the heir of redclyffe-第18部分

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but　time　had　dulled　its　acutenessit　had　been　lost　in　fresh　scenes　of　

excitementand　at　the　next　offence　rage　had　swept　away　such　

recollections。　　Indeed；　so　far　had　he　lost　the　natural　generosity　of　

his　character；　that　his　remorse　had　been　comparatively　slight　for　the　

last；　which　was　the　worst　of　all；　since　he　had　forced　the　quarrel　on　

his　victim；　Captain　Wellwood；　whose　death　had　left　a　wife　and　children　

almost　destitute。　　His　first　awakening　to　a　sense　of　what　his　course　

had　been；　was　when　he　beheld　his　only　child；　in　the　prime　of　youth；　

carried　lifeless　across　his　threshold；　and　attributed　his　death　to　his　

own　intemperance　and　violence。　　That　hour　made　Sir　Guy　Morville　an　old　

and　a　broken…hearted　man；　and　he　repented　as　vigorously　as　he　had　

sinned。



From　the　moment　he　dared　to　hope　that　his　son's　orphan　would　be　spared；　

he　had　been　devoted　to　him；　but　still　mournfully；　envying　and　pitying　

his　innocence　as　something　that　could　not　last。



He　saw　bright　blossoms　put　forth；　as　the　boy　grew　older；　but　they　were　

not　yet　fruits；　and　he　did　not　dare　to　believe　they　ever　would　be。　　The　

strength　of　will　which　had；　in　his　own　case；　been　the　slave　of　his　

passions；　had　been　turned　inward　to　subdue　the　passions　themselves；　but　

this　was　only　the　beginningthe　trial　was　not　yet　come。　　He　could　hope　

his　grandson　might　repent；　but　this　was　the　best　that　he　dared　to　think　

possible。　　He　could　not　believe　that　a　Morville　could　pass　unscathed　

through　the　world；　or　that　his　sins　would　not　be　visited　on　the　head　of　

his　only　descendant；　and　the　tone　of　his　narration　was　throughout　such　

as　might　almost　have　made　the　foreboding　cause　its　own　accomplishment。



The　effect　was　beyond　what　he　had　expected；　for　a　soul　deeply　dyed　in　

guilt；　even　though　loathing　its　own　stains；　had　not　the　power　of　

conceiving　how　foul　was　the　aspect　of　vice；　to　one　hitherto　guarded　

from　its　contemplation；　and　living　in　a　world　of　pure；　lofty　day…

dreams。　　The　boy　sat　the　whole　time　without　a　word；　his　face　bent　down　

and　hidden　by　his　clasped　hands；　only　now　and　then　unable　to　repress　a　

start　or　shudder　at　some　fresh　disclosure；　and　when　it　was　ended；　he　

stood　up；　gazed　round；　and　walked　uncertainly；　as　if　he　did　not　know　

where　he　was。　　His　next　impulse　was　to　throw　himself　on　his　knee　beside　

his　grandfather；　and　caress　him　as　he　used　to　when　a　child。　　The　'good…

night'　was　spoken；　and　Guy　was　shut　into　his　room；　with　his　

overwhelming　emotions。



His　grandfather　a　blood…stained；　remorseful　man！　　The　doom　was　

complete；　himself　heir　to　the　curse　of　Sir　Hugh；　and　fated　to　run　the　

same　career；　and　as　he　knew　full　well；　with　the　tendency　to　the　family　

character　strong　within　him；　the　germs　of　these　hateful　passions　ready　

to　take　root　downwards　and　bear　fruit　upwards；　with　the　very　

countenance　of　Sir　Hugh；　and　the　same　darkening；　kindling　eyes；　of　

which　traditions　had　preserved　the　remembrance。



He　was　crushed　for　awhile。　　The　consciousness　of　strength　not　his　own；　

of　the　still　small　voice　that　could　subdue　the　fire；　the　earthquake；　

and　the　whirlwind；　was　slow　in　coming　to　him；　and　when　it　came；　he；　

like　his　grandfather；　had　hope　rather　of　final　repentance　than　of　

keeping　himself　unstained。



His　mind　had　not　recovered　the　shock　when　his　grandfather　died；died　

in　faith　and　fear；　with　good　hope　of　accepted　repentance；　but　unable　to　

convey　the　assurance　of　such　hope　to　his　grandson。　　Grief　for　the　only　

parent　he　had　ever　known；　and　the　sensation　of　being　completely　alone　

in　the　world；　were　joined　to　a　vague　impression　of　horror　at　the　

suddenness　of　the　stroke；　and　it　was　long　before　the　influence　of　

Hollywell；　or　the　elasticity　of　his　own　youthfulness；　could　rouse　him　

from　his　depression。



Even　then　it　was　almost　against　his　will　that　he　returned　to　enjoyment；　

unable　to　avoid　being　amused；　but　feeling　as　if　joy　was　not　meant　for　

him；　and　as　if　those　around　were　walking　'in　a　world　of　light；'　where　

he　could　scarcely　hope　to　tread　a　few　uncertain　steps。　　In　this　

despondency　was　Guy's　chief　danger；　as　it　was　likely　to　make　him　deem　a　

struggle　with　temptation　fruitless；　while　his　high　spirits　and　powers　

of　keen　enjoyment　increased　the　peril　of　recklessness　in　the　reaction。



It　was　Mrs。　Edmonstone　who　first　spoke　with　him　cheerfully　of　a　

successful　conflict　with　evil；　and　made　him　perceive　that　his　

temptations　were　but　such　as　is　common　to　man。　　She　had　given　him　a　

clue　to　discover　when　and　how　to　trust　himself　to　enjoy；　the　story　of　

Sintram　had　stirred　him　deeply；　and　this　very　day；　Amy's　words；　

seemingly　unheeded　and　unheard；　had　brought　home　to　him　the　hope　and　

encouragement　of　that　marvellous　tale。



They　had　helped　him　in　standing；　looking　steadfastly　upwards；　and　

treading　down　not　merely　evil；　but　the　first　token　of　coming　evil；　

regardless　of　the　bruises　he　might　inflict　on　himself。　　Well　for　him　if　

he　was　constant。



Such　was　Guy's　inner　life；　his　outward　life；　frank　and　joyous；　has　been　

shown；　and　the　two　flowed　on　like　a　stream；　pure　as　crystal；　but　into　

which　the　eye　cannot　penetrate　from　its　depth。　　The　surface　would　be　

sometimes　obscured　by　cloud　or　shade；　and　reveal　the　sombre　wells　

beneath；　but　more　often　the　sunshine　would　penetrate　the　inmost　

recesses；　and　make　them　glance　and　sparkle；　showing　themselves　as　clear　

and　limpid　as　the　surface　itself。









CHAPTER　6







Can　piety　the　discord　heal；

Or　stanch　the　death…feud's　enmity？Scott





It　must　not　be　supposed　that　such　a　history　of　Guy's　mind　was　expressed　

by　himself；　or　understood　by　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　but　she　saw　enough　to　

guess　at　his　character；　perceive　the　sort　of　guidance　he　needed；　and　be　

doubly　interested　in　him。　　Much　did　she　wish　he　could　have　such　a　

friend　as　her　brother　would　have　been；　and　hope　that　nothing　would　

prevent　a　friendship　with　her　nephew。



The　present　question　about　the　horse　was；　she　thought；　unfortunate；　

since；　though　Guy　had　exercised　great　self…denial；　it　was　no　wonder　

Philip　was　annoyed。　　Mr。　Edmonstone's　vexation　was　soon　over。　　As　soon　

as　she　had　persuaded　him　that　there　had　been　no　offence；　he　strove　to　

say　with　a　good　grace；　that　it　was　very　proper；　and　told　Guy　he　would　

be　a　thorough　book…worm　and　tremendous　scholar；　which　Guy　took　as　an　

excellent　joke。



Philip　had　made　up　his　mind　to　be　forbearing；　and　to　say　no　more　about　

it。　　Laura　thought　this　a　pity；　as　they　could　thus　never　come　to　an　

understanding；　but　when　she　hinted　it；　he　wore　such　a　dignified　air　of　

not　being　offended；　that　she　was　much　ashamed　of　having　tried　to　direct　

one　so　much　better　able　to　judge。　　On　his　side　Guy　had　no　idea　the　

trouble　he　had　caused；　so；　after　bestowing　his　thanks　in　a　gay；　off…

hand　way；　which　Philip　thought　the　worst　feature　of　the　case；　he　did　

his　best　to　bring　Hecuba　back　into　his　mind；　drive　the　hunters　out　of　

it；　and　appease　the　much…aggrieved　William　of　Deloraine。



When　all　William's　manoeuvres　resulted　in　his　master's　not　hunting　at　

all；　he　was　persuaded　it　was　Mr。　Edmonstone's　fault；　compassionated　Sir　

Guy　with　all　his　heart；　and　could　only　solace　himself　by　taking　

Deloraine　to　exercise　where　he　was　most　likely　to　meet　the　hounds。　　He　

further　chose　to　demonstrate　that　he　was　not　Mr。　Edmonstone's　servant；　

by　disregarding　some　of　his　stable　regulations；　but　as　soon　as　this　

came　to　his　master's　knowledge；　a　few　words　were　spoken　so　sharp　and　

stern；　that　William　never　attempted　to　disobey　again。



It　seemed　as　if　it　was　the　perception　that　so　much　was　kept　back　by　a　

strong　force；　that　made　Guy's　least　token　of　displeasure　so　formidable。　　

A　village　boy；　whom　be　caught　misusing　a　poor　dog；　was　found　a　few　

minutes　after；　by　Mr。　Ross；　in　a　state　of　terror　that　was　positively　

ludicrous；　though　it　did　not　appear　that　Sir　Guy　had　said　or　done　much　

to　alarm　him；　it　was　only　the　light　in　his　eyes；　and　the　strength　of　

repressed　indignation　in　his　short　broken　words　that　had　made　the　

impression。



It　appeared　as　if　the　force　of　his　anger　might　be　fearful；　if　once　it　

broke　forth　without　control；　yet　at　the　same　time　be　had　a　gentleness　

and　attention；　alike　to　small　and　great；　which；　with　his　high　spirit　

and　good　nature；　his　very　sweet　voice　and　pleasant　smile；　made　him　a　

peculiarly　winning　and　engaging　person；　and　few　who　saw　him　could　help　

being　interested　in　him。



No　wonder　he　had　become　in　the　eyes　of　the　Edmonstones　almost　a　part　of　

their　family。　　Mrs。　Edmonstone　had　assumed　a　motherly　control　over　him；　

to　which　he　submitted　with　a　sort　of　affectionate　gratitude。



One　day　Philip　remarked；　that　he　never　saw　any　one　so　restless　as　Guy；　

who　could　neither　talk　nor　listen　without　playing　with　something。　　

Scissors；　pencil；　paper…knife；　or　anything　that　came　in　his　way；　was　

sure　to　be　twisted　or　tormented；　or　if　nothing　else　was　at　hand；　he　

opened　and　shut　his　own　knife　so　as　to　put　all　the　spectators　in　fear　

for　his　fingers。



'Yes；'　said　Laura；　'I　saw　how　it　tortured　your　eyebrows　all　the　time　

you　were　translating　Schiller　to　us。　　I　wondered　you　were　not　put　out。'



'I　consider　that　to　be　put　outby　which　you　mean　to　have　the　intellect　

at　the　mercy　of　another's　follyis　beneath　a　reasonable　creature；'　

said　Philip；　'but　that　I　was　annoyed；　I　do　not　deny。　　It　is　a　token　of　

a　restless；　ill…regulated　mind。'



'Restless；　perhaps；'　said　Mrs。　Edmonstone　'but　not　necessarily　ill…

regulated。　　I　should　think　it　rather　a　sign　that　he　had　no　one　to　tell　

him　of　the　tricks　which　mothers　generally　nip　in　the　bud。'



'I　was　going　to　say　that　I　think　he　fidgets　less；'　said　Laura；　'but　I　

think　his　chief　contortions　of　the　scissors　have　been　when　Philip　has　

been　here。'



'They　have；　I　believe；'　said　her　mother；　I　was　thinking　of　giving　him　a　

hint。'



'Well；　aunt；　you　are　a　tamer　of　savage　beasts　if　you　vent