the heir of redclyffe-第78章

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

destined　to　meet；　Charlie；　or　if　never　again；　I　must　thank　you　for　a　

great　part　of　my　happiness　herefor　a　great　deal　of　kindness　and　

sympathy。'



Charles　looked　straight　before　him；　and　answered'The　kindness　was　all　

on　your　part。　　I　had　nothing　to　give　in　return　but　ill…temper　and　

exactions。　　But；　Guy；　you　must　not　think　I　have　not　felt　all　you　have　

done　for　me。　　You　have　made　a　new　man　of　me；　instead　of　a　wretched　

stick；　laughing　at　my　misery；　to　persuade　myself　and　others　that　I　did　

not　feel　it。　　I　hope　you　are　proud　of　it。'



'As　if　I　had　anything　to　do　with　it！'



'Hadn't；　you；　that's　all！　　I　know　what　you　won't　deny；　at　any　rate

what　a　capital　man…of…all…work　you　have　been　to　me；　when　I　had　no　right　

to　ask　it；　as　now　we　have；'　he　added；　smiling；　because　Amy　was　looking　

at　him；　but　not　making　a　very　successful　matter　of　the　smile。　　'When　

you　come　back；　you'll　see　me　treat　you　as　indeed　〃a　man　and　a　

brother。〃'



This　talk　retarded　them　a　little；　and　they　did　not　reach　the　house　till　

the　guests　were　arriving。　　The　first　sight　that　met　the　eyes　of　Aunt　

Charlotte　and　Lady　Eveleen　as　they　entered；　was；　in　the　frame　of　the　

open　window；　Guy's　light　agile　figure；　assisting　Charles　up　the　step；　

his　brilliant　hazel　eyes　and　glowing　healthy　complexion　contrasting　

with　Charles's　pale；　fair；　delicate　face；　and　features　sharpened　and　

refined　by　suffering。　　Amy；　her　deep　blushes　and　downcast　eyes　almost　

hidden　by　her　glossy　curls；　stood　just　behind；　carrying　her　brother's　

crutch。



'There　they　are；'　cried　Miss　Edmonstone；　springing　forward　from　her　

brother　and　his　wife；　and　throwing　her　arms　round　Amy　in　a　warm　

embrace。　　'My　dear；　dear　little　niece；　I　congratulate　you　with　all　my　

heart；　and　that　I　do；'



'I'll　spare　your　hot　cheeks；　Amy　dearest！'　whispered　Eveleen；　as　Amy　

passed　to　her　embrace；　while　Aunt　Charlotte　hastily　kissed　Charles；　and　

proceeded'I　don't　wait　for　an　introduction；'　and　vehemently　shook　

hands　with　Guy。



'Ay；　did　I　say　a　word　too　much　in　his　praise？'　said　Mr。　Edmonstone。　　

'Isn't　he　all　out　as　fine　a　fellow　as　I　told　you？'



Guy　was　glad　to　turn　away　to　shake　hands　with　Lord　Kilcoran；　and　the　

next　moment　he　drew　Amy　out　of　the　group　eagerly　talking　round　

Charles's　sofa；　and　holding　her　hand；　led　her　up　to　a　sturdy；　ruddy…

brown；　elderly　man；　who　had　come　in　at　the　same　time；　but　after　the　

first　reception　had　no　share　in　the　family　greetings。　　'You　know　him；　

already；'　said　Guy；　and　Amy　held　out　her　hand；　saying



'Yes；　I　am　sure　I　do。'



Markham　was　taken　by　surprise；　he　gave　a　most　satisfied　grunt；　and　

shook　hands　as　heartily　as　if　she　had　been　his　favourite　niece。



'And　the　little　girl？'　said　Amy。



'0　yes。I　picked　her　up　at　St。　Mildred's：　one　of　the　servants　took　

charge　of　her　in　the　hall。'



'I'll　fetch　her；'　cried　Charlotte；　as　Amy　was　turning　to　the　door；　and　

the　next　moment　she　led　in　little　Marianne　Dixon；　clinging　to　her　hand。　　

Amy　kissed　her；　and　held　her　fast　in　her　arms；　and　Marianne　looked　up；　

consoled　in　her　bewilderment；　by　the　greeting　of　her　dear　old　friend；　

Sir　Guy。



Mr。　Edmonstone　patted　her　head；　and　when　the　others　had　spoken　kindly　

to　her；　Charlotte；　under　whose　especial　charge　Guy　and　Amy　had　placed　

her；　carried　her　off　to　the　regions　up…stairs。



The　rest　of　the　evening　was　hurry　and　confusion。　　Mrs。　Edmonstone　was　

very　busy；　and　glad　to　be　so；　as　she　must　otherwise　have　given　way；　and　

there　was　Aunt　Charlotte　to　be　talked　to；　whom　they　had　not　seen　since　

Charles's　illness。　　She　was　a　short；　bustling；　active　person；　with　a　

joyous　face；　inexhaustible　good…humour；　a　considerable　touch　of　Irish；　

and　referring　everything　to　her　mother；her　one　thought。　　Everything　

was　to　be　told　to　her；　and　the　only　drawback　to　her　complete　pleasure　

was　the　anxiety　lest　she　should　be　missed　at　home。



Mrs。　Edmonstone　was　occupied　with　her；　telling　her　the　history　of　the　

engagement；　and　praising　Guy；　Amy　went　up　as　soon　as　dinner　was　over；　

to　take　leave　of　old　nurse；　and　to　see　little　Marianne；　and　Eveleen　sat　

between　Laura　and　Charlotte；　asking　many　eager　questions；　which　were　

not　all　convenient　to　answer。



Why　Sir　Guy　had　not　been　at　home　at　Christmas　was　a　query　to　which　it　

seemed　as　if　she　should　never　gain　a　reply；　for　that　Charles　had　been　

ill；　and　Guy　at　Redclyffe；　was　no　real　answer；　and　finding　she　should　

not　be　told；　she　wisely　held　her　tongue。　　Again　she　made　an　awkward　

inquiry



'Now　tell　me；　is　Captain　Morville　pleased　about　this　or　not？'



Laura　would　have　been　silent；　trusting　to　Eveleen's　propensity　for　

talking；　for　bringing　her　to　some　speech　that　it　might　be　easier　to　

answer；　but　Charlotte　exclaimed；　'What　has　he　been　saying　about　it？'



'Saying？　　0　nothing。　　But　why　does　not　he　come？'



'You　have　seen　him　more　lately　than　we　have；'　said　Laura。



'That　is　an　evasion；'　said　Eveleen；　'as　if　you　did　not　know　more　of　his　

mind　than　I　could　ever　get　at；　if　I　saw　him　every　day　of　my　life。'



'He　is　provoking；　that　is　all；'　answered　Charlotte。　　'I　am　sure　we　

don't　want　him；　but　Laura　and　Guy　will　both　of　them　take　his　part。'



A　call　came　at　that　moment；the　box　of　white　gloves　was　come；　and　

Laura　must　come　and　count　them。　　She　would　fain　have　taken　Charlotte　

with　her；　but　neither　Charlotte　nor　Eveleen　appeared　disposed　to　move；　

and　she　was　obliged　to　leave　them。　　Eva　had　already　guessed　that　there　

was　more　chance　of　hearing　the　facts　from　Charlotte；　and　presently　she　

knew　a　good　deal。　　Charlotte　had　some　prudence；　but　she　thought　she　

might　tell　her　own　cousin　what　half　the　neighbourhood　knewthat　Philip　

had　suspected　Guy　falsely；　and　had　made　papa　very　angry　with　him；　that　

the　engagement　had　been　broken　off；　and　Guy　had　been　banished；　while　

all　the　time　he　was　behaving　most　gloriously。　　Now　it　was　all　

explained；　but　in　spite　of　the　fullest　certainty；　Philip　would　not　be　

convinced；　and　wanted　them　to　have　waited　five　years。



Eveleen　agreed　with　Charlotte　that　this　was　a　great　deal　too　bad；　

admired　Guy；　and　pitied　Amy　to　her　heart's　content。



'So；　he　was　banished；　regularly　banished！'　said　she。　　'However　of　

course　Amy　never　gave　him　up。'



'Oh；　she　never　mistrusted　him　one　minute。'



'And　while　he　had　her　fast；　it　was　little　he　would　care　for　the　rest。'



'Yes；　if　he　had　known　it；　but　she　could　not　tell　him。'



Eveleen　looked　arch。



'But　I　am　sure　she　did　not；'　said　Charlotte；　rather　angrily。



'You　know　nothing　about　it；　my　dear。'



'Yes；　but　I　do；　for　mamma　said　to　Charlie　how　beautifully　she　did　

behave；　and　he　too；never　attempting　any　intercourse。'



'Very　good　of　you　to　believe　it。'



'I　am　sure　of　it；　certain　sure；'　said　Charlotte。　　'How　could　you　

venture　to　think　they　would　either　of　them　do　anything　wrong？'



'I　did　not　say　they　would。'



'What；　not　to　write　to　each　other　when　papa　had　forbidden　it；　and　do　it　

in　secret；　too？'



'My　dear；　don't　look　so　innocently　irate。　　Goodness　has　nothing　to　do　

with　it；　it　would　be　only　a　moderate　constancy。　　You　know　nothing　at　

all　of　lovers。'



'If　I　know　nothing　of　lovers；　I　know　a　great　deal　of　Amy　and　Guy；　and　I　

am　quite　sure　that　nothing　on　earth　would　tempt　them　to　do　anything　in　

secret　that　they　were　forbidden。'



'Wait　till　you　are　in　love；　and　you'll　change　your　mind。'



'I　never　mean　to　be　in　love；'　said　Charlotte　indignantly。　　Eveleen　

laughed　the　more；　Charlotte　grew　more　angry　and　uncomfortable　at　the　

tone　of　the　conversation；　and　was　heartily　glad　that　it　was　broken　off　

by　the　entrance　of　the　gentlemen。　　Guy　helped　Charles　to　the　sofa；　and　

then　turned　away　to　continue　his　endless　talk　on　Redclyffe　business　

with　Markham。　　Charlotte　flew　up　to　the　sofa；　seized　an　interval　when　

no　one　was　in　hearing；　and　kneeling　down　to　bring　her　face　on　a　level　

with　her　brother's　whispered'Charlie；　Eva　won't　believe　but　that　Guy　

and　Amy　kept　up　some　intercourse　last　winter。'



'I　can't　help　it；　Charlotte。'



'When　I　tell　her　they　did　not；　she　only　laughs　at　me。　　Do　tell　her　they　

did　not。'



'I　have　too　much　self…respect　to　lay　myself　open　to　ridicule。'



'Charlie；　you　don't　think　it　possible　yourself？'　exclaimed　Charlotte；　

in　consternation。



'Possibleno　indeed。'



'She　_will_　say　it　is　not　wrong；　and　that　I　know　nothing　of　lovers。'



'You　should　have　told　her　that　ours　are　not　commonplace　lovers；　but　far　

beyond　her　small　experience。'



'I　wish　I　had！　　Tell　her　so；　Charlie；　she　will　believe　you。'



'I　sha'n't　say　one　word　about　it。'



'Why　not？'



'Because　she　is　not　worthy。　　If　she　can't　appreciate　them；　I　would　let　

her　alone。　　I　once　thought　better　of　Eva；　but　it　is　very　bad　company　

she　keeps　when　she　is　not　here。'



Charles；　however；　was　not　sorry　when　Eveleen　came　to　sit　by　him；　for　a　

bantering　conversation　with　her　was　the　occupation　of　which　he　was　moat　

capable。　　Amy；　returning；　came　and　sat　in　her　old　place　beside　him；　

with　her　hand　in　his；　and　her　quiet　eyes　fixed　on　the　ground。



The　last　evening　for　many　weeks　that　she　would　thus　sit　with　him；the　

last　that　she　would　ever　be　a　part　of　his　home。　　She　had　already　ceased　

to　belong　entirely　to　him；　she　who　had　always　been　the　most　precious　to　

him；　except　his　mother。



Only　his　mother　could　have　been　a　greater　loss；he　could　not　dwell　on　

the　anticipation；　and　still　holding　her　hand；　he　roused　himself　to　

listen；　and　answer　gaily　to　Eveleen's　description　of　the　tutor；　Mr。　

Fielder；　'a　thorough　gentleman；　very　clever　and　agreeable；　who　had　read　

all　the　books　in　the　world；　the　ugliest；　yes；　without　exaggeration；　the　

most　quaintly　ugly　man　living；little；　and　looking　just　as　if　he　was　

made　of　gutta　percha；　Eveleen　said；　'always　moving　by　jerks；so　

Maurice　advised　the　boys　not　to　put　him　near　the　fire；　lest　he　should　

melt。'



'Only　when　he　gives　them　some　formidable　lesson；　and　they　want　to　melt　

his　heart；'　said　Charles；　talking　at　random；　in　hopes　of　saying　

something　laughable。



'Then　his　eyes'tis　not　exactly　a　squint；　but　a　cast　there　is；　and　one　

set　of　eyelashes　are　black　and　the　other　light；　and　that　gives　him　just　

the　air　of　a　little　frightful　terrier　of　Maurice's　named　Venus；　with　a　

black　spot　over　one　eye。　　The　boys　never　call　him　anything　but　Venus。'



'And　you　encourage　them　in　respect　for　their　tutor？'



'Oh；　he　holds　his　own　at　lessons；　I　trow；　but　he　pretends　to　have　such　

a　horror　of　us　wild　Irish；　and　to　wonder　not　to　find　us　eating　potatoes　

with　our　fingers；　and　that　I　don't　wear　a　petticoat　over　my　head　

instead　of　a　bonnet；　in　what　he　calls　the　classical　Carthaginian　Celto…

Hibernian　fashion。'



'Dear　me；'　said　Charlotte；　'no　wonder　Philip　recommended　him。'



'0；　I　assure　you　he　has　the　gift；　no　one　else　but