the heir of redclyffe-第77章

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launched　his　little　boat　and　pushed　off　into　the　rippling　whispering　

waters。　　It　was　a　resumption　of　the　ways　of　his　boyhood；　it　seemed　like　

a　holiday　to　have　left　all　these　cares　behind　him；　just　as　it　used　to　

be　when　all　his　lessons　were　prepared；　and　he　had　leave　to　disport　

himself；　by　land　or　water；　the　whole　afternoon；　provided　he　did　not　go　

out　beyond　the　Shag　Rock。　　He　took　up　his　sculls　and　rowed　merrily；　

singing　and　whistling　to　keep　time　with　their　dash；　the　return　to　the　

old　pleasure　quite　enough　at　first；　the　salt　breeze；　the　dashing　waves；　

the　motion　of　the　boat。　　So　he　went　on　till　he　had　come　as　far　as　his　

former　boundary；　then　he　turned　and　gazed　back　on　the　precipitous　

rocks；　cleft　with　deep　fissures；　marbled　with　veins　of　different　shades　

of　red；　and　tufted　here　and　therewith　clumps　of　samphire；　grass；　and　a　

little　brushwood；　bright　with　the　early　green　of　spring。　　The　white　

foam　and　spray　were　leaping　against　their　base；　and　roaring　in　their　

hollows；　the　tract　of　wavelets　between　glittered　in　light；　or　heaved　

green　under　the　shadow　of　the　passing　clouds；　the　sea…birds　floated　

smoothly　in　sweeping　undulating　lines；





　　　　　　　As　though　life's　only　call　and　care

　　　　　　　Were　graceful　motion；





the　hawks　poised　themselves　high　in　air　near　the　rocks。　　The　Cove　lay　

in　sunshine；　its　rough　stone　chimneys　and　rude　slate　roofs　overgrown　

with　moss　and　fern；　rising　rapidly；　one　above　the　other；　in　the　fast　

descending　hollow；　through　which　a　little　stream　rushed　to　the　sea；

more　quietly　than　its　brother；　which；　at　some　space　distant；　fell　sheer　

down　over　the　crag　in　a　white　line　of　foam；　brawling　with　a　tone　of　its　

own；　distinguishable　among　all　the　voices　of　the　sea　contending　with　

the　rocks。　　Above　the　village；　in　the　space　where　the　outline　of　two　

hills　met　and　crossed；　rose　the　pinnacled　tower　of　the　village　church；　

the　unusual　height　of　which　was　explained　by　the　old　custom　of　lighting　

a　beacon…fire　on　its　summit；　to　serve　as　a　guide　to　the　boats　at　sea。　　

Still　higher；　apparently　on　the　very　brow　of　the　beetling　crag　that　

frowned　above；　stood　the　old　Gothic　hall；　crumbling　and　lofty；　a　fit　

eyrie　for　the　eagles　of　Morville。　　The　sunshine　was　indeed　full　upon　

it；　but　it　served　to　show　how　many　of　the　dark　windows　were　without　the　

lining　of　blinds　and　curtains；　that　alone　gives　the　look　of　life　and　

habitation　to　a　house。　　How　crumbled　by　sea…wind　were　the　old　walls；　

and　the　aspect　altogether　full　of　a　dreary　haughtiness；　suiting　with　

the　whole　of　the　stories　connected　with　its　name；　from　the　time　when　it　

was　said　the　very　dogs　crouched　and　fled　from　the　presence　of　the　

sacrilegious　murderer　of　the　Archbishop；　to　the　evening　when　the　heir　

of　the　line　lay　stretched　a　corpse　before　his　father's　gate。



Guy　sat　resting　on　his　oars；　gazing　at　the　scene；　full　of　happiness；　

yet　with　a　sense　that　it　might　be　too　bright　to　last；　as　if　it　scarcely　

befitted　one　like　himself。　　The　bliss　before　him；　though　it　was　surely　

a　beam　from　heaven；　was　so　much　above　him；　that　he　hardly　dared　to　

believe　it　real：　like　a　child　repeating；　'Is　it　my　own；　my　very　own？'　

and　pausing　before　it　will　venture　to　grasp　at　a　prize　beyond　its　

hopes。　　He　feared　to　trust　himself　fully；　lest　it　should　carry　him　away　

from　his　self…discipline；　and　dazzle　him　too　much　to　let　him　keep　his　

gaze　on　the　light　beyond；　and　he　rejoiced　in　this　time　of　quiet；　to　

enable　him　to　strive　for　power　over　his　mind；　to　prevent　himself　from　

losing　in　gladness　the　balance　he　had　gained　in　adversity。



It　was　such　a　check　as　he　might　have　wished　for；　to　look　at　that　grim　

old　castle；　recollect　who　he　was；　and　think　of　the　frail　tenure　of　all　

earthly　joy；　especially　for　one　of　the　house　of　Morville。　　Could　that　

abode　ever　be　a　home　for　a　creature　like　Amy；　with　the　bright　innocent　

mirth　that　seemed　too　soft　and　sweet　ever　to　be　overshadowed　by　gloom　

and　sorrow？　　Perhaps　she　might　be　early　taken　from　him　in　the　undimmed　

beauty　of　her　happiness　and　innocence；　and　he　might　have　to　struggle　

through　a　long　lonely　life　with　only　the　remembrance　of　a　short…lived　

joy　to　lighten　it；　and　when　he　reflected　that　this　was　only　a　

melancholy　fancy；　the　answer　came　from　within；　that　there　was　nothing　

peculiar　to　him　in　the　perception　that　earthly　happiness　was　fleeting。　　

It　was　best　that　so　it　should　be；　and　that　he　should　rest　in　the　trust　

that　brightened　on　him　through　all；that　neither　life　nor　death；　

sorrow　nor　pain；　could　separate；　for　ever；　him　and　his　Amy。



And　he　looked　up　into　the　deep　blue　sky　overhead；　murmuring　to　himself；　

'In　heart　and　mind　thither　ascend；　and　with　Him　continually　dwell；'　and　

gazed　long　and　intently　as　he　rocked　on　the　green　waters；　till　he　again　

spoke　to　himself；'Why　stand　ye　here　gazing　up　into　heaven？'　then　

pulled　vigorously　back　to　the　shore；　leaving　a　shining　wake　far　behind　

him。









CHAPTER　29







Hark；　how　the　birds　do　sing；

And　woods　do　ring！

All　creatures　have　their　joy；　and　man　hath　his；

Yet　if　we　rightly　measure；

Man's　joy　and　pleasure

Rather　hereafter　than　in　present　is：



Not　that　he　may　not　here

Taste　of　the　cheer；

But　as　birds　drink　and　straight　lift　up　the　head；

So　must　he　sip　and　think

Of　better　drink

He　may　attain　to　after　he　is　dead。HERBERT





Guy　returned　to　Hollywell　on　the　Friday；　there　to　spend　a　quiet　week　

with　them　all；　for　it　was　a　special　delight　to　Amy　that　Hollywell　and　

her　family　were　as　precious　to　him　for　their　own　sakes　as　for　hers。　　It　

was　said　that　it　was　to　be　a　quiet　weekbut　with　all　the　best　efforts　

of　Mrs。　Edmonstone　and　Laura　to　preserve　quiet；　there　was　an　amount；　of　

confusion　that　would　have　been　very　disturbing；　hut　for　Amy's　

propensity　never　to　be　ruffled　or　fluttered。



What　was　to　be　done　in　the　honeymoon　was　the　question　for　

consideration。　　Guy　and　Amy　would　have　liked　to　make　a　tour　among　the　

English　cathedrals；　pay　a　visit　at　Hollywell；　and　then　go　home　and　live　

in　a　corner　of　the　house　till　the　rest　was　ready；　for　Amy　could　not　see　

why　she　should　take　up　so　much　more　room　than　old　Sir　Guy；　and　Guy　

declared　he　could　not　see　that　happiness　was　a　reason　for　going　

pleasure…hunting；　but　Charles　pronounced　this　very　stupid；　and　Mr。　

Edmonstone　thought　a　journey　on　the　Continent　was　the　only　proper　thing　

for　them　to　do。　　Mrs。　Edmonstone　wished　Amy　to　see　a　little　of　the　

world。　　Amy　was　known　to　have　always　desired　to　see　Switzerland；　it　

occurred　to　Guy　that　it　would　be　a　capital　opportunity　of　taking　Arnaud　

to　see　the　relations　he　had　been　talking　for　the　last　twenty　years　of　

visiting；　and　so　they　acquiesced；　for　as　Guy　said；　when　they　talked　it　

over　together；　it　did　not　seem　to　him　to　come　under　the　denomination　of　

pleasure…hunting；　since　they　had　not　devised　it　for　themselves；　they　

had　no　house　to　go　to；　they　should　do　Arnaud　a　service；　and　perhaps　

they　should　meet　Philip。



'That　will　not　be　pleasure…hunting；　certainly；'　said　Amy；　then；　

remembering　that　he　could　not　bear　to　hear　Philip　under…rated；　she　

added；　'I　mean；　unless　you　could　convince　him；　and　then　it　would　be　

more　than　pleasure。'



'It　would　be　my　first　of　unattained　wishes；'　said　Guy。　　'Then　we　will　

enjoy　the　journey。'　



'No　fear　on　that　score；'



'And　for　fear　we　should　get　too　much　into　the　stream　of　enjoyment；　as　

people　abroad　forget　home…duties；　let　us　stick　to　some　fixed　time　for　

coming　back。'



'You　said　Redclyffe　would　be　ready　by　Michaelmas。'



'I　have　told　the　builder　it　must　be。　　So；　Amy；　as　far　as　it　depends　on　

ourselves；　we　are　determined　to　be　at　home　by　Michaelmas。'



All　seemed　surprised　to　find　the　time　for　the　wedding　so　near　at　hand。　　

Charles's　spirits　began　to　flag；　Amy　was　a　greater　loss　to　him　than　to　

anybody　else；　she　could　never　again　be　to　him　what　she　had　been；　and　

unable　as　he　was　to　take　part　in　the　general　bustle　and　occupation；　he　

had　more　time　for　feeling　this；　much　more　than　his　mother　and　Laura；　

who　were　employed　all　day。　　He　and　Guy　were　exemplary　in　their　

civilities　to　each　other　in　not　engrossing　Amy；　and　one　who　had　only　

known　him　three　years　ago；　when　he　was　all　exaction　and　selfishness；　

could　have　hardly　believed　him　to　he　the　same　person　who　was　now　only　

striving　to　avoid　giving　pain；　by　showing　how　much　it　cost　him　to　yield　

up　his　sister。　　He　could　contrive　to　be　merry；　but　the　difficulty　was　

to　be　cheerful；　he　could　make　them　all　laugh　in　spite　of　themselves；　

but　when　alone　with　Amy；　or　when　hearing　her　devolve　on　her　sisters　the　

services　she　had　been　wont　to　perform　for　him；　it　was　almost　more　than　

he　could　endure；　but　then　he　dreaded　setting　Amy　off　into　one　of　her　

silent　crying…fits；　for　which　the　only　remedy　was　the　planning　a　grand　

visit　to　Redclyffe；　and　talking　overall　the　facilities　of　railroads　and　

carriages。



The　last　day　had　come；　and　a　long　strange　one　it　was；　not　exactly　

joyful　to　any；　and　very　sad　to　some；　though　Amy；　with　her　sweet　pensive　

face；　seemed　to　have　a　serenity　of　her　own　that　soothed　them　whenever　

they　looked　at　her。　　Charlotte；　though　inclined　to　be　wild　and　flighty；　

was　checked　and　subdued　in　her　presence；　Laura　could　not　be　entirely　

wretched　about　her；　Charles　lay　and　looked　at　her　without　speaking；　her　

father　never　met　her　without　kissing　her　on　each　side　of　her　face；　and　

calling　her　his　little　jewel；　her　motherbut　who　could　describe　Mrs。　

Edmonstone　on　that　day；　so　full　of　the　present　pain；　contending　with　

the　unselfish　gladness。



Guy　kept　out　of　the　way；　thinking　Amy　ought　to　be　left　to　them。　　He　sat　

in　his　own　room　a　good　while；　afterwards　rode　to　Broadstone；　in　coming　

home　made　a　long　visit　to　Mr。　Ross；　and　when　he　returned；　he　found　

Charles　in　his　wheeled　chair　on　the　lawn；　with　Amy　sitting　on　the　grass　

by　his　side。　　He　sat　down　by　her　and　there　followed　a　long　silence；

one　of　those　pauses　full　of　meaning。



'When　shall　we　three　meet　again？'　at　length　said　Charles；　in　a　would…be　

lively　tone。



'And　where？'　said　Amy。



'Here；'　said　Charles；　'you　will　come　here　to　tell　your　adventures；　and　

take　up　Bustle。'



'I　hope　so；'　said　Guy。　　'We　could　not　help　it。　　The　telling　you　about　

it　will　be　a　treat　to　look　forward　to　all　the　time。'



'Yes；　your　sight…seeing　is　a　public　benefit。　　You　have　seen　many　a　

thing　for　me。'



'That　is　the　pleasure　of　seeing　and　hearing；　the　thing　that　is　not　

fleeting；'　said　Guy。



'The　unselfish　part；　you　mean；'　said　Charles；　and　mused　again；　till　

Guy；　starting　up；　exclaimed



'There　are　the　people！'　as　a　carriage　came　in　view　in　the　lane。　　'Shall　

I　wheel　you　home；　Charlie？'



'Yes；　do。'



Guy　leant　over　the　back；　and　pushed　him　along；　and　as　he　did　so　

murmured　in　a　low　tremulous　tone；　'Wherever　or　whenever　we　may　be　

destined　to　meet；　Charlie；　or　if　never　again；　I