The Heir of Redclyffe Read online

  Indeed, each day began to make it evident that he had, on the whole, rather a superabundance of animation than otherwise. He was quite confidential with Mrs. Edmonstone, on whom he used to lavish, with boyish eagerness, all that interested him, carrying her the passages in books that pleased him, telling her about Redclyffe's affairs, and giving her his letters from Markham, the steward. His head was full of his horse, Deloraine, which was coming to him under the charge of a groom, and the consultations were endless about the means of transport, Mr. Edmonstone almost as eager about it as he was himself.

  He did not so quickly become at home with the younger portion of the family, but his spirits rose every day. He whistled as he walked in the garden, and Bustle, instead of pacing soberly behind him, now capered, nibbled his pockets, and drew him into games of play which Charles and Amabel were charmed to overlook from the dressing-room window. There was Guy leaping, bounding, racing, rolling the dog over, tripping him up, twitching his ears, tickling his feet, catching at his tail, laughing at Bustle's springs, contortions, and harmless open- mouthed attacks, while the dog did little less than laugh too, with his intelligent amber eyes, and black and red mouth. Charles began to find a new interest in his listless life in the attempt to draw Guy out, and make him give one of his merry laughs. In this, however, he failed when his wit consisted in allusions to the novels of the day, of which Guy knew nothing. One morning he underwent a regular examination, ending in--

  'Have you read anything?'

  'I am afraid I am very ignorant of modern books.'

  'Have you read the ancient ones?' asked Laura.

  'I've had nothing else to read.'

  'Nothing to read but ancient books!' exclaimed Amabel, with a mixture of pity and astonishment.

  'Sanchoniathon, Manetho, Berosus, and Ocellus Lucanus!' said Guy, smiling.

  'There, Amy,' said Charles, 'if he has the Vicar of Wakefield among his ancient books, you need not pity him.'

  'It is like Philip,' said Laura; 'he was brought up on the old standard books, instead of his time being frittered away on the host of idle modern ones.'

  'He was free to concentrate his attention on Sir Charles Grandison,' said Charles.

  'How could any one do so?' said Guy. 'How could any one have any sympathy with such a piece of self-satisfaction?'

  'Who could? Eh, Laura?' said Charles.

  'I never read it,' said Laura, suspecting malice.

  'What is your opinion of perfect heroes?' continued Charles.

  'Here comes one,' whispered Amy to her brother, blushing at her piece of naughtiness, as Philip Morville entered the room.

  After the first greetings and inquiries after his sister, whom he had been visiting, Laura told him what they had been saying of the advantage of a scanty range of reading.

  'True,' said Philip; 'I have often been struck by finding how ignorant people are, even of Shakspeare; and I believe the blame chiefly rests on the cheap rubbish in which Charlie is nearly walled up there.'

  'Ay,' said Charles, 'and who haunts that rubbish at the beginning of every month? I suppose to act as pioneer, though whether any one but Laura heeds his warnings, remains to be proved.'

  'Laura does heed?' asked Philip, well pleased.

  'I made her read me the part of Dombey that hurts women's feelings most, just to see if she would go on--the part about little Paul--and I declare, I shall think the worse of her ever after--she was so stony hearted, that to this day she does not know whether he is dead or alive.'

  'I can't quite say I don't know whether he lived or died,' said Laura, 'for I found Amy in a state that alarmed me, crying in the green-house, and I was very glad to find it was nothing worse than little Paul.'

  'I wish you would have read it,' said Amy; and looking shyly at Guy, she added--'Won't you?'

  'Well done, Amy!' said Charles. 'In the very face of the young man's companion!'

  'Philip does not really think it wrong,' said Amy.

  'No,' said Philip; 'those books open fields of thought, and as their principles are negative, they are not likely to hurt a person well armed with the truth.'

  'Meaning,' said Charles, 'that Guy and Laura have your gracious permission to read Dombey.'

  'When Laura has a cold or toothache.'

  'And I,' said Guy.

  'I am not sure about, the expediency for you,' said Philip 'it would be a pity to begin with Dickens, when there is so much of a higher grade equally new to you. I suppose you do not understand Italian?'

  'No,' said Guy, abruptly, and his dark eyebrows contracted.

  Philip went on. 'If you did, I should not recommend you the translation of "I promessi Sponsi," one of the most beautiful books in any language. You have it in English, I think, Laura.'

  Laura fetched it; Guy, with a constrained 'thank you,' was going to take it up rather as if he was putting a force upon himself, when Philip more quickly took the first volume, and eagerly turned over the pages--I can't stand this,' he said, 'where is the original?'

  It was soon produced; and Philip, finding the beautiful history of Fra Cristoforo, began to translate it fluently and with an admirable choice of language that silenced Charles's attempts to interrupt and criticise. Soon Guy, who had at first lent only reluctant attention, was entirely absorbed, his eyebrows relaxed, a look of earnest interest succeeded, his countenance softened, and when Fra Cristoforo humbled himself, exchanged forgiveness, and received "il pane del perdono," tears hung on his eyelashes.

  The chapter was finished, and with a smothered exclamation of admiration, he joined the others in begging Philip to proceed. The story thus read was very unlike what it had been to Laura and Amy, when they puzzled it out as an Italian lesson, or to Charles, when he carelessly tossed over the translation in search of Don Abbondio's humours; and thus between reading and conversation, the morning passed very agreeably.

  At luncheon, Mr. Edmonstone asked Philip to come and spend a day or two at Hollywell, and he accepted the invitation for the next week. 'I will make Thorndale drive me out if you will give him a dinner.'

  'Of course, of course,' said Mr. Edmonstone, 'we shall be delighted. We were talking of asking him, a day or two ago; eh, mamma?'

  'Thank you,' said Philip; 'a family party is an especial treat to him,' laying a particular stress on the word 'family party,' and looking at his aunt.

  At that moment the butler came in, saying, 'Sir Guy's servant is come, and has brought the horse, sir.'

  'Deloraine come!' cried Guy, springing up. 'Where?'

  'At the door, sir.'

  Guy darted out, Mr. Edmonstone following. In another instant, however, Guy put his head into the room again. 'Mrs. Edmonstone, won't you come and see him? Philip, you have not seen Deloraine.'

  Off he rushed, and the others were just in time to see the cordial look of honest gladness with which William, the groom, received his young master's greeting, and the delighted recognition between Guy, Bustle, and Deloraine. Guy had no attention for anything else till he had heard how they had prospered on the journey; and then he turned to claim his friend's admiration for the beautiful chestnut, his grandfather's birthday present. The ladies admired with earnestness that compensated for want of knowledge, the gentlemen with greater science and discrimination; indeed, Philip, as a connoisseur, could not but, for the sake of his own reputation, discover something to criticise. Guy's brows drew together again, and his eyes glanced as if he was much inclined to resent the remarks, as attacks at once on Deloraine and on his grandfather; but he said nothing, and presently went to the stable with Mr. Edmonstone, to see about the horse's accommodations. Philip stood in the hall with the ladies.

  'So I perceive you have dropped the title already,' observed he to Laura.

  'Yes,' said Mrs. Edmonstone, replying for her daughter, 'it seemed to give him pain by reminding him of his loss, and he was so strange and forlorn just at first, that we were glad to do what we could to make him feel himself more at home.'

  'Then yo
u get on pretty well now?'

  The reply was in chorus with variations--'Oh, excellently!'

  'He is so entertaining,' said Charlotte.

  'He sings so beautifully,' said Amabel.

  'He is so right-minded,' said Mrs. Edmonstone.

  'So very well informed,' said Laura.

  Then it all began again.

  'He plays chess so well,' said Amy.

  'Bustle is such a dear dog,' said Charlotte.

  'He is so attentive to Charlie,' said Mrs. Edmonstone, going into the drawing-room to her son.

  'Papa says he will make up for the faults of all his ancestors,' said Amabel.

  'His music! oh, his music!' said Laura.

  'Philip,' said Charlotte, earnestly, 'you really should learn to like him.'

  'Learn, impertinent little puss?' said Philip, smiling, 'why should I not like him?'

  'I was sure you would try,' said Charlotte, impressively.

  'Is it hard?' said Amy. 'But, oh, Philip! you could not help liking his singing.'

  'I never heard such a splendid voice,' said Laura; 'so clear and powerful, and yet so wonderfully sweet in the low soft notes. And a very fine ear: he has a real talent for music.'

  'Ah! inherited, poor fellow,' said Philip, compassionately.

  'Do you pity him for it?' said Amy, smiling.

  'Do you forget?' said Philip. 'I would not advise you to make much of this talent in public; it is too much a badge of his descent.'

  'Mamma did not think so,' said Amy. 'She thought it a pity he should not learn regularly, with such a talent; so the other day, when Mr. Radford was giving us a lesson, she asked Guy just to sing up and down the scale. I never saw anything so funny as old Mr Radford's surprise, it was almost like the music lesson in "La Figlia del Reggimento"; he started, and looked at Guy, and seemed in a perfect transport, and now Guy is to take regular lessons.

  'Indeed.'

  'But do you really mean,' said Laura, 'that if your mother had been a musician's daughter, and you had inherited her talent, that you would be ashamed of it.'

  'Indeed, Laura,' said Philip, with a smile, 'I am equally far from guessing what I should do if my mother had been anything but what she was, as from guessing what I should do if I had a talent for music.'

  Mrs. Edmonstone here called her daughters to get ready for their walk, as she intended to go to East-hill, and they might as well walk with Philip as far as their roads lay together.

  Philip and Laura walked on by themselves, a little in advance of the others. Laura was very anxious to arrive at a right understanding of her cousin's opinion of Guy.

  'I am sure there is much to like in him,' she said.

  'There is; but is it the highest praise to say there is much to like? People are not so cautious when they accept a man in toto.'

  'Then, do you not?'

  Philip's answer was--

  'He who the lion's whelp has nurst, At home with fostering hand, Finds it a gentle thing at first, Obedient to command,'

  'Do you think him a lion's whelp?'

  'I am afraid I saw the lion just now in his flashing eyes and contracted brow. There is an impatience of advice, a vehemence of manner that I can hardly deem satisfactory. I do not speak from prejudice, for I think highly of his candour, warmth of heart, and desire to do right; but from all I have seen, I should not venture as yet to place much dependence on his steadiness of character or command of temper.'

  'He seems to have been very fond of his grandfather, in spite of his severity. He is but just beginning to brighten up a little.'

  'Yes; his disposition is very affectionate,--almost a misfortune to one so isolated from family ties. He showed remarkably well at Redclyffe, the other day; boyish of course, and without much self-command, but very amiably. It is very well for him that he is removed from thence, for all the people idolize him to such a degree that they could not fail to spoil him.'

  'It would be a great pity if he went wrong.'

  'Great, for he has many admirable qualities, but still they are just what persons are too apt to fancy compensation for faults. I never heard that any of his family, except perhaps that unhappy old Hugh, were deficient in frankness and generosity, and therefore these do not satisfy me. Observe, I am not condemning him; I wish to be perfectly just; all I say is, that I do not trust him till I have seen him tried.'

  Laura did not answer, she was disappointed; yet there was a justice and guardedness in what Philip said, that made it impossible to gainsay it, and she was pleased with his confidence. She thought how cool and prudent he was, and how grieved she should be if Guy justified his 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 dull--it is as if the view was dead or imprisoned--walled 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 going--a 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.