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the heir of redclyffe-第99节

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One beautiful evening; they were wandering on the side of the 

Beatenberg; in the little narrow paths traced by the tread of the goats 

and their herdsmen。  Amabel sat down to try to sketch the outline of 

the white…capped Jung Frau and her attendant mountains; wishing she 

could draw as well as Laura; but intending her outline to aid in 

describing the scene to those whose eyes she longed to have with her。  

While she was drawing; Guy began to climb higher; and was soon out of 

sight; though she still heard him whistling。  The mountains were not 

easy to draw; or rather she grew discontented with her black lines and 

white paper; compared with the dazzling snow against the blue sky; 

tinged by the roseate tints of the setting sun; and the dark fissures 

on the rocky sides; still blacker from the contrast。



She put up her sketching materials; and began to gather some of the 

delightful treasury of mountain flowers。  A gentle slope of grass was 

close to her; and on it grew; at some little distance from her; a tuft 

of deep purple; the beautiful Alpine saxifrage; which she well knew by 

description。  She went to gather it; but the turf was slippery; and 

when once descending; she could not stop herself; and what was the 

horror of finding herself half slipping; half running down a slope; 

which became steeper every moment; till it was suddenly broken off into 

a sheer precipice!  She screamed; and grasped with both hands at some 

low bushes; that grew under a rock at the side of the treacherous turf。  

She caught a branch; and found herself supported; by clinging to it 

with her hands; while she rested on the slope; now so nearly 

perpendicular; that to lose her hold would send her instantly down the 

precipice。  Her whole weight seemed to depend on that slender bough; 

and those little hands that clenched it convulsively;her feet felt in 

vain for some hold。  'Guy!  Guy!' she shrieked again。  Oh; where was 

he?  His whistle ceased;he heard her;he called;



'Here!'



'Oh; help me!' she answered。  But with that moment's joy came the 

horror; he could not help herhe would only fall himself。  'Take care! 

don't come on the grass!' she cried。  She must let go the branch in a 

short; time then a slip; the precipice;and what would become of him?  

Those moments were hours。



'I am cominghold fast!'  She heard his voice above her; very near。  

To find him so close made the agony of dread and of prayer even more 

intense。  To be lost; with her husband scarcely a step from her!  Yet 

how could he stand on the slippery turf; and so as to be steady enough 

to raise her up?



'Now; then!' he said; speaking from the rock under which the brushwood 

grew; 'I cannot reach you unless you raise up your hand to meyour 

left handstraight up。  Let go。 Now!'



It was a fearful moment。  Amabel could not see him; and felt as if 

relinquishing her grasp of the tree was certain destruction。  The 

instinct of self…preservation had been making her cling desperately 

with that left hand; especially as it held by the thicker part of the 

bough。  But the habit of implicit confidence and obedience was stronger 

still; she did not hesitate; and tightening her hold with the other 

hand; she unclasped the left and stretched it upwards。



Joy unspeakable to feel his fingers close over her wrist; like iron; 

even while the bush to which she had trusted was detaching itself; 

almost uprooted by her weight!  If she had waited a second she would 

have been lost; but her confidence had been her safety。  A moment or 

two more; and with closed eyes she was leaning against him; his arm was 

round her; and he guided her steps; till; breathless; she found herself 

on the broad well…trodden path; out of sight of the precipice。



'Thank heaven!' he said; in a very low voice; as he stood still。  

'Thank God! my Amy; I have you still。'



She looked up and saw how pale he was; though his voice had been so 

steady throughout。  She leant on his breast; and rested her head on his 

shoulder again in silence; for her heart was too full of awe and 

thankfulness for words; even had she not been without breath or power 

to speak; and needing his support in her giddiness and trembling。



More than a minute passed thus。  Then; beginning to recover; she looked 

up to him again; and said; 'Oh; it was dreadful!  I did not think you 

could have saved me。'



'I thought so too for a moment!' said Guy; in a stifled voice。  'You 

are better now?  You are not hurt? are you sure?'



'Quite sure!  I did not fall; you know; only slipped。  No; I have 

nothing the matter with me; thank you。'



She tried to stand alone; but the trembling returned。  He made her sit 

down; and she rested against him; while he still made her assure him 

that she was unhurt。  'Yes; quite unhurtquite well; only this wrist 

is a little strained; and no wonder。  Oh; I am sure it was Providence 

that made those bushes grow just there!'



'How did it happen?'



'It was my fault。  I went after a flower; my foot slipped on the turf; 

and I could not stop myself。  I thought I should have run right down 

the precipice。'



She shut her eyes and shuddered again。  'It was frightful!' he said; 

holding her fast。  'It was a great mercy; indeed。  Thank heaven; it is 

over!   You are not giddy now。'



'Oh; no; not at all!'



'And your wrist?'



'Oh; that's nothing。  I only told you to show you what was the worst;' 

said Amy; smiling with recovered playfulness; the most re…assuring of 

all。



'What flower was it?'



'A piece of purple saxifrage。  I thought there was no danger; for it 

did not seem steep at first。'



'No; it was not your fault。  You had better not move just yet; sit 

still a little while。' 



'0 Guy; where are you going?'



'Only for your sketching tools and my stick。  I shall not be gone an 

instant。  Sit still and recover。'



In a few seconds he came back with her basket; and in it a few of the 

flowers。



'Oh; I am sorry;' she said; coming to meet him; 'I wish I had told you 

I did not care for them。  Why did you?'



'I did not put myself in any peril about them。  I had my trusty staff; 

you know。'



'I am glad I did not guess what you were doing。  I thought it so 

impossible; that I did not think of begging you not。  I shall keep them 

always。  It is a good thing for us to be put in mind how frail all our 

joy is。'



'All?' asked Guy; scarcely as if replying to her; while; though his arm 

pressed hers; his eye was on the blue sky; as he answered himself; 

'Your joy no man taketh from you。'



Amabel was much impressed; as she thought what it would have been for 

him if his little wife bad been snatched from him so suddenly and 

frightfully。  His returnhis meeting her motherhis desolate home and 

solitary life。  She could almost have wept for him。  Yet; at the moment 

of relief from the fear of such misery; he could thus speak。  He could 

look onward to the joy beyond; even while his cheek was still blanched 

with the horror and anguish of the apprehension; and how great they had 

been was shown by the broken words he uttered in his sleep; for several 

nights afterwards; while by day he was always watching and cautioning 

her。  Assuredly his dependence on the joy that could not be lost did 

not make her doubt his tenderness; it only made her feel how far behind 

him she was; for would it have been the same with her; had the danger 

been his?



In a couple of days they arrived at the beautiful Lugano; and; as 

usual; their first walk was to the post…office; but disappointment 

awaited them。  There had been some letters addressed to the name of 

Morville; but the Signor Inglese had left orders that such should be 

forwarded to Como。  Amabel; in her best Italian; strove hard to explain 

the difference between the captain and Sir Guy; the Cavaliere Guido; as 

she translated him; who stood by looking much amused by the 

perplexities of his lady's construing; while the post…master; though 

very polite and sorry for the Signora's disappointment; stuck to the 

address being Morville; poste restante。



'There is one good thing;' said the cavaliere; as they walked away; 'we 

can find the captain now。  I'll write and ask himshall I say to meet 

us at Varenna or at Bellagio?'



'Whichever suits him best; I should think。  It can't make much 

difference to us。'



'Your voice has a disconsolate cadence;' said Guy; looking at her with 

a smile。



'I did not mean it;' she answered; 'I have not a word to say against 

it。  It is quite right; and I am sure I don't wish to do otherwise。'



'Only it is the first drawback in our real day…dream。'



'Just so; and that is all;' said Amy; 'I am glad you feel the same; not 

that I want you to change your mind。'



'Don't you remember our resolution against mere pleasure…hunting?  That 

adventure at Inter

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