the heir of redclyffe-第6章

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to　me。　　I　remember　him　very　well！'



'Ah！　I　wish'　there　she　paused；　and　added；　tête…à…tête　'it　is　not　

right　to　wish　such　thingsand　Philip　is　very　like　his　father。'



'I　am　very　glad　his　regiment　is　so　near。　　I　want　to　know　him　better。'



'You　knew　him　at　Redclyffe；　when　he　was　staying　there？'



'Yes；'　said　Guy；　his　colour　rising；　'but　I　was　a　boy　then；　and　a　very　

foolish；　headstrong　one。　　I　am　glad　to　meet　him　again。　　What　a　grand…

looking　person　he　is！'



'We　are　very　proud　of　him；'　said　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　smiling。　　'I　don't　

think　there　has　been　an　hour's　anxiety　about　him　since　he　was　born。'



The　conversation　was　interrupted　by　the　sound　of　Charles's　crutches　

slowly　crossing　the　hall。　　Guy　sprang　to　help　him　to　his　sofa；　and　

then；　without　speaking；　hurried　up…stairs。



'Mamma；　tete…a…tete　with　the　silent　one！'　exclaimed　Charles。



'I　will　not　tell　you　all　I　think　of　him；'　said　she；　leaving　the　room。



'Hum！'　soliloquised　Charles。　　'That　means　that　my　lady　mother　has　

adopted　him；　and　thinks　I　should　laugh　at　her；　or　straightway　set　up　a　

dislike　to　him；　knowing　my　contempt　for　heroes　and　hero…worship。　　It's　

a　treat　to　have　Philip　out　of　the　way；　and　if　it　was　but　possible　to　

get　out　of　hearing　of　his　perfection；　I　should　have　some　peace。　　If　I　

thought　this　fellow　had　one　spice　of　the　kind；　I'd　never　trouble　my　

head　about　him　more；　and　yet　I　don't　believe　he　has　such　a　pair　of　

hawk's　eyes　for　nothing！'



The　hawk's　eyes；　as　Charles　called　them；　shone　brighter　from　that　day　

forth；　and　their　owner　began　to　show　more　interest　in　what　passed　

around。　　Laura　was　much　amused　by　a　little　conversation　she　held　with　

him　one　day　when　a　party　of　their　younger　neighbours　were　laughing　and　

talking　nonsense　round　Charles's　sofa。　　He　was　sitting　a　little　way　off　

in　silence；　and　she　took　advantage　of　the　loud　laughing　to　say：



'You　think　this　is　not　very　satisfactory？'　　And　as　he　gave　a　quick　

glance　of　inquiry　'Don't　mind　saying　so。　　Philip　and　I　often　agree　

that　it　is　a　pity　spend　so　much　time　in　laughing　at　nothingat　such　

nonsense。'



'It　is　nonsense？'



'Listenno　don't；　it　is　too　silly。'



'Nonsense　must　be　an　excellent　thing　if　it　makes　people　so　happy；'　said　

Guy　thoughtfully。　　'Look　at　them；　they　are　likenot　a　picturethat　

has　no　lifebut　a　dreamor；　perhaps　a　scene　in　a　play。'



'Did　you　never　see　anything　like　it？'



'Oh；　no！　　　All　the　morning　calls　I　ever　saw　were　formal；　every　one　

stiff；　and　speaking　by　rote；　or　talking　politics。　　How　glad　I　used　to　

be　to　get　on　horseback　again！　　But　to　see　thesewhy；　it　is　like　the　

shepherd's　glimpse　at　the　pixies！as　one　reads　a　new　book；　or　watches　

what　one　only　half　understandsa　rook's　parliament；　or　a　gathering　of　

sea…fowl　on　the　Shag　Rock。'



'A　rook's　parliament？'



'The　people　at　home　call　it　a　rook's　parliament　when　a　whole　cloud　of　

rooks　settle　on　some　bare；　wide　common；　and　sit　there　as　if　they　were　

consulting；　not　feeding；　only　stalking　about；　with　drooping　wings；　and　

solemn；　black　cloaks。'



'You　have　found　a　flattering　simile；'　said　Laura；　'as　you　know　that　

rooks　never　open　their　mouths　without　cause。'



Guy　had　never　heard　the　riddle；　but　he　caught　the　pun　instantly；　and　

the　clear　merry　sound　of　his　hearty　laugh　surprised　Charles；　who　

instantly　noted　it　as　another　proof　that　was　some　life　in　him。



Indeed；　each　day　began　to　make　it　evident　that　he　had；　on　the　whole；　

rather　a　superabundance　of　animation　than　otherwise。　　He　was　quite　

confidential　with　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　on　whom　he　used　to　lavish；　with　

boyish　eagerness；　all　that　interested　him；　carrying　her　the　passages　in　

books　that　pleased　him；　telling　her　about　Redclyffe's　affairs；　and　

giving　her　his　letters　from　Markham；　the　steward。　　His　head　was　full　of　

his　horse；　Deloraine；　which　was　coming　to　him　under　the　charge　of　a　

groom；　and　the　consultations　were　endless　about　the　means　of　transport；　

Mr。　Edmonstone　almost　as　eager　about　it　as　he　was　himself。



He　did　not　so　quickly　become　at　home　with　the　younger　portion　of　the　

family；　but　his　spirits　rose　every　day。　　He　whistled　as　he　walked　in　

the　garden；　and　Bustle；　instead　of　pacing　soberly　behind　him；　now　

capered；　nibbled　his　pockets；　and　drew　him　into　games　of　play　which　

Charles　and　Amabel　were　charmed　to　overlook　from　the　dressing…room　

window。　　There　was　Guy　leaping；　bounding；　racing；　rolling　the　dog　over；　

tripping　him　up；　twitching　his　ears；　tickling　his　feet；　catching　at　his　

tail；　laughing　at　Bustle's　springs；　contortions；　and　harmless　open…

mouthed　attacks；　while　the　dog　did　little　less　than　laugh　too；　with　his　

intelligent　amber　eyes；　and　black　and　red　mouth。　　Charles　began　to　find　

a　new　interest　in　his　listless　life　in　the　attempt　to　draw　Guy　out；　and　

make　him　give　one　of　his　merry　laughs。　　In　this；　however；　he　failed　

when　his　wit　consisted　in　allusions　to　the　novels　of　the　day；　of　which　

Guy　knew　nothing。　　One　morning　he　underwent　a　regular　examination；　

ending　in



'Have　you　read　anything？'



'I　am　afraid　I　am　very　ignorant　of　modern　books。'



'Have　you　read　the　ancient　ones？'　asked　Laura。



'I've　had　nothing　else　to　read。'



'Nothing　to　read　but　ancient　books！'　exclaimed　Amabel；　with　a　mixture　

of　pity　and　astonishment。



'Sanchoniathon；　Manetho；　Berosus；　and　Ocellus　Lucanus！'　said　Guy；　

smiling。



'There；　Amy；'　said　Charles；　'if　he　has　the　Vicar　of　Wakefield　among　his　

ancient　books；　you　need　not　pity　him。'



'It　is　like　Philip；'　said　Laura；　'he　was　brought　up　on　the　old　standard　

books；　instead　of　his　time　being　frittered　away　on　the　host　of　idle　

modern　ones。'



'He　was　free　to　concentrate　his　attention　on　Sir　Charles　Grandison；'　

said　Charles。



'How　could　any　one　do　so？'　said　Guy。　　'How　could　any　one　have　any　

sympathy　with　such　a　piece　of　self…satisfaction？'



'Who　could？　　Eh；　Laura？'　said　Charles。　



'I　never　read　it；'　said　Laura；　suspecting　malice。



'What　is　your　opinion　of　perfect　heroes？'　continued　Charles。



'Here　comes　one；'　whispered　Amy　to　her　brother；　blushing　at　her　piece　

of　naughtiness；　as　Philip　Morville　entered　the　room。



After　the　first　greetings　and　inquiries　after　his　sister；　whom　he　had　

been　visiting；　Laura　told　him　what　they　had　been　saying　of　the　

advantage　of　a　scanty　range　of　reading。



'True；'　said　Philip；　'I　have　often　been　struck　by　finding　how　ignorant　

people　are；　even　of　Shakspeare；　and　I　believe　the　blame　chiefly　rests　

on　the　cheap　rubbish　in　which　Charlie　is　nearly　walled　up　there。'



'Ay；'　said　Charles；　'and　who　haunts　that　rubbish　at　the　beginning　of　

every　month？　　I　suppose　to　act　as　pioneer；　though　whether　any　one　but　

Laura　heeds　his　warnings；　remains　to　be　proved。'



'Laura　does　heed？'　asked　Philip；　well　pleased。



'I　made　her　read　me　the　part　of　Dombey　that　hurts　women's　feelings　

most；　just　to　see　if　she　would　go　onthe　part　about　little　Pauland　I　

declare；　I　shall　think　the　worse　of　her　ever　aftershe　was　so　stony　

hearted；　that　to　this　day　she　does　not　know　whether　he　is　dead　or　

alive。'



'I　can't　quite　say　I　don't　know　whether　he　lived　or　died；'　said　Laura；　

'for　I　found　Amy　in　a　state　that　alarmed　me；　crying　in　the　green…house；　

and　I　was　very　glad　to　find　it　was　nothing　worse　than　little　Paul。'



'I　wish　you　would　have　read　it；'　said　Amy；　and　looking　shyly　at　Guy；　

she　added'Won't　you？'



'Well　done；　Amy！'　said　Charles。　'In　the　very　face　of　the　young　man's　

companion！'



'Philip　does　not　really　think　it　wrong；'　said　Amy。



'No；'　said　Philip；　'those　books　open　fields　of　thought；　and　as　their　

principles　are　negative；　they　are　not　likely　to　hurt　a　person　well　

armed　with　the　truth。'



'Meaning；'　said　Charles；　'that　Guy　and　Laura　have　your　gracious　

permission　to　read　Dombey。'



'When　Laura　has　a　cold　or　toothache。'



'And　I；'　said　Guy。



'I　am　not　sure　about；　the　expediency　for　you；'　said　Philip　'it　would　be　

a　pity　to　begin　with　Dickens；　when　there　is　so　much　of　a　higher　grade　

equally　new　to　you。　　I　suppose　you　do　not　understand　Italian？'



'No；'　said　Guy；　abruptly；　and　his　dark　eyebrows　contracted。



Philip　went　on。　　'If　you　did；　I　should　not　recommend　you　the　

translation　of　〃I　promessi　Sponsi；〃　one　of　the　most　beautiful　books　in　

any　language。　　You　have　it　in　English；　I　think；　Laura。'



Laura　fetched　it；　Guy；　with　a　constrained　'thank　you；'　was　going　to　

take　it　up　rather　as　if　he　was　putting　a　force　upon　himself；　when　

Philip　more　quickly　took　the　first　volume；　and　eagerly　turned　over　the　

pagesI　can't　stand　this；'　he　said；　'where　is　the　original？'



It　was　soon　produced；　and　Philip；　finding　the　beautiful　history　of　Fra　

Cristoforo；　began　to　translate　it　fluently　and　with　an　admirable　choice　

of　language　that　silenced　Charles's　attempts　to　interrupt　and　

criticise。　　Soon　Guy；　who　had　at　first　lent　only　reluctant　attention；　

was　entirely　absorbed；　his　eyebrows　relaxed；　a　look　of　earnest　interest　

succeeded；　his　countenance　softened；　and　when　Fra　Cristoforo　humbled　

himself；　exchanged　forgiveness；　and　received　〃il　pane　del　perdono；〃　

tears　hung　on　his　eyelashes。



The　chapter　was　finished；　and　with　a　smothered　exclamation　of　

admiration；　he　joined　the　others　in　begging　Philip　to　proceed。　　The　

story　thus　read　was　very　unlike　what　it　had　been　to　Laura　and　Amy；　when　

they　puzzled　it　out　as　an　Italian　lesson；　or　to　Charles；　when　he　

carelessly　tossed　over　the　translation　in　search　of　Don　Abbondio's　

humours；　and　thus　between　reading　and　conversation；　the　morning　passed　

very　agreeably。



At　luncheon；　Mr。　Edmonstone　asked　Philip　to　come　and　spend　a　day　or　two　

at　Hollywell；　and　he　accepted　the　invitation　for　the　next　week。　　'I　

will　make　Thorndale　drive　me　out　if　you　will　give　him　a　dinner。'



'Of　course；　of　course；'　said　Mr。　Edmonstone；　'we　shall　be　delighted。　　

We　were　talking　of　asking　him；　a　day　or　two　ago；　eh；　mamma？'



'Thank　you；'　said　Philip；　'a　family　party　is　an　especial　treat　to　him；'　

laying　a　particular　stress　on　the　word　'family　party；'　and　looking　at　

his　aunt。



At　that　moment　the　butler　came　in；　saying；　'Sir　Guy's　servant　is　come；　

and　has　brought　the　horse；　sir。'



'Deloraine　come！'　cried　Guy；　springing　up。　　'Where？'



'At　the　door；　sir。'



Guy　darted　out；　Mr。　Edmonstone　following。　　In　another　instant；　however；　

Guy　put　his　head　into　the　room　again。　　'Mrs。　Edmonstone；　won't　you　come　

and　see　him？　　Philip；　you　have　not　seen　Deloraine。'



Off　he　rushed；　and　the　others　were　just　in　time　to　see　the　cordial　look　

of　honest　gladness　with　which　William；　the　groom；　received　his　young　

master's　greeting；　and　the　delighted　recognition　between　Guy；　Bustle；　

and　Deloraine。　　Guy　had　no　attention　for　anything　else　till　he　had　

heard　how　they　had　prospered　on　the　journey；　and　then　he　turned　to　

claim　his　friend's　admiration　for　the　beautiful　chestnut；　his