the heir of redclyffe-第97章

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without　suffering；　except　when　he　tried　to　take　the　cordials；　and　this　

he　did　with　such　increasing　difficulty；　that　she　hardly　knew　how　to　

bear　to　cause　him　so　much　pain；　though　it　was　the　last　lingering　hope。　　

He　strove　to　swallow　them；　each　time　with　the　mechanical　'Thank　you；'　

so　affecting　when　thus　spoken；　but　at　last　he　came　to；　'It　is　of　no　

use；　I　cannot。'



Then　she　knew　all　hope　was　gone；　and　sat　still；　watching　him。　　The　

darkness　lessened；　and　twilight　came。　　He　slept；　but　his　breath　grew　

short；　and　unequal；　and　as　she　wiped　the　moisture　on　his　brow；　she　knew　

it　was　the　death…damp。



Morning　light　came　onthe　church　bell　rang　out　matinsthe　white　hills　

were　tipped　with　rosy　light。　　His　pulse　was　almost　gonehis　hand　was　

cold。　　At　last　he　opened　his　eyes。　　'Amy！　he　said；　as　if　bewildered；　or　

in　pain。



'Here；　dearest！'



'I　don't　see。'



At　that　moment　the　sun　was　rising；　and　the　light　streamed　in　at　the　

open　window；　and　over　the　bed；　but　it　was　〃another　dawn　than　ours〃　that　

he　beheld　as　his　most　beautiful　of　all　smiles　beamed　over　his　face；　and　

he　said；　'Glory　in　the　Highest！peacegoodwill'A　struggle　for　

breath　gave　an　instant's　look　of　pain；　then　he　whispered　so　that　she　

could　but　just　hear'The　last　prayer。'　　She　read　the　Commendatory　

Prayer。　　She　knew　not　the　exact　moment；　but　even　as　she　said　'Amen'　she　

perceived　it　was　over。　　The　soul　was　with　Him　with　whom　dwell　the　

spirits　of　just　men　made　perfect；　and　there　lay　the　earthly　part　with　a　

smile　on　the　face。　　She　closed　the　dark　fringed　eyelidssaw　him　look　

more　beautiful　than　in　sleepthen；　laying　her　face　down　on　the　bed；　

she　knelt　on。　　She　took　no　heed　of　time；　no　heed　of　aught　that　was　

earthly。　　How　long　she　knelt　she　never　knew；　but　she　was　roused　by　

Anne's　voice　in　a　frightened　sob'My　lady；　my　ladycome　away！　　Oh；　

Miss　Amabel；　you　should　not　be　here。'



She　lifted　her　head；　and　Anne　afterwards　told　Mary　Ross；　'she　should　

never　forget　how　my　lady　looked。　　It　was　not　grief：　it　was　as　if　she　

had　been　a　little　way　with　her　husband；　and　was　just　called　back。'



She　roselooked　at　his　face　againsaw　Arnaud　was　at　handlet　Anne　

lead　her　into　the　next　room；　and　shut　the　door。









CHAPTER　36







The　matron　who　alone　has　stood

When　not　a　prop　seemed　left　below；

The　first　lorn　hour　of　widowhood；

Yet；　cheered　and　cheering　all　the　while；

With　sad　but　unaffected；　smile。CHRISTIAN　YEAR





The　four　months'　wife　was　a　widow　before　she　was　twenty…one；　and　there　

she　sat　in　her　loneliness；　her　maid　weeping；　seeking　in　vain　for　

something　to　say　that　might　comfort　her；　and　struck　with　fear　at　seeing　

her　thus　composed。　　It　might　be　said　that　she　had　not　yet　realized　her　

situation；　but　the　truth　was；　perhaps；　that　she　was　in　the　midst　of　the　

true　realities。　　She　felt　that　her　Guy　was　perfectly　happyhappy　

beyond　thought　or　comparisonand　she　was　so　accustomed　to　rejoice　with　

him；　that　her　mind　had　not　yet　opened　to　understand　that　his　joy　left　

her　mourning　and　desolate。



Thus　she　remained　motionless　for　some　minutes；　till　she　was　startled　by　

a　sound　of　weepingthose　fearful　overpowering　sobs；　so　terrible　in　a　

strong　man　forced　to　give　way。



'Philip！'　thought　she；　and　withal　Guy's　words　returned　'It　will　be　

worse　for　him　than　for　you。　　Take　care　of　him。'



'I　must　go　to　him；'　said　she　at　once。



She　took　up　a　purple　prayer…book　that　she　had　unconsciously　brought　in　

her　hand　from　Guy's　bed；　and　walked　down…stairs；　without　pausing　to　

think　what　she　should　say　or　do；　or　remembering　how　she　would　naturally　

have　shrunk　from　the　sight　of　violent　grief。



Philip　had　retired　to　his　own　room　the　night　before；　overwhelmed　by　the　

first　full　view　of　the　extent　of　the　injuries　he　had　inflicted；　the　

first　perception　that　pride　and　malevolence　had　been　the　true　source　of　

his　prejudice　and　misconceptions；　and　for　the　first　time　conscious　of　

the　long…fostered　conceit　that　had　been　his　bane　from　boyhood。　　All　had　

flashed　on　him　with　the　discovery　of　the　true　purpose　of　the　demand　

which　he　thought　had　justified　his　persecution。　　He　saw　the　glory　of　

Guy's　character　and　the　part　he　had　acted；the　scales　of　self…

admiration　fell　from　his　eyes；　and　he　knew　both　himself　and　his　cousin。



His　sole　comfort　was　in　hope　for　the　future；　and　in　devising　how　his　

brotherly　affection　should　for　the　rest　of　his　life　testify　his　altered　

mind；　and　atone　for　past　ill…will。　　This　alone　kept　him　from　being　

completely　crushed；for　he　by　no　means　imagined　how　near　the　end　was；　

and　the　physician；　willing　to　spare　himself　pain；　left　him　in　hopes；　

though　knowing　how　it　would　be。　　He　slept　but　little；　and　was　very　

languid　in　the　morning；　but　he　rose　as　soon　as　Arnaud　came　to　him；　in　

order　not　to　occupy　Arnaud's　time；　as　well　as　to　be　ready　in　case　Guy　

should　send　for　him　again；　auguring　well　from　hearing　that　there　was　

nothing　stirring　above；　hoping　this　was　a　sign　that　Guy　was　asleep。　　So　

hoped　the　two　servants　for　a　long　time；　but　at　length；　growing　alarmed；　

after　many　consultations；　they　resolved　to　knock　at　the　door；　and　learn　

what　was　the　state　of　things。



Philip　likewise　was　full　of　anxiety；　and　coming　to　his　room　door　to　

listen　for　intelligence；　it　was　the　〃e　morto〃　of　the　passing　Italians　

that　first　revealed　to　him　the　truth。　　Guy　dead；　Amy　widowed；　himself　

the　causehe　who　had　said　he　would　never　be　answerable　for　the　death　

of　this　young　man。



Truly　had　Guy's　threat；　that　he　would　make　him　repent；　been　fulfilled。　　

He　tottered　back　to　his　couch；　and　sank　down；　in　a　burst　of　anguish　

that　swept　away　all　the　self…control　that　had　once　been　his　pride。　　

There　Amabel　found　him　stretched；　face　downwards；　quivering　and　

convulsed　by　frightful　sobs。



'Don'tdon't；　Philip；'　said　she；　in　her　gentle　voice。　　'Don't　cry　so　

terribly！'



Without　looking　up；　he　made　a　gesture　with　his　hand；　as　if　to　drive　her　

away。　　'Don't　come　here　to　reproach　me！'　he　muttered。



'No；　no；　don't　speak　so。　　I　want　you　to　hear　me；　I　have　something　for　

you　from　him。　　If　you　would　only　listen；　I　want　to　tell　you　how　happy　

and　comfortable　it　was。'　　She　took　a　chair　and　sat　down　by　him；　

relieved　on　perceiving　that　the　sobs　grew　a　little　less　violent。



'It　was　very　peaceful；　very　happy；'　repeated　she。　　'We　ought　to　be　very　

glad。'



He　turned　round；　and　glanced　at　her　for　a　moment；　but　he　could　not　bear　

to　see　her　quiet　face。　　'You　don't　know　what　you　say；'　he　gasped。　　'No；　

take　care　of　yourself；　don't　trouble　yourself　for　such　as　me！'



'I　must；　he　desired　me；'　said　Amabel。　　'You　will　be　happier；　indeed；　

Philip；　if　you　would　only　think　what　glory　it　is；　and　that　he　is　all　

safe；　and　has　won　the　victory；　and　will　have　no　more　of　those　hard；　

hard　struggles；　and　bitter　repentance。　　It　has　been　such　a　night；　that　

it　seems　wrong　to　be　sorry。'



'Did　you　say　he　spoke　of　me　again？'



'Yes；　here　is　his　Prayer…book。　　Your　father　gave　it　to　him；　and　he　

meant　to　have　told　you　about　it　himself；　only　he　could　not　talk　

yesterday　evening；　and　could　not　part　with　it　till'



Amy　broke　off　by　opening　the　worn　purple　cover；　and　showing　the　name；　

in　the　Archdeacon's　writing。　　'He's　very　fond　of　it；'　she　said；　'it　is　

the　one　he　always　uses。'　　（Alas！　she　had　not　learnt　to　speak　of　him　in　

the　past　tense。）



Philip　held　out　his　hand；　but　the　agony　of　grief　returned　the　next　

moment。　　'My　father；　my　father！　　He　would　have　done　him　justice。　　If　he　

had　lived；　this　would　never　have　been！'



'That　is　over；　you　do　him　justice　now；'　said　Amy。　　'You　did；　indeed　you　

did；　make　him　quite　happy。　　He　said　so；　again　and　again。　　I　never　saw　

him　so　happy　as　when　you　began　to　get　better。　　I　don't　think　any　one　

ever　had　so　much　happiness　and　it　never　ceased；　it　was　all　quiet；　and　

peace；　and　joy；　till　it　brightened　quite　into　perfect　dayand　the　

angel's　song！　　Don't　you　remember　yesterday；　how　clear　and　sweet　his　

voice　came　out　in　that？　and　it　was　the　last　thing　almost　he　said。　　I　

believe'she　lowered　her　voice'I　believe　he　finished　it　among　them。'



The　earnest　placid　voice；　speaking　thus；　in　calmness　and　simplicity；　

could　not　fail　in　soothing　him；　but　he　was　so　shaken　and　exhausted；　

that　she　had　great　difficulty　in　restoring　him。　　After　a　time；　he　lay　

perfectly　still　on　the　sofa；　and　she　was　sitting　by；　relieved　by　the　

tranquillity；　when　there　was　a　knock　at　the　door；　and　Arnaud　came　in；　

and　stood　hesitating；　as　if　he　hardly　knew　how　to　begin。　　The　present　

fear　of　agitating　her　charge　helped　her　now；　when　obliged　to　turn　her　

thoughts　to　the　subjects　on　which　she　knew　Arnaud　was　come。　　She　went　

to　the　door；　and　spoke　low；　hoping　her　cousin　might　not　hear　or　

understand。



'How　soon　must　it　be？'



'My　lady；　to…morrow；'　said　Arnaud；　looking　down。　　'They　say　that　so　it　

must　be；　and　the　priest　consents　to　have　it　in　the　churchyard　here。　　

The　brother　of　the　clergyman　is　here；　and　would　know　if　your　ladyship　

would　wish'



'I　will　speak　to　him；'　said　Amabel；　reluctant　to　send　such　messages　

through　servants。



'Let　me；'　said　Philip；　who　understood　what　was　going　on；　and　was　of　

course　impelled　to　spare　her　as　much　as　possible。



'Thank　you'　said　she；　'if　you　are　able！'



'Oh；　yes；　I'll　go　at　once！'



'Stop；'　said　she；　as　he　was　setting　forth；　'you　don't　know　what　you　are　

going　to　say。'



He　put　his　hand　to　his　head　in　confusion。



'He　wished　to　be　buried　here；'　said　Amabel；　'and'



But　this　renewal　of　the　assurance　of　the　death　was　too　much；　and　

covering　his　face　with　his　hands；　he　sank　back　in　another　paroxysm　of　

violent　sobs。　　Amabel　could　not　leave　him。



'Ask　Mr。　Morris　to　be　so　good　as　to　wait；　and　I　will　come　directly；'　

said　she；　then　returned　to　her　task　of　comfort　till　she　again　saw　

Philip　lying；　with　suspended　faculties；　in　the　repose　of　complete　

exhaustion。



She　then　went　to　Mr。　Morris；　with　a　look　and　tone　of　composure　that　

almost　startled　him；　thanking　him　for　his　assistance　in　the　

arrangements。　　The　funeral　was　to　be　at　sunrise　the　next　day；　before　

the　villagers　began　to　keep　the　feast　of　St。　Michael；　and　the　rest　was　

to　be　settled　by　Arnaud　and　Mr。　Morris。　　He　then　said；　somewhat　

reluctantly；　that　his　brother　had　desired　to　know　whether　Lady　Morville　

wished　to　see　him　to…day；　and　begged　to　be　sent　for；　but　Amy　plainly　

perceived　that　he　thought　it　very　undesirable　for　his　brother　to　have　

any　duties　to　perform　to…day。　　She　questioned　herself　whether　she　might　

not　ask　him　to　read　to　her；　and　whether　it　might　be　better　for　Philip；　

but　she　thought　she　ought　not　to　ask　what　might　injure　him　merely　for　

her　own　comfort；　and；　besides；　Philip　was　entirely　incapable　of　self…

command；　and　it　would　not　be　acting　fairly　to　expose　him　to　the　chance　

of　discovering　to　a　stranger；　feelings　that　he　would　ordin