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the heir of redclyffe-第18部分

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Christian。'



'He does remember it!' said Amy; raising her eyes to his face; and then 

casting them down; blushing at having understood his countenance; 

where; in the midst of the gloomy shades; there rested for an instant 

the gleam which her mother had likened to the expression of Raffaelle's 

cherub。'



They walked on for some time in silence。  At last Laura exclaimed; 'Are 

you really like the portrait of this unfortunate Sir Hugh?'



Guy made a sign of assent。



'Oh!  It must have been taken before he grew wicked;' said Amy; and 

Laura felt the same conviction; that treacherous revenge could never 

have existed beneath so open a countenance; with so much of 

highmindedness; pure faith and contempt of wrong in every glance of the 

eagle eye; in the frank expansion of the smooth forehead。



They were interrupted by Mr。 Edmonstone's hearty voice; bawling across 

the garden for one of the men。  'O Guy! are you there?' cried he; as 

soon as he saw him。  'Just what I wanted!  Your gun; man!  We are going 

to ferret a rabbit。'



Guy ran off at full speed in search of his gun; whistling to Bustle。  

Mr。 Edmonstone found his man; and the sisters were again alone。



'Poor fellow!' said Laura。



'You will not tell all this to Philip?' said Amy。



'It would show why he was hurt; and it can be no secret。'



'I dare say you are right; but I have a feeling against it。  Well; I am 

glad he had not seen the ghost!'



The two girls had taken their walk; and were just going in; when; 

looking round; they saw Philip walking fast and determinedly up the 

approach; and as they turned back to meet him; the first thing he said 

was; 'Where is Guy?'



'Ferreting rabbits with papa。  What is the matter?'



'And where is my aunt?'



Driving out with Charles and Charlotte。  What is the matter?'



'Look here。  Can you tell me the meaning of this which I found on my 

table when I came in this morning?'



It was a card of Sir Guy Morville; on the back of which was written in 

pencil; 'Dear P。; I find hunting and reading don't agree; so take no 

further steps about the horse。  Many thanks for your trouble。G。M。'



'There;' said Philip; 'is the result of brooding all night on his 

resentment。'

'Oh no!' cried Laura; colouring with eagerness; 'you do not understand 

him。  He could not bear it last night; because; as he has been 

explaining to us; that old Sir Hugh's story was more shocking than we 

ever guessed; and he has a fancy that their misfortunes are a family 

fate; and he could not bear to hear it spoken of lightly。'



'Oh!  He has been telling you his own story; has he?'



Laura's colour grew still deeper; 'If you had been there;' she said; 

'you would have been convinced。  Why will you not believe that he finds 

hunting interfere with reading?'



'He should have thought of that before;' said 〃Philip。 



'Here have I half bought the horse!  I have wasted the whole morning on 

it; and now I have to leave it on the man's hands。  I had a dozen times 

rather take it myself; if I could afford it。  Such a bargain as I had 

made; and such an animal as you will not see twice in your life。'



'It is a great pity;' said Laura。  'He should have known his own mind。  

I don't like people to give trouble for nothing。'



'Crazy about it last night; and giving it up this morning!  A most 

extraordinary proceeding。  No; no; Laura; this is not simple 

fickleness; it would be too absurd。  It is temper; temper; which makes 

a man punish himself; in hopes of punishing others。 



Laura still spoke for Guy; and Amy rejoiced; for if her sister had not 

taken up the defence of the absent; she must; and she felt too strongly 

to be willing to speak。  It seemed too absurd for one feeling himself 

under such a doom to wrangle about a horse; yet she was somewhat amused 

by the conviction that if Guy had really wished to annoy Philip he had 

certainly succeeded。



There was no coming to an agreement。  Laura's sense of justice revolted 

at the notion of Guy's being guilty of petty spite; while Philip; firm 

in his preconceived idea of his character; and his own knowledge of 

mankind; was persuaded that he had imputed the true motive; and was 

displeased at Laura's attempting to argue the point。  He could not wait 

to see any one else; as he was engaged to dine out; and he set off 

again at his quick; resolute pace。



'He is very unfair!' exclaimed Amy。



'He did not mean to be so;' said Laura; 'and though he is mistaken in 

imputing such motives; Guy's conduct has certainly been vexatious。'



They were just turning to go in; when they were interrupted by the 

return of the carriage; and before Charles had been helped up the 

steps; their father and Guy came in sight。  While Guy went to shut up 

Bustle; who was too wet for the drawing…room; Mr。 Edmonstone came up to 

the others; kicking away the pebbles before him; and fidgeting with his 

gloves; as he always did when vexed。



'Here's a pretty go!' said he。  'Here is Guy telling me he won't hunt 

any more!'



'Not hunt!' cried Mrs。 Edmonstone and Charles at once; 'and why?'



'Oh! something about its taking his mind from his reading; but that 

can't be itimpossible; you know; I'd give ten pounds to know what has 

vexed him。  So keen as he was about it last night; and I vow; one of 

the best riders in the whole field。  Giving up that horse; tooI 

declare it is a perfect sin!  I told him he had gone too far; and he 

said he had left a note with Philip this morning。'



'Yes;' said Laura; Philip has just been here about it。  Guy left a 

card; saying; hunting and reading would not agree。'



'That is an excuse; depend upon it;' said Mr。 Edmonstone。  'Something 

has nettled him; I am sure。  It could not be that Gordon; could it; 

with his hail…fellow…well…met manner?  I thought Guy did not half like 

it the other day; when he rode up with his 〃Hollo; Morville!〃  The 

Morvilles have a touch of pride of their own; eh; mamma?'



'I should be inclined to believe his own account of himself;' said she。



'I tell you; 'tis utterly against reason;' said Mr。 Edmonstone; 

angrily。  'If he was a fellow like Philip; or James Ross; I could 

believe it; but hehe make a book…worm!  He hates it; like poison; at 

the bottom of his heart; I'll answer for it; and the worst of it is; 

the fellow putting forward such a fair reason one can'tbeing his 

guardian; and allsay what one thinks of it oneself。  Eh; mamma?'



'Not exactly;' said Mrs。 Edmonstone; smiling。



'Well; you take him in hand; mamma。  I dare say he will tell you the 

rights of it; and if it is only that Gordon; explain it rightly to him; 

show him 'tis only the man's way; tell him he treats me so for ever; 

and would the Lord…Lieutenant if he was in it。'



'For a' that and a' that;' said Charles; as Amy led him into the 

drawing…room。



'You are sure the reading is the only reason?' said Amy。' 



'He's quite absurd enough for it;' said Charles; but 'absurd' was 

pronounced in a way that made its meaning far from annoying even to 

Guy's little champion。



Guy came in the next moment; and running lightly up…stairs after Mrs。 

Edmonstone; found her opening the dressing…room door; and asked if he 

might come in。



'By all means;' she said; 'I am quite ready for one of our twilight 

talks。'



'I am afraid I have vexed Mr。 Edmonstone;' began Guy; 'and I am very 

sorry。'



'He was only afraid that something might have occurred to vex you; 

which you might not like to mention to him;' said Mrs。 Edmonstone; 

hesitating a little。



'Me!  What could I have done to make him think so?  I am angry with no 

one but myself。  The fact is only this; the hunting is too pleasant; it 

fills up my head all day and all night; and I don't attend rightly to 

anything else。  If I am out in the morning and try to pay for it at 

night; it will not do; I can but just keep awake and that's all; the 

Greek letters all seem to be hunting each other; the simplest things 

grow difficult; and at last all I can think of; is how near the minute 

hand of my watch is near to the hour I have set myself。  So; for the 

last fortnight; every construing with Mr。 Lascelles has been worse than 

the last; and as to my Latin verses; they were beyond everything 

shocking; so you see there is no making the two things agree; and the 

hunting must wait till I grow steadier; if I ever do。  Heigho!  It is a 

great bore to be so stupid; for I thoughtBut it is of no use to talk 

of it!'



'Mr。 Edmonstone would be a very unreasonable guardian; indeed; to be 

displeased;' said his friend; smiling。  You say you stopped the 

purchase of the horse。  Why so?  Could you not keep him till you are 

more sure of yourself?'



'Do you think I might?' joyously exclaimed Guy。  'I'll write to Philip 

this minute by the post。  Such a splendid creature: it w
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