the heir of redclyffe-第59部分

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Eveleen　is　very　pretty；　is　she　not？　　A　mere　beauty；　I　believe？'



'Just　so；　she　is　much　admired；　but　Guy　is　certainly　not　inclined　to　

fall　in　love　with　her。'



'I　should　have　thought　him　the　very　man　to　fall　in　love　young；　like　his　

father。　　Do　you　think　there　is　any　chance　for　either　of　the　

Edmonstones？　　Laura's　beauty　he　spoke　of；　but　it　was　not　in　a　very　

lover…like　way。　　Do　you　admire　Laura　so　much？'



'She　is　very　pretty。'



'And　little　Amy？'



'She　is　a　mere　child；　and　will　hardly　ever　be　anything　more；　but　she　is　

a　very　good　little　amiable　thing。'



'I　wish　poor　Charles's　temper　was　improved。'



'So　do　I；　but　it　is　very　far　from　improvement　at　present；　in　

consequence　of　his　zeal　for　Guy。　　Guy　has　been　very　attentive　and　good　

natured　to　him；　and　has　quite　won　his　heart；　so　that　I　should　

positively　honour　him　for　his　championship　if　it　was　not　in　great　

degree　out　of　opposition　to　his　father　and　myself。　　To…morrow；　

Margaret；　you　must　give　me　some　guide　to　the　most　probable　quarters　for　

learning　anything　respecting　this　poor　boy's　follies。'



Mrs。　Henley　did　her　best　in　that　way；　and　Philip　followed　up　his　

inquiries　with　great　ardour；　but　still　unsuccessfully。　　Jack　White；　the　

hero　of　the　draft；　was　not　at　St。　Mildred's；　nor　likely　to　be　heard　of　

again　till　the　next　races；　and　whether　Sir　Guy　had　been　on　the　race…

ground　at　all　was　a　doubtful　point。　　Next；　Philip　walked　to　Stylehurst；　

to　call　on　Colonel　Harewood；　and　see　if　he　could　learn　anything　in　

conversation　with　him；　but　the　Colonel　did　not　seem　to　know　anything；　

and　his　sons　were　not　at　home。　　Young　Morville　was；　he　thought；　a　

spirited　lad；　very　good　natured；　he　had　been　out　shooting　once　or　twice　

with　Tom；　and　had　a　very　fine　spaniel。　　If　he　had　been　at　the　races；　

the　Colonel　did　not　know　it；　he　had　some　thoughts　of　asking　him　to　join　

their　party；　but　had　been　prevented。



This　was　no　reason；　thought　Philip；　why　Guy　might　not　have　been　with　

Tom　Harewood　without　the　Colonel's　knowledge。　　Tom　was　just　the　man　to　

lead　him　amongst　those　who　were　given　to　betting；　he　might　have　been　

drawn　in；　and；　perhaps；　he　had　given　some　pledge　of　payment　when　he　was　

of　age；　or；　possibly；　obtained　an　immediate　supply　of　money　from　the　

old　steward　at　Redclyffe；　who　was　devotedly　attached　to　him。　　If　so；　

Philip　trusted　to　be　able　to　detect　it　from　the　accounts；　on　the　other　

supposition；　there　was　no　hope　of　discovery。



The　conversation　with　Colonel　Harewood　kept　him　so　late　that　he　had　no　

time　for　going；　as　usual；　to　his　old　haunts；　at　Stylehurst；　nor　did　he　

feel　inclined　just　then　to　revive　the　saddening　reflections　they　

excited。　　He　spent　the　evening　in　talking　over　books　with　his　sister；　

and　the　next　day　proceeded　on　his　journey　to　Thorndale　Park。



This　was　one　of　the　places　where　he　was　always　the　most　welcome；　ever　

since　he　had　been　a　school…boy；　received　in　a　way　especially　

flattering；　considering　that　the　friendship　was　entirely　owing　to　the　

uncompromising　good　sense　and　real　kindness　with　which　he　had　kept　in　

order　the　follies　of　his　former　fag。



Charles　might　laugh；　and　call　them　the　young　man　and　young　man's　

companion；　and　Guy　more　classically　term　them　the　pious　Aeneas　and　his　

fidus　Achates；　but　it　was　a　friendship　that　did　honour　to　both；　and　the　

value　that　the　Thorndales　set　upon　Captain　Morville　was　not　misplaced；　

and　scarcely　over…rated。　　Not　particularly　clever　themselves；　they　the　

more　highly　appreciated　his　endowments；　and　were　proud　that　James　had　

been　able　to　make　such　a　friend；　for　they　knew；　as　well　as　the　rest　of　

the　world；　that　Captain　Morville　was　far　from　seeking　the　acquaintance　

for　the　sake　of　their　situation　in　life；　but　that　it　was　from　real　

liking　and　esteem。　　How　far　this　esteem　was　gained　by　the　deference　the　

whole　family　paid　to　his　opinion；　was　another　question；　at　any　rate；　

the　courting　was　from　them。



The　Miss　Thorndales　deemed　Captain　Morville　the　supreme　authority　in　

drawing；　literature；　and　ecclesiastical　architecture；　and　whenever　a　

person　came　in　their　way　who　was　thought　handsome；　always　pronounced　

that　he　was　not　by　any　means　equal　to　James's　friend。　　Lady　Thorndale　

delighted　to　talk　over　James　with　him；　and　thank　him　for　his　kindness；　

and　Lord　Thorndale；　rather　a　pompous　man　himself；　liked　his　somewhat　

stately　manners；　and　talked　politics　with　him；　sincerely　wishing　he　was　

his　neighbour　at　Redclyffe；　and　calculating　how　much　good　he　would　do　

there。　　Philip　listened　with　interest　to　accounts　of　how　the　Thorndale　

and　Morville　influence　had　always　divided　the　borough　of　Moorworth；　

and；　if　united；　might　dispose　of　it　at　will；　and　returned　evasive　

answers　to　questions　what　the　young　heir　of　Redclyffe　might　be　likely　

to　do。



James　Thorndale　drove　his　friend　to　Redclyffe；　as　Philip　had　authority　

from　Mr。　Edmonstone　to　transact　any　business　that　might　be　required　

with　Markham；　the　steward；　and；　as　has　been　said　before；　he　expected　to　

discover　in　the　accounts　something　that　might　explain　why　Guy　had　

ceased　to　press　for　the　thousand　pounds。　　However；　he　could　find　

nothing　amiss　in　them；　thoughbearing　in　mind　that　it　is　less　easy　to　

detect　the　loss　of　a　score　of　sheep　than　of　onehe　subjected　them　to　a　

scrutiny　which　seemed　by　no　means　agreeable　to　the　gruff　old　grumbling　

steward。　　He　also　walked　about　the　park；　saw　to　the　marking　of　certain　

trees　that　were　injuring　each　other；　and　finding　that　there　was　a　

misunderstanding　between　Markham　and　the　new　rector；　Mr。　Ashford；　about　

certain　parish　matters；　where　the　clergyman　was　certainly　right；　he　

bore　down　Markham's　opposition　with　Mr。　Edmonstone's　weight；　and　felt　

he　was　doing　good　service。



He　paused　at　the　gate；　and　looked　back　at　the　wide　domain　and　fine　old　

house。　　He　pitied　them；　and　the　simple…hearted；　honest　tenantry；　for　

being　the　heritage　of　such　a　family；　and　the　possession　of　one　so　

likely　to　misuse　them；　instead　of　training　them　into　the　means　of　

conferring　benefits　on　them；　on　his　country。　　What　would　not　Philip　

himself　do　if　those　lands　were　his；just　what　was　needed　to　give　his　

talents　free　scope？　and　what　would　it　be　to　see　his　beautiful　Laura　

their　mistress？









CHAPTER　20







The　longing　for　ignoble　things；

The　strife　for　triumph　more　than　truth；

The　hardening　of　the　heart；　that　brings

Irreverence　for　the　dreams　of　youth。LONGFELLOW





After　his　week　at　Thorndale　Park；　Captain　Morville　returned　to　make　his　

farewell　visit　at　Hollywell；　before　joining　his　regiment　at　Cork；　

whence　it　was　to　sail　for　the　Mediterranean。　　He　reckoned　much　on　this　

visit；　for　not　even　Laura　herself　could　fathom　the　depth　of　his　

affection　for　her；　strengthening　in　the　recesses　where　he　so　sternly　

concealed　it；　and　viewing　her　ever　as　more　faultless　since　she　had　been　

his　own。　　While　she　was　his　noble；　strong…minded；　generous；　fond　Laura；　

he　could　bear　with　his　disappointment　in　his　sister；　with　the　loss　of　

his　home；　and　with　the　trials　that　had　made　him　a　grave；　severe　man。　　

She　had　proved　the　strength　of　her　mind　by　the　self…command　he　had　

taught　her；　and　for　which　he　was　especially　grateful　to　her；　as　it　made　

him　safer　and　more　unconstrained；　able　to　venture　on　more　demonstration　

than　in　those　early　days　when　every　look　had　made　her　blush　and　

tremble。



Mr。　Edmonstone　brought　the　carriage　to　fetch　him　from　the　station；　and　

quickly　began；



'I　suppose；　as　you　have　not　written；　you　have　found　nothing　out？'



'Nothing。'



'And　you　could　do　nothing　with　him。　　Eh？'



'No；　I　could　not　get　a　word　of　explanation；　nor　break　through　the　fence　

of　pride　and　reserve。　　I　must　do　him　the　justice　to　say　that　he　bears　

the　best　of　characters　at　Oxford；　and　if　there　were　any　debts　I　could　

not　get　at　them　from　the　tradesmen。'



'Well；　well；　say　no　more　about　it；　he　is　an　ungrateful　young　dog；　and　I　

am　sick　of　it。　　I　only　wish　I　could　wash　my　hands　of　him　altogether。　　

It　was　mere　folly　to　expect　any　of　that　set　could　ever　come　to　good。　　

There's　everything　going　wrong　all　at　once　now；　poor　little　Amy　

breaking　her　heart　after　him；　and；　worse　than　all；　there's　poor　Charlie　

laid　up　again；'　said　Mr。　Edmonstone；　one　of　the　most　affectionate　

people　in　the　world；　but　his　maundering　mood　making　him　speak　of　

Charles's　illness　as　if　he　only　regarded　it　as　an　additional　

provocation　for　himself。



'Charles　ill！'　exclaimed　Philip。



'Yes；　another；　of　those　formations　in　the　joint。　　I　hoped　and　trusted　

that　was　all　over　now；　but　he　is　as　bad　as　ever；has　not　been　able　to　

move　for　a　week；　and　goodness　knows　when　he　will　again。'



'Indeed！　　I　am　very　sorry。　　Is　there　as　much　pain　as　before？'



'Oh；　yes。　　He　has　not　slept　a　wink　these　four　nights。　　Mayerne　talks　of　

opium；　but　he　says　he　won't　have　it　till　he　has　seen　you；　he　is　so　

anxious　about　this　unlucky　business。　　If　anything　could　persuade　me　to　

have　Guy　back　again　it　would　be　that　this　eternal　fretting　after　him　is　

so　bad　for　poor　Charlie。'



'It　is　on　Amy's　account　that　it　is　impossible　to　have　him　here；'　said　

Philip。



'Ay！　　He　shall　never　set　eyes　on　Amy　again　unless　all　this　is　cleared　

up；　which　it　never　will　be；　as　I　desire　mamma　to　tell　her。　　By　the　bye；　

Philip；　Amy　said　something　of　your　having　a　slip　with　Charles　on　the　

stairs。'



There　was　very　nearly　an　accident；　but　I　believed　he　was　not　hurt。　　I　

hope　it　has　nothing　to　do　with　this　illness？'



'He　says　it　was　all　his　own　fault；'　said　Mr。　Edmonstone；　'and　that　he　

should　have　been　actually　down　but　for　you。'



'But　is　it　really　thought　it　can　have　caused　this　attack？'



'I　can　hardly　suppose　so；　but　Thompson　fancies　there　may　have　been　some　

jar。　　However；　don't　distress　yourself；　I　dare　say　it　would　have　come　

on　all　the　same。'



Philip　did　not　like　to　be　forgiven　by　Mr。　Edmonstone；　a