the heir of redclyffe-第37章

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But　when　they　went　on；　she　was　riding　the　donkey；　and　it；　as　donkeys　

always　are；　was　resolved　on　keeping　a…head　of　the　walkers；　so　that　as　

Guy　kept　by　her　side；　it　was　a　more　absolute　tete…a…tete　than　ever。



At　the　top　of　the　hill　they　found　a　fine　view；　rich　and　extensive；　

broad　woods；　fields　waving　with　silvery　barley；　trim　meadows；　fair　hazy　

blue　distance；　and　a　dim　line　of　sea　beyond。　　This；　as　Amy　knew；　was　

Guy's　delight；　and　further；　what　she　would　not　tell　herself；　was　that　

he　chiefly　cared　for　showing　it　to　her。　　It　was　so　natural　to　call　him　

to　admire　everything　beautiful；　and　ask　if　it　was　equal　to　Redclyffe；　

that　she　found　herself　already　turning　to　him　to　participate　in　his　

pleasure；　as　he　pointed　out　all　that　was　to　be　seen；　but　she　

recollected；　blushed；　and　left　her　mother　to　speak。　　He　had　much　to　

show。　　There　was　a　hanging　wood　on　one　side　of　the　hill；　whence　he　had　

brought　her　more　than　one　botanical　prize；　and　she　must　now　visit　their　

native　haunts。　　It　was　too　great　a　scramble　for　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　with　

all　her　good　will；　Eveleen　was　to　be　kept　still；　and　not　to　tire　

herself；　Laura　did　not　care　for　botany；　nor　love　brambles；　and　Amy　was　

obliged　to　stand　and　look　into　the　wood；　saying；　'No；　thank　you；　I　

don't　think　I　can；'　and　then　run　back　to　Mary　and　Charles；　while　

Charlotte　was　loudly　calling　out　that　it　was　delightful　fun；　and　that　

she　was　very　stupid。　　In　another　minute　Guy　had　overtaken　her；　and　in　

his　gentle；　persuasive　voice；　was　telling　her　it　was　very　easy；　and　she　

must　come　and　see　the　bird's…nest　orchises。　　She　would　have　liked　it　

above　all　things；　but　she　thought　it　very　kind　of　Guy　not　to　seem　angry　

when　she　said；　'No；　thank　you。'



Mary；　after　what　she　had　seen　yesterday；　could　not　guess　at　the　real　

reason；　or　she　would　have　come　with　her；　but　she　thought　Amy　was　tired；　

and　would　rather　not。　　Poor　Amy　was　tired；　very　tired；　before　the　walk　

was　over；　but　her　weary　looks　made　it　worse；　for　Guy　offered　her　his　

arm。　　'No　thank　you；'　she　said；　'I　am　getting　on　very　well；'　and　she　

trudged　on　resolutely；　for　her　mother　was　in　the　carriage；　and　to　lag　

behind　the　others　would　surely　make　him　keep　with　her。



Mrs。　Edmonstone　was　very　sorry　for　her　fatigue；　but　Amy　found　it　a　good　

excuse　for　not　wandering　in　the　garden；　or　joining　in　the　music。　　It　

had　been　a　very　uncomfortable　day；　she　hoped　she　had　done　right；　at　any　

rate；　she　had　the　peaceful　conviction　of　having　tried　to　do　so。



The　next　day；　Amy　was　steady　to　her　resolution。　　No　reading　with　the　

two　youths；　though　Charles　scolded　her；　sitting　in　her　room　till　Guy　

was　gone　out；　going　indoors　as　soon　as　she　heard　him　return；　and　in　the　

evening　staying　with　Charles　when　her　sisters　and　cousins　went　out；　but　

this　did　not　answer；　for　Guy　came　and　sat　by　them。　　She　moved　away　as　

soon　as　possible；　but　the　more　inclined　she　was　to　linger；　the　more　she　

thought　she　ought　to　go；　so　murmuring　something　about　looking　for　

Laura；　she　threw　on　her　scarf；　and　sprung　to　the　window。　　Her　muslin　

caught　on　the　bolt；　she　turned；　Guy　was　already　disentangling　it；　and　

she　met　his　eye。　　It　was　full　of　anxious；　pleading　inquiry；　which　to　

her　seemed　upbraiding；　and；　not　knowing　what　to　do；　she　exclaimed；　

hurriedly；　'Thank　you；　no　harm　done！'　and　darted　into　the　garden；　

frightened　to　feel　her　face　glowing　and　her　heart　throbbing。　　She　could　

not　help　looking　back　to　see　if　he　was　following。　　No；　he　was　not　

attempting　it；　he　was　leaning　against　the　window；　and　on　she　hastened；　

the　perception　dawning　on　her　that　she　was　hurting　him；　he　might　think　

her　rude；　unkind；　capricious；　he　who　had　always　been　so　kind　to　her；　

and　when　he　was　going　away　so　soon。　　'But　it　is　right；　it　must　be　

done；'　said　little　Amy　to　herself；　standing　still；　now　that　she　was　out　

of　sight。　　'If　I　was　wrong　before；　I　must　bear　it　now；　and　he　will　see　

the　rights　of　it　sooner　or　later。　　The　worst　of　all　would　be　my　not　

doing　the　very　_most_　_right_　to　please　any　body。　　Besides　he　can't　

really　care　for　missing　silly　little　Amy　when　he　has　mamma　and　Charlie。　　

And　he　is　going　away；　so　it　will　be　easier　to　begin　right　when　he　comes　

back。　　Be　that　as　it　may；　it　must　be　done。　　I'll　get　Charlie　to　tell　me　

what　he　was　saying　about　the　painted　glass。'









CHAPTER　13







Oh；　thou　child　of　many　prayers！

Life　hath　quicksandslife　hath　snares

Care　and　age　come　unawares。



Like　the　swell　of　some　sweet　tune；

Morning　rises　into　noon；

May　glides　onward　into　June。Longfellow





'What　is　the　matter　with　Amy？　　What　makes　her　so　odd？'　asked　Charles；　

as　his　mother　came　to　wish　him　good　night。



'Poor　little　dear！　don't　take　any　notice；'　was　all　the　answer　he　

received；　and　seeing　that　he　was　to　be　told　no　more；　he　held　his　peace。



Laura　understood　without　being　told。　　She；　too；　had　thought　Guy　and　Amy　

were　a　great　deal　together；　and　combining　various　observations；　she　

perceived　that　her　mother　must　have　given　Amy　a　caution。　　She　therefore　

set　herself；　like　a　good　sister；　to　shelter　Amy　as　much　as　she　could；　

save　her　from　awkward　situations；　and；　above　all；　to　prevent　her　

altered　manner　from　being　remarked。　　This　was　the　less　difficult；　as　

Eveleen　was　subdued　and　languid；　and　more　inclined　to　lie　on　the　sofa　

and　read　than　to　look　out　for　mirth。



As　to　poor　little　Amy；　her　task　was　in　one　way　become　less　hard；　for　

Guy　had　ceased　to　haunt　her；　and　seemed　to　make　it　his　business　to　

avoid　all　that　could　cause　her　embarrassment；　but　in　another　way　it　

hurt　her　much　more；　for　she　now　saw　the　pain　she　was　causing。　　If　

obliged　to　do　anything　for　her；　he　would　give　a　look　as　if　to　ask　

pardon；　and　then　her　rebellious　heart　would　so　throb　with　joy　as　to　

cause　her　dismay　at　having　let　herself　fall　into　so　hateful　a　habit　as　

wishing　to　attract　attention。　　What　a　struggle　it　was　not　to　obey　the　

impulse　of　turning　to　him　for　the　smile　with　which　he　would　greet　

anything　in　conversation　that　interested　them　both；　and　how　wrong　she　

thought　it　not　to　be　more　consoled　when　she　saw　him　talking　to　Eveleen；　

or　to　any　of　the　others；　as　if　he　was　doing　very　well　without　her。　　

This　did　not　often　happen；　he　was　evidently　out　of　spirits；　and　

thoughtful；　and　Amy　was　afraid　some　storm　might　be　gathering　respecting　

Mr。　Sebastian　Dixon；　about　whom　there　always　seemed　to　be　some　

uncomfortable　mystery。



Mrs。　Edmonstone　saw　everything；　and　said　nothing。　　She　was　very　sorry　

for　them　both；　but　she　could　not　interfere；　and　could　only　hope　she　had　

done　right；　and　protected　Amy　as　far　as　she　was　able。　　She　was　vexed　

now　and　then　to　see　Eveleen　give　knowing　smiles　and　significant　

glances；　feared　that　she　guessed　what　was　going　on；　and　wondered　

whether　to　give　her　a　hint　not　to　add　to　Amy's　confusion；　but　her　great　

dislike　to　enter　on　such　a　subject　prevailed；　and　she　left　things　to　

take　their　course；　thinking　that；　for　once；　Guy's　departure　would　be　a　

relief。



The　approach　of　anything　in　the　shape　of　a　party　of　pleasure　was　one　of　

the　best　cures　for　Eveleen's　ailments；　and　the　evening　before　Mary's　

tea…drinking；　she　was　in　high　spirits；　laughing　and　talking　a　great　

deal；　and　addressing　herself　chiefly　to　Guy。　　He　exerted　himself　to　

answer；　but　it　did　not　come　with　life　and　spirit；　his　countenance　did　

not　light　up；　and　at　last　Eveleen　said；　'Ah！　I　see　I　am　a　dreadful　

bore。　　I'll　go　away；　and　leave　you　to　repose。'



'Lady　Eveleen！'　he　exclaimed；　in　consternation；　'what　have　I　been　

doingwhat　have　I　been　thinking　of？'



'Nay；　that　is　best　known　to　yourself；　though　I　think　perhaps　I　could　

divine；'　said　she；　with　that　archness　and　grace　that　always　seemed　to　

remove　the　unfavourable　impression　that　her　proceedings　might　have　

given。　　'Shall　I？'



'No；　no；'　he　answered；　colouring　crimson；　and　then　trying　to　laugh　off　

his　confusion；　and　find　some　answer；　but　without　success；　and　Eveleen；　

perceiving　her　aunt's　eyes　were　upon　her；　suddenly　recollected　that　she　

had　gone　quite　as　far　as　decorum　allowed；　and　made　as　masterly　a　

retreat　as　the　circumstances　permitted。



'Well；　I　have　always　thought　a　〃penny　for　your　thoughts〃　the　boldest　

offer　in　the　world；　and　now　it　is　proved。'



This　scene　made　Mrs。　Edmonstone　doubly　annoyed；　the　next　morning；　at　

waking　with　a　disabling　headache；　which　made　it　quite　impossible　for　

her　to　attempt　going　to　Mary　Ross's　fete。　　With　great　sincerity；　Amy　

entreated　to　be　allowed　to　remain　at　home；　but　she　thought　it　would　

only　be　making　the　change　more　remarkable；　she　did　not　wish　Mary　to　be　

disappointed；　among　so　many　ladies；　Amy　could　easily　avoid　getting　into　

difficulties；　while　Laura　would；　she　trusted；　be　able　to　keep　Eveleen　

in　order。



The　day　was　sunny；　and　all　went　off　to　admiration。　　The　gentlemen　

presided　over　the　cricket；　and　the　ladies　over　'blind　man's　buff'　and　

'thread　my　needle；'　but　perhaps　Mary　was　a　little　disappointed　that；　

though　she　had　Sir　Guy's　bodily　presence；　the　peculiar　blitheness　and　

animation　which　he　usually　shed　around　him　were　missing。　　He　sung　at　

church；　he　filled　tiny　cups　from　huge　pitchers　of　tea；　he　picked　up　and　

pacified　a　screaming　child　that　had　tumbled　off　a　gatehe　was　as　good…

natured　and　useful　as　possible；　but　he　was　not　his　joyous　and　brilliant　

self。



Amy　devoted　herself　to　the　smallest　fry；　played　assiduously　for　three　

quarters　of　an　hour　with　a　fat；　grave　boy　of　three；　who　stood　about　a　

yard…and…a…half　from　her；　solemnly　throwing　a　ball　into　her　lap；　and　

never　catching　it　again；　took　charge　of　many　caps　and　bonnets；　and　

walked　about　with　Louisa　Harper；　a　companion　whom　no　one　envied　her。



In　conclusion；　the　sky　clouded　over；　it　became　chilly；　and　a　shower　

began　to　fall。　　Laura　pursued　Eveleen；　and　Amy　hunted　up　Charlotte　from　

the　utmost　parts　of　the　field；　where　she　was　the　very　centre　of　

'winding　up　the　clock；'　and　sorely　against　her　will；　dragged　her　off　

the　wet　grass。　　About　sixty　yards　from　the　house；　Guy　met　them　with　an　

umbrella；　which；　without　speaking；　he　gave　to　Charlotte。　　Amy　said；　

'Thank　you；'　and　again　came　that　look。　　Charlotte　rattled　on；　and　hung　

back　to　talk　to　Guy；　so　that　Amy　could　not　hasten　on　without　leaving　

her　shelterless。　　It　may　be　believed　that　she　had　the　conversation　to　

herself。　　At　the　door　they　met　Mary　and　her　father；　going　to　dismiss　

their　flock；　who　had　taken　refuge　in　a　cart…shed　at　the　other　end　of　

the　field。　　Guy　asked　if　he　could　be　of　any　use；　Mr。　Ross　said　no；　and　

Mary　begged　Amy　and　Charlotte　to　go　up　to　her　room；　and　change　their　

wet　shoes。



There；　Amy　would　fain　have　stayed；　flushed　and　agitated　as　those　looks　

made　her；　but　Charlotte　was　in　wild　spirits；　delighted　at　having　been　

caught　in　the　rain；　and　obliged　to　wear　shoes　a　mile　too　large；　and　

eager　to　go　and　share　the　fun　in　the　drawing…room。　　There；　i