Yes.
Is it very tough? I would read it, if any one would read it with me.
Do you mean me? said Guy; I should like it very much, but you have seen how little Latin I know.
That is the very thing, said Charles; that Ovis of yours was music; I would have made you a Knight of the Golden Fleece on the spot. Tutors I could get by shoals, but a fellow-dunce is inestimable.
It is a bargain, then, said Guy; if Philip has done with the book and will lend it to us.
The luncheon bell rang, and they all adjourned to the dining-room. Mr. Edmonstone came in when luncheon was nearly over, rejoicing that his letters were done, but then he looked disconsolately from the window, and pitied the weather. Nothing for it but billiards. People might say it was nonsense to have a billiard-table in such a house, but for his part he found there was no getting through a wet day without them. Philip must beat him as usual, and Guy might have one of the young ladies to make a fourth.
Thank you, said Guy, but I dont play.
Not playeh? Well, we will teach you in the spinning of a ball, and Ill have my little Amy to help me against you and Philip.
No, thank you, repeated Guy, colouring, I am under a promise.
Ha! Eh? What? Your grandfather? He could see no harm in such play as this. For nothing, you understand. You did not suppose I meant anything else?
O no, of course not, eagerly replied Guy; but it is impossible for me to play, thank you. I have promised never even to look on at a game at billiards.
Ah, poor man, he had too much reason. uttered Mr. Edmonstone to himself, but catching a warning look from his wife, he became suddenly silent. Guy, meanwhile, sat looking lost in sad thoughts, till, rousing himself, he exclaimed, Dont let me prevent you.
Mr. Edmonstone needed but little persuasion, and carried Philip off to the billiard-table in the front hall.
O, I am so glad! cried Charlotte, who had, within the last week, learnt Guys value as a playfellow. Now you will never go to those stupid billiards, but I shall have you always, every rainy day. Come and have a real good game at ball on the stairs.
She already had hold of his hand, and would have dragged him off at once, had he not waited to help Charles back to his sofa; and in the mean time she tried in vain to persuade her more constant playmate, Amabel, to join the game. Poor little Amy regretted the being obliged to refuse, as she listened to the merry sounds and bouncing balls, sighing more than once at having turned into a grown-up young lady; while Philip observed to Laura, who was officiating as billiard-marker, that Guy was still a mere boy.
The fates favoured Amy at last for about half after three, the billiards were interrupted, and Philip, pronouncing the rain to be almost over, invited Guy to take a walk, and they set out in a very gray wet mist, while Charlotte and Amy commenced a vigorous game at battledore and shuttle-cock.
The gray mist had faded into twilight, and twilight into something like night, when Charles was crossing the hall, with the aid of Amys arm, Charlotte carrying the crutch behind him, and Mrs. Edmonstone helping Laura with her perspective apparatus, all on their way to dress for dinner; the door opened and in came the two Morvilles. Guy, without, even stopping to take off his great coat, ran at once up-stairs, and the next moment the door of his room was shut with a bang that shook the house, and made them all start and look at Philip for explanation.
Redclyffe temper, said he, coolly, with a half-smile curling his short upper lip.
What have you been doing to him? said Charles.
Nothing. At least nothing worthy of such ire. I only entered on the subject of his Oxford life, and advised him to prepare for it, for his education has as yet been a mere farce. He used to go two or three days in the week to one Potts, a self-educated geniusa sort of superior writing-master at the Moorworth commercial school. Of course, though it is no fault of his, poor fellow, he is hardly up to the fifth form, and he must make the most of his time, if he is not to be plucked. I set all this before him as gently as I could, for I knew with whom I had to deal, yet you see how it is.
What did he say? asked Charles.
He said nothing; so far I give him credit; but he strode on furiously for the last half mile, and this explosion is the finale. I am very sorry for him, poor boy; I beg no further notice may be taken of it. Dont you want an arm, Charlie?
No thank you, answered Charles, with a little surliness.
You had better. It really is too much for Amy, said Philip, making a move as if to take possession of him, as he arrived at the foot of the stairs.
Like the camellia, I suppose, he replied; and taking his other crutch from Charlotte, he began determinedly to ascend without assistance, resolved to keep Philip a prisoner below him as long as he could, and enjoying the notion of chafing him by the delay. Certainly teasing Philip was a dear delight to Charles, though it was all on trust, as, if he succeeded, his cousin never betrayed his annoyance by look or sign.
About a quarter of an hour after, there was a knock at the dressing-room door. Come in, said Mrs. Edmonstone, looking up from her letter-writing, and Guy made his appearance, looking very downcast.
I am come, he said, to ask pardon for the disturbance I made just now. I was so foolish as to be irritated at Philips manner, when he was giving me some good advice, and I am very sorry.
What has happened to your lip? she exclaimed.
He put his handkerchief to it. Is it bleeding still? It is a trick of mine to bite my lip when I am vexed. It seems to help to keep down words. There! I have given myself a mark of this hateful outbreak.
He looked very unhappy, more so, Mrs. Edmonstone thought, than the actual offence required. You have only failed in part, she said. It was a victory to keep down words.
The feeling is the thing, said Guy; besides, I showed it plainly enough, without speaking.
It is not easy to take advice from one so little your elder, began Mrs. Edmonstone, but he interrupted her. It was not the advice. That was very good; I but he spoke with an effort,I am obliged to him. It wasno, I wont say what, he added, his eyes kindling, then changing in a moment to a sorrowful, resolute tone, Yes, but I will, and then I shall make myself thoroughly ashamed. It was his veiled assumption of superiority, his contempt for all I have been taught. Just as if he had not every right to despise me, with his talent and scholarship, after such egregious mistakes as I had made in the morning. I gave him little reason to think highly of my attainments; but let him slight me as much as he pleases, he must not slight those who taught me. It was not Mr. Potts fault.
Even the name could not spoil the spirited sound of the speech, and Mrs. Edmonstone was full of sympathy. You must remember, she said, that in the eyes of a man brought up at public school, nothing compensates for the want of the regular classical education. I have no doubt it was very provoking.
I dont want to be excused, thank you, said Guy. Oh I am grieved; for I thought the worst of my temper had been subdued. After all that has passedall I feltI thought it impossible. Is there no hope for He covered his face with his hands, then recovering and turning to Mrs. Edmonstone, he said, It is encroaching too much on your kindness to come here and trouble you with my confessions.
I dont want to be excused, thank you, said Guy. Oh I am grieved; for I thought the worst of my temper had been subdued. After all that has passedall I feltI thought it impossible. Is there no hope for He covered his face with his hands, then recovering and turning to Mrs. Edmonstone, he said, It is encroaching too much on your kindness to come here and trouble you with my confessions.
No, no, indeed, said she, earnestly. Remember how we agreed that you should come to me like one of my own children. And, indeed, I do not see why you need grieve in this despairing way, for you almost overcame the fit of anger; and perhaps you were off your guard because the trial came in an unexpected way?
It did, it did, he said, eagerly; I dont, mind being told point blank that I am a dunce, but that Mr. Pottsnay, by implicationmy grandfather should be set at nought in that coolBut here I am again! said he, checking himself in the midst of his vehemence; he did not mean that, of course. I have no one to blame but myself.
I am sure, said Mrs. Edmonstone, that if you always treat your failings in this way, you must subdue them at last.
It is all failing, and resolving, and failing again! said Guy.
Yes, but the failures become slighter and less frequent, and the end is victory.
The end victory! repeated Guy, in a musing tone, as he stood leaning against the mantelshelf.
Yes, to all who persevere and seek for help, said Mrs Edmonstone; and he raised his eyes and fixed them on her with an earnest look that surprised her, for it was almost as if the hope came home to him as something new. At that moment, however, she was called away, and directly after a voice in the next room exclaimed, Are you there, Guy? I want an arm! while he for the first time perceived that Charless door was ajar.
Charles thought all this a great fuss about nothing, indeed he was glad to find there was anyone who had no patience with Philip; and in his usual mischievous manner, totally reckless of the fearful evil of interfering with the influence for good which it was to be hoped that Philip might exert over Guy, he spoke thus: I begin to think the world must be more docile than I have been disposed to give it credit for. How a certain cousin of ours has escaped numerous delicate hints to mind his own business is to me one of the wonders of the world.
No one better deserves that his advice should be followed, said Guy, with some constraint.
An additional reason against it, said Charles. Plague on that bell! I meant to have broken through your formalities and had a candid opinion of Don Philip before it rang.
Then I am glad of it; I could hardly have given you a candid opinion just at present.
Charles was vexed; but he consoled himself by thinking that Guy did not yet feel himself out of his leading-strings, and was still on his good behaviour. After such a flash as this there was no fear, but there was that in him which would create mischief and disturbance enough. Charles was well principled at the bottom, and would have shrunk with horror had it been set before him how dangerous might be the effect of destroying the chance of a friendship between Guy and the only person whose guidance was likely to be beneficial to him; but his idle, unoccupied life, and habit of only thinking of things as they concerned his immediate amusement, made him ready to do anything for the sake of opposition to Philip, and enjoy the vague idea of excitement to be derived from anxiety about his fathers ward, whom at the same time he regarded with increased liking as he became certain that what he called the Puritan spirit was not native to him.
At dinner-time, Guy was as silent as on his first arrival, and there would have been very little conversation had not the other gentleman talked politics, Philip leading the discussion to bear upon the duties and prospects of landed proprietors, and dwelling on the extent of their opportunities for doing good. He tried to get Guys attention, by speaking of Redclyffe, of the large circle influenced by the head of the Morville family, and of the hopes entertained by Lord Thorndale that this power would prove a valuable support to the rightful cause. He spoke in vain; the young heir of Redclyffe made answers as brief, absent, and indifferent, as if all this concerned him no more than the Emperor of Morocco, and Philip, mentally pronouncing him sullen, turned to address himself to Laura.
As soon as the ladies had left the dining-room, Guy roused himself, and began by saying to his guardian that he was afraid he was very deficient in classical knowledge; that he found he must work hard before going to Oxford; and asked whether there was any tutor in the neighbourhood to whom he could apply.
Mr. Edmonstone opened his eyes, as much amazed as if Guy had asked if there was any executioner in the neighbourhood who could cut off his head. Philip was no less surprised, but he held his peace, thinking it was well Guy bad sense enough to propose it voluntarily, as he would have suggested it to his uncle as soon as there was an opportunity of doing so in private. As soon as Mr. Edmonstone had recollected himself, and pronounced it to be exceedingly proper, &c., they entered into a discussion on the neighbouring curates, and came at last to a resolution that Philip should see whether Mr. Lascelles, a curate of Broadstone, and an old schoolfellow of his own, would read with Guy a few hours in every week.
After this was settled, Guy looked relieved, though he was not himself all the evening, and sat in his old corner between the plants and the window, where he read a grave book, instead of talking, singing, or finishing his volume of Ten Thousand a Year. Charlotte was all this time ill at ease. She looked from Guy to Philip, from Philip to Guy; she shut her mouth as if she was forming some great resolve, then coloured, and looked confused, rushing into the conversation with something more mal-apropos than usual, as if on purpose to appear at her ease. At last, just before her bed-time, when the tea was coming in, Mrs. Edmonstone engaged with that, Laura reading, Amy clearing Charless little table, and Philip helping Mr. Edmonstone to unravel the confused accounts of the late cheating bailiff, Guy suddenly found her standing by him, perusing his face with all the power of her great blue eyes. She started as he looked up, and put her face into Amabels great myrtle as if she would make it appear that she was smelling to it.
Well, Charlotte? said he, and the sound of his voice made her speak, but in a frightened, embarrassed whisper.
GuyGuyOh! I beg your pardon, but I wanted to
Well, what? said he, kindly.
I wanted to make sure that you are not angry with Philip. You dont mean to keep up the feud, do you?
Feud?I hope not, said Guy, too much in earnest to be diverted with her lecture. I am very much obliged to him.
Are you really? said Charlotte, her head a little on one side. I thought he had been scolding you.
Scolding was so very inappropriate to Philips calm, argumentative way of advising, that it became impossible not to laugh.
Not scolding, then? said Charlotte. You are too nearly grown up for that, but telling you to learn, and being tiresome.
I was so foolish as to be provoked at first, answered Guy; but I hope I have thought better of it, and am going to act upon it.
Charlotte opened her eyes wider than ever, but in the midst of her amazement Mrs. Edmonstone called to Guy to quit his leafy screen and come to tea.
Philip was to return to Broadstone the next day, and as Mrs. Edmonstone had some errands there that would occupy her longer than Charles liked to wait in the carriage, it was settled that Philip should drive her there in the pony phaeton, and Guy accompany them and drive back, thus having an opportunity of seeing Philips print of the Madonna di San Sisto, returning some calls, and being introduced to Mr. Lascelles, whilst she was shopping. They appointed an hour and place of meeting, and kept to it, after which Mrs. Edmonstone took Guy with her to call on Mrs. Deane, the wife of the colonel.