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and mother entered； the former rubbing his hands； as he always did when
much pleased； and sending his voice before him； as he exclaimed； 'Well；
Charlie； well； young ladies； is not he a fine felloweh？'
'Rather under…sized；' said Charles。
'Eh？ He'll grow。 He is not eighteen； you know； plenty of time； a very
good height； you can't expect every one to be as tall as Philip； but
he's a capital fellow。 And how have you been？any pain？'
'Hemrather；' said Charles； shortly； for he hated answering kind
inquiries； when out of humour。
'Ah； that's a pity； I was sorry not to find you in the drawing…room；
but I thought you would have liked just to see him；' said Mr。
Edmonstone； disappointed； and apologizing。
'I had rather have had some notice of your intention；' said Charles； 'I
would have made myself fit to be seen。'
'I am sorry。 I thought you would have liked his coming；' said poor Mr。
Edmonstone； only half conscious of his offence； 'but I see you are not
well this evening。'
Worse and worse； for it was equivalent to openly telling Charles he was
out of humour； and seeing； as he did； his mother's motive； he was still
further annoyed when she hastily interposed a question about Sir Guy。
'You should only hear them talk about him at Redclyffe；' said Mr
Edmonstone。 'No one was ever equal to him； according to them。 Every
one said the sameclergyman； old Markham； all of them。 Such attention
to his grandfather； such proper feeling； so good…natured； not a bit of
prideit is my firm belief that he will make up for all his family
before him。'
Charles set up his eyebrows sarcastically。
'How does he get on with Philip？' inquired Laura。
'Excellently。 Just what could be wished。 Philip is delighted with
him； and I have been telling Guy all the way home what a capital friend
he will be； and he is quite inclined to look up to him。' Charles made
an exaggerated gesture of astonishment； unseen by his father。 'I told
him to bring his dog。 He would have left it； but they seemed so fond
of each other； I thought it was a pity to part them； and that I could
promise it should be welcome here； eh； mamma？'
'Certainly。 I am very glad you brought it。'
'We are to have his horse and man in a little while。 A beautiful
chestnutanything to raise his spirits。 He is terribly cut up about
his grandfather。
It was now time to go down to dinner； and after Charles had made faces
of weariness and disgust at all the viands proposed to him by his
mother； almost imploring him to like them； and had at last ungraciously
given her leave to send what he could not quite say he disliked； he was
left to carry on his teasing of Charlotte； and his grumbling over the
dinner； for about the space of an hour； when Amabel came back to him；
and Charlotte went down。
'Hum！' he exclaimed。 'Another swan of my father's。'
'Did not you like his looks？'
'I saw only an angular hobbetyhoy。'
'But every one at Redclyffe speaks so well of him。'
'As if the same things were not said of every heir to more acres than
brains！ However； I could have swallowed everything but the disposition
to adore Philip。 Either it was gammon on his part； or else the work of
my father's imagination。'
'For shame； Charlie。'
'Is it within the bounds of probability that he should be willing； at
the bidding of his guardian； to adopt as Mentor his very correct and
sententious cousin； a poor subaltern； and the next in the entail？
Depend upon it； it is a fiction created either by papa's hopes or
Philip's self…complacency； or else the unfortunate youth must have been
brought very low by strait…lacing and milk…and…water。'
'Mr。 Thorndale is willing to look up to Philip；'
'I don't think the Thorndale swan veryvery much better than a tame
goose；' said Charles； 'but the coalition is not so monstrous in his
case； since Philip was a friend of his own picking and choosing； and so
his father's adoption did not succeed in repelling him。 But that
Morville should receive this 〃young man's companion；〃 on the word of a
guardian whom he never set eyes on before； is too incredibleutterly
mythical I assure you； Amy。 And how did you get on at dinner？'
'Oh； the dog is the most delightful creature I ever saw； so sensible
and well…mannered。'
'It was of the man that I asked。'
'He said hardly anything； and sometimes started if papa spoke to him
suddenly。 He winced as if he could not bear to be called Sir Guy； so
papa said we should call him only by his name； if he would do the same
by us。 I am glad of it； for it seems more friendly； and I am sure he
wants to be comforted。'
'Don't waste your compassion； my dear； few men need it less。 With his
property； those moors to shoot over； his own master； and with health to
enjoy it； there are plenty who would change with him for all your pity；
my silly little Amy。'
'Surely not； with that horrible ancestry。'
'All very well to plume oneself upon。 I rather covet that ghost
myself。'
'Well； if you watched his face； I think you would be sorry for him。'
'I am tired of the sound of his name。 One fifth of November is enough
in the year。 Here； find something to read to me among that trumpery。'
Amy read till she was summoned to tea； when she found a conversation
going on about Philip； on whose history Sir Guy did not seem fully
informed。 Philip was the son of Archdeacon Morville； Mrs。 Edmonstone's
brother； an admirable and superior man； who had been dead about five
years。 He left three children； Margaret and Fanny； twenty…five and
twenty…three years of age； and Philip； just seventeen。 The boy was at
the head of his school； highly distinguished for application and good
conduct； he had attained every honour there open to him； won golden
opinions from all concerned with him； and made proof of talents which
could not have failed to raise him to the highest university
distinctions。 He was absent from home at the time of his father's
death； which took place after so short an illness； that there had been
no time to summon him back to Stylehurst。 Very little property was
left to be divided among the three； and as soon as Philip perceived how
small was the provision for his sisters； he gave up his hopes of
university honours； and obtained a commission in the army。
On hearing this； Sir Guy started forward： 'Noble！' he cried； 'and yet
what a pity！ If my grandfather had but known it'
'Ah！ I was convinced of _that_；' broke in Mr。 Edmonstone； 'and so； I am
sure； was Philip himself； but in fact he knew we should never have
given our consent； so he acted quite by himself； wrote to Lord
Thorndale； and never said a word； even to his sisters； till the thing
was done。 I never was more surprised in my life。'
'One would almost envy him the opportunity of making such a sacrifice；'
said Sir Guy； yet one must lament it。
'It was done in a hasty spirit of independence；' said Mrs。 Edmonstone；
'I believe if he had got a fellowship at Oxford； it would have answered
much better。'
'And now that poor Fanny is dead； and Margaret married； there is all
his expensive education thrown away； and all for nothing；' said Mr。
Edmonstone。
'Ah；' said Mrs。 Edmonstone； 'he planned for them to go on living at
Stylehurst； so that it would still have been his home。 It is a great
pity； for his talent is thrown away； and he is not fond of his
profession。'
'You must not suppose； though； that he is not a practical man；' said
Mr。 Edmonstone； 'I had rather take his opinion than any one's；
especially about a horse； and there is no end to what I hear about his
good sense； and the use he is of to the other young men。'
'You should tell about Mr。 Thorndale； papa；' said Laura。
'Ah that is a feather in master Philip's cap； besides； he is your
neighbourat least； his father is。'
'I suppose you know Lord Thorndale？' said Mrs。 Edmonstone； in
explanation。
'I have seen him once at the Quarter Sessions；' said Sir Guy； 'but he
lives on the other side of Moorworth； and there was no visiting。'
'Well； this youth； James Thorndale； the second son； was Philip's fag。'
'Philip says he was always licking him！' interposed Charlotte。'
'He kept him out of some scrape or other； continued Mr。 Edmonstone。
'Lord Thorndale was very much obliged to him； had him to stay at his
house； took pretty much to him altogether。 It was through him that
Philip applied for his commission； and he has put his son into the same
regiment； on purpose to have him under Philip's eye。 There he is at
Broadstone； as gentlemanlike a youth as I would wish to see。 We will
have him to dinner some day； and Maurice tooeh； mamma？ Mauricehe
is a young Irish cousin of my own； a capital fellow at the bottom； but
a regular thoroughgoi