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the heir of redclyffe-第9章

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doubts; and so they walked on in such silence as is perhaps the 

strongest proof of intimacy。  She was the first to speak; led to do so 

by an expression of sadness about her cousin's mouth。  'What are you 

thinking of; Philip?'



'Of Locksley Hall。  There is nonsense; there is affectation in that; 

Laura; there is scarcely poetry; but there is power; for there is 

truth。'



'Of Locksley Hall!  I thought you were at Stylehurst。'



'So I was; but the one brings the other。'



'I suppose you went to Stylehurst while you were at St。 Mildred's?  Did 

Margaret take you there?'



'Margaret?  Not she; she is too much engaged with her book…club; and 

her soirées; and her societies of every sort and kind。'



'How did you get on with the Doctor?'



'I saw as little of him as I could; and was still more convinced that 

he does not know what conversation is。  Hem!'  Philip gave a deep sigh。  

'No; the only thing to be done at St。 Mildred's is to walk across the 

moors to Stylehurst。  It is a strange thing to leave that tumult of 

gossip; and novelty; and hardness; and to enter on that quiet autumnal 

old world; with the yellow leaves floating silently down; just as they 

used to do; and the atmosphere of stillness round the green 

churchyard。'



'Gossip!' repeated Laura。'  Surely not with Margaret?'



'Literary; scientific gossip is worse than gossip in a primary sense; 

without pretension。'



'I am glad you had Stylehurst to go to。  How was the old sexton's 

wife?'



'Very well; trotting about on her pattens as merrily as ever。'



'Did you go into the garden?'



'Yes; Fanny's ivy has entirely covered the south wall; and the acacia 

is so tall and spreading; that I longed to have the pruning of it。  Old 

Will keeps everything in its former state。'



They talked on of the old home; till the stern bitter look of regret 

and censure had faded from his brow; and given way to a softened 

melancholy expression。









CHAPTER 4







A fig for all dactyls; a fig for all spondees;

A fig for all dunces and dominie grandees。SCOTT





'How glad I am!' exclaimed Guy; entering the drawing…room。



'Wherefore?' inquired Charles。



'I thought I was too late; and I am very glad to find no one arrived; 

and Mr。 and Mrs。 Edmonstone not come down。'



'But where have you been?'



'I lost my way on the top of the down; I fancied some one told me there 

was a view of the sea to be had there。'



'And can't you exist without a view of the sea?'



Guy laughed。  'Everything looks so dullit is as if the view was dead 

or imprisonedwalled up by wood and hill; and wanting that living 

ripple; heaving and struggling。'



'And your fine rocks?' said Laura。



'I wish you could see the Shag stone;a great island mass; sloping on 

one side; precipitous on the other; with the spray dashing on it。  If 

you see it from ever so far off; there is still that white foam coming 

and goinga glancing speck; like the light in an eye。'



'Hark! a carriage。'



'The young man and the young man's companion;' said Charles。



'How can you?' said Laura。  'What would any one suppose Mr。 Thorndale 

to be?'



'Not Philip's valet;' said Charles; 'if it is true that no man is a 

hero to his 〃valley…de…sham〃; whereas; what is not Philip to the 

Honourable James Thorndale?'



'Philip; Alexander; and Bucephalus into the bargain;' suggested Amy; in 

her demure; frightened whisper; sending all but Laura into a fit of 

laughter; the harder to check because the steps of the parties 

concerned were heard approaching。



Mr。 Thorndale was a quiet individual; one of those of whom there is 

least to be said; so complete a gentleman that it would have been an 

insult; to call him gentleman…like; agreeable and clever rather than 

otherwise; good…looking; with a high…bred air about him; so that it 

always seemed strange that he did not make more impression。



A ring at the front…door almost immediately followed their arrival。



'Encore?' asked Philip; looking at Laura with a sort of displeased 

surprise。



'Unfortunately; yes;' said Laura; drawing aside。



'One of my uncle's family parties;' said Philip。  'I wish I had not 

brought Thorndale。  Laura; what is to be done to prevent the tittering 

that always takes place when Amy and those Harpers are together?'



'Some game?' said Laura。  He signed approval; but she had time to say 

no more; for her father and mother came down; and some more guests 

entered。



It was just such a party that continually grew up at Hollywell; for Mr。 

Edmonstone was so fond of inviting; that his wife never knew in the 

morning how many would assemble at her table in the evening。  But she 

was used to it; and too good a manager even to be called so。  She liked 

to see her husband enjoy himself in his good…natured; open…hearted way。  

The change was good for Charles; and thus it did very well; and there 

were few houses in the neighbourhood more popular than Hollywell。



The guests this evening were Maurice de Courcy; a wild young Irishman; 

all noise and nonsense; a great favourite with his cousin; Mr。 

Edmonstone; two Miss Harpers; daughters of the late clergyman; good…

natured; second…rate girls; Dr。 Mayerne; Charles's kind old physician; 

the friend and much…loved counsellor at Hollywell; and the present 

vicar; Mr。 Ross with his daughter Mary。



Mary Ross was the greatest friend that the Miss Edmonstones possessed; 

though; she being five…and…twenty; they had not arrived at perceiving 

that they were on the equal terms of youngladyhood。



She had lost her mother early; and had owed a great deal to the 

kindness of Mrs。 Edmonstone; as she grew up among her numerous elder 

brothers。  She had no girlhood; she was a boy till fourteen; and then a 

woman; and she was scarcely altered since the epoch of that transition; 

the same in likings; tastes; and duties。  'Papa' was all the world to 

her; and pleasing him had much the same meaning now as then; her 

brothers were like playfellows; her delights were still a lesson in 

Greek from papa; a school…children's feast; a game at play; a new book。  

It was only a pity other people did not stand still too。  'Papa;' 

indeed; had never grown sensibly older since the year of her mother's 

death: but her brothers were whiskered men; with all the cares of the 

world; and no holidays; the school…girls went out to service; and were 

as a last year's brood to an old hen; the very children she had fondled 

were young ladies; as old; to all intents and purposes; as herself; and 

here were even Laura and Amy Edmonstone fallen into that bad habit of 

growing up! though little Amy had still much of the kitten in her 

composition; and could play as well as Charlotte or Mary herself; when 

they had the garden to themselves。



Mary took great pains to amuse Charles; always walking to see him in 

the worst weather; when she thought other visitors likely to fall; and 

chatting with him as if she was the idlest person in the world; though 

the quantity she did at home and in the parish would be too amazing to 

be recorded。  Spirited and decided; without superfluous fears and 

fineries; she had a firm; robust figure; and a rosy; good…natured face; 

with a manner that; though perfectly feminine; had in it an air of 

strength and determination。



Hollywell was a hamlet; two miles from the parish church of East…hill; 

and Mary had thus seen very little of the Edmonstone's guest; having 

only been introduced to him after church on Sunday。  The pleasure on 

which Charles chiefly reckoned for that evening was the talking him 

over with her when the ladies came in from the dining…room。  The Miss 

Harpers; with his sisters; gathered round the piano; and Mrs。 

Edmonstone sat at Charles's feet; while Mary knitted and talked。



'So you get on well with him?'



'He is one of those people who are never in the way; and yet you never 

can forgot their presence;' said Mrs。 Edmonstone。



'His manners are quite the pink of courtesy;' said Mary。



'Like his grandfather's;' said Mrs。 Edmonstone; 'that old…school 

deference and attention is very chivalrous; and sits prettily and 

quaintly on his high spirits and animation; I hope it will not wear 

off。'



'A vain hope;' said Charles。  'At present he is like that German myth; 

Kaspar Hauser; who lived till twenty in a cellar。  It is lucky for 

mamma that; in his green state; he is courtly instead of bearish。'



'Lucky for you; too; Charlie; he spoils you finely。'



'He has the rare perfection of letting me know my own mind。  I never 

knew what it was to have my own way before。'



'Is that your complaint; Charlie?  What next?' said Mary。



'So you think I have my way; do you; Mary?  That is all envy; you see; 

and very much misplaced。  Could you guess what a conflict it is every 

time I am helped up t
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