the heir of redclyffe-第34章

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from　his　whole　air；　which　is　completely　that　of　a　roué。'



'You　have　seen　him；　then？'



'Yes。　　He　paid　me　the　compliment　of　taking　me　for　Sir　Guy；　and　of　

course　made　off　in　dismay　when　he　discovered　on　whom　he　had　fallen。　　I　

have　seldom　seen　a　less　creditable…looking　individual。'



'But　what　did　Mr。　Redford　say？　　Did　he　know　of　the　connection？'



'No；　I　am　happy　to　say　he　did　not。　　The　fellow　has　decency　enough　not　

to　boast　of　that。　　Well；　Redford　did　not　know　much　of　him　personally：　

he　said　he　had　once　been　much　thought　of；　and　had　considerable　talent　

and　execution；　but　taste　changes；　or　he　has　lost　something；　so　that；　

though　he　stands　tolerably　high　in　his　profession；　he　is　not　a　leader。　　

So　much　for　his　musical　reputation。　　As　to　his　character；　he　is　one　of　

those　people　who　are　called　no　one's　enemy　but　their　own；　exactly　the　

introduction　Guy　has　hitherto　happily　wanted　to　every　sort　of　

mischief。'



'I　think；'　said　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　trying　to　console　herself；　'that　Guy　

is　too　much　afraid　of　small　faults　to　be　invited　by　larger　evils。　　

While　he　punishes　himself　for　an　idle　word；　he　is　not　likely　to　go　

wrong　in　greater　matters。'



'Not　at　present。'



'Is　the　man　in　debt　or　difficulties？　　Guy　heard　nothing　of　that；　and　I　

thought　it　a　good　sign。'



'I　don't　suppose　he　is。　　He　ought　not；　for　he　has　a　fixed　salary；　

besides　what　he　gets　by　playing　at　concerts　when　it　is　not　the　London　

season。　　The　wasting　money　on　a　spendthrift　relation　would　be　a　far　

less　evil　than　what　I　apprehend。'



'I　wish　I　knew　what　to　do！　　It　is　very　unlucky　that　your　uncle　is　from　

home。'



'Very。'



Mrs。　Edmonstone　was　frightened　by　the　sense　of　responsibility；　and　was　

only　anxious　to　catch　hold　of　something　to　direct　her。



'What　would　you　have　me　do？'　she　asked；　hopelessly。



'Speak　seriously　to　Guy。　　He　must　attend　to　you：　he　cannot　fly　out　with　

a　woman　as　he　does　with　me。　　Show　him　the　evils　that　must　result　from　

such　an　intimacy。　　If　Dixon　was　in　distress；　I　would　not　say　a　word；　

for　he　would　be　bound　to　assist　him　but　as　it　is；　the　acquaintance　can　

serve　no　purpose　but　degrading　Guy；　and　showing　him　the　way　to　evil。　　

Above　all；　make　a　point　of　his　giving　up　visiting　him　in　London。　　That　

is　the　sure　road　to　evil。　　A　youth　of　his　age；　under　the　conduct　of　a　

worn…out　roué；　connected　with　the　theatres！　　I　can　hardly　imagine　

anything　more　mischievous。'



'Yes；　yes；　I　will　speak　to　him；'　said　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　perfectly　

appalled。



She　promised；　but　she　found　the　fulfilment　difficult；　in　her　dislike　of　

vexing　Guy；　her　fear　of　saying　what　was　wrong；　and　a　doubt　whether　the　

appearance　of　persecuting　Mr。　Dixon　was　not　the　very　way　to　prevent　

Guy's　own　good　sense　from　finding　out　his　true　character；　so　she　

waited；　hoping　Mr。　Edmonstone　might　return　before　Guy　went　to　Oxford；　

or　that　he　might　write　decisively。



Mrs。　Edmonstone　might　have　known　her　husband　better　than　to　expect　him　

to　write　decisively　when　he　had　neither　herself　nor　Philip　at　his　

elbow。　　The　same　post　had　brought　him　a　letter　from　Guy；　mentioning　his　

meeting　with　his　uncle；　and　frankly　explaining　his　plans　for　London；　

another　from　Philip；　calling　on　him　to　use　all　his　authority　to　prevent　

this　intercourse；　and　a　third　from　his　wife。　　Bewildered　between　them；　

he　took　them　to　his　sister；　who；　being　as　puzzle…headed　as　himself；　and　

only　hearing　his　involved　history　of　the　affair；　confused　him　still　

more；　so　he　wrote　to　Philip；　saying　he　was　sorry　the　fellow　had　turned　

up；　but　he　would　guard　against　him。　　He　told　Guy　he　was　sorry　to　say　

that　his　uncle　used　to　be　a　sad　scamp；　and　he　must　take　care；　or　it　

would　be　his　poor　father's　story　over　again；　and　to　Mrs。　Edmonstone　he　

wrote　that　it　was　very　odd　that　everything　always　did　go　wrong　when　he　

was　away。



He　thought　these　letters　a　great　achievement；　but　his　wife's　perplexity　

was　not　materially　relieved。



After　considering　a　good　while；　she　at　length　spoke　to　Guy；　but　it　was　

not　at　a　happy　time；　for　Philip；　despairing　of　her；　had　just　taken　on　

himself　to　remonstrate；　and　had　angered　him　to　the　verge　of　an　

outbreak。



Mrs。　Edmonstone；　as　mildly　as　she　could；　urged　on　him　that　such　

intercourse　could　bring　him　little　satisfaction；　and　might　be　very　

inconvenient；　that　his　uncle　was　in　no　distress；　and　did　not　require　

assistance；　and　that　it　was　too　probable　that　in　seeking　him　out　he　

might　meet　with　persons　who　might　unsettle　his　principles；in　short；　

that　he　had　much　better　give　up　the　visit　to　London。



'This　is　Philip's　advice；'　said　Guy。



'It　is；　but'



Guy　looked　impatient；　and　she　paused。



'You　must　forgive　me；'　he　said；　'if　I　follow　my　own　judgment。　　If　Mr。　

Edmonstone　chose　to　lay　his　commands　on　me；　I　suppose　I　must　submit；　

but　I　cannot　see　that　I　am　bound　to　obey　Philip。'



'Not　to　obey；　certainly；　but　his　advice'



'He　is　prejudiced　and　unjust；'　said　Guy。



'I　don't　believe　that　my　uncle　would　attempt　to　lead　me　into　bad　

company；　and　surely　you　would　not　have　me　neglect　or　look　coldly　on　one　

who　was　so　much　attached　to　my　parents。　　If　he　is　not　a　gentleman；　and　

is　looked　down　on　by　the　world；　it　is　not　for　his　sister's　son　to　make　

him　conscious　of　it。'



'I　like　your　feelings；　Guy；　I　can　say　nothing　against　it；　but　that　I　am　

much　afraid　your　uncle　is　not　highly　principled。'



'You　have　only　Philip's　account　of　him。'



'You　are　resolved？'



'Yes。　　I　do　not　like　not　to　take　your　advice；　but　I　do　believe　this　is　

my　duty。　　I　do　not　think　my　determination　is　made　in　self…will；'　said　

Guy；　thoughtfully；　'I　cannot　think　that　I　ought　to　neglect　my　uncle；　

because　I　happen　to　have　been　born　in　a　different　station；　which　is　all　

I　have　heard　proved　against　him；'　he　added；　smiling。　　'You　will　forgive　

me；　will　you　not；　for　not　following　your　advice？　for　really　and　truly；　

if　you　will　let　me　say　so；　I　think　you　would　not　have　given　it　if　

Philip　had　not　been　talking　to　you。'



Mrs。　Edmonstone　confessed；　with　a　smile；　that　perhaps　it　was　so；　but　

said　she　trusted　much　to　Philip's　knowledge　of　the　world。　　Guy　agreed　

to　this；　though　still　declaring　Philip　had　no　right　to　set　him　against　

his　uncle；　and　there　the　discussion　ended。



Guy　went　to　London。　　Philip　thought　him　very　wilful；　and　his　aunt　very　

weak；　and　Mr。　Edmonstone；　on　coming　home；　said　it　could　not　be　helped；　

and　he　wished　to　hear　no　more　about　the　matter。











CHAPTER　12







Her　playful　smile；　her　buoyance　wild；

Bespeak　the　gentle；　mirthful　child；

But　in　her　forehead's　broad　expanse；

Her　chastened　tones；　her　thoughtful　glance；

Is　mingled；　with　the　child's　light　glee；

The　modest　maiden's　dignity。





One　summer's　day；　two　years　after　the　ball　and　review；　Mary　Ross　and　

her　father　were　finishing　their　early　dinner；　when　she　said；



'If　you　don't　want　me　this　afternoon；　papa；　I　think　I　shall　walk　to　

Hollywell。　　You　know　Eveleen　de　Courcy　is　there。'



'No；　I　did　not。　　What　has　brought　her？'



'As　Charles　expresses　it；　she　has　over…polked　herself　in　London；　and　is　

sent　here　for　quiet　and　country　air。　　I　want　to　call　on　her；　and　to　ask　

Sir　Guy　to　give　me　some　idea　as　to　the　singing　the　children　should　

practise　for　the　school…feast？'



'Then　you　think　Sir　Guy　will　come　to　the　feast？'



'I　reckon　on　him　to　conceal　all　the　deficiencies　in　the　children's　

singing。'



'He　won't　desert　you；　as　he　did　Mrs。　Brownlow？'



'0　papa！　you　surely　did　not　think　him　to　blame　in　that　affair？'



'Honestly；　Mary；　if　I　thought　about　the　matter　at　all；　I　thought　it　a　

pity　he　should　go　so　much　to　the　Brownlows。'



'I　believe　I　could　tell　you　the　history；　if　you　thought　it　worth　while；　

and　though　it　may　be　gossip；　I　should　like　you　to　do　justice　to　Sir　

Guy。'



'Very　well；　though　I　don't　think　there　is　much　danger　of　my　doing　

otherwise。　　I　only　wondered　he　should　become　intimate　there　at　all。'



'I　believe　Mrs。　Edmonstone　thinks　it　right　he　should　see　as　much　of　the　

world　as　possible；　and　not　be　always　at　home　in　their　own　set。'



'Fair　and　proper。'



'You　know　she　has　shown　him　all　the　people　she　could；had　Eveleen　

staying　there；　and　the　Miss　Nortons；　and　hunted　him　out　to　parties；　

when　he　had　rather　have　been　at　home。'



'I　thought　he　was　fond　of　society。　　I　remember　your　telling　me　how　

amused　you　were　with　his　enjoyment　of　his　first　ball。'



'Ah！　he　was　two　years　younger　then；　and　all　was　new。　　He　seems　to　me　

too　deep　and　sensitive　not　to　find　more　pain　than　pleasure　in　

commonplace　society。　　I　have　sometimes　seen　that　he　cannot　speak　either　

lightly　or　harshly　of　what　he　disapproves；　and　people　don't　understand　

him。　　I　was　once　sitting　next　him；　when　there　was　some　talking　going　on　

about　an　elopement；　he　did　not　laugh；　looked　almost　distressed；　and　at　

last　said　in　a　very　low　voice；　to　me；　〃I　wish　people　would　not　laugh　

about　such　things。〃'



'He　is　an　extraordinary　mixture　of　gaiety　of　heart；　and　seriousness。'



'Well；　when　Mrs。　Brownlow　had　her　nieces　with　her；　and　was　giving　those　

musical　parties；　his　voice　made　him　valuable；　and　Mrs。　Edmonstone　told　

him　he　ought　to　go　to　them。　　I　believe　he　liked　it　at　first；　but　he　

found　there　was　no　end　to　it；　it　took　up　a　great　deal　of　time；　and　was　

a　style　of　thing　altogether　that　was　not　desirable。　　Mrs　Edmonstone　

thought　at　first　his　reluctance　was　only　shyness　and　stay…at…home　

nonsense；　that　ought　to　be　overcome；　but　when　she　had　been　there；　and　

saw　how　Mrs。　Brownlow　beset　him；　and　the　unpleasant　fuss　they　made　

about　his　singing；　she　quite　came　round　to　his　mind；　and　was　very　sorry　

she　had　exposed　him　to　so　much　that　was　disagreeable。'



'Well；　Mary；　I　am　glad　to　hear　your　account。　　My　impression　arose　from　

something　Philip　Morville　said。'



'Captain　Morville　never　can　approve　of　anything　Sir　Guy　does！　　It　is　

not　like　Charles。'



'How　improved　Charles　Edmonstone　is。　　He　has　lost　that　spirit　of　

repining　and　sarcasm；　and　lives　as　if　he　had　an　object。'



'Yes；　he　employs　himself　now；　and　teaches　Amy　to　do　the　same。　　You　

know；　after　the　governess　went；　we　were　afraid　little　Amy　would　never　

do　anything　but　wait　on　Charles；　and　idle　in　her　pretty　gentle　way；　but　

when　he　turned　to　better　things　so　did　she；　and　her　mind　has　been　

growing　all　this　time。　　Perhaps　you　don't　see　it；　for　she　has　not　lost　

her　likeness　to　a　kitten；　and　looks　all　demure　silence　with　the　elders；　

but　she　takes　in　what　the　wise　say。'



'She　is　a　very　good　little　thing；　and　I　dare　say　will　not　be　the　worse　

for　growing　up　slowly。'



'Those　two　sisters　are　specimens　of　fast　and　slow　growth。　　Laura　has　

always　seemed　to　be　so　much　more　than　one　year　older　than　Amy；　

especially　of　late。　　She　is　more　like　five…and…twenty　than　twenty。　　I　

wonder　if　she　overworks　herself。　　B