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with whom I had to deal； yet you see how it is。'
'What did he say？' asked Charles。
'He said nothing； so far I give him credit； but he strode on furiously
for the last half mile； and this explosion is the finale。 I am very
sorry for him； poor boy； I beg no further notice may be taken of it。
Don't you want an arm； Charlie？'
'No thank you；' answered Charles； with a little surliness。
'You had better。 It really is too much for Amy；' said Philip； making a
move as if to take possession of him； as he arrived at the foot of the
stairs。
'Like the camellia； I suppose；' he replied； and taking his other crutch
from Charlotte； he began determinedly to ascend without assistance；
resolved to keep Philip a prisoner below him as long as he could； and
enjoying the notion of chafing him by the delay。 Certainly teasing
Philip was a dear delight to Charles； though it was all on trust； as；
if he succeeded； his cousin never betrayed his annoyance by look or
sign。
About a quarter of an hour after； there was a knock at the dressing…
room door。 'Come in；' said Mrs。 Edmonstone； looking up from her
letter…writing； and Guy made his appearance； looking very downcast。
'I am come；' he said； 'to ask pardon for the disturbance I made just
now。 I was so foolish as to be irritated at Philip's manner； when he
was giving me some good advice； and I am very sorry。'
'What has happened to your lip？' she exclaimed。
He put his handkerchief to it。 'Is it bleeding still？ It is a trick
of mine to bite my lip when I am vexed。 It seems to help to keep down
words。 There！ I have given myself a mark of this hateful outbreak。'
He looked very unhappy； more so； Mrs。 Edmonstone thought； than the
actual offence required。 'You have only failed in part；' she said。
'It was a victory to keep down words。'
'The feeling is the _thing_；' said Guy； 'besides； I showed it plainly
enough； without speaking。'
'It is not easy to take advice from one so little your elder；' began
Mrs。 Edmonstone； but he interrupted her。 'It was not the advice。 That
was very good； I' but he spoke with an effort；'I am obliged to him。
It wasno； I won't say what；' he added； his eyes kindling； then
changing in a moment to a sorrowful； resolute tone； 'Yes； but I _will_；
and then I shall make myself thoroughly ashamed。 It was his veiled
assumption of superiority； his contempt for all I have been taught。
Just as if he had not every right to despise me； with his talent and
scholarship； after such egregious mistakes as I had made in the
morning。 I gave him little reason to think highly of my attainments；
but let him slight me as much as he pleases； he must not slight those
who taught me。 It was not Mr。 Potts' fault。'
Even the name could not spoil the spirited sound of the speech； and
Mrs。 Edmonstone was full of sympathy。 'You must remember；' she said；
'that in the eyes of a man brought up at public school； nothing
compensates for the want of the regular classical education。 I have no
doubt it was very provoking。'
'I don't want to be excused； thank you；' said Guy。 'Oh I am grieved；
for I thought the worst of my temper had been subdued。 After all that
has passedall I feltI thought it impossible。 Is there no hope for…
…' He covered his face with his hands； then recovering and turning to
Mrs。 Edmonstone； he said； 'It is encroaching too much on your kindness
to come here and trouble you with my confessions。'
'No； no； indeed；' said she； earnestly。 'Remember how we agreed that
you should come to me like one of my own children。 And； indeed； I do
not see why you need grieve in this despairing way； for you almost
overcame the fit of anger； and perhaps you were off your guard because
the trial came in an unexpected way？'
'It did； it did；' he said； eagerly； 'I don't； mind being told point
blank that I am a dunce； but that Mr。 Pottsnay； by implicationmy
grandfather should be set at nought in that cool But here I am
again！' said he； checking himself in the midst of his vehemence； 'he
did not mean that； of course。 I have no one to blame but myself。'
'I am sure；' said Mrs； Edmonstone； 'that if you always treat your
failings in this way； you must subdue them at last。'
'It is all failing； and resolving； and failing again！' said Guy。
'Yes； but the failures become slighter and less frequent； and the end
is victory。'
'The end victory！' repeated Guy； in a musing tone； as he stood leaning
against the mantelshelf。
'Yes； to all who persevere and seek for help；' said Mrs Edmonstone； and
he raised his eyes and fixed them on her with an earnest look that
surprised her； for it was almost as if the hope came home to him as
something new。 At that moment； however； she was called away； and
directly after a voice in the next room exclaimed； 'Are you there； Guy？
I want an arm！' while he for the first time perceived that Charles's
door was ajar。
Charles thought all this a great fuss about nothing； indeed he was glad
to find there was anyone who had no patience with Philip； and in his
usual mischievous manner； totally reckless of the fearful evil of
interfering with the influence for good which it was to be hoped that
Philip might exert over Guy； he spoke thus： 'I begin to think the world
must be more docile than I have been disposed to give it credit for。
How a certain cousin of ours has escaped numerous delicate hints to
mind his own business is to me one of the wonders of the world。'
'No one better deserves that his advice should be followed；' said Guy；
with some constraint。
'An additional reason against it；' said Charles。 'Plague on that bell！
I meant to have broken through your formalities and had a candid
opinion of Don Philip before it rang。'
'Then I am glad of it； I could hardly have given you a candid opinion
just at present。'
Charles was vexed； but he consoled himself by thinking that Guy did not
yet feel himself out of his leading…strings； and was still on his good
behaviour。 After such a flash as this there was no fear； but there was
that in him which would create mischief and disturbance enough。
Charles was well principled at the bottom； and would have shrunk with
horror had it been set before him how dangerous might be the effect of
destroying the chance of a friendship between Guy and the only person
whose guidance was likely to be beneficial to him； but his idle；
unoccupied life； and habit of only thinking of things as they concerned
his immediate amusement； made him ready to do anything for the sake of
opposition to Philip； and enjoy the vague idea of excitement to be
derived from anxiety about his father's ward； whom at the same time he
regarded with increased liking as he became certain that what he called
the Puritan spirit was not native to him。
At dinner…time； Guy was as silent as on his first arrival； and there
would have been very little conversation had not the other gentleman
talked politics； Philip leading the discussion to bear upon the duties
and prospects of landed proprietors； and dwelling on the extent of
their opportunities for doing good。 He tried to get Guy's attention；
by speaking of Redclyffe； of the large circle influenced by the head of
the Morville family； and of the hopes entertained by Lord Thorndale
that this power would prove a valuable support to the rightful cause。
He spoke in vain； the young heir of Redclyffe made answers as brief；
absent； and indifferent； as if all this concerned him no more than the
Emperor of Morocco； and Philip； mentally pronouncing him sullen； turned
to address himself to Laura。
As soon as the ladies had left the dining…room； Guy roused himself； and
began by saying to his guardian that he was afraid he was very
deficient in classical knowledge； that he found be must work hard
before going to Oxford； and asked whether there was any tutor in the
neighbourhood to whom he could apply。
Mr。 Edmonstone opened his eyes； as much amazed as if Guy had asked if
there was any executioner in the neighbourhood who could cut off his
head。 Philip was no less surprised； but he held his peace； thinking it
was well Guy bad sense enough to propose it voluntarily； as he would
have suggested it to his uncle as soon as there was an opportunity of
doing so in private。 As soon as Mr。 Edmonstone had recollected
himself； and pronounced it to be exceedingly proper； &c。； they entered
into a discussion on the neighbouring curates； and came at last to a
resolution that Philip should see whether Mr。 Lascelles； a curate of
Broadstone； and an old schoolfellow of his own； would read with Guy a
few hours in every week。
After this was settled； Guy looked relieved； though he was not himself
all the evening； and sat in his old corner between the plants and the
window； where he