the heir of redclyffe-第72部分

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illness　that　had　altered　her；　yet　still　Amy　had　not　Laura's　harassed　

look。



Mary　had　not　much　talk　with　Amy；　for　it　was　a　large　party；　with　a　good　

many　young　ladies　and　children；　and　Amy　had　a　great　deal　of　work　in　the　

way　of　amusing　them。　　She　had　a　wearied　look；　and　was　evidently　

exerting　herself　to　the　utmost。



'You　look　tired；'　said　Mary；　kindly。



'No；　it　is　only　stupidity；'　said　Amy；　smiling　rather　sadly。　　'We　can't　

be　entertaining　without　Charlie。'



'It　has　been　a　melancholy　winter；'　began　Mary；　but　she　was　surprised；　

for　Amy's　face　and　neck　coloured　in　a　moment；　then；　recovering　herself；　

with　some　hesitation；　she　said；



'Oh！　but　Charlie　is　much　better；　and　that　is　a　great　comfort。　　I　am　

glad　you　are　come　home；　Mary。'



'We　are　going　to　have　some　magic　music；'　was　said　at　the　other　end　of　

the　room。　　'Who　will　play？'



'Little　Amy！'　said　Mr。　Edmonstone。　　'Where　is　she？　　She　always　does　it　

to　admiration。　　Amy；　come　and　be　a　performer。'



Amy　rose；　and　came　forward；　but　the　colour　had　flushed　into　her　cheeks　

again；　and　the　recollection　occurred　to　Mary；　that　her　fame　as　a　

performer；　in　that　way；　arose　from　the　very　amusing　manner　in　which　she　

and　Sir　Guy　had　conducted　the　game　last　year。　　At　the　same　moment　her　

mother　met　her；　and　whispered；



'Had　you　rather　not；　my　dear？'



'I　can　do　it；　mamma；　thank　younever　mind。'



'I　should　like　to　send　you　up　to　Charliehe　has　been　so　long　alone。'



'Oh！　thank　you；　dear　mamma；'　with　a　look　of　relief。



'Here　is　Charlotte　wild　to　be　a　musician；'　said　Mrs。　Edmonstone。　　

'Perhaps　you　will　see　how　she　can　manage；　for　I　think　Charles　must　want　

a　visit　from　his　little　nurse。'



Amy　moved　quietly　away；　and　entered　Charles's　room；　full　of　warm　

gratitude　for　the　kindness　which　was　always　seeking　how　to　spare　her。



Charles　was　asleep；　and　throwing　a　shawl　round　her；　she　sat　down　in　the　

dim　light　of　the　lamp；　relieved　by　the　stillness；　only　broken　by　now　

and　then　a　louder　note　of　the　music　down…stairs。　　It　was　very　

comfortable；　after　all　that　buzz　of　talk；　and　the　jokes　that　seemed　so　

nonsensical　and　tiresome。　　There　were　but　two　people　who　could　manage　

to　make　a　party　entertaining；　and　that　was　the　reason　it　was　so　

different　last　year。　　Then　Amy　wondered　if　she　was　the　only　person　who　

felt　sick　at　heart　and　dreary；　but　she　only　wondered　for　a　momentshe　

murmured　half　aloud　to　herself；　'I　said　I　never　would　think　of　him　

except　at　my　prayers！　　Here　I　am　doing　it　again；　and　on　Christmas　

night。　　I　won't　hide　my　eyes　and　moan　over　my　broken　reed；　for　

Christmas　is　come；　and　the　circles　of　song　are　widening　round！　　Glory！　

good　will；　peace　on　earth！　　How　he　sang　it　last　year；　the　last　thing；　

when　the　people　were　gone；　before　we　went　up　to　bed。　　But　I　am　breaking　

my　resolution　again。　　I　must　do　something。'



She　took　up　a　book　of　sacred　poetry；　and　began　to　learn　a　piece　which　

she　already　nearly　knew；　but　the　light　was　bad；　and　it　was　dreamy　work；　

and　probably　she　was　half　asleep；　for　her　thoughts　wandered　off　to　

Sintram　and　the　castle　on　the　Mondenfelsen；　which　seemed　to　her　like　

what　she　had　pictured　the　Redclyffe　crags；　and　the　castle　itself　was　

connected　in　her　imagination　with　the　deep；　echoing　porch；　while　Guy's　

own　voice　seemed　to　be　chanting





　　　　　　　　Who　lives　forlorn；

　　　　　　　　On　God's　own　word　doth　rest；

　　　　　　　　His　path　is　bright

　　　　　　　　With　heavenly　light；

　　　　　　　　His　lot　among　the　blest。





'Are　you　there；　Amy？'　said　Charles；　waking。　　'What　are　you　staying　here　

for？　　Don't　they　want　you？'



'Mamma　was　so　kind　as　to　send　me　up。'



'I　am　glad　you　are　come；　for　I　have　something　to　tell　you。　　Mr。　Ross　

has　been　up　to　see　me；　you　know；　and　he　has　a　letter　from　Guy。'



Amy's　heart　beat　fast；　and；　with　eyes　fixed　on　the　ground；　she　listened　

as　Charles　continued　to　give　an　account　of　Guy's　letter　about　Coombe　

Prior。　　'Mr。　Ross　is　quite　satisfied　about　him；　Amy；'　he　concluded。　　'I　

wish　you　could　have　heard　the　decided　way　in　which　he　said；　〃He　will　

_live_　it　down。〃'



Amy's　answer　was　to　stoop　down　and　kiss　her　brother's　forehead。



Another　week　brought　Guy's　renewal　of　the　correspondence。　



'Amy；　here　is　something　for　you　to　read；'　said　Charles；　holding　up　the　

letter　as　she　came　into　the　room。



She　knew　the　writing。　　'Wait　one　moment；　Charlie；　dear；'　and　she　ran　

out　of　the　room；　found　her　mother　fortunately　alone；　and　said；　averting　

her　face；'Mamma；　dear；　do　you　think　I　ought　to　let　Charlie　show　me　

that　letter？'



Mrs。　Edmonstone　took　hold　of　her　hand；　and　drew　her　round　so　as　to　look　

into　the　face　through　its　veiling　curls。　　The　hand　shook；　and　the　face　

was　in　a　glow　of　eagerness。　　'Yes；　dearest！'　said　she；　for　she　could　

not　help　it；　and　then；　as　Amy　ran　back　again；　she　asked　herself　whether　

it　was　foolish；　and　bad　for　her　sweet　little　daughter；　then　declared　to　

herself　that　it　mustit　shouldit　would　come　right。



There　was　not　a　word　of　Amy　in　the　letter；　but　it；　or　something　else；　

made　her　more　bright　and　cheerful　than　she　had　been　for　some　time　past。　　

It　seemed　as　if　the　lengthening　days　of　January　were　bringing　renewed　

comfort　with　them；　when　Charles；　who　ever　since　October　had　been　

confined　to　bed；　was　able　to　wear　the　Chinese　dressing…gown；　be　lifted　

to　a　couch；　and　wheeled　into　the　dressing…room；　still　prostrate；　but　

much　enjoying　the　change　of　scene；　which　he　called　coming　into　the　

world。



These　were　the　events　at　quiet　Hollywell；　while　Redclyffe　was　still　

engrossed　with　the　shipwreck；　which　seemed　to　have　come　on　purpose　to　

enliven　and　occupy　this　solitary　winter。　　It　perplexed　the　Ashfords　

about　their　baronet　more　than　ever。　　Mr。　Ashford　said　that　no　one　whose　

conscience　was　not　clear　could　have　confronted　danger　as　he　had　done；　

and　yet　the　certainty　that　he　was　under　a　cloud；　and　the　sadness；　so　

inconsistent　with　his　age　and　temperament　still　puzzled　them。　　Mrs。　

Ashford　thought　she　had　made　a　discovery。　　The　second　day　after　the　

wreck；　the　whole　crew；　except　the　little　cabin…boy；　were　going　to　set　

off　to　the　nearest　sea…port；　and　the　evening　preceding　their　departure；　

they　were　to　meet　their　rescuers；　the　fishermen；　at　a　supper　in　the　

great　servants'　hall　at　the　park。　　Edward　and　Robert　were　in　great　

glory；　bringing　in　huge　branches　of　evergreens　to　embellish　the　clean；　

cold　place；　and　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Ashford　and　Grace　were　to　come　to　see　the　

entertainment；　after　having　some　coffee　in　the　library。



Guy　prepared　it　for　his　company　by　tumbling　his　books　headlong　from　the　

sofa　to　a　more　remote　ottoman；　sticking　a　bit　of　holly　on　the　mantel…

shelf；　putting　out　his　beloved　old　friend；　Strutt's　'Sports　and　

Pastimes；'　to　amuse　Grace；　and　making　up　an　immense　fire；　and　then；　

looking　round；　thought　the　room　was　uncommonly　comfortable；　but　the　

first　thing　that　struck　Mrs；　Ashford；　when；　with　face　beaming　welcome；　

he　ushered　her　in　from　the　great　hall；　was　how　forlorn　rooms　looked　

that　had　not　a　woman　to　inhabit　them。



The　supper　went　off　with　great　eclat。　　Arnaud　at　the　head　of　the　table　

carved　with　foreign　courtesies；　contrasted　with　the　downright　bluff　way　

of　the　sailors。　　As　soon　as　Sir　Guy　brought　Mrs。　Ashford　to　look　in　on　

them；　old　James　Robinson　proposed　his　health；　with　hopes　he　would　soon　

come　and　live　among　them　for　good；　and　Jonas　Ledbury　added　another　

wish；　that　'Lady　Morville'　might　soon　be　there　too。　　At　these　words；　an　

expression　of　pain　came　upon　Guy's　face；　his　lips　were　rigidly　pressed　

together；　he　turned　hastily　away；　and　paced　up　and　down　before　he　could　

command　his　countenance。　　All　were　so　busy　cheering；　that　no　one　heeded　

his　change　of　demeanour　save　Mrs。　Ashford；　and　though；　when　he　returned　

to　the　place　where　he　had　been　standing；　his　complexion　was　deepened；　

his　lip　quivered；　and　his　voice　trembled　in　returning　thanks；　Mr。　

Ashford　only　saw　the　emotion　naturally　excited　by　his　people's　

attachment。



The　lady　understood　it　better；　and　when　she　talked　it　over　with　her　

husband　in　the　evening；　they　were　convinced　the　cause　of　his　trouble　

must　be　some　unfortunate　attachment；　which　he　might　think　it　his　duty　

to　overcome；　and　having　settled　this；　they　became　very　fond　of　him；　and　

anxious　to　make　Redclyffe　agreeable　to　him。



Captain　and　crew　departed；　the　little　boy　was　better；　and　his　hosts；　

Charity　and　Jem　Ledbury；　only　wished　to　keep　him　for　ever；　the　

sensation　at　Redclyffe　was　subsiding；　when　one　morning　Markham　came；　in　

a　state　of　extreme　satisfaction　and　importance；　to　exhibit　the　county　

paper；　with　a　full　account　of　the　gallant　conduct　of　the　youthful　

baronet。　　Two　or　three　days　after；　on　coming　home　from　a　ride　to　Coombe　

Prior；　Guy　found　Lord　Thorndale's　card；　and　heard　from　Arnaud　that　'my　

lord　had　made　particular　inquiries　how　long　he　would　be　in　the　country；　

and　had　been　to　the　cliff　to　see　where　the　wreck　was。'



Markham　likewise　attached　great　importance　to　this　visit；　and　went　off　

into　a　long　story　about　his　influence；　and　the　representation　of　

Moorworth；　or　even　of　the　county。　　As　soon　as　Guy　knew　what　he　was　

talking　about；　he　exclaimed；　'Oh；　I　hope　all　that　is　not　coming　on　me　

yet！　　Till　I　can　manage　Todd　and　Coombe　Prior；　I　am　sure　I　am　not　fit　

to　manage　the　country！'



A　few　mornings　after；　he　found　on　the　table　an　envelope；　which　he　

studied；　as　if　playing　with　his　eagerness。　　It　had　an　East…hill　post…

mark；　and　a　general　air　of　Hollywell　writing；　but　it　was　not　in　the　

hand　of　either　of　the　gentlemen；　nor　was　the　tail　of　the　y　such　as　Mrs。　

Edmonstone　was　wont　to　make。　　It　had　even　a　resemblance　to　Amabel's　own　

writing　that　startled　him。　　He　opened　it　at　last；　and　within　found　the　

hand　he　could　not　doubtCharles's；　namelymuch　more　crooked　than　

usual；　and　the　words　shortened　and　blotted：





'DEAR　G。；I　ought　not　to　do　this；