weir of hermiston-第27节

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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　

possession　of　Archie。　　He　had　passed　a　night　of　sermons；　a　day　of　

reflection；　he　had　come　wound　up　to　do　his　duty；　and　the　set　mouth；　

which　in　him　only　betrayed　the　effort　of　his　will；　to　her　seemed　the　

expression　of　an　averted　heart。　　It　was　the　same　with　his　constrained　

voice　and　embarrassed　utterance；　and　if　so　…　if　it　was　all　over　…　the　

pang　of　the　thought　took　away　from　her　the　power　of　thinking。



He　stood　before　her　some　way　off。　　〃Kirstie；　there's　been　too　much　of　

this。　　We've　seen　too　much　of　each　other。〃　　She　looked　up　quickly　and　

her　eyes　contracted。　　〃There's　no　good　ever　comes　of　these　secret　

meetings。　　They're　not　frank；　not　honest　truly；　and　I　ought　to　have　seen　

it。　　People　have　begun　to　talk；　and　it's　not　right　of　me。　　Do　you　see？〃



〃I　see　somebody　will　have　been　talking　to　ye；〃　she　said　sullenly。



〃They　have；　more　than　one　of　them；〃　replied　Archie。



〃And　whae　were　they？〃　she　cried。　　〃And　what　kind　o'　love　do　ye　ca'　that；　

that's　ready　to　gang　round　like　a　whirligig　at　folk　talking？　　Do　ye　

think　they　havena　talked　to　me？〃



〃Have　they　indeed？〃　said　Archie；　with　a　quick　breath。　　〃That　is　what　I　

feared。　　Who　were　they？　　Who　has　dared　…　？〃



Archie　was　on　the　point　of　losing　his　temper。



As　a　matter　of　fact；　not　any　one　had　talked　to　Christina　on　the　matter；　

and　she　strenuously　repeated　her　own　first　question　in　a　panic　of　self…

defence。



〃Ah；　well！　what　does　it　matter？〃　he　said。　　〃They　were　good　folk　that　

wished　well　to　us；　and　the　great　affair　is　that　there　are　people　

talking。　　My　dear　girl；　we　have　to　be　wise。　　We　must　not　wreck　our　lives　

at　the　outset。　　They　may　be　long　and　happy　yet；　and　we　must　see　to　it；　

Kirstie；　like　God's　rational　creatures　and　not　like　fool　children。　　

There　is　one　thing　we　must　see　to　before　all。　　You're　worth　waiting　for；　

Kirstie！　worth　waiting　for　a　generation；　it　would　be　enough　reward。〃　…　

And　here　he　remembered　the　schoolmaster　again；　and　very　unwisely　took　to　

following　wisdom。　　〃The　first　thing　that　we　must　see　to；　is　that　there　

shall　be　no　scandal　about　for　my　father's　sake。　　That　would　ruin　all；　do　

ye　no　see　that？〃



Kirstie　was　a　little　pleased；　there　had　been　some　show　of　warmth　of　

sentiment　in　what　Archie　had　said　last。　　But　the　dull　irritation　still　

persisted　in　her　bosom；　with　the　aboriginal　instinct；　having　suffered　

herself；　she　wished　to　make　Archie　suffer。



And　besides；　there　had　come　out　the　word　she　had　always　feared　to　hear　

from　his　lips；　the　name　of　his　father。　　It　is　not　to　be　supposed　that；　

during　so　many　days　with　a　love　avowed　between　them；　some　reference　had　

not　been　made　to　their　conjoint　future。　　It　had　in　fact　been　often　

touched　upon；　and　from　the　first　had　been　the　sore　point。　　Kirstie　had　

wilfully　closed　the　eye　of　thought；　she　would　not　argue　even　with　

herself；　gallant；　desperate　little　heart；　she　had　accepted　the　command　

of　that　supreme　attraction　like　the　call