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In another moment he was in the midst of the whole party； who crowded
round and welcomed him as if he had been a boy returning from his first
half…year's schooling； and never did little school…boy look more
holiday…like than he； with all the sunshine of that June day reflected；
as it were； in his glittering eyes and glowing face； while Bustle
escaping from Charles's caressing arm； danced round； wagging his tail
in ecstasy； and claiming his share of the welcome。 Then Guy was on the
ground by Charles； rejoicing to find him out there； and then； some
dropping into their former nests on the hay； some standing round； they
talked fast and eagerly in a confusion of sound that did not subside
for the first ten minutes so as to allow anything to be clearly heard。
The first distinct sentence was Charlotte's 'Bustle； darling old
fellow； you are handsomer than ever！'
'What a delicious day！' next exclaimed Guy； following Philip's example；
by throwing off hat and neck…tie。
'A spontaneous tribute to the beauty of the day；' said Charles。
'Really it is so ultra…splendid as to deserve notice！' said Philip；
throwing himself completely back； and looking up。
'One cannot help revelling in that deep blue！' said Laura。
'Tomorrow'll be the happiest time of all the glad new year；' hummed
Guy。
'Ah you will teach us all now；' said Laura； 'after your grand singing
lessons。'
'Do you know what is in store for you； Guy？' said Amy。 'Oh！ haven't
you heard about Lady Kilcoran's ball？'
'You are to go； Guy；' said Charlotte。 'I am glad I am not。 I hate
dancing。'
'And I know as much about it as Bustle；' said Guy； catching the dog by
his forepaws； and causing him to perform an uncouth dance。
'Never mind； they will soon teach you；' said Mrs。 Edmonstone。
'Must I really go？'
'He begins to think it serious；' said Charles。
'Is Philip going？' exclaimed Guy； looking as if he was taken by
surprise。
'He is going to say something about dancing being a healthful
recreation for young people；' said Charles。
'You'll be disappointed；' said Philip。 'It is much too hot to
moralize。'
'Apollo unbends his bow；' exclaimed Charles。 'The captain yields the
field。'
'Ah！ Captain Morville； I ought to have congratulated you；' said Guy。
'I must come to Broadstone early enough to see you on parade。'
'Come to Broadstone！ You aren't still bound to Mr。 Lascelles；' said
Charles。
'If he has time for me；' said Guy。 'I am too far behind the rest of
the world to afford to be idle this vacation。'
'That's right； Guy；' exclaimed Philip； sitting up； and looking full of
approval。 'With so much perseverance； you must get on at last。 How
did you do in collections？'
'Tolerably； thank you。'
'You must be able to enter into the thing now；' proceeded Philip。
'What are you reading？'
'Thucydides。'
'Have you come to Pericles' oration？ I must show you some notes that I
have on that。 Don't you get into the spirit of it now？'
'Up…hill work still；' answered Guy； disentangling some cliders from the
silky curls of Bustle's ear。
'Which do you like bestthat or the ball？' asked Charles。
'The hay…field best of all；' said Guy； releasing Bustle； and blinding
him with a heap of hay。
'Of course！' said Charlotte； 'who would not like hay…making better than
that stupid ball？'
'Poor Charlotte！' said Mrs。 Edmonstone； commiseration which irritated
Charlotte into standing up and protesting；
'Mamma； you know I don't want to go。'
'No more do I； Charlotte；' said her brother； in a mock consoling tone。
'You and I know what is good for us； and despise sublunary vanities。'
'But you will go； Guy；' said Laura； 'Philip is really going。'
'In spite of Lord Kilcoran's folly in going to such an expense as
either taking Allonby or giving the ball；' said Charles。
'I don't think it is my business to bring Lord Kilcoran to a sense of
his folly；' said Philip。 'I made all my protests to Maurice when first
he started the notion； but if his father chose to take the matter up；
it is no concern of mine。'
'You will understand； Guy；' said Charles； 'that this ball is specially
got up by Maurice for Laura's benefit。'
'Believe as little as you please of that speech； Guy；' said Laura； 'the
truth is that Lord Kilcoran is very good…natured； and Eveleen was very
much shocked to hear that Amy had never been to any ball； and I to only
one； and so it ended in their giving one。'
'When is it to be？'
'On Thursday week；' said Amy。 'I wonder if you will think Eveleen as
pretty as we do！'
'She is Laura's great friend； is not she？'
'I like her very much； I have known her all my life； and she has much
more depth than those would think who only know her manner。' And Laura
looked pleadingly at Philip as she spoke。
'Are there any others of the family at home？' said Guy。
'The two younger girls； Mabel and Helen； and the little boys；' said
Amy。 'Lord de Courcy is in Ireland； and all the others are away。'
'Lord de Courcy is the wisest man of the family； and sets his face
against absenteeism；' said Philip； 'so he is never visible here。'
'But you aren't going to despise it； I hope； Guy；' said Amy； earnestly；
'it will be so delightful！ And what fun we shall have in teaching you
to dance！'
Guy stretched himself； and gave a quaint grunt。
'Never mind； Guy；' said Philip； 'very little is required。 You may
easily pass in the crowd。 I never learnt。'
'Your ear will guide you；' said Laura。
'And no one can stay at home； since Mary Ross is going；' said Amy。
'Eveleen was always so fond of her； that she came and forced a promise
from her by telling her she should come with mamma； and have no
trouble。'
'You have not seen Allonby；' said Laura。 'There are such Vandykes； and
among them； such a King Charles！'
'Is not that the picture；' said Charles； 'before which Amy'
'0 don't； Charlie！'
'Was found dissolved in tears？'
'I could not help it；' murmured Amy； blushing crimson。
'There is all Charles's fate in his face；' said Philip；'earnest；
melancholy； beautiful！ It would stir the feelingswere it an unknown
portrait。 No； Amy； you need not be ashamed of your tears。'
But Amy turned away； doubly ashamed。
'I hope it is not in the ball…room；' said Guy。
'No said Laura； 'it is in the library。'
Charlotte； whose absence had become perceptible from the general
quietness； here ran up with two envelopes； which she put into Guy's
hands。 One contained Lady Kilcoran's genuine card of invitation for
Sir Guy Morville； the other Charlotte had scribbled in haste for Mr。
Bustle。
This put an end to all rationality。 Guy rose with a growl and a roar；
and hunted her over half the field； till she was caught； and came back
out of breath and screaming； 'We never had such a haymaking！'
'So I think the haymakers will say！' answered her mother； rising to go
indoors。 'What ruin of haycocks！'
'Oh； I'll set all that to rights；' said Guy； seizing a hay…fork。
'Stop； stop； take care！' cried Charles。 'I don't want to be built up
in the rick； and by and by； when my disconsolate family have had all
the ponds dragged for me； Deloraine will be heard to complain that they
give him very odd animal food。'
'Who could resist such a piteous appeal！' said Guy； helping him to
rise； and conducting him to his wheeled chair。 The others followed；
and when； shortly after； Laura looked out at her window； she saw Guy；
with his coat off； toiling like a real haymaker； to build up the cocks
in all their neat fairness and height； whistling meantime the 'Queen of
the May；' and now and then singing a line。 She watched the old cowman
come up； touching his hat； and looking less cross than usual； she saw
Guy's ready greeting； and perceived they were comparing the forks and
rakes； the pooks and cocks of their counties； and； finally； she beheld
her father ride into the field； and Guy spring to meet him。
No one could have so returned to what was in effect a home； unless his
time had been properly spent； and； in fact； all that Mr。 Edmonstone or
Philip could hear of him； was so satisfactory； that Philip pronounced
that the first stage of the trial had been passed irreproachably； and
Laura felt and looked delighted at this sanction to the high estimation
in which she held him。
His own account of himself to Mrs。 Edmonstone would not have been
equally satisfactory if she had not had something else to check it
with。 It was given by degrees； and at many different times； chiefly as
they walked round the garden in the twilight of the summer evenings；
talking over the many subjects mentioned in the letters which had
passed constantly。 It seemed as if there were very few to w