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relate the story。 She was glad to see that her cousin was struck with
it； he admired this care to maintain strict truth； and even opened a
memorandum…bookthe sight of which Charles dreadedand read the
following extract： 'Do not think of one falsity as harmless； and
another as slight； and another as unintended。 Cast them all aside。
They may be light and accidental； but they are an ugly soot from the
smoke of the pit； for all that； and it is better that our hearts should
be swept clean of them； without over care as to which is the largest or
blackest。'
Laura and Amy were much pleased； but he went on to regret that such
excellent dispositions should be coupled with such vehemence of
character and that unhappy temper。 Amy was glad that her sister
ventured to hint that he might be more cautious in avoiding collisions。
'I am cautious'； replied he； quickly and sternly； 'I am not to be told
of the necessity of exercising forbearance with this poor boy； but it
is impossible to reckon on all the points on which he is sensitive。'
'He is sensitive；' said Laura。 'I don't mean only in temper； but in
everything。 I wonder if it is part of his musical temperament to be as
keenly alive to all around； as his ear is to every note。 A bright day；
a fine view； is such real happiness to him； he dwells on every beauty
of Redclyffe with such affection； and then； when he reads； Charles says
it is like going over the story again himself to watch his face act it
in that unconscious manner。'
'He makes all the characters so real in talking them over；' said Amy；
'and he does not always know how they will end before they begin。'
'I should think it hardly safe for so excitable a mind to dwell much on
the world of fiction；' said Philip。
'Nothing has affected him so much as Sintram；' said Laura。 'I never
saw anything like it。 He took it up by chance； and stood reading it
while all those strange expressions began to flit over his face； and at
last he fairly cried over it so much； that he was obliged to fly out of
the room。 How often he has read it I cannot tell； I believe he has
bought one for himself； and it is as if the engraving had a fascination
for him； he stands looking at it as if he was in a dream。'
'He is a great mystery；' said Amy。
'All men are mysterious；' said Philip 'but he not more than others；
though he may appear so to you； because you have not had much
experience； and also because most of the men you have seen have been
rounded into uniformity like marbles； their sharp angles rubbed off
against each other at school。'
'Would it be better if there were more sharp angles？' said Laura； thus
setting on foot a discussion on public schools； on which Philip had； of
course； a great deal to say。
Amy's kind little heart was meanwhile grieving for Guy； and longing to
see him return； but he did not come till after Philip's departure。 He
looked pale and mournful； his hair hanging loose and disordered； and
her terror was excited lest he might actually have seen his ancestor's
ghost； which； in spite of her desire to believe in ghosts； in general；
she did not by any means wish to have authenticated。 He was surprised
and a good deal vexed to find Philip gone； but he said hardly anything；
and it was soon bedtime。 When Charles took his arm； he exclaimed； on
finding his sleeve wet'What can you have been doing？'
'Walking up and down under the wall；' replied Guy； with some
reluctance。
'What； in the rain？'
'I don't know； perhaps it was。'
Amy； who was just behind； carrying the crutch； dreaded Charles's making
any allusion to Sintram's wild locks and evening wanderings； but ever
since the outburst about King Charles； the desire to tease and irritate
Guy had ceased。
They parted at the dressing…room door； and as Guy bade her good night；
he pushed back the damp hair that had fallen across his forehead；
saying； 'I am sorry I disturbed your evening。 I will tell you the
meaning of it another time。'
'He has certainly seen the ghost！' said silly little Amy； as she shut
herself into her own room in such a fit of vague 'eerie' fright； that
it was not till she had knelt down； and with her face hidden in her
hands； said her evening prayer； that she could venture to lift up her
head and look into the dark corners of the room。
'Another time！' Her heart throbbed at the promise。
The next afternoon； as she and Laura were fighting with a refractory
branch of wisteria which had been torn down by the wind； and refused to
return to its place； Guy； who had been with his tutor； came in from the
stable…yard； reduced the trailing bough to obedience； and then joined
them in their walk。 He looked grave； was silent at first； and then
spoke abruptly'It is due to you to explain my behaviour last night。'
'Amy thinks you must have seen the ghost；' said Laura； trying to be
gay。
'Did I frighten you？' said Guy； turning round； full of compunction。
'No； no。 I never saw it。 I never even heard of its being seen。 I am
very sorry。'
'I was very silly；' said Amy smiling。
'But；' proceeded Guy； 'when I think of the origin of the ghost story； I
cannot laugh； and if Philip knew all'
'Oh！ He does not；' cried Laura； 'he only looks on it as we have always
done； as a sort of romantic appendage to Redclyffe。 I should think
better of a place for being haunted。'
'I used to be proud of it；' said Guy。 'I wanted to make out whether it
was old Sir Hugh or the murderer of Becket； who was said to groan and
turn the lock of Dark Hugh's chamber。 I hunted among old papers； and a
horrible story I found。 That wretched Sir Hugh；the same who began
the quarrel with your mother's familyhe was a courtier of Charles II；
as bad or worse than any of that crew'
'What was the quarrel about？' said Laura。
'He was believed to have either falsified or destroyed his father's
will； so as to leave his brother； your ancestor； landless； his brother
remonstrated； and he turned him out of doors。 The forgery never was
proved； but there was little doubt of it。 There are traditions of his
crimes without number； especially his furious anger and malice。 He
compelled a poor lady to marry him； though she was in love with another
man； then he was jealous； he waylaid his rival； shut him up in the
turret chamber； committed him to prison； and bribed Judge Jeffries to
sentence himnay it is even said he carried his wife to see the
execution！ He was so execrated that he fled the country； he went to
Holland； curried favour with William of Orange； brought his wealth to
help him； and that is the deserving action which got him the baronetcy！
He served in the army a good many years； and came home when he thought
his sins would be forgotten。 But do you remember those lines？' and Guy
repeated them in the low rigid tone； almost of horror； in which he had
been telling the story：
'On some his vigorous judgments light；
In that dread pause 'twixt day and night；
Life's closing twilight hour；
Round some； ere yet they meet their doom；
Is shed the silence of the tomb；
The eternal shadows lower。'
'It was so with him； he lost his senses； and after many actions of mad
violence； he ended by hanging himself in the very room where he had
imprisoned his victim。'
'Horrible！' said Laura。 'Yet I do not see why； when it is all past；
you should feel it so deeply。'
'How should I not feel it？' answered Guy。 'Is it not written that the
sins of the fathers shall be visited on the children？ You wonder to
see me so foolish about Sintram。 Well； it is my firm belief that such
a curse of sin and death as was on Sintram rests on the descendants of
that miserable man。'
The girls were silent； struck with awe and dismay at the fearful
reality with which he pronounced the words。 At last； Amy whispered；
'But Sintram conquered his doom。'
At the same time Laura gathered her thoughts together； and said； 'This
must be an imagination。 You have dwelt on it and fostered it till you
believe it； but such notions should be driven away or they will work
their own fulfilment。'
'Look at the history of the Morvilles； and see if it be an
imagination；' said Guy。 'Crime and bloodshed have been the portion of
eacheach has added weight and darkness to the doom which he had
handed on。 My own poor father； with his early death； was； perhaps； the
happiest！'
Laura saw the idea was too deeply rooted to be treated as a fancy； and
she found a better argument。 'The doom of sin and death is on us all；
but you should remember that if you are a Morville； you are also a
Christian。'
'He does remember it！' said Amy； raising her eyes to his fa