the heir of redclyffe-第84部分

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such　a　state'



'The　roof？　　That's　serious！'



'Serious；　I　believe　so。　　You'll　have　it　about　your　ears　in　no　time；　if　

you　don't　look　sharp。'



'I'll　look　this　minute；'　said　Guy；　jumping　up。　　'Will　you　come　with　

me？'



Up　he　went；　climbing　about　in　the　forest　of　ancient　timbers；　where　he　

could　not　but　be　convinced　that　there　was　more　reason　than　he　could　

wish　in　what　Markham　said；　and　that　his　roof　was　in　no　condition　to　

bring　his　bride　to。　　Indeed　it　was　probable　that　it　had　never　been　

thoroughly　repaired　since　the　time　of　old　Sir　Hugh；　for　the　Morvilles　

had　not　been　wont　to　lay　out　money　on　what　did　not　make　a　display。　　Guy　

was　in　dismay；　he　sent　for　the　builder　from　Moorworth；　calculated　times　

and　costs；　but；　do　what　he　would；　he　could　not　persuade　himself　that　

when　once　the　workmen　were　in　Redclyffe；　they　would　be　out　again　before　

the　autumn。



Guy　was　very　busy　during　the　fortnight　he　spent　at　home。　　There　were　

the　builder　and　his　plans；　and　Markham　and　the　marriage　settlements；　

and　there　were　orders　to　be　given　about　the　furniture。　　He　came　to　Mrs。　

Ashford　about　this；　conducted　her　to　the　park；　and　begged　her　to　be　so　

kind　as　to　be　his　counsellor；　and　to　superintend　the　arrangement。　　He　

showed　her　what　was　to　be　Amy's　morning…roomnow　bare　and　empty；　but　

with　the　advantages　of　a　window　looking　south；　upon　the　green　wooded　

slope　of　the　park；　with　a　view　of　the　church　tower；　and　of　the　moors；　

which　were　of　very　fine　form。　　He　owned　himself　to　be　profoundly　

ignorant　about　upholstery　matters；　and　his　ideas　of　furniture　seemed　to　

consist　in　prints　for　the　walls；　a　piano；　a　bookcase；　and　a　couch　for　

Charles。



'You　have　heard　about　Charles？'　said　he；　raising　his　bright　face　from　

the　list　of　needful　articles　which　he　was　writing；　using　the　window…

seat　as　a　table。



'Not　much；'　said　Mrs。　Ashford。　　'Is　he　entirely　confined　to　the　sofa？'



'He　cannot　move　without　crutches；　but　no　one　could　guess　what　he　is　

without　seeing　him。　　He　is　so　patient；　his　spirits　never　flag；　and　it　

is　beautiful　to　see　how　considerate　he　is；　and　what　interest　he　takes　

in　all　the　things　he　never　can　share；　poor　fellow。　　I　don't　know　what　

Hollywell　would　be　without　Charlie！　　I　wonder　how　soon　he　will　be　able　

to　come　here！　　Hardly　this　year；　I　am　afraid；　for　things　must　be　

comfortable　for　him；　and　I　shall　never　get　them　so　without　Amy；　and　

then　it　will　be　autumn。　　Well；　what　next？　　Oh；　you　said　window…

curtains。　　Some　blue　sort　of　stuff；　I　suppose；　like　the　drawing…room　

ones　at　Hollywell。　　What's　the　name　of　it？'



In　fact；　Mrs。　Ashford　was　much　of　his　opinion；　that　he　never　would　make　

things　comfortable　without　Amy；　though　he　gave　his　best　attention　to　

the　inquiries　that　were　continually　made　of　him；　and　where　he　had　an　

idea；　carried　it　out　to　the　utmost。　　He　knew　much　better　what　he　was　

about　in　the　arrangements　for　Coombe　Prior；　where　he　had　installed　his　

friend；　Mr。　Wellwood；　and　set　on　foot　many　plans　for　improvements；　

giving　them　as　much　attention　as　if　he　had　nothing　else　to　occupy　his　

mind。　　Both　the　curate　and　Markham　were　surprised　that　he　did　not　leave　

these　details　till　his　return　home；　but　he　answered；



'Better　do　things　while　we　may。　　The　thought　of　this　unhappy　place　is　

enough　to　poison　everything；　and　I　don't　think　I　could　rest　without　

knowing　that　the　utmost　was　being　done　for　it。'



He　was　very　happy　making　arrangements　for　a　village　feast　on　the　

wedding…day。　　The　Ashfords　asked　if　he　would　not　put　it　off　till　his　

return；　and　preside　himself。



'It　won't　hurt　them　to　have　one　first。　　Let　them　make　sure　of　all　the　

fun　they　can；'　he　answered；　and　the　sentiment　was　greatly　applauded　by　

Edward　and　Robert；　who　followed　him　about　more　than　ever；　and　grew　so　

fond　of　him；　that　it　made　them　very　angry　to　be　reminded　of　the　spirit　

of　defiance　in　which　their　acquaintance　had　begun。　　Nevertheless　they　

seemed　to　be　preparing　the　same　spirit　for　his　wife；　for　when　their　

mother　told　them　they　must　not　expect　to　monopolize　him　thus　when　he　

was　married；　they　declared；　that　they　did　not　want　a　Lady　Morville　at　

all；　and　could　not　think　why　he　was　so　stupid　as　to　want　a　wife。



Their　father　predicted　that　he　would　never　have　time　to　fulfil　his　old　

engagement　of　taking　them　out　to　the　Shag　Rock；　but　the　prediction　was　

not　verified；　for　he　rowed　both　them　and　Mr。　Ashford　thither　one　fine　

May　afternoon；　showed　them　all　they　wanted　to　see；　and　let　them　

scramble　to　their　heart's　content。　　He　laughed　at　their　hoard　of　scraps　

of　the　wood　of　the　wreck；　which　they　said　their　mamma　had　desired　them　

to　fetch　for　her。



So　many　avocations　came　upon　Guy　at　once；so　many　of　the　neighbours　

came　to　call　on　him；such　varieties　of　people　wanted　to　speak　to　him；…

…the　boys　followed　him　so　constantly；and　he　had　so　many　invitations　

from　Mr。　Wellwood　and　the　Ashfords；　that　he　never　had　any　time　for　

himself；　except　what　must　be　spent　in　writing　to　Amabel。　　There　was　a　

feeling　upon　him；　that　he　must　have　time　to　commune　with　himself；　and　

rest　from　this　turmoil　of　occupation；　in　the　solitude　of　which　

Redclyffe　had　hitherto　been　so　full。　　He　wanted　to　be　alone　with　his　

old　home；　and　take　leave　of　it；　and　of　the　feelings　of　his　boyhood；　

before　beginning　on　this　new　era　of　his　life；　but　whenever　he　set　out　

for　a　solitary　walk；　before　he　could　even　get　to　the　top　of　the　crag；　

either　Markham　marched　up　to　talk　over　some　important　question；a　

farmer　waylaid　him　to　make　some　request；some　cottager　met　him；　to　

tell　of　a　grievance；Mr。　Wellwood　rode　over；or　the　Ashford　boys　

rushed　up；　and　followed　like　his　shadow。



At　length；　on　Ascension　day；　the　last　before　he　was　to　leave　Redclyffe；　

with　a　determination　that　he　would　escape　for　once　from　his　pursuers；　

he　walked　to　the　Cove　as　soon　as　he　returned　from　morning　service；　

launched　his　little　boat　and　pushed　off　into　the　rippling　whispering　

waters。　　It　was　a　resumption　of　the　ways　of　his　boyhood；　it　seemed　like　

a　holiday　to　have　left　all　these　cares　behind　him；　just　as　it　used　to　

be　when　all　his　lessons　were　prepared；　and　he　had　leave　to　disport　

himself；　by　land　or　water；　the　whole　afternoon；　provided　he　did　not　go　

out　beyond　the　Shag　Rock。　　He　took　up　his　sculls　and　rowed　merrily；　

singing　and　whistling　to　keep　time　with　their　dash；　the　return　to　the　

old　pleasure　quite　enough　at　first；　the　salt　breeze；　the　dashing　waves；　

the　motion　of　the　boat。　　So　he　went　on　till　he　had　come　as　far　as　his　

former　boundary；　then　he　turned　and　gazed　back　on　the　precipitous　

rocks；　cleft　with　deep　fissures；　marbled　with　veins　of　different　shades　

of　red；　and　tufted　here　and　therewith　clumps　of　samphire；　grass；　and　a　

little　brushwood；　bright　with　the　early　green　of　spring。　　The　white　

foam　and　spray　were　leaping　against　their　base；　and　roaring　in　their　

hollows；　the　tract　of　wavelets　between　glittered　in　light；　or　heaved　

green　under　the　shadow　of　the　passing　clouds；　the　sea…birds　floated　

smoothly　in　sweeping　undulating　lines；





　　　　　　　As　though　life's　only　call　and　care

　　　　　　　Were　graceful　motion；





the　hawks　poised　themselves　high　in　air　near　the　rocks。　　The　Cove　lay　

in　sunshine；　its　rough　stone　chimneys　and　rude　slate　roofs　overgrown　

with　moss　and　fern；　rising　rapidly；　one　above　the　other；　in　the　fast　

descending　hollow；　through　which　a　little　stream　rushed　to　the　sea；

more　quietly　than　its　brother；　which；　at　some　space　distant；　fell　sheer　

down　over　the　crag　in　a　white　line　of　foam；　brawling　with　a　tone　of　its　

own；　distinguishable　among　all　the　voices　of　the　sea　contending　with　

the　rocks。　　Above　the　village；　in　the　space　where　the　outline　of　two　

hills　met　and　crossed；　rose　the　pinnacled　tower　of　the　village　church；　

the　unusual　height　of　which　was　explained　by　the　old　custom　of　lighting　

a　beacon…fire　on　its　summit；　to　serve　as　a　guide　to　the　boats　at　sea。　　

Still　higher；　apparently　on　the　very　brow　of　the　beetling　crag　that　

frowned　above；　stood　the　old　Gothic　hall；　crumbling　and　lofty；　a　fit　

eyrie　for　the　eagles　of　Morville。　　The　sunshine　was　indeed　full　upon　

it；　but　it　served　to　show　how　many　of　the　dark　windows　were　without　the　

lining　of　blinds　and　curtains；　that　alone　gives　the　look　of　life　and　

habitation　to　a　house。　　How　crumbled　by　sea…wind　were　the　old　walls；　

and　the　aspect　altogether　full　of　a　dreary　haughtiness；　suiting　with　

the　whole　of　the　stories　connected　with　its　name；　from　the　time　when　it　

was　said　the　very　dogs　crouched　and　fled　from　the　presence　of　the　

sacrilegious　murderer　of　the　Archbishop；　to　the　evening　when　the　heir　

of　the　line　lay　stretched　a　corpse　before　his　father's　gate。



Guy　sat　resting　on　his　oars；　gazing　at　the　scene；　full　of　happiness；　

yet　with　a　sense　that　it　might　be　too　bright　to　last；　as　if　it　scarcely　

befitted　one　like　himself。　　The　bliss　before　him；　though　it　was　surely　

a　beam　from　heaven；　was　so　much　above　him；　that　he　hardly　dared　to　

believe　it　real：　like　a　child　repeating；　'Is　it　my　own；　my　very　own？'　

and　pausing　before　it　will　venture　to　grasp　at　a　prize　beyond　its　

hopes。　　He　feared　to　trust　himself　fully；　lest　it　should　carry　him　away　

from　his　self…discipline；　and　dazzle　him　too　much　to　let　him　keep　his　

gaze　on　the　light　beyond；　and　he　rejoiced　in　this　time　of　quiet；　to　

enable　him　to　strive　for　power　over　his　mind；　to　prevent　himself　from　

losing　in　gladness　the　balance　he　had　gained　in　adversity。



It　was　such　a　check　as　he　might　have　wished　for；　to　look　at　that　grim　

old　castle；　recollect　who　he　was；　and　think　of　the　frail　tenure　of　all　

earthly　joy；　especially　for　one　of　the　house　of　Morville。　　Could　that　

abode　ever　be　a　home　for　a　creature　like　Amy；　with　the　bright　innocent　

mirth　that　seemed　too　soft　and　sweet　ever　to　be　overshadowed　by　gloom　

and　sorrow？　　Perhaps　she　might　be　early　taken　from　him　in　the　undimmed　

beauty　of　her　happiness　and