weir of hermiston-第23章
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wheels of her nature ceased to go round so madly; and she sat in passive
expectation; a quiet; solitary figure in the midst of the grey moss。 I
have said she was no hypocrite; but here I am at fault。 She never
admitted to herself that she had come up the hill to look for Archie。
And perhaps after all she did not know; perhaps came as a stone falls。
For the steps of love in the young; and especially in girls; are
instinctive and unconscious。
In the meantime Archie was drawing rapidly near; and he at least was
consciously seeking her neighbourhood。 The afternoon had turned to
ashes in his mouth; the memory of the girl had kept him from reading and
drawn him as with cords; and at last; as the cool of the evening began
to come on; he had taken his hat and set forth; with a smothered
ejaculation; by the moor path to Cauldstaneslap。 He had no hope to find
her; he took the off chance without expectation of result and to relieve
his uneasiness。 The greater was his surprise; as he surmounted the
slope and came into the hollow of the Deil's Hags; to see there; like an
answer to his wishes; the little womanly figure in the grey dress and
the pink kerchief sitting little; and low; and lost; and acutely
solitary; in these desolate surroundings and on the weather…beaten stone
of the dead weaver。 Those things that still smacked of winter were all
rusty about her; and those things that already relished of the spring
had put forth the tender and lively colours of the season。 Even in the
unchanging face of the death…stone; changes were to be remarked; and in
the channeled lettering; the moss began to renew itself in jewels of
green。 By an afterthought that was a stroke of art; she had turned up
over her head the back of the kerchief; so that it now framed becomingly
her vivacious and yet pensive face。 Her feet were gathered under her on
the one side; and she leaned on her bare arm; which showed out strong
and round; tapered to a slim wrist; and shimmered in the fading light。
Young Hermiston was struck with a certain chill。 He was reminded that
he now dealt in serious matters of life and death。 This was a grown
woman he was approaching; endowed with her mysterious potencies and
attractions; the treasury of the continued race; and he was neither
better nor worse than the average of his sex and age。 He had a certain
delicacy which had preserved him hitherto unspotted; and which (had
either of them guessed it) made him a more dangerous companion when his
heart should be really stirred。 His throat was dry as he came near; but
the appealing sweetness of her smile stood between them like a guardian
angel。
For she turned to him and smiled; though without rising。 There was a
shade in this cavalier greeting that neither of them perceived; neither
he; who simply thought it gracious and charming as herself; nor yet she;
who did not observe (quick as she was) the difference between rising to
meet the laird; and remaining seated to receive the expected admirer。
〃Are ye stepping west; Hermiston?〃 said she; giving him his territorial
name after the fashion of the country…side。
〃I was;〃 said he; a little hoarsely; 〃but I think I will be about the
end of my stroll now。 Are you like me; Miss Christina? The house would
not hold me。 I came here seeking air。〃
He took his seat at the other end of the tombstone and studied her;
wondering what was she。 There was infinite import in the question alike
for her and him。
〃Ay;〃 she said。 〃I couldna bear the roof either。 It's a habit of mine
to come up here about the gloaming when it's quaiet and caller。〃
〃It was a habit of my mother's also;〃 he said gravely。 The recollection
half startled him as he expressed it。 He looked around。 〃I have scarce
been here since。 It's peaceful;〃 he said; with a long breath。
〃It's no like Glasgow;〃 she replied。 〃A weary place; yon Glasgow! But
what a day have I had for my homecoming; and what a bonny evening!〃
〃Indeed; it was a wonderful day;〃 said Archie。 〃I think I will remember
it years and years until I come to die。 On days like this … I do not
know if you feel as I do … but everything appears so brief; and fragile;
and exquisite; that I am afraid to touch life。 We are here for so short
a time; and all the old people before us … Rutherfords of Hermiston;
Elliotts of the Cauldstaneslap … that were here but a while since riding
about and keeping up a great noise in this quiet corner … making love
too; and marrying … why; where are they now? It's deadly commonplace;
but; after all; the commonplaces are the great poetic truths。〃
He was sounding her; semi…consciously; to see if she could understand
him; to learn if she were only an animal the colour of flowers; or had a
soul in her to keep her sweet。 She; on her part; her means well in
hand; watched; womanlike; for any opportunity to shine; to abound in his
humour; whatever that might be。 The dramatic artist; that lies dormant
or only half awake in most human beings; had in her sprung to his feet
in a divine fury; and chance had served her well。 She looked upon him
with a subdued twilight look that became the hour of the day and the
train of thought; earnestness shone through her like stars in the purple
west; and from the great but controlled upheaval of her whole nature
there passed into her voice; and rang in her lightest words; a thrill of
emotion。
〃Have you mind of Dand's song?〃 she answered。 〃I think he'll have been
trying to say what you have been thinking。〃
〃No; I never heard it;〃 he said。 〃Repeat it to me; can you?〃
〃It's nothing wanting the tune;〃 said Kirstie。
〃Then sing it me;〃 said he。
〃On the Lord's Day? That would never do; Mr。 Weir!〃
〃I am afraid I am not so strict a keeper of the Sabbath; and there is no
one in this place to hear us; unless the poor old ancient under the
stone。〃
〃No that I'm thinking that really;〃 she said。 〃By my way of thinking;
it's just as serious as a psalm。 Will I sooth it to ye; then?〃
〃If you please;〃 said he; and; drawing near to her on the tombstone;
prepared to listen。
She sat up as if to sing。 〃I'll only can sooth it to ye;〃 she explained。
〃I wouldna like to sing out loud on the Sabbath。 I think the birds
would carry news of it to Gilbert;〃 and she smiled。 〃It's about the
Elliotts;〃 she continued; 〃and I think there's few bonnier bits in the
book…poets; though Dand has never got printed yet。〃
And she began; in the low; clear tones of her half voice; now sinking
almost to a whisper; now rising to a particular note which was her best;
and which Archie learned to wait for with growing emotion:…
〃O they rade in the rain; in the days that are gane;
In the rain and the wind and the lave;
They shoutit in the ha' and they routit on the hill;
But they're a' quaitit noo in the grave。
Auld; auld Elliotts; clay…cauld Elliotts; dour; bauld Elliotte of auld!〃
All the time she sang she looked steadfastly before her; her knees
straight; her hands upon her knee; her head cast back and up。 The
expression was admirable throughout; for had she not learned it from the
lips and under the criticism of the author? When it was done; she
turned upon Archie a face softly bright; and eyes gently suffused and
shining in the twilight; and his heart rose and went out to her with
boundless pity and sympathy。 His question was answered。 She was a
human being tuned to a sense of the tragedy of life; there were pathos
and music and a great heart in the girl。
He arose instinctively; she also; for she saw she had gained a point;
and scored the impression deeper; and she had wit enough left to flee
upon a victory。 They were but commonplaces that remained to be
exchanged; but the low; moved voices in which they passed made them
sacred in the memory。 In the