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the heir of redclyffe-第51部分

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'Well; I am glad you are here; at any rate。  Here is the most 

extraordinary thing!  What possesses the boy I cannot guess。  Here's 

Guy writing to me forWhat do you think?  To send him a thousand 

pounds!'



'Hem!' said Philip in an expressive tone; yet; as if he was not very 

much amazed; 'no explanation; I suppose?'



'No; none at all。  Here; see what he says yourself。  No!  Yes; you 

may;' added Mr。 Edmonstone; with a rapid glance at the end of the 

letter;a movement; first to retain it; and then following his first 

impulse; with an unintelligible murmuring。



Philip read;





                                 'SOUTH MOOR; SEPT。 7th。



'MY DEAR MR; EDMONSTONE;

You will be surprised at the request I have to make you; after my 

resolution not to exceed my allowance。  However; this is not for my own 

expenses; and it will not occur again。  I should be much obliged to you 

to let me have £1000; in what manner you please; only I should be glad 

if it were soon。  I am sorry I am not at liberty to tell you what I 

want it for; but I trust to your kindness。  Tell Charlie I will write 

to him in a day or two; but; between our work; and walking to St。 

Mildred's for the letters; which we cannot help doing every day; the 

time for writing is short。  Another month; however; and what a holiday 

it will be!  Tell Amy she ought to be here to see the purple of the 

hills in the early morning; it almost makes up for having no sea。  The 

races have been making St。 Mildred's very gay; indeed; we laugh at 

Wellwood for having brought us here; by way of a quiet place。  I never 

was in the way of so much dissipation in my life。



                                 'Yours very affectionately;

                                              'GUY MORVILLE。'



'Well; what do you think of it?  What would you do in my placeeh; 

Philip!  What can he want of it; eh?' said Mr。 Edmonstone; tormenting 

his riding…whip; and looking up to study his nephew's face; which; with 

stern gravity in every feature; was bent over the letter; as if to 

weigh every line。  'Eh; Philip?' repeated Mr。 Edmonstone; several 

times; without obtaining an answer。



'This is no place for discussion;' at last said Philip; deliberately 

returning the letter。 'Come into the reading…room。  We shall find no 

one there at this hour。  Here we are。'



'Wellwellwell;' began Mr。 Edmonstone; fretted by his coolness to 

the extreme of impatience; 'what do you think of it?  He can't be after 

any mischief; 'tis not in the boy; whenwhen he is all butPooh! what 

am I saying?  Well; what do you think?'



'I am afraid it confirms but too strongly a report which I received 

yesterday。'



'From your sister?  Does she know anything about it?'



'Yes; from my sister。  But I was very unwilling to mention it; because 

she particularly requests that her name may not be used。  I came here 

to see whether you had heard of Guy lately; so as to judge whether it 

was needful to speak of it。  This convinces me; but I must beg; in the 

first instance; that you will not mention her; not even to my aunt。'



'Well; yes; very well。  I promise。  Only let me hear。'



'Young Harewood has; I fear; led him into bad company。  There can now 

be no doubt that he has been gambling。'



Philip was not prepared for the effect of these words。  His uncle 

started up; exclaiming'Gambling!  Impossible!  Some confounded 

slander!  I don't believe one word of it!  I won't hear such things 

said of him;' he repeated; stammering with passion; and walking 

violently about the room。  This did not last long; there was something 

in the unmoved way in which Philip waited till he had patience to 

listen; which gradually mastered him; his angry manner subsided; and; 

sitting down; he continued the argument; in a would…be…composed voice。



'It is utterly impossible!  Remember; he thinks himself bound not so 

much as to touch a billiard cue。'



'I could have thought it impossible; but for what I have seen of the 

way in which promises are eluded by persons too strictly bound;' said 

Philip。  'The moral force of principle is the only efficient pledge。'



'Principle!  I should like to see who has better principles than Guy!' 

cried Mr。 Edmonstone。  'You have said so yourself; fifty times; and 

your aunt has said so; and Charles。  I could as soon suspect myself。'  

He was growing vehement; but again Philip's imperturbability repressed 

his violence; and he asked; 'Well; what evidence have you?  Mind; I am 

not going to believe it without the strongest。  I don't know that I 

would believe my own eyes against him。'



'It is very sad to find such confidence misplaced;' said Philip。  'Most 

sincerely do I wish this could be proved to be a mistake; but this 

extraordinary request corroborates my sister's letter too fully。'



'Let me hear;' said Mr。 Edmonstone feebly。  Philip produced his letter; 

without reading the whole of it; for he could not bear the appearance 

of gossip and prying; and would not expose his sister; so he pieced it 

out with his own words; and made it sound far less discreditable to 

her。  It was quite enough for Mr。 Edmonstone; the accuracy of the 

details seemed to strike him dumb; and there was a long silence; which 

he broke by saying; with a deep sigh;



'Who could have thought it?  Poor little Amy!'



'Amy?' exclaimed Philip。



'Why; ay。  I did not mean to have said anything of it; I am sure; but 

they did it among them;' said Mr。 Edmonstone; growing ashamed; under 

Philip's eye; as of a dreadful piece of imprudence。  'I was out of the 

way at the time; but I could not refuse my consent; you know; as things 

stood then。'



'Do you mean to say that Amy is engaged to him?'



'Why; nonot exactly engaged; only on trial; you understand; to see if 

he will be steady。  I was at Broadstone; 'twas mamma settled it all。  

Poor little thing; she is very much in love with him; I do believe; but 

there's an end of everything now。'



'It is very fortunate this has been discovered in time;' said Philip。  

'Instead of pitying her; I should rejoice in her escape。'



'Yes;' said Mr。 Edmonstone; ruefully。  'Who could have thought it?'



'I am afraid the mischief is of long standing;' proceeded Philip; 

resolved; since he saw his uncle so grieved; to press him strongly; 

thinking that to save Amy from such a marriage was an additional 

motive。  'He could hardly have arrived at losing as much as a thousand 

pounds; all at once; in this month at St。 Mildred's。  Depend upon it; 

that painful as it may be at present; there is great reason; on her 

account; to rejoice in the discovery。  You say he has never before 

applied; to you for money?'



'Not a farthing beyond his allowance; except this unlucky thirty 

pounds; for his additional expense of the tutor and the lodging。'



'You remember; however; that he has always seemed short of money; never 

appeared able to afford himself any little extra expense。  You have 

noticed it; I know。  You remember; too;  how unsatisfactory his reserve 

about his proceedings in London has been; and how he has persisted in 

delaying there; in spite of all warnings。  The work; no doubt; began 

there; under the guidance of his uncle; and now the St。 Mildred's races 

and Tom Harewood have continued it。'



'I wish he had never set foot in the place!'



'Nay; for Amy's sake; the exposure is an advantage; if not for his own。  

The course must have been long since begun; but he contrived to avoid 

what could lead to inquiry; till he has at length involved himself in 

some desperate scrape。  You see; he especially desires to have the 

money _soon_; and he never even attempts to say you would approve of 

the object。



'Yes; he has the grace not to say that。'



'Altogether; it is worse than I could have thought possible;' said 

Philip。  I could have believed him unstable and thoughtless; but the 

concealment; and the attempting to gain poor Amy's affections in the 

midst of such a course'



'Ay; ay!' cried Mr。 Edmonstone; now fully provoked; 'there is the 

monstrous part。  He thought I was going to give up my poor little girl 

to a gambler; did he? but he shall soon see what I think of him;

riches; Redclyffe; title; and all!'



'I knew that would be your feeling。'



'Feel!  Yes; and he shall feel it; too。  So; Sir Guy; you thought you 

had an old fool of a guardian; did you; whom you could blind as you 

pleased? but you shall soon see the difference!'



'Better begin cautiously;' suggested Philip。  'Remember his unfortunate 

temper; and write coolly。'



'Coolly?  You may talk of coolness; but 'tis enough to make one's blood 

boil to be served in such a way。  With the face to be sending her 

messages in the very same letter!  That is a pass beyond me; to stand 

coolly to see my daughter so treated。'



'I would only give him the opportuni
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