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and was afraid it was an offering that cost him nothing； but he much
enjoyed devising beforehand the letter with which he would place the
money at the disposal of Miss Wellwood's hospital。
CHAPTER 16
Yet burns the sun on high beyond the cloud；
Each in his southern cave；
The warm winds linger； but to be allowed
One breathing o'er the wave；
One flight across the unquiet sky；
Swift as a vane may turn on high；
The smile of heaven comes on。
So waits the Lord behind the veil；
His light on frenzied cheek； or pale；
To shed when the dark hour is gone。LYRA INNOCENTIUM
On the afternoon on which Guy expected an answer from Mr。 Edmonstone；
he walked with his fellow pupil； Harry Graham； to see if there were any
letters from him at Dr。 Henley's。
The servant said Mrs。 Henley was at home； and asked them to come in and
take their letters。 These were lying on a marble table； in the hall；
and while the man looked in the drawing…room for his mistress； and sent
one of the maids up…stairs in quest of her； Guy hastily took up one；
bearing his address； in the well…known hand of Mr。 Edmonstone。
Young Graham； who had taken up a newspaper； was startled by Guy's loud；
sudden exclamation；'
'Ha！ What on earth does this mean？'
And looking up； saw his face of a burning； glowing red； the features
almost convulsed； the large veins in the forehead and temples swollen
with the blood that rushed through them； and if ever his eyes flashed
with the dark lightning of Sir Hugh's； it was then。
'Morville！ What's the matter？'
'Intolerable！insulting！ Me？ What does he mean？' continued Guy； his
passion kindling more and more。 'Proofs？ I should like to see them！
The man is crazy！ I to confess！ Ha！' as he came towards the end； 'I
see it；I see it。 It is Philip； is it； that I have to thank。
Meddling coxcomb！ I'll make him repent it；' added he； with a grim
fierceness of determination。 Slandering me to them！ And that；'
looking at the words with regard to Amy；'that passes all。 He shall
see what it is to insult me！'
'What is it？ Your guardian out of humour？' asked his companion。
'My guardian is a mere weak fool。 I don't blame him；he can't help
it； but to see him made a tool of！ He twists him round his finger；
abuses his weakness to insultto accuse。 But he shall give me an
account！'
Guy's voice had grown lower and more husky； but though the sound sunk；
the force of passion rather increased than diminished； it was like the
low distant sweep of the tempest as it whirls away； preparing to return
with yet more tremendous might。 His colour； too； had faded to
paleness； but the veins were still swollen； purple； and throbbing； and
there was a stillness about him that made his wrath more than fierce；
intense； almost appalling。
Harry Graham was dumb with astonishment； but while Guy spoke； Mrs。
Henley had come down； and was standing before them； beginning a
greeting。 The blood rushed back into Guy's cheeks； and； controlling
his voice with powerful effort； he said；
'I have had an insultingan unpleasant letter；' he added； catching
himself up。 'You must excuse me；' and he was gone。
'What has happened？' exclaimed Mrs。 Henley； though； from her brother's
letter； as well as from her observations during a long and purposely
slow progress； along a railed gallery overhanging the hall； and down a
winding staircase； she knew pretty well the whole history of his anger。
'I don't know；' said young Graham。 'Some absurd； person interfering
between him and his guardian。 I should be sorry to be him to fall in
his way just now。 It must be something properly bad。 I never saw a
man in such a rage。 I think I had better go after him； and see what he
has done with himself。'
'You don't think；' said Mrs。 Henley； detaining him； 'that his guardian
could have been finding fault with him with reason？'
'Who？ Morville？ His guardian must have a sharp eye for picking holes；
if he can find any in Morville。 Not a steadier fellow going；only too
much so。'
'Ah！' thought Mrs。 Henley； 'these young men always hang together；' and
she let him escape without further question。 But； when he emerged from
the house； Guy was already out of sight； and he could not succeed in
finding him。
Guy had burst out of the house； feeling as if nothing could relieve him
but free air and rapid motion； and on he hurried； fast； faster；
conscious alone of the wild； furious tumult of rage and indignation
against the maligner of his innocence； who was knowingly ruining him
with all that was dearest to him； insulting him by reproaches on his
breaking a most sacred； unblemished word； and； what Guy felt scarcely
less keenly； forcing kind…hearted Mr。 Edmonstone into a persecution so
foreign to his nature。 The agony of suffering such an accusation； and
from such a quarter；the violent storm of indignation and pride；
wild； undefined ideas of a heavy reckoning；above all； the dreary
thought of Amy denied to him for ever；all these swept over him； and
swayed him by turns； with the dreadful intensity belonging to a nature
formed for violent passions； which had broken down； in the sudden
shock； all the barriers imposed on them by a long course of self…
restraint。
On he rushed； reckless whither he went； or what he did； driven forward
by the wild impulse of passion； far over moor and hill； up and down；
till at last； exhausted at once by the tumult within； and by the
violent bodily exertion； a stillnessa suspension of thought and
sensationensued； and when this passed； he found himself seated on a
rock which crowned the summit of one of the hills； his handkerchief
loosened； his waistcoat open； his hat thrown off； his temples burning
and throbbing with a feeling of distraction； and the agitated beatings
of his heart almost stifling his panting breath。
'Yes；' he muttered to himself； 'a heavy account shall he pay me for
this crowning stroke of a long course of slander and ill…will！ Have I
not seen it？ Has not he hated me from the first； misconstrued every
word and deed； though I have tried； striven earnestly； to be his
friend；borne； as not another soul would have done； with his
impertinent interference and intolerable patronizing airs！ But he has
seen the last of it！ anything but this might be forgiven； but sowing
dissension between me and the Edmonstonesmaligning me there。 Never！
Knowing； too； as he seems to do； how I stand； it is the very ecstasy of
malice！ Ay！ this very night it shall be exposed； and he shall be
taught to bewaremade to know with whom he has to deal。'
Guy uttered this last with teeth clenched； in an excess of deep；
vengeful ire。 Never had Morville of the whole line felt more deadly
fierceness than held sway over him； as he contemplated his revenge；
looked forward with a dire complacency to the punishment he would
wreak； not for this offence alone； but for a long course of enmity。 He
sat； absorbed in the plan of vengeance； perfectly still； for his
physical exhaustion was complete； but as the pulsations of his heart
grew less wild； his purpose became sterner and more fixed。 He devised
its execution； planned his sudden journey； saw himself bursting on
Philip early next morning； summoning him to answer for his falsehoods。
The impulse to action seemed to restore his power over his senses。 He
looked round； to see where he was； raising his head from his hands。
The sun was setting opposite to him； in a flood of gold；a ruddy ball；
surrounded with its pomp of clouds； on the dazzling sweep of horizon。
That sight recalled him not only to himself； but to his true and better
self； the good angel so close to him for the twenty years of his life；
had been driven aloof but for a moment； and now； either that； or a
still higher and holier power； made the setting sun bring to his mind；
almost to his ear； the words；
Let not the sun go down upon your wrath；
Neither give place to the devil。
Guy had what some would call a vivid imagination； others a lively
faith。 He shuddered； then； his elbows on his knees； and his hands
clasped over his brow； he sat； bending forward； with his eyes closed；
wrought up in a fearful struggle； while it was to him as if he saw the
hereditary demon of the Morvilles watching by his side； to take full
possession of him as a rightful prey； unless the battle was fought and
won before that red orb had passed out of sight。 Yes； the besetting
fiend of his familythe spirit of defiance and resentmentthat was
driving him； even now； while realizing its presence； to disregard all
thoughts save of the revenge for which he could barter everything
every hope once precious to him。
It was horror at such wickedness that first checked him； and brought
him back to the combat。