the heir of redclyffe-第66章

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herself　that　it　mustit　shouldit　would　come　right。



There　was　not　a　word　of　Amy　in　the　letter；　but　it；　or　something　else；　

made　her　more　bright　and　cheerful　than　she　had　been　for　some　time　past。　　

It　seemed　as　if　the　lengthening　days　of　January　were　bringing　renewed　

comfort　with　them；　when　Charles；　who　ever　since　October　had　been　

confined　to　bed；　was　able　to　wear　the　Chinese　dressing…gown；　be　lifted　

to　a　couch；　and　wheeled　into　the　dressing…room；　still　prostrate；　but　

much　enjoying　the　change　of　scene；　which　he　called　coming　into　the　

world。



These　were　the　events　at　quiet　Hollywell；　while　Redclyffe　was　still　

engrossed　with　the　shipwreck；　which　seemed　to　have　come　on　purpose　to　

enliven　and　occupy　this　solitary　winter。　　It　perplexed　the　Ashfords　

about　their　baronet　more　than　ever。　　Mr。　Ashford　said　that　no　one　whose　

conscience　was　not　clear　could　have　confronted　danger　as　he　had　done；　

and　yet　the　certainty　that　he　was　under　a　cloud；　and　the　sadness；　so　

inconsistent　with　his　age　and　temperament　still　puzzled　them。　　Mrs。　

Ashford　thought　she　had　made　a　discovery。　　The　second　day　after　the　

wreck；　the　whole　crew；　except　the　little　cabin…boy；　were　going　to　set　

off　to　the　nearest　sea…port；　and　the　evening　preceding　their　departure；　

they　were　to　meet　their　rescuers；　the　fishermen；　at　a　supper　in　the　

great　servants'　hall　at　the　park。　　Edward　and　Robert　were　in　great　

glory；　bringing　in　huge　branches　of　evergreens　to　embellish　the　clean；　

cold　place；　and　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Ashford　and　Grace　were　to　come　to　see　the　

entertainment；　after　having　some　coffee　in　the　library。



Guy　prepared　it　for　his　company　by　tumbling　his　books　headlong　from　the　

sofa　to　a　more　remote　ottoman；　sticking　a　bit　of　holly　on　the　mantel…

shelf；　putting　out　his　beloved　old　friend；　Strutt's　'Sports　and　

Pastimes；'　to　amuse　Grace；　and　making　up　an　immense　fire；　and　then；　

looking　round；　thought　the　room　was　uncommonly　comfortable；　but　the　

first　thing　that　struck　Mrs；　Ashford；　when；　with　face　beaming　welcome；　

he　ushered　her　in　from　the　great　hall；　was　how　forlorn　rooms　looked　

that　had　not　a　woman　to　inhabit　them。



The　supper　went　off　with　great　eclat。　　Arnaud　at　the　head　of　the　table　

carved　with　foreign　courtesies；　contrasted　with　the　downright　bluff　way　

of　the　sailors。　　As　soon　as　Sir　Guy　brought　Mrs。　Ashford　to　look　in　on　

them；　old　James　Robinson　proposed　his　health；　with　hopes　he　would　soon　

come　and　live　among　them　for　good；　and　Jonas　Ledbury　added　another　

wish；　that　'Lady　Morville'　might　soon　be　there　too。　　At　these　words；　an　

expression　of　pain　came　upon　Guy's　face；　his　lips　were　rigidly　pressed　

together；　he　turned　hastily　away；　and　paced　up　and　down　before　he　could　

command　his　countenance。　　All　were　so　busy　cheering；　that　no　one　heeded　

his　change　of　demeanour　save　Mrs。　Ashford；　and　though；　when　he　returned　

to　the　place　where　he　had　been　standing；　his　complexion　was　deepened；　

his　lip　quivered；　and　his　voice　trembled　in　returning　thanks；　Mr。　

Ashford　only　saw　the　emotion　naturally　excited　by　his　people's　

attachment。



The　lady　understood　it　better；　and　when　she　talked　it　over　with　her　

husband　in　the　evening；　they　were　convinced　the　cause　of　his　trouble　

must　be　some　unfortunate　attachment；　which　he　might　think　it　his　duty　

to　overcome；　and　having　settled　this；　they　became　very　fond　of　him；　and　

anxious　to　make　Redclyffe　agreeable　to　him。



Captain　and　crew　departed；　the　little　boy　was　better；　and　his　hosts；　

Charity　and　Jem　Ledbury；　only　wished　to　keep　him　for　ever；　the　

sensation　at　Redclyffe　was　subsiding；　when　one　morning　Markham　came；　in　

a　state　of　extreme　satisfaction　and　importance；　to　exhibit　the　county　

paper；　with　a　full　account　of　the　gallant　conduct　of　the　youthful　

baronet。　　Two　or　three　days　after；　on　coming　home　from　a　ride　to　Coombe　

Prior；　Guy　found　Lord　Thorndale's　card；　and　heard　from　Arnaud　that　'my　

lord　had　made　particular　inquiries　how　long　he　would　be　in　the　country；　

and　had　been　to　the　cliff　to　see　where　the　wreck　was。'



Markham　likewise　attached　great　importance　to　this　visit；　and　went　off　

into　a　long　story　about　his　influence；　and　the　representation　of　

Moorworth；　or　even　of　the　county。　　As　soon　as　Guy　knew　what　he　was　

talking　about；　he　exclaimed；　'Oh；　I　hope　all　that　is　not　coming　on　me　

yet！　　Till　I　can　manage　Todd　and　Coombe　Prior；　I　am　sure　I　am　not　fit　

to　manage　the　country！'



A　few　mornings　after；　he　found　on　the　table　an　envelope；　which　he　

studied；　as　if　playing　with　his　eagerness。　　It　had　an　East…hill　post…

mark；　and　a　general　air　of　Hollywell　writing；　but　it　was　not　in　the　

hand　of　either　of　the　gentlemen；　nor　was　the　tail　of　the　y　such　as　Mrs。　

Edmonstone　was　wont　to　make。　　It　had　even　a　resemblance　to　Amabel's　own　

writing　that　startled　him。　　He　opened　it　at　last；　and　within　found　the　

hand　he　could　not　doubtCharles's；　namelymuch　more　crooked　than　

usual；　and　the　words　shortened　and　blotted：





'DEAR　G。；I　ought　not　to　do　this；　but　I　must；　I　have　tyrannized　over　

Charlotte；　and　obtained　the　wherewithal。　　Write　me　a　full　account　of　

your　gallant　conduct。　　I　saw　it　first　in　A。's　face。　　It　has　done　you　

great　good　with　my　father。　　I　will　write　more　when　I　can。　　I　can't　get　

on　now。　　'C。　M。　E。'





He　might　well　say　he　had　first　seen　it　in　his　sister's　face。　　She　had　

brought　him　the　paper；　and　was　looking　for　something　he　wanted　her　to　

read　to　him；　when　'Redclyffe　Bay'　met　her　eye；　and　then　came　the　whole　

at　one　delightful　glance。　　He　saw　the　heightened　colour；　the　exquisite　

smile；　the　tear…drop　on　the　eyelash。



'Amy！　what　have　you　there？'



She　pointed　to　the　place；　gave　the　paper　into　his　hand；　and　burst　into　

tears；　the　gush　of　triumphant　feeling。　　Not　one　was　shed　because　she　

was　divided　from　the　hero　of　the　shipwreck；　they　were　pure　unselfish　

tears　of　joy；　exultation；　and　thankfulness。　　Charles　read　the　history；　

and　she　listened　in　silence；　then　looked　it　over　again　with　him；　and　

betrayed　how　thoroughly　she　had　been　taught　the　whole　geography　of　

Redclyffe　Bay。　　The　next　person　who　came　in　was　Charlotte；　and　as　soon　

as　she　understood　what　occupied　them；　she　went　into　an　ecstasy；　and　

flew　away　with　the　paper；　rushing　with　it　straight　into　her　father's　

room；　where　she　broke　into　the　middle　of　his　letter…writing；　by　reading　

it　in　a　voice　of　triumph。



Mr。　Edmonstone　was　delighted。　　He　was　just　the　person　who　would　be　far　

more　taken　with　an　exploit　of　this　kind；　such　as　would　make　a　figure　in　

the　world；　than　by　steady　perseverance　in　well…doing；　and　his　heart　was　

won　directly。　　His　wrath　at　the　hasty　words　had　long　been　diminishing；　

and　now　was　absolutely　lost　in　his　admiration。　　'Fine　fellow！　noble　

fellow！'　he　said。　　'He　is　the　bravest　boy　I　ever　heard　of；　but　I　knew　

what　was　in　him　from　the　first。　　I　wish　from　my　heart　there　was　not　

this　cloud　over　him。　　I　am　sure　the　whole　story　has　not　a　word　of　truth　

in　it；　but　he　won't　say　a　word　to　clear　himself；　or　else　we　would　have　

him　here　again　to…morrow。'



This　was　the　first　time　Mr。　Edmonstone　had　expressed　anything　of　real　

desire　to　recall　Guy；　and　it　was　what　Charles　meant　in　his　letter。



The　tyranny　over　Charlotte　was　exercised　while　the　rest　were　at　dinner；　

and　they　were　alone　together。　　They　talked　over　the　adventure　for　the　

tenth　time　that　day；　and　Charles　grew　so　excited　that　he　vowed　that　he　

must　at　once　write　to　Guy；　ordered　her　to　give　him　the　materials；　and　

when　she　hesitated；　forced　her　into　it；　by　declaring　that　he　should　get　

up　and　reach　the　things　himself；　which　would　be　a　great　deal　worse。　　

She　wanted　to　write　from　his　dictation；　but　he　would　not　consent；　

thinking　that　his　mother　might　not　consider　it　proper；　and　he　began　

vigorously；　but　though　long　used　to　writing　in　a　recumbent　posture；　he　

found　himself　less　capable　now　than　he　had　expected；　and　went　on　

soliloquizing　thus：　'What　a　pen　you've　given　me；　Charlotte。　　There　goes　

a　blot！　　Here；　another　dip；　will　you！　and　take　up　that　with　the　

blotting　paper　before　it　becomes　more　like　a　spider。'



'Won't　you　make　a　fresh　beginning？'



'No；　that　has　cost　me　too　much　already。　　I've　got　no　more　command　over　

my　fingers。　　Here　we　go　into　the　further　corner　of　the　paper。　　Well！　　

C。　M。　E。　　There　'tisdo　it　up；　will　you？　　If　he　can　read　it　he'll　be　

lucky。　　How　my　arms　ache！'



'I　hope　it　has　not　hurt　you；　Charlie；　but　I　am　sure　he　will　be　very　

glad　of　it。　　Oh！　　I　am　glad　you　said　that　about　Amy。'



'Who　told　you　to　read　it；　Puss？'



'I　could　not　help　it；　'tis　so　large。'



'I　believe　I　_didn't_　_ought_　to　have　said　it。　　Don't　tell　her　I　did；'　

said　Charles；　'but　I　couldn't　for　the　life　of　meor　what　is　more　to　

the　purpose；　for　the　trouble　of　ithelp　putting　it。　　He　is　too　true　a　

knight　not　to　hear　that　his　lady；　not　exactly　smiled；　but　cried。'



'He　is　a　true　knight；'　said　Charlotte；　emphatically；　as　with　her　best　

pen；　and　with　infinite　satisfaction；　she　indited　the　'Sir　Guy　Morville；　

Bart。；　Redclyffe　Park；　Moorworth；'　only　wishing　she　could　lengthen　out　

the　words　infinitely。



'Do　you　remember；　Charlie；　how　we　sat　here　the　first　evening　he　came；　

and　you　took　me　in　about　the　deadly　feud？'



'It　was　no　take…in；'　said　Charles；　'only　the　feud　is　all　on　one　side。'



'Oh；　dear！　it　has　been　such　a　stupid　winter　without　Guy；'　sighed　

Charlotte；　'if　this　won't　make　papa　forgive　him；　I　don't　know　what　

will。'



'I　wish　it　would；　with　all　my　heart；'　said　Charles；　'but　logically；　if　

you　understand　the　word；　Charlotte；　it　does　not　make　much　difference　to　

the　accusation。　　It　would　not　exactly　be　received　as　exculpatory　

evidence　in　a　court　of　justice。'



'You　don't　believe　the　horrid　stories？'



'I　believe　that　Guy　has　gamed　quite　as　much　as　I　have　myself；　but　I　

want　to　see　him　cleared　beyond　the　power　of　Philip　to　gainsay　or　

disbelieve　it。　　I　should　like　to　have　such　a　force　of　proof　as　would　

annihilate　Philip；　and　if　I　was　anything　but　what　I　am；　I　would　have　

it。　　If　you　could　but　lend　me　a　leg　for　two　days；　Charlotte。'



'I　wish　I　could。'



'One　thing　shall　be　done；'　proceeded　Charles：　'my　father　shall　go　and　

meet　him　in　person　when　he　comes　of　age。　　Now　Don　Philip　is　out　of　the　

way；　I　trust　I　can　bring　that　about。'



'If　he　would　but　come　here！'



'No；　that　must　not　be；　as　mamma　says；　till　there　is　some　explanation；　

but　if　I　was　but　in　my　usual　state；　I　would　go　with　papa　and　meet　him　

in　London。　　I　wonder　if　there　is　any　chance　of　it。　　The　28th　of　March

ten　weeks　off！　　If　I　can　but　get　hold　of　those　trusty　crutches　of　mine　

by　that　time　I'll　do；　and　I'll　do；　and　I'll　do。　　We　will　bring　back　

Amy's　knight　with　flying　colours。'



'Oh　how　happy　we　should　be！'



'If　I　only　knew　what　sort　of　sense　that　Markham　of　his　may　have；　I　

would　give　him　a　hint；　and　set　him　to　ferret　out　at　St。　Mildred's。　　Or　

shall　I　ge