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more sure of yourself？'
'Do you think I might？' joyously exclaimed Guy。 'I'll write to Philip
this minute by the post。 Such a splendid creature： it would do you
good to see itsuch actionsuch a necksuch spirit。 It would be a
shame not to secure it。 But nono' and he checked himself
sorrowfully。 'I have made my mind before that I don't deserve it。 If
it was here； it would always have to be tried： if I heard the hounds I
don't know I should keep from riding after them； whereas； now I can't；
for William won't let me take Deloraine。 No； I can't trust myself to
keep such a horse； and not hunt。 It will serve me right to see Mr。
Brownlow on it； and he will never miss such a chance！' and the depth of
his sigh bore witness to the struggle it cost him。
'I should not like to use anyone as you use yourself；' said Mrs。
Edmonstone； looking at him with affectionate anxiety； which seemed
suddenly to change the current of his thought； for he exclaimed
abruptly'Mrs。 Edmonstone； can you tell me anything about my mother？'
'I am afraid not；' said she； kindly； 'you know we had so little
intercourse with your family； that I heard little but the bare facts。'
'I don't think；' said Guy； leaning on the chimneypiece； 'that I ever
thought much about her till I knew you； but lately I have fancied a
great deal about what might have been if she had but lived。'
It was not Mrs。 Edmonstone's way to say half what she felt； and she
went on'Poor thing！ I believe she was quite a child。'
'Only seventeen when she died；' said Guy。
Mrs。 Edmonstone went to a drawer； took out two or three bundles of old
letters； and after searching in them by the fire…light； said'Ah！
here's a little about her； it is in a letter from my sister…in…law；
Philip's mother； when they were staying at Stylehurst。'
'Who？ My father and mother？' cried Guy eagerly。
'Did you not know they had been there three or four days？'
'NoI know less about them than anybody；' said he； sadly： but as Mrs。
Edmonstone waited； doubtful as to whether she might be about to make
disclosures for which he was unprepared； he added； hastily'I do know
the main facts of the story； I was told them last autumn；' and an
expression denoting the remembrance of great suffering came over his
face； then； pausing a moment； he said'I knew Archdeacon Morville had
been very kind。'
'He was always interested about your father；' said Mrs； Edmonstone；
'and happening to meet him in London some little time after his
marriage； hehe was pleased with the manner in which he was behaving
then； thoughtthought' And here； recollecting that she must not
speak ill of old Sir Guy； nor palliate his son's conduct； poor Mrs。
Edmonstone got into an inextricable confusionall the worse because
the fierce twisting of a penwiper in Guy's fingers denoted that he was
suffering a great trial of patience。 She avoided the difficulty thus：
'It is hard to speak of such things when there is so much to be
regretted on both sides； but the fact was； my brother thought your
father was harshly dealt with at that time。 Of course he had done very
wrong； but he had been so much neglected and left to himself； that it
seemed hardly fair to visit his offence on him as severely as if he had
had more advantages。 So it ended in their coming to spend a day or two
at Stylehurst； and this is the letter my sister…in…law wrote at the
time：
'〃Our visitors have just left us； and on the whole I am much better
pleased than I expected。 The little Mrs。 Morville is a very pretty
creature； and as engaging as long flaxen curls； apple…blossom
complexion； blue eyes； and the sweetest of voices can make her； so full
of childish glee and playfulness； that no one would stop to think
whether she was lady…like any more than you would with a child。 She
used to go singing like a bird about the house as soon as the first
strangeness wore off； which was after her first game of play with Fanny
and Little Philip。 She made them very fond of her； as indeed she would
make every one who spent a day or two in the same house with her。 I
could almost defy Sir Guy not to be reconciled after one sight of her
sweet sunny face。 She is all affection and gentleness； and with
tolerable training anything might be made of her； but she is so young
in mind and manners； that one cannot even think of blaming her for her
elopement； for she had no mother； no education but in music； and her
brother seems to have forced it on； thrown her in Mr。 Morville's way；
and worked on his excitable temperament； until he hurried them into
marriage。 Poor little girl； I suppose she little guesses what she has
done； but it was very pleasant to see how devotedly attached he seemed
to her； and there was something beautiful in the softening of his
impetuous tones when he said； 'Marianne；' and her pride in him was very
pretty； like a child playing at matronly airs。〃'
Guy gave a long； heavy sigh； brushed away a tear； and after a long
silence； said； 'Is that all？'
'All that I like to read to you。 Indeed； there is no more about her；
and it would be of no use to read all the reports that were going
about。Ah！ here；' said Mrs。 Edmonstone； looking into another letter；
'she speaks of your father as a very fine young man； with most generous
impulses；'but here again she was obliged to stop； for the next
sentence spoke of 'a noble character ruined by mismanagement。' 'She
never saw them again；' continued Mrs。 Edmonstone； 'Mr。 Dixon； your
mother's brother； had great influence with your father； and made
matters worseso much worse； that my brother did not feel himself
justified in having any more to do with them。'
'Ah！ he went to America；' said Guy； 'I don't know any more about him
except that he came to the funeral and stood with his arms folded； not
choosing to shake hands with my poor grandfather。' After another
silence he said； 'Will you read that again？' and when he had heard it；
he sat shading his brow with his hand； as if to bring the fair； girlish
picture fully before his mind； while Mrs。 Edmonstone sought in vain
among her letters for one which did not speak of the fiery passions
ignited on either side； in terms too strong to be fit for his ears。
When next he spoke it was to repeat that he had not been informed of
the history of his parents till within the last few months。 He had； of
course； known the manner of their death； but had only lately become
aware of the circumstances attending it。
The truth was that Guy had grown up peculiarly shielded from evil； but
ignorant of the cause of the almost morbid solicitude with which he was
regarded by his grandfather。 He was a very happy； joyous boy； leading
an active； enterprising life； though so lonely as to occasion greater
dreaminess and thoughtfulness than usual at such an early age。 He was
devotedly attached to his grandfather； looking on him as the first and
best of human beings； and silencing the belief that Sir Hugh Morville
had entailed a doom of crime and sorrow on the family； by a reference
to him； as one who had been always good and prosperous。
When； however； Guy had reached an age at which he must encounter the
influences which had proved so baneful to others of his family； his
grandfather thought it time to give him the warning of his own history。
The sins； which the repentance of years had made more odious in the
eyes of the old man； were narrated； the idleness and insubordination at
first； then the reckless pursuit of pleasure； the craving for
excitement； the defiance of rule and authority； till folly had become
vice； and vice had led to crime。
He had fought no fewer than three duels； and only one had been
bloodless。 His misery after the first had well…nigh led to a reform；
but time had dulled its acutenessit had been lost in fresh scenes of
excitementand at the next offence rage had swept away such
recollections。 Indeed； so far had he lost the natural generosity of
his character； that his remorse had been comparatively slight for the
last； which was the worst of all； since he had forced the quarrel on
his victim； Captain Wellwood； whose death had left a wife and children
almost destitute。 His first awakening to a sense of what his course
had been； was when he beheld his only child； in the prime of youth；
carried lifeless across his threshold； and attributed his death to his
own intemperance and violence。 That hour made Sir Guy Morville an old
and a broken…hearted man； and he repented as vigorously as he had
sinned。
From the moment he dared to hope that his son's orphan would be spared；
he had been devoted to him； but still mournfully； envying and pitying
his innocence as something that could not last。
He saw bright blossoms put forth； as the boy grew older； but they were
not yet fruits； and he d