the heir of redclyffe-第61节

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to　a　fit　of　weeping；　nor　was　it　till　this　had　spent　itself　that　she　

could　collect　her　thoughts。



She　was　sitting　on　the　side　of　her　bed　trying　to　compose　herself；　when　

Laura；　came　in。



'My　own　Amymy　poor；　dearest；I　am　very　sorry！'



'Thank　you；　dear　Laura；'　and　Amy　gladly　rested　her　aching　head　on　her　

shoulder。



'I　wish　I　knew　what　to　do　for　you！'　proceeded　Laura。　　'You　cannot；　

cease　to　think　about　him；　and　yet　you　ought。'



'If　I　ought；　I　suppose　I　can；'　said　Amy　in　a　voice　exhausted　with　

crying。



'That's　right；　darling。　　You　will　not　be　weak；　and　pine　for　one　who　is　

not　worthy。'



'Not　worthy；　Laura？'　said　Amy；　withdrawing　her　arm；　and　holding　up　her　

head。



'Ah！　my　poor　Amy；　we　thought'



'Yes；　and　it　is　so　still。　　I　know　it　is　so。　　I　know　he　did　not　do　it。'



'Then　what　do　you　think　of　Margaret　and　Philip？'



'There　is　some　mistake。'



And　how　can　you　defend　what　he　said　of　papa？'



'I　don't；'　said　Amy；　hiding　her　face。　　'That　is　the　worst；　but　I　am　

sure　it　was　only　a　moment's　passion；　and　that　he　must　be　very　unhappy　

about　it　now。　　I　don't　think　papa　would　mind　it；　at　least　not　long；　if　

it　was　not　for　this　other　dreadful　misapprehension。　　0；　Laura！　why　

cannot　something　be　done　to　clear　it　up？'



'Everything　will　be　done；'　said　Laura。　　Papa　has　written　to　Mr。　

Wellwood；　and　Philip　means　to　go　and　make　inquiries　at　Oxford　and　St。　

Mildred's。'



'When？'　asked　Amy。



'Not　till　term　begins。　　You　know　he　is　to　have　a　fortnight's　leave　

before　the　regiment　goes　to　Ireland。'



'Oh；　I　hope　it　will　come　right　then。　　People　must　come　to　an　

understanding　when　they　meet；　it　is　so　different　from　writing。'



'He　will　do　everything　to　set　things　on　a　right　footing。　　You　may　be　

confident　of　that；　Amy；　for　your　sake　as　much　as　anything　else。'



'I　can't　think　why　he　should　know　I　have　anything　to　do　with　it；'　said　

Amy；　blushing。　　'I　had　much　rather　he　did　not。'



'Surely；　Amy；　you　think　be　can　be　trusted　with　your　secret；　and　there　

is　no　one　who　can　take　more　care　for　you。　　You　must　look　on　him　as　one　

of　ourselves。'



Amy　made　no　answer；　and　Laura；　was　annoyed。



'You　are　vexed　with　him　for　having　told　this　to　papa；　but　that　is　not　

reasonable　of　you；　Amy；　your　better　sense　must　tell　you　that　it　is　the　

only　truly　kind　course；　both　towards　Guy　and　yourself。'



It　was　said　in　Philip's　manner；　which　perhaps　made　it　harder　to　bear；　

and　Amy　could　scarcely　answer；　



'He　means　it　for　the　best。'



'You　would　not　have　had　him　be　silent？'



'I　don't　know；'　said　Amy；　sadly。　　'No；　he　should　have　done　something；　

but　he　might　have　done　it　more　kindly。'



Laura　endeavoured　to　persuade　her　that　nothing　could　have　been　more　

kind　and　judicious；　and　Amy　sat　dejectedly　owning　the　good　intention；　

and　soothed　by　the　affection　of　her　family；　with　the　bitter　suffering　

of　her　heart　unallayed；　with　all　her　fond　tender　feelings　torn　at　the　

thought　of　what　Guy　must　be　enduring；　and　with　the　pain　of　knowing　it　

was　her　father's　work。　　She　had　one　comfort；　in　the　certainty　that　Guy　

would　bear　it　nobly。　　She　was　happy　to　find　her　confidence　confirmed　by　

her　mother　and　Charles；　and　one　thing　she　thought　she　need　not　give　up；　

though　she　might　no　longer　think　of　him　as　her　lover；　she　might　be　his　

Verena　still；　whether　he　knew　it　or　not。　　It　could　not　be　wrong　to　

remember　any　one　in　her　prayers；　and　to　ask　that　he　might　not　be　led　

into　temptation；　but　have　strength　to　abide　patiently。　　That　helped　her　

to　feel　that　he　was　in　the　hands　of　One　to　whom　the　secrets　of　all　

hearts　are　known；　and　a　line　of　poetry　seemed　to　be　whispered　in　her　

ears；　in　his　own　sweet　tones；



　　　　　　　　　　　Wait；　and　the　cloud　shall　roll　away。



So；　after　the　first　day；　she　went　on　pretty　well。　　She　was　indeed　

silent　and　grave；　and　no　longer　the　sunbeam　of　Hollywell；　but　she　took　

her　share　in　what　was　passing；　and　a　common　observer　would　hardly　have　

remarked　the　submissive　melancholy　of　her　manner。　　Her　father　was　very　

affectionate；　and　often　called　her　his　jewel　of　good　girls；　but　he　was　

too　much　afraid　of　women's　tears　to　talk　to　her　about　Guy；　he　left　that　

to　her　mother：　and　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　having　seen　her　submit　to　her　

father's　will；　was　unwilling　to　say　more。



She　doubted　whether　it　was　judicious　to　encourage　her　in　dwelling　on　

Guy；　for；　even　supposing　his　character　clear；　they　had　offended　him　

deeply；　and　released　him　from　any　engagement　to　her；　so　that　there　was　

nothing　to　prevent　him　from　forming　an　attachment　elsewhere。　　Mrs。　

Edmonstone　did　not　think　he　would；　but　it　was　better　to　say　nothing　

about　him；　lest　she　should　not　speak　prudently；　and　only　keep　up　the　

subject　in　Amy's　mind。



Charles　stormed　and　wrangled；　told　Mr。　Edmonstone　'he　was　breaking　his　

daughter's　heart；　that　was　all；'　and　talked　of　unfairness　and　

injustice；　till　Mr。　Edmonstone　vowed　it　was　beyond　all　bearing；　that　

his　own　son　should　call　him　a　tyrant；　and　accused　Guy　of　destroying　all　

peace　in　his　family。



The　replies　to　the　letters　came；　some　thought　them　satisfactory；　and　

the　others　wondered　that　they　thought　so。　　Mr。　Wellwood　gave　the　

highest　character　of　his　pupil；　and　could　not　imagine　how　any　

irregularities　could　be　laid　to　his　charge；　but　when　asked　in　plain　

terms　how　he　disposed　of　his　time；　could　only　answer　in　general；　that　

he　had　friends　and　engagements　of　his　own　at　St。　Mildred's　and　its　

neighbourhood；　and　had　been　several　times　at　Mrs。　Henley's　and　at　

Colonel　Harewood's。　　The　latter　place；　unfortunately；　was　the　very　

object　of　Philip's　suspicions；　and　thus　the　letter　was　anything　but　an　

exculpation。



Guy　wrote　to　Charles　in　the　fulness　of　his　heart；　expressing　gratitude　

for　his　confidence　and　sympathy。　　He　again　begged　for　the　supposed　

evidence　of　his　misconduct；　declaring　he　could　explain　it；　whatever　it　

might　be；　and　proceeded　to　utter　deep　regrets　for　his　hasty　

expressions。



'I　do　not　know　what　I　may　have　said；'　he　wrote；　'I　have　no　doubt　it　was　

unpardonable；　for　I　am　sure　my　feelings　were　so；　and　that　I　deserve　

whatever　I　have　brought　on　myself。　　I　can　only　submit　to　Mr。　

Edmonstone's　sentence；　and　trust　that　time　will　bring　to　his　knowledge　

that　I　am　innocent　of　what　I　am　accused　of。　　He　has　every　right　to　be　

displeased　with　me。



Charles　pronounced　this　to　be　only　Guy's　way　of　abusing　himself；　but　

his　father　saw　in　it　a　disguised　admission　of　guilt。　　It　was　thought；　

also；　to　be　bad　sign　that　Guy　intended　to　remain　at　South　Moor　till　the　

end　of　the　vacation；　though　Charles　argued　that　he　must　be　somewhere；　

and　if　they　wished　to　keep　him　out　of　mischief；　why　exile　him　from　

Hollywell！　　He　would　hardly　listen　to　his　mother's　representation；　that　

on　Amy's　account　it　would　not　be　right　to　have　him　there　till　the　

mystery　was　cleared　up。



He　tried　to　stir　his　father　up　to　go　and　see　Guy　at　St。　Mildred's；　and　

investigate　matters　for　himself；　but；　though　Mr。　Edmonstone　would　have　

liked　the　appearance　of　being　important；　this　failed；　because　Philip　

declared　it　to　be　unadvisable；　knowing　that　it　would　be　no　

investigation　at　all；　and　that　his　uncle　would　be　talked　over　directly。　　

Next；　Charles　would　have　persuaded　Philip　himself　to　go；　but　the　

arrangements　about　his　leave　did　not　make　this　convenient；　and　it　was　

put　off　till　he　should　pay　his　farewell　visit　to　his　sister；　in　

October。　　Lastly；　Charles　wrote　to　Mrs。　Henley；　entreating　her　to　give　

him　some　information　about　this　mysterious　evidence　which　was　wanting；　

but　her　reply　was　a　complete　'set　down'　for　interference　in　a　matter　

with　which　he　had　no　concern。



He　was　very　angry。　　In　fact；　the　post　seldom　came　in　without　

occasioning　a　fresh　dispute；　which　only　had　the　effect　of　keeping　up　

the　heat　of　Mr。　Edmonstone's　displeasure；　and　making　the　whole　house　

uncomfortable。



Fretfulness　and　ill…humour　seemed　to　have　taken　possession　of　Charles　

and　his　father。　　Such　a　state　of　things　had　not　prevailed　since　Guy's　

arrival：　Hollywell　was　hardly　like　the　same　house；　Mrs。　Edmonstone　and　

Laura　could　do　nothing　without　being　grumbled　at　or　scolded　by　one　or　

other　of　the　gentlemen；　even　Amy　now　and　then　came　in　for　a　little　

petulance　on　her　father's　part；　and　Charles　could　not　always　forgive　

her　for　saying　in　her　mournful；　submissive　tome；'It　is　of　no　use　to　

talk　about　it！'









CHAPTER　18







This　just　decree　alone　I　know；

Man　must　be　disciplined　by　woe；

To　me；　whate'er　of　good　or　ill

The　future　brings；　since　come　it　will；

I'll　bow　my　spirit；　and　be　still。

　　　　　　　　　AESCHYLUS；　（Anstice's　Translation。）





Guy；　in　the　meantime；　was　enduring　the　storm　in　loneliness；　for　he　was　

unwilling　to　explain　the　cause　of　his　trouble　to　his　companions。　　The　

only　occasion　of　the　suspicions；　which　he　could　think　of；　was　his　

request　for　the　sum　of　money；　and　this