the heir of redclyffe- 第43部分

her　face；　conveying　even　more　encouragement　than　her　tone。　　Amy　raised　

her　head；　and　moved　as　if　to　leave　the　room。　　



'Don't　go；'　he　said；　earnestly；　'unless　you　wish　it。'



Amy　did　not　wish　it；　especially　now　that　she　had　her　mother　to　save　her　

confusion；　and　she　sat　on　a　footstool；　holding　her　mother's　hand；　

looking　up　to　Guy；　whenever　she　felt　bold　enough；　and　hanging　down　her　

head　when　he　said　what　showed　how　much　more　highly　he　prized　her　than　

silly　little　Amy　could　deserve。



'You　know　what　I　am　come　to　say；'　he　began；　standing　by　the　mantel…

shelf；　as　was　his　wont　in　his　conferences　with　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　and　he　

repeated　the　same　in　substance　as　he　had　said　to　Amy　in　the　garden；　

though　with　less　calmness　and　coherence；　and　far　more　warmth　of　

expression；　as　if；　now　that　she　was　protected　by　her　mother's　presence；　

he　exercised　less　force　in　self…restraint。



Never　was　anyone　happier　than　was　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　loving　Guy　so　

heartily；　seeing　the　beauty　of　his　character　in　each　word；　rejoicing　

that　such　affection　should　be　bestowed　on　her　little　Amy；　exulting　in　

her　having　won　such　a　heart；　and　touched　and　gratified　by　the　free　

confidence　with　which　both　had　at　once　hastened　to　pour　out　all　to　her；　

not　merely　as　a　duty；　but　in　the　full　ebullition　of　their　warm　young　

love。　　The　only　difficulty　was　to　bring　herself　to　speak　with　prudence　

becoming　her　position；　whilst　she　was　sympathizing　with　them　as　

ardently　as　if　she　was　not　older　than　both　of　them　put　together。　　When　

Guy　spoke　of　himself　as　unproved；　and　undeserving　of　trust；　it　was　all　

she　could　do　to　keep　from　declaring　there　was　no　one　whom　she　thought　

so　safe。



'While　you　go　on　as　you　have　begun；　Guy？'



'If　you　tell　me　to　hope！　　Oh；　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　is　it　wrong　that　an　

earthly　incentive　to　persevere　should　have　power　which　sometimes　seems　

greater　than　the　true　one？'



'There　is　the　best　and　strongest　ground　of　all　for　trusting　you；'　said　

she。　'If　you　spoke　keeping　right　only　for　Amy's　sake；　then　I　might　

fear；　but　when　she　is　second；　there　is　confidence　indeed。'



'If　speaking　were　all！'　said　Guy。



'There　is　one　thing　I　ought　to　say；'　she　proceeded；　'you　know　you　are　

very　young；　and　thoughthough　I　don't　know　that　I　can　say　so　in　my　own　

person；　a　prudent　woman　would　say；　that　you　have　seen　so　little　of　the　

world；　that　you　may　easily　meet　a　person　you　would　like　better　than　

such　a　quiet　little　dull　thing　as　your　guardian's　daughter。'



The　look　that　he　cast　on　Amy　was　worth　seeing；　and　then；　with　a　smile；　

he　answered



'I　am　glad　you　don't　say　it　in　your　own　person。'



'It　is　very　bold　and　presumptuous　in　me　to　say　anything　at　all　in　

papa's　absence'　said　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　smiling；　'but　I　am　sure　he　will　

think　in　the　same　way；　that　things　ought　to　remain　as　they　are；　and　

that　it　is　our　duty　not　to　allow　you　to　be；　or　to　feel　otherwise　than　

entirely　at　liberty。'



'I　dare　say　it　may　be　right　in　you；'　said　Guy；　grudgingly。　　'However；　I　

must　not　complain。　　It　is　too　much　that　you　should　not　reject　me　

altogether。'



To　all　three　that　space　was　as　bright　a　gleam　of　sunshine　as　ever　

embellished　life；　so　short　as　to　be　free　from　a　single　care；　a　

perfectly　serenely　happy　present；　the　more　joyous　from　having　been　

preceded　by　vexations；　each　of　the　two　young　things　learning　that　there　

was　love　where　it　was　most　precious。　　Guy　especially；　isolated　and　

lonely　as　he　stood　in　life；　with　his　fear　and　mistrust　of　himself；　was　

now　not　only　allowed　to　love；　and　assured　beyond　his　hopes　that　Amy　

returned　his　affection；　but　found　himself　thus　welcomed　by　the　mother；　

and　gathered　into　the　family　where　his　warm　feelings　had　taken　up　their　

abode；　while　he　believed　himself　regarded　only　as　a　guest　and　a　

stranger。



They　talked　on；　with　happy　silences　between；　Guy　standing　all　the　time　

with　his　branch　of　roses　in　his　hand；　and　Amy　looking　up　to　him；　and　

trying　to　realize　it；　and　to　understand　why　she　was　so　very；　very　

happy。



No　one　thought　of　time　till　Charlotte　rushed　in　like　a　whirlwind；　

crying



'Oh；　here　you　are！　　We　could　not　think　what　had　become　of　you。　　There　

has　Deloraine　been　at　the　door　these　ten　minutes；　and　Charlie　sent　me　

to　find　you；　for　he　says　if　you　are　too　late　for　Mrs。　Henley's　dinner；　

she　will　write　such　an　account　of　you　to　Philip　as　you　will　never　get　

over。'



Very　little　of　this　was　heard；　there　was　only　the　instinctive　

consternation　of　being　too　late。　　They　started　up；　Guy　threw　down　his　

roses；　caught　Amy's　hand　and　pressed　it；　while　she　bent　down　her　head；　

hiding　the　renewed　blush；　he　dashed　out　of　the　room；　and　up　to　his　own；　

while　Mrs。　Edmonstone　and　Charlotte　hurried　down。　　In　another　second；　

he　was　back　again；　and　once　more　Amy　felt　the　pressure　of　his　hand　on　

hers



'Good…bye！'　he　said；　and　she　whispered　another　'Good…bye！'　the　only　

words　she　had　spoken。



One　moment　more　he　lingered；



'My　Verena！'　said　he；　but　the　hurrying　sounds　in　the　hall　warned　him

he　sprang　down　to　the　drawing…room。　　Even　Charles　was　on　the　alert；　

standing；　leaning　against　the　table；　and　looking　eager；　but　Guy　had　not　

time　to　let　him　speak；　he　only　shook　hands；　and　wished　good…bye；　with　a　

sort　of　vehement　agitated　cordiality；　concealed　by　his　haste。



'Where's　Amy？'　cried　Charlotte。　　'Amy！　　Is　not　she　coming　to　wish　him　

good…bye？'



He　said　something；　of　which　'up…stairs'　was　the　only　audible　word；　held　

Mrs。　Edmonstone's　hand　fast；　while　she　said；　in　a　low　voice'You　shall　

hear　from　papa　to…morrow；'　then　sprung　on　his　horse；　and　looked　up。　　

Amy　was　at　the　window；　he　saw　her　head　bending　forward；　under　its　veil　

of　curls；　in　the　midst　of　the　roses　round　the　lattice；　their　eyes　met　

once　more；　he　gave　one　beamy　smile；　then　rode　off　at　full　speed；　with　

Bustle　racing　after　him；　while　Amy　threw　herself　on　her　knees　by　her　

bed；　and　with　hands　clasped　over　her　face；　prayed　that　she　might　be　

thankful　enough；　and　never　be　unworthy　of　him。



Every　one　wanted　to　get　rid　of　every　one　else　except　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　

for　all　but　Charlotte　guessed　at　the　state　of　the　case；　and　even　she　

perceived　that　something　was　going　on。　　Lady　Eveleen　was　in　a　state　of　

great　curiosity；　but　she　had　mercy；　she　knew　that　they　must　tell　each　

other　before　it　came　to　her　turn；　and　very　good…naturedly　she　invited　

Charlotte　to　come　into　the　garden　with　her；　and　kept　her　out　of　the　way　

by　a　full　account　of　her　last　fancy　ball；　given　with　so　much　spirit　and　

humour　that　Charlotte　could　not　help　attending。



Charles　and　Laura　gained　little　by　this　kind　manoeuvre；　for　their　

mother　was　gone　up　again　to　Amy；　and　they　could　only　make　a　few　

conjectures。　　Charles　nursed　his　right　hand；　and　asked　Laura　how　hers　

felt？　　She　looked　up　from　her　work；　to　which　she　had　begun　to　apply　

herself　diligently；　and　gazed　at　him　inquiringly；　as　if　to　see　whether　

he　intended　anything。



'For　my　part；'　he　added；　'I　certainly　thought　he　meant　to　carry　off　the　

hands　of　some　of　the　family。'



'I　suppose　we　shall　soon　hear　it　explained；'　said　Laura；　quietly。



'Soon！　　If　I　had　an　many　available　1egs　as　you；　would　I　wait　for　other　

people's　soon？'



'I　should　think　she　had　rather　be　left　to　mamma；'　said　Laura；　going　on　

with　her　work。



'Then　you　do　think　there　is　something　in　it？'　said　Charles；　peering　up　

in　her　face；　but　he　saw　he　was　teasing　her；　recollected　that　she　had　

long　seemed　out　of　spirits；　and　forbore　to　say　any　more。　　He　was；　

however；　too　impatient　to　remain　longer　quiet；　and　presently　Laura　saw　

him　adjusting　his　crutches。



'O　Charlie！　　I　am　sure　it　will　only　be　troublesome。'



'I　am　going　to　my　own　room；'　said　Charles；　hopping　off。　　'I　presume　you　

don't　wish　to　forbid　that。'



His　room　had　a　door　into　the　dressing…room；　so　that　it　was　an　excellent　

place　for　discovering　all　from　which　they　did　not　wish　to　exclude　him；　

and　he　did　not　believe　he　should　be　unwelcome；　for　though　he　might　

pretend　it　was　all　fun　and　curiosity；　he　heartily　loved　his　little　Amy。



The　tap　of　his　crutches；　and　the　slow　motion　with　which　he　raised　

himself　from　step　to　step；　was　heard；　and　Amy；　who　was　leaning　against　

her　mother；　started　up；　exclaiming



'0　mamma；　here　comes　Charlie！　　May　I　tell　him？　　I　am　sure　I　can't　meet　

him　without。'



'I　suspect　he　has　guessed　it　already；'　said　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　going　to　

open　the　door；　just　as　he　reached　the　head　of　the　stairs；　and　then　

leaving　them。



'Well；　Amy；'　said　he；　looking　full　at　her　carnation　cheeks；　'are　you　

prepared　to　see　me　turn　lead…coloured；　and　fall　into　convulsions；　like　

the　sister　with　the　spine　complaint？'



'0　Charlie！　　You　know　it。　　But　how？'



Amy　was　helping　him　to　the　sofa；　laid　him　down；　and　sat　by　him　on　the　

old　footstool；　he　put　his　arm　round　her　neck；　and　she　rested　her　head　

on　his　shoulder。



'Well；　Amy；'　I　give　you　joy；　my　small　woman；'　said　he；　talking　the　more　

nonsense　because　of　the　fullness　in　his　throat；　'and　I　hope　you　give　me　

credit　for　amazing　self…denial　in　so　doing。'



'0　Charliedear　Charlie！'　and　she　kissed　him；　she　could　not　blush　

more；　poor　little　thing；　for　she　had　already　reached　her　utmost　

capability　of　redness'it　is　no　such　thing。'



'No　such　thing？　　What　has　turned　you　into　a　turkey…cock　all　at　once　or　

what　made　him　nearly　squeeze　off　my　unfortunate　fingers？　　No　such　

thing；　indeed！'



'I　meanI　mean；　it　is　not　_that_。　　We　are　so　very　young；　and　I　am　so　

silly。'



'Is　that　his　reason？'



'You　must　make　me　so　much　better　and　wiser。　　Oh；　if　I　could　but　be　good　

enough！'



For　that　matter；　I　don't　think　any　one　else　would　be　good　enough　to　

take　care　of　such　a　silly　little　thing。　　But　what　is　the　that；　that　it　

is；　or　is　not？'



'Nothing　now；　only　when　we　are　older。　　At　least；　you　know　papa　has　not　

heard　it。'



'Provided　my