the heir of redclyffe-第95部分

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calm　and　sweet。　　'Is　he　better？'



'Not　materially；　his　pulse　is　still　very　high；　but　there　was　a　gleam　of　

perfect　consciousness；　he　spoke　calmly　and　clearly；　fully　understanding　

his　situation。　　Come　what　will；　it　is　a　thing　to　be　infinitely　thankful　

for！　　I　am　very　glad！　　Now　for　our　morning　reading。'



As　soon　as　it　was　over；　and　when　Guy　had　satisfied　himself　that　the　

patient　was　still　quiet；　they　sat　down　to　breakfast。　　Guy　considered　a　

little　while；　and　said；



'I　have　been　very　much　surprised。　　Had　you　any　idea　of　an　attachment　

between　him　and　Laura？'



'I　know　she　is　very　fond　of　him；　and　she　has　always　been　his　favourite。　　

What？　　Has　he　been　in　love　with　her　all　this　time；　poor　fellow？'



'He　says　they　are　engaged。'



'Laura？　　Our　sister！　　Oh；　Guy；　impossible！　　He　must　have　been　

wandering。'



'I　could　have　almost　thought　so；　but　his　whole　manner　forbade　me　to　

think　there　was　any　delusion。　　He　was　too　weak　to　explain；　but　he　said　

it　was　not　her　fault；　and　was　overcome　when　speaking　of　her。　　He　begged　

us　to　spare　her　from　suddenly　hearing　of　his　death。　　He　was　as　calm　and　

reasonable　as　I　am　at　this　moment。　　No；　Amy；　it　was　not　delirium。'



'I　don't　know　how　to　believe　it！'　said　Amabel。　　'It　is　so　impossible　

for　Laura；　and　for　him　too。　　Don't　you　know　how；　sometimes　in　fevers；　

people　take　a　delusion；　and　are　quite　rational　about　everything　else；　

and　that；　too；　if　only　it　was　true；　and　don't　you　think　it　very　likely；　

that　if　he　really　has　been　in　love　with　her　all　this　time；　（how　much　he　

must　have　gone　through！）　he　may　fancy　he　has　been　secretly　engaged；　and　

reproach　himself？'



'I　cannot　tell；'　said　Guy；　'there　was　a　reality　in　his　manner　of　

speaking　that　refuses　to　let　me　disbelieve　him。　　Surely　it　cannot　be　

one　of　the　horrors　of　death　that　we　should　be　left　to　reproach　

ourselves　with　the　fancied　sins　we　have　been　prone　to；　as　well　as　with　

our　real　ones。　　Then'and　he　rose；　and　walked　about　the　room'if　so；　

more　than　ever；　in　the　hour　of　death；　good　Lord；　deliver　us！'



Amabel　was　silent；　and　presently　he　sat　down；　saying；'Well；　time　will　

show！'



'I　cannot　think　it'　said　Amy。　　'Laura！　　How　could　she　help　telling　

mamma！'　And　as　Guy　smiled　at　the　recollection　of　their　own　simultaneous　

coming　to　mamma；　she　added；'Not　only　because　it　was　right；　but　for　

the　comfort　of　it。'



'But；　Amy；　do　you　remember　what　I　told　you　of　poor　Laura's　fears；　and　

what　she　said　to　me；　on　our　wedding…day？'



'Poor　Laura！'　said　Amy。　　'Yet'　She　paused；　and　Guy　presently　said；



'Well；　I　won't　believe　it；　if　I　can　possibly　help　it。　　I　can't　afford　

to　lose　my　faith　in　my　sister's　perfection；　or　Philip's；　especially　

now。　　But　I　must　go；　I　have　loitered　too　long；　and　Arnaud　ought　to　go　

to　his　breakfast。'



Amabel　sat　long　over　the　remains　of　her　breakfast。　　She　did　not　puzzle　

herself　over　Philip's　confession；　for　she　would　not　admit　it　without　

confirmation；　and　she　could　not　think　of　his　misdoings；　even　those　of　

which　she　was　certain；　on　the　day　when　his　life　was　hanging　in　the　

balance。　　All　she　could　bear　to　recollect　was　his　excellence；　nay；　in　

the　tenderness　of　her　heart；　she　nearly　made　out　that　she　had　always　

been　very　fond　of　him；　overlooking　that　even　before　Guy　came　to　

Hollywell；　she　had　always　regarded　him　with　more　awe　than　liking；　been　

disinclined　to　his　good　advice；　shrunk　from　his　condescension；　and　

regularly　enjoyed　Charles's　quizzing　of　him。　　All　this；　and　all　the　

subsequent　injuries　were　forgotten；　and　she　believed；　as　sincerely　as　

her　husband；　that　Philip　had　been　free　from　any　unkind　intention。　　But　

she　chiefly　dwelt　on　her　own　Guy；　especially　that　last　speech；　so　

unlike　some　of　whom　she　had　heard；　who　were　rather　glad　to　find　a　flaw　

in　a　faultless　model；　if　only　to　obtain　a　fellow…feeling　for　it。



'Yes；'　thought　she；　'he　might　look　far　without　finding　anything　better　

than　himself；　though　he　won't　believe　it。　　If　ever　he　could　make　me　

angry；　it　will　be　by　treating　me　as　if　I　was　better　than　he。　　Such　

nonsense！　　But　I　suppose　his　goodness　would　not　be　such　if　he　was　

conscious　of　it；　so　I　must　be　content　with　him　as　he　is。　　I　can't　be　so　

unwifelike　after　all；　for　I　am　sure　nothing　makes　me　feel　so　small　and　

foolish　as　that　humility　of　his！　　Come；　I　must　see　about　some　dinner　

for　the　French　doctor。'



She　set　to　work　on　her　housewifery　cares；　but　when　these　were　

despatched；　it　was　hard　to　begin　anything　else　on　such　a　day　of　

suspense；　when　she　was　living　on　reports　from　the　sick　room。　　The　

delirium　had　returned；　more　violent　than　ever；　and　as　she　sat　at　her　

open　window　she　often　heard　the　disconnected　words。　　She　could　do　

nothing　but　listenshe　could　neither　read　nor　draw；　and　even　letter…

writing　failed　her　to…day；　for　it　seemed　cruel　to　send　a　letter　to　his　

sister；　and　if　Philip　was　not　under　a　delusion；　it　was　still　worse　to　

write　to　Hollywell；　it　made　her　shudder　to　think　of　the　misery　she　

might　have　inflicted　in　the　former　letters；　where　she　had　not　spared　

the　detail　of　her　worst　fears　and　conjectures；　and　by　no　means　softened　

the　account；　as　she　had　done　to　his　sister。



Late　in　the　afternoon　the　physician　came；　and　she　heard　of　his　being　

quieter；　indeed；　there　were　no　sounds　below。　　It　grew　dark；　Arnaud　

brought　lights；　and　told　her　Captain　Morville　had　sunk　into　stupor。　　

After　another　long　space；　the　doctor　came　to　take　some　coffee；　and　said　

the　fever　was　lessening；　but　that　strength　was　going　with　it；　and　if　

〃le　malade〃　was　saved；　it　would　be　owing　to　the　care　and　attention　of　

〃le　chevalier〃。



Of　Guy　she　saw　no　more　that　evening。　　The　last　bulletin　was　pencilled　

by　him　on　a　strip　of　paper；　and　sent　to　her　at　eleven　at　night：



'Pulse　almost　nothing；　deadly　faintness；　doctor　does　not　give　him　up；　

it　may　be　many　hours：　don't　sit　up；　you　shall　hear　when　there　is　

anything　decisive。'



Amy　submitted；　and　slowly　put　herself　to　bed；　because　she　thought　Guy　

would　not　like　to　find　her　up；　but　she　had　little　sleep；　and　that　was　

dreamy；　full　of　the　same　anxieties　as　her　waking　moments；　and　perhaps　

making　the　night　seem　longer　than　if　she　had　been　awake　the　whole　time。



At　last　she　started　from　a　somewhat　sounder　doze　than　usual；　and　saw　it　

was　becoming　light；　the　white　summits　of　the　mountains　were　beginning　

to　show　themselves；　and　there　was　twilight　in　the　room。　　Just　then　she　

heard　a　light；　cautious　tread　in　the　passage；　the　lock　of　Guy's　

dressing…room　was　gently；　slowly　turned。　　It　was　over　then！　　Life　or　

death？　　Her　heart　beat　as　she　heard　her　husband's　step　in　the　next　

room；　and　her　suspense　would　let　her　call　out　nothing　but'I　am　not　

asleep！'



Guy　came　forward；　and　stood　still；　while　she　looked　up　to　the　outline　

of　his　figure　against　the　window。　　With　a　kind　of　effort　he　said；　with　

forced　calmness'He'll　do　now！　and　came　to　the　bedside。　　His　face　was　

wet　with　tears；　and　her　eyes　were　over…flowing。　　After　a　few　moments　he　

murmured　a　few　low　words　of　deep　thanksgivings；　and　again　there　was　a　

silence。



'He　is　asleep　quietly　and　comfortably；'　said　Guy；　presently；　'and　his　

pulse　is　steadier。　　The　faintness　and　sinking　have　been　dreadful；　the　

doctor　has　been　sitting　with　his　hand　on　his　pulse；　telling　me　when　to　

put　the　cordial　into　his　mouth。　　Twice　I　thought　him　all　but　gone；　and　

till　within　the　last　hour；　I　did　not　think　he　could　have　revived；　but　

now；　the　doctor　says　we　may　almost　consider　the　danger　as　over。'



'Oh；　how　glad　I　am！　　Was　he　sensible？　　Could　he　speak？'



'Sensible　at　least　when　not　fainting；　but　too　weak　to　speak；　or　often；　

to　look　up。　　When　he　did　though；　it　was　very　kindly；　very　pleasantly。　　

And　now！　This　is　joy　coming　in　the　morning；　Amy！'



'I　wonder　if　you　are　happier　now　than　after　the　shipwreck；'　said　Amy；　

after　a　silence。



'How　can　you　ask？　　The　shipwreck　was　a　gleam；　the　first　ray　that　came　

to　cheer　me　in　those　penance　hours；　when　I　was　cut　off　from　all；　and　

now；　oh；　Amy！　I　cannot　enter　into　it。　　Such　richness　and　fullness　of　

blessing　showered　on　me；　more　than　I　ever　dared　to　wish　for　or　dream　

of；　both　in　the　present　and　future　hopes。　　It　seems　more　than　can　

belong　to　man；　at　least　to　me；　so　unlike　what　I　have　deserved；　that　I　

can　hardly　believe　it。　　It　must　be　sent　as　a　great　trial。'



Amabel　thought　this　so　beautiful；　that　she　could　not　answer；　and　he　

presently　gave　her　some　further　particulars。　　He　went　back　in　spite　of　

her　entreaties　that　he　would　afford　himself　a　little　rest；　saying　that　

the　doctor　was　obliged　to　go　away；　and　Philip　still　needed　the　most　

careful　watching。　　Amy　could　not　sleep　any　more；　but　lay　musing　over　

that　ever…brightening　goodness　which　had　lately　at　all　times　almost　

startled　her　from　its　very　unearthliness。











CHAPTER　32







Sure　all　things　wear　a　heavenly　dress；

Which　sanctifies　their　loveliness；

Types　of　that　endless　resting　day；

When　we　shall　be　as　changed　as　they。HYMN　FOR　SUNDAY





From　that　time　there　was　little　more　cause　for　anxiety。　　Philip　was；　

indeed；　exceedingly　reduced；　unable　to　turn　in　bed；　to　lift　his　head；　

or　to　speak　except　now　and　then　a　feeble　whisper；　but　the　fever　was　

entirely　gone；　and　his　excellent　constitution　began　rapidly　to　repair　

its　ravages。　　Day　by　day；　almost　hour　by　hour；　he　was　rallying；　

spending　most　of　his　time　profitably　in　sleep；　and　looking　very　

contented　in　his　short　intervals　of　waking。　　These　became　each　day　

rather　longer；　his　voice　became　stronger；　and　he　made　more　remarks　and　

inquiries。　　His　first　care；　when　able　to　take　heed　of　what　did　not　

concern　his　immediate　comfort；　was　that　Colonel　Deane　should　be　written　

to；　as　his　leave　of　absence　was　expired；　but　he　said　not　a　word　about　

Hollywell；　and　Amabel　therefore　hoped　her　surmise　was　right；　that　his　

confession　had　been　prompted　by　a　delirious　fancy；