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anything else。 If I am out in the morning and try to pay for it at
night； it will not do； I can but just keep awake and that's all； the
Greek letters all seem to be hunting each other； the simplest things
grow difficult； and at last all I can think of； is how near the minute
hand of my watch is near to the hour I have set myself。 So； for the
last fortnight； every construing with Mr。 Lascelles has been worse than
the last； and as to my Latin verses； they were beyond everything
shocking； so you see there is no making the two things agree； and the
hunting must wait till I grow steadier； if I ever do。 Heigho！ It is a
great bore to be so stupid； for I thoughtBut it is of no use to talk
of it！'
'Mr。 Edmonstone would be a very unreasonable guardian； indeed； to be
displeased；' said his friend； smiling。 You say you stopped the
purchase of the horse。 Why so？ Could you not keep him till you are
more sure of yourself？'
'Do you think I might？' joyously exclaimed Guy。 'I'll write to Philip
this minute by the post。 Such a splendid creature： it would do you
good to see itsuch actionsuch a necksuch spirit。 It would be a
shame not to secure it。 But nono' and he checked himself
sorrowfully。 'I have made my mind before that I don't deserve it。 If
it was here； it would always have to be tried： if I heard the hounds I
don't know I should keep from riding after them； whereas； now I can't；
for William won't let me take Deloraine。 No； I can't trust myself to
keep such a horse； and not hunt。 It will serve me right to see Mr。
Brownlow on it； and he will never miss such a chance！' and the depth of
his sigh bore witness to the struggle it cost him。
'I should not like to use anyone as you use yourself；' said Mrs。
Edmonstone； looking at him with affectionate anxiety； which seemed
suddenly to change the current of his thought； for he exclaimed
abruptly'Mrs。 Edmonstone； can you tell me anything about my mother？'
'I am afraid not；' said she； kindly； 'you know we had so little
intercourse with your family； that I heard little but the bare facts。'
'I don't think；' said Guy； leaning on the chimneypiece； 'that I ever
thought much about her till I knew you； but lately I have fancied a
great deal about what might have been if she had but lived。'
It was not Mrs。 Edmonstone's way to say half what she felt； and she
went on'Poor thing！ I believe she was quite a child。'
'Only seventeen when she died；' said Guy。
Mrs。 Edmonstone went to a drawer； took out two or three bundles of old
letters； and after searching in them by the fire…light； said'Ah！
here's a little about her； it is in a letter from my sister…in…law；
Philip's mother； when they were staying at Stylehurst。'
'Who？ My father and mother？' cried Guy eagerly。
'Did you not know they had been there three or four days？'
'NoI know less about them than anybody；' said he； sadly： but as Mrs。
Edmonstone waited； doubtful as to whether she might be about to make
disclosures for which he was unprepared； he added； hastily'I do know
the main facts of the story； I was told them last autumn；' and an
expression denoting the remembrance of great suffering came over his
face； then； pausing a moment； he said'I knew Archdeacon Morville had
been very kind。'
'He was always interested about your father；' said Mrs； Edmonstone；
'and happening to meet him in London some little time after his
marriage； hehe was pleased with the manner in which he was behaving
then； thoughtthought' And here； recollecting that she must not
speak ill of old Sir Guy； nor palliate his son's conduct； poor Mrs。
Edmonstone got into an inextricable confusionall the worse because
the fierce twisting of a penwiper in Guy's fingers denoted that he was
suffering a great trial of patience。 She avoided the difficulty thus：
'It is hard to speak of such things when there is so much to be
regretted on both sides； but the fact was； my brother thought your
father was harshly dealt with at that time。 Of course he had done very
wrong； but he had been so much neglected and left to himself； that it
seemed hardly fair to visit his offence on him as severely as if he had
had more advantages。 So it ended in their coming to spend a day or two
at Stylehurst； and this is the letter my sister…in…law wrote at the
time：
'〃Our visitors have just left us； and on the whole I am much better
pleased than I expected。 The little Mrs。 Morville is a very pretty
creature； and as engaging as long flaxen curls； apple…blossom
complexion； blue eyes； and the sweetest of voices can make her； so full
of childish glee and playfulness； that no one would stop to think
whether she was lady…like any more than you would with a child。 She
used to go singing like a bird about the house as soon as the first
strangeness wore off； which was after her first game of play with Fanny
and Little Philip。 She made them very fond of her； as indeed she would
make every one who spent a day or two in the same house with her。 I
could almost defy Sir Guy not to be reconciled after one sight of her
sweet sunny face。 She is all affection and gentleness； and with
tolerable training anything might be made of her； but she is so young
in mind and manners； that one cannot even think of blaming her for her
elopement； for she had no mother； no education but in music； and her
brother seems to have forced it on； thrown her in Mr。 Morville's way；
and worked on his excitable temperament； until he hurried them into
marriage。 Poor little girl； I suppose she little guesses what she has
done； but it was very pleasant to see how devotedly attached he seemed
to her； and there was something beautiful in the softening of his
impetuous tones when he said； 'Marianne；' and her pride in him was very
pretty； like a child playing at matronly airs。〃'
Guy gave a long； heavy sigh； brushed away a tear； and after a long
silence； said； 'Is that all？'
'All that I like to read to you。 Indeed； there is no more about her；
and it would be of no use to read all the reports that were going
about。Ah！ here；' said Mrs。 Edmonstone； looking into another letter；
'she speaks of your father as a very fine young man； with most generous
impulses；'but here again she was obliged to stop； for the next
sentence spoke of 'a noble character ruined by mismanagement。' 'She
never saw them again；' continued Mrs。 Edmonstone； 'Mr。 Dixon； your
mother's brother； had great influence with your father； and made
matters worseso much worse； that my brother did not feel himself
justified in having any more to do with them。'
'Ah！ he went to America；' said Guy； 'I don't know any more about him
except that he came to the funeral and stood with his arms folded； not
choosing to shake hands with my poor grandfather。' After another
silence he said； 'Will you read that again？' and when he had heard it；
he sat shading his bro