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looking at the words with regard to Amy;'that passes all。 He shall
see what it is to insult me!'
'What is it? Your guardian out of humour?' asked his companion。
'My guardian is a mere weak fool。 I don't blame him;he can't help
it; but to see him made a tool of! He twists him round his finger;
abuses his weakness to insultto accuse。 But he shall give me an
account!'
Guy's voice had grown lower and more husky; but though the sound sunk;
the force of passion rather increased than diminished; it was like the
low distant sweep of the tempest as it whirls away; preparing to return
with yet more tremendous might。 His colour; too; had faded to
paleness; but the veins were still swollen; purple; and throbbing; and
there was a stillness about him that made his wrath more than fierce;
intense; almost appalling。
Harry Graham was dumb with astonishment; but while Guy spoke; Mrs。
Henley had come down; and was standing before them; beginning a
greeting。 The blood rushed back into Guy's cheeks; and; controlling
his voice with powerful effort; he said;
'I have had an insultingan unpleasant letter;' he added; catching
himself up。 'You must excuse me;' and he was gone。
'What has happened?' exclaimed Mrs。 Henley; though; from her brother's
letter; as well as from her observations during a long and purposely
slow progress; along a railed gallery overhanging the hall; and down a
winding staircase; she knew pretty well the whole history of his anger。
'I don't know;' said young Graham。 'Some absurd; person interfering
between him and his guardian。 I should be sorry to be him to fall in
his way just now。 It must be something properly bad。 I never saw a
man in such a rage。 I think I had better go after him; and see what he
has done with himself。'
'You don't think;' said Mrs。 Henley; detaining him; 'that his guardian
could have been finding fault with him with reason?'
'Who? Morville? His guardian must have a sharp eye for picking holes;
if he can find any in Morville。 Not a steadier fellow going;only too
much so。'
'Ah!' thought Mrs。 Henley; 'these young men always hang together;' and
she let him escape without further question。 But; when he emerged from
the house; Guy was already out of sight; and he could not succeed in
finding him。
Guy had burst out of the house; feeling as if nothing could relieve him
but free air and rapid motion; and on he hurried; fast; faster;
conscious alone of the wild; furious tumult of rage and indignation
against the maligner of his innocence; who was knowingly ruining him
with all that was dearest to him; insulting him by reproaches on his
breaking a most sacred; unblemished word; and; what Guy felt scarcely
less keenly; forcing kind…hearted Mr。 Edmonstone into a persecution so
foreign to his nature。 The agony of suffering such an accusation; and
from such a quarter;the violent storm of indignation and pride;
wild; undefined ideas of a heavy reckoning;above all; the dreary
thought of Amy denied to him for ever;all these swept over him; and
swayed him by turns; with the dreadful intensity belonging to a nature
formed for violent passions; which had broken down; in the sudden
shock; all the barriers imposed on them by a long course of self…
restraint。
On he rushed; reckless whither he went; or what he did; driven forward
by the wild impulse of passion; far over moor and hill; up and down;
till at last; exhausted at once by the tumult within; and by the
violent bodily exertion; a stillnessa suspension of thought and
sensationensued; and when this passed; he found himself seated on a
rock which crowned the summit of one of the hills; his handkerchief
loosened; his waistcoat open; his hat thrown off; his temples burning
and throbbing with a feeling of distraction; and the agitated beatings
of his heart almost stifling his panting breath。
'Yes;' he muttered to himself; 'a heavy account shall he pay me for
this crowning stroke of a long course of slander and ill…will! Have I
not seen it? Has not he hated me from the first; misconstrued every
word and deed; though I have tried; striven earnestly; to be his
friend;borne; as not another soul would have done; with his
impertinent interference and intolerable patronizing airs! But he has
seen the last of it! anything but this might be forgiven; but sowing
dissension between me and the Edmonstonesmaligning me there。 Never!
Knowing; too; as he seems to do; how I stand; it is the very ecstasy of
malice! Ay! this very night it shall be exposed; and he shall be
taught to bewaremade to know with whom he has to deal。'
Guy uttered this last with teeth clenched; in an excess of deep;
vengeful ire。 Never had Morville of the whole line felt more deadly
fierceness than held sway over him; as he contemplated his revenge;
looked forward with a dire complacency to the punishment he would
wreak; not for this offence alone; but for a long course of enmity。 He
sat; absorbed in the plan of vengeance; perfectly still; for his
physical exhaustion was complete; but as the pulsations of his heart
grew less wild; his purpose became sterner and more fixed。 He devised
its execution; planned his sudden journey; saw himself bursting on
Philip early next morning; summoning him to answer for his falsehoods。
The impulse to action seemed to restore his power over his senses。 He
looked round; to see where he was; raising his head from his hands。
The sun was setting opposite to him; in a flood of gold;a ruddy ball;
surrounded with its pomp of clouds; on the dazzling sweep of horizon。
That sight recalled him not only to himself; but to his true and better
self; the good angel so close to him for the twenty years of his life;
had been driven aloof but for a moment; and now; either that; or a
still higher and holier power; made the setting sun bring to his mind;
almost to his ear; the words;
Let not the sun go down upon your wrath;
Neither give place to the devil。
Guy had what some would call a vivid imagination; others a lively
faith。 He shuddered; then; his elbows on his knees; and his hands
clasped over his brow; he sat; bending forward; with his eyes closed;
wrought up in a fearful struggle; while it was to him as if he saw the
hereditary demon of the Morvilles watching by his side; to take full
possession of him as a rightful prey; unless the battle was fought and
won before that red orb had passed out of sight。 Yes; the besetting
fiend of his familythe spirit of defiance and resentmentthat was
driving him; even now; while realizing its presence; to disregard all
thoughts save of the revenge for which he could barter everything
every hope once precious to him。
It was horror at such wickedness that first checked him; and brought
him back to the combat。 His was not a temper that was satisfied with
ha