the heir of redclyffe-第31节

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entirely　full　of　the　Thursday；　and　of　a　plan　of　his　own　for　enabling　

Charles　to　go　to　the　review。　　It　had　darted　into　his　head　while　he　was　

going　over　the　ground　with　Maurice。　　It　was　so　long　since　Charles　had　

thought　it　possible　to　attempt　any　amusement　away　from　home；　and　former　

experiments　had　been　so　unsuccessful；　that　it　had　never　even　occurred　

to　him　to　think　of　it；　but　he　caught　at　the　idea　with　great　delight　and　

eagerness。　　Mrs。　Edmonstone　seemed　not　to　know　what　to　say；　she　had　

much　rather　that　it　had　not　been　proposed；　yet　it　was　very　kind　of　Guy；　

and　Charles　was　so　anxious　about　it　that　she　knew　not　how　to　oppose　

him。



She　could　not　bear　to　have　Charles　in　a　crowd；　helpless　as　he　was；　and　

she　had　an　unpleasing　remembrance　of　the　last　occasion　when　they　had　

taken　him　to　a　flower…show；　where　they　had　lost；　first　Mr；　Edmonstone；　

next　the　carriage；　and　lastly；　Amy　and　Charlotteall　had　been　

frightened；　and　Charles　laid　up　for　three　days　from　the　fatigue。



Answers；　however；　met　each　objection。　　Charles　was　much　stronger；　Guy's　

arm　would　be　ready　for　him；　Guy　would　find　the　carriage。　　Philip　would　

be　there　to　help；　besides　Maurice；　and　whenever　Charles　was　tired；　Guy　

would　take　him　home　at　once；　without　spoiling　any　one's　pleasure。



'Except　your　own；'　said　Mrs。　Edmonstone。



'Thank　you；　but　this　would　be　so　delightful。'



'Ah！'　said　Charles；　'it　would　be　as　great　a　triumph　as　the　dog's　that　

caught　the　hare　with　the　clog　round　his　neckthe　dog's；　I　mean。'



'If　you　will　but　trust　me　with　him；'　said　Guy；　turning　on　her　all　the　

pleading　eloquence　of　his　eyes；　'you　know　he　can　get　in　and　out　of　the　

pony…carriage　quite　easily。'



'As　well　as　walk　across　the　room；'　said　Charles。



'I　would　drive　him　in　it；　and　tell　William　to　ride　in　and　be　at　hand　to　

hold　the　pony　or　take　it　out；　and　the　tent　is　so　near；　that　you　could　

get　to　the　breakfast；　unless　the　review　had　been　enough　for　you。　　I　

paced　the　distance　to　make　sure；　and　it　is　no　further　than　from　the　

garden…door　to　the　cherry…tree。'



'That　is　nothing；'　said　Charles。



'And　William　shall　be　in　waiting　to　bring　the　pony　the　instant　you　are　

ready；　and　we　can　go　home　independently　of　every　one　else。'



'I　thought；'　interposed　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　'that　you　were　to　go　to　the　

mess…dinnerwhat　is　to　become　of　that？'



'O；'　said　Charles；　'that　will　be　simply　a　bore；　and　he　may　rejoice　to　

be　excused　from　going　the　whole　hog。'



'To　be　sure；　I　had　rather　dine　in　peace　at　home。'



Mrs。　Edmonstone　was　not　happy；　but　she　had　great　confidence　in　Guy；　and　

her　only　real　scruple　was；　that　she　did　not　think　it　fair　to　occupy　him　

entirely　with　attendance　on　her　son。　　She　referred　it　to　papa；　which；　

as　every　one　knew；　was　the　same　as　yielding　the　point；　and　consoled　

herself　by　the　certainty　that　to　prevent　it　would　be　a　great　

disappointment　to　both　the　youths。　　Laura　was　convinced　that　to　achieve　

the　adventure　of　Charles　at　the　review；　was　at　present　at　least　a　

matter　of　far　more　prominence　with　Guy　than　anything　relating　to　

herself。



All　but　Laura　and　her　mother　were　wild　about　the　weather；　especially　on　

Wednesday；　when　there　was　an　attempt　at　a　thunder　storm。　　Nothing　was　

studied　but　the　sky；　and　the　conversation　consisted　of　

prognostications；　reports　of　rises　and　falls　of　the　glass；　of　the　way　

weather…cocks　were　turning；　or　about　to　turn；　of　swallows　flying　high　

or　low；　red　sunsets；　and　halos　round　the　moon；　until　at　last　Guy；　

bursting　into　a　merry　laugh；　begged　Mrs。　Edmonstone's　pardon　for　being　

such　a　nuisance；　and　made　a　vow；　and　kept　it；　that　be　the　weather　what　

it　might；　he　would　say　not　another　word　about　it　that　evening；　it　

deserved　to　be　neglected；　for　he　had　not　been　able　to　settle　to　

anything　all　day。



He　might　have　said　for　many　days　before；　for　since　the　last　ball；　and　

still　more　since　Lady　Eveleen　had　been　at　Hollywell；　it　had　been　one　

round　of　merriment　and　amusement。　　Scrambling　walks；　tea…drinkings　out　

of　doors；　dances　among　themselves；　or　with　the　addition　of　the　Harpers；　

were　the　order　of　the　day。　　Amy；　Eveleen；　and　Guy；　could　hardly　come　

into　the　room　without　dancing；　and　the　piano　was　said　to　acknowledge　

nothing　but　waltzes；　polkas；　and　now　and　then　an　Irish　jig；　for　the　

special　benefit　of　Mr。　Edmonstone's　ears。　　The　morning　was　almost　as　

much　spent　in　mirth　as　the　afternoon；　for　the　dawdlings　after　

breakfast；　and　before　luncheon；　had　a　great　tendency　to　spread　out　and　

meet；　there　was　new　music　and　singing　to　be　practised；　or　preparations　

made　for　evening's　diversion；　or　councils　to　be　held；　which　Laura's　

absence　could　not　break　up；　though　it　often　made　Amy　feel　how　much　less　

idle　and　frivolous　Laura　was　than　herself。　　Eveleen　said　the　same；　but　

she　was　visiting；　and　it　was　a　time　to　be　idle；　and　Mr。　Lascelles　

seemed　to　be　of　the　same　opinion　with　regard　to　his　pupil；　for；　when　

Guy　was　vexed　at　not　having　done　as　much　work　as　usual；　he　only　laughed　

at　him　for　expecting　to　be　able　to　go　to　balls；　and　spend　a　summer　of　

gaiety；　while　he　studied　as　much　as　at　Oxford。



Thursday　morning　was　all　that　heart　could　wish；　the　air　cooled　by　the　

thunder；　and　the　clouds　looking　as　if　raining　was　foreign　to　their　

nature。　　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　their　daughters；　and　Lady　Eveleen；　

were　packed　inside　and　outside　the　great　carriage；　while　Guy；　carefully　

settling　Charles　in　the　low　phaeton；　putting　in　all　that　any　one　

recommended；　from　an　air…cushion　to　an　umbrella；　flourished　his　whip；　

and　drove　off　with　an　air　of　exultation　and　delight。



Everything　went　off　to　admiration。　　No　one　was　more　amused　than　

Charles。　　The　scene　was　so　perfectly　new　and　delightful　to　one　

accustomed　to　such　a　monotonous　life；　that　the　very　sight　of　people　was　

a　novelty。　　Nowhere　was　there　so　much　laughing　and　talking　as　in　that　

little　carriage；　and　whenever　Mrs。　Edmonstone's　anxious　eye　fell　upon　

it；　she　always　saw　Charles　sitting　upright；　with　a　face　so　full　of　

eager　interest　as　to　banish　all　thought　of　fatigue。　　Happy；　indeed；　he　

was。　　He　enjoyed　the　surprise　of　his　acquaintance　at　meeting　him；　he　

enjoyed　Dr。　Mayerne's　laugh　and　congratulation；　he　enjoyed　seeing　how　

foolish　Philip　thought　him；　nodding　to　his　mother　and　sisters；　laughing　

at　the　dreadful　faces　Guy　could　not　help　making　at　any　particularly　

discordant　note　of　the　offensive　bugle；　and　his　capabilities　rising　

with　his　spirits；　he　did　all　that　the　others　did；　walked　further　than　

he　had　done　for　years；　was　lifted　up　steps　without　knowing　how；　sat　out　

the　whole　breakfast；　talked　to　all　the　world；　and　well　earned　the　being　

thoroughly　tired；　as　he　certainly　was　when　Guy　put　him　into　the　

carriage　and　drove　him　home；　and　still　more　so　when　Guy　all　but　carried　

him　up　stairs；　and　laid　him　on　the　sofa　in　the　dressing…room。



However；　his　mother　announced　that　it　would　have　been　so　unnatural　if　

he　had　not　been　fatigued；　that　she　should　have　been　more　anxious；　and　

leaving　him　to　repose；　they　all；　except　Mr。　Edmonstone；　who　had　stayed　

to　dine　at　the　mess；　sat　down　to　dinner。



Amy　came　down　dressed　just　as　the　carriage　had　been　announced；　and　

found　Laura　and　Eveleen　standing　by　the　table；　arranging　their　

bouquets；　while　Guy；　in　the　dark；　behind　the　piano；　was　playingnot；　

as　usual；　in　such　cases；　the　Harmonious　Blacksmith；　but　a　chant。



'Is　mamma　ready？'　asked　Laura。



'Nearly；'　said　Amy；　'but　I　wish　she　was　not　obliged　to　go！　　I　am　sure　

she　cannot　bear　to　leave　Charlie。'



'I　hope　she　is　not　going　on　my　account；'　said　Eveleen。



'No；　said　Laura；　'we　must　go；　it　would　so　frighten　papa　if　we　did　not　

come。　　Besides；　there　is　nothing　to　be　uneasy　about　with　Charles。'



'O　no；'　said　Amy；　'she　says　so；　only　she　is　always　anxious；　and　she　is　

afraid　he　is　too　restless　to　go　to　sleep。'



'We　must　get　home　as　fast　as　we　can；　if　you　don't　mind；　Eva；'　said　

Laura；　remembering　how　her　last　dance　with　Guy　had　delayed　them。



'Can　I　do　any　good　to　Charlie？'　said　Guy；　ceasing　his　music。　　I　don't　

mean　to　go。'



'Not　go！'　cried　the　girls　in　consternation。



'He　is　joking！'　said　Eveleen。　'But；　I　declare！'　added　she；　advancing　

towards　him；　'he　is　not　dressed！　　Come；　nonsense；　this　is　carrying　it　

too　far；　you'll　make　us　all　too　late；　and　then　I'll　set　Maurice　at　

you。'



'I　am　afraid　it　is　no　joke；'　said　Guy；　smiling。



'You　must　go。　　It　will　never　do　for　you　to　stay　away；'　said　Laura；　

decidedly。



'Are　you　tired？　　Aren't　you　well？'　asked　Amy。



'Quite　well；　thank　you；　but　I　am　sure　I　had　better　not。'



Laura　thought　she　had　better　not　seem　anxious　to　take　him；　so　she　left　

the　task　of　persuasion；　to　the　others；　and　Amy　went　on。



'Neither　Mamma　nor　Charlie　could　bear　to　think　you　stayed　because　of　

him。'



'I　don't；　I　assure　you；　Amy。　　I　meant　it　before。　　I　have　been　gradually　

finding　out　that　it　must　come　to　this。