the heir of redclyffe-第127部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



aged；　and　the　change　to　a　new　scene；　where　she　could　not　be　distressing　

herself　at　every　failure　in　cheerfulness　of　poor　Amy's；　was　just　the　

thing　to　do　her　good。



Amabel　was　not　afraid　of　the　sole　charge　of　Charles　or　of　the　baby；　for　

she　had　been　taught　but　too　well　to　manage　for　herself；　she　understood　

Charles　very　well；　and　had　too　much　quiet　good　sense　to　be　fanciful　

about　her　very　healthy　baby。　　Though　she　was　inexperienced；　with　old　

nurse　hard　by；　and　Dr。　Mayerne　at　Broadstone；　there　was　no　fear　of　her　

not　having　good　counsel　enough。　　She　was　glad　to　be　of　some　use；　by　

enabling　her　mother　to　leave　Charles；　and　her　only　fear　was　of　being　

dull　company　for　him；　but　as　he　was　so　kind　as　to　bear　it；　she　would　do　

her　best；　and　perhaps　their　neighbours　would　come　and　enliven　him　

sometimes。



Charles　threw　his　influence　into　the　same　scale。　　His　affectionate　

observation　had　shown　him　that　it　oppressed　Amabel's　spirits　to　be　the　

object　of　such　constant　solicitude；　and　be　was　convinced　it　would　be　

better　for　her；　both　to　have　some　necessary　occupation　and　to　be　free　

from　that　perpetual　mournful　watching　of　her　mother's　that　caused　her　

to　make　the　efforts　to　be　cheerful　which　did　her　more　harm　than　

anything　else。



To　let　her　alone　to　look　and　speak　as　she　pleased　without　the　fear　of　

paining　and　disappointing　those　she　loved；　keep　the　house　quiet；　and　

give　her　the　employment　of　household　cares　and　attending　on　himself；　

was；　he　thought；　the　best　thing　for　her；　and　he　was　full　of　eagerness　

and　pleasure　at　the　very　notion　of　being　of　service　to　her；　if　only　by　

being　good　for　nothing　but　to　be　waited　on。　　He　thought　privately　that　

the　spring　of　his　mother's　mind　had　been　so　much　injured　by　the　grief　

she　had　herself　suffered　for　'her　son　Guy；'　her　cruel　disappointment　in　

Laura；　and　the　way　in　which　she　threw　herself　into　all　Amy's　

affliction；　that　there　was　a　general　depression　in　her　way　of　observing　

and　attending　Amy；　which　did　further　harm；　and　that　to　change　the　

current　of　her　thoughts；　and　bring　her　home　refreshed　and　inspirited；　

would　be　the　beginning　of　improvement　in　all。　　Or；　as　he　expressed　it　

to　Dr。　Mayerne；　'We　shall　set　off　on　a　new　tack。'



His　counsel　and　Mr。　Edmonstone's　wishes　at　length　decided　mamma；　on　

condition　that　Mary　Ross　and　Dr。　Mayerne　would　promise　to　write　on　

alternate　weeks　a　full　report；　moral　and　physical；　as　Charles　called　

it。　　So　in　due　time　the　goods　were　packed；　　Mrs。　Edmonstone　cried　

heartily　over　the　baby；　advised　Amabel　endlessly　about　her；　and　finally　

looked　back　through　her　tears；　as　she　drove　away；　to　see　Charles　

nodding　and　waving　his　hand　at　the　bay…window；　and　Amabel　standing　with　

her　parting　smile　and　good…bye　on　the　steps。



The　reports；　moral　and　physical；　proved　that　Charles　had　judged　wisely。　　

Amabel　was　less　languid　as　she　had　more　cause　for　exertion；　and　seemed　

relieved　by　the　absence　of　noise　and　hurry；　spending　more　time　down…

stairs；　and　appearing　less　weary　in　the　evening。　　She　still　avoided　the　

garden；　but　she　began　to　like　short　drives　with　her　brother　in　the　

pony…carriage；　when　he　drove　on　in　silence；　and　let　her　lean　back　and　

gaze　up　into　the　sky；　or　into　the　far　distance；　undisturbed。　　Now　and　

then　he　would　be　rejoiced　by　a　bright；　genuine　smile；　perfectly　

refreshing；　at　some　of　the　pretty　ways　of　the　babe；　a　small　but　plump　

and　lively　creature；　beginning　to　grasp　with　her　hands；　laugh　and　gaze　

about　with　eyes　that　gave　promise　of　the　peculiar　colour　and　brilliancy　

of　her　father's。　　Amabel　was　afraid　she　might　be　tempted　into　giving　

Charles　too　much　of　the　little　lady's　society；　but　he　was　very　fond　of　

her；　regarding　her　with　an　odd　mixture　of　curiosity　and　amusement；　much　

entertained　with　watching　what　he　called　her　unaccountable　manners；　and　

greatly　flattered　when　he　could　succeed　in　attracting　her　notice。　　

Indeed；　the　first　time　she　looked　full　at　him　with　a　smile　on　the　verge　

of　a　laugh；　it　completely　overcame　him；　by　the　indescribably　forcible　

manner　in　which　it　suddenly　recalled　the　face　which　had　always　shone　on　

him　like　a　sunbeam。　　Above　all；　it　was　worth　anything　to　see　the　looks　

she　awoke　in　her　mother；　for　which　he　must　have　loved　her；　even　had　she　

not　been　Guy's　child。



In　the　evening；　especially　on　Sunday；　Amabel　would　sometimes　talk　to　

him　as　she　had　never　yet　been　able　to　do；　about　her　last　summer's　

journey；　and　her　stay　at　Recoara；　and　his　way　of　listening　and　

answering　had　in　it　something　that　gave　her　great　pleasure；　while；　on　

his　side；　he　deemed　each　fresh　word　of　Guy's　a　sort　of　treasure　for　

which　to　be　grateful　to　her。　　The　brother　and　sister　were　a　great　help　

and　happiness　to　each　other；　Amabel　found　herself　restored　to　Charles；　

as　Guy　had　liked　to　think　of　her；　and　Charles　felt　as　if　the　old　

childish　fancies　were　fulfilled；　in　which　he　and　Amy　were　always　to　

keep　house　together。　　He　was　not　in　the　least　dull；　and　though　his　

good…natured　visitors　in　the　morning　were　welcome；　and　received　with　

plenty　of　his　gay　lively　talk；　he　did　not　by　any　means　stand　in　need　of　

the　compassion　they　felt　for　him；　and　could　have　done　very　well　without　

them；　while　the　evenings　alone　with　Amy　had　in　them　something　so　

pleasant　that　they　were　almost　better　than　those　when　Mr。　Ross　and　Mary　

came　to　tea。　　He　wrote　word　to　his　mother　that　she　might　be　quite　at　

ease　about　them；　and　he　thought　Amy　would　get　through　the　anniversaries　

of　September　better　while　the　house　was　quiet；　so　that　she　need　not　

think　of　trying　to　hurry　home。



He　was　glad　to　have　done　so；　for　the　letters；　which　scarcely　missed　a　

day　in　being　written　by　his　mother　and　Charlotte；　seemed　to　show　that　

their　stay　was　likely　to　be　long。　　Lady　Mabel　was　more　broken　than　they　

had　expected；　and　claimed　a　long　visit；　as　she　was　sure　it　would　be　

their　last；　while　the　Kilcoran　party　had　taken　possession　of　Laura　and　

Charlotte；　as　if　they　never　meant　to　let　them　go。　　Charlotte　wrote　her　

brother　very　full　and　very　droll　accounts　of　the　Iricisms　around　her　

which　she　enjoyed　thoroughly；　and　Charles；　declaring　he　never　expected　

to　see　little　Charlotte　come　out　in　the　character　of　the　facetious　

correspondent；　used　to　send　Mary　Ross　into　fits　of　laughing　by　what　he　

read　to　her。　　Mr。　Fielder；　the　tutor；　wrote　Charlotte；　was　very　nearly　

equal　to　Eveleen's　description　of　him；　but　very　particularly　agreeable；　

in　fact；　the　only　man　who　had　any　conversation；　whom　she　had　seen　since　

she　had　been　at　Kilcoran。



'Imagine；'　said　Charles；　'the　impertinent　little　puss　setting　up　for　

intellectual　conversation；　forsooth！'



'That's　what　comes　of　living　with　good　company；'　said　Mary。



The　brother　and　sister　used　sometimes　to　drive　to　Broadstone　to　fetch　

their　letters　by　the　second　post。



'Charlotte；　of　course；'　said　Charles；　as　he　opened　one。　　'My　Lady　

Morville；　what's　yours？'



'Only　Mr。　Markham；'　said　Amabel；　'about　the　winding　up　of　our　business　

together；　I　suppose。　　What　does　Charlotte　say？'



'Charlotte　is　in　a　fit　of　impudence；　for　which　she　deserves　

chastisement；'　said　Charles；　unable　to　help　laughing；　as　he　read；



'Our　last　event　was　a　call　from　the　fidus　Achates；　who；　it　seems；　can　

no　longer　wander　up　and　down　the　Mediterranean　without　his　pius　Aeneas；　

and　so　has　left　the　army；　and　got　a　diplomatic　appointment　somewhere　in　

Germany。　　Lord　Kilcoran　has　asked　him　to　come　and　stay　here；　and　Mabel　

and　I　are　quite　sure　he　comes　for　a　purpose。　　Of　course　he　has　chosen　

this　time；　in　order　that　he　may　be　able　to　have　his　companion　before　

his　eyes；　as　a　model　for　courtship；　and　I　wish　I　had　you　to　help　me　

look　on　whenever　Philip　comes；　as　that　laugh　I　must　enjoy　alone　with　

Bustle。　　However；　when　Philip　will　come　we　cannot　think；　for　we　have　

heard　nothing　of　him　this　age；　not　even　Laura；　and　she　is　beginning　to　

look　very　anxious　about　him。　　Do　tell　us　if　you　know　anything　about　

him。　　The　last　letter　was　when　parliament　was　prorogued；　and　he　was　

going　to　Redclyffe；　at　least　three　weeks　ago。'



'I　wonder　if　Mr。　Markham　mentions　him；'　said　Amabel；　hastily　unfolding　

her　letter；　which　was；　as　she　expected；　about　the　executors'　business；　

but　glancing　on　to　the　end；　she　exclaimed；



'Ah！　here　it　is。　　Listen；　Charlie。　　〃Mr。　Morville　has　been　here　for　the　

last　few　weeks；　and　is；　I　fear；　very　unwell。　　He　has　been　entirely　

confined　to　the　house；　almost　ever　since　his　arrival；　by　violent　

headache；　which　has　completely　disabled　him　from　attending　to　business；　

but　he　will　not　call　in　any　advice。　　I　make　a　point　of　going　to　see　him　

every　day；　though　I　believe　my　presence　is　anything　but　acceptable；　as　

in　his　present　state　of　health　and　spirits；　I　cannot　think　it　right　

that　he　should　be　left　to　servants。〃　　Poor　fellow！　　　Redclyffe　has　been　

too　much　for　him。'



'Over…worked；　I　suppose；'　said　Charles。　　'I　thought　he　was　coming　it　

pretty　strong　these　last　few　weeks。'



'Not　even　writing　to　Laura！　　How　very　bad　he　must　be！　　I　will　write　at　

once　to　ask　Mr。　Markham　for　more　particulars。'



She　did　so；　and　on　the　third　day　they　drove　again　to　fetch　the　answer。　　

It　was　a　much　worse　account。　　Mr。　Morville　was；　said　Markham；　suffering　

dreadfully　from　headache；　and　lay　on　the　sofa　all　day；　almost　unable　to　

speak　or　move；　but　resolved　against　having　medical　advice；　though　his　

own　treatment　of　himself　did　not　at　all　succeed　in　relieving　him。　　

There　was　extreme　depression　of　spirits；　and　an　unwillingness　to　see　

any　one。　　He　had　positively　refused　to　admit　either　Lord　Thorndale　or　

Mr。　Ashford；　and　would　hardly　bear　to　see　Markham　himself；　who；　indeed；　

only　forced　his　presence　on　him　from　thinking　it　unfit　to　leave　him　

entirely　to　the　servants；　and　would　be　much　relieved　if　some　of　Mr。　

Morville's　friends　were　present　to　free　him　from　the　responsibility。



'Hem！'　said　Charles。　　'I　can't