The Heir of Redclyffe

en with respect

t with forbearance

oys me, for h

smooth and s

aise from him i

HE'S

alk about the amusement he had enjoyed yesterday, which seemed likely to afford food for conversation for many a week to come. After all the care Guy had taken of him, Mrs. Edmonstone could not find it in her heart to scold, and her husband, having spent his vexation upon her, had n

y Morville! I wonder what yo

ook his place by Mrs. Edmonstone, 'I hope y

all, tha

ell me the name

ead? How beautiful! Where did you get

ace beyond the turn. I thought it looke

eye it has! I must d

ustle has found yo

where I can go and see

I dare say I can jump you across. It was that which made me so late, for which I

ke an offended lover, or l

id Mrs. Edmonstone, looking

,' said Mr. Edmonstone. 'I advise you to study your

uch a change of countenance that Mr. Edmons

o be begging my pardon for all the care you've been taking of Charlie; but you had bett

quickly looking relieved, and laughing, 'W

ith answering questions as to

ughing heartily, in the pers

in good time to give me the story of the ball

it,' said she. 'I hope you

pent, you should give me a

s Maurice and all the regiment mean to do,' said Eveleen, turnin

e to Coventry!' cried Charles. '

am sent to

ied Charles, and ther

hout announcing it,' added Charles, when the la

en afraid she had owned to annoyance, she bl

tell me who you

lish cheeks tingling. He may think it is because he is speaking to me. So she hurried on: 'Maurice first,

rdly chafing, as he betrayed by his inability to remain still, the twitchings of his forehead and lip, and a tripping and stumbling of the words on his tongue. She was sure he wanted to talk to her, and longed to get rid of Mrs. Brownlow; but the door was no sooner shut on the visitors,

, and exclaimed-'Is

as only waiting for your mother. I

t inquire further, and intending not to burthen him with her company

as clear how it is my fault, I should not mind it so much. It is that ball. I a

e missed you

er you; but what could it signify to any one els

said she was afraid i

aging myself,' said Guy, murmuring low, as if trying to find the r

y, turning back with him, th

ad that was all, and advised me to go and call on Colonel Deane and explain. I thought that the best way-indeed, I meant it before, and was walking to his lodgings when Maurice de Courcy met me. 'Ha!' he cries out, 'Morville! I thought at least you would have been laid up for a month with the typhus fever! As a friend, I advise you to go home and catch something, for it is the only excuse that will serve y

ed, had been smiling at the humorous and expressive tones w

was at home,

ted Amy, as he hes

I could not disabuse him of an idea-where he picked it up I cannot guess-that I had stayed away out of pique. He would not even

ng!' cried Amy. 'You can

se to declare I was not offended with any one; he only looked in that way of his,

all! How hor

ustifiable. Yes, I got into my old way. He cautioned me, and nearly made me mad!

le are provoking, you abuse yourself. I am sure Phi

oking, the mor

as only nearly an outbreak. You p

e been rather too

yourself, when you re

nward feeling as well as the

course. Only let me hear how

e, and looked grand, and begged in a solemn way that no more might be said. I co

my, 'only I believe you

at this moment than is good for me. I have n

off

senting

d because you th

clear that i

It was a great piece of self-denial, and I o

reatures as you need th

asing she felt herself to be; but she could not say so-the words would not come; and

roce

to your mother's judgment? Yet she could not know all. I thought it her kindness in not liking me to

Amy, timidly

hasty, vehement self-accusations. 'Well?' and he waited, though not so as

not sometimes right to consider whether we ought

satisfied air, 'that is a real rule. Not to be so bent on myself as to sacrifice other peo

aidenly feeling checked her again, and she

leasure of giving pleasure to others is so much the best there is o

erself be swung till she was giddy, rather than disap

ing! But it is all selfishness. It is as easy to be selfish for one's own good

y. Don't you know it? The young leaves are sharp and prickly, because they have so much to defend t

e, it is surely wrong to be more prickly than is unavoidable, and there is the p

you would tell me one thing. Why did you think

uantity of work, or doing it properly, and talking a lot of nonsense sometimes. I thought, last Sunday, it was time to make a short turn somewhere and bring myself up. I could not

or you won't be civil to us. We all,

u had not so

ut I meant to be reasona

eleen is so amusing that it leads to farther dawdling, and it would

efore he had found out his mistake. She agreed with him that this had been in forgetting that his attending the ball did not conc

should call it fishing for a compliment. You forg

Guy, thoughtfully; 'at any rate, it is no b

way most people

real self? The real flattering thing would be to be made as much of as

hink so,'

ings that may be dangerous to oneself mortifies other people. If so, the vexing them is a certain wrong, whereas the mischief of taking the p

,' said Mrs. Edm

ple. You must teach me consideration, Mrs. Edmonstone, and in the mean

. They have made more fuss already than it is worth. Don't torment yourself about it any more; for, if you have made a mistak

ing at Laura's door, to ask how she prospered in the

tion, inquired if she could guess what it could be

Laura, to gain time, and bru

sted that he knew, and would not tell hi

Guy been co

for being vexed. I can't th

u know nothing about

eople are to be judged by their deeds, no one is so good as Guy, and it is too bad

ra. 'He never is unjust!

otives, and not straightfo

ble in this ca

know wha

truthful, and feeling herse

can't t

t think

r G

ds,' cried La

get Philip

n be done is to let it die away as fast as possible.

ss,' and away she ran, much puzzled, but wi

Philip had been advising her to discourage any attachment on Guy's part; but then Amy might have laughed, and asked

perspective, or read a German book with a great deal of dictionary; Amy had a book of history, and practised her music diligently; even Charles read more to himself, and

every morning, promising to continue it when she went home, while Laura made such sensible comments that Eveleen admired her more than ever; and she, knowing that s

, with a dread of showing it, which made her uncomfortable. She wondered he had not been at Hollywell since the bail, for he

before he at length made his appearance, just before luncheon, so as to miss the unconstrained m

oor little Amy re

appointed that it is not Pickwick tha

h in,' said Amy; 'but I lik

e I can do th

,' said Philip; 'but I should th

es; 'we will return to

anner, though he actually felt hurt, which he had never done before. His c

the rest?

lesson agreeable to Charlotte,' said Amy

longer doe

rd Kilcoran is co

t observed. It was a struggle, through luncheon time, to keep her colour and confusion within bounds; but she succeeded better than she fancied she did, and Phil

ached him for making himself a stranger, while

met you on Ashen-down, but that was a reg

Bustle, and Philip fel

abel hinted that there was to be a dinner-party on Thursday, thinking it fair to give him warning of what he disliked, but he immediately chose that very day. Again he disconcerted all expectat

would have stayed at home, but that Eveleen was so wild and unguarded that Mrs. Edmonstone did not like her to be without Laura as a check on her, especially when Guy was of the party. There was some comfort in that warm pressure of her hand w

'if it would not be as well, if you liked

Edmonstone, looking at him more i

being here, and I owe th

n her kind tones of interest, after an old servant for whom he had been spending much thought and pains. The kindness cut him to the heart, for it evidently arose from a perception th

,' said Charles, l

too?' said Mrs. E

u d

ered for som

ntentious. His bringing his young man might be only to keep him in due subjection; bu

' said Mrs. Edmonston

n love, or in the course of

med. 'Have you any re

enomena; but you look as

is no such

seriously. 'I think he ha

would be odd if he was not satisfied with his own wo

an to plume himself on making his judgment conquer his inclination, setting novels

em by avoiding her, especially in tete-a-tetes, and an unconstrained family party. I am nearly convinced that is his reason for bringing

ng of Guy's for Laura. It was a wild mistake, for something I said about Petrarch, forgetting that Petrarch suggested Laura; but it put him out to a degree, and he made all manner of denunciatio

to his detecting the true state of the case.

you think a

to allow so much intimacy; yet I don

it? I hope not; but she ha

es no further. I see she is out of spirits; I wish I could help her, dear girl, but the worst of al

or beauty either sitting 'like Patience on a monument', or 'cockit up on a baggage-waggon.' But that will never b

as he goes on as he has begun, there is no harm done; Laura will cheer up, will on

Ireland is v

re glad that the plan sh

y "nothing

d anything; there is no need to make your father uncomfor

ery disclosure to be deprecated. Of late, too, there had been such a decrease of petulance in Charles, as justified her in trusting him, and lastly, it must be observed that she was one of those open-hearted people who cannot make a discovery nor endure an anxiety without imparting it. Her tact, indeed, led her to make a prudent ch

friend to meet-Lady Eveleen, who had been persuaded to stay for the dinner-party; but Mr. Thorndale was, as Charles would have said, on his good behaviour, and, ashamed of the

nstrained. Philip was anxious and stern in his attempts to appear unconcerned, and even Guy was n

s amusement, but in reality to obviate some of the stiffness and constraint; yet even this led to awkward situations. Each person was to set down his or her favo

h-Joan of Arc-Padre Cris

exclaim

' said Charles; 'but

toforo,' wa

rc,' said Eveleen, 'she who is afrai

an's sister, and heard her tel

ght her to believe

uy. 'Surely you take

much by her friends as her enemies; but I don't pretend to ente

he feather of a pen, till, recollecting himself, he threw it from

,' read C

any one choose tha

. 'I shall never forget the tufts of laven

, and Charles saw Laura's colour d

ny!' cried Charlotte. 'For hear the next: "Honeysuckle-steadfastness-Lord Straffo

broke in,-'Come, make haste, Charlotte, don't be all night about it;' and as Charlotte paused, as if to make some dangerous remark, he caught the paper, and read the next hi

blue moulded for want of a bating"-Pat Riotism

cried C

am glad I know your tastes,

rles, reading them contemptuously; 'Rose-generosit

e disowned Charlie's, L

set as these?' retorted Charles; 'I am not fa

to say against th

ever can find anything to say for

tailor yourself,' said Guy, 'ready to do b

, 'how you could wish to

ey would be so

exclaimed Charles. 'Depend upon it, th

re papers, came Guy's-the last. 'Heather-Trut

ch? exclaim

ir Galahad-the Knight of the Siege

ge is that?'

rte d'Arthur! I thought ever

urious, in classical English; but it

If you had lived with its two fat volumes, you could not help de

a book so studied in boyhood acquires

the mystery, the allegory-the beauti

must pardon others for seeing a great sameness of character and adventur

t,' said Guy, strivi

o show whether a book will repa

dge better than making it your s

seen by an unprejudiced stranger than by an old

, it was satisfactory to see his opinion justified, so that he might not feel himself unfair. It relieved his uneasiness lest his understanding with Laura should

, Eva? Good night.' And Laur

ing of it, Amy?'

makes us more f

is of no use to talk to you!

ura so much about Philip, that of course it makes her shy of him before strangers; and it woul

I know that is what you think,

ou think?' sai

ittle innocence-it w

ura could shock me,' said Amy; 'I do

play or earnest when I say that I t

got our own Charlie to show us what a brother is, we

be more simple than you really are

ting up, 'that must be only pl

was in the state ju

ver be, for he cou

t, litt

or though I know it is all play, I don't like it, and mamma, would not wish me to talk of such thin

d to it. Besides, she respected Laura and Captain Morville too much to resolve to

g-room the next morning; but she need not have taken so much pains t

for a talk with Philip; while he was resolved not to seek a private interview, sure that it

aced, for Philip's other neighbour was Mrs. Brownlow, talking at a great rate to Mr. de Courcy, and on Laura's side was the rather deaf Mr. Hayley, who had quite enough to do to talk to Miss Brownlow. Charles was not at table, and n

ere often,'

m gl

guarded,-and I think

me to speak o

ne is attending, and I hav

, in obedience to him, she look

indicated Guy-'without producing more than moderate a

foolish,'

rest contented with the foll

her as his 'own;' it overcame her embarrassment and alarm

ll I?' s

Employ and stren

I, and wi

n the future. That drawing is dreamy work, emp

g to read, but I c

algebra. I will send you my first book of algebra, and it w

do; I shall be

bility to your mind, and no longer hav

don't know why it is that everything is so altered

r soul, Laura, you have left the world of child

is better,' s

st be regulated, and strengthening the i

s was becoming obscured, so he talked metaphysical jargon, instead of plain practical truth, and thought he was teaching Laura to strengthen her pow

on to the guests, nor did she feel guilty when obliged to play and sing

sing with her; it was the first time he had ever sung, except among themselves, as Mrs. Edmonstone had never known whether he would like to be asked; but Eveleen refused to sing some of the Irish melodies unless he would join her, and without making any difficulty he did so. Mrs. Brownlow professed to be electrified, and Eveleen declaring that she knew

g-room to finish a letter. Guy, after helping Charles up-stairs, came down a few moments after, to fetch somethin

is was not said sarcastically, and p

the sixth sense has no ri

, one of the best things in this world o

you may hear me patiently, Guy. I only meant to warn you, that it is often the means of bringing persons

t it passed, and he simply said

ness to be advised, since he had observed that his counsel was apt to irritate him, though his good sense often led him to follow it.

rst gift from a lover. It came openly, with a full understanding that she was to use it by his recommendation; her moth

comforted by the prospect of seeing Laura so soon in Ireland, where she would set her

s mother; 'and I shrewdly suspect the comfort would be

his mother: 'Eveleen is a nice

t will they ever

he is a mere boy at present, so there is pl

Sir Guy, which has taken hold of my lady Eveleen, is strong enough to withst

better to be relied on tha

ce to you-his first and only love. He liked very well to make fun with Eva; bu

such a fit of match-making! Forge