the heir of redclyffe-第14章

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！



I　want　an　arm！'　while　he　for　the　first　time　perceived　that　Charles's　

door　was　ajar。



Charles　thought　all　this　a　great　fuss　about　nothing；　indeed　he　was　glad　

to　find　there　was　anyone　who　had　no　patience　with　Philip；　and　in　his　

usual　mischievous　manner；　totally　reckless　of　the　fearful　evil　of　

interfering　with　the　influence　for　good　which　it　was　to　be　hoped　that　

Philip　might　exert　over　Guy；　he　spoke　thus：　'I　begin　to　think　the　world　

must　be　more　docile　than　I　have　been　disposed　to　give　it　credit　for。　　

How　a　certain　cousin　of　ours　has　escaped　numerous　delicate　hints　to　

mind　his　own　business　is　to　me　one　of　the　wonders　of　the　world。'



'No　one　better　deserves　that　his　advice　should　be　followed；'　said　Guy；　

with　some　constraint。



'An　additional　reason　against　it；'　said　Charles。　　'Plague　on　that　bell！　　

I　meant　to　have　broken　through　your　formalities　and　had　a　candid　

opinion　of　Don　Philip　before　it　rang。'



'Then　I　am　glad　of　it；　I　could　hardly　have　given　you　a　candid　opinion　

just　at　present。'



Charles　was　vexed；　but　he　consoled　himself　by　thinking　that　Guy　did　not　

yet　feel　himself　out　of　his　leading…strings；　and　was　still　on　his　good　

behaviour。　　After　such　a　flash　as　this　there　was　no　fear；　but　there　was　

that　in　him　which　would　create　mischief　and　disturbance　enough。　　

Charles　was　well　principled　at　the　bottom；　and　would　have　shrunk　with　

horror　had　it　been　set　before　him　how　dangerous　might　be　the　effect　of　

destroying　the　chance　of　a　friendship　between　Guy　and　the　only　person　

whose　guidance　was　likely　to　be　beneficial　to　him；　but　his　idle；　

unoccupied　life；　and　habit　of　only　thinking　of　things　as　they　concerned　

his　immediate　amusement；　made　him　ready　to　do　anything　for　the　sake　of　

opposition　to　Philip；　and　enjoy　the　vague　idea　of　excitement　to　be　

derived　from　anxiety　about　his　father's　ward；　whom　at　the　same　time　he　

regarded　with　increased　liking　as　he　became　certain　that　what　he　called　

the　Puritan　spirit　was　not　native　to　him。



At　dinner…time；　Guy　was　as　silent　as　on　his　first　arrival；　and　there　

would　have　been　very　little　conversation　had　not　the　other　gentleman　

talked　politics；　Philip　leading　the　discussion　to　bear　upon　the　duties　

and　prospects　of　landed　proprietors；　and　dwelling　on　the　extent　of　

their　opportunities　for　doing　good。　　He　tried　to　get　Guy's　attention；　

by　speaking　of　Redclyffe；　of　the　large　circle　influenced　by　the　head　of　

the　Morville　family；　and　of　the　hopes　entertained　by　Lord　Thorndale　

that　this　power　would　prove　a　valuable　support　to　the　rightful　cause。　　

He　spoke　in　vain；　the　young　heir　of　Redclyffe　made　answers　as　brief；　

absent；　and　indifferent；　as　if　all　this　concerned　him　no　more　than　the　

Emperor　of　Morocco；　and　Philip；　mentally　pronouncing　him　sullen；　turned　

to　address　himself　to　Laura。



As　soon　as　the　ladies　had　left　the　dining…room；　Guy　roused　himself；　and　

began　by　saying　to　his　guardian　that　he　was　afraid　he　was　very　

deficient　in　classical　knowledge；　that　he　found　be　must　work　hard　

before　going　to　Oxford；　and　asked　whether　there　was　any　tutor　in　the　

neighbourhood　to　whom　he　could　apply。



Mr。　Edmonstone　opened　his　eyes；　as　much　amazed　as　if　Guy　had　asked　if　

there　was　any　executioner　in　the　neighbourhood　who　could　cut　off　his　

head。　　Philip　was　no　less　surprised；　but　he　held　his　peace；　thinking　it　

was　well　Guy　bad　sense　enough　to　propose　it　voluntarily；　as　he　would　

have　suggested　it　to　his　uncle　as　soon　as　there　was　an　opportunity　of　

doing　so　in　private。　　As　soon　as　Mr。　Edmonstone　had　recollected　

himself；　and　pronounced　it　to　be　exceedingly　proper；　&c。；　they　entered　

into　a　discussion　on　the　neighbouring　curates；　and　came　at　last　to　a　

resolution　that　Philip　should　see　whether　Mr。　Lascelles；　a　curate　of　

Broadstone；　and　an　old　schoolfellow　of　his　own；　would　read　with　Guy　a　

few　hours　in　every　week。



After　this　was　settled；　Guy　looked　relieved；　though　he　was　not　himself　

all　the　evening；　and　sat　in　his　old　corner　between　the　plants　and　the　

window；　where　he　read　a　grave　book；　instead　of　talking；　singing；　or　

finishing　his　volume　of　'Ten　Thousand　a　Year。'　　Charlotte　was　all　this　

time　ill　at　ease。　　She　looked　from　Guy　to　Philip；　from　Philip　to　Guy；　

she　shut　her　mouth　as　if　she　was　forming　some　great　resolve；　then　

coloured；　and　looked　confused；　rushing　into　the　conversation　with　

something　more　mal…apropos　than　usual；　as　if　on　purpose　to　appear　at　

her　ease。　　At　last；　just　before　her　bed…time；　when　the　tea　was　coming　

in；　Mrs。　Edmonstone　engaged　with　that；　Laura　reading；　Amy　clearing　

Charles's　little　table；　and　Philip　helping　Mr。　Edmonstone　to　unravel　

the　confused　accounts　of　the　late　cheating　bailiff；　Guy　suddenly　found　

her　standing　by　him；　perusing　his　face　with　all　the　power　of　her　great　

blue　eyes。　　She　started　as　he　looked　up；　and　put　her　face　into　Amabel's　

great　myrtle　as　if　she　would　make　it　appear　that　she　was　smelling　to　

it。



'Well；　Charlotte？'　said　he；　and　the　sound　of　his　voice　made　her　speak；　

but　in　a　frightened；　embarrassed　whisper。



'GuyGuyOh！　　I　beg　your　pardon；　but　I　wanted　to'



'Well；　what？'　said　he；　kindly。



'I　wanted　to　make　sure　that　you　are　not　angry　with　Philip。　　You　don't　

mean　to　keep　up　the　feud；　do　you？'



'Feud？I　hope　not；'　said　Guy；　too　much　in　earnest　to　be　diverted　with　

her　lecture。　　'I　am　very　much　obliged　to　him。'



'Are　you　really？'　said　Charlotte；　her　head　a　little　on　one　side。　　'I　

thought　he　had　been　scolding　you。'



Scolding　was　so　very　inappropriate　to　Philip's　calm；　argumentative　way　

of　advising；　that　it　became　impossible　not　to　laugh。



'Not　scolding；　then？'　said　Charlotte。　　'You　are　too　nearly　grown　up　for　

that；　but　telling　you　to　learn；　and　being　tiresome。'



'I　was　so　foolish　as　to　be　provoked　at　first；'　answered　Guy；　'but　I　

hope　I　have　thought　better　of　it；　and　am　going　to　act　upon　it。'



Charlotte　opened　her　eyes　wider　than　ever；　but　in　the　midst　of　her　

amazement　Mrs。　Edmonstone　called　to　Guy　to　quit　his　leafy　screen　and　

come　to　tea。



Philip　was　to　return　to　Broadstone　the　next　day；　and　as　Mrs。　Edmonstone　

had　some　errands　there　that　would　occupy　her　longer　than　Charles　liked　

to　wait　in　the　carriage；　it　was　settled　that　Philip　should　drive　her　

there　in　the　pony　phaeton；　and　Guy　accompany　them　and　drive　back；　thus　

having　an　opportunity　of　seeing　Philip's　print　of　the　'Madonna　di　San　

Sisto；'　returning　some　calls；　and　being　introduced　to　Mr。　Lascelles；　

whilst　she　was　shopping。　　They　appointed　an　hour　and　place　of　meeting；　

and　kept　to　it；　after　which　Mrs。　Edmonstone　took　Guy　with　her　to　call　

on　Mrs。　Deane；　the　wife　of　the　colonel。



It　was　currently　believed　among　the　young　Edmonstones　that　Mamma　and　

Mrs。　Deane　never　met　without　talking　over　Mr。　Morville's　good　

qualities；　and　the　present　visit　proved　no　exception。　　Mrs。　Deane；　a　

kind；　open…hearted；　elderly　lady　was　very　fond　of　Mr。　Morville；　and　

proud　of　him　as　a　credit　to　the　regiment；　and　she　told　several　traits　

of　his　excellent　judgment；　kindness　of　heart；　and　power　of　leading　to　

the　right　course。　　Mrs。　Edmonstone　listened；　and　replied　with　delight；　

and　no　less　pleasure　and　admiration　were　seen　reflected　in　her　young　

friend's　radiant　face。



Mrs。　Edmonstone's　first　question；　as　they　set　out　on　their　homeward　

drive；　was；　whether　they　had　seen　Mr。　Lascelles？



'Yes；'　said　Guy；　'I　am　to　begin　to　morrow；　and　go　to　him　every　Monday　

and　Thursday。'



'That　is　prompt。'



'Ah！　　I　have　no　time　to　lose；　besides　I　have　been　leading　too　smooth　a　

life　with　you。　　I　want　something　unpleasant　to　keep　me　in　order。　　

Something　famously　horrid；'　repeated　he；　smacking　the　whip　with　a　

relish；　as　if　he　would　have　applied　that　if　he　could　have　found　nothing　

else。



'You　think　you　live　too　smoothly　at　Hollywell；'　said　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　

hardly　able；　with　all　her　respect　for　his　good　impulses；　to　help　

laughing　at　this　strange　boy。



'Yes。　　Ha