the heir of redclyffe-第76章

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fourteen；　had　caught　much　of　her　brother's　power　of　repartee；　and　could　

be　quite　as　provoking；　when　unrestrained　by　any　one　whom　she　cared　to　

obey。



Laura　felt　it　was　more　for　her　dignity　not　to　notice　this；　and　replied；　

with　an　effort　for　a　laugh；



'It　must　be　your　guilty　conscience　that　sets　you　apologizing；　for　you　

said　no　harm；　as　you　observe。'



'Yes；'　said　Dr。　Mayerne；　good…humouredly。　　'He　does　very　well　without　

it；　and　no　doubt　he　would　be　one　of　the　first　men　in　the　country　if　he　

had　it；　but　it　is　in　very　good　hands　now；　on　the　whole。　　I　don't　think；　

even　if　the　lad　has　been　tempted　into　a　little　folly　just　now；　that　he　

can　ever　go　very　far　wrong。'



'No；　indeed；'　said　Charlotte；　　'but　Charlie　and　I　don't　believe　he　has　

done　anything　wrong。'



She　spoke　in　a　little　surly　decided　tone；　as　if　her　opinion　put　an　end　

to　the　matter；　and　Philip's　return　closed　the　discussion。



Divided　as　the　party　were　between　up…stairs　and　down…stairs；　and　in　the　

absence　of　Charles's　shrewd　observation；　Philip　and　Laura　had　more　

opportunity　of　intercourse　than　usual；　and　now　that　his　departure　would　

put　an　end　to　suspicion；　they　ventured　on　more　openly　seeking　each　

other。　　It　never　could　be　the　perfect　freedom　that　they　had　enjoyed　

before　the　avowal　of　their　sentiments；　but　they　had　many　brief　

conversations；　giving　Laura　feverish；　but　exquisite；　delight　at　each　

renewal　of　his　rare　expressions　of　tenderness。



'What　are　you　going　to　do　to…day？'　he　asked；　on　the　last　morning　before　

he　was　to　leave　Hollywell。　　'I　must　see　you　alone　before　I　go。'



She　looked　down；　and　he　kept　his　eyes　fixed　on　her　rather　sternly；　for　

he　had　never　before　made　a　clandestine　appointment；　and　he　did　not　like　

feeling　ashamed　of　it。　　At　last　she　said；



'I　go　to　East…hill　School　this　afternoon。　　I　shall　come　away　at　half…

past　three。'



Mary　Ross　was　still　absent；　her　six　nephews　and　nieces　having　taken　

advantage　of　her　visit　to　have　the　measles；　not　like　reasonable　

children；　all　at　once；　so　as　to　be　one　trouble；　but　one　after　the　

other；　so　as　to　keep　Aunt　Mary　with　them　as　long　as　possible；　and　Mr。　

Ross　did　not　know　what　would　have　become　of　the　female　department　of　

his　parish　but　for　Laura；　who　worked　at　school…keeping　indefatigably。



Laura　had　some　difficulty　in　shaking　off　Charlotte's　company　this　

afternoon；　and　was　obliged　to　make　the　most　of　the　probability　of　rain；　

and　the　dreadful　dirt　of　the　roads。　　Indeed；　she　represented　it　as　so　

formidable；　that　Mrs。　Edmonstone；　who　had　hardly　time　to　look　out　of　

window；　much　less　to　go　out　of　doors；　strongly　advised　her　to　stay　at　

home　herself；　and　Charlotte　grew　all　the　more　eager　for　the　fun。　　

Luckily；　however；　for　Laura；　Dr。　Mayerne　came　in；　laughing　at　the　

reports　of　the　weather；　and　as　he　was　wanted　to　prescribe　for　a　poor　

old　man　in　an　opposite　direction；　he　took　Charlotte　with　him　to　show　

the　way；　and　she　was　much　better　pleased　to　have　him　for　a　companion　

than　the　grave　Laura。



Philip；　in　the　meantime；　had　walked　all　the　way　to　Broadstone；　timing　

his　return　exactly；　that　he　might　meet　Laura　as　she　came　out　of　the　

school；　and　feel　as　if　it　had　been　by　chance。　　It　was　a　gray；　misty　

November　day；　and　the　leaves　of　the　elm…trees　came　floating　round　them；　

yellow　and　damp。



'You　have　had　a　wet　walk；'　said　Laura；　as　they　met。



'It　is　not　quite　raining；'　he　answered；　and　they　proceeded　for　some　

minutes　in　silence；　until　he　said；'It　is　time　we　should　come　to　an　

understanding。'



She　looked　at　him　in　alarm；　and　his　voice　was　immediately　gentler；　

indeed；　at　times　it　was　almost　inaudible　from　his　strong　emotion。　　'I　

believe　that　no　affection　has　ever　been　stronger　or　truer　than　ours。'



'Has　been！'　repeated　Laura；　in　a　wondering；　bewildered　voice。　



'And　is；　if　you　are　satisfied　to　leave　things　as　they　are。'



'I　must　be；　if　you　are。'



'I　will　not　say　I　am　satisfied　with　what　must　be；　as　I　am　situated；　but　

I　felt　it　due　to　you　to　set　the　true　state　of　the　case　before　you。　　Few　

would　venture　their　love　as　I　do　mine　with　you；　bound　in　reality；　

though　not　formally；　with　no　promise　sought　or　given；　yet　I　am　not　more　

assured　that　I　stand　here　than　I　am　that　our　love　is　for　ever。'



'I　am　sure　it　is！'　she　repeated　fervently。　　'0　Philip；　there　never　was　

a　time　I　did　not　love　you：　and　since　that　day　on　Ashen　Down；　I　have　

loved　you　with　my　whole　heart。　　I　am　sometimes　afraid　it　has　left　no　

proper　room　for　the　rest；　when　I　find　how　much　more　I　think　of　your　

going　away　than　of　poor　Charles。'



'Yes；'　he　said；　'you　have　understood　me　as　none　but　you　would　have　

done；　through　coldness　and　reserve；　apparently；　even　towards　yourself；　

and　when　to　others　I　have　seemed　grave　and　severe　beyond　my　years。　　You　

have　never　doubted；　you　have　recognized　the　warmth　within；　you　have　

trusted　your　happiness　to　me；　and　it　shall　be　safe　in　my　keeping；　for；　

Laura；　it　is　all　mine。'



'There　is　only　one　thing；'　said　Laura；　timidly；　'would　it　not　be　better　

if　mamma　knew？'



'Laura；　I　have　considered　that；　but　remember　you　are　not　bound；　I　have　

never　asked　you　to　bind　yourself。　　You　might　marry　to…morrow；　and　I　

should　have　no　right　to　complain。　　There　is　nothing　to　prevent　you。'



She　exclaimed；　as　if　with　pain。



'True；'　he　answered；　'you　could　not；　and　that　certainty　suffices　me。　　I　

ask　no　more　without　your　parents'　consent；　but　it　would　be　giving　them　

and　you　useless　distress　and　perplexity　to　ask　it　now。　　They　would　

object　to　my　poverty；　and　we　should　gain　nothing；　for　I　would　never　be　

so　selfish　as　to　wish　to　expose　you　to　such　a　life　as　that　of　the　wife　

of　a　poor　officer；　and　an　open　engagement　could　not　add　to　our　

confidence　in　each　other。　　We　must　be　content　to　wait　for　my　promotion。　　

By　that　time'he　smiled　gravely'our　attachment　will　have　lasted　so　

many　years　as　to　give　it　a　claim　to　respect。'



'It　is　no　new　thing。'



'No　newer　than　our　lives；　but　remember；　my　Laura；　that　you　are　but　

twenty。'



'You　have　made　me　feel　much　older；'　sighed　Laura；　'not　that　I　would　be　

a　thoughtless　child　again。　　That　cannot　last　long；　not　even　for　poor　

little　Amy'



'No　one　would　wish　to　part　with　the　deeper　feelings　of　elder　years　to　

regain　the　carelessness　of　childhood；　even　to　be　exempted　from　the　

suffering　that　has　brought　them。'



'No；　indeed。'



'For　instance；　these　two　years　have　scarcely　been　a　time　of　great　

happiness　to　you。'



'Sometimes；'　whispered　Laura；　'sometimes　beyond　all　words；　but　often　

dreary　and　oppressive。'



'Heaven　knows　how　unwillingly　I　have　rendered　it　so。　　Rather　than　dim　

the　brightness　of　your　life；　I　would　have　repressed　my　own　sentiments　

for　ever。'



'But；　then；　where　would　have　been　my　brightness？'



'I　would；　I　say；　but　for　a　peril　to　you。　　I　see　my　fears　were　

unfounded。　You　were　safe；　but　in　my　desire　to　guard　you　from　what　has　

come　on　poor　Amy；　my　feelings；　though　not　wont　to　overpower　me；　carried　

me　further　than　I　intended。'



'Did　they？'



'Do　not　suppose　I　regret　it。　　No；　no；　Laura；　those　were　the　most　

precious　moments　in　my　life；　when　I　drew　from　you　those　words　and　looks　

which　have　been　blessed　in　remembrance　ever　since；　and　doubly；　knowing；　

as　I　do；　that　you　also　prize　that　day。'



'Yesyes；'



'In　the　midst　of　much　that　was　adverse；　and　with　a　necessity　for　a　

trust　and　self…control　of　which　scarce　a　woman　but　yourself　would　have　

been　capable；　you　have　endured　nobly'



'I　could　bear　anything；　if　you　were　not　going　so　far　away；'



'You　will　bear　that　too；　Laura；　and　bravely。　　It　will　not　be　for　ever。'



'How　long　do　you　think？'



'I　cannot　tell。　　Several　years　may　pass　before　I　have　my　promotion。　　It　

may　be　that　I　shall　not　see　that　cheek　in　its　fresh　bloom　again；　but　I　

shall　find　the　same　Laura　that　I　left；　the　same　in　love；　and　strength；　

and　trust。'



'Ah；　I　shall　gro