the heir of redclyffe-第87节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





'Yes；　so　Charlie　told　me；　and　that　is　the　reason　I　wanted　you　to　know。'



'Then；　Amy；　something　of　this　had　begun　last　summer？'



'Yes；　but　not　as　it　is　now。　　I　did　not　half　know　what　it　was　then。'



'Poor　dear　little　Amy；'　said　Mary；　'what　a　very　sad　winter　it　must　have　

been　for　you！'



'Oh；　very！'　said　Amy；　'but　it　was　worse　for　him；　because　he　was　quite　

alone；　and　here　every　one　was　so　kind　to　me。　　Mamma　and　Laura；　and　poor　

Charlie；　through　all　his　illness　and　pain；　he　was　so　very　kind。　　And　do　

you　know；　Mary；　now　it　is　all　over；　I　am　very　glad　of　this　dismal　time；　

for　I　think　that　it　has　taught　me　how　to　bear　things　better。'



She　looked　very　happy。　　Yet　it　struck　Mary　that　it　was　strange　to　hear　

that　the　first　thought　of　a　newly…betrothed　maiden　was　how　to　brace　

herself　in　endurance。　　She　wondered；　however；　whether　it　was　not　a　more　

truly　happy　and　safe　frame　than　that　of　most　girls；　looking　forward　to　

a　life　of　unclouded　happiness；　such　as　could　never　be　realized。　　At　

least；　so　it　struck　Mary；　though　she　owned　to　herself　that　her　

experience　of　lovers　was　limited。



Mary　walked　with　Amy　almost　to　the　borders　of　Hollywell　garden；　and　

when　the　rest　came　up　with　them；　though　no　word　passed；　there　was　a　

great　deal　of　congratulation　in　her　warm　shake　of　Guy's　hand；　and　no　

lack　of　reply　in　his　proud　smile　and　reddening　cheek。　　Charlotte　could　

not　help　turning　and　going　back　with　her　a　little　way；　to　say；　'Are　not　

you　delighted；　Mary？　　Is　not　Amy　the　dearest　thing　in　the　world？　　And　

you　don't　know；　for　it　is　a　secret；　and　I　know　it；　how　very　noble　Guy　

has　been；　while　they　would　suspect　him。'



'I　am　very；　very　glad；　indeed！　　It　is　everything　delightful。'



'I　never　was　so　happy　in　my　life；'　said　Charlotte；　'nor　Charlie；　

either。　　Only　think　of　having　Guy　for　our　brother；　and　he　is　going　to　

send　for　Bustle　to…morrow。'



Mary　laughed；　and　parted　with　Charlotte；　speculating　on　the　cause　of　

Laura's　graver　looks。　　Were　they　caused　by　the　fear　of　losing　her　

sister；　or　by　a　want　of　confidence　in　Guy？



That　evening；　how　happy　was　the　party　at　Hollywell；　when　Charles　put　

Guy　through　a　cross…examination　on　the　shipwreck；　from　the　first　puff　

of　wind　to　the　last　drop　of　rain；　and　Guy　submitted　very　patiently；　

since　he　was　allowed　the　solace　of　praising　his　Redclyffe　fishermen。



Indeed；　this　time　was　full　of　tranquil；　serene　happiness。　　It　was　like　

the　lovely　weather　only　to　be　met　with　in　the　spring；　and　then　but　

rarely；　when　the　sky　is　cloudless；　and　intensely　blue；the　sunshine　

one　glow　of　clearness　without　burning；not　a　breath　of　wind　checks　the　

silent　growth　of　the　expanding　buds　of　light　exquisite　green。　　Such　

days　as　these　shone　on　Guy　and　Amabel；　looking　little　to　the　future；　or　

if　they　did　so　at　all；　with　a　grave；　peaceful　awe；　reposing　in　the　

present；　and　resuming　old　habits；singing；　reading；　gardening；　walking　

as　of　old；　and　that　intercourse　with　each　other　that　was　so　much　more　

than　ever　before。



It　was　more；　but　it　was　not　quite　the　same；　for　Guy　was　a　very　

chivalrous　lover；　the　polish　and　courtesy　that　sat　so　well　on　his　

frank；　truthful　manners；　were　even　more　remarkable　in　his　courtship。　　

His　ways　with　Amy　had　less　of　easy　familiarity　than　in　the　time　of　

their　brother…and…sister…like　intimacy；　so　that　a　stranger　might　have　

imagined　her　wooed；　not　won。　　It　was　as　if　he　hardly　dared　to　believe　

that　she　could　really　be　his　own；　and　treated　her　with　a　sort　of　

reverential　love　and　gentleness；　while　she　looked　up　to　him　with　ever…

increasing　honour。　　She　was　better　able　to　understand　him　now　than　in　

her　more　childish　days　last　summer；　and　she　did　not　merely　see；　as　

before；　that　she　was　looking　at　the　upper　surface　of　a　mystery。　　He　

had；　at　the　same　time；　grown　in　character；　his　excitability　and　over…

sensitiveness　seemed　to　have　been　smoothed　away；　and　to　have　given　

place　to　a　calmness　of　tone；　that　was　by　no　means　impassibility。



When　alone　with　Amy；　he　was　generally　very　grave；　often　silent　and　

meditative；　or　else　their　talk　was　deep　and　serious；　and　even　with　the　

family　he　was　less　merry　and　more　thoughtful　than　of　old；　though　very　

bright　and　animated；　and　showing　full；　free　affection　to　them　all；　as　

entirely　accepted　and　owned　as　one　of　them。



So；　indeed；　he　was。　　Mr。　Edmonstone；　with　his　intense　delight　in　

lovers；　patronized　them；　and　made　commonplace　jokes；　which　they　soon　

learnt　to　bear　without　much　discomposure。　　Mrs。　Edmonstone　was　all　that　

her　constant　appellation　of　'mamma'　betokened；　delighting　in　Guy's　

having　learnt　to　call　her　so。　　Charles　enjoyed　the　restoration　of　his　

friend；　the　sight　of　Amy's　happiness；　and　the　victory　over　Philip；　and　

was　growing　better　every　day。　　Charlotte　was　supremely　happy；　watching　

the　first　love　affair　ever　conducted　in　her　sight；　and　little　less　so　

in　the　return　of　Bustle；　who　resumed　his　old　habits　as　regularly　as　if　

he　had　only　left　Hollywell　yesterday。



Laura　alone　was　unhappy。　　She　did　not　understand　her　own　feelings；　but　

sad　at　heart　she　was；　with　only　one　who　could　sympathize　with　her；　and　

he　far　away；　and　the　current　of　feeling　setting　against　him。　　She　could　

not　conceal　her　depression；　and　was　obliged　to　allow　it　to　be　

attributed　to　the　grief　that　one　sister　must　feel　in　parting　with　

another；　and　as　her　compassion　for　her　little　Amy；　coupled　with　her　

dread　of　her　latent　jealousy；　made　her　particularly　tender　and　

affectionate；　it　gave　even　more　probability　to　the　supposition。　　This　

made　Guy；　who　felt　as　if　he　was　committing　a　robbery　on　them　all；　

particularly　kind　to　her；　as　if　he　wished　to　atone　for　the　injury　of　

taking　away　her　sister；　and　his　kindness　gave　her　additional　pain　at　

entertaining　such　hard　thoughts　of　him。



How　false　she　felt　when　she　was　pitied！　and　how　she　hated　the　

congratulations；　of　which　she　had　the　full　share！　　She　thought；　

however；　that　she　should　be　able　to　rejoice　when　she　had　heard　Philip's　

opinion；　and　how　delightful　it　would　be　for　him　to　declare　himself　

satisfied　with　Guy's　exculpation。









CHAPTER　27







I　forgave　thee　all　the　blame；

I　could　not　forgive　the　praise。TENNYSON





'If　ever　there　was　a　meddlesome　coxcomb　on　this　earth！'　　Such　was　the　

exclamation　that　greeted　the　ears　of　Guy　as　he　supported　Charles　into　

the　breakfast…room；　and；　at　the　same　time；　Mr。　Edmonstone　tossed　a　

letter　into　Guy's　plate；　saying；



'There's　something　for　you　to　read。'



Guy　began；　his　lips　were　tightly　pressed　together；　his　brows　made　one　

black　line　across　his　forehead；　and　his　eye　sparkled　even　through　his　

bent…down　eyelashes；　but　this　lasted　only　a　few　moments；　the　forehead　

smoothed；　again；　and　there　was　a　kind　of　deliberate　restraint　and　force　

upon　himself；　which　had　so　much　power；　that　no　one　spoke　till　he　had　

finished；　folded　it　up　with　a　sort　of　extra　care；　and　returned　it；　only　

saying；



'You　should　not　show　one　such　letters；　Mr。　Edmonstone。'



'Does　not　it　beat　everything？'　cried　Mr。　Edmonstone。　　'If　that　is　not　

impertinence；　I　should　like　to　know　what　is！　　But　he　has　played　my　Lord　

Paramount　rather　too　long；　as　I　can　tell　him！　　I　ask　his　consent；　

forsooth！　　Probation；　indeed！　　You　might　marry　her　to…morrow；　and　

welcome。　　There；　give　it　to　mamma。　　See　if　she　does　not　say　the　same。　　

Mere　spite　and　malice　all　along。'



Poor　Laura！　would　no　one　refute　such　cruel　injustice？　Yes；　Guy　spoke；　

eagerly；



'No　no；　that　it　never　was。　　He　was　quite　right　under　his　belief。'



'Don't　tell　me！　　Not　a　word　in　his　favour　will　I　hear！'　stormed　on　Mr。　

Edmonstone。　　'Mere　envy　and　ill…will。'



'I　always　told　him　so；'　said　Charles。　'Pure　malignity！'



'Nonsense；　Charlie！'　said　Guy；　sharply；　'there　is　no　such　thing　about　

him。'



'Come；　Guy；　I　can't　stand　this；'　said　Mr。　Edmonstone。　　'I　won't　have　

him　defended；　I　never　thought　to　be　so　deceived；　but　you　all　worshipped　

the　boy　as　if　every　word　that　came　out　of　his　mouth　was　Gospel　truth；　

and　you've　set　him　up　till　he　would　not　condescend　to　take　an　advice　of　

his　own　father；　who　little　thought　what　an　upstart　sprig　he　was　

rearing；　but　I　tell　him　he　has　come　to　the　wrong　shop　for　domineering

eh；　mamma？'



'Well！'　cried　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　who　had　read　till　near　the　end　with　

tolerable　equanimity；　this　really　is　too　bad！'



'Mamma　and　all！'　thought　poor　Laura；　while　her　mother　continued；'It　

is　wilful　prejudice；　to　say　the　least；I　never　could　have　believed　him　

capable　of　it！'



Charles　next　had　the　letter；　and　was　commenting　on　it　in　a　style　of　

mingled　sarcasm　and　fury；　while　Laura　longed　to　see　it　justify　itself；　

as　she　was　sure　it　would。



'Read　it；　all　of　youevery　bit；'　said　Mr。　Edmonstone；　'that　you　may　

see　this　paragon　of　yours！'



'I　had　rather　not；'　said　Amy；　shrinking　as　it　came　towards　her。



'I　should　like　you　to　do　so；　if　you　don't　dislik