the heir of redclyffe-第115章

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route；　before　he　left　Ireland；　whereas　they　seemed　to　have　no　fixed　

object；　but　to　be　always　going　'somewhere。'　　It　appeared　that　they　had　

thought　of　Venice；　but　were　easily　diverted　from　it　by　his　design　of　

coasting　the　eastern　bank　of　the　Lago　di　Como；　and　so　across　the　

Stelvio　into　the　Tyrol；　all　together　as　far　as　Botzen；　whence　Philip　

would　turn　southward　by　the　mountain　paths；　while　they　would　proceed　to　

Innsbruck　on　their　return　home。



Amabel　was　especially　pleased　to　stay　a　little　longer　on　the　banks　of　

the　lake；　and　to　trace　out　more　of　Lucia's　haunts；　and　if　she　secretly　

thought　it　would　have　been　pleasanter　without　a　third　person；　she　was　

gratified　to　see　how　much　Guy's　manner　had　softened　Philip's　injustice　

and　distrust；　making　everything　so　smooth　and　satisfactory；　that　at　the　

end　of　the　day；　she　told　her　husband　that　she　thought　his　experiment　

had　not　failed。



She　was　making　the　breakfast　the　next　morning；　when　the　captain　came　

into　the　room；　and　she　told　him　Guy　was　gone　to　settle　their　plans　with　

Arnaud。　　After　lingering　a　little　by　the　window；　Philip　turned；　and　

with　more　abruptness　than　was　usual　with　him；　said



'You　don't　think　there　is　any　cause　of　anxiety　about　Laura？'



'No；　certainly　not！'　said　Amy；　surprised。　　'She　has　not　been　looking　

well　lately；　but　Dr。　Mayerne　says　it　is　nothing；　and　you　know'she　

blushed　and　looked　down'there　were　many　things　to　make　this　a　trying　

time。'



'Is　she　quite　strong？　　Can　she　do　as　much　as　usual？'



'She　does　more　than　ever：　mamma　is　only　afraid　of　her　overworking　

herself；　but　she　never　allows　that　she　is　tired。　　She　goes　to　school　

three　days　in　the　week；　besides　walking　to　East…hill　on　Thursday；　to　

help　in　the　singing；　and　she　is　getting　dreadfully　learned。　　Guy　gave　

her　his　old　mathematical　books；　and　Charlie　always　calls　her　Miss　

Parabola。'



Philip　was　silent；　knowing　too　well　why　she　sought　to　stifle　care　in　

employment；　and　feeling　embittered　against　the　whole　world；　against　her　

father；　against　his　own　circumstances；　against　the　happiness　of　others；　

nay；　perhaps；　against　the　Providence　which　had　made　him　what　he　was。



Presently　Guy　came　in；　and　the　first　thing　he　said　was；　'I　am　afraid　we　

must　give　up　our　plan。'



'How？'　exclaimed　both　Philip　and　Amy。



'I　have　just　heard　that　there　is　a　fever　at　Sondrio；　and　all　that　

neighbourhood；　and　every　one　says　it　would　be　very　foolish　to　expose　

ourselves　to　it。'



'What　shall　we　do　instead？'　said　Amy。



'I　told　Arnaud　we　would　let　him　know　in　an　hour's　time；　I　thought　of　

Venice。'



'Venice；　oh；　yes；　delightful。'



'What　do　you　say；　Philip？'　said　Guy。



'I　say　that　I　cannot　see　any　occasion　for　our　being　frightened　out　of　

our　original　determination。　　If　a　fever　prevails　among　the　half…starved　

peasantry；　it　need　not　affect　well…fed　healthy　persons；　merely　passing　

through　the　country。'



'You　see　we　could　hardly　manage　without　sleeping　there；'　said　Guy：　'we　

must　sleep　either　at　Colico；　or　at　Madonna。　　Now　Colico；　they　say；　is　a　

most　unhealthy　place　at　this　time　of　year；　and　Madonna　is　the　very　

heart　of　the　feverSondrio　not　much　better。　　I　don't　see　how　it　is　to　

be　safely　done；　and　though　very　likely　we　might　not　catch　the　fever；　I　

don't　see　any　use　in　trying。'



'That　is　making　yourself　a　slave　to　the　fear　of　infection。'



'I　don't　know　what　purpose　would　be　answered　by　running　the　risk；'　said　

Guy。



'If　you　chose　to　give　it　so　dignified　a　name　as　a　risk；'　said　Philip。



'I　don't；　then；'　said　Guy；　smiling。　　'I　should　not　care　if　there　was　

any　reason　for　going　there；　but；　as　there　is　not；　I　shall　face　Mr。　

Edmonstone　better　if　I　don't　run　Amy　into　any　more　chances　of　

mischief。'



'Is　Amy　grateful　for　the　care；'　said　Philip；　'after　all　her　wishes　for　

the　eastern　bank？'



'Amy　is　a　good　wife；'　said　Guy。　　'For　Venice；　then。　　I'll　ring　for　

Arnaud。　　You　will　come　with　us；　won't　you；　Philip？'



'No；　I　thank　you；　I　always　intended　to　see　the　Valtelline；　and　an　

epidemic　among　the　peasantry　does　not　seem　to　me　to　be　sufficient　to　

deter。'



'0　Philip；　you　surely　will　not？'　said　Amy。



'My　mind　is　made　up；　Amy；　thank　you。'



'I　wish　you　would　be　persuaded；'　said　Guy。　　'I　should　like　particularly　

to　have　you　to　lionize　us　there；　and　I　don't　fancy　your　running　into　

danger。'



The　argument　lasted　long。　　Philip　by　no　means　approved　of　Venice；　

especially　after　the　long　loitering　at　Munich；　thinking　that　in　both　

places　there　was　danger　of　Guy's　being　led　into　mischief　by　his　musical　

connections。　　Therefore　he　did　his　best；　for　Amabel's　sake；　to　turn　

them　from　their　purpose；　persuaded　in　his　own　mind　that　the　fever　was　a　

mere　bugbear；　raised　up　by　Arnaud；　and；　perhaps；　in　his　full　health　and　

strength；　almost　regarding　illness　itself　as　a　foible；　far　more　the　

dread　of　it。　　He　argued；　therefore；　in　his　most　provoking　strain；　

becoming　more　vexatious　as　the　former　annoyance　was　revived　at　finding　

the　impossibility　of　making　Guy　swerve　from　his　purpose；　while　

additional　mists　of　suspicion　arose　before　him；　making　him　imagine　that　

the　whole　objection　was　caused　by　Guy's　dislike　to　submit　to　him；　and　a　

fit　of　impatience　of　which　Amy　was　the　victim；　nay；　that　his　cousin　

wanted　to　escape　from　his　surveillance；　and　follow　the　beat　of　his　

inclinations；　and　the　whole　heap　of　prejudices　and　half…refuted　

accusations　resumed　their　full　ascendancy。　　Never　had　his　manner　been　

more　vexatious；　though　without　departing　from　the　coolness　which　always　

characterized　it；　but　all　the　time；　Guy；　while　firm　and　unmoved　in　

purpose；　kept　his　temper　perfectly；　and　apparently　without　effort。　　

Even　Amabel　glowed　with　indignation；　at　the　assumption　with　which　he　

was　striving　to　put　her　husband　down；　though　she　rejoiced　to　see　its　

entire　failure：　for　some　sensible　argument；　or　some　gay；　lively；　good…

humoured　reply；　was　the　utmost　he　could　elicit。　　Guy　did　not　seem　to　be　

in　the　least　irritated　or　ruffled　by　the　very　behaviour　which　used　to　

cause　him　so　many　struggles。　　Having　once　seriously　said　that　he　did　

not　think　it　right　to　run　into　danger；　without　adequate　cause；　he　held　

his　position　with　so　much　ease；　that　he　could　afford　to　be　playful；　and　

laugh　at　his　own　dread　of　infection；　his　changeableness；　and　credulity。　　

Never　had　temper　been　more　entirely　subdued；　for　surely　if　he　could　

bear　this；　he　need　never　fear　himself　again。



So　passed　the　hour；　and　Amabel　was　heartily　glad　when　the　debate　was　

closed　by　Arnaud's　coming　for　orders。　　Guy　went　with　him；　Amabel　began　

to　collect　her　goods；　and　Philip；　after　a　few　moments'　reflection；　

spoke　in　the　half…compassionate；　half…patronizing　manner　with　which　he　

used；　now　and　then；　to　let　fall　a　few　crumbs　of　counsel　or　commendation　

for　silly　little　Amy。



'Well；　Amy；　you　yielded　very　amiably；　and　that　is　the　only　way。　　You　

will　always　find　it　best　to　submit。'



He　got　no　further　in　his　intended　warning　against　the　dissipations　of　

Venice；　for　her　eyes　were　fixed　on　him　at　first　with　a　look　of　extreme　

wonder。　　Then　her　face　assumed　an　expression　of　dignity；　and　gently；　

but　gravely；　she　said；　'I　think　you　forget　to　whom　you　are　speaking。'



The　gentlemanlike　instinct　made　him　reply；　'I　beg　your　pardon'and　

there　he　stopped；　as　much　taken　by　surprise　as　if　a　dove　had　flown　in　

his　face。　　He　actually　was　confused；　for　in　very　truth；　he　had；　after　a　

fashion；　forgotten　that　she　was　Lady　Morville；　not　the　cousin　Amy　with　

whom　Guy's　character　might　be　freely　discussed。　　He　had　often　presumed　

as　far　with　his　aunt；　but　she；　though　always　turning　the　conversation；　

had　never　given　him　a　rebuff。　　Amabel　had　not　done；　and　in　her　soft　

voice；　firmly；　though　not　angrily；　she　spoke　on。　　'One　thing　I　wish　to　

say；　because　we　shall　never　speak　on　this　subject　again；　and　I　was　

always　afraid　of　you　before。　　You　have　always　misunderstood　him；