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第31章

the heir of redclyffe-第31章

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to venture on a remark。  She was thinking that she did not wonder that 

strangers deemed Guy crotchety; since he was so difficult to 

understand; and then she considered whether to take him to see King 

Charles; in the library; and concluded that she would wait; for she 

felt as if the martyr king's face would look on her too gravely to suit 

her present tone。



Philip helped her to ice; and brought her back to her mother's 

neighbourhood without many more words。  He then stood thoughtful for 

some time; entered into conversation with one of the elder gentlemen; 

and; when that was interrupted; turned to talk to his aunt。



Lady Eveleen and her two cousins were for a moment together。  'What is 

the matter; Eva?' said Amy; seeing a sort of dissatisfaction on her 

bright face。



'The roc's egg?' said Laura; smiling。 'The queen of the evening can't 

be content'



'No; you are the queen; if the one thing can make you sothe one thing 

wanting to me。'



'How absurd you are; Evawhen you say you are so afraid of him; too。'



'That is the very reason。  I should get a better opinion of myself!  

Besides; there is nobody else so handsome。  I declare I'll make a bold 

attempt。'



'Oh! you don't think of such a thing;' cried Laura; very much shocked。



'Never fear;' said Eveleen; 'faint heart; you know。'  And with a nod; a 

flourish; of her bouquet; and an arch smile at her cousin's horror; she 

moved on; and presently they heard her exclaiming; gaily; 'Captain 

Morville; I really must scold you。  You are setting a shocking example 

of laziness!  Aunt Edmonstone; how can you encourage such proceedings!  

Indolence is the parent of vice; you know。'



Philip smiled just as much as the occasion required; and answered; 'I 

beg your pardon; I had forgotten my duty。  I'll attend to my business 

better in future。'  And turning to a small; shy damsel; who seldom met 

with a partner; he asked her to dance。  Eveleen came back to Laura with 

a droll disappointed gesture。  'Insult to injury;' said she; 

disconsolately。



'Of course;' said Amy; 'he could not have thought you wanted to dance 

with him; or you would not have gone to stir him up。'



'Well; then; he was very obtuse。'



'Besides; you are engaged。'



'0 yes; to Mr。 Thorndale!  But who would be content with the squire 

when the knight disdains her?'



Mr。 Thorndale came to claim Eveleen at that moment。  It was the second 

time she had danced with him; and it did not pass unobserved by Philip; 

nor the long walk up and down after the dance was over。  At length his 

friend came up to him and said something warm in admiration of her。  

'She is very Irish;' was Philip's answer; with a cold smile; and Mr。 

Thorndale stood uncomfortable under the disapprobation; attracted by 

Eveleen's beauty and grace; yet so unused to trust his own judgment 

apart from 'Morville's;' as to be in an instant doubtful whether he 

really admired or not。



'You have not been dancing with her?' he said; presently。



'No: she attracts too many to need the attention of a nobody like 

myself。'



That 'too many;' seeming to confound him with the vulgar herd; made Mr。 

Thorndale heartily ashamed of having been pleased with her。



Philip was easy about him for the present; satisfied that admiration 

had been checked; which; if it had been allowed to grow into an 

attachment; would have been very undesirable。



The suspicions Charles had excited were so full in Philip's mind; 

however; that he could not as easily set it at rest respecting his 

cousin。  Guy had three times asked her to dance; but each time she had 

been engaged。  At last; just as the clock struck the hour at which the 

carriage had been ordered; he came up; and impetuously claimed her。  

'One quadrille we must have; Laura; if you are not tired?'



'No!  Oh; no!  I could dance till this time to…morrow。'



'We ought to be going;' said Mrs。 Edmonstone。



'0 pray; Mrs。 Edmonstone; this one more;' cried Guy; eagerly。  'Laura 

owes me this one。'



'Yes; this one more; mamma;' said Laura; and they went off together; 

while Philip remained; in a reverie; till requested by his aunt to see 

if the carriage was ready。



The dance was over; the carriage was waiting; but Guy and Laura did not 

appear till; after two or three minutes spent in wonder and inquiries; 

they came quietly walking back from the library; where they had been 

looking at King Charles。



All the way home the four ladies in the carriage never ceased laughing 

and talking。  The three gentlemen in theirs acted diversely。  Mr。 

Edmonstone went to sleep; Philip sat in silent thought; Guy whistled 

and hummed the tunes; and moved his foot very much as if he was still 

dancing。



They met for a moment; and parted again in the hall at Hollywell; where 

the daylight was striving to get in through the closed shutters。  

Philip went on to Broadstone; Guy said he could not go to bed by 

daylight; called Bustle; and went to the river to bathe; and the rest 

crept upstairs to their rooms。  And so ended Lord Kilcoran's ball。









CHAPTER 8







Like Alexander; I will reign;

And I will reign alone;

My thoughts shall ever more disdain

A rival near my throne。

But I must rule and govern still;

And always give the law;

And have each subject at my will;

And all to stand in awe。MONTROSE。





One very hot afternoon; shortly after the ball; Captain Morville walked 

to Hollywell; accelerating his pace under the influence of anxious 

reflections。



He could not determine whether Charles had spoken in jest; but in spite 

of Guy's extreme youth; he feared there was ground for the suspicion 

excited by the hint; and was persuaded that such an attachment could 

produce nothing but unhappiness to his cousin; considering how little 

confidence could be placed in Guy。  He perceived that there was much to 

inspire affectionattractive qualities; amiable disposition; the 

talent for music; and now this recently discovered power of versifying; 

all were in Guy's favour; besides the ancient name and long ancestry; 

which conferred a romantic interest; and caused even Philip to look up 

to him with a feudal feeling as head of the family。  There was also the 

familiar intercourse to increase the danger; and Philip; as he 

reflected on these things; trembled for Laura; and felt himself her 

only protector; for his uncle was nobody; Mrs。 Edmonstone was 

infatuated; and Charles would not listen to reason。  To make everything 

worse; he had that morning heard that there was to be a grand 

inspection of the regiment; and a presentation of colours; Colonel 

Deane was very anxious; and it was plain that in the interval the 

officers would be allowed little leisure。  The whole affair was to end 

with a ball; which would lead to a repetition of what had already 

disturbed him。



Thus meditating; Philip; heated and dusty; walked into the smooth green 

enclosure of Hollywell。  Everything; save the dancing clouds of insect 

youth which whirled in his face; was drooping in the heat。 The house

every door and window openedseemed gasping for breath; the cows 

sought refuge in the shade; the pony drooped its head drowsily; the 

leaves hung wearily; the flowers were faint and thirsty; and Bustle was 

stretched on the stone steps; mouth open; tongue out; only his tail now 

and then moving; till he put back his ears and crested his head to 

greet the arrival。  Philip heard the sounds that had caused the motion 

of the sympathizing tailthe rich tones of Guy's voice。  Stepping over 

the dog; he entered; and heard more clearly



          'Two loving hearts may sever;

           For sorrow fails them never。'



And then another voice



          'Who knows not love in sorrow's night;

           He knows not love in light。'



In the drawing…room; cool and comfortable in the green shade of the 

Ve

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