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dressing…roomlarge and bay…windowed； over the drawing…room； having
little of the dressing…room but the name； and a toilet…table with a
black and gold japanned glass； and curiously shaped boxes to match； her
room opened into it on one side； and Charles's on the other； it was a
sort of up…stairs parlour； where she taught Charlotte； cast up
accounts； spoke to servants； and wrote notes； and where Charles was
usually to be found； when unequal to coming down…stairs。 It had an air
of great snugness； with its large folding…screen； covered with prints
and caricatures of ancient date； its book…shelves； its tables； its
peculiarly easy arm…chairs； the great invalid sofa； and the grate；
which always lighted up better than any other in the house。
In the bright glow of the fire； with the shutters closed and curtains
drawn； lay Charles on his couch； one Monday evening； in a gorgeous
dressing…gown of a Chinese pattern； all over pagodas； while little
Charlotte sat opposite to him； curled up on a footstool。 He was not
always very civil to Charlotte； she sometimes came into collision with
him； for she； too； was a pet； and had a will of her own； and at other
times she could bore him； but just now they had a common interest； and
he was gracious。
'It is striking six； so they must soon be here。 I wish mamma would let
me go down； but I must wait till after dinner。'
'Then； Charlotte； as soon as you come in； hold up your hands； and
exclaim； 〃What a guy！〃 There will be a compliment！'
'No； Charlie； I promised mamma and Laura that you should get me into no
more scrapes。'
'Did you？ The next promise you make had better depend upon yourself
alone。'
'But Amy said I must be quiet； because poor Sir Guy will be too
sorrowful to like a racket； and when Amy tells me to be quiet； I know
that I must； indeed。'
'Most true；' said Charles； laughing。
'Do you think you shall like Sir Guy？'
'I shall be able to determine；' said Charles； sententiously； 'when I
have seen whether he brushes his hair to the right or left。'
'Philip brushes his to the left。'
'Then undoubtedly Sir Guy will brush his to the right。'
'Is there not some horrid story about those Morvilles of Redclyffe？'
asked Charlotte。 'I asked Laura； and she told me not to be curious； so
I knew there was something in it； and then I asked Amy； and she said it
would be no pleasure to me to know。'
'Ah！ I would have you prepared。'
'Why； what is it？ Oh！ dear Charlie！ are you really going to tell me？'
'Did you ever hear of a deadly feud？'
'I have read of them in the history of Scotland。 They went on hating
and killing each other for ever。 There was one man who made his
enemy's children eat out of a pig…trough； and another who cut off his
head。'
'His own？'
'No； his enemy's； and put it on the table； at breakfast； with a piece
of bread in its mouth。'
'Very well； whenever Sir Guy serves up Philip's head at breakfast； with
a piece of bread in his mouth； let me know。'
Charlotte started up。 'Charles； what do you mean？ Such things don't
happen now。'
'Nevertheless； there is a deadly feud between the two branches of the
house of Morville。'
'But it is very wrong；' said Charlotte； looking frightened。'
'Wrong？ Of course it is。'
'Philip won't do anything wrong。 But how will they ever get on？'
'Don't you see？ It must be our serious endeavour to keep the peace；
and prevent occasions of discord。'
'Do you think anything will happen？'
'It is much to be apprehended；' said Charles； solemnly。
At that moment the sound of wheels was heard； and Charlotte flew off to
her private post of observation； leaving her brother delighted at
having mystified her。 She returned on tip…toe。 'Papa and Sir Guy are
come； but not Philip； I can't see him anywhere。'
'Ah you have not looked in Sir Guy's great…coat pocket。'
'I wish you would not plague me so！ You are not in earnest？'
The pettish inquiring tone was exactly what delighted him。 And he
continued to tease her in the same style till Laura and Amabel came
running in with their report of the stranger。
'He is come！' they cried； with one voice。
'Very gentlemanlike！' said Laura。
'Very pleasant looking；' said Amy。 'Such fine eyes！'
'And so much expression；' said Laura。 'Oh！'
The exclamation； and the start which accompanied it； were caused by
hearing her father's voice close to the door； which had been left
partly open。 'Here is poor Charles；' it said； 'come in； and see him；
get over the first introductioneh； Guy？' And before he had finished；
both he and the guest were in the room； and Charlotte full of
mischievous glee at her sister's confusion。
'Well； Charlie； boy； how goes it？' was his father's greeting。 'Better；
eh？ Sorry not to find you down…stairs； but I have brought Guy to see
you。' Then； as Charles sat up and shook hands with Sir Guy； he
continued'A fine chance for you； as I was telling him； to have a
companion always at hand： a fine chance？ eh； Charlie？'
'I am not so unreasonable as to expect any one to be always at hand；'
said Charles； smiling； as he looked up at the frank； open face； and
lustrous hazel eyes turned on him with compassion at the sight of his
crippled； helpless figure； and with a bright； cordial promise of
kindness。
As he spoke； a pattering sound approached； the door was pushed open；
and while Sir Guy exclaimed； '0； Bustle！ Bustle！ I am very sorry；'
there suddenly appeared a large beautiful spaniel； with a long silky
black and white coat； jetty curled ears； tan spots above his
intelligent eyes； and tan legs； fringed with silken waves of hair； but
crouching and looking beseeching at meeting no welcome； while Sir Guy
seemed much distressed at his intrusion。
'0 you beauty！' cried Charles。 'Come here； you fine fellow。'
Bustle only looked wistfully at his master； and moved nothing but his
feather of a tail。
'Ah！ I was afraid you would repent of your kindness；' said Sir Guy to
Mr。 Edmonstone。
'Not at all； not at all！' was the answer； 'mamma never objects to in…
door pets； eh； Amy？'
'A tender subject； papa；' said Laura； 'poor Pepper！'
Amy； ashamed of her disposition to cry at the remembrance of the dear
departed rough terrier； bent down to hide her glowing face； and held
out her hand to the dog； which at last ventured to advance； still
creeping with his body curved till his tail was foremost； looking
imploringly at his master； as if to entreat his pardon。
'Are you sure you don't dislike it？' inquired Sir Guy； of Charles。
'I？ 0 no。 Here； you fine creature。'
'Come； then； behave like a rational dog； since you are come；' said Sir
Guy； and Bustle； resuming the deportment of a spirited and well…bred
spaniel； no longer crouched and curled himself into the shape of a
comma； but bounded； wagged his tail； thrust his nose into his master's
hand and then proceeded to reconnoitre the rest of the company； paying
especial attention to Charles； putting his fore…paws on the sofa； and
rearing himself up to contemplate him with a grave； polite curiosity；
that was very diverting。
'Well； old fellow；' said Charles； 'did you ever see the like of such a
dressing…gown？ Are you satisfied？ Give me your paw； and let us swear
an eternal friendship。'
'I am quite glad to see a dog in the house again；' said Laura； and；
after a few more compliments； Bustle and his master followed Mr。
Edmonstone out of the room。
'One of my father's well…judged proceedings；' murmured Charles。 'That
poor fellow had rather have gone a dozen； miles further than have been
lugged in here。 Really； if papa chooses to inflict such dressing…gowns
on me； he should give me notice before he brings men and dogs to make
me their laughing…stock！'
'An unlucky moment；' said Laura。 'Will my cheeks ever cool？'
'Perhaps he did not hear；' said Amabel； consolingly。
'You did not ask about Philip？' said Charlotte； with great earnestness。
'He is staying at Thorndale； and then going to St。 Mildred's；' said
Laura。
'I hope you are relieved；' said her brother； and she looked in doubt
whether she ought to laugh。
'And what do you think of Sir Guy？'
'May he only be worthy of his dog！' replied Charles。
'Ah！' said Laura； 'many men are neither worthy of their wives； nor of
their dogs。'
'Dr。 Henley； I suppose； is the foundation of that aphorism；' said
Charles。
'If Margaret Morville could marry him； she could hardly be too worthy；'
said Laura。 'Think of throwing away Philip's whole soul！'
'0 Laura； she could not lose that；' said Amabel。
Laura looked as if she knew more； but at that moment； both her father
and mother entered； the former rubbing his hands； as he always did wh