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weir of hermiston-第30章

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e'en; and little I dreamed I'd ever be tellin' ye this; an auld; lanely; 

rudas wife!  Weel; Mr。 Erchie; there was a lad cam' courtin' me; as was 

but naetural。  Mony had come before; and I would nane o' them。  But this 

yin had a tongue to wile the birds frae the lift and the bees frae the 

foxglove bells。  Deary me; but it's lang syne!  Folk have dee'd sinsyne 

and been buried; and are forgotten; and bairns been born and got merrit 

and got bairns o' their ain。  Sinsyne woods have been plantit; and have 

grawn up and are bonny trees; and the joes sit in their shadow; and 

sinsyne auld estates have changed hands; and there have been wars and 

rumours of wars on the face of the earth。  And here I'm still … like an 

auld droopit craw … lookin' on and craikin'!  But; Mr。 Erchie; do ye no 

think that I have mind o' it a' still?  I was dwalling then in my 

faither's house; and it's a curious thing that we were whiles trysted in 

the Deil's Hags。  And do ye no think that I have mind of the bonny 

simmer days; the lang miles o' the bluid…red heather; the cryin' of the 

whaups; and the lad and the lassie that was trysted?  Do ye no think 

that I mind how the hilly sweetness ran about my hairt?  Ay; Mr。 Erchie; 

I ken the way o' it … fine do I ken the way … how the grace o' God takes 

them; like Paul of Tarsus; when they think it least; and drives the pair 

o' them into a land which is like a dream; and the world and the folks 

in't' are nae mair than clouds to the puir lassie; and heeven nae mair 

than windle…straes; if she can but pleesure him!  Until Tam dee'd … that 

was my story;〃 she broke off to say; 〃he dee'd; and I wasna at the 

buryin'。  But while he was here; I could take care o' mysel'。  And can 

yon puir lassie?〃



Kirstie; her eyes shining with unshed tears; stretched out her hand 

towards him appealingly; the bright and the dull gold of her hair 

flashed and smouldered in the coils behind her comely head; like the 

rays of an eternal youth; the pure colour had risen in her face; and 

Archie was abashed alike by her beauty and her story。  He came towards 

her slowly from the window; took up her hand in his and kissed it。



〃Kirstie;〃 he said hoarsely; 〃you have misjudged me sorely。  I have 

always thought of her; I wouldna harm her for the universe; my woman!〃



〃Eh; lad; and that's easy sayin';〃 cried Kirstie; 〃but it's nane sae 

easy doin'!  Man; do ye no comprehend that it's God's wull we should be 

blendit and glamoured; and have nae command over our ain members at a 

time like that?  My bairn;〃 she cried; still holding his hand; 〃think o' 

the puir lass! have pity upon her; Erchie! and O; be wise for twa!  

Think o' the risk she rins!  I have seen ye; and what's to prevent 

ithers!  I saw ye once in the Hags; in my ain howl; and I was wae to see 

ye there … in pairt for the omen; for I think there's a weird on the 

place … and in pairt for pure nakit envy and bitterness o' hairt。  It's 

strange ye should forgather there tae!  God! but yon puir; thrawn; auld 

Covenanter's seen a heap o' human natur since he lookit his last on the 

musket barrels; if he never saw nane afore;〃 she added; with a kind of 

wonder in her eyes。



〃I swear by my honour I have done her no wrong;〃 said Archie。  〃I swear 

by my honour and the redemption of my soul that there shall none be done 

her。  I have heard of this before。  I have been foolish; Kirstie; not 

unkind; and; above all; not base。〃



〃There's my bairn!〃 said Kirstie; rising。  〃I'll can trust ye noo; I'll 

can gang to my bed wi' an easy hairt。〃  And then she saw in a flash how 

barren had been her triumph。  Archie had promised to spare the girl; and 

he would keep it; but who had promised to spare Archie?  What was to be 

the end of it?  Over a maze of difficulties she glanced; and saw; at the 

end of every passage; the flinty countenance of Hermiston。  And a kind 

of horror fell upon her at what she had done。  She wore a tragic mask。  

〃Erchie; the Lord peety you; dear; and peety me!  I have buildit on this 

foundation〃 … laying her hand heavily on his shoulder … 〃and buildit 

hie; and pit my hairt in the buildin' of it。  If the hale hypothec were 

to fa'; I think; laddie; I would dee!  Excuse a daft wife that loves ye; 

and that kenned your mither。  And for His name's sake keep yersel' frae 

inordinate desires; haud your heart in baith your hands; carry it canny 

and laigh; dinna send it up like a hairn's kite into the collieshangic 

o' the wunds!  Mind; Maister Erchie dear; that this life's a' 

disappointment; and a mouthfu' o' mools is the appointed end。〃



〃Ay; but Kirstie; my woman; you're asking me ower much at last;〃 said 

Archie; profoundly moved; and lapsing into the broad Scots。  〃Ye're 

asking what nae man can grant ye; what only the Lord of heaven can grant 

ye if He see fit。  Ay!  And can even He!  I can promise ye what I shall 

do; and you can depend on that。  But how I shall feel … my woman; that 

is long past thinking of!〃



They were both standing by now opposite each other。  The face of Archie 

wore the wretched semblance of a smile; hers was convulsed for a moment。



〃Promise me ae thing;〃 she cried in a sharp voice。  〃Promise me ye'll 

never do naething without telling me。〃



〃No; Kirstie; I canna promise ye that;〃 he replied。  〃I have promised 

enough; God kens!〃



〃May the blessing of God lift and rest upon ye dear!〃 she said。



〃God bless ye; my old friend;〃 said he。







CHAPTER IX … AT THE WEAVER'S STONE







IT was late in the afternoon when Archie drew near by the hill path to 

the Praying Weaver's stone。  The Hags were in shadow。  But still; 

through the gate of the Slap; the sun shot a last arrow; which sped far 

and straight across the surface of the moss; here and there touching and 

shining on a tussock; and lighted at length on the gravestone and the 

small figure awaiting him there。  The emptiness and solitude of the 

great moors seemed to be concentrated there; and Kirstie pointed out by 

that figure of sunshine for the only inhabitant。  His first sight of her 

was thus excruciatingly sad; like a glimpse of a world from which all 

light; comfort; and society were on the point of vanishing。  And the 

next moment; when she had turned her face to him and the quick smile had 

enlightened it; the whole face of nature smiled upon him in her smile of 

welcome。  Archie's slow pace was quickened; his legs hasted to her 

though his heart was hanging back。  The girl; upon her side; drew 

herself together slowly and stood up; expectant; she was all languor; 

her face was gone white; her arms ached for him; her soul was on tip…

toes。  But he deceived her; pausing a few steps away; not less white 

than herself; and holding up his hand with a gesture of denial。



〃No; Christina; not to…day;〃 he said。  〃To…day I have to talk to you 

seriously。  Sit ye down; please; there where you were。  Please!〃 he 

repeated。



The revulsion of feeling in Christina's heart was violent。  To have 

longed and waited these weary hours for him; rehearsing her endearments 

… to have seen him at last come … to have been ready there; breathless; 

wholly passive; his to do what he would with … and suddenly to have 

found herself confronted with a grey…faced; harsh schoolmaster … it was 

too rude a shock。  She could have wept; but pride withheld her。  She sat 

down on the stone; from which she had arisen; part with the instinct of 

obedience; part as though she had been thrust there。  What was this?  

Why was she rejected?  Had she ceased to please?  She stood here 

offering her wares; and he would none of them!  And yet they were all 

his!  His to take and keep; not his to refuse though!  In her quick 

petulant nature; a moment ago on fire with hope; thwarted love and 

wounded vanity wrought。  The schoolmaster that there is in all men; to 

the despair of all girls and most women; was now completely in 

posses

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