the heir of redclyffe- 第78部分

all　the　winter；　you　would　perceive　my　superhuman　generosity　in　not　

receiving　you　as　my　greatest　enemy。'



'I　shall　soon　cease　to　be　surprised　at　any　superhuman　generosity；'　said　

Guy。　　'But　how　thin　you　are；　Charlie；　you　are　a　very　feather　to　carry；　

I　had　no　notion　it　had　been　such　a　severe　business。'



'Most　uncommon！'　said　Charles；　shaking　his　head；　with　a　mock　solemnity。



'It　was　the　worst　of　all；'　said　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　'six　weeks　of　constant　

pain。'



'How　very　sorry　Philip　must　have　been！'　exclaimed　Guy。



'Philip？'　said　Charlotte。



'Why；　was　it　not　owing　to　him？　　Surely；　your　father　told　me　so。　　Did　

not　he　let　you　fall　on　the　stairs？'



'My　dear　father！'　exclaimed　Charles；　laughing；　every　disaster　that　

happens　for　the　next　twelvemonth　will　be　imputed　to　Philip。'



'How　was　it；　then？'　said　Guy。



'The　fact　was　this；'　said　Charles；　'it　was　in　the　thick　of　the　

persecution　of　you；　and　I　was　obliged　to　let　Philip　drag　me　upstairs；　

because　I　was　in　a　hurry。　　He　took　the　opportunity　of　giving　me　some　

impertinent　advice　which　I　could　not　stand。　　I　let　go　his　arm；　

forgetting　what　a　dependent　mortal　I　am；　and　down　I　should　assuredly　

have　gone；　if　he　had　not　caught　me；　and　carried　me　off；　as　a　fox　does　a　

goose；　so　it　was　his　fault；　as　one　may　say；　in　a　moral；　though　not　in　a　

physical　sense。'



'Then；'　said　his　mother；　'you　do　think　your　illness　was　owing　to　that　

accident？'



'I　suppose　the　damage　was　brewing；　and　that　the　shake　brought　it　into　

an　active　state。　　There's　a　medical　opinion　for　you！'



'Well；　I　never　knew　what　you　thought　of　it　before；'　said　Mrs。　

Edmonstone。



'Why；　when　I　had　a　condor　to　pick　on　Guy's　account　with　Philip；　I　was　

not　going　to　pick　a　crow　on　my　own；'　said　Charles。　　'Oh！　is　luncheon　

ready；　and　you　all　going？　　I　never　see　anybody　now。　　I　want　the　story　

of　the　shipwreck；　though；　of　course；　Ben　What's…his…name　was　the　hero；　

and　Sir　Guy　Morville　not　a　bit　of　it。'



Laura　wanted　to　walk　to　East　Hill；　and　the　other　young　people　agreed　to　

go　thither；　too。



'It　will　be　nice　to　go　to　church　there　to…day'　said　Amy；　in　a　half…

whisper；　heard　only　by　Guy；　and　answered　by　a　look　that　showed　how　well　

he　understood　and　sympathized。



'Another　thing；'　said　Amy；　colouring　a　good　deal；　'shall　you　mind　my　

telling　Mary？　　I　behaved　so　oddly　last　night；　and　she　was　so　kind　to　me　

that　I　think　I　ought。'



Mary　had　seen　enough　last　night　to　be　very　curious　to…day；　though　

hardly　expecting　her　curiosity　to　be　gratified。　　However；　as　she　was　

putting　on　her　bonnet　for　church；　she　looked　out　of　her　window；　and　saw　

the　four　coming　across　the　fields　from　Hollywell。　　Guy　and　Amy　did　not　

walk　into　the　village　arm…in…arm；　　but；　as　they　came　under　the　church　

porch；　Guy；　unseen　by　all　held　out　his　hand；　sought　hers；　and；　for　one　

moment；　pressed　it　fervently。　　Amy　knew　he　felt　this　like　their　

betrothal。



After　the　service；　they　stood　talking　with　Mr。　Ross　and　Mary；　for　some　

little　time。　　Amy　held　apart；　and　Mary　saw　how　it　was。　　As　they　were　

about　to　turn　homewards；　Amy　said　quickly；　'Come　and　walk　a　little　way　

home　with　me。'



She　went　on　with　Mary　before　the　rest；　and　when　out　of　sight　of　them　

all；　said；　'Mary！'　and　then　stopped　short。



'I　guess　something；　Amy；'　said　Mary。



'Don't　tell　any　one　but　Mr。　Ross。'



'Then　I　have　guessed　right。　　My　dear　little　Amy；　I　am　very　glad！　　So　

that　was　the　reason　you　flew　out　of　the　room　last　evening；　and　looked　

so　bright　and　glowing！'



'It　was　so　good　of　you　to　ask　no　questions！'



'I　don't　think　I　need　ask　any　now；　Amy；　for　I　see　in　your　face　how　

right　and　happy　it　all　is。'



'I　can't　tell　you　all；　Mary；　but　I　must　one　thing；that　the　whole　

terrible　story　arose　from　his　helping　a　person　in　distress。　　I　like　you　

to　know　that。'



'Papa　was　always　sure　that　he　had　not　been　to　blame；'　said　Mary。



'Yes；　so　Charlie　told　me；　and　that　is　the　reason　I　wanted　you　to　know。'



'Then；　Amy；　something　of　this　had　begun　last　summer？'



'Yes；　but　not　as　it　is　now。　　I　did　not　half　know　what　it　was　then。'



'Poor　dear　little　Amy；'　said　Mary；　'what　a　very　sad　winter　it　must　have　

been　for　you！'



'Oh；　very！'　said　Amy；　'but　it　was　worse　for　him；　because　he　was　quite　

alone；　and　here　every　one　was　so　kind　to　me。　　Mamma　and　Laura；　and　poor　

Charlie；　through　all　his　illness　and　pain；　he　was　so　very　kind。　　And　do　

you　know；　Mary；　now　it　is　all　over；　I　am　very　glad　of　this　dismal　time；　

for　I　think　that　it　has　taught　me　how　to　bear　things　better。'



She　looked　very　happy。　　Yet　it　struck　Mary　that　it　was　strange　to　hear　

that　the　first　thought　of　a　newly…betrothed　maiden　was　how　to　brace　

herself　in　endurance。　　She　wondered；　however；　whether　it　was　not　a　more　

truly　happy　and　safe　frame　than　that　of　most　girls；　looking　forward　to　

a　life　of　unclouded　happiness；　such　as　could　never　be　realized。　　At　

least；　so　it　struck　Mary；　though　she　owned　to　herself　that　her　

experience　of　lovers　was　limited。



Mary　walked　with　Amy　almost　to　the　borders　of　Hollywell　garden；　and　

when　the　rest　came　up　with　them；　though　no　word　passed；　there　was　a　

great　deal　of　congratulation　in　her　warm　shake　of　Guy's　hand；　and　no　

lack　of　reply　in　his　proud　smile　and　reddening　cheek。　　Charlotte　could　

not　help　turning　and　going　back　with　her　a　little　way；　to　say；　'Are　not　

you　delighted；　Mary？　　Is　not　Amy　the　dearest　thing　in　the　world？　　And　

you　don't　know；　for　it　is　a　secret；　and　I　know　it；　how　very　noble　Guy　

has　been；　while　they　would　suspect　him。'



'I　am　very；　very　glad；　indeed！　　It　is　everything　delightful。'



'I　never　was　so　happy　in　my　life；'　said　Charlotte；　'nor　Charlie；　

either。　　Only　think　of　having　Guy　for　our　brother；　and　he　is　going　to　

send　for　Bustle　to…morrow。'



Mary　laughed；　and　parted　with　Charlotte；　speculating　on　the　cause　of　

Laura's　graver　looks。　　Were　they　caused　by　the　fear　of　losing　her　

sister；　or　by　a　want　of　confidence　in　Guy？



That　evening；　how　happy　was　the　party　at　Hollywell；　when　Charles　put　

Guy　through　a　cross…examination　on　the　shipwreck；　from　the　first　puff　

of　wind　to　the　last　drop　of　rain；　and　Guy　submitted　very　patiently；　

since　he　was　allowed　the　solace　of　praising　his　Redclyffe　fishermen。



Indeed；　this　time　was　full　of　tranquil；　serene　happiness。　　It　was　like　

the　lovely　weather　only　to　be　met　with　in　the　spring；　and　then　but　

rarely；　when　the　sky　is　cloudless；　and　intensely　blue；the　sunshine　

one　glow　of　clearness　without　burning；not　a　breath　of　wind　checks　the　

silent　growth　of　the　expanding　buds　of　light　exquisite　green。　　Such　

days　as　these　shone　on　Guy　and　Amabel；　looking　little　to　the　future；　or　

if　they　did　so　at　all；　with　a　grave；　peaceful　awe；　reposing　in　the　

present；　and　resuming　old　habits；singing；　reading；　gardening；　walking　

as　of　old；　and　that　intercourse　with　each　other　that　was　so　much　more　

than　ever　before。



It　was　more；　but　it　was　not　quite　the　same；　for　Guy　was　a　very　

chivalrous　lover；　the　polish　and　courtesy　that　sat　so　well　on　his　

frank；　truthful　manners；　were　even　more　remarkable　in　his　courtship。　　

His　ways　with　Amy　had　less　of　easy　familiarity　than　in　the　time　of　

their　brother…and…sister…like　intimacy；　so　that　a　stranger　might　have　

imagined　her　wooed；　not　won。　　It　was　as　if　he　hardly　dared　to　believe　

that　she　could　really　be　his　own；　and　treated　her　with　a　sort　of　

reverential　love　and　gentleness；　while　she　looked　up　to　him　with　ever…

increasing　honour。　　She　was　better　able　to　understand　him　now　than　in　

her　more　childish　days　last　summer；　and　she　did　not　merely　see；　as　

before；　that　she　was　looking　at　the　upper　surface　of　a　mystery。　　He　

had；　at　the　same　time；　grown　in　character；　his　excitability　and　over…

sensitiveness　seemed　to　have　been　smoothed　away；　and　to　have　given　

place　to　a　calmness　of　tone；　that　was　by　no　means　impassibility。



When　alone　with　Amy；　he　was　generally　very　grave；　often　silent　and　

meditative；　or　else　their　talk　was　deep　and　serious；　and　even　with　the　

family　he　was　less　merry　and　more　thoughtful　than　of　old；　though　very　

bright　and　animated；　and　showing　full；　free　affection　to　them　all；　as　

entirely　accepted　and　owned　as　one　of　them。



So；　indeed；　he　was。　　Mr。　Edmonstone；　with　his　intense　delight　in　

lovers；　patronized　them；　and　made　commonplace　jokes；　which　they　soon　

learnt　to　bear　without　much　discomposure。　　Mrs。　Edmonstone　was　all　that　

her　constant　appellation　of　'mamma'　betokened；　delighting　in　Guy's　

having　learnt　to　call　her　so。　　Charles　enjoyed　the　restoration　of　his　

friend；　the　sight　of　Amy's　happiness；　and　the　victory　over　Philip；　and　

was　growing　better　every　day。　　Charlotte　was　supremely　happy；　watching　

the　first　love　affair　ever　conducted　in　her　sight；　and　little　less　so　

in　the　return　of　Bustle；　who　resumed　his　old　habits　as　regularly　as　if　

he　had　only　left　Hollywell　yesterday。



Laura　alone　was　unhappy。　　She　did　not　understand　her　own　feelings；　but　

sad　at　heart　she　was；　with　only　one　who　could　sympathize　with　her；　and　

he　far　away；　and　the　current　of　feeling　setting　against　him。　　She　could　

not　conceal　her　depression；　and　was　obliged　to　allow　it　to　be　

attributed　to　the　grief　that　one　sister　must　feel　in　parting　with　

another；　and　as　her　compassion　for　her　little　Amy；　coupled　with　her　

dread　of　her　latent　jealousy；　made　her　particularly　tender　and　

affectionate；　it　gave　even　more　probability　to　the　supposition。　　This　

made　Guy；　who　felt　as　if　he　was　committing　a　robbery　on　them　all；　

particularly　kind　to　her；　as　if　he　wished　to　atone　for　the　injury　of　

taking　away　her　sister；　and　his　kindness　gave　her　additional　pain　at　

entertaining　such　hard　thoughts　of　him。



How　false　she　felt　when　she　was　pitied！　and　how　she　hated　the　

congratulations；　of　which　she　had　the　full　share！　　She　thought；　

however；　that　she　should　be　able　to　rejoice　when　she　had　heard　Philip's