A rutting stag made the still woodland
rattle with his hoarse thunder, and a rival far up the valley gave back
a trumpet note of defiance, and was himself defied from heathery brows
which quivered far away above, half seen through the veil of eastern
mist. And close at home, upon the terrace before the house, amid romping
spaniels and golden-haired children, sat Lady Grenville herself, the
beautiful St. Leger of Annery, the central jewel of all that glorious
place, and looked down at her noble children, and then up at her more
noble husband, and round at that broad paradise of the West, till life
seemed too full of happiness, and heaven of light.
And all the while up and down paced Amyas and Sir Richard, talking long,
earnestly, and slow; for they both knew that the turning point of the
boy's life was come.
"Yes," said Sir Richard, after Amyas, in his blunt simple way, had told
him the whole story about Rose Salterne and his brother,--"yes, sweet
lad, thou hast chosen the better part, thou and thy brother also, and it
shall not be taken from you. Only be strong, lad, and trust in God that
He will make a man of you."
"I do trust," said Amyas.
"Thank God," said Sir Richard, "that you have yourself taken from my
heart that which was my great anxiety for you, from the day that your
good father, who sleeps in peace, committed you to my hands.
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