the heir of redclyffe-第43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！



have　been　sufficient　to　preserve　you　from　yielding　to　a　temptation　

which　could　never　be　presented　to　the　mind　of　any　one　whose　time　was　

properly　occupied　in　the　business　of　his　education。'



'Is　that　all　I　am　to　say　about　her；'　exclaimed　Mr。　Edmonstone；　'after　

the　atrocious　way　the　fellow　has　treated　her　in？'



'Since　it　is；　happily；　no　engagement；　I　cannot　see　how　you　can；　with　

propriety；　assume　that　it　is　one；　by　speaking　of　breaking　it　off。　　

Besides；　give　him　no　ground　for　complaint；　or　he　will　take　refuge　in　

believing　himself　ill…used。　　Ask　him　if　he　can　disprove　it；　and　when　he　

cannot；　it　will　be　time　enough　to　act　further。　　But　waitwait；　sir；'　

as　the　pen　was　moving　over　the　paper；　impatient　to　dash　forward。　　'You　

have　not　told　him　yet　of　what　you　accuse　him。'



Philip　meditated　a　few　moments；　then　produced　another　sentence。



'I　have　no　means　of　judging　how　long　you　have　been　following　this　

unhappy　course；　I　had　rather　believe　it　is　of　recent　adoption；　but　I　do　

not　know　how　to　reconcile　this　idea　with　the　magnitude　of　your　demand；　

unless　your　downward　progress　has　been　more　rapid　than　usual　in　such　

beginnings。　　It　would；　I　fear；　be　quite　vain　for　me　to　urge　upon　you　

all　the　arguments　and　reasons　that　ought　to　have　been　present　to　your　

mind；　and　prevented　you　from　taking　the　first　fatal　step。　　I　can　only　

entreat　you　to　pause；　and　consider　the　ruin　and　degradation　to　which　

this　hateful　vice　almost　invariably　conducts　its　victims；　and　

consistently　with　my　duty　as　your　guardian；　everything　in　my　power　

shall　be　done　to　extricate　you　from　the　embarrassments　in　which　you　

have　involved　yourself。　　But；　in　the　first　place；　I　make　it　a　point　

that　you　treat　me　with　perfect　confidence；　and　make　a　full；　unequivocal　

statement　of　your　proceedings；　above　all；　that　you　explain　the　

circumstances；　occasioning　your　request　for　this　large　sum。　　Remember；　

I　say；　complete　candour　on　your　part　will　afford　the　only　means　of　

rescuing　you　from　difficulties；　or　of　in　any　degree　restoring　you　to　my　

good　opinion。'



So　far　the　letter　had　proceeded　slowly；　for　Philip　was　careful　and　

deliberate　in　composition；　and　while　he　was　weighing　his　words；　Mr。　

Edmonstone　rushed　on　with　something　unfit　to　stand；　so　as　to　have　to　

begin　over　again。　　At　last；　the　town　clock　struck　five；　Philip　started；　

declaring　that　if　he　was　not　at　the　station　in　five　minutes；　he　should　

lose　the　train；　engaged　to　come　to　Hollywell　on　the　day　an　answer　might　

be　expected；　and　hastened　away；　satisfied　by　having　seen　two　sheets　

nearly　filled；　and　having　said　there　was　nothing　more　but　to　sign；　

seal；　and　send　it。



Mr。　Edmonstone　had；　however；　a　page　of　note…paper　more；　and　it　was　with　

a　sensation　of　relief　that　he　wrote；



'I　wish；　from　the　bottom　of　my　heart；　that　you　could　clear　yourself。　　

If　a　dozen　men　had　sworn　it　till　they　were　black　in　the　face；　I　would　

not　have　believed　it　of　you　that　you　could　serve　us　in　such　a　manner；　

after　the　way　you　have　been　treated　at　home；　and　to　dare　to　think　of　my　

daughter　with　such　things　on　your　mind。　　I　could　never　have　believed　

it；　but　for　the　proofs　Philip　has　brought；　and　I　am　sure　he　is　as　sorry　

as　myself。　　Only　tell　the　whole　truth；　and　I　will　do　my　best　to　get　you　

out　of　the　scrape。　　Though　all　else　must　be　at　an　end　between　us；　I　am　

your　guardian　still；　and　I　will　not　be　harsh　with　you。'



He　posted　his　letter；　climbed　up　his　tall　horse；　and　rode　home；　rather　

heavy…hearted；　but　his　wrath　burning　out　as　he　left　Broadstone　behind　

him。　　He　saw　his　little　Amy　gay　and　lively；　and　could　not　bear　to　

sadden　her；　so　he　persuaded　himself　that　there　was　no　need　to　mention　

the　suspicions　till　he　had　heard　what　Guy　had　to　say　for　himself。　　

Accordingly；　he　told　no　one　but　his　wife；　and　she；　who　thought　Guy　as　

unlikely　to　gamble　as　Amy　herself；　had　not　the　least　doubt　that　he　

would　be　able　to　clear　himself；　and　agreed　that　it　was　much　better　to　

keep　silence　for　the　present。









CHAPTER　15







'Tis　not　unknown　to　you；　Antonio；

How　much　I　have　disabled　mine　estate；

By　something　showing　a　more　swelling　port

Than　my　faint　means　would　grant　continuance。　　Merchant　of　Venice





St。　Mildred's　was　a　fashionable　summer　resort；　which　the　virtues　of　a　

mineral　spring；　and　the　reputation　of　Dr。　Henley；　had　contributed　to　

raise　to　a　high　degree　of　prosperity。　　It　stood　at　the　foot　of　a　

magnificent　range　of　beautifully　formed　hills；　where　the　crescents　and　

villas；　white　and　smart；　showed　their　own　insignificance　beneath　the　

purple　peaks　that　rose　high　above　them。



About　ten　miles　distant；　across　the　hills；　was　Stylehurst；　the　parish　

of　the　late　Archdeacon　Morville；　and　the　native　place　of　Philip　and　his　

sister　Margaret。　　It　was　an　extensive　parish；　including　a　wide　tract　of　

the　hilly　country；　and　in　a　farm…house　in　the　midst　of　the　moorland；　

midway　between　St。　Mildred's　and　the　village　of　Stylehurst；　had　Mr。　

Wellwood　fixed　himself　with　his　three　pupils。



Guy's　first　visit　was　of　course　to　Mrs。　Henley；　and　she　was；　on　her　

side；　prepared　by　her　brother　to　patronize　him　as　Philip　would　have　

done　in　her　place。　　Her　patronage　was　valuable　in　her　own　circle；　her　

connections　were　good；　the　Archdeacon's　name　was　greatly　respected；　she　

had　a　handsome　and　well…regulated　establishment；　and　this；　together　

with　talents　which；　having　no　family；　she　had　cultivated　more　than　most　

women　have　time　to　do；　made　her　a　person　of　considerable　distinction　at　

St。　Mildred's。　　She　was；　in　fact；　the　leading　lady　of　the　placethe　

manager　of　the　book…club；　in　the　chair　at　all　the　charitable　

committees；　and　the　principal　person　in　society；　giving　literary　

parties；　with　a　degree　of　exclusiveness　that　made　admission　to　them　a　

privilege。



She　was　a　very　fine　woman；　handsomer　at　two…and…thirty　than　in　her　

early　bloom；　her　height　little　less　than　that　of　her　tall　brother；　and　

her　manner　and　air　had　something　very　distinguished。　　The　first　time　

Guy　saw　her；　he　was　strongly　reminded　both　of　Philip　and　of　Mrs。　

Edmonstone；　but　not　pleasingly。　　She　seemed　to　be　her　aunt；　without　the　

softness　and　motherly　affection；　coupled　with　the　touch　of　naivete　that　

gave　Mrs。　Edmonstone　her　freshness；　and　loveableness；　and　her　likeness　

to　her　brother　included　that　decided；　self…reliant　air；　which　became　

him　well　enough；　but　which　did　not　sit　as　appropriately　on　a　woman。



Guy　soon　discovered　another　resemblancefor　the　old；　unaccountable　

impatience　of　Philip's　conversation；　and　relief　in　escaping　from　it；　

haunted　him　before　he　had　been　a　quarter　of　an　hour　in　Mrs。　Henley's　

drawing…room。　　She　asked　after　the　Hollywell　party；　she　had　not　seen　

her　cousins　since　her　marriage；　and　happily　for　his　feelings；　passed　

over　Laura　and　Amy　as　if　they　were　nonentities；　but　they　were　all　too　

near　his　heart　for　him　to　be　able　with　patience　to　hear　'poor　

Charles's'　temper　regretted；　and　still　less　the　half…sarcastic；　half…

compassionate　tone　in　which　she　implied　that　her　aunt　spoilt　him　

dreadfully；　and　showed　how　cheap　she　hold　both　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Edmonstone。



Two　years　ago；　Guy　could　not　have　kept　down　his　irritation；　but　now　he　

was　master　of　himself　sufficiently　to　give　a　calm；　courteous　reply；　so　

conveying　his　own　respect　for　them；　that　Mrs。　Henley　was　almost　

disconcerted。



Stylehurst　had　great　interest　for　Guy；　both　for　the　sake　of　Archdeacon　

Morville's　kindness；　and　as　the　home　which　Philip　regarded　with　

affection；　that　seemed　the　one　softening　touch　in　his　character。　　So　

Guy　visited　the　handsome　church；　studied　the　grave…yard；　and　gathered　

the　traditions　of　the　place　from　the　old　sexton's　wife；　who　rejoiced　in　

finding　an　auditor　for　her　long　stories　of　the　good　Archdeacon；　Miss　

Fanny；　and　Mr。　Philip。　　She　shook　her　head；　saying　times　were　changed；　

and　'Miss　Morville　that　was；　never　came　neist　the　place。'



The　squire；　Colonel　Harewood；　was　an　old　friend　of　his　grandfather's；　

and　therefore　was　to　be　called　on。　　He　had　never　been　wise；　and　had　

been　dissipated　chiefly　from　vacancy　of　mind；　he　was　now　growing　old；　

and　led　a　quieter　life；　and　though　Guy　did　not　find　him　a　very　

entertaining　companion；　he　accepted；　his　civilities；　readily；　for　his　

grandfather's　sake。　　When　his　sons　came　home；　Guy　recognized　in　them　

the　description　of　men　he　was　wont　to　shun　at　Oxford；　as　much　from　

distaste　as　from　principle；　but　though　he　did　not　absolutely　avoid　

them；　he　saw　little　of　them；　being　very　busy；　and　having　pleasant　

companions　in　his　fellow　pupils。　　It　was　a　very　merry　party　at　South　

Moor；　and　Guy's　high　spirits　made　him　the　life　of　everything。



The　first　time　Mr。　Wellwood　went　to　call　on　his　cousins　at　St。　

Mildred's；　the　daughters　of　that　officer　who　had　fallen　by　the　hand　of　

old　Sir　Guy；　he　began　repeating；　for　the　twentieth　time；　what　an　

excellent　fellow　Morville　was；　then　said　he　should　not　have　troubled　

them　with　any　of　his　pupils；　but　Morville　would　esteem　their　receiving　

him　as　an　act　of　forgiveness；　and　besides；　he　wished　them　to　know　one　

whom　he　valued　so　highly。　　Guy　thus　found　himself　admitted　into　an　

entirely　new　region。　　There　were　two　sisters；　together　in　everything。　　

Jane；　the　younger；　was　a　kind…hearted；　commonplace　person；　who　would　

never　have　looked　beyond　the　ordinary　range　of　duties　and　charities；　

but　Elizabeth　was　one　of　those　who　rise　up；　from　time　to　time；　as　

burning　and　shining　lights。　　It　was　not　spending　a　quiet；　easy　life；　

making　her　charities　secondary　to　her　comforts；　but　devoting　time；　

strength；　and　goods；　not　merely　giving　away　what　she　could　spare；　but　

actually　sharing　all　with　the　poor；　reserving　nothing　for　the　future。　　

She　not　only　taught　the　young；　and　visited　the　distressed；　but　she　

gathered　orphans　into　her　house；　and　nursed　the　sick　day　and　night。　　

Neither　the　means　nor　the　strength　of　the　two　sisters　could　ever　have　

been　supposed　equal　to　what　they　were　known　to　have　achieved。　　It　

seemed　as　if　the　power　grew　with　the　occasion；　and　as　if　they　had　some　

help　which　could　not　fail　them。　　Guy　venerated　them　more　and　more；　and　

many　a　long　letter　about　them　was　written　to　Mrs。　Edmonstone　for　Amy　to　

read。　　There　is　certainly　a　'tyrannous　hate'　in　the　world　for　unusual　

goodness；　which　is　a　rebuke　to　it；　and　there　was　a　strong　party　against　

the　sisters。　　At　the　head　of　it　was　Mrs。　Henley；　who　had　originally　

been　displeased　at　their　preferring　the　direction　of　the　clergyman　to　

that　of　the　ladies'　committee；　though　the　secret　cause　of　her　dislike　

was；　perhaps；　that　Elizabeth　Wellwood　was　just　what　Margaret　Morville　

might　have　been。　　So　she　blamed　them；　not；　indeed　for　their　charity；　

but　for　slight　peculiarities　which　might　well　have　been　lost　in　the　

brightness　of　the　works　of　mercy。　　She　spoke　as　with　her　father's　

authority；　though；　if　she　had　been　differently　dispos