the heir of redclyffe-第112章

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instant。　　Sit　still　and　recover。'



In　a　few　seconds　he　came　back　with　her　basket；　and　in　it　a　few　of　the　

flowers。



'Oh；　I　am　sorry；'　she　said；　coming　to　meet　him；　'I　wish　I　had　told　you　

I　did　not　care　for　them。　　Why　did　you？'



'I　did　not　put　myself　in　any　peril　about　them。　　I　had　my　trusty　staff；　

you　know。'



'I　am　glad　I　did　not　guess　what　you　were　doing。　　I　thought　it　so　

impossible；　that　I　did　not　think　of　begging　you　not。　　I　shall　keep　them　

always。　　It　is　a　good　thing　for　us　to　be　put　in　mind　how　frail　all　our　

joy　is。'



'All？'　asked　Guy；　scarcely　as　if　replying　to　her；　while；　though　his　arm　

pressed　hers；　his　eye　was　on　the　blue　sky；　as　he　answered　himself；　

'Your　joy　no　man　taketh　from　you。'



Amabel　was　much　impressed；　as　she　thought　what　it　would　have　been　for　

him　if　his　little　wife　bad　been　snatched　from　him　so　suddenly　and　

frightfully。　　His　returnhis　meeting　her　motherhis　desolate　home　and　

solitary　life。　　She　could　almost　have　wept　for　him。　　Yet；　at　the　moment　

of　relief　from　the　fear　of　such　misery；　he　could　thus　speak。　　He　could　

look　onward　to　the　joy　beyond；　even　while　his　cheek　was　still　blanched　

with　the　horror　and　anguish　of　the　apprehension；　and　how　great　they　had　

been　was　shown　by　the　broken　words　he　uttered　in　his　sleep；　for　several　

nights　afterwards；　while　by　day　he　was　always　watching　and　cautioning　

her。　　Assuredly　his　dependence　on　the　joy　that　could　not　be　lost　did　

not　make　her　doubt　his　tenderness；　it　only　made　her　feel　how　far　behind　

him　she　was；　for　would　it　have　been　the　same　with　her；　had　the　danger　

been　his？



In　a　couple　of　days　they　arrived　at　the　beautiful　Lugano；　and；　as　

usual；　their　first　walk　was　to　the　post…office；　but　disappointment　

awaited　them。　　There　had　been　some　letters　addressed　to　the　name　of　

Morville；　but　the　Signor　Inglese　had　left　orders　that　such　should　be　

forwarded　to　Como。　　Amabel；　in　her　best　Italian；　strove　hard　to　explain　

the　difference　between　the　captain　and　Sir　Guy；　the　Cavaliere　Guido；　as　

she　translated　him；　who　stood　by　looking　much　amused　by　the　

perplexities　of　his　lady's　construing；　while　the　post…master；　though　

very　polite　and　sorry　for　the　Signora's　disappointment；　stuck　to　the　

address　being　Morville；　poste　restante。



'There　is　one　good　thing；'　said　the　cavaliere；　as　they　walked　away；　'we　

can　find　the　captain　now。　　I'll　write　and　ask　himshall　I　say　to　meet　

us　at　Varenna　or　at　Bellagio？'



'Whichever　suits　him　best；　I　should　think。　　It　can't　make　much　

difference　to　us。'



'Your　voice　has　a　disconsolate　cadence；'　said　Guy；　looking　at　her　with　

a　smile。



'I　did　not　mean　it；'　she　answered；　'I　have　not　a　word　to　say　against　

it。　　It　is　quite　right；　and　I　am　sure　I　don't　wish　to　do　otherwise。'



'Only　it　is　the　first　drawback　in　our　real　day…dream。'



'Just　so；　and　that　is　all；'　said　Amy；　'I　am　glad　you　feel　the　same；　not　

that　I　want　you　to　change　your　mind。'



'Don't　you　remember　our　resolution　against　mere　pleasure…hunting？　　That　

adventure　at　Interlachen　seemed　to　be　meant　to　bring　us　up　short　just　

as　we　were　getting　into　that　line。'



'You　think　we　were？'



'I　was；　at　least；　for　I　know　it　was　a　satisfaction　not　to　find　a　

letter；　to　say　Redclyffe　was　ready　for　us。'



'I　had　rather　it　was　Redclyffe　than　Philip。'



'To　be　sure；　I　would　not　change　my　own　dancing　leaping　waves　for　this　

clear　blue　looking…glass　of　a　lake；　or　even　those　white　peaks。　　I　want　

you　to　make　friends　with　those　waves；　Amy。　　But　it　is　a　more　real　

matter　to　make　friends　with　Philip；　the　one　wish　of　my　life。　　Not　that　

I　exactly　expect　to　clear　matters　up；　but　if　some　move　is　not　made　now；　

when　it　may；　we　shall　stand　aloof　for　life；　and　there　will　be　the　feud　

where　it　was　before。'



'It　is　quite　right；'　said　Amy；　'I　dare　say　that；　meeting　so　far　from　

home；　he　will　be　glad　to　see　us；　and　to　hear　the　Hollywell　news。　　I　

little　thought　last　autumn　where　I　should　meet　him　again。'



On　the　second　evening　from　that　time；　Philip　Morville　was　walking；　hot　

and　dusty；　between　the　high　stone　walls　bordering　the　road；　and　

shutting　out　the　beautiful　view　of　the　lake；　at　the　entrance　of　

Ballagio；　meditating　on　the　note　he　bad　received　from　Guy；　and　

intending　to　be　magnanimous；　and　overlook　former　offences　for　Amabel's　

sake。　　He　would　show　that　he　considered　the　marriage　to　have　cleared　

off　old　scores；　and　that　as　long　as　she　was　happy；　poor　little　thing；　

her　husband　should　be　borne　with；　though　not　to　the　extent　of　the　

spoiling　the　Edmonstones　gave　him。



Thus　reflecting；　he　entered　the　town；　and　walked　on　in　search　of　the　

hotel。　　He　presently　found　himself　on　a　terrace；　looking　out　on　the　

deep　blue　lake；　there　divided　by　the　promontory　of　Bellagio；　into　two　

branches；　the　magnificent　mountain　forms　rising　opposite　to　him。　　A　

little　boat　was　crossing；　and　as　it　neared　the　landing…place；　he　saw　

that　it　contained　a　gentleman　and　lady；　Englishprobably　his　cousins　

themselves。　　They　looked　up；　and　in　another　moment　had　waved　their　

recognition。　　Gestures　and　faces　were　strangely　familiar；　like　a　bit　of　

Hollywell　transplanted　into　that　Italian　scene。　　He　hastened　to　the　

landing…place；　and　was　met　by　a　hearty　greeting　from　Guy；　who　seemed　

full　of　eagerness　to　claim　their　closer　relationship；　and　ready　to　be　

congratulated。



'How　d'ye　do；　Philip？　　I　am　glad　we　have　caught　you　at　last。　　Here　she　

is。'



If　he　had　wished　to　annoy　Philip；　he　could　hardly　have　done　so　more　

effectually　than　by　behaving　as　if　nothing　was　amiss；　and　disconcerting　

his　preparations　for　a　reconciliation。　　But　the　captain's　ordinary　

manner　was　calculated　to　cover　all　such　feelings；　and　as　he　shook　

hands；　he　felt　much　kindness　for　Amabel；　as　an　unconscious　victim；　

whose　very　smiles　were　melancholy；　and　plenty　of　them　there　were；　for　

she　rejoiced　sincerely　in　the　meeting；　as　Guy　was　pleased；　and　a　home　

face　was　a　welcome　sight。



'I　have　your　letters　in　my　knapsack；　I　will　unpack　them　as　soon　as　we　

get　to　the　hotel。　　I　thought　it　safer　not　to　send　them　in　search　of　you　

again；　as　we　were　to　meet　so　soon。'



'Certainly。　　Are　there　many？'



'One　for　each　of　you；　both　from　Hollywell。　　I　was　very　sorry　to　have　

engrossed　them；　but　not　knowing　you　were　so　near；　I　only　gave　my　

surname。'



'It　was　lucky　for　us；'　said　Guy；　'otherwise　we　could　not　have　traced　

you。　　We　saw　your　name　at　Altdorf；　and　have　been　trying　to　come　up　with　

you　ever　since。'



'I　am　glad　we　have　met。　　What　accounts　have　you　from　home？'



'Excellent；'　said　Amy；　'Charlie　is　uncommonly　well；　he　has　been　out　of　

doors　a　great　deal；　and　has　even　dined　out　several　times。'



'I　am　very　glad。'



'You　know　he　has　been　improving　ever　since　his　great　illness。'



'You　would　be　surprised　to　see　how　much　better　he　moves；'　said　Guy；　'he　

helps　himself　so　much　more。'



'Can　he　set　his　foot　to　the　ground？'



'No；'　said　Amy；　'there　is　no　hope　of　that；　but　he　is　more　active；　

because　his　general　health　is　improved；　he　can　sleep　and　eat　more。'



'I　always　thought　exertion　would　do　more　for　him　than　anything　else。'



Amabel　was　vexed；　for　she　thought　exertion　depended　more　on　health；　

than　health　on　exertion；　besides；　she　thought　Philip　ought　to　take　some　

blame　to　himself　for　the　disaster　on　the　stairs。　　She　made　no　answer；　

and　Guy　asked　what　Philip　had　been　doing　to…day。



'Walking　over　the　hills　from　Como。　　Do　you　always　travel　in　this　

fashion；　〃impedimentis　relictis〃？'



'Not　exactly；'　said　Guy；　'the　〃impedimenta〃　are；　some　at　Varenna；　some　

at　the　inn　with　Arnaud。'



'So　you　have　Arnaud　with　you？'



'Yes；　and　Anne　Trower；'　said　Amy；　for　her　maid　was　a　Stylehurst　person；　

who　had　lived　at　Hollywell　ever　since　she　had　been　fit　for　service。　　

'She　was　greatly　pleased　to　hear　we　were　going　to　meet　the　captain。'



'We　amuse　ourselves　with　thinking　how　she　gets　on　with　Arnaud；'　said