the heir of redclyffe-第91节

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

mean　is；　that　I　don't　care　about　it；　if　I　am　not　obliged　to　attend；　and　

give　my　mind；　to　those　kind　of　things　just　then；　and　that　mamma　will　

take　care　of。'



'Is　it　not　a　great　trouble　for　her？　　I　forgot　that。　　It　was　selfish；　

for　we　slip　out　of　the　fuss；　and　it　all　falls　on　her。'



'Yes；'　said　Amy；　'but　don't　you　think　it　would　tease　her　more　to　have　

to　persuade　papa　out　of　what　he　likes；　and　alter　every　little　matter？　　

That　would　be　worry；　the　rest　only　exertion；　and；　do　you　know；　I　

think；'　said　she；　with　a　rising　tear；　'that　it　will　be　better　for　her；　

to　keep　her　from　thinking　about　losing　me。'



'I　see。　　Very　well；　we　will　take　the　finery　quietly。　　Only　one　thing；　

Amy；　we　will　not　be　put　out　of；we　will　not　miss　the　full　holy…day　

service。'



'Oh；　yes；　that　will　be　the　comfort。'



'One　other　thing；　Amy。　　You　know　I　have　hardly　a　friend　of　my　own；　but　

there　is　one　person　I　should　like　to　ask；Markham。　　He　has　been　so　

kind；　and　so　much　attached　to　me；　he　loved　my　father　so　devotedly；　and　

suffered　so　much　at　his　death；　that　it　is　a　pity　he　should　not　be　made　

happy；　and　very　happy　he　will　be。'



'And　there　is　one　person　I　should　like　to　ask；　Guy；　if　mamma　thinks　we　

can　do　it。　　I　am　sure　little　Marianne　ought　to　be　one　of　my　

bridesmaids。　　Charlotte　would　take　care　of　her；　and　it　would　be　very　

nice　to　have　her。'









CHAPTER　28







But　no　kind　influence　deign　they　shower；

Till　pride　be　quelled　and　love　be　free。SCOTT





Kilcoran　was　about　twenty　miles　from　Cork；　and　Captain　Morville　was　

engaged　to　go　and　spend　a　day　or　two　there。　　Maurice　de　Courcy　drove　

him　thither；　wishing　all　the　way　for　some　other　companion；　since　no　one　

ever　ventured　to　smoke　a　cigar　in　the　proximity　of　'Morville'；　and；　

besides；　Maurice's　conversational　powers　were　obliged　to　be　entirely　

bestowed　on　his　horse　and　dog；　for　the　captain；　instead　of；　as　usual；　

devoting　himself　to　suit　his　talk　to　his　audience；　was　wrapped　in　the　

deepest　meditation；　now　and　then　taking　out　a　letter　and　referring　to　

it。



This　letter　was　the　reply　jointly　compounded　by　Mr。　Edmonstone　and　

Charles；　and　the　subject　of　his　consideration　was；　whether　he　should　

accept　the　invitation　to　the　wedding。　　Charles　had　taken　care　fully　to　

explain　how　the　truth　respecting　the　cheque　had　come　out；　and　Philip　

could　no　longer　suspect　that　it　had　been　a　fabrication　of　Dixon's；　but　

while　Guy　persisted　in　denial　of　any　answer　about　the　thousand　pounds；　

he　thought　the　renewal　of　the　engagement　extremely　imprudent。　　He　was　

very　sorry　for　poor　little　Amy；　for　her　comfort　and　happiness　were；　he　

thought；　placed　in　the　utmost　jeopardy；　with　such　a　hot　temper；　under　

the　most　favourable　circumstances；　and　there　was　the　further　peril；　

that　when　the　novelty　of　the　life　with　her　at　Redclyffe　had　passed　off；　

Guy　might　seek　for　excitement　in　the　dissipation　to　which　his　uncle　had　

probably　already　introduced　him。　　In　the　four　years'　probation；　he　saw　

the　only　hope　of　steadying　Guy；　or　of　saving　Amy；　and　he　was　much　

concerned　at　the　rejection　of　his　advice；　entirely　for　their　sakes；　for　

he　could　not　condescend　to　be　affronted　at　the　scornful；　satirical　tone　

towards　himself；　in　which　Charles's　little　spitefulness　was　so　fully　

apparent。



The　wedding　was　a　regular　sacrifice；　and　Amabel　was　nothing　but　a　

victim；　but　an　invitation　to　Hollywell　had　a　charm　for　him　that　he　

scarcely　could　resist。　　To　see　Laura　again；　after　having　parted；　as　he　

thought；　for　so　many　years；　delighted　him　in　anticipation；　and　it　would　

manifest　his　real　interest　in　his　young　cousins；　and　show　that　he　was　

superior　to　taking　offence　at　the　folly　of　Charles　or　his　father。



These　were　his　first　thoughts　and　inclinations；　his　second　were；　that　

it　was　contrary　to　his　principles　to　sanction　so　foolish　and　hasty　a　

marriage　by　his　presence；　that　he　should　thus　be　affording　a　triumph　to　

Guy；　and　to　one　who　would　use　it　less　moderatelyto　Charles。　　It　would　

be　more　worthy　of　himself；　more　consistent　with　his　whole　course　of　

conduct；　to　refuse　his　presence；　instead　of　going　amongst　them　when　

they　were　all　infatuated；　and　unable　to　listen　to　sober　counsel。　　If　he　

stayed　away　now；　when　Guy　should　have　justified　his　opinion；　they　would　

all　own　how　wisely　he　had　acted；　and　would　see　the　true　dignity　which　

had　refused；　unlike　common　minds；　to　let　his　complaisance　draw　him　into　

giving　any　sanction　to　what　he　so　strongly　disapproved。　　Laura；　too；　

would　pass　through　this　trying　time　better　if　she　was　not　distracted　by　

watching　him；　she　would　understand　the　cause　of　his　absence；　and　he　

could　trust　her　to　love　and　comprehend　him　at　a　distance；　better　than　

he　could　trust　her　to　hear　the　marriage…service　in　his　presence　without　

betraying　herself。　　Nor　did　he　wish　to　hear　her　again　plead　for　the　

confession　of　their　engagement；　and；　supposing　any　misadventure　should　

lead　to　its　betrayal；　what　could　be　more　unpleasant　than　for　it　to　be　

revealed　at　such　a　time；　when　Charles　would　so　turn　it　against　him；　

that　all　his　influence　and　usefulness　would　be　for　ever　at　an　end？



Love　drew　him　one　way；　and　consistency　another。　　Captain　Morville　had　

never　been　so　much　in　the　condition　of　Mahomet's　coffin　in　his　life；　

and　he　grew　more　angry　with　his　uncle；　Charles；　and　Guy；　for　having　put　

him　in　so　unpleasant　a　predicament。　　So　the　self…debate　lasted　all　the　

way　to　Kilcoran　and　he　only　had　two　comfortsone；　that　he　had　sent　the　

follower　who　was　always　amenable　to　good　advice；　safe　out　of　the　way　of　

Lady　Eveleen；　to　spend　his　leave　of　absence　at　Thorndalethe　other；　

that　Maurice　de　Courcy　was；　as　yet；　ignorant　of　the　Hollywell　news；　and　

did　not　torment　him　by　talking　about　it。



This　satisfaction；　however；　lasted　no　longer　than　till　their　arrival　at　

Kilcoran；　for；　the　instant　they　entered　the　drawing…room；　Lady　Eveleen　

exclaimed；　'0　Maurice；　I　have　been　so　longing　for　you　to　come！　　Captain　

Morville；　I　hope　you　have　not　told　him；　for　I　can't　flatter　myself　to　

be　beforehand　with　you；　now　at　least。'



'He　has　told　me　nothing；'　said　Maurice；　'indeed；　such　bad　company　has　

seldom　been　seen　as　he　has　been　all　the　way。'



'You　don't　mean　that　you　don't　know　it？　　How　delightful！　　0；　mamma！　

think　of　knowing　something　Captain　Morville　does　not！'



'I　am　afraid　I　cannot　flatter　you　so　far；'　said　Philip；　knowing　this　

was　no　place　for　allowing　his　real　opinion　to　be　guessed。



'Then　you　do　know？'　said　Lady　Kilcoran；　sleepily；　'I　am　sure　it　is　a　

subject　of　great　rejoicing。'



'But　what　is　it；　Eva？　　Make　haste　and　tell；'　said　Maurice。



'No；　you　must　guess！'



'Why；　you　would　not　be　in　such　a　way　about　it　if　it　was　not　a　wedding。'



'Right；　Maurice；　now；　who　is　it？'



'One　of　the　Edmonstones；　I　suppose。　　'Tis　Laura？'



'Wrong！'



'What；　not　Laura！　　I　thought　she　would　have　been　off　first。　　Somebody's　

got　no　taste；　then；　for　Laura　is　the　prettiest　girl　I　know。'



'Ah！　your　heart　has　escaped　breaking　this　time；　Maurice。　　It　is　that　

little　puss；　Amy；　that　has　made　a　great　conquest。　　Now　guess。'



'Oh！　young　Morville；　of　course。　　But　what　possessed　him　to　take　Amy；　

and　leave　Laura？'



'Perhaps　Laura　was　not　to　be　had。　　Men　are　so　self…sufficient；　that　

they　always　think　they　may　pick　and　choose。　　Is　it　not　so；　Captain　

Morville？　　I　like　Sir　Guy　better　than　most　men；　but　Laura　is　too　good　

for　any　one　I　know。　　If　I　could　make　a　perfect　hero；　I　would　at　once；　

only　Charles　would　tell　me　all　the　perfect　heroes　in　books　are　bores。　　

How　long　have　you　known　of　it；　Captain　Morville？'



'For　the　last　ten　days。'



'And　you　never　mentioned　it？'



'I　did　not　know　whether　they　intended　to　publish　it。'



'Now；　Captain　Morville；　I　hope　to　make　some　progress　in　your　good　

opinion。　　Of　course；　you　believe　I　can't　keep　a　secret；　but　what　do　you　

think　of　my　having　known　it　ever　since　last　summer；　and　held　my　tongue　

all　that　time？'



'A　great　effort；　indeed；'　said　Philip；　smiling。　　'It　would　have　been　

greater；　I　suppose；　if　the　engagement　had　been　positive；　not　

conditional。'



'Oh！　every　one　knew　what　it　must　come　to。　　No　one　could　have　the　least　

fear　of　Sir　Guy。　　Yes；　I　saw　it　all。　　I　gave　my　little　aid；　and　I　am　

sure　I　have　a　right　to　be　bridesmaid；　as　I　am　to　be。　　Oh！　won't　it　be　

charming？　　It　is　to　be　the　grandest　wedding　that　ever　was　seen。　　It　is　

to　be　on　Whit…Tuesday；　and　papa　is　going　to　take　me　and　Aunt　Charlotte；　

for　old　Aunt　Mabel　says　Aunt　Charlotte　must　go。　　There　are　to　be　six　

bridesmaids；　and　a　great　party　at　the　breakfast；　everything　as　splendid　

as　possible；　and　I　made　Mrs。　Edmonstone　promise　from　the　first　that　we　

should　have　a　ball。　　You　must　go；　Maurice。'



'I　shall　be　on　the　high　seas！'



'Oh　yes；　that　is　horrid！　　But　you　don't　sail　with　the　regime