and　when　the　

first　step　towards　her　would　be　what　I　cannot　openly　and　absolutely　

declare　to　be　right？　　That　would　be　the　very　means　of　bringing　the　

suffering　on　her；　and　I　should　deserve　it。'



Guy　quitted　these　thoughts　to　write　to　Markham　to　make　the　appointment；　

finishing　his　letter　with　a　request　that　Markham　would　stop　at　St。　

Mildred's　on　his　way　to　London；　and　pay　Miss　Wellwood；　the　lady　with　

whom　his　uncle's　daughter　was　placed；　for　her　quarter's　board。　　'I　hope　

this　will　not　be　a　very　troublesome　request；'　wrote　Guy；　'but　I　know　

you　had　rather　I　did　it　in　this　way；　than　disobey　your　maxims；　as　to　

not　sending　money　by　the　post。'



The　time　before　the　day　of　meeting　was　spent　in　strengthening　himself　

against　the　pain　it　would　be　to　refuse　his　confidence　to　Mr。　

Edmonstone；　and　thus　to　throw　away　the　last　chance　of　reconciliation；　

and　of　Amy。　　This　would　be　the　bitterest　pang　of　allto　see　them　ready　

to　receive　him；　and　he　forced　to　reject　their　kindness。



So　passed　the　preceding　week；　and　with　it　his　twenty…first　birthday；　

spent　very　differently　from　the　way　in　which　it　would　ordinarily　be　

passed　by　a　youth　in　his　position。　　It　went　by　in　hard　study　and　sad　

musings；　in　bracing　himself　to　a　resolution　that　would　cost　him　all　he　

held　dear；　and；　as　the　only　means　of　so　bracing　himself；　in　trying　to　

fix　his　gaze　more　steadily　beyond　the　earth。



Easter　day　steadied　the　gaze　once　more　for　him；　and　as　the　past　week　

had　nerved　him　in　the　spirit　of　self…sacrifice；　the　feast　day　brought　

him　true　unchanging　joy；　shining　out　of　sadness；　and　enlightening　the　

path　that　would　lead　him　to　keep　his　resolution　to　the　utmost；　and　

endure　the　want　of　earthly　hope。









CHAPTER　25







Already　in　thy　spirit　thus　divine；

Whatever　weal　or　woe　betide；

Be　that　high　sense　of　duty　still　thy　guide；

And　all　good　powers　will　aid　a　soul　like　thine。SOUTHEY





'Now　for　it！'　thought　Guy；　as　he　dismissed　his　cab；　and　was　shown　up…

stairs　in　the　hotel。　　'Give　me　the　strength　to　withstand！'



The　door　was　opened；　and　he　beheld　Mr。　Edmonstone；　Markham；　and　

anotherit　surely　was　Sebastian　Dixon！　　All　sprung　up　to　receive　him；　

and　Mr。　Edmonstone；　seizing　him　by　both　hands；　exclaimed



'Here　he　is　himself！　　Guy；　my　boy；　my　dear　boy；　you　are　the　most　

generous　fellow　in　the　world！　　You　have　been　used　abominably。　　I　wish　

my　two　hands　had　been　cut　off　before　I　was　persuaded　to　write　that　

letter；　but　it　is　all　right　now。　　Forget　and　forgiveeh；　Guy？　　You'll　

come　home　with　me；　and　we　will　write　this　very　day　for　Deloraine。'



Guy　was　almost　giddy　with　surprise。　　He　held　one　of　Mr。　Edmonstone's　

hands；　and　pressed　it　hard；　his　other　hand　he　passed　over　his　eyes；　as　

if　in　a　dream。　　'All　right？'　he　repeated。



'All　right！'　said　Mr。　Edmonstone。　　'I　know　where　your　money　went；　and　I　

honour　you　for　it；　and　there　stands　the　man　who　told　me　the　whole　

story。　　I　said；　from　the　first；　it　was　a　confounded　slander。　　It　was　

all　owing　to　the　little　girl。'



Guy　turned　his　face　in　amazement　towards　his　uncle；　who　was　only　

waiting　to　explain。　　　'Never　till　this　morning　had　I　the　least　

suspicion　that　I　had　been　the　means　of　bringing　you　under　any　

imputation。　　How　could　you　keep　me　in　ignorance？'



'You　have　told'



'Of　the　cheque；'　broke　in　Mr。　Edmonstone；　'and　of　all　the　rest；　and　of　

your　providing　for　the　little　girl。　　How　could　you　do　it　with　that　

pittance　of　an　allowance　of　yours？　　And　Master　Philip　saying　you　never　

had　any　money！　　No　wonder；　indeed！'



'If　I　had　known　you　were　pinching　yourself；'　said　Dixon；　'my　mind　would　

have　revolted'



'Let　me　understand　it；'　said　Guy；　grasping　the　back　of　a　chair。　　'Tell　

me；　Markham。　　Is　it　really　so？　　Am　I　cleared？　　Has　Mr。　Edmonstone　a　

right　to　be　satisfied？'



'Yes；　Sir　Guy；'　was　Markham's　direct　answer。　　'Mr。　Dixon　has　accounted　

for　your　disposal　of　the　thirty　pound　cheque；　and　there　is　an　end　of　

the　matter。'



Guy　drew　a　long　breath；　and　the　convulsive　grasp　of　his　fingers　

relaxed。



'I　cannot　thank　you　enough！'　said　he　to　his　uncle；　then　to　Mr。　

Edmonstone；　'how　is　Charles？'



'Bettermuch　better；　you　shall　see　him　to…morroweh；　Guy？'



'But　I　cannot　explain　about　the　one　thousand　pounds。'



'Never　mindyou　never　had　it；　so　you　can't　have　misspent　it。　　That's　

neither　here　nor　there。'



'And　you　forgive　my　language　respecting　you？'



'Nonsense　about　that！　　If　you　never　said　anything　worse　than　that　

Philip　was　a　meddling　coxcomb；　you　haven't　much　to　repent　of；　and　I　am　

sure　I　was　ten　old　fools　when　I　let　him　bore　me　into　writing　that　

letter。'



'No；　no；　you　did　right　under　your　belief；　and　circumstances　were　strong　

against　me。　　And　is　it　clear？　　Are　we　where　we　were　before？'



'We　arewe　are　in　everything；　only　we　know　better　what　you　are　worth；　

Guy。　　Shake　hands　once　more。　　There's　an　end　of　all　misunderstanding　

and　vexation；　and　we　shall　be　all　right　at　home　again！'



The　shake　was　a　mighty　one。　　Guy　shaded　his　face　for　a　moment　or　two；　

and　then　said



'It　is　too　much。　　I　don't　understand　it。　　How　did　you　know　this　matter　

wanted　explanation？'　said　he；　turning　to　his　uncle。



'I　learnt　it　from　Mr。　Markham；　and　you　will　do　me　the　justice　to　

believe；　that　I　was　greatly　shocked　to　find　that　your　generosity'



'The　truth　of　the　matter　is　this；'　said　Markham。　　'You　sent　me　to　Miss　

Wellwood's；　at　St。　Mildred's。　　The　principal　was　not　within；　and　while　

waiting　for　her　to　make　the　payment；　I　got　into　conversation　with　her　

sister；　Miss　Jane。　　She　told　me　that　the　child；　Mr。　Dixon's　daughter；　

was　always　talking　of　your　kindness；　especially　of　a　morning　at　St。　

Mildred's；　when　you　helped　him　in　some　difficulty。　　I　thought　this　

threw　some　light　on　the　matter；　found　out　Mr。　Dixon　this　morning；　and　

you　see　the　result。'



'I　do；　indeed；'　said　Guy；　'I　wish　I　could　attempt　to　thank　you　all。'



'Thanks　enough　for　me　to　see　you　look　like　yourself；'　said　Markham。　　

'Did　you　think　I　was　going　to　sit　still　and　leave　you　in　the　mess　you　

had　got　yourself　into；　with　your　irregularity　about　keeping　your　

accounts？'



'And　to　you；'　said　Guy；　looking　at　his　uncle；　as　if　it　was　especially　

pleasant　to　be　obliged　to　him。　　'You　never　can　guess　what　I　owe　to　

you！'



'Nay；　I　deserve　no　thanks　at　all；'　said　Sebastian；　'since　I　was　the　

means　of　bringing　the　imputation　on　you；　and　I　am　sure　it　is　enough　for　

a　wretch　like　me；　not　to　have　brought　only　misery　wherever　I　turnto　

have　done　something　to　repair　the　evil　I　have　caused。　　Oh；　could　I　but　

bring　back　your　father　to　what　he　was　when　first　I　saw　him　as　you　are　

now！'



He　was　getting　into　one　of　those　violent　fits　of　self…reproach；　at　once　

genuine　and　theatrical；　of　which　Guy　had　a　sort　of　horror；　and　it　was　

well　Mr。　Edmonstone　broke　in；　like　comedy　into　tragedy。



'Come；　what's　past　can't　be　helped；　and　I　have　no　end　of　work　to　be　

done；　so　there's　speechifying　enough　for　once。　　Mr。　Dixon；　you　must　not　

be　going。　　Sit　down　and　look　over　the　newspaper；　while　we　sign　these　

papers。　　You　must　dine　with　us；　and　drink　your　nephew's　health；　though　

it　is　not　his　real　birthday。'



Guy　was　much　pleased　that　Mr。　Edmonstone　should　have　given　this　

invitation；　as　well　as　with　the　consideration　Markham　had　shown　for　

Dixon　in　his　narration。　　Mr。　Dixon；　who　had　learnt　to　consider　parents　

and　guardians　as　foes　and　tyrants；　stammered　and　looked　confused　and　

enraptured；　but　it　appeared　that　he　could　not　stay；　for　he　had　a　

professional　engagement。　　He　gave　them　an　exhortation　to　come　to　the　

concert　where　he　was　employed；　and　grew　so　ardent　in　his　description　of　

it；　that　Guy　could　have　wished　to