weir of hermiston-第4章

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instinct　in　his　breast　detects　the　quibble；　and　a　voice　condemns　it。　　He　

will　instantly　submit；　privately　hold　the　same　opinion。　　For　even　in　

this　simple　and　antique　relation　of　the　mother　and　the　child；　

hypocrisies　are　multiplied。



When　the　Court　rose　that　year　and　the　family　returned　to　Hermiston；　it　

was　a　common　remark　in　all　the　country　that　the　lady　was　sore　failed。　　

She　seemed　to　loose　and　seize　again　her　touch　with　life；　now　sitting　

inert　in　a　sort　of　durable　bewilderment；　anon　waking　to　feverish　and　

weak　activity。　　She　dawdled　about　the　lasses　at　their　work；　looking　

stupidly　on；　she　fell　to　rummaging　in　old　cabinets　and　presses；　and　

desisted　when　half　through；　she　would　begin　remarks　with　an　air　of　

animation　and　drop　them　without　a　struggle。　　Her　common　appearance　was　

of　one　who　has　forgotten　something　and　is　trying　to　remember；　and　when　

she　overhauled；　one　after　another；　the　worthless　and　touching　mementoes　

of　her　youth；　she　might　have　been　seeking　the　clue　to　that　lost　thought。　　

During　this　period；　she　gave　many　gifts　to　the　neighbours　and　house　

lasses；　giving　them　with　a　manner　of　regret　that　embarrassed　the　

recipients。



The　last　night　of　all　she　was　busy　on　some　female　work；　and　toiled　upon　

it　with　so　manifest　and　painful　a　devotion　that　my　lord　（who　was　not　

often　curious）　inquired　as　to　its　nature。



She　blushed　to　the　eyes。　　〃O；　Edom；　it's　for　you！〃　she　said。　　〃It's　

slippers。　I　…　I　hae　never　made　ye　any。〃



〃Ye　daft　auld　wife！〃　returned　his　lordship。　　〃A　bonny　figure　I　would　

be；　palmering　about　in　bauchles！〃



The　next　day；　at　the　hour　of　her　walk；　Kirstie　interfered。　　Kirstie　took　

this　decay　of　her　mistress　very　hard；　bore　her　a　grudge；　quarrelled　with　

and　railed　upon　her；　the　anxiety　of　a　genuine　love　wearing　the　disguise　

of　temper。　　This　day　of　all　days　she　insisted　disrespectfully；　with　

rustic　fury；　that　Mrs。　Weir　should　stay　at　home。　　But；　〃No；　no；〃　she　

said；　〃it's　my　lord's　orders；〃　and　set　forth　as　usual。　　Archie　was　

visible　in　the　acre　bog；　engaged　upon　some　childish　enterprise；　the　

instrument　of　which　was　mire；　and　she　stood　and　looked　at　him　a　while　

like　one　about　to　call；　then　thought　otherwise；　sighed；　and　shook　her　

head；　and　proceeded　on　her　rounds　alone。　　The　house　lasses　were　at　the　

burnside　washing；　and　saw　her　pass　with　her　loose；　weary；　dowdy　gait。



〃She's　a　terrible　feckless　wife；　the　mistress！〃　said　the　one。



〃Tut；〃　said　the　other；　〃the　wumman's　seeck。〃



〃Weel；　I　canna　see　nae　differ　in　her；〃　returned　the　first。　〃A　

fushionless　quean；　a　feckless　carline。〃



The　poor　creature　thus　discussed　rambled　a　while　in　the　grounds　without　

a　purpose。　　Tides　in　her　mind　ebbed　and　flowed；　and　carried　her　

to　and　fro　like　seaweed。　　She　tried　a　path；　paused；　returned；　and　tried　

another；　questing；　forgetting　her　quest；　the　spirit　of　choice　extinct　in　

her　bosom；　or　devoid　of　sequency。　　On　a　sudden；　it　appeared　as　though　

she　had　remembered；　or　had　formed　a　resolution；　wheeled　about；　returned　

with　hurried　steps；　and　appeared　in　the　dining…room；　where　Kirstie　was　

at　the　cleaning；　like　one　charged　with　an　important　errand。



〃Kirstie！〃　she　began；　and　paused；　and　then　with　conviction；　〃Mr。　Weir　

isna　speeritually　minded；　but　he　has　been　a　good　man　to　me。〃



It　was　perhaps　the　first　time　since　her　husband's　elevation　that　she　had　

forgotten　the　handle　to　his　name；　of　which　the　tender；　inconsistent　

woman　was　not　a　little　proud。　　And　when　Kirstie　looked　up　at　the　

speaker's　face；　she　was　aware　of　a　change。



〃Godsake；　what's　the　maitter　wi'　ye；　mem？〃　cried　the　housekeeper；　

starting　from　the　rug。



〃I　do　not　ken；〃　answered　her　mistress；　shaking　her　head。　　〃But　he　is　not　

speeritually　minded；　my　dear。〃



〃Here；　sit　down　with　ye！　　Godsake；　what　ails　the　wife？〃　cried　Kirstie；　

and　helped　and　forced　her　into　my　lord's　own　chair　by　the　cheek　of　the　

hearth。



〃Keep　me；　what's　this？〃　she　gasped。　　〃Kirstie；　what's　this？　　I'm　

frich'ened。〃



They　were　her　last　words。



It　was　the　lowering　nightfall　when　my　lord　returned。　　He　had　the　sunset　

in　his　back；　all　clouds　and　glory；　and　before　him；　by　the　wayside；　spied　

Kirstie　Elliott　waiting。　　She　was　dissolved　in　tears；　and　addressed　him　

in　the　high；　false　note　of　barbarous　mourning；　such　as　still　lingers　

modified　among　Scots　heather。



〃The　Lord　peety　ye；　Hermiston！　the　Lord　prepare　ye！〃　she　keened　out。　　

〃Weary　upon　me；　that　I　should　have　to　tell　it！〃



He　reined　in　his　horse　and　looked　upon　her　with　the　hanging　face。



〃Has　the　French　landit？〃　cried　he。



〃Man；　man；〃　she　said；　〃is　that　a'　ye　can　think　of？　　The　Lord　prepare　ye：　

the　Lord　comfort　and　support　ye！〃



〃Is　onybody　deid？〃　said　his　lordship。　　〃It's　no　Erchie？〃



〃Bethankit；　no！〃　exclaimed　the　woman；　startled　into　a　more　natural　tone。　　

〃Na；　na；　it's　no　sae　bad　as　that。　　It's　the　mistress；　my　lord；　she　just　

fair　flittit　before　my　e'en。　　She　just　gi'ed　a　sab　and　was　by　wi'　it。　　

Eh；　my　bonny　Miss　Jeannie；　that　I　mind　sae　weel！〃　　And　forth　again　upon　

that　pouring　tide　of　lamentation　in　which　women　of　her　class　excel　and　

over…abound。



Lord　Hermiston　sat　in　the　saddle　beholding　her。　　Then　he　seemed　to　

recover　command　upon　himself。



〃Well；　it's　something　of　the　suddenest；〃　said　he。　　〃But　she　was　a　

dwaibly　body　from　the　first。〃



And　he　rode　home　at　a　precipitate　amble　with　Kirstie　at　his　horse's　

heels。



Dressed　as　she　was　for　her　last　walk；　they　had　laid　the　dead　lady　on　her　

bed。　　She　was　never　interesting　in　life；　in　death　she　was　not　

impressive；　and　as　her　husband　stood　before　her；　with　his　hands　crossed　

behind　his　powerful　back；　that　which　he　looked　upon　was　the　very　image　

of　the　insignificant。



〃Her　and　me　were　never　cut　out　for　one　another；〃　he　remarked　at　last。　　

〃It　was　a　daft…like　marriage。〃　　And　then；　with　a　most　unusual　gentleness　

of　tone；　〃Puir　bitch；〃　said　he；　〃puir　bitch！〃　　Then　suddenly：　〃Where's　

Erchie？〃



Kirstie　had　decoyed　him　to　her　room　and　given　him　〃a　jeely…piece。〃



〃Ye　have　some　kind　of　gumption；　too；〃　observed　the　judge；　and　considered　

his　housekeeper　grimly。　　〃When　all's　said；〃　he　added；　〃I　micht　have　done　

waur　…　I　micht　have　been　marriet　upon　a　skirting　Jezebel　like　you！〃



〃There's　naebody　thinking　of　you；　Hermiston！〃　cried　the　offended　woman。　　

〃We　think　of　her　that's　out　of　her　sorrows。　　And　could　SHE　have　done　

waur？　　Tell　me　that；　Hermiston　…　tell　me　that　before　her　clay…cauld　

corp！〃



〃Weel；　there's　some　of　them　gey　an'　ill　to　please；〃　observed　his　

lordship。







CHAPTER　II　…　FATHER　AND　SON







MY　Lord　Justice…Clerk　was　known　to　many；　the　man　Adam　Weir　perhaps　to　

none。　　He　had　nothing　to　explain　or　to　conceal；　he　sufficed　wholly　and　

silently　to　himself；　and　that　part　of　our　nature　which　goes　out　（too　

often　with　false　coin）　to　acquire　glory　or　love；　seemed　in　him　to　be　

omitted。　　He　did　not　try　to　be　loved；　he　did　not　care　to　be；　it　is　

probable　the　very　thought　of　it　was　a　stranger　to　his　mind。　　He　was　an　

admired　lawyer；　a　highly　unpopular　judge；　and　he　looked　down　upon　those　

who　were　his　inferiors　in　either　distinction；　who　were　lawyers　of　less　

grasp　or　judges　not　so　much　detested。　　In　all　the　rest　of　his　days　and　

doings；　not　one　trace　of　vanity　appeared；　and　he　went　on　through　life　

with　a　mechanical　movement；　as　of　the　unconscious；　that　was　almost　

august。



He　saw　little　of　his　son。　　In　the　childish　maladies　with　which　the　boy　

was　troubled；　he　would　make　daily　inquiries　and　daily　pay　him　a　visit；　

entering　the　sick…room　with　a　facetious　and　appalling　countenance；　

letting　off　a　few　perfunctory　jests；　and　going　again　swiftly；　to　the　

patient's　relief。　　Once；　a　court　holiday　falling　opportunely；　my　lord　

had　his　carriage；　and　drove　the　child　himself　to　Hermiston；　the　

customary　place　of　convalescence。　　It　is　conceivable　he　had　been　more　

than　usually　anxious；　for　that　jour