the heir of redclyffe-第90节

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A　silence　followed；　only　broken　by　the　notes　of　the　birds；　and　

presently　by　the　strokes　of　the　great　clock。　　Guy　looked　at　his　watch。



'Eleven；　Amy！　　I　must　go　to　my　reading；　or　you　will　have　to　be　very　

much　ashamed　of　me。'



For；　after　the　first　few　days；　Guy　had　returned　to　study　regularly　

every　day。　　He　said　it　was　a　matter　of　necessity；　not　at　all　of　merit；　

for　though　he　did　not　mean　to　try　for　honours；　Amy　must　not　marry　a　

plucked　man。　　His　whole　career　at　Oxford　had　been　such　a　struggle　with　

the　disadvantages　of　his　education；　that　all　his　diligence　had；　he　

thought；　hardly　raised　him　to　a　level　with　his　contemporaries。　　

Moreover；　courtship　was　not　the　best　preparation　for　the　schools；　so　

that　though　he　knew　he　had　done　his　best；　he　expected　no　more　than　to　

pass　respectably；　and　told　Amy　it　was　very　good　of　her　to　be　contented　

with　a　dunce；　whereat　she　laughed　merrily。　　But　she　knew　him　too　well　

to　try　to　keep　him　lingering　in　the　April　sunshine；　and　in　they　went；　

Guy　to　his　Greek；　and　Amy　to　her　mother。　　Charlotte's　lessons　had　been　

in　abeyance；　or　turned　over　to　Laura　of　late；　and　Mrs。　Edmonstone　and　

her　dressing…room　were　always　ready　for　the　confidences　of　the　family；　

who　sought　her　there　in　turnall　but　one；　and　that　the　one　whose　need　

was　the　sorest。



Amy　and　her　mother　comforted　themselves　with　a　good　quiet　cry；　that　was　

not　exactly　sorrowful；　and　came　to　the　conclusion　that　Guy　was　the　most　

considerate　person　in　the　world；　and　they　would　do　whatever　best　suited　

him　and　papa。　　So；　when　Mr。　Edmonstone　came　home；　he　was　rewarded　for　

putting　off　the　letter　by　finding　every　one　willing　to　let　the　marriage　

take　place　whenever　he　pleased。　　There　were　various　conferences　in　the　

dressing…room；　and　Guy　and　Amy　both　had　burning　faces　when　they　came　

down　to　dinner。　　Laura　beheld　them　with　a　throbbing　heart；　while　she　

mechanically　talked　to　Dr。　Mayerne；　as　if　nothing　was　going　on。　　She　

was　glad　there　was　no　singing　that　evening；　for　she　felt　incapable　of　

joining；　and　when　at　night　Charles　and　his　father　talked　of　sitting　up　

to　write　to　Philip；　the　misery　was　such　that　she　had　no　relief　till　she　

had　shut　herself　in　her　room；　to　bear　or　to　crush　the　suffering　as　best　

she　might。



She　was　still　sitting　helpless　in　her　wretchedness　when　Amy　knocked　at　

the　door；　and　came　in　glowing　with　blushes　and　smiles；　though　her　

eyelashes　were　dewy　with　tears。



'Laura；　dearest！　if　you　would　not　be　so　very　unhappy！　　I　wish　I　knew　

what　to　do　for　you。'



Laura　laid　her　head　on　her　shoulder；　and　cried。　　It　was　a　great　

comfort；　little　as　Amy　could　understand　her　trouble。　　Amy　kissed　her；　

soothed　her　caressingly；　cried　too；　and　said；　in　broken　sentences；　how　

often　they　would　be　together；　and　how　comfortable　it　was　that　Charlie　

was　so　much　better；　and　Charlotte　quite　a　companion。



'Then　you　have　fixed　the　day？'　whispered　Laura；　at　last。



'The　Tuesday　in　Whitsun…week；'　returned　Amy；　resting　her　forehead　on　

Laura's　shoulder。　　'They　all　thought　it　right。'



Laura　flung　her　arms　round　her；　and　wept　too　much　to　speak。



'Dear；　dear　Laura！'　said　Amy；　after　a　time；　'it　is　very　kind　of　you；　

but'



'Oh；　Amy！　you　don't　know。　　You　must　not　think　so　much　better　of　me　than　

I　deserve。　　It　is　not　onlyNo；　I　would　not　be　so　selfish；　if　butbut…

…'　Never　had　her　self…command　so　given　way。



'Ah！　you　are　unhappy　about　Philip；'　said　Amy；　and　Laura；　alarmed　lest　

she　might　have　betrayed　him；　started；　and　tried　to　recover　herself；　but　

she　saw　Amy　was　quite　unsuspicious；　and　the　relief　from　this　fright　

helped　her　through　what　her　sister　was　saying；　'Yes；　you；　who　were　so　

fond　of　him；　must　be　vexed　at　this　unkindness　on　his　part。'



'I　am　sure　it　is　his　real　wish　for　your　good；'　murmured　Laura。



'I　dare　say！'　said　Amy；　with　displeasure。　　Then　changing　her　tone；　'I　

beg　your　pardon；　dear　Laura；　but　I　don't　think　I　can　quite　bear　to　hear　

any　one　but　Guy　defend　him。'



'It　is　very　generous。'



'Oh；　is　not　it；　Laura？　and　he　says　he　is　so　grieved　to　see　us　turned　

against　Philip；　after　being　so　fond　of　him；　he　says　it　makes　him　feel　

as　if　he　had　supplanted　him；　and　that　he　is　quite　thankful　to　you　for　

taking　his　part　still。'



'How　shall　I　bear　it？'　sighed　Laura；　to　herself。



'I　wonder　whether　he　will　come？'　said　Amy；　thoughtfully。



'He　will；'　said　Laura。



'You　think　so？'　said　Amy。　　'Well；　Guy　would　be　glad。　　Yes。　　0　Laura；　if　

Philip　would　learn　to　do　Guy　justice；　I　don't　think　there　would　be　any　

more　to　wish！'



'He　will　in　time；'　said　Laura。　　'He　is　too　generous　not　to　be　won　by　

such　generosity　as　Guy's；　and　when　all　this　is　forgotten；　and　all　these　

accusations　have　been　lived　down；　he　will　be　the　warmest　of　friends。'



'Yes；'　said　Amy；　as　if　she　wished　to　be　convinced；　'but　if　he　would　

only　leave　off　saying　his　opinion　has　never　altered；　I　think　I　could　

bring　myself　to　look　on　him　as　Guy　wants　me　to　do。　　Good　night！　dear　

Laura；　and　don't　be　unhappy。　　Oh！　one　thing　I　must　tell　you；　Guy　made　

Charles　promise　to　do　all　he　could　not　to　let　it　be　a　hasty　letter。　　

Now；　good　night！'



Poor　Laura；　she　knew　not　whether　gratitude　to　Guy　was　not　one　of　her　

most　painful　sensations。　　She　wished　much　to　know　what　had　been　said　in　

the　letter；　but　only　one　sentence　transpired；　and　that　was；　that　Mr。　

Edmonstone　had　never　heard　it　was　necessary　to　apply　to　a　nephew　for　

consent　to　a　daughter's　marriage。　　It　seemed　as　if　it　must　have　been　as　

cutting　as　Charles　could　make　it；　but　Laura　trusted　to　Philip's　

knowledge　of　the　family；　and　desire　for　their　good；　to　make　him　forgive　

it；　and　the　expectation　of　seeing　him　again　at　the　wedding；　cheered　

her。　　Indeed；　a　hope　of　still　greater　consequences　began　to　rise　in　her　

mind；　after　Charles　one　day　said　to　her；　'I　think　you　ought　to　be　much　

obliged　to　Guy。　　This　morning；　he　suddenly　exclaimed；　〃I　say；　Charlie；　

I　wish　you　would　take　care　Amy's　fortune　is　not　settled　on　her　so　that　

it　can't　be　got　rid　of。〃　　I　asked　how　he　meant　to　make　ducks　and　drakes　

of　it；　and　he　explained；　that　if　either　of　you　two　did　not　happen　to　

marry　for　money；　like　Amy；　it　might　do　you　no　harm。'



'We　are　very　much　obliged　to　him；'　said　Laura；　more　earnestly　than　

Charles　had　expected。　　'Do　you　know　what　it　is；　Charlie？'



'Oh！　you　want　to　calculate　the　amount　of　your　obligation！　　Somewhere　

about　five　thousand　pounds；　I　believe。'



Charles　watched　Laura；　and　the　former　idea　recurred；　as　he　wondered　

whether　there　was　any　particular　meaning　in　her　inquiry。



Meaning；　indeed；　there　was。　　Laura　knew　nothing　about　the　value　of　

money；　she　did　not　know　what　Philip　had　of　his　own；　how　far　five；　or　

even　ten；　thousand　would　go　in　enabling　them　to　marry；　or　whether　it　

was　available　in　her　father's　lifetime；　but　she　thought　this　prospect　

might　smooth　the　way　to　the　avowal　of　their　attachment；　as　effectually　

as　his　promotion；　she　reckoned　on　relief　from　the　weary　oppression　of　

secrecy；　and　fully　expected　that　it　would　all　be　told　in　the　favourable　

juncture；　when　her　parents　were　full　of　satisfaction　in　Amy's　marriage。　　

Gratitude　to　Guy　would　put　an　end　to　all　doubt；　dislike；　and　prejudice；　

and　Philip　would　receive　him　as　a　brother。



These　hopes　supported　Laura；　and　enabled　her　to　take　part　with　more　

appearance　of　interest　in　the　consultations　and　arrangements　for　the　

marriage；　which　were　carried　on　speedily；　as　the　time　was　short；　and　

Mr。　Edmonstone's　ideas　were　on　a　grand　scale。　　It　seemed　as　if　he　meant　

to　invite　all　the　world；　and　there　were　no　limits　to　his　views　of　

breakfast；　carriages；　and　splendours。　　His　wife　let　him　run　on　without　

contradiction；　leaving　the　plans　either　to　evaporate　or　condense；　as　

time　might　prove　best。　　Guy　took　Amy　out　walking；　and　asked　what　she　

thought　of　it。



'Do　you　dislike　it　very　much？'　she　said。



'I　can　hardly　tell。　　Of　course；　as　a　general　rule；　the　less　parade　and　

nonsense　the　better；　but　if　your　father　wishes　it；　and　if　people　do　

find　enjoyment　in　that　way；　it　seems　hard　they　should　not　have　all　they　

can　out　of　it。'



'Oh；　yes；　the　school　children　and　poor　people；'　said　Amy。



'How　happy　the　Ashford　children　will　be；　feasting　the　poor　people　at　

Redclyffe！　　Old　Jonas　Ledbury　will　be　in　high　glory。'



'To　be　sure　it　does　not　seem　like　merit　to　feast　one's　poor　neighbours　

rather　than　the　rich。　　It　is　so　much　pleasanter。'



'However；　since　the　poor　will　be　feasted；　I　don't　think　the　rich　ones　

will　do　us　much　harm。'



'I　am　sure　I　shall　know　very　little　about　them；'　said　Amy。



'The　realities　are　so　great　to　us；　that　they　will　swallow　up　the　

accessories。　　There　must　be　the　church；　and　all　that；　and　for　the　rest；　

Amy；　I　don't　think　I　shall　find　out　whether　you　wear　lace　or　grogram。'



'There's　encouragement　for　me！'　said　Amy；　laughing。　　'However；　what　I　

mean　is；　that　I　don't　c