weir of hermiston-第20节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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　

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