the heir of redclyffe-第16章

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'It　is　hard　to　speak　of　such　things　when　there　is　so　much　to　be　

regretted　on　both　sides；　but　the　fact　was；　my　brother　thought　your　

father　was　harshly　dealt　with　at　that　time。　　Of　course　he　had　done　very　

wrong；　but　he　had　been　so　much　neglected　and　left　to　himself；　that　it　

seemed　hardly　fair　to　visit　his　offence　on　him　as　severely　as　if　he　had　

had　more　advantages。　　So　it　ended　in　their　coming　to　spend　a　day　or　two　

at　Stylehurst；　and　this　is　the　letter　my　sister…in…law　wrote　at　the　

time：



'〃Our　visitors　have　just　left　us；　and　on　the　whole　I　am　much　better　

pleased　than　I　expected。　　The　little　Mrs。　Morville　is　a　very　pretty　

creature；　and　as　engaging　as　long　flaxen　curls；　apple…blossom　

complexion；　blue　eyes；　and　the　sweetest　of　voices　can　make　her；　so　full　

of　childish　glee　and　playfulness；　that　no　one　would　stop　to　think　

whether　she　was　lady…like　any　more　than　you　would　with　a　child。　　She　

used　to　go　singing　like　a　bird　about　the　house　as　soon　as　the　first　

strangeness　wore　off；　which　was　after　her　first　game　of　play　with　Fanny　

and　Little　Philip。　　She　made　them　very　fond　of　her；　as　indeed　she　would　

make　every　one　who　spent　a　day　or　two　in　the　same　house　with　her。　　I　

could　almost　defy　Sir　Guy　not　to　be　reconciled　after　one　sight　of　her　

sweet　sunny　face。　　She　is　all　affection　and　gentleness；　and　with　

tolerable　training　anything　might　be　made　of　her；　but　she　is　so　young　

in　mind　and　manners；　that　one　cannot　even　think　of　blaming　her　for　her　

elopement；　for　she　had　no　mother；　no　education　but　in　music；　and　her　

brother　seems　to　have　forced　it　on；　thrown　her　in　Mr。　Morville's　way；　

and　worked　on　his　excitable　temperament；　until　he　hurried　them　into　

marriage。　　Poor　little　girl；　I　suppose　she　little　guesses　what　she　has　

done；　but　it　was　very　pleasant　to　see　how　devotedly　attached　he　seemed　

to　her；　and　there　was　something　beautiful　in　the　softening　of　his　

impetuous　tones　when　he　said；　'Marianne；'　and　her　pride　in　him　was　very　

pretty；　like　a　child　playing　at　matronly　airs。〃'



Guy　gave　a　long；　heavy　sigh；　brushed　away　a　tear；　and　after　a　long　

silence；　said；　'Is　that　all？'



'All　that　I　like　to　read　to　you。　　Indeed；　there　is　no　more　about　her；　

and　it　would　be　of　no　use　to　read　all　the　reports　that　were　going　

about。Ah！　here；'　said　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　looking　into　another　letter；　

'she　speaks　of　your　father　as　a　very　fine　young　man；　with　most　generous　

impulses；'but　here　again　she　was　obliged　to　stop；　for　the　next　

sentence　spoke　of　'a　noble　character　ruined　by　mismanagement。'　　'She　

never　saw　them　again；'　continued　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　'Mr。　Dixon；　your　

mother's　brother；　had　great　influence　with　your　father；　and　made　

matters　worseso　much　worse；　that　my　brother　did　not　feel　himself　

justified　in　having　any　more　to　do　with　them。'



'Ah！　he　went　to　America；'　said　Guy；　'I　don't　know　any　more　about　him　

except　that　he　came　to　the　funeral　and　stood　with　his　arms　folded；　not　

choosing　to　shake　hands　with　my　poor　grandfather。'　　After　another　

silence　he　said；　'Will　you　read　that　again？'　and　when　he　had　heard　it；　

he　sat　shading　his　brow　with　his　hand；　as　if　to　bring　the　fair；　girlish　

picture　fully　before　his　mind；　while　Mrs。　Edmonstone　sought　in　vain　

among　her　letters　for　one　which　did　not　speak　of　the　fiery　passions　

ignited　on　either　side；　in　terms　too　strong　to　be　fit　for　his　ears。



When　next　he　spoke　it　was　to　repeat　that　he　had　not　been　informed　of　

the　history　of　his　parents　till　within　the　last　few　months。　　He　had；　of　

course；　known　the　manner　of　their　death；　but　had　only　lately　become　

aware　of　the　circumstances　attending　it。



The　truth　was　that　Guy　had　grown　up　peculiarly　shielded　from　evil；　but　

ignorant　of　the　cause　of　the　almost　morbid　solicitude　with　which　he　was　

regarded　by　his　grandfather。　　He　was　a　very　happy；　joyous　boy；　leading　

an　active；　enterprising　life；　though　so　lonely　as　to　occasion　greater　

dreaminess　and　thoughtfulness　than　usual　at　such　an　early　age。　　He　was　

devotedly　attached　to　his　grandfather；　looking　on　him　as　the　first　and　

best　of　human　beings；　and　silencing　the　belief　that　Sir　Hugh　Morville　

had　entailed　a　doom　of　crime　and　sorrow　on　the　family；　by　a　reference　

to　him；　as　one　who　had　been　always　good　and　prosperous。



When；　however；　Guy　had　reached　an　age　at　which　he　must　encounter　the　

influences　which　had　proved　so　baneful　to　others　of　his　family；　his　

grandfather　thought　it　time　to　give　him　the　warning　of　his　own　history。



The　sins；　which　the　repentance　of　years　had　made　more　odious　in　the　

eyes　of　the　old　man；　were　narrated；　the　idleness　and　insubordination　at　

first；　then　the　reckless　pursuit　of　pleasure；　the　craving　for　

excitement；　the　defiance　of　rule　and　authority；　till　folly　had　become　

vice；　and　vice　had　led　to　crime。



He　had　fought　no　fewer　than　three　duels；　and　only　one　had　been　

bloodless。　　His　misery　after　the　first　had　well…nigh　led　to　a　reform；　

but　time　had　dulled　its　acutenessit　had　been　lost　in　fresh　scenes　of　

excitementand　at　the　next　offence　rage　had　swept　away　such　

recollections。　　Indeed；　so　far　had　he　lost　the　natural　generosity　of　

his　character；　that　his　remorse　had　been　comparatively　slight　for　the　

last；　which　was　the　worst　of　all；　since　he　had　forced　the　quarrel　on　

his　victim；　Captain　Wellwood；　whose　death　had　left　a　wife　and　children　

almost　destitute。　　His　first　awakening　to　a　sense　of　what　his　course　

had　been；　was　when　he　beheld　his　only　child；　in　the　prime　of　youth；　

carried　lifeless　across　his　threshold；　and　attributed　his　death　to　his　

own　intemperance　and　violence。　　That　hour　made　Sir　Guy　Morville　an　old　

and　a　broken…hearted　man；　and　he　repented　as　vigorously　as　he　had　

sinned。



From　the　moment　he　dared　to　hope　that　his　son's　orphan　would　be　spared；　

he　had　been　devoted　to　him；　but　still　mournfully；　envying　and　pitying　

his　innocence　as　something　that　could　not　last。



He　saw　bright　blossoms　put　forth；　as　the　boy　grew　older；　but　they　were　

not　yet　fruits；　and　he　did　not　dare　to　believe　they　ever　would　be。　　The　

strength　of　will　which　had；　in　his　own　case；　been　the　slave　of　his　

passions；　had　been　turned　inward　to　subdue　the　passions　themselves；　but　

this　was　only　the　beginningthe　trial　was　not　yet　come。　　He　could　hope　

his　grandson　might　repent；　but　this　was　the　best　that　he　dared　to　think　

possible。　　He　could　not　believe　that　a　Morville　could　pass　unscathed　

through　the　world；　or　that　his　sins　would　not　be　visited　on　the　head　of　

his　only　descendant；　and　the　tone　of　his　narration　was　throughout　such　

as　might　almost　have　made　the　foreboding　cause　its　own　accomplishment。



The　effect　was　beyond　what　he　had　expected；　for　a　soul　deeply　dyed　in　

guilt；　even　though　loathing　its　own　stains；　had　not　the　power　of　

conceiving　how　foul　was　the　aspect　of　vice；　to　one　hitherto　guarded　

from　its　contemplation；　and　living　in　a　world　of　pure；　lofty　day…

dreams。　　The　boy　sat　the　whole　time　without　a　word；　his　face　bent　down　

and　hidden　by　his　clasped　hands；　only　now　and　then　unable　to　repress　a　

start　or　shudder　at　some　fresh　disclosure；　and　when　it　was　ended；　he　

stood　up；　gazed　round；　and　walked　uncertainly；　as　if　he　did　not　know　

where　he　was。　　His　next　impulse　was　to　throw　himself　on　his　knee　beside　

his　grandfather；　and　caress　him　as　he　used　to　when　a　child。　　The　'good…

night'　was　spoken；　and　Guy　was　shut　into　his　room；　with　his　

overwhelming　emotions。



His　grandfather　a　blood…stained；　remorseful　man！　　The　doom　was　

complete；　himself　heir　to　the　curse　of　Sir　Hugh；　and　fated　to　run　the　

same　career；　and　as　he　knew　full　well；　with　the　tendency　to　the　family　

character　strong　within　him；　the　germs　of　these　hateful　passions　ready　

to　take　root　downwards　and　bear　fruit　upwards；　with　the　very　

countenance　of　Sir　Hugh；　and　the　same　darkening；　kindling　eyes；　of　

which　traditions　had　preserved　the　remembrance。



He　was　crushed　for　awhile。　　The　consciousness　of　strength　not　his　own；　

of　the　still　small　voice　that　could　subdue　the　fire；　the　earthquake；　

and　the　whirlwind；　was　slow　in　coming　to　him；　and　when　it　came；　he；　

like　his　grandfather；　had　hope　rather　of　final　repentance　than　of　

keeping　himself　unstained。



His　mind　had　not　recovered　the　shock　when　his　grandfather　died；died　

in　faith　and　fear；　with　good　hope　of　accepted　repentance；　but　unable　to　

convey　the　assurance　of　such　hope　to　his　grandson。　　Grief　for　the　only　

parent　he　had　ever　known；　and　the　sensation　of　being　completely　alone　

in　the　world；　were　joined　to　a　vague　impression　of　horror　at　the　

suddenness　of　the　stroke；　and　it　was　long　before　the　influence　of　

Hollywell；　or　the　elasticity　of　his　own　youthfulness；　could　rouse　him　

from　his　depression。



Even　then　it　was　almost　against　his　will　that　he　returned　to　enjoyment；　

unable　to　avoid　being　amused；　but　feeling　as　if　joy　was　not　meant　for　

him；　and　as　if　those　around　were　walking　'in　a　world　of　light；'　where　

he　could　scarcely　hope　to　tread　a　few　uncertain　steps。　　In　this　

despondency　was　Guy's　chief　danger；　as　it　was　likely　to　make　him　deem　a　

struggle　with　temptation　fruitless；　while　his　high　spirits　and　powers　

of　keen　enjoyment　increased　the　peril　of　recklessness　in　the　reaction。



It　was　Mrs。　Edmonstone　who　first　spoke　with　him　cheerfully　of　a　

successful　conflict　with　evil；　and　made　him　perceive　that　his　

temptations　were　but　such　as　is　common　to　man。　　She　had　given　him　a　

clue　to　discover　when　and　how　to　trust　himself　to　enjoy；　the　story　of　

Sintram　had　stirred　him　deeply；　and　this　very　day；　Amy's　words；　

seemingly　unheeded　and　unheard；　had　brought　home　to　him　the　hope　and　

encouragement　of　that　marvellous　tale。



They　had　helped　him　in　standing；　looking　steadfastly　upwards；　and　

treading　down　not　merely　evil；　but　the　first　token　of　coming　evil；　

regardless　of　the　bruises　he　might　inflict　on　himself。　　Well　for　him　if　

he　was　constant。



Such　was　Guy's　inner　life；　his　outward　life；　frank　and　joyous；　has　been　

shown；　and　the　two　flowed　on　like　a　stream；　pure　as　crystal；　but　into　

which　the　eye　cannot　penetrate　from　its　depth。　　The　surface　would　be　

sometimes　obscured　by　cloud　or　shade；　and　reveal　the　sombre　wells　

beneath；　but　more　often　the　sunshine　would　penetrate　the　inmost　

recesses；　and　make　them　glance　and　sparkle；　showing　themselves　as　clear　

and　limpid　as　the　surface　itself。









CHAPTER　6







Can　piety　the　discord　heal；

Or　stanch　the　death…feud's　enmity？Scott





It　must　not　be　supposed　that　such　a　history　of　Guy's　mind　was　expressed　

by　himself；　or　understood　by　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　but　she　saw　enough　to　

guess　at　his　character；　perceive　the　sort　of　guidance　he　needed；　and　be　

doubly　interested　in　him。　　Much　did　she　wish　he　could　have　such　a　

friend　as　her　brother　would　have　been；　and　hope　that　nothing　would　

prevent　a　friendship　with　her　nephew。



The　present　question　about　the　horse　was；　she　thought；　unfortunat