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'So you think that is all you have to ask pardon for；' said Mr。
Edmonstone。 'I advise you to study your apologies； for you are in
pretty tolerable disgrace。'
'Indeed； I am very sorry；' said Guy； with such a change of countenance
that Mr。 Edmonstone's good nature could not bear to see it。
'Oh； 'tis no concern of mine！ It would be going rather the wrong way；
indeed； for you to be begging my pardon for all the care you've been
taking of Charlie； but you had better consider what you have to say for
yourself before you show your face at Broadstone。'
'No？' said Guy； puzzled for a moment； but quickly looking relieved； and
laughing； 'What！ Broadstone in despair for want of me？'
'And we perfectly exhausted with answering questions as to what was
become of Sir Guy。'
'Dreadful；' said Guy； now laughing heartily； in the persuasion that it
was all a joke。
'0； Lady Eveleen； good morning； you are come in good time to give me
the story of the ball； for no one else tells me one word about it。'
'Because you don't deserve it；' said she。 'I hope you have repented by
this time。'
'If you want to make me repent； you should give me a very alluring
description。'
'I shan't say one word about it； I shall send you to Coventry； as
Maurice and all the regiment mean to do；' said Eveleen； turning away
from him with a very droll arch manner of offended dignity。
'Hear； hear！ Eveleen send any one to Coventry！' cried Charles。 'See
what the regiment say to you。'
'Ay； when I am sent to Coventry？'
'0； Paddy； Paddy！' cried Charles； and there was a general laugh。
'Laura seems to be doing it in good earnest without announcing it；'
added Charles； when the laugh was over； 'which is the worst sign of
all。'
'Nonsense； Charles；' said Laura； hastily； then afraid she had owned to
annoyance； she blushed and was angry with herself for blushing。
'Well； Laura； _do_ tell me who your partners were？'
Very provoking； thought Laura； that I cannot say what is so perfectly
natural and ordinary； without my foolish cheeks tingling。 He may think
it is because he is speaking to me。 So she hurried on： 'Maurice first；
then Philip；' and then showed； what Amy and Eveleen thought； strange
oblivion of the rest of her partners。
They proceeded into the history of the ball； and Guy thought no more of
his offences till the following day； when he went to Broadstone。
Coming back； he found the drawing…room full of visitors； and was
obliged to sit down and join in the conversation； but Mrs。 Edmonstone
saw he was inwardly chafing； as he betrayed by his inability to remain
still； the twitchings of his forehead and lip； and a tripping and
stumbling of the words on his tongue。 She was sure he wanted to talk
to her； and longed to get rid of Mrs。 Brownlow； but the door was no
sooner shut on the visitors； than Mr。 Edmonstone came in； with a long
letter for her to read and comment upon。 Guy took himself out of the
way of the consultation； and began to hurry up and down the terrace；
until； seeing Amabel crossing the field towards the little gate into
the garden； he went to open it for her。
She looked up at him； and exclaimed'Is anything the matter？'
'Nothing to signify；' he said； 'I was only waiting for your mother。 I
have got into a mess； that is all。'
'I am sorry；' began Amy； there resting in the doubt whether she might
inquire further； and intending not to burthen him with her company； any
longer than till she reached the house door； but Guy went on；
'No； you have no occasion to be sorry； it is all my own fault； at
least； if I was clear how it is my fault； I should not mind it so much。
It is that ball。 I am sure I had not the least notion any one would
care whether I was there or not。'
'I am sure we missed you very much。'
'You are all so kind； beside； I belong in a manner you； but what could
it signify to any one else？ And here I find that I have vexed every
one。'
'Ah！' said Amy； 'mamma said she was afraid it would give offence。'
'I ought to have attended to her。 It was a fit of self…will in
managing myself；' said Guy； murmuring low； as if trying to find the
real indictment； 'yet I thought it a positive duty； wrong every way。'
'What has happened？' said Amy； turning back with him； though she had
reached the door。
'Why； the first person I met was Mr。 Gordon； and he spoke like your
father； half in joke； and I thought entirely so； he said something
about all the world being in such a rage； that I was a bold man to
venture into Broadstone。 Then； while I was at Mr。 Lascelles'； in came
Dr。 Mayerne。 'We missed you at the dinner；' he said； 'and I hear you
shirked the ball； too。' I told him how it was； and he said he was glad
that was all； and advised me to go and call on Colonel Deane and
explain。 I thought that the best wayindeed； I meant it before； and
was walking to his lodgings when Maurice de Courcy met me。 'Ha！' he
cries out； 'Morville！ I thought at least you would have been laid up
for a month with the typhus fever！ As a friend； I advise you to go
home and catch something； for it is the only excuse that will serve
you。 I am not quite sure that it will not be high treason for me to be
seen speaking to you。' I tried to get at the rights of it； but he is
such a harum…scarum fellow there was no succeeding。 Next I met
Thorndale； who only bowed and passed on the other side of the street
sign enough how it was with Philip； so I thought it best to go at once
to the Captain； and get a rational account of what was the matter。'
'Did you？' said Amy； who； though concerned and rather alarmed； had been
smiling at the humorous and expressive tones with which he could not
help giving effect to his narration。
'Yes。 Philip was at home； and veryvery'
'Gracious？' suggested Amy； as he hesitated for a word。
'Just so。 Only the vexatious thing was； that we never could succeed in
coming to an understanding。 He was ready to forgive； but I could not
disabuse him of an ideawhere he picked it up I cannot guessthat I
had stayed away out of pique。 He would not even tell me what he
thought had affronted me； though I asked him over and over again to be
only straightforward； he declared I knew。'
'How excessively provoking！' cried Amy。 'You cannot guess what he
meant？'
'Not the least in the world。 I have not the most distant suspicion。
It was of no use to declare I was not offended with any one； he only
looked in that way of his； as if he knew much better than I did myself；
and told me he could make allowances。'
'Worse than all！ How horrid of him。'
'No； don't spoil me。 No doubt he thinks he has grounds； and my
irritation was unjustifiable。 Yes； I got into my old way。 He
cautioned me； and nearly made me mad！ I never was nearer coming to a
regular outbreak。 Always the same！ Fool that I am。'
'Now； Guy； that is always your way； when other people are provoking；
you abuse yourself。 I am sure Philip was so； with his calm assertion
of being right。'
'The more provoking； the more trial for me。'
'But you endured it。 You say it was only _nearly_ an outbreak。 You
parted friends？ I am sure of that。'
'Yes； it would have been rather too bad not to do that。'
'Then why do you scold yourself； when you really had the victory？'
'The victory will be if the inward feeling as well as the outward token
is ever subdued。'
'0； that must be in time； of course。 Only let me hear how you got on
with Colonel Deane。'
'He was very good…natured； and would have laughed it off； but Philip
went with me； and looked grand； and begged in a solemn way that no more
might be said。 I could have got on better alone； but Philip was very
kind； or； as you say； gracious。'
'And provoking；' added Amy； 'only I believe you do not like me to say
so。'
'It is more agreeable to hear you call him so at this moment than is
good for me。 I have no right to complain； since I gave the offence。'
'The offence？'
'The absenting myself。'
'Oh！ that you did because you thought it right。'
'I want to be clear that it was right。'
'What do you mean？' cried she； astonished。 'It was a great piece of
self…denial； and I only felt it wrong not to be doing the same。'
'Nay； how should such creatures as you need the same discipline as I？'
She exclaimed to herself how far from his equal she washow weak；
idle； and self…pleasing she felt herself to be； but she could not say
sothe words would not come； and she only drooped her little head；
humbled by his treating her as better than himself。
He proceeded：
'Something wrong I have done； and I want the clue。 Was it self…will in
choosing discipline contrary to your mother's judgment？ Yet she could
not know all。 I