the heir of redclyffe-第130部分

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'I'll　tell　you　what；'　said　Charles；　lowering　his　voice；'　from　what　

Bolton　says；　I　think　he　had　a　dread　of　worse　than　brain　fever。'



She　shuddered；　and　was　paler；　but　did　not　speak。



'I　believe；'　continued　Charles；　'that　it　is　one　half　nervous　and　the　

oppression　of　this　place；　and　the　other　half；　the　over…straining　of　a　

head　that　was　already　in　a　ticklish　condition。　　I　don't　think　there　was　

any　real　danger　of　more　than　such　a　fever　as　he　had　at　Corfu；　which　

would　probably　have　been　the　death　of　him；　but　I　think　he　dreaded　still　

worse；　and　that　his　horror　of　seeing　any　one；　or　writing　to　Laura；　

arose　from　not　knowing　how　far　he　could　control　his　words。'



'0！　　I　am　glad　we　came；'　repeated　Amabel；　pressing　her　hands　together。



'He　has　been　doctoring　himself；'　proceeded　Charles；　'and　probably　has　

kept　off　the　fever　by　strong　measures；　but；　of　course；　the　more　he　

reduced　his　strength；　the　greater　advantage　he　gave　to　what　was　simply　

low　spirits。　　He　must　have　had　a　terrible　time　of　it；　and　where　it　

would　have　ended　I　cannot　guess；　but　it　seems　to　me　that　most　likely；　

now　that　he　is　once　roused；　he　will　come　right　again。'



Just　as　Charles　had　finished　speaking；　he　came　down；　looking　extremely　

ill；　weak；　and　suffering；　but　calmed；　and　resting　on　that　entire　

dependence　on　Amabel　which　had　sprung　up　at　Recoara。



She　would　not　let　him　go　back　to　his　gloomy　library；　but　made　him　lie　

on　the　sofa　in　the　sitting…room；　and　sat　there　herself；　as　she　thought　

a　little　quiet　conversation　between　her　and　Charles　would　be　the　best　

thing　for　him。　　She　wrote　to　Laura；　and　he　sent　a　message；　for　he　could　

not　yet　attempt　to　write；　and　Charles　wrote　reports　to　his　mother　and　

Dr。　Mayerne；　a　little　talk　now　and　then　going　on　about　family　matters。



Amabel　asked　Philip　if　he　knew　that　Mr。　Thorndale　was　at　Kilcoran。



'Yes；'　he　said；　'he　believed　there　was　a　letter　from　him；　but　his　eyes　

had　ached　too　much　of　late　to　read。'



Mrs。　Ashford　sent　in　to　ask　whether　Lady　Morville　would　like　to　see　

her。　　Amabel's　face　flushed；　and　she　proposed　going　to　her　in　the　

library；　but　Philip；　disliking　Amy's　absence　more　than　the　sight　of　a　

visitor；　begged　she　might　come　to　the　sitting…room。



The　Ashfords　had　been　surprised　beyond　measure　at　the　tidings　that　Lady　

Morville　had　actually　come　to　Redclyffe；　and　had　been　very　slow　to　

believe　it；　but　when　convinced　by　Markham's　own　testimony；　Mrs。　

Ashford's　first　idea　had　been　to　go　and　see　if　she　could　be　any　help　to　

the　poor　young　thing　in　that　great　desolate　house；　whither　Mrs。　Ashford　

had　not　been　since；　just　a　year　ago；　Markham　had　conducted　her　to　

admire　his　preparations。　　There　was　much　anxiety；　too；　about　Mr。　

Morville；　of　whose　condition；　Markham　had　been　making　a　great　mystery；　

and　on　her　return；　Mr。　Ashford　was　very　eager　for　her　report。



Mr。　Morville；　she　said；　did　look　and　seem　very　far　from　well；　but　Lady　

Morville　had　told　her　they　hoped　it　was　chiefly　from　over　fatigue；　and　

that　rest　would　soon　restore　him。　　Lady　Morville　herself　was　a　fragile　

delicate　creature；　very　sweet　looking；　but　so　gentle　and　shrinking；　

apparently；　that　it　gave　the　impression　of　her　having　no　character　at　

all；　not　what　Mrs。　Ashford　would　have　expected　Sir　Guy　to　choose。　　She　

had　spoken　very　little；　and　the　chief　of　the　conversation　had　been　

sustained　by　her　brother。



'I　was　very　much　taken　with　that　young　Mr。　Edmonstone；'　said　Mrs。　

Ashford；　'he　is　about　three…and…twenty；　sadly　crippled；　but　with　such　a　

pleasing；　animated　face；　and　so　extremely　agreeable　and　sensible；　I　do　

not　wonder　at　Sir　Guy's　enthusiastic　way　of　talking　of　him。　　I　could　

almost　fancy　it　was　admiration　of　the　brother　transferred　to　the　

sister。'



'Then　after　all　you　are　disappointed　in　her；　and　don't　lament；　like　

Markham；　that　she　is　not　mistress　here？'



'No：　I　won't　say　I　am　disappointed；　she　is　a　very　sweet　creature。　　0　

yes；　very！　but　far　too　soft　and　helpless　for　such　a　charge　as　this　

property；　unless　she　had　her　father　or　brother　to　help　her。　　But　I　must　

tell　you　that　she　took　me　to　see　her　baby；　a　nice　little　lively　thing；　

poor　little　dear！　and　when　we　were　alone；　she　spoke　rather　more；　begged　

me　to　send　her　godson　to　see　her；　thanked　me　for　coming；　but　crying　

stopped　her　from　saying　more。　　I　could　grow　very　fond　of　her。　　No；　I　

don't　wonder　at　him；　for　there　is　a　great　charm　in　anything　so　soft　and　

dependent。



Decidedly；　Mary　Ross　had　been　right　when　she　said；　that　except　Sir　Guy；　

there　was　no　one　so　difficult　to　know　as　Amy。



In　the　afternoon；　Charles　insisted　on　Amabel's　going　out　for　fresh　air　

and　exercise；　and　she　liked　the　idea　of　a　solitary　wandering；　but　

Philip；　to　her　surprise；　offered　to　come　with　her；　and　she　was　too　glad　

to　see　him　exert　himself；　to　regret　the　musings　she　had　hoped　for；　so　

out　they　went；　after　opening　the　window　to　give　Charles　what　he　called　

an　airing；　and　he　said；　that　in　addition　he　should　'hirple　about　a　

little　to　explore　the　ground…floor　of　the　house。'



'We　must　contrive　some　way　for　him　to　drive　out；'　said　Philip；　as　he　

crossed　the　court　with　Amabel；　'and　you　too。　　There　is　no　walk　here；　

but　up　hill　or　down。'



Up…hill　they　went；　along　the　path　leading　up　the　green　slope；　from　

which　the　salt　wind　blew　refreshingly。　　In　a　few　minutes；　Amabel　found　

herself　on　a　spot　which　thrilled　her　all　over。



There　lay　before　her　Guy's　own　Redclyffe　bay；　the　waves　lifting　their　

crests　and　breaking；　the　surge　resounding；　the　sea…birds　skimming　

round；　the　Shag　Rock　dark　and　rugged；　the　scene　which　seemed　above　all　

the　centre　of　his　home　affections；　which　he　had　so　longed　to　show　her；　

that　it　had　cost　him　an　effort　on　his　death…bed　to　resign　the　hope；　the　

leaping　waves　that　he　said　he　would　not　change　for　the　white…headed　

mountains。　　And　now　he　was　lying　among　those　southern　mountains；　and　

she　stood　in　the　spot　where　he　had　loved　to　think　of　seeing　her；　and　

with　Philip　by　her　side。　　His　sea；　his　own　dear　sea；　the　vision　of　

which　had　cheered；　his　last　day；　like　the　face　of　a　dear　old　friend；　

his　sea；　rippling　and　glancing　on；　unknowing　that　the　eyes　that　had　

loved　it　so　well　would　gaze　on　it　no　more；　the　wind　that　he　had　longed　

for　to　cool　his　fevered　brow；　the　rock　which　had　been　like　a　playmate　

in　his　boyhood；　and　where　he　had　perilled　his　life；　and　rescued　so　

many。　　It　was　one　of　the　seasons　when　a　whole　gush　of　fresh　perceptions　

of　his　feelings；　like　a　new　meeting　with　himself；　would　come　on　her；　

her　best　of　joys；　and　there　she　stood；　gazing　fixedly；　her　black　veil　

fluttering　in　the　wind；　and　her　hands　pressed　close　together；　till　

Philip；　little　knowing　what　the　sight　was　to　her；　shivered；　saying　it　

was　very　cold　and　windy；　and　without　hesitation　she　turned　away；　

feeling　that　now　Redclyffe　was　precious　indeed。



She　brought　her　mind　back　to　listen；　while　Philip　was　considering　of　

means　of　taking　Charles　out　of　doors；　he　supposed　there　might　be　some　

vehicle　about　the　place；　but　he　thought　there　was　no　horse。　　Very　

unlike　was　this　to　the　exact　Philip。　　The　great　range　of　stables　was　

before　them；　where　the　Morvilles　had　been　wont　to　lodge　their　horses　as　

sumptuously　as　themselves；　and　Amabel　proposed　to　go　and　see　what　they　

could　find；　but　nothing　was　there　but　emptiness；　till　they　came　to　a　

pony　in　one　stall；　a　goat　in　another；　and　one　wheelbarrow　in　the　coach…

house。



On　leaving　it；　under　the　long…sheltered　sunny　wall；　they　came　in　sight　

of　a　meeting　between　the　baby　taking　the　air　in　Anne's　arms；　and　

Markham；　who　had　been　hovering　about　all　day；　anxious　to　know　how　

matters　were　going　on。　　His　back　was　towards　them；　so　that　he　was　

unconscious　of　their　approach；　and　they　saw　how　he　spoke　to　Anne；　

looked　fixedly　at　the　child；　made　her　laugh；　and　finally　took　her　in　

his　arms；　as　he　had　so　often　carried　her　father；　studying　earnestly　her　

little　face。　　As　soon　as　he　saw　them　coming；　he　hastily　gave　her　back　

to　Anne；　as　if　ashamed　to　be　thus　caught；　but　he　was　obliged　to　grunt　

and　put　his　hand　up　to　his　shaggy　eyelashes；　before　he　could　answer　

Amabel's　greeting。



He　could　hardly　believe　his　eyes；　that　here　was　Mr。　Morville；　who　

yesterday　was　scarcely　able　to　raise　his　head　from　the　pillow；　and　

could　attend　to　nothing。　　He　could　not　think　what　Lady　Morville　had　

done　to　him；　when　he　heard　him　inquiring　and　making　arrangements　about　

sending　for　a　pony　carriage；　appearing　thoroughly　roused；　and　the　dread　

of　being　seen　or　spoken　to　entirely　passed　away；　Markham　was　greatly　

rejoiced；　for　Mr。　Morville's　illness；　helplessness；　and　dependence　upon　

himself；　had　softened　and　won　him　to　regard　him　kindly　as　nothing　else　

would　have　done；　and　his　heart　was　entirely　gained　when；　after　they　had　

wished　him　good…bye；　he　saw　Philip　and　Amabel　walk　on；　overtake　Anne；　

Amy　take　the　baby　and　hold　her　up　to　Philip；　who　looked　at　her　with　the　

same　earnest　interest。　　From　thenceforward　Markham　knew　that　Redclyffe　

was　nothing　but　a　burden　to　Mr。　Morville；　and　he　could　bear　to　see　it　

in　his　possession　since　like　himself；　he　seemed　to　regard　Sir　Guy's　

daughter　like　a　disinherited　princess。



This　short　walk　fatigued　Philip　thoroughly。　　He　slept　till　dinner…time；　

and　when　he　awoke　said　it　was　the　first　refreshing　dreamless　sleep　he　

had　had　for　weeks。　　His　head　was　much　better；　and　at　dinner　he　had　

something　like　an　appetite。



It　was　altogether　a　day　of　refreshment；　and　so　were　the　ensuing　ones。　　

Each　day　Philip　became　stronger；　and　resumed　more　of　his　usual　habits。　　

From　writing　a　few　lines　in　Amabel's　daily　letter　to　Laura；　he　

proceeded　to　filling　the　envelope；　and　from　being　put　to　sleep　by　

Charles's　reading；　to　reading　aloud　the　whole　evening　himself。　　The　

pony　carriage　was　set　up；　and　he　drove　Charles　out　every　day；　Amabel　

being　then　released　from　attending　him；　and　free　t