the heir of redclyffe-第58章

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spreading　trees　with　noble　limbs；　cottages；　and　cottage　gardens；　very　

unlike　poor　Coombe　Prior；　Markham's　housea　perfect　little　snuggery　

covered　all　over　with　choice　climbing　plants；　the　smart　plastered　

doctor's　house；　the　Morville　Arms；　looking　honest　and　venerable；　the　

church；　with　its　disproportionately　high　tower；　the　parsonage　rather　

hidden　behind　it；　and；　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　road；　the　park…wall　

and　the　gate；　where　old　Sarah　stood；　in　an　ecstasy　of　curtsies。



Guy　jumped　out　to　meet　her；　and　to　spare　Whiteface；　for　there　was　a　

sharp；　steep　bit　of　hill；　rising　from　the　lodge；　trying　to　horses；　in　

spite　of　the　road　being　cut　out　in　long　spirals。　　On　he　ran；　leaving　

the　road　to　Markham；　straight　up　the　high；　steep；　slippery　green　slope。　　

He　came　in　sight　at　the　great　dark…red　sandstone　pile　of　building；　but　

he　passed　it；　and　ran　on　to　where　the　ground　rose　on　one　side　of　it　

still　more　abruptly；　and　at　the　highest　point　was　suddenly　broken　away　

and　cut　off　into　a　perpendicular　crag；　descending　in　some　parts　sheer　

down　to　the　sea；　in　others　a　little　broken；　and　giving　space　for　the　

growth　of　stunted　brushwood。　　He　stood　at　the　highest　point；　where　the　

precipice　was　most　abrupt。　　The　sea　was　dashing　far　beneath；　the　

ripple；　dash；　and　roar　were　in　his　ears　once　more；　the　windsuch　wind　

as　only　blows　over　the　seawas　breathing　on　his　face；　the　broad；　free　

horizon　far　before　him；　the　field　of　waves；　in　gray　and　brown　shade　

indeed；　but　still　his　own　beloved　waves；　the　bay；　shut　in　with　rocks；　

and　with　Black　Shag　Island　and　its　train　of　rocks　projecting　far　out　to　

the　west；　and　almost　immediately　beneath　him；　to　the　left；　the　little　

steep　street　of　the　fishing　part　of　the　village；　nestled　into　the　cove；　

which　was　formed　by　the　mouth　of　a　little　mountain…stream；　and　the　

dozen　boats　it　could　muster　rocking　on　the　water。



Guy　stood　and　looked　as　if　he　could　never　cease　looking；　or　enjoying　

the　sea　air　and　salt　breeze。　　It　was　real　pleasure　at　first；　for　there　

were　his　home；　his　friends；　and　though　there　was　a　throb　and　tightness　

of　heart　at　thinking　how　all　was　changed　but　such　as　this；　and　how　all　

must　change；　how　he　had　talked　with　Amy　of　this　very　thing；　and　had　

longed　to　have　her　standing　beside　him　there；　yet　there　was　more　of　

soothing　than　suffering　in　the　sensation。



So　many　thoughts　rushed　through　his　mind；　that　he　fancied　he　had　stood　

there　a　long　time；　when　he　turned　and　hastened　down　again；　but　he　had　

been　so　rapid　as　to　meet　Markham　before　the　servants　had　had　time　to　

miss　him。



The　servants　were　indeed　few。　　There　was；　alas！　William　of　Deloraine；　

waiting　to　hold　Whiteface；　there　was　Arnaud；　an　old　Swiss；　first　

courier　and　then　butler　to　old　Sir　Guy；　there　was　Mrs。　Drew；　the　

housekeeper；　also　a　very　old　servant；　and　these　were　all；　but　their　

welcome　was　of　the　heartiest；　in　feeling；　if　not　in　demonstration　as　

the　gig　went　with　an　echoing；　thundering　sound　under　the　deep　archway　

that　led　into　the　paved　quadrangle；　round　which　the　house　was　built；　

that　court　where；　as　Philip　had　truly　averred；　the　sun　hardly　ever　

shone；　so　high　were　the　walls　on　each　side。



Up　the　stone　steps　into　the　spacious　dark　hall；　and　into　the　large；　

gloomy　library；　partially　lighted　by　a　great　wood　fire；　replying　to　

Mrs。　Drew's　questions　about　his　dinner　and　his　room；　and　asking　Markham　

to　stay　and　dine　with　him；　Guy　at　length　found　himself　at　home；　in　the　

very　room　where　he　had　spent　every　evening　of　his　boyhood；　with　the　

same　green　leather　arm…chair；　in　the　very　place　where　his　grandfather　

used　to　sit。



Markham　consented　to　dine　with　him；　and　the　evening　was　spent　in　

talking　over　the　news　of　Redclyffe。　　Markham　spoke　with　much　bitterness　

of　the　way　in　which　Captain　Morville　had　taken　upon　him；　his　looking　

into　the　accounts；　though　any　one　was　welcome　to　examine　them；　was；　he　

thought；　scarcely　becoming　in　so　young　a　manthe　heir…at…law；　too。



'He　can't　help　doing　minutely　whatever　he　undertakes；'　said　Guy。　　If　

you　had　him　here；　you　would　never　have　to　scold　him　like　me。'



'Heaven　forbid！'　said　Markham；　hastily。　　'I　know　the　same　place　would　

not　hold　him　and　me　long。'



'You　have　told　me　nothing　of　our　new　vicar。　　How　do　you　get　on　with　

him？'



'None　the　better　for　that　same　Captain　Morville；'　replied　Markham；　

plunging　forthwith　into　his　list　of　grievances；　respecting　which　he　was　

waging　a　petty　warfare；　in　the　belief　that　he　was　standing　up　for　his　

master's　rights。



Mr。　Bernard；　the　former　clergyman；　had　been　a　quiet；　old…fashioned　man；　

very　kind…hearted；　but　not　at　all　active；　and　things　had　gone　on　in　a　

sleepy；　droning；　matter…of…fact　way；　which　Markham　being　used　to；　

thought　exactly　what　ought　to　be。　　Now；　Mr。　Ashford　was　an　energetic　

person；　desirous　to　do　his　utmost　for　the　parish；　and　whatever　he　did　

was　an　offence　to　Markham；　from　the　daily　service；　to　the　objecting　to　

the　men　going　out　fishing　on　Sunday。　　He　opposed　every　innovation　with　

all　his　might；　and　Captain　Morville's　interference；　which　had　borne　

Markham　down　with　Mr。　Edmonstone's　authority；　had　only　made　him　more　

determined　not　to　bate　an　inch。　　He　growled　every　time　Guy　was　inclined　

to　believe　Mr。　Ashford　in　the　right；　and　brought　out　some　fresh　

complaint。　　The　grand　controversy　was　at　present　about　the　school。　　

There　was　a　dame's　school　in　the　cove　or　fishing　part　of　the　parish；　

maintained　at　the　expense　of　the　estate；　in　a　small　cottage　far　from　

the　church；　and　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Ashford　had　fixed　their　eyes　on　a　house　in　

the　village；　and　so　near　the　church　as　to　be　very　convenient　for　a　

Sunday　School。　　It　only　wanted　to　be　floored；　and　to　have　a　partition　

taken　down；　but　to　this　Markham　would　not　consent；　treating　it　as　a　

monstrous　proposal　to　take　away　the　school　from　old　Jenny　Robinson。



'I　suppose　Mr。　Ashford　meant　to　pension　her　off？'　said　Guy。



'He　did　say　something　about　it；　but　who　is　to　do　it；　I　should　like　to　

know？'



'We　are；　I　suppose。'



'Pay　two　schoolmistresses　mistresses　at　once！　　One　for　doing　nothing！　　

A　pretty　tolerable　proposal　for　Mr。　Ashford　to　be　making？'



'I　don't　see　why。　　Of　course　it　is　my　business！'



'Besides；　I　don't　see　that　she　is　not　as　fit　to　keep　school　as　ever　she　

was。'



'That　may　well　be；'　said　Guy；　smiling。　'We　never　used　to　be　noted　for　

our　learning。'



'Don't　you　be　for　bringing　new　lights　into　the　parish；　Sir　Guy；　or　we　

shall　never　have　any　more　peace。'



'I　shall　see　about　old　Jenny；'　answered　Guy。　　'As　to　the　house；　that　

must　be　done　directly。　　Her　cottage　is　not　fit　to　keep　school　in。'



Grunt；　grunt；　but　though　a　very　unbending　viceroy；　a　must　from　the　

reigning　baronet　had　a　potent　effect　on　Markham；　whether　it　was　for　

good　or　evil。　　He　might　grumble；　but　he　never　disobeyed；　and　the　boy　he　

was　used　to　scold　and　order　had　found　that　Morville　intonation　of　the　

must；　which　took　away　all　idea　of　resistance。　　He　still；　however　

remonstrated。



'As　you　please；　Sir　Guy；　but　we　shall　have　the　deer　frightened；　and　the　

plantations　cut　to　pieces；　if　the　boys　from　the　Cove　are　to　be　crossing　

the　park。'



'I'll　be　answerable　for　all　the　damage。　　If　they　are　once　properly　

spoken　to；　they　will　be　on　honour　to　behave　well。　　I　have　seen　a　little　

of　what　a　village　school　ought　to　be　at　East…hill；　and　I　should　like　to　

see　Redclyffe　like　it。'



Grunt　again；　and　Guy　found　that　to　make　Markham　amiable；　he　must　

inquire　after　all　his　nephews　and　nieces。



All　the　evening　he　had　much　to　occupy　him；　and　the　dreaded　sense　of　

solitude　and　bereavement　did　not　come　on　till　he　had　parted　with　

Markham；　and　stood　alone　before　the　fire　in　the　large；　gloomy　room；　

where　the　light　of　the　lamp　seemed　absorbed　in　the　darkness　of　the　

distant　corners；　and　where　he　had　scarcely　been　since　the　moment　when　

he　found　his　grandfather　senseless　in　that　very　chair。　　How　different　

had　that　room　once　been　in　his　eyes；　when　his　happy　spirits　defied　

every　association　of　gloom；　and　the　bookshelves；　the　carved　chairs；　the　

heavy　dark…green　curtains　and　deep　windows　were　connected　with　merry　

freaks；　earnest　researches；　delightful　achievements　or　discoveries！　　

How　long　ago　that　time　seemed！　and　how　changed　was　he！



There　was　a　certain　tendency　to　melancholy　in　Guy's　mind。　　High　

spirits；　prosperity；　and　self…discipline；　had　kept　it　from　developing　

itself　until　the　beginning　of　his　troubles；　but　since　that　time　it　had　

been　gradually　gaining　ground；　and　this　was　a　time　of　great　suffering；　

as　he　stood　alone　in　his　forefathers'　house；　and　felt　himself；　in　his　

early　youth；　a　doomed　man；　destined　to　bear　the　penalty　of　their　crimes　

in　the　ruin　of　his　dearest　hopes；　as　if　his　heirloom　of　misery　had　but　

waited　to　seize　on　him　till　the　very　moment　when　it　would　give　him　the　

most　to　endure。



'But　bear　it；　I　must　and　will！'　said　he；　lifting　his　head　from　the　

carved　chimney…piece；　where　he　had　been　resting　it。　　'I　have　been　in　

will　a　murderer　myself；　and　what　right　have　I　to　repine　like　the　

Israelites；　with　their　self…justifying　proverb？　　No；　let　me　be　thankful　

that　I　was　not　given　up　even　then；　but　have　been　able　to　repent；　and　do　

a　little　better　next　time。　　It　will　be　a　blessing　as　yet　ungranted　to　

any　of　us；　if　indeed　I　should　bear　to　the　full　the　doom　of　sorrow；　so　

that　it　may　be　vouchsafed　me　only　to　avoid　actual　guilt。　　Yes；　Amy；　

your　words　are　still　with　me〃Sintram　conquered　his　doom；〃and　it　was　

by　following　death！　　Welcome；　then；　whatever　may　be　in　store　for　me；　

were　it　even　a　long；　cheerless　life　without　you；　Amy。　　There　is　another　

world！'



With　the　energy　of　freshened　resolution；　he　lighted　his　candle；　and　

walked；　with　echoing　steps；　up　the　black　oak　staircase；　along　the　broad　

gallery；　up　another　flight；　down　another　passage；　to　his　own　room。　　He　

had　expressly　written　'his　own　room；'　and　confirmed　it　on　his　arrival；　

or　Mrs。　Drew　would　have　lodged　him　as　she　thought　more　suitably　for　the　

master　of　the　house。　　Nothing　had　been　done　to　alter　its　old　familiar　

aspect；　except　lighting　a　fire；　which　he　had　never　seen　there　before。　　

There　were　all　his　boyish　treasures；　his　bows　and　arrows；　his　

collection　of　birds'　wings；　his　wonderful　weapons　and　contrivances；　

from　his　fire…balloon　down　to　the　wren's…egg；　all　just　as　he　left　them；　

their　good　condition　attesting　the　care　that　Mrs。　Drew　had　taken　for　

his　sake。



He　renewed　his　acquaintance　with　them　with　a　sort　of　regretful　

affection　and　superiority；　but　there　was　a　refreshment　in　these　old　

memories　which　aided　the　new　feeling　of　life　imparted　to　him　by　his　

resolution　to　bear。　　Nor　had　he　only　to　bear；　he　had　also　to　do；　and　

before　the　late　hour　at　which　he　fell　asleep；　he　had　made　up　his　mind　

what　was　the　first　step　to　be　taken　about　Coombe　Priory；　and　had　

remembered　with