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the heir of redclyffe-第82部分

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and Markham in London on Easter Tuesday。  'If you will clear up the 

gambling story;' he wrote; 'all may yet be well。'



Guy sighed as he laid aside the letter。  'All in vain; kind Charlie;' 

said he to himself; 'vain as are my attempts to keep my poor uncle from 

sinking himself further!  Is it fair; though;' continued he; with 

vehemence; 'that the happiness of at least one life should be 

sacrificed to hide one step in the ruin of a man who will not let 

himself be saved?  Is it not a waste of self…devotion?  Have I any 

right to sacrifice hers?  Ought I not rather'and a flash of joy came 

over him'to make my uncle give me back my promise of concealment?  I 

can make it up to him。  It cannot injure him; since only the 

Edmonstones will know it!  But'and he pressed his lips firmly 

together'is this the spirit I have been struggling for this whole 

winter?  Did I not see that patient waiting and yielding is fit penance 

for my violence。  It would be ungenerous。  I will wait and bear; 

contented that Heaven knows my innocence at least in this。  For her; 

when at my best I dreaded that my love might bring sorrow on herhow 

much more now; when I have seen my doom face to face; and when the 

first step towards her would be what I cannot openly and absolutely 

declare to be right?  That would be the very means of bringing the 

suffering on her; and I should deserve it。'



Guy quitted these thoughts to write to Markham to make the appointment; 

finishing his letter with a request that Markham would stop at St。 

Mildred's on his way to London; and pay Miss Wellwood; the lady with 

whom his uncle's daughter was placed; for her quarter's board。  'I hope 

this will not be a very troublesome request;' wrote Guy; 'but I know 

you had rather I did it in this way; than disobey your maxims; as to 

not sending money by the post。'



The time before the day of meeting was spent in strengthening himself 

against the pain it would be to refuse his confidence to Mr。 

Edmonstone; and thus to throw away the last chance of reconciliation; 

and of Amy。  This would be the bitterest pang of allto see them ready 

to receive him; and he forced to reject their kindness。



So passed the preceding week; and with it his twenty…first birthday; 

spent very differently from the way in which it would ordinarily be 

passed by a youth in his position。  It went by in hard study and sad 

musings; in bracing himself to a resolution that would cost him all he 

held dear; and; as the only means of so bracing himself; in trying to 

fix his gaze more steadily beyond the earth。



Easter day steadied the gaze once more for him; and as the past week 

had nerved him in the spirit of self…sacrifice; the feast day brought 

him true unchanging joy; shining out of sadness; and enlightening the 

path that would lead him to keep his resolution to the utmost; and 

endure the want of earthly hope。









CHAPTER 25







Already in thy spirit thus divine;

Whatever weal or woe betide;

Be that high sense of duty still thy guide;

And all good powers will aid a soul like thine。SOUTHEY





'Now for it!' thought Guy; as he dismissed his cab; and was shown up…

stairs in the hotel。  'Give me the strength to withstand!'



The door was opened; and he beheld Mr。 Edmonstone; Markham; and 

anotherit surely was Sebastian Dixon!  All sprung up to receive him; 

and Mr。 Edmonstone; seizing him by both hands; exclaimed



'Here he is himself!  Guy; my boy; my dear boy; you are the most 

generous fellow in the world!  You have been used abominably。  I wish 

my two hands had been cut off before I was persuaded to write that 

letter; but it is all right now。  Forget and forgiveeh; Guy?  You'll 

come home with me; and we will write this very day for Deloraine。'



Guy was almost giddy with surprise。  He held one of Mr。 Edmonstone's 

hands; and pressed it hard; his other hand he passed over his eyes; as 

if in a dream。  'All right?' he repeated。



'All right!' said Mr。 Edmonstone。  'I know where your money went; and I 

honour you for it; and there stands the man who told me the whole 

story。  I said; from the first; it was a confounded slander。  It was 

all owing to the little girl。'



Guy turned his face in amazement towards his uncle; who was only 

waiting to explain。   'Never till this morning had I the least 

suspicion that I had been the means of bringing you under any 

imputation。  How could you keep me in ignorance?'



'You have told'



'Of the cheque;' broke in Mr。 Edmonstone; 'and of all the rest; and of 

your providing for the little girl。  How could you do it with that 

pittance of an allowance of yours?  And Master Philip saying you never 

had any money!  No wonder; indeed!'



'If I had known you were pinching yourself;' said Dixon; 'my mind would 

have revolted'



'Let me understand it;' said Guy; grasping the back of a chair。  'Tell 

me; Markham。  Is it really so?  Am I cleared?  Has Mr。 Edmonstone a 

right to be satisfied?'



'Yes; Sir Guy;' was Markham's direct answer。  'Mr。 Dixon has accounted 

for your disposal of the thirty pound cheque; and there is an end of 

the matter。'



Guy drew a long breath; and the convulsive grasp of his fingers 

relaxed。



'I cannot thank you enough!' said he to his uncle; then to Mr。 

Edmonstone; 'how is Charles?'



'Bettermuch better; you shall see him to…morroweh; Guy?'



'But I cannot explain about the one thousand pounds。'



'Never mindyou never had it; so you can't have misspent it。  That's 

neither here nor there。'



'And you forgive my language respecting you?'



'Nonsense about that!  If you never said anything worse than that 

Philip was a meddling coxcomb; you haven't much to repent of; and I am 

sure I was ten old fools when I let him bore me into writing that 

letter。'



'No; no; you did right under your belief; and circumstances were strong 

against me。  And is it clear?  Are we where we were before?'



'We arewe are in everything; only we know better what you are worth; 

Guy。  Shake hands once more。  There's an end of all misunderstanding 

and vexation; and we shall be all right at home again!'



The shake was a mighty one。  Guy shaded his face for a moment or two; 

and then said



'It is too much。  I don't understand it。  How did you know this matter 

wanted explanation?' said he; turning to his uncle。



'I learnt it from Mr。 Markham; and you will do me the justice to 

believe; that I was greatly shocked to find that your generosity'



'The truth of the matter is this;' said Markham。  'You sent me to Miss 

Wellwood's; at St。 Mildred's。  The principal was not within; and while 

waiting for her to make the payment; I got into conversation with her 

sister; Miss Jane。  She told me that the child; Mr。 Dixon's daughter; 

was always talking of your kindness; especially of a morning at St。 

Mildred's; when you helped him in some difficulty。  I thought this 

threw some light on the matter; found out Mr。 Dixon this morning; and 

you see the result。'



'I do; indeed;' said Guy; 'I wish I could attempt to thank you all。'



'Thanks enough for me to see you look like yourself;' said Markham。  

'Did you think I was going to sit still and leave you in the mess you 

had got yourself into; with your irregularity about keeping your 

accounts?'



'And to you;' said Guy; looking at his uncle; as if it was especially 

pleasant to be obliged to him。  'You never can guess what I owe to 

you!'



'Nay; I deserve no thanks at all;' said Sebastian; 'since I was the 

means of bringing the imputation on you; and I am sure it is enough for 

a wretch like me; not to have brought only misery wherever I turnto 

have done something to repair the evil I have caused。  Oh; could I but 

bring back your father to what he was when first I saw him as you are 

now!'



He was getting into one of those violent fits of self…reproach; at once 

genuine and theatrical; of which Guy had a sort of horror; and it was 

well Mr。 Edmonstone broke in; like comedy into tragedy。



'Come; what's past can't be helped; and I have no end of work to be 

done; so there's speechifying enough for once。  Mr。 Dixon; you must not 

be going。  Sit down and look over the newspaper; while we sign these 

papers。  You must dine with us; and drink your nephew's health; though 

it is not his real birthday。'



Guy was much pleased that Mr。 Edmonstone should have given this 

invitation; as well as with the consideration Markham had shown for 

Dixon in his narration。  Mr。 Dixon; who had learnt to consider parents 

and guardians as foes and tyrants; stammered and looked confused and 

enraptured; but it appeared that he could not stay; for he had a 

professional engagement。  He gave them an exhortation to come to the 

concert where he was employed; and grew so ardent in his description of 

it; that Guy could have wished to 
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