the heir of redclyffe-第53章

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to　preserve　his　own　sense　of　superiority。



'Since　this　is　your　ultimatum；'　he　said'since　you　deny　your　

confidence；　and　refuse　any　reply　to　these　charges；　you　have　no　right　to　

complain　of　suspicion。　　I　shall　do　my　best；　both　as　your　true　friend；　

and　as　acting　with　your　guardian's　authority；　to　discover　all　that　may　

lead　to　the　elucidation　of　the　mystery。　　In　the　first　place；　I　am　

desired　to　make　every　inquiry　here　as　to　your　conduct　and　expenditure。　　

I　hope　they　will　prove　satisfactory。'



'I　am　very　much　obliged　to　you；'　answered　Guy；　his　voice　stern　and　

dignified；　and　the　smile　that　curled　his　lip　was　like　Philip's　own。



Philip　was　positively　annoyed；　and　desirous　to　say　something　to　put　him　

down；　but　he　had　not　committed　himself　by　any　vehemence；　and　Philip　was　

too　cool　and　wise　to　compromise　his　own　dignity；　so　he　rose　to　go；　

saying；　'Good　night！　　I　am　sorry　I　cannot　induce　you　to　act　in　the　only　

way　that　can　right　you。'



'Good　night！'　replied　Guy；　in　the　same　dignified　manner　in　which　he　had　

spoken　ever　since　his　passion　had　been　surmounted。



They　parted；　each　feeling　that　matters　were　just　where　they　were　

before。　　Philip　went　back　to　his　inn；　moralizing　on　the　pride　and　

perverseness　which　made　it　impossible　to　make　any　impression　on　a　

Redclyffe　Morville；　whom　not　even　the　fear　of　detection　could　lead　to　

submission。



Next　morning；　while　Philip　was　hastily　breakfasting；　the　door　opened；　

and　Guy　entered；　pale　and　disturbed；　as　if　he　had　been　awake　all　night。



'Philip！'　said　he；　in　his　frank；　natural　voice；　'I　don't　think　we　

parted　last　night　as　your　good　intentions　deserved。'



'0；　ho！'　thought　Philip；　'the　fear　of　an　investigation　has　brought　him　

to　reason；'　and　he　said；　'Well；　I　am　very　glad　you　see　things　in　a　

truer　light　this　morning；'　then　asked　if　he　had　breakfasted。　　He　had；　

and　his　cousin　added；



'Have　you　anything　to　say　on　the　matter　we　discussed　last　night？'



'No。　　I　can　only　repeat　that　I　am　not　guilty；　and　wait　for　time　to　show　

my　innocence。　　I　only　came　to　see　you　once　more；　that　I　might　feel　we　

parted　friends。'



'I　shall　always　hope　to　be　a　true　friend。'



'I　did　not　come　here　for　altercation；'　said　Guy　（an　answer　rather　to　

the　spirit　than　the　words）；　'so　I　will　say　no　more。　　If　you　wish　to　see　

me　again；　you　will　find　me　in　my　rooms。　　Good…bye。'



Philip　was　puzzled。　　He　wondered　whether　Guy　had　come　wishing　to　

propitiate　him；　but　had　found　pride　indomitable　at　the　last　moment；　or　

whether　he　had　been　showing　himself　too　severely　just　to　admit　

entreaty。　　He　would　be　able　to　judge　better　after　he　had　made　his　

inquiries；　and　he　proceeded　with　them　at　once。　　He　met　with　no　such　

replies　as　he　expected。　　Every　one　spoke　of　Sir　Guy　Morville　in　high　

terms；　as　strict　in　his　habits　of　application；　and　irreproachable　in　

conduct。　　He　was　generally　liked；　and　some　regret　was　expressed　that　he　

lived　in　so　secluded　a　manner；　forming　so　few　intimacies；　but　no　one　

seemed　to　think　it　possible　that　anything　wrong　could　be　imputed　to　

him。　　Philip　could　even　perceive　that　there　was　some　surprise　that　such　

inquiries　should　be　made　at　all；　especially　by　so　young　a　man　as　

himself。　　Mr。　Wellwood；　the　person　whom　he　most　wished　to　see；　was　not　

at　Oxford；　but　was　at　home　preparing　for　his　ordination。



Nor　could　Philip　get　nearer　to　the　solution　of　the　mystery　when　he　went　

to　the　tradesmen；　who　were　evidently　as　much　surprised　as　the　tutors；　

and　said　he　always　paid　in　ready　money。　　Captain　Morville　felt　like　a　

lawyer　whose　case　is　breaking　down；　no　discoveries　made；　nothing　done；　

but　he　was　not　one　whit　convinced　of　his　cousin's　innocence；　thinking　

the　college　authorities　blind　and　careless；　and　the　tradesmen　combined　

to　conceal　their　extortions；　or　else　that　the　mischief　had　been　done　at　

St。　Mildred's。　　He　was　particularly　provoked　when　he　remembered　Guy's　

invitation　to　him　to　come　to　his　rooms；　knowing；　as　he　must　have　done；　

what　would　be　the　result　of　his　inquiry。



Philip　was　conscious　that　it　would　have　been　kind　to　have　gone　to　say　

that；　so　far；　he　had　found　nothing　amiss；　but　he　did　not　like　giving　

Guy　this　passing　triumph。　　It　made　no　difference　in　his　real　opinion；　

and　why　renew　a　useless　discussion？　　He　persuaded　himself　that　he　had　

left　himself　no　time；　and　should　miss　the　train；　and　hastened　off　to　

the　station；　where　he　had　to　wait　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　consoling　

himself　with　reflecting



'After　all；　though　I　might　have　gone　to　him；　it　would　have　been　

useless。　　He　is　obstinate；　and　occasions　of　irritating　his　unfortunate　

temper　are　above　all　to　be　avoided。'



One　short　year　after；　what　would　not　Philip　have　given　for　that　quarter　

of　an　hour！



By　six　o'clock　he　was　at　St。　Mildred's；　greeted　with　delight　by　his　

sister；　and　with　cordiality　by　Dr。　Henley。　　They　were　both　proud　of　

him；　and　every　tender　feeling　his　sister　had　was　for　Philip；　her　pet；　

and　her　pupil　in　his　childhood；　and　her　most　valued　companion　and　

counsellor　through　her　early　womanhood。



She　had　a　picked　dinner…party　to　meet　him；　for　she　knew　the　doctor's　

conversation　was　not　exactly　the　thing　to　entertain　him　through　a　whole　

evening；　and　the　guests　might　well　think　they　had　never　seen　a　

handsomer　or　more　clever　brother　and　sister　than　Mrs。　Henley　and　

Captain　Morville。　　The　old　county　families；　if　they　did　wonder　at　her　

marriage；　were　always　glad　to　meet　her　brother；　and　it　was　a　great　

pleasure　to　him　to　see　old　friends。



Only　once　did　his　sister；　in　the　course　of　the　evening；　make　him　feel　

the　difference　of　their　sentiments；　and　that　was　about　Miss　Wellwood。　　

Philip　defended　her　warmly；　and　when　he　heard　that　there　was　a　plan　

getting　up　for　excluding　her　from　the　hospital；　he　expressed　strong　

disapprobation　at　the　time；　and　after　the　guests　were　gone；　spoke　upon　

the　subject　with　his　sister　and　her　husband。　　The　doctor　entered　into　

no　party　questions；　and　had　only　been　stirred　up　to　the　opposition　by　

his　wife；　he　owned　that　the　Miss　Wellwoods　had　done　a　great　deal　of　

good；　and　made　the　nurses　do　their　duty　better　than　he　had　ever　known；　

and　was　quite　ready　to　withdraw　his　opposition。　　Mrs。　Henley　argued　

about　opinions；　but　Philip　was　a　match　for　her　in　her　own　line；　and　the　

end　of　it　was；　that　though　she　would　not　allow　herself　to　be　convinced；　

and　shook　her　head　at　her　brother's　way　of　thinking；　he　knew　he　had　

prevailed；　and　that　Miss　Wellwood　would　be　unmolested。



There　was　not　another　person　in　the　world　to　whom　Margaret　would　have　

yielded；　and　it　served　to　restore　him　to　the　sense　of　universal　

dominion　which　had　been　a　little　shaken　by　his　conversation　with　Guy。



'Sir　Guy　was　a　great　deal　with　the　Wellwoods；'　said　Mrs。　Henley。



'Was　he；　indeed？'



'0；　you　need　not　think　of　_that_。　　It　would　be　too　absurd。　　The　

youngest　must　be　twice　his　age。'



'I　was　not　thinking　of　any　such　thing；'　said　Philip；　smiling；　as　he　

thought　of　the　very　different　course　Guy's　affections　had　taken。



'I　did　hear　he　was　to　marry　Lady　Eveleen　de　Courcy。　　Is　there　anything　

in　that　report？'



'No；　certainly　not。'



'I　should　pity　the　woman　who　married　him；　after　the　specimen　I　saw　of　

his　temper。'



'Poor　boy！'　said　Philip。



'Lady　Eveleen　has　been　a　great　deal　at　Hollywell；　has　she　not？　　I　

rather　wondered　my　aunt　should　like　to　have　her　there；　considering　all　

things。'



'What　things；　sister？'

　

'Considering　what　a　catch　he　would　be　for　one　of　the　Edmonstone　girls。'



'I　thought　you　had　just　been　pitying　the　woman　who　should　marry　him。　　

Perhaps　my　aunt　had　Lady　Eveleen　there　to　act　as　a　screen　for　her　own　

daughters。'



'That　our　good…natured　aunt　should　have　acted　with　such　ultra…

prudence！'　said　Margaret；　laughing　at　his　grave　ironical　tone。　　'Lady　

Eveleen　is　very　pretty；　is　she　not？　　A　mere　beauty；　I　believe？'



'Just　so；　she　is　much　admired；　but　Guy　is　certainly　not　inclined　to　

fall　in　love　with　her。'



'I　should　have　thought　him　the　very　man　to　fall　in　love　young；　like　his　

father。　　Do　you　think　there　is　any　chance　for　either　of　the　

Edmonstones？　　Laura's　beauty　he　spoke　of；　but　it　was　not　in　a　very　

lover…like　way。　　Do　you　admire　Laura　so　much？'



'She　is　very　pretty。'



'And　little　Amy？'



'She　is　a　mere　child；　and　will　hardly　ever　be　anything　more；　but　she　is　

a　very　good　little　amiable　thing。'



'I　wish　poor　Charles's　temper　was　improved。'



'So　do　I；　but　it　is　very　far　from　improvement　at　present；　in　

consequence　of　his　zeal　for　Guy。　　Guy　has　been　very　attentive　and　good　

natured　to　him；　and　has　quite　won　his　heart；　so　that　I　should　

positively　honour　him　for　his　championship　if　it　was　not　in　great　

degree　out　of　opposition　to　his　father　and　myself。　　To…morrow；　

Margaret；　you　must　give　me　some　guide　to　the　most　probable　quarters　for　

learning　anything　respecting　this　poor　boy's　follies。'



Mrs。　Henley　did　her　best　in　that　way；　and　Philip　followed　up　his　

inquiries　with　great　ardour；　but　still　unsuccessfully。　　Jack　White；　the　

hero　of　the　draft；　was　not　at　St。　Mildred's；　nor　likely　to　be　heard　of　

again　till　the　next　races；　and　whether　Sir　Guy　had　been　on　the　race…

ground　at　all　was　a　doubtful　point。　　Next；　Philip　walked　to　Stylehurst；　

to　call　on　Colonel　Harewood；　and　see　if　he　could　learn　anything　in　

conversation　with　him；　but　the　Colonel　did　not　seem　to　know　anything；　

and　his　sons　were　not　at　home。　　Young　Morville　was；　he　thought；　a　

spirited　lad；　very　good　natured；　he　had　been　out　shooting　once　or　twice　

with　Tom；　and　had　a　very　fine　spaniel。　　If　he　had　been　at　the　races；　

the　Colonel　did　not　know　it；　he　had　some　thoughts　of　asking　him　to　join　

their　party；　but　had　been　prevented。



This　was　no　reason；　thought　Philip；　why　Guy　might　not　have　been　with　

Tom　Harewood　without　the　Colonel's　knowledge。　　Tom　was　just　the　man　to　

lead　him　amongst　those　who　were　given　to　betting；　he　might　have　been　

drawn　in；　and；　perhaps；　he　had　given　some　pledge　of　payment　when　he　was　

of　age；　or；　possibly；　obtained　an　immediate　supply　of　money　from　the　

old　steward　at　Redclyffe；　who　was　devotedly　attached　to　him。　　If　so；　

Philip　trusted　to　be　able　to　detect　it　from　the　accounts；　on　the　other　

supposition；　there　was　no　hope　of　discovery。



The　conversation　with　Colonel　Harewood　kept　him　so　late　that　he　had　no　

time　for　going；　as　usual；　to　his　old　haunts；　at　Stylehurst；　nor　did　he　

feel　inclined　just　then　to　revive　the　saddening　reflections　they　

excited。　　He　spent　the　evening　in　talking　over　books　with　his　sister；　

and　the　next　day　proceeded　on　his　journey　to　Thorndale　Park。



This　was　one　of　the　places　where　he　was　always　the　most　welcome；　ever　

since　he　had　been　a　school…boy；　received　in　a　way　especially　

flattering；　considering　that　the　friendship　was　entirely　owing　to　the　

uncompromising　good　sense　and　real　kind