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. O 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
alt