the heir of redclyffe-第79章

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'We　must　mend　it；'　said　Guy；　so　decidedly；　that　Markham　looked　at　him　

with　surprise。



'I　don't　see　what's　to　be　done　till　Halroyd　dies；　and　then　you　may　give　

the　living　to　whom　you　please。　　He　lives　so　hard　he　can't　last　long；　

that　is　one　comfort。'



Guy　sighed　and　pondered；　and　presently　Markham　resumed　the　

conversation。



'And　what　has　brought　you　home　at　a　moment's　notice？　　You　might　as　well　

have　written　two　or　three　days　before；　at　least。'



'I　was　waiting　in　hopes　of　going　to　Hollywell；'　said　Guy　sorrowfully。



'Well；　and　what　is　the　matter？　　You　have　not　been　quarrelling　with　your　

guardian；　I　hope　and　trust！　　Going　the　old　way；　after　all！'　exclaimed　

Markham；　not　in　his　usual　gruff；　grumbling　note；　but　with　real　anxiety；　

and　almost　mournfulness。



'He　took　up　some　unjust　suspicion　of　me。　　I　could　not　bear　it　

patiently；　and　said　something　that　has　offended　him。'



'Oh；　Sir　Guy！　hot　and　fiery　as　ever。　　I　always　told　you　that　hasty　

temper　would　be　the　ruin　of　you。'



'Too　true！'　said　Guy；　so　dejectedly；　that　the　old　man　instantly　grew　

kinder；　and　was　displeased　with　Mr；　Edmonstone。　　



'What　could　he　have　taken　into　his　head　to　suspect　you　of？'



'Of　gaming　at　St。　Mildred's。'



'You　have　not？'



'Never！'



'Then　why　does　not　he　believe　you？'



'He　thinks　he　has　proof　against　me。　　I　can't　guess　how　he　discovered　

it；　but　I　was　obliged　to　pay　some　money　to　a　gambling　sort　of　man；　and　

he　thinks　I　lost　it。'



'Then　why　don't　you　show　him　your　accounts？'



'For　one　reasonbecause　I　have　kept　none。'



As　if　it　was　an　immense　relief　to　his　mind；　Markham　launched　out　into　a　

discourse　on　the　extreme　folly；　imprudence；　and　all　other　evils　of　such　

carelessness。　　He　was　so　glad　to　find　this　was　the　worst；　that　his　

lecture　lasted　for　two　miles　and　a　half；　during　which　Guy；　though　

attentive　at　first；　had　ample　space　for　all　the　thrills　of　recognition　

at　each　well…known　spot。



There　was　the　long　green…wooded　valley　between　the　hills　where　he　had　

shot　his　first　woodcock；　there　was　the　great　stone　on　which　he　had　

broken　his　best　knife　in　a　fit　of　geological　research；　there　was　the　

pool　where　he　used　to　skate；　there　the　sudden　break　in　the　lulls　that　

gave　the　first　view　of　the　sea。　　He　could　not　help　springing　up　at　the　

sightpale；　leaden；　and　misty　as　it　was；　and　though　Markham　forthwith　

rebuked　him　for　not　listening；　his　heart　was　still　beating　as　at　the　

first　sight　of　a　dear　old　friend；　when　that　peep　was　far　behind。　　More　

black　heaths；　with　stacks　of　peat　and　withered　ferns。　　Guy　was　

straining　his　eyes　far　off　in　the　darkness　to　look　for　the　smoke　of　the　

old　keeper's　cottage　chimney；　and　could　with　difficulty　refrain　from　

interrupting　Markham　to　ask　after　the　old　man。



Another　long　hill；　and　then　began　a　descent　into　a　rich　valley；　

beautiful　fields　of　young　wheat；　reddish　soil；　full　of　fatness；　large　

spreading　trees　with　noble　limbs；　cottages；　and　cottage　gardens；　very　

unlike　poor　Coombe　Prior；　Markham's　housea　perfect　little　snuggery　

covered　all　over　with　choice　climbing　plants；　the　smart　plastered　

doctor's　house；　the　Morville　Arms；　looking　honest　and　venerable；　the　

church；　with　its　disproportionately　high　tower；　the　parsonage　rather　

hidden　behind　it；　and；　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　road；　the　park…wall　

and　the　gate；　where　old　Sarah　stood；　in　an　ecstasy　of　curtsies。



Guy　jumped　out　to　meet　her；　and　to　spare　Whiteface；　for　there　was　a　

sharp；　steep　bit　of　hill；　rising　from　the　lodge；　trying　to　horses；　in　

spite　of　the　road　being　cut　out　in　long　spirals。　　On　he　ran；　leaving　

the　road　to　Markham；　straight　up　the　high；　steep；　slippery　green　slope。　　

He　came　in　sight　at　the　great　dark…red　sandstone　pile　of　building；　but　

he　passed　it；　and　ran　on　to　where　the　ground　rose　on　one　side　of　it　

still　more　abruptly；　and　at　the　highest　point　was　suddenly　broken　away　

and　cut　off　into　a　perpendicular　crag；　descending　in　some　parts　sheer　

down　to　the　sea；　in　others　a　little　broken；　and　giving　space　for　the　

growth　of　stunted　brushwood。　　He　stood　at　the　highest　point；　where　the　

precipice　was　most　abrupt。　　The　sea　was　dashing　far　beneath；　the　

ripple；　dash；　and　roar　were　in　his　ears　once　more；　the　windsuch　wind　

as　only　blows　over　the　seawas　breathing　on　his　face；　the　broad；　free　

horizon　far　before　him；　the　field　of　waves；　in　gray　and　brown　shade　

indeed；　but　still　his　own　beloved　waves；　the　bay；　shut　in　with　rocks；　

and　with　Black　Shag　Island　and　its　train　of　rocks　projecting　far　out　to　

the　west；　and　almost　immediately　beneath　him；　to　the　left；　the　little　

steep　street　of　the　fishing　part　of　the　village；　nestled　into　the　cove；　

which　was　formed　by　the　mouth　of　a　little　mountain…stream；　and　the　

dozen　boats　it　could　muster　rocking　on　the　water。



Guy　stood　and　looked　as　if　he　could　never　cease　looking；　or　enjoying　

the　sea　air　and　salt　breeze。　　It　was　real　pleasure　at　first；　for　there　

were　his　home；　his　friends；　and　though　there　was　a　throb　and　tightness　

of　heart　at　thinking　how　all　was　changed　but　such　as　this；　and　how　all　

must　change；　how　he　had　talked　with　Amy　of　this　very　thing；　and　had　

longed　to　have　her　standing　beside　him　there；　yet　there　was　more　of　

soothing　than　suffering　in　the　sensation。



So　many　thoughts　rushed　through　his　mind；　that　he　fancied　he　had　stood　

there　a　long　time；　when　he　turned　and　hastened　down　again；　but　he　had　

been　so　rapid　as　to　meet　Markham　before　the　servants　had　had　time　to　

miss　him。



The　servants　were　indeed　few。　　There　was；　alas！　William　of　Deloraine；　

waiting　to　hold　Whiteface；　there　was　Arnaud；　an　old　Swiss；　first　

courier　and　then　butler　to　old　Sir　Guy；　there　was　Mrs。　Drew；　the　

housekeeper；　also　a　very　old　servant；　and　these　were　all；　but　their　

welcome　was　of　the　heartiest；　in　feeling；　if　not　in　demonstration　as　

the　gig　went　with　an　echoing；　thundering　sound　under　the　deep　archway　

that　led　into　the　paved　quadrangle；　round　which　the　house　was　built；　

that　court　where；　as　Philip　had　truly　averred；　the　sun　hardly　ever　

shone；　so　high　were　the　walls　on　each　side。



Up　the　stone　steps　into　the　spacious　dark　hall；　and　into　the　large；　

gloomy　library；　partially　lighted　by　a　great　wood　fire；　replying　to　

Mrs。　Drew's　questions　about　his　dinner　and　his　room；　and　asking　Markham　

to　stay　and　dine　with　him；　Guy　at　length　found　himself　at　home；　in　the　

very　room　where　he　had　spent　every　evening　of　his　boyhood；　with　the　

same　green　leather　arm…chair；　in　the　very　place　where　his　grandfather　

used　to　sit。



Markham　consented　to　dine　with　him；　and　the　evening　was　spent　in　

talking　over　the　news　of　Redclyffe。　　Markham　spoke　with　much　bitterness　

of　the　way　in　which　Captain　Morville　had　taken　upon　him；　his　looking　

into　the　accounts；　though　any　one　was　welcome　to　examine　them；　was；　he　

thought；　scarcely　becoming　in　so　young　a　manthe　heir…at…law；　too。



'He　can't　help　doing　minutely　whatever　he　undertakes；'　said　Guy。　　If　

you　had　him　here；　you　would　never　have　to　scold　him　like　me。'



'Heaven　forbid！'　said　Markham；　hastily。　　'I　know　the　same　place　would　

not　hold　him　and　me　long。'



'You　have　told　me　nothing　of　our　new　vicar。　　How　do　you　get　on　with　

him？'



'None　the　better　for　that　same　Captain　Morville；'　replied　Markham；　

plunging　forthwith　into　his　list　of　grievances；　respecting　which　he　was　

waging　a　petty　warfare；　in　the　belief　that　he　was　standing　up　for　his　

master's　rights。



Mr。　Bernard；　the　former　clergyman；　had　been　a　quiet；　old…fashioned　man；　

very　kind…hearted；　but　not　at　all　active；　and　things　had　gone　on　in　a　

sleepy；　droning；　matter…of…fact　way；　which　Markham　being　used　to；　

thought　exactly　what　ought　to　be。　　Now；　Mr。　Ashford　was　an　energetic　

person；　desirous　to　do　his　utmost　for　the　parish；　and　whatever　he　did　

was　an　offence　to　Markham；　from　the　daily　service；　to　the　objecting　to　

the　men　going　out　fishing　on　Sunday。　　He　opposed　every　innov