the heir of redclyffe-第61章

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was　not　yielding；　he　was　telling　himselftelling　the　tempter；　who　

would　have　made　him　give　up　the　strugglethat　it　was　only　for　a　life；　

and　that　it　was　shame　and　ingratitude　to　be　faint…hearted；　on　the　very　

night　when　he　ought　to　be　rejoicing　that　One　had　come　to　ruin　the　power　

of　the　foe；　and　set　him　free。　　But　where　was　his　rejoicing？　　Was　he　

cheered；was　he　comforted？　　Was　not　the　lone；　blank　despondency　that　

had　settled　on　him　more　heavily　than　ever；　a　token　that　he　was　shut　out　

from　all　that　was　good；nay；　that　in　former　years　there　had　been　no　

true　joy　in　him；　only　enjoyment　of　temporal　pleasure？　　Had　his　best　

days　of　happiness　been；　then；　nothing　but　hollowness　and　self…

deception？



At　that　moment　the　sound　of　a　Christmas　carol　came　faintly　on　his　ear。　　

It　was　one　of　those　tunes　which；　when　the　village　choir　were　the　only　

musicians　he　knew；　he　had　thought；　unrivalled；　and　now；　even　to　his　

tutored；　delicate　ear；　softened　as　it　was　by　distance；　and　endeared　by　

association；　it　was　full　of　refreshing；　soothing　harmony。　　He　undrew　

the　curtain；　opened　the　shutter；　and　looked　into　the　court；　where　he　

saw　some　figures　standing。　　As　soon　as　the　light　shone　from　the　window；　

the　carol　was　resumed；　and　the　familiar　tones　were　louder　and　harsher；　

but　he　loved　them；　with　all　their　rudeness　and　dissonance；　and　throwing　

up　the　window；　called　the　singers　by　name；　asking　why　they　stood　out　in　

the　snow；　instead　of　coming　into　the　hall；　as　usual。



The　oldest　of　the　set　came　to　the　window　to　answer；so　old　a　man　that　

his　voice　was　cracked；　and　his　performance　did　more　harm　than　good　in　

the　psalms　at　church。



'You　see；　Sir　Guy；'　said　he；　'there　was　some　of　us　thought　you　might　

not　like　to　have　us　coming　and　singing　like　old　times；　'cause　'tis　not　

all　as　it　used　to　be　here　with　you。　　Yet　we　didn't　like　not　to　come　at　

all；　when　you　had　been　away　so　long；　so　we　settled　just　to　begin；　and　

see　whether　you　took　any　notice。'



'Thank　you。　　It　was　a　very　kind　thought；　James；'　said　Guy；　touched　by　

the　rough　delicacy　of　feeling　manifested　by　these　poor　men；　'I　had　

rather　hear　the　carols　than　anything。　　Come　to　the　front　door；　I'll　let　

you　in。'



'Thank　you；　sir；'　with　a　most　grateful　touch　of　the　hat；　and　Guy　

hastened　to　set　things　in　order；　preferring　the　carols　to　everything　at　

that　moment；　even　though　disabused　of　his　pristine　admiration　for　James　

Robinson's　fiddle；　and　for　Harry　Ray's　grand　shake。　　A　long　space　was　

spent　in　listening；　and　a　still　longer　in　the　endeavour　to　show　what　

Mr。　Ashford　meant　by　suggesting　some　improvements　which　they　were　

regarding　with　dislike　and　suspicion；　till　they　found　Sir　Guy　was　of　

the　same　mind。　　In　fact；　when　he　had　sung　a　verse　or　two　to　illustrate　

his　meaning；　the　opinion　of　the　choir　was；　that；　with　equal　advantages；　

Sir　Guy　might　sing　quite　as　well　as　Harry　Ray。



It　was　the　first　time　he　had　heard　his　own　voice；　except　at　church；　

since　the　earlier　days　of　St。　Mildred's；　but　as　he　went　up　the　long　

stairs　and　galleries　to　bed；　he　found　himself　still　singing。　　It　was；



　　　　　　　Who　lives　forlorn；

　　　　　　　On　God's　own　word　doth　rest；

　　　　　　　His　path　is　bright

　　　　　　　With　heavenly　light；

　　　　　　　His　lot　among　the　blest。



He　wondered；　and　remembered　finding　music　for　it　with　Amy's　help。　　He　

sighed　heavily；　but　the　anguish　of　feeling；　the　sense　of　being　in　the　

power　of　evil；　had　insensibly　left　him；　and　though　sad　and　oppressed；　

the　unchangeable　joy　and　hope　of　Christmas　were　shedding　a　beam　on　him。



They　were　not　gone　when　he　awoke；　and　rose　to　a　solitary　breakfast　

without　one　Christmas　greeting。　　The　light　of　the　other　life　was　

beginning　to　shine　out；　and　make　him　see　how　to　do　and　to　bear；　with　

that　hope　before　him。　　The　hope　was　becoming　less　vague；　the　

resolution；　though　not　more　firm；　yet　less　desponding；　that　he　would　go　

on　to　grapple　with　temptation；　and　work　steadfastly；　and　with　that　hope　

before　him；　he　now　felt　that　even　a　lifetime　without　Amy　would　be　

endurable。



The　power　of　rejoicing　came　more　fully　at　church；　and　the　service　

entered　into　his　soul　as　it　never　had　done　before。　　It　had　never　been　

such　happiness；　though　repentance　and　mournful　feelings　were　ever　

present　with　him；　nor　was　his　'Verena'　absent　from　his　mind。　　He　walked　

about　between　the　services；　saw　the　poor　people　dining　in　their　holly…

decked　houses；　exchanging　Christmas　wishes　with　them；　and　gave　his　old；　

beautiful；　bright　smile　as　he　received　demonstrations　of　their　

attachment；　or　beheld　their　enjoyment。　　He　went　home　in　the　dark；　

allowed　Mrs。　Drew　to　have　her　own　way；　and　serve　him　and　Bustle　with　a　

dinner　sufficient　for　a　dozen　people；　and　was　shut　up　for　the　solitary　

Christmas　evening　which　he　had　so　much　dreaded；　and　which　would　have　

been　esteemed　a　misfortune　even　by　those　who　had　no　sad　thoughts　to　

occupy　them。



Yet　when　the　clock　struck　eleven　he　was　surprised；　and　owned　that　it　

had　been　more　than　not　being　unhappy。　　The　dark　fiends　of　remorse　and　

despair　had　not　once　assaulted　him；　yet　it　had　not　been　by　force　of　

employment　that　they　had　been　averted。　　He　had　read　and　written　a　

little；　but　very　little；　and　the　time　had　chiefly　been　spent　in　a　sort　

of　day…dream；　though　not　of　a　return　to　Hollywell；　nor　of　what　

Redclyffe　might　be　with　Amy。　　It　had　been　of　a　darkened　and　lonely　

course；　yet；　in　another　sense；　neither　dark　nor　lonely；　of　a　cheerless　

home　and　round　of　duties；　with　a　true　home　beyond；　and　still　it　had　

been　a　happy；　refreshing　dream；　and　he　began　the　next　morning　with　the　

fresh　brightened　spirit　of　a　man　who　felt　that　such　an　evening　was　sent　

him　to　reinvigorate　his　energies；　and　fit　him　for　the　immediate　duties　

that　lay　before　him。



On　the　breakfast…table　was　what　he　had　not　seen　for　a　long　timea　

letter　directed　to　him。　　It　was　from　Mr。　Ross；　in　answer　to　his　

question　about　Coombe　Prior；　entering　readily　into　the　subject；　and　

advising　him　to　write　to　the　Bishop；　altogether　with　a　tone　of　friendly　

interest　which；　especially　as　coming　from　one　so　near　Hollywell；　was　a　

great　pleasure；　a　real　Christmas　treat。　　There　was　the　wonted　wish　of　

the　seasona　happy　Christmaswhich　he　took　gratefully；　and　lastly　

there　was　a　mention　that　Charles　Edmonstone　was　better；　the　suffering　

over；　though　he　was　not　yet　allowed　to　move。



It　was　a　new　light　that　Charles's　silence　had　been　occasioned　by　

illness；　and　his　immediate　resolution　was　to　write　at　once　to　Mr。　Ross；　

to　beg　for　further　particulars。　　In　the　meantime；　the　perception　that　

there　had　been　no　estrangement　was　such　a　ray　as　can　hardly　be　imagined　

without　knowing　the　despondency　it　had　enlivened。　　The　truth　was；　

perhaps；　that　the　tone　of　mind　was　recovering；　and　after　having　fixed　

himself　in　his　resolution　to　endure；　he　was　able　to　receive　comfort　and　

refreshment　from　without　as　well　as　from　within。



He　set　to　work　to　write　at　once　to　the　Bishop；　as　Mr。　Ross　advised。　　He　

said　he　could　not　bear　to　lose　time；　and　therefore　wrote　at　once。　　He　

should　be　of　age　on　the　28th　of　March；　and　he　hoped　then　to　be　able　to　

arrange　for　a　stipend　for　a　curate；　if　the　Bishop　approved；　and　would　

kindly　enter　into　communication　on　the　appointment　with　Mr。　Halroyd；　

the　incumbent。　　After　considering　his　letter　a　little　while；　and　

wishing　he　was　sufficiently　intimate　with　Mr。　Ashford　to　ask　him　if　it　

would　do；　he　wrote　another　to　Mr。　Ross；　to　inquire　after　Charles；　then　

he　worked　for　an　hour　at　mathematics；　till　a　message　came　from　the　

gamekeeper　to　ask　whether　he　would　go　out　shooting；　whereat　Bustle；　

evidently　understanding；　jumped　about；　and　wagged　his　tail　so　

imploringly；　that　Guy　could　not　resist；　so　he　threw　his　books　upon　the　

top　of　the　great　pile　on　the　sofa；　and；　glad　that　at　least　he　could　

gratify　dog　and　man；　he　sent　word　that　he　should　be　ready　in　five　

minutes。



He　could　not　help　enjoying　the　ecstasy　of　all　the　dogs；　and；　indeed　he　

was　surprised　to　find　himself　fully　alive　to　the　delight　of　forcing　his　

way　through　a　furze…brake；　hearing　the　ice　in　the　peaty　bogs　crackle　

beneath　his　feet；　getting　a　good　shot；　bringing　down　his　bird；　finding　

snipe；　and　diving　into　the　depths　of　the　long；　winding　valleys　and　

dingles；　with　the　icicle…hung　banks　of　their　streamlets。　　He　came　home　

through　the　village　at　about　half…past　three　o'clock；　sending　the　

keeper　to　leave　some　of　his　game　at　the　parsonage；　while　he　went　

himself　to　see　how　the　work　was　getting　on　at　the　school。　　Mr。　and　Mrs。　

Ashford　and　the　boys　were　come　on　the　same　errand；　in　spite　of　the　

cloud　of　dust　rising　from　the　newly…demolished　lath…and…plaster　

partition。　　The　boys　looked　with　longing　eyes　at　the　gun　in　his　hand；　

and　the　half…frozen　compound　of　black　and　red　mud　on　his　gaiters；　but　

they　were　shy；　and　their　enmity　added　to　their　shyness；　so　that　even　

when　he　shook　hands　with　them；　and　spoke　good…naturedly；　they　did　not　

get　beyond　a　monosyllable。



Mr。　and　Mrs。　Ashford；　feeling　some　compunction　for　having　left　him　to　

his　solitude　so　long；　asked　him　to　dinner　for　one　of　the　ensuing　days；　

with　some　idea　of　getting　some　one　to　meet　him；　and　named　six　o'clock。



'Won't　that　put　you　out？　　Don't　you　always　dine　early？'　said　he。　　'If　

you　would　let　me；　I　should　like　to　join　you　at　your　tea…time。'



'If　you　will　endure　a　host　of　children；'　said　Mr。　Ashford；　'I　should　

like　it　of　all　things；'　said　Guy。　　'I　want　to　make　acquaintance　very　

much；'　and　he　put　his　hand　on　Robert's　shoulder。　　'Besides；　I　want　to　

talk　to　you　about　the　singing；　and　how　we　are　to　get　rid　of　that　fiddle　

without　breaking　James　Robinson's　heart。'



The　appointment　was　made；　and　Guy　went　home　to　his　hasty　dinner；　his　

Greek；　and　a　little　refreshing　return　afterwards　to　the　books　which　had　

been　the　delight　of　younger　days。　　There　was　no　renewal　of　the　burthen　

of　despair　that　had　so　long　haunted　his　evenings。　　Employments　

thickened　on　his　hands　as　the　days　passed　on。　　There　was　further　

correspondence　about　Coombe　Prior　and　the　curate；　and　consultations　

with　Markham　about　farmer　Todd；　who　was　as　obstinate　and　troublesome　as　

possible。　　Guy　made　Markham　come　to　Coombe　Prior　with　him；　examine　and　

calculate　about　the　cottages；　and　fairly　take　up　the　subject；　though　

without　much　apparent　chance　of　coming　to　any　satisfactory　result。　　A　

letter　came　from　Mr。　Ross；　telling　him　even　more　than　he　had　ventured　

to　hope；　for　it　brought　a　message　from　Charles　himself。　　Charles　had　

been　delighted　to　hear　of　him；　and　had　begged　that　he　might　be　told　how　

very　sorry　he　had　been　not　to　write；　and　how　incapable　he　had　been；　and　

still　was；　but　that　he　hoped　Guy　would　write　to　him；　and　believe　him　in　

the　same　mind。　　Mr。　Ross　added　an　account　of　Charles's　illness；　saying　

the　suffering　had　been　more　severe　than　usual；　and　had　totally　disabled　

him　for　many　we