the heir of redclyffe-第52章

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It　was　a　way　of　assisting　his　relations　likely　to　do　real　good；　and　on　

the　other　hand；　he　would　be　able；　under　colour　of　the　payment　for　the　

child；　to　further　Miss　Wellwood's　schemes；　and　give　her　the　interest　of　

the　thousand　pounds；　until　his　five　and　twentieth　year　might　put　his　

property　in　his　own　power。



Miss　Wellwood　readily　consented；　much　pleased　with　the　simplicity　and　

absence　of　false　shame　he　showed　in　the　whole　transaction；　and　very　

anxious　for　the　good　of　a　child　in　a　class　so　difficult　to　reach。　　He　

next　went　to　Mrs。　Dixon；　expecting　more　difficulty　with　her；　but　he　

found　none。　　She　thought　it　better　Marianne　should　live　at　St。　

Mildred's　than　die　in　London；　and　was　ready　to　catch　at　the　prospect　of　

her　being　fitted　for　a　governess。　Indeed；　she　was　so　strongly　persuaded　

that　the　rich　cousin　might　make　Marianne's　fortune；　that　she　would　have　

been　very　unwilling　to　interfere　with　the　fancy　he　had　taken　for　her。



Little　Marianne　was　divided　between　fear　of　leaving　mamma　and　liking　

for　St。　Mildred's；　but　her　first　interview　with　Miss　Wellwood；　and　Miss　

Jane's　showing　her　a　little　white　bed；　quite　turned　the　scale　in　their　

favour。　　Before　the　time　came　for　Guy's　return　to　Oxford；　he　had　seen　

her　settled；　heard　her　own　account　of　her　happy　life；　and　had　listened　

to　Miss　Jane　Wellwood's　delight　in　her　sweet　temper　and　good　

disposition。



Those　thousand　pounds；　Guy　considered　again　and　again　whether　he　could　

explain　their　destination；　and　whether　this　would　clear　him。　　It　seemed　

to　him　only　a　minor　charge；　and　besides　his　repugnance　to　mention　such　

a　design；　he　saw　too　many　obstacles　in　his　way。　　Captain　Morville　and　

his　sister　were　the　very　persons　from　whom　Miss　Wellwood's　project　was　

to　be　kept　secret。　　Besides；　what　would　be　gained？　　It　was　evident　that　

Guy's　own　assertions　were　doubted；　and　he　could　bring　no　confirmation　

of　them；　he　had　never　spoken　of　his　intention　to　his　tutor；　and　Mr。　

Wellwood　could；　therefore；　say　nothing　in　his　favour。　　If　Mr。　

Edmonstone　alone　had　been　concerned；　or　if　this　had　been　the　only　

accusation；　Guy　might　have　tried　to　explain　it；　but　with　Philip　he　knew　

it　would　be　useless；　and　therefore　would　not　enter　on　the　subject。　　He　

could　only　wait　patiently。









CHAPTER　19







Most　delicately；　hour　by　hour；

He　canvassed　human　mysteries；

And　stood　aloof　from　other　minds。

Himself　unto　himself　he　sold；

Upon　himself；　himself　did　feed；

Quiet；　dispassionate；　and　cold；

With　chiselled　features　clear　and　sleek。TENNYSON





Guy　had　been　about　a　week　at　Oxford；　when　one　evening；　as　he　was　

sitting　alone　in　his　rooms；　he　received　an　unexpected　visit　from　

Captain　Morville。　　He　was　glad；　for　he　thought　a　personal　interview　

would　remove　all　misconstructions；　and　held　out　his　hand　cordially；　

saying：



'You　here；　Philip！　　When　did　you　come？'



'Half　an　hour　ago。　　I　am　on　my　way　to　spend　a　week　with　the　Thorndales。　　

I　go　on　to…morrow　to　my　sister's。'



While　speaking；　Philip　was　surveying　the　apartment；　for　he　held　that　a　

man's　room　is　generally　an　indication　of　his　disposition；　and　assuredly　

there　was　a　great　deal　of　character　in　his　own；　with　the　scrupulous　

neatness　and　fastidious　taste　of　its　arrangements。　　Here；　he　thought；　

he　could　not　fail　to　see　traces　of　his　cousin's　habits；　but　he　was　

obliged　to　confess　to　himself　that　there　was　very　little　to　guide　him。　　

The　furniture　was　strictly　as　its　former　occupant　had　left　it；　only　

rather　the　worse　for　wear；　and　far　from　being　in　order。　　The　chairs　

were　so　heaped　with　books　and　papers；　that　Guy　had　to　make　a　clearance　

of　one　before　his　visitor　could　sit　down；　but　there　was　nothing　else　to　

complain　of；　not　even　a　trace　of　cigars；　but　knowing　him　to　be　a　great　

reader　and　lover　of　accomplishments；　Philip　wondered　that　the　only　

decorations　were　Laura's　drawing　of　Sintram；　and　a　little　print　of　

Redclyffe；　and　the　books　were　chiefly　such　as　were　wanted　for　his　

studies；　the　few　others　having　for　the　most　part　the　air　of　old　library　

books；　as　if　he　had　sent　for　them　from　Redclyffe。　　Was　this　another　

proof　that　he　had　some　way　of　frittering　away　his　money　with　nothing　to　

show　for　it？　　A　Sophocles　and　a　lexicon　were　open　before　him　on　the　

table；　and　a　blotting…book；　which　he　closed；　but　not　before　Philip　had　

caught　sight　of　what　looked　like　verses。



Neither　did　his　countenance　answer　Philip's　expectations。　　It　had　not　

his　usual　bright　lively　expression；　there　was　a　sadness　which　made　him　

smile　like　a　gleam　on　a　showery　day；　instead　of　constant　sunshine；　but　

there　was　neither　embarrassment　nor　defiance；　and　the　gleam…like　smile　

was　there；　as　with　a　frank；　confiding　tone；　he　said；



'This　is　very　kind　of　you；　to　come　and　see　what　you　can　do　for　me。'



Philip　was　by　no　means　prepared　to　be　thus　met　half…way；　but　he　thought　

Guy　wanted　to　secure　him　as　an　intercessor；　and　hardened　himself　into　

righteous　severity。



'No　one　can　be　more　willing　to　help　you　than　I；　but　you　must；　in　the　

first　place；　help　yourself。'



Instantly　the　sedate　measured　tone　made　Guy's　heart　and　head　throb　with　

impatience；　awakening　all　the　former　memories　so　hardly　battled　down；　

but　with　the　impulse　of　anger　came　the　thought；　'Here　it　is　again！　　If　

I　don't　keep　it　down　now；　I　am　undone！　　The　enemy　will　seize　me　again！'　　

He　forced　himself　not　to　interrupt；　while　Philip　went　calmly　on。



'While　you　are　not　open；　nothing　can　be　done。'



'My　only　wish；　my　only　desire；　is　to　be　open；'　said　Guy；　speaking　fast　

and　low；　and　repressing　the　feeling；　which；　nevertheless；　affected　his　

voice；　'but　the　opportunity　of　explanation　has　never　been　given　me。'



'You　need　complain　of　that　no　longer。　　I　am　here　to　convey　to　my　uncle　

any　explanation　you　may　wish　to　address　to　him。　　I　will　do　my　best　to　

induce　him　to　attend　to　it　favourably；　but　he　is　deeply　offended　and　

hurt　by　what　has　passed。'



'I　knowI　know；'　said　Guy；　colouring　deeply；　and　all　irritation　

disappearing　from　voice　and　manner；　'I　know　there　is　no　excuse　for　me。　　

I　can　only　repeat　that　I　am　heartily　sorry　for　whatever　I　may　have　

said；　either　of　him　or　of　you。'



'Of　course；'　returned　Philip；　'I　should　never　think　of　resenting　what　

you　may　have　said　in　a　moment　of　irritation；　especially　as　you　express　

regret　for　it。　　Consider　it　as　entirely　overlooked　on　my　part。'



Guy　was　nearly　choked　in　uttering　a　'Thank　you；'　which　did　not　sound；　

after　all；　much　like　acceptance　of　forgiveness。



'Now　to　the　real　matter　at　issue；'　said　Philip：　'the　application　for　

the　money；　which　so　amazed　Mr。　Edmonstone。'



'I　do　not　see　that　it　is　the　point；'　said　Guy；　'I　wanted　it　for　a　

scheme　of　my　own：　he　did　not　think　fit　to　let　me　have　it；　so　there　is　

an　end　of　the　matter。'



'Mr　Edmonstone　does　not　think　so。　　He　wishes　to　be　convinced　that　you　

have　not　spent　it　beforehand。'



'What　would　you　have　beyond　my　word　and　honour　that　I　have　not？'　

exclaimed　Guy。



Far　be　it　from　me　to　say　that　he　doubts　it；'　said　Philip；　and　as　at　

those　words　the　flash　of　the　Morville　eye　darted　lightning；　he　expected　

that　the　next　moment；　'Do　you？'　would　be　thundered　forth；　and　he　could　

not；　with　truth；　answer　'　No；'　but　it　was　one　of　his　maxims　that　a　man　

need　never　be　forced　into　an　open　quarrel；　and　he　tranquilly　continued…

…'but　it　is　better　not　to　depend　entirely　on　assertion。　　Why　do　you　not　

bring　him　full　proofs　of　your　good　intention；　and　thus　restore　yourself　

to　his　confidence？'



'I　have　said　that　I　am　bound　not　to　mention　the　purpose。'



'Unfortunate！'　said　Philip；　then；　while　Guy　bit　his　lip　till　it　bled；　

the　pain　really　a　relief；　by　giving　some　vent　to　his　anger　at　the　

implied　doubt；　he　went　on；'If　it　is　impossible　to　clear　this　up；　the　

next　advice　I　would　give　is；　that　you　should　show　what　your　expenditure　

has　been；　lay　your　accounts　before　him；　and　let　them　justify　you。'



Most　people　would　have　resented　this　as　an　impertinent　proposal；　were　

it　only　that　doing　so　would　have　served　to　conceal　the　awkward　fact　

that　the　accounts　had　not　been　kept　at　all。　　Guy　had　never　been　taught　

to　regard　exactness　in　this　respect　as　a　duty；　had　no　natural　taste　for　

precision；　and　did　not　feel　responsible　to　any　person；　nor　if　he　had　

kept　any；　could　he　have　shown　them；　without　exposing　his　uncle。　　To　

refuse；　would；　however；　be　a　subterfuge；　and　after　a　moment；　he　made　an　

effort；　and　confessed　he　had　none　to　show；　though　he　knew　Philip　would　

despise　him　for　it　as　a　fool；　and　probably　take　it　as　positive　evidence　

against　him。



It　would　have　been　more　bearable　if　Philip　would　but　have　said　'How　

foolish；'　instead　of　drily　repeating　'Unfortunate！'



After　a　pause；　during　which　Guy　was　not　sufficiently　master　of　himself　

to　speak；　Philip　added'Then　this　matter　of　the　thousand　pounds　is　to　

be　passed　over？　　You　have　no　explanation　to　offer？'



'No：'　and　again　he　paused。　　'When　my　word　is　not　accepted；　I　have　no　

more　to　say。　　But　this　is　not　the　point。　　What　I　would　know　is；　what　

are　the　calumnies　that　accuse　me　of　having　gamed？　　If　you　really　wish　

to　do　me　a　service；　you　will　give　me　an　opportunity　of　answering　these　

precious　proofs。'



'I　will'　answered　Philip；　who　could　venture　on　doing　so　himself；　

though；　for　his　sister's　sake；　it　was　unsafe　to　trust　Mr。　Edmonstone；　

with　whom　what　was　not　an　absolute　secret　was　not　a　secret　at　all。　　'My　

uncle　knows　that　a　thirty　pound　cheque　of　his；　in　your　name；　was　paid　

by　you　to　a　notorious　gamester。'



Guy　did　not　shrink；　as　he　simply　answered'It　is　true。'



'Yet　you　have　neither　played；　nor　betted；　nor　done　anything　that　could　

come　under　the　definition　of　gambling？'



'No。'



'Then　why　this　payment？'



'I　cannot　explain　that。　　I　know　appearances　are　against　me；'　replied　

Guy　steadily；　and　with　less　irritation　than　he　had　hitherto　shown。　　I　

once　thought　my　simple　word　would　have　sufficed；　but；　since　it　seems　

that　will　not　do；　I　will　not　again　make　what　you　call　assertions。'



'In　fact；　while　you　profess　a　desire　to　be　open　and　sincere；　a　mystery　

appears　at　every　turn。　　What　would　you　have　us　do？'



'As　you　think　fit；'　he　answered　proudly。



Philip　had　been　used　to　feel　men's　wills　and　characters　bend　and　give　

way　beneath　his　superior　force　of　mind。　　They　might；　like　Charles；　

chafe　and　rage；　but　his　calmness　always　gave　him　the　ascendant　almost　

without　exertion；　and　few　people　had　ever　come　into　contact　with　him　

without　a　certain　submission　of　will　or　opinion。　　With　Guy　alone　it　was　

not　so；　he　had　been　sensible　of　it　once　or　twice　before；　he　had　no　

mastery；　and　could　no　more　bend　that　spirit　than　a　bar　of　steel。　　This　

he　could　not　bear；　for　it　obliged　him　to　be　continually　making　efforts　

to　preserve　his　own　sense　of　superiority。



'Since　this　is　your　ultimatum；'　he