weir of hermiston-第22章
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resounded with the sound of afternoon snoring。 Just outside the door;
Dandie was sitting with a book in his hand; not reading; only honouring
the Sabbath by a sacred vacancy of mind。 She came near him and stood
still。
〃I'm for off up the muirs; Dandie;〃 she said。
There was something unusually soft in her tones that made him look up。
She was pale; her eyes dark and bright; no trace remained of the levity
of the morning。
〃Ay; lass? Ye'll have yer ups and downs like me; I'm thinkin';〃 he
observed。
〃What for do ye say that?〃 she asked。
〃O; for naething;〃 says Dand。 〃Only I think ye're mair like me than the
lave of them。 Ye've mair of the poetic temper; tho' Guid kens little
enough of the poetic taalent。 It's an ill gift at the best。 Look at
yoursel'。 At denner you were all sunshine and flowers and laughter; and
now you're like the star of evening on a lake。〃
She drank in this hackneyed compliment like wine; and it glowed in her
veins。
〃But I'm saying; Dand〃 … she came nearer him … 〃I'm for the muirs。 I
must have a braith of air。 If Clem was to be speiring for me; try and
quaiet him; will ye no?〃
〃What way?〃 said Dandie。 〃I ken but the ae way; and that's leein'。〃
I'll say ye had a sair heid; if ye like。〃
〃But I havena;〃 she objected。
〃I daursay no;〃 he returned。 〃I said I would say ye had; and if ye like
to nay…say me when ye come back; it'll no mateerially maitter; for my
chara'ter's clean gane a'ready past reca'。〃
〃O; Dand; are ye a lecar?〃 she asked; lingering。
〃Folks say sae;〃 replied the bard。
〃Wha says sae?〃 she pursued。
〃Them that should ken the best;〃 he responded。 〃The lassies; for ane。〃
〃But; Dand; you would never lee to me?〃 she asked。
〃I'll leave that for your pairt of it; ye girzie;〃 said he。 〃Ye'll lee
to me fast eneuch; when ye hae gotten a jo。 I'm tellin' ye and it's
true; when you have a jo; Miss Kirstie; it'll be for guid and ill。 I
ken: I was made that way mysel'; but the deil was in my luck! Here;
gang awa wi' ye to your muirs; and let me be; I'm in an hour of
inspiraution; ye upsetting tawpie!〃
But she clung to her brother's neighbourhood; she knew not why。
〃Will ye no gie's a kiss; Dand?〃 she said。 〃I aye likit ye fine。〃
He kissed her and considered her a moment; he found something strange in
her。 But he was a libertine through and through; nourished equal
contempt and suspicion of all womankind; and paid his way among them
habitually with idle compliments。
〃Gae wa' wi' ye!〃 said he。 〃Ye're a dentie baby; and be content wi'
that!〃
That was Dandie's way; a kiss and a comfit to Jenny … a bawbee and my
blessing to Jill … and goodnight to the whole clan of ye; my dears!
When anything approached the serious; it became a matter for men; he
both thought and said。 Women; when they did not absorb; were only
children to be shoo'd away。 Merely in his character of connoisseur;
however; Dandie glanced carelessly after his sister as she crossed the
meadow。 〃The brat's no that bad!〃 he thought with surprise; for though
he had just been paying her compliments; he had not really looked at
her。 〃Hey! what's yon?〃 For the grey dress was cut with short sleeves
and skirts; and displayed her trim strong legs clad in pink stockings of
the same shade as the kerchief she wore round her shoulders; and that
shimmered as she went。 This was not her way in undress; he knew her
ways and the ways of the whole sex in the country…side; no one better;
when they did not go barefoot; they wore stout 〃rig and furrow〃 woollen
hose of an invisible blue mostly; when they were not black outright; and
Dandie; at sight of this daintiness; put two and two together。 It was a
silk handkerchief; then they would be silken hose; they matched … then
the whole outfit was a present of Clem's; a costly present; and not
something to be worn through bog and briar; or on a late afternoon of
Sunday。 He whistled。 〃My denty May; either your heid's fair turned; or
there's some ongoings!〃 he observed; and dismissed the subject。
She went slowly at first; but ever straighter and faster for the
Cauldstaneslap; a pass among the hills to which the farm owed its name。
The Slap opened like a doorway between two rounded hillocks; and through
this ran the short cut to Hermiston。 Immediately on the other side it
went down through the Deil's Hags; a considerable marshy hollow of the
hill tops; full of springs; and crouching junipers; and pools where the
black peat…water slumbered。 There was no view from here。 A man might
have sat upon the Praying Weaver's stone a half century; and seen none
but the Cauldstaneslap children twice in the twenty…four hours on their
way to the school and back again; an occasional shepherd; the irruption
of a clan of sheep; or the birds who haunted about the springs; drinking
and shrilly piping。 So; when she had once passed the Slap; Kirstie was
received into seclusion。 She looked back a last time at the farm。 It
still lay deserted except for the figure of Dandie; who was now seen to
be scribbling in his lap; the hour of expected inspiration having come
to him at last。 Thence she passed rapidly through the morass; and came
to the farther end of it; where a sluggish burn discharges; and the path
for Hermiston accompanies it on the beginning of its downward path。
From this corner a wide view was opened to her of the whole stretch of
braes upon the other side; still sallow and in places rusty with the
winter; with the path marked boldly; here and there by the burn…side a
tuft of birches; and … two miles off as the crow flies … from its
enclosures and young plantations; the windows of Hermiston glittering in
the western sun。
Here she sat down and waited; and looked for a long time at these far…
away bright panes of glass。 It amused her to have so extended a view;
she thought。 It amused her to see the house of Hermiston … to see
〃folk〃; and there was an indistinguishable human unit; perhaps the
gardener; visibly sauntering on the gravel paths。
By the time the sun was down and all the easterly braes lay plunged in
clear shadow; she was aware of another figure coming up the path at a
most unequal rate of approach; now half running; now pausing and seeming
to hesitate。 She watched him at first with a total suspension of
thought。 She held her thought as a person holds his breathing。 Then
she consented to recognise him。 〃He'll no be coming here; he canna be;
it's no possible。〃 And there began to grow upon her a subdued choking
suspense。 He WAS coming; his hesitations had quite ceased; his step
grew firm and swift; no doubt remained; and the question loomed up
before her instant: what was she to do? It was all very well to say
that her brother was a laird himself: it was all very well to speak of
casual intermarriages and to count cousinship; like Auntie Kirstie。 The
difference in their social station was trenchant; propriety; prudence;
all that she had ever learned; all that she knew; bade her flee。 But on
the other hand the cup of life now offered to her was too enchanting。
For one moment; she saw the question clearly; and definitely made her
choice。 She stood up and showed herself an instant in the gap relieved
upon the sky line; and the next; fled trembling and sat down glowing
with excitement on the Weaver's stone。 She shut her eyes; seeking;
praying for composure。 Her hand shook in her lap; and her mind was full
of incongruous and futile speeches。 What was there to make a work
about? She could take care of herself; she supposed! There was no harm
in seeing the laird。 It was the best thing that could happen。 She
would mark a proper distance to him once and for all。 Gradually the
wheels of her nature ceased to go round so madly; and she sat in passive
expectatio