re sure that you have forgiven me?'
'What! You have not forgotten that yet?' said Charles.
'Of course not.'
'I am sorry you bear so much malice,' said Charles, smiling.
'What are you imagining?' cried Guy. 'It was my own part I was
remembering, as I must, you know.'
Charles did not choose to betray that he did not see the necessity.
'I thought King Charles's wrongs were rankling. I only spoke as taking
liberties with a friend.'
'Yes,' said Guy, thoughtfully, 'it may be foolish, but I do not feel as
if one could do so with King Charles. He is too near home; he suffered
to much from scoffs and railings; his heart was too tender, his
repentance too deep for his friends to add one word even in jest to the
heap of reproach. How one would have loved him!' proceeded Guy, wrapped
up in his own thoughts,--'loved him for the gentleness so little
accordant with the rude times and the part he had to act--served him
with half like a knight's devotion to his lady-love, half like devotion
to a saint, as Montrose did--
'Great, good, and just, could I but rate
My grief, and thy too rigid fate,
I'd weep the world in such a strain,
As it should deluge once again.'
'And, oh!' cried he, with sudden vehemence, 'how one would have fought
for him!'
'You would!' said Charles. 'I should like to see you and Deloraine
charging at the head of Prince Rupert's troopers.'
'I beg your pardon,' said Guy, suddenly recalled, and colouring deeply;
'I believe I forgot where I was, and have treated you to one of my old
dreams in my boatings at home. You may quiz me as much as you please
tomorrow. Good night.'
'It was a rhapsody!' thought Charles; 'yes it was. I wonder I don't
laugh at it; but I was naturally carried along. Fancy that! He did it so
naturally; in fact, it was all from the bottom of his heart, and I
could not quiz him--no, no more than Montrose himself. He is a strange
article! But he keeps one awake, which is more than most people do!'
Guy was indeed likely to keep every one awake just then; for Mr.
Edmonstone was going to take him out hunting for the first time, and
he was half wild about it. The day came, and half an hour before Mr.
Edmonstone was ready, Guy was walking about the hall, checking many an
incipient whistle, and telling every one that he was beforehand with the
world, for he had read one extra hour yesterday, and had got t
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