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第27章

weir of hermiston-第27章

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modified and magnified their dissensions from the first。  To an idle; 

shallow; easy…going customer like Frank; the smell of a mystery was 

attractive。  It gave his mind something to play with; like a new toy to 

a child; and it took him on the weak side; for like many young men 

coming to the Bar; and before they had been tried and found wanting; he 

flattered himself he was a fellow of unusual quickness and penetration。  

They knew nothing of Sherlock Holmes in those days; but there was a good 

deal said of Talleyrand。  And if you could have caught Frank off his 

guard; he would have confessed with a smirk that; if he resembled any 

one; it was the Marquis de Talleyrand…Perigord。  It was on the occasion 

of Archie's first absence that this interest took root。  It was vastly 

deepened when Kirstie resented his curiosity at breakfast; and that same 

afternoon there occurred another scene which clinched the business。  He 

was fishing Swingleburn; Archie accompanying him; when the latter looked 

at his watch。



〃Well; good…bye;〃 said he。  〃I have something to do。  See you at 

dinner。〃



〃Don't be in such a hurry;〃 cries Frank。  〃Hold on till I get my rod up。  

I'll go with you; I'm sick of flogging this ditch。〃



And he began to reel up his line。



Archie stood speechless。  He took a long while to recover his wits under 

this direct attack; but by the time he was ready with his answer; and 

the angle was almost packed up; he had become completely Weir; and the 

hanging face gloomed on his young shoulders。  He spoke with a laboured 

composure; a laboured kindness even; but a child could see that his mind 

was made up。



〃I beg your pardon; Innes; I don't want to be disagreeable; but let us 

understand one another from the beginning。  When I want your company; 

I'll let you know。〃



〃O!〃 cries Frank; 〃you don't want my company; don't you?〃



〃Apparently not just now;〃 replied Archie。  〃I even indicated to you 

when I did; if you'll remember … and that was at dinner。  If we two 

fellows are to live together pleasantly … and I see no reason why we 

should not … it can only be by respecting each other's privacy。  If we 

begin intruding … 〃



〃O; come!  I'll take this at no man's hands。  Is this the way you treat 

a guest and an old friend?〃 cried Innes。



〃Just go home and think over what I said by yourself;〃 continued Archie; 

〃whether it's reasonable; or whether it's really offensive or not; and 

let's meet at dinner as though nothing had happened; I'll put it this 

way; if you like … that I know my own character; that I'm looking 

forward (with great pleasure; I assure you) to a long visit from you; 

and that I'm taking precautions at the first。  I see the thing that we … 

that I; if you like … might fall out upon; and I step in and OBSTO 

PRINCIPIIS。  I wager you five pounds you'll end by seeing that I mean 

friendliness; and I assure you; Francie; I do;〃 he added; relenting。



Bursting with anger; but incapable of speech; Innes shouldered his rod; 

made a gesture of farewell; and strode off down the burn…side。  Archie 

watched him go without moving。  He was sorry; but quite unashamed。  He 

hated to be inhospitable; but in one thing he was his father's son。  He 

had a strong sense that his house was his own and no man else's; and to 

lie at a guest's mercy was what he refused。  He hated to seem harsh。  

But that was Frank's lookout。  If Frank had been commonly discreet; he 

would have been decently courteous。  And there was another 

consideration。  The secret he was protecting was not his own merely; it 

was hers: it belonged to that inexpressible she who was fast taking 

possession of his soul; and whom he would soon have defended at the cost 

of burning cities。  By the time he had watched Frank as far as the 

Swingleburn…foot; appearing and disappearing in the tarnished heather; 

still stalking at a fierce gait but already dwindled in the distance 

into less than the smallness of Lilliput; he could afford to smile at 

the occurrence。  Either Frank would go; and that would be a relief … or 

he would continue to stay; and his host must continue to endure him。  

And Archie was now free … by devious paths; behind hillocks and in the 

hollow of burns … to make for the trysting…place where Kirstie; cried 

about by the curlew and the plover; waited and burned for his coming by 

the Covenanter's stone。



Innes went off down…hill in a passion of resentment; easy to be 

understood; but which yielded progressively to the needs of his 

situation。  He cursed Archie for a cold…hearted; unfriendly; rude; rude 

dog; and himself still more passionately for a fool in having come to 

Hermiston when he might have sought refuge in almost any other house in 

Scotland。  But the step once taken; was practically irretrievable。  He 

had no more ready money to go anywhere else; he would have to borrow 

from Archie the next club…night; and ill as he thought of his host's 

manners; he was sure of his practical generosity。  Frank's resemblance 

to Talleyrand strikes me as imaginary; but at least not Talleyrand 

himself could have more obediently taken his lesson from the facts。  He 

met Archie at dinner without resentment; almost with cordiality。  You 

must take your friends as you find them; he would have said。  Archie 

couldn't help being his father's son; or his grandfather's; the 

hypothetical weaver's; grandson。  The son of a hunks; he was still a 

hunks at heart; incapable of true generosity and consideration; but he 

had other qualities with which Frank could divert himself in the 

meanwhile; and to enjoy which it was necessary that Frank should keep 

his temper。



So excellently was it controlled that he awoke next morning with his 

head full of a different; though a cognate subject。  What was Archie's 

little game?  Why did he shun Frank's company?  What was he keeping 

secret?  Was he keeping tryst with somebody; and was it a woman?  It 

would be a good joke and a fair revenge to discover。  To that task he 

set himself with a great deal of patience; which might have surprised 

his friends; for he had been always credited not with patience so much 

as brilliancy; and little by little; from one point to another; he at 

last succeeded in piecing out the situation。  First he remarked that; 

although Archie set out in all the directions of the compass; he always 

came home again from some point between the south and west。  From the 

study of a map; and in consideration of the great expanse of untenanted 

moorland running in that direction towards the sources of the Clyde; he 

laid his finger on Cauldstaneslap and two other neighbouring farms; 

Kingsmuirs and Polintarf。  But it was difficult to advance farther。  

With his rod for a pretext; he vainly visited each of them in turn; 

nothing was to be seen suspicious about this trinity of moorland 

settlements。  He would have tried to follow Archie; had it been the 

least possible; but the nature of the land precluded the idea。  He did 

the next best; ensconced himself in a quiet corner; and pursued his 

movements with a telescope。  It was equally in vain; and he soon wearied 

of his futile vigilance; left the telescope at home; and had almost 

given the matter up in despair; when; on the twenty…seventh day of his 

visit; he was suddenly confronted with the person whom he sought。  The 

first Sunday Kirstie had managed to stay away from kirk on some pretext 

of indisposition; which was more truly modesty; the pleasure of 

beholding Archie seeming too sacred; too vivid for that public place。  

On the two following; Frank had himself been absent on some of his 

excursions among the neighbouring families。  It was not until the 

fourth; accordingly; that Frank had occasion to set eyes on the 

enchantress。  With the first look; all hesitation was over。  She came 

with the Cauldstaneslap party; then she lived at Cauldstaneslap。  Here 

was Archie's se

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