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the heir of redclyffe-第92部分

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'I shall be on the high seas!'



'Oh yes; that is horrid!  But you don't sail with the regiment; I 

think; Captain Morville。  You surely go?'



'I am not certain;' said Philip; especially disgusted by hearing of the 

splendour; and thinking that he had supposed Guy would have had more 

sense; and it showed how silly Amy really was; since she was evidently 

only anxious to enjoy the full paraphernalia of a bride。



'Not certain!' exclaimed Maurice and Eveleen; in a breath。



'I am not sure that I shall have time。  You know I have been intending 

to make a walking tour through Switzerland before joining at Corfu。'



'And you really would prefer going by yourself〃apart; unfriended; 

melancholy; slow。〃'



'Very slow; indeed;' said Maurice。



'A wedding is a confused melancholy affair;' said Philip。 'You know I 

am no dancing man; Lady Eveleen; one individual like myself can make 

little difference to persons engrossed with their own affairs; I can 

wish my cousins well from a distance as well as at hand; and though 

they have been kind enough to ask me; I think that while their house is 

overflowing with guests of more mark; my room will be preferred to my 

company。'



'Then you do not mean to go?' said Lady Kilcoran。  'I do not;' she 

continued; 'for my health is never equal to so much excitement; and it 

would only be giving poor Mrs。 Edmonstone additional trouble to have to 

attend to me。'



'So you really mean to stay away?' said Eveleen。



'I have not entirely decided。'



'At any rate you must go and tell old Aunt Mabel all about them;' said 

Eveleen。  'She is so delighted。  You will be quite worshipped; at the 

cottage; for the very name of Morville。  I spend whole hours in 

discoursing on Sir Guy's perfections。'



Philip could not refuse; but his feelings towards Guy were not warmed 

by the work he had to go through; when conducted to the cottage; where 

lived old Lady Mabel Edmonstone and her daughter; and there required to 

dilate on Guy's excellence。  He was not wanted to speak of any of the 

points where his conscience would not let him give a favourable report; 

it was quite enough for him to tell of Guy's agreeable manners and 

musical talents; and to describe the beauty and extent of Redclyffe。  

Lady Mabel and Miss Edmonstone were transported; and the more Philip 

saw of the light and superficial way in which the marriage was 

considered; the more unwilling he became to confound himself with such 

people by eagerness to be present at it; and to join in the 

festivities。  Yet he exercised great forbearance in not allowing one 

word of his disapproval or misgivings to escape him; no censure was 

uttered; and Lady Eveleen herself could not make out whether he 

rejoiced or not。  He was grave and philosophical; superior to 

nonsensical mirth; that was all that she saw; and he made himself very 

agreeable throughout his visit; by taking condescending interest in all 

that was going on; and especially to Lady Eveleen; by showing that he 

thought her worthy of rational converse。



He made himself useful; as usual。  Lord Kilcoran wanted a tutor for his 

two youngest boys; and it had been proposed to send them to Mr。 

Wellwood; at his curacy at Coombe Prior。  He wished to know what 

Captain Morville thought of the plan; and Philip; thinking that Mr。 

Wellwood had been very inattentive to Guy's proceedings at St。 

Mildred's; though he would not blame him; considered it very fortunate 

that he had a different plan to recommend。  One of the officers of his 

regiment had lately had staying with him a brother who had just left 

Oxford; and was looking out for a tutorship; a very clever and 

agreeable young man; whom he liked particularly; and he strongly 

advised Lord Kilcoran to keep his sons under his own eye; and place 

them under the care of this gentleman。  His advice; especially when 

enforced by his presence; was almost sure to prevail; and thus it was 

in the present case。



The upshot of his visit was; that he thought worse and worse of the 

sense of the whole Edmonstone connection;considered that it would be 

of no use for him to go to Hollywell;adhered to his second 

resolution; and wrote to his uncle a calm and lofty letter; free from 

all token of offence; expressing every wish for the happiness of Guy 

and Amabel; and thanking his uncle for the invitation; which; however; 

he thought it best to decline; much as he regretted losing the 

opportunity of seeing Hollywell and its inhabitants again。  His 

regiment would sail for Corfu either in May or June; but he intended; 

himself; to travel on foot through Germany and Italy; and would write 

again before quitting Ireland。



'So;' said Charles; 'there were at the marriage the Picanninies; and 

the Joblillies; and the Garryulies; but not the grand Panjandrum 

himself。'



'Nor the little round button at top!' rejoined Charlotte。



'Well; it's his own look out;' said Mr。 Edmonstone。  'It is of a piece 

with all the rest。'



'I am sure we don't want him;' said Charlotte。



'Not in this humour;' said her mother。



Amy said nothing; and if she did not allow herself to avow that his 

absence was a relief; it was because she saw it was a grief and 

disappointment to Guy。



Laura was; of course; very much mortified;almost beyond the power of 

concealment。  She thought he would have come for the sake of seeing 

her; and she had reckoned so much on this meeting that it was double 

vexation。  He did not know what he was missing by not coming; and she 

could not inform him; for writing to him was impossible; without the 

underhand dealings to which they would never; either of them; have 

recourse。  So much for herself; and his perseverance in disapproval; in 

spite of renewed explanation; made her more anxious and sorry on Amy's 

account。  Very mournful were poor Laura's sensations; but there was no 

remedy but to try to bewilder and drive them away in the bustle of 

preparation。



Guy had to go and take his degree; and then return to make his own 

preparations at Redclyffe。  Amy begged him; as she knew he would like; 

to leave things alone as much as possible; for she could not bear old 

places to be pulled to pieces to suit new…comers; and she should like 

to find it just as he had been used to it。



He smiled; and said; 'It should only be made habitable。'  She must have 

a morning…room; about which he would consult Mrs。 Ashford: and he would 

choose her piano himself。  The great drawing…room had never been 

unpacked since his grandmother's time; so that must be in repair; and; 

as for a garden; they would lay it out together。  There could not be 

much done; for though they did not talk of it publicly; lest they 

should shock Mr。 Edmonstone; they meant to go home directly after their 

marriage。



To Oxford; then; went Guy; his second letter announced that he had done 

tolerably well on his examination; and it came round to the 

Edmonstones; that it was a great pity he had not gone up for honours; 

as he would certainly have distinguished himself。



Redclyffe was; of course; in a state of great excitement at the news 

that Sir Guy was going to be married。  Markham was very grand with the 

letter that announced it; and could find nothing to grumble about but 

that the lad was very young; and it was lucky it was no worse。



Mrs。 Ashford was glad it was so good a connection; and obtained all the 

intelligence she could from James Thorndale; who spoke warmly of the 

Hollywell family in general; and; in particular; said that the young 

ladies looked after schools and poor people;that Miss Edmonstone was 

very handsome and clevera very superior person; but as to Miss 

Amabel; he did not know that there was anything to say about her。  She 

was just like other young ladies; and very attentive to her invalid 

brother。



Markham's enmity to Mr。 Ashford had subsided at the bidding of his 

master; and he informed him one day; with great cordiality; that Sir 

Guy would be at home the next。  He was to sleep that night at Coombe 

Prior; and ride to Redclyffe in the morning; and; to the great delight 

of the boys; it was at the parsonage door that he dismounted。



Mrs。 Ashford looked up in his bright face; and saw no more of the shade 

that had perplexed her last winter。  His cheeks were deeper red as she 

warmly shook hands with him; and then the children sprung upon him for 

their old games;the boys claiming his promise; with all their might; 

to take them out to the Shag。  She wondered when she should venture to 

talk to him about Miss Amabel。  He next went to find Markham; and met 

him before he reached his house。  Markham was too happy not to grant 

and grumble more than ever。



'Well; Sir Guy; so here you are!  You've lost no time about it; 

however。  A fine pair of young housekeepers; and a pretty example of 

early marriages for
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