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'Anything but not speaking my mind to； or of； the captain。'
'That is the very thing； unluckily。 Try to get the answer put off till
to…morrow； and that will give time to look at this letter candidly。'
'All the candour in the world will not make me think otherwise than
that he is disappointed at being no longer able to make us the puppets
of his malevolence。 Don't answer； or if you do； tell me what you say
in favour of that delicate insinuation of his。'
Guy made a step towards the window； and a step back again。 ''Tis not
fair to ask such questions；' he replied； after a moment。 'It is
throwing oil on the fire。 I was trying to forget it。 He neither knows
my uncle nor the circumstances。'
'Well； I am glad there is a point on which you can't even pretend to
stand up for him； or I should have thought you crazed with Quixotism。
But I am keeping you when you want to be off to Amy。 Never mind Mr。
Ready…to…halt； I shall wait till my father comes back。 If you want the
letter put off you had better give some hopes ofOh！ he is gone； and
disinterested advice it is of mine； for what is to become of me without
Amy remains to be proved。 Laura； poor thing； looks like Patience on a
monument。 I wonder whether Philip's disgrace has anything to do with
it。 Hum！ If mamma's old idea was right； the captain has been more
like moth and candle than consistent with his prudence； unless he
thought it 〃a toute epreuve〃。 I wonder what came to pass last autumn；
when I was ill； and mamma's head full of me。 He may not intend it； and
she may not know it； but I would by no means answer for Cupid's being
guiltless of that harassed look she has had ever since that ball…going
summer。 Oh！ there go that pretty study； Amy and her true knight。 As
to Guy； he is more incomprehensible than ever； yet there is no avoiding
obeying him； on the principle on which that child in the 〃Moorland
cottage〃 said she should obey Don Quixote。'
So when his father came in； Charles wiled him into deferring the letter
till the next day； by giving him an indistinct hope that some notion
when the marriage would be； might be arrived at by that time。 He
consented the more readily； because he was in haste to investigate a
complaint that had just been made of the union doctor； but his last
words to his wife and son before he went； were'Of course； they must
marry directly； there is nothing on earth to wait for。 Live at
Redclyffe alone？ Not to be thought of。 No； I'll see little Amy my
Lady Morville； before Philip goes abroad； if only to show him I am not
a man to be dictated to。'
Mrs。 Edmonstone sighed； but when he was gone； she agreed with Charles
that there was nothing to wait for； and that it would be better for Guy
to take his wife at once with him； when he settled at Redclyffe。 So it
must be whenever Amy could make up her mind to it； and thereupon they
made plans for future meetings； Charles announcing that the Prince of
the Black Isles would become locomotive； and Charlotte forming grand
designs upon Shag Island。
In the meantime； Guy and Amy were walking in the path through the wood；
where he began： 'I would not have asked you to do anything so
unpleasant as reading that letter； but I thought you ought to consider
of it。'
'It was just like himself！ How could he？' said Amy； indignantly。
'I wonder whether he will ever see his own harshness？' said Guy。 'It
is very strange； that with all his excellence and real kindness； there
should be some distortion in his view of all that concerns me。 I
cannot understand it。'
'You must let me call it prejudice； Guy； in spite of your protest。 It
is a relief to say something against him。'
'Amy； don't be venomous！' said Guy； in a playful tone of reproach。
'Yes； but you know it is not _me_ whom he has been abusing。'
'Well；' said Guy； musingly； 'I suppose it is right there should be this
cloud； or it would be too bright for earth。 It has been one of my
chief wishes to have things straight with Philip； ever since the time
he stayed at Redclyffe as a boy。 I saw his superiority then； but it
fretted me； and I never could make a companion of him。 Ever since； I
have looked to his approval as one of the best things to be won。 It
shows his ascendancy of character； yet； do what I will； the mist has
gone on thickening between us； and with reason； for I have never been
able to give him the confidence he required； and his conduct about my
uncle has so tried my patience； that I never have been quite sure
whether I ought to avoid him or not。'
'And now you are the only person who will speak for him。 I don't
wonder papa is provoked with you；' said she； pretending to be wilful。
'I only hope you don't want to make me do the same。 I could bear
anything better than his old saying about your attractive manners and
good impulses； and his opinion that has never altered。 0 Guy； he is
the most provoking person in all the world。 Don't try to make me
admire him； nor be sorry for him。'
'Not when you remember how he was looked on here？ and how； without
doing anything worthy of blame； nay； from his acting unsparingly； as he
thought right； every one has turned against him？ even mamma； who used
to be so fond of him？'
'Not Laura。'
'No； not Laura； and I am thankful to her for it； for all this makes me
feel as if I had supplanted him。'
'Yes； yes； yes； it is like you； but don't ask me to feel that yet；'
said Amy； with tears in her eyes；' or I shall be obliged to tell you
what you won't like to hear； about his tone of triumph that terrible
time last year。 It was so very different； I don't think I could ever
forgive him； if it had not made me so miserable too。'
Guy pressed her arm。 'Yes； but he thought himself right。 He meant to
do the kindest thing by you；' said he； so entirely without effort； that
no one could doubt it came straight from his heart。 'So he thinks
still； Amy； there is fairness； justice； good sense in his letter； and
we must not blind our eyes to it； though there is injustice； at least；
harshness。 I did fail egregiously in my first trial。'
'Fail！'
'In temper。'
'Oh！'
'And； Amy； I wanted to ask what you think about the four years he
speaks of。 Do you think； as he says； my habits might be more fixed；
and altogether you might have more confidence？'
'I don't look on you quite as he does now；' said Amy； with a very
pretty smile。 'Do you think his opinion of you will ever alter？'
'But what do you think？ Is there not some reason in what he says？'
'The only use I can see is； that perhaps I should be wiser at twenty…
four； and fitter to take care of such a great house； but then you have
been always helping me to grow wiser； and I am not much afraid but that
you will be patient with me。 Indeed； Guy； I don't know whether it is a
thing I ought to say；' she