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the heir of redclyffe-第34部分

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'So you think that is all you have to ask pardon for;' said Mr。 

Edmonstone。  'I advise you to study your apologies; for you are in 

pretty tolerable disgrace。'



'Indeed; I am very sorry;' said Guy; with such a change of countenance 

that Mr。 Edmonstone's good nature could not bear to see it。



'Oh; 'tis no concern of mine!  It would be going rather the wrong way; 

indeed; for you to be begging my pardon for all the care you've been 

taking of Charlie; but you had better consider what you have to say for 

yourself before you show your face at Broadstone。'



'No?' said Guy; puzzled for a moment; but quickly looking relieved; and 

laughing; 'What!  Broadstone in despair for want of me?'



'And we perfectly exhausted with answering questions as to what was 

become of Sir Guy。'



'Dreadful;' said Guy; now laughing heartily; in the persuasion that it 

was all a joke。



'0; Lady Eveleen; good morning; you are come in good time to give me 

the story of the ball; for no one else tells me one word about it。'



'Because you don't deserve it;' said she。  'I hope you have repented by 

this time。'



'If you want to make me repent; you should give me a very alluring 

description。'



'I shan't say one word about it; I shall send you to Coventry; as 

Maurice and all the regiment mean to do;' said Eveleen; turning away 

from him with a very droll arch manner of offended dignity。



'Hear; hear!  Eveleen send any one to Coventry!' cried Charles。  'See 

what the regiment say to you。' 



'Ay; when I am sent to Coventry?'



'0; Paddy; Paddy!' cried Charles; and there was a general laugh。



'Laura seems to be doing it in good earnest without announcing it;' 

added Charles; when the laugh was over; 'which is the worst sign of 

all。'



'Nonsense; Charles;' said Laura; hastily; then afraid she had owned to 

annoyance; she blushed and was angry with herself for blushing。



'Well; Laura; _do_ tell me who your partners were?'



Very provoking; thought Laura; that I cannot say what is so perfectly 

natural and ordinary; without my foolish cheeks tingling。  He may think 

it is because he is speaking to me。  So she hurried on: 'Maurice first; 

then Philip;' and then showed; what Amy and Eveleen thought; strange 

oblivion of the rest of her partners。



They proceeded into the history of the ball; and Guy thought no more of 

his offences till the following day; when he went to Broadstone。  

Coming back; he found the drawing…room full of visitors; and was 

obliged to sit down and join in the conversation; but Mrs。 Edmonstone 

saw he was inwardly chafing; as he betrayed by his inability to remain 

still; the twitchings of his forehead and lip; and a tripping and 

stumbling of the words on his tongue。  She was sure he wanted to talk 

to her; and longed to get rid of Mrs。 Brownlow; but the door was no 

sooner shut on the visitors; than Mr。 Edmonstone came in; with a long 

letter for her to read and comment upon。  Guy took himself out of the 

way of the consultation; and began to hurry up and down the terrace; 

until; seeing Amabel crossing the field towards the little gate into 

the garden; he went to open it for her。



She looked up at him; and exclaimed'Is anything the matter?'



'Nothing to signify;' he said; 'I was only waiting for your mother。  I 

have got into a mess; that is all。'



'I am sorry;' began Amy; there resting in the doubt whether she might 

inquire further; and intending not to burthen him with her company; any 

longer than till she reached the house door; but Guy went on;



'No; you have no occasion to be sorry; it is all my own fault; at 

least; if I was clear how it is my fault; I should not mind it so much。  

It is that ball。  I am sure I had not the least notion any one would 

care whether I was there or not。'



'I am sure we missed you very much。'



'You are all so kind; beside; I belong in a manner you; but what could 

it signify to any one else?  And here I find that I have vexed every 

one。'



'Ah!' said Amy; 'mamma said she was afraid it would give offence。'



'I ought to have attended to her。  It was a fit of self…will in 

managing myself;' said Guy; murmuring low; as if trying to find the 

real indictment; 'yet I thought it a positive duty; wrong every way。'



'What has happened?' said Amy; turning back with him; though she had 

reached the door。



'Why; the first person I met was Mr。 Gordon; and he spoke like your 

father; half in joke; and I thought entirely so; he said something 

about all the world being in such a rage; that I was a bold man to 

venture into Broadstone。  Then; while I was at Mr。 Lascelles'; in came 

Dr。 Mayerne。  'We missed you at the dinner;' he said; 'and I hear you 

shirked the ball; too。'  I told him how it was; and he said he was glad 

that was all; and advised me to go and call on Colonel Deane and 

explain。  I thought that the best wayindeed; I meant it before; and 

was walking to his lodgings when Maurice de Courcy met me。  'Ha!' he 

cries out; 'Morville!  I thought at least you would have been laid up 

for a month with the typhus fever!  As a friend; I advise you to go 

home and catch something; for it is the only excuse that will serve 

you。  I am not quite sure that it will not be high treason for me to be 

seen speaking to you。'  I tried to get at the rights of it; but he is 

such a harum…scarum fellow there was no succeeding。  Next I met 

Thorndale; who only bowed and passed on the other side of the street

sign enough how it was with Philip; so I thought it best to go at once 

to the Captain; and get a rational account of what was the matter。'



'Did you?' said Amy; who; though concerned and rather alarmed; had been 

smiling at the humorous and expressive tones with which he could not 

help giving effect to his narration。



'Yes。  Philip was at home; and veryvery'



'Gracious?' suggested Amy; as he hesitated for a word。



'Just so。  Only the vexatious thing was; that we never could succeed in 

coming to an understanding。  He was ready to forgive; but I could not 

disabuse him of an ideawhere he picked it up I cannot guessthat I 

had stayed away out of pique。  He would not even tell me what he 

thought had affronted me; though I asked him over and over again to be 

only straightforward; he declared I knew。'



'How excessively provoking!' cried Amy。  'You cannot guess what he 

meant?'



'Not the least in the world。  I have not the most distant suspicion。  

It was of no use to declare I was not offended with any one; he only 

looked in that way of his; as if he knew much better than I did myself; 

and told me he could make allowances。'



'Worse than all!  How horrid of him。'



'No; don't spoil me。  No doubt he thinks he has grounds; and my 

irritation was unjustifiable。  Yes; I got into my old way。  He 

cautioned me; and nearly made me mad!  I never was nearer coming to a 

regular outbreak。  Always the same!  Fool that I am。'



'Now; Guy; that is always your way; when other people are provoking; 

you abuse yourself。  I am sure Philip was so; with his calm assertion 

of being right。'



'The more provoking; the more trial for me。'



'But you endured it。  You say it was only _nearly_ an outbreak。  You 

parted friends?  I am sure of that。'



'Yes; it would have been rather too bad not to do that。'



'Then why do you scold yourself; when you really had the victory?'



'The victory will be if the inward feeling as well as the outward token 

is ever subdued。'



'0; that must be in time; of course。  Only let me hear how you got on 

with Colonel Deane。'



'He was very good…natured; and would have laughed it off; but Philip 

went with me; and looked grand; and begged in a solemn way that no more 

might be said。  I could have got on better alone; but Philip was very 

kind; or; as you say; gracious。'



'And provoking;' added Amy; 'only I believe you do not like me to say 

so。'



'It is more agreeable to hear you call him so at this moment than is 

good for me。  I have no right to complain; since I gave the offence。'



'The offence?'



'The absenting myself。'



'Oh! that you did because you thought it right。'



'I want to be clear that it was right。'



'What do you mean?' cried she; astonished。  'It was a great piece of 

self…denial; and I only felt it wrong not to be doing the same。'



'Nay; how should such creatures as you need the same discipline as I?'



She exclaimed to herself how far from his equal she washow weak; 

idle; and self…pleasing she felt herself to be; but she could not say 

sothe words would not come; and she only drooped her little head; 

humbled by his treating her as better than himself。



He proceeded:



'Something wrong I have done; and I want the clue。  Was it self…will in 

choosing discipline contrary to your mother's judgment?  Yet she could 

not know all。  I
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