weir of hermiston-第13章

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the　Mains　were　understood　to　have　had　a　difference　of　opinion　about　him　

the　day　after　the　ball　…　he　was　none　the　wiser；　he　could　not　suppose　

himself　to　be　remarked　by　these　entrancing　ladies。　　At　the　ball　itself　

my　Lord　Muirfell's　daughter；　the　Lady　Flora；　spoke　to　him　twice；　and　the　

second　time　with　a　touch　of　appeal；　so　that　her　colour　rose　and　her　

voice　trembled　a　little　in　his　ear；　like　a　passing　grace　in　music。　　He　

stepped　back　with　a　heart　on　fire；　coldly　and　not　ungracefully　excused　

himself；　and　a　little　after　watched　her　dancing　with　young　Drumanno　of　

the　empty　laugh；　and　was　harrowed　at　the　sight；　and　raged　to　himself　

that　this　was　a　world　in　which　it　was　given　to　Drumanno　to　please；　and　

to　himself　only　to　stand　aside　and　envy。　　He　seemed　excluded；　as　of　

right；　from　the　favour　of　such　society　…　seemed　to　extinguish　mirth　

wherever　he　came；　and　was　quick　to　feel　the　wound；　and　desist；　and　

retire　into　solitude。　　If　he　had　but　understood　the　figure　he　presented；　

and　the　impression　he　made　on　these　bright　eyes　and　tender　hearts；　if　he　

had　but　guessed　that　the　Recluse　of　Hermiston；　young；　graceful；　well　

spoken；　but　always　cold；　stirred　the　maidens　of　the　county　with　the　

charm　of　Byronism　when　Byronism　was　new；　it　may　be　questioned　whether　

his　destiny　might　not　even　yet　have　been　modified。　　It　may　be　

questioned；　and　I　think　it　should　be　doubted。　　It　was　in　his　horoscope　

to　be　parsimonious　of　pain　to　himself；　or　of　the　chance　of　pain；　even　to　

the　avoidance　of　any　opportunity　of　pleasure；　to　have　a　Roman　sense　of　

duty；　an　instinctive　aristocracy　of　manners　and　taste；　to　be　the　son　of　

Adam　Weir　and　Jean　Rutherford。





2。　KIRSTIE





Kirstie　was　now　over　fifty；　and　might　have　sat　to　a　sculptor。　　Long　of　

limb；　and　still　light　of　foot；　deep…breasted；　robust…loined；　her　golden　

hair　not　yet　mingled　with　any　trace　of　silver；　the　years　had　but　

caressed　and　embellished　her。　　By　the　lines　of　a　rich　and　vigorous　

maternity；　she　seemed　destined　to　be　the　bride　of　heroes　and　the　mother　

of　their　children；　and　behold；　by　the　iniquity　of　fate；　she　had　passed　

through　her　youth　alone；　and　drew　near　to　the　confines　of　age；　a　

childless　woman。　　The　tender　ambitions　that　she　had　received　at　birth　

had　been；　by　time　and　disappointment；　diverted　into　a　certain　barren　

zeal　of　industry　and　fury　of　interference。　　She　carried　her　thwarted　

ardours　into　housework；　she　washed　floors　with　her　empty　heart。　　If　she　

could　not　win　the　love　of　one　with　love；　she　must　dominate　all　by　her　

temper。　　Hasty；　wordy；　and　wrathful；　she　had　a　drawn　quarrel　with　most　

of　her　neighbours；　and　with　the　others　not　much　more　than　armed　

neutrality。　　The　grieve's　wife　had　been　〃sneisty〃；　the　sister　of　the　

gardener　who　kept　house　for　him　had　shown　herself　〃upsitten〃；　and　she　

wrote　to　Lord　Hermiston　about　once　a　year　demanding　the　discharge　of　the　

offenders；　and　justifying　the　demand　by　much　wealth　of　detail。　　For　it　

must　not　be　supposed　that　the　quarrel　rested　with　the　wife　and　did　not　

take　in　the　husband　also　…　or　with　the　gardener's　sister；　and　did　not　

speedily　include　the　gardener　himself。　　As　the　upshot　of　all　this　petty　

quarrelling　and　intemperate　speech；　she　was　practically　excluded　（like　a　

lightkeeper　on　his　tower）　from　the　comforts　of　human　association；　except　

with　her　own　indoor　drudge；　who；　being　but　a　lassie　and　entirely　at　her　

mercy；　must　submit　to　the　shifty　weather　of　　〃the　mistress's〃　moods　

without　complaint；　and　be　willing　to　take　buffets　or　caresses　according　

to　the　temper　of　the　hour。　　To　Kirstie；　thus　situate　and　in　the　Indian　

summer　of　her　heart；　which　was　slow　to　submit　to　age；　the　gods　sent　this　

equivocal　good　thing　of　Archie's　presence。　　She　had　known　him　in　the　

cradle　and　paddled　him　when　he　misbehaved；　and　yet；　as　she　had　not　so　

much　as　set　eyes　on　him　since　he　was　eleven　and　had　his　last　serious　

illness；　the　tall；　slender；　refined；　and　rather　melancholy　young　

gentleman　of　twenty　came　upon　her　with　the　shock　of　a　new　acquaintance。　　

He　was　〃Young　Hermiston；〃　〃the　laird　himsel'　〃：　he　had　an　air　of　

distinctive　superiority；　a　cold　straight　glance　of　his　black　eyes；　that　

abashed　the　woman's　tantrums　in　the　beginning；　and　therefore　the　

possibility　of　any　quarrel　was　excluded。　　He　was　new；　and　therefore　

immediately　aroused　her　curiosity；　he　was　reticent；　and　kept　it　awake。　　

And　lastly　he　was　dark　and　she　fair；　and　he　was　male　and　she　female；　the　

everlasting　fountains　of　interest。



Her　feeling　partook　of　the　loyalty　of　a　clanswoman；　the　hero…worship　of　

a　maiden　aunt；　and　the　idolatry　due　to　a　god。　　No　matter　what　he　had　

asked　of　her；　ridiculous　or　tragic；　she　would　have　done　it　and　joyed　to　

do　it。　　Her　passion；　for　it　was　nothing　less；　entirely　filled　her。　　It　

was　a　rich　physical　pleasure　to　make　his　bed　or　light　his　lamp　for　him　

when　he　was　absent；　to　pull　off　his　wet　boots　or　wait　on　him　at　dinner　

when　he　returned。　　A　young　man　who　should　have　so　doted　on　the　idea；　

moral　and　physical；　of　any　woman；　might　be　properly　described　as　being　

in　love；　head　and　heels；　and　would　have　behaved　himself　accordingly。　　

But　Kirstie　…　though　her　heart　leaped　at　his　coming　footsteps　…　though；　

when　he　patted　her　shoulder；　her　face　brightened　for　the　day　…　had　not　a　

hope　or　thought　beyond　the　present　moment　and　its　perpetuation　to　the　

end　of　time。　　Till　the　end　of　time　she　would　have　had　nothing　altered；　

but　still　continue　delightedly　to　serve　her　idol；　and　be　repaid　（say　

twice　in　the　month）　with　a　clap　on　the　shoulder。



I　have　said　her　heart　leaped　…　it　is　the　accepted　phrase。　　But　rather；　

when　she　was　alone　in　any　chamber　of　the　house；　and　heard　his　foot　

passing　on　the　corridors；　something　in　her　bosom　rose　slowly　until　her　

breath　was　suspended；　and　as　slowly　fell　again　with　a　deep　sigh；　when　

the　steps　had　passed　and　she　was　disappointed　of　her　eyes'　desire。　　This　

perpetual　hunger　and　thirst　of　his　presence　kept　her　all　day　on　the　

alert。　　When　he　went　forth　at　morning；　she　would　stand　and　follow　him　

with　admiring　looks。　　As　it　grew　late　and　drew　to　the　time　of　his　return；

she　would　steal　forth　to　a　corner　of　the　policy　wall　and　be　seen　standing

there　sometimes　by　the　hour　together；　gazing　with　shaded　eyes；　waiting　the　

exquisite　and　barren　pleasure　of　his　view　a　mile　off　on　the　mountains。　　

When　at　night　she　had　trimmed　and　gathered　the　fire；　turned　down　his　

bed；　and　laid　out　his　night…gear　…　when　there　was　no　more　to　be　done　for　

the　king's　pleasure；　but　to　remember　him　fervently　in　her　usually　very　

tepid　prayers；　and　go　to　bed　brooding　upon　his　perfections；　his　future　

career；　and　what　she　should　give　him　the　next　day　for　dinner　…　there　

still　remained　before　her　one　more　opportunity；　she　was　still　to　take　in　

the　tray　and　say　good…night。　　Sometimes　Archie　would　glance　up　from　his　

book　with　a　preoccupied　nod　and　a　perfunctory　salutation　which　was　in　

truth　a　dismissal；　sometimes　…　and　by　degrees　more　often　…　the　volume　

would　be　laid　aside；　he　would　meet　her　coming　with　a　look　of　relief；　and　

the　conversation　would　be　engaged；　last　out　the　supper；　and　be　prolonged　

till　the　small　hours　by　the　waning　fire。　　It　was　no　wonder　that　Archie　

was　fond　of　company　after　his　solitary　days；　and　Kirstie；　upon　her　side；　

exerted　all　the　arts　of　her　vigorous　nature　to　ensnare　his　attention。　　

She　would　keep　back　some　piece　of　news　during　dinner　to　be　fired　off　

with　the　entrance　of　the　supper　tray；　and　form　as　it　were　the　LEVER　DE　

RIDEAU　of　the　evening's　entertainment。　　Once　he　had　heard　her　tongue　

wag；　she　made　sure　of　the　result。　　From　one　subject　to　another　she　moved　

by　insidious　transitions；　fearing　the　least　silence；　fearing　almost　to　

give　him　time　for　an　answer　lest　it　should　slip　into　a　hint　of　

separation。　　Like　so　many　people　of　her　class；　she　was　a　brave　narrator；　

her　place　was　on　the　hearth…rug　and　she　made　it　a　rostrum；　mimeing　her　

stories　as　she　told　t