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justice to himself。 I know … I believe faithfully; slavishly; after our talk … he
will never ask me anything unjust。 I am proud to feel it; that we have that
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much in common; I am proud to say it to you。〃
The Judge; with shining eyes; raised his tankard。 〃And I think perhaps
that we might permit ourselves a toast;〃 said he。 〃I should like to propose
the health of a man very different from me and very much my superior … a
man from whom I have often differed; who has often (in the trivial
expression) rubbed me the wrong way; but whom I have never ceased to
respect and; I may add; to be not a little afraid of。 Shall I give you his
name?〃
〃The Lord Justice…Clerk; Lord Hermiston;〃 said Archie; almost with
gaiety; and the pair drank the toast deeply。
It was not precisely easy to re…establish; after these emotional passages;
the natural flow of conversation。 But the Judge eked out what was wanting
with kind looks; produced his snuff…box (which was very rarely seen) to
fill in a pause; and at last; despairing of any further social success; was
upon the point of getting down a book to read a favourite passage; when
there came a rather startling summons at the front door; and Carstairs
ushered in my Lord Glenkindie; hot from a midnight supper。 I am not
aware that Glenkindie was ever a beautiful object; being short; and gross…
bodied; and with an expression of sensuality comparable to a bear's。 At
that moment; coming in hissing from many potations; with a flushed
countenance and blurred eyes; he was strikingly contrasted with the tall;
pale; kingly figure of Glenalmond。 A rush of confused thought came over
Archie … of shame that this was one of his father's elect friends; of pride;
that at the least of it Hermiston could carry his liquor; and last of all; of
rage; that he should have here under his eyes the man that had betrayed
him。 And then that too passed away; and he sat quiet; biding his
opportunity。
The tipsy senator plunged at once into an explanation with
Glenalmond。 There was a point reserved yesterday; he had been able to
make neither head nor tail of it; and seeing lights in the house; he had just
dropped in for a glass of porter … and at this point he became aware of the
third person。 Archie saw the cod's mouth and the blunt lips of Glenkindie
gape at him for a moment; and the recognition twinkle in his eyes。
〃Who's this?〃 said he。 〃What? is this possibly you; Don Quickshot?
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And how are ye? And how's your father? And what's all this we hear of
you? It seems you're a most extraordinary leveller; by all tales。 No king;
no parliaments; and your gorge rises at the macers; worthy men! Hoot;
toot! Dear; dear me! Your father's son too! Most rideeculous!〃
Archie was on his feet; flushing a little at the reappearance of his
unhappy figure of speech; but perfectly self…possessed。 〃My lord … and you;
Lord Glenalmond; my dear friend;〃 he began; 〃this is a happy chance for
me; that I can make my confession and offer my apologies to two of you at
once。〃
〃Ah; but I don't know about that。 Confession? It'll be judeecial; my
young friend;〃 cried the jocular Glenkindie。 〃And I'm afraid to listen to ye。
Think if ye were to make me a coanvert!〃
〃If you would allow me; my lord;〃 returned Archie; 〃what I have to
say is very serious to me; and be pleased to be humorous after I am gone!〃
〃Remember; I'll hear nothing against the macers!〃 put in the
incorrigible Glenkindie。
But Archie continued as though he had not spoken。 〃I have played;
both yesterday and to…day; a part for which I can only offer the excuse of
youth。 I was so unwise as to go to an execution; it seems I made a scene at
the gallows; not content with which; I spoke the same night in a college
society against capital punishment。 This is the extent of what I have done;
and in case you hear more alleged against me; I protest my innocence。 I
have expressed my regret already to my father; who is so good as to pass
my conduct over … in a degree; and upon the condition that I am to leave
my law studies。〃 。 。 。
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CHAPTER V … WINTER ON THE
MOORS
I。 AT HERMISTON
THE road to Hermiston runs for a great part of the way up the valley
of a stream; a favourite with anglers and with midges; full of falls and
pools; and shaded by willows and natural woods of birch。 Here and there;
but at great distances; a byway branches off; and a gaunt farmhouse may
be descried above in a fold of the hill; but the more part of the time; the
road would be quite empty of passage and the hills of habitation。
Hermiston parish is one of the least populous in Scotland; and; by the time
you came that length; you would scarce be surprised at the inimitable
smallness of the kirk; a dwarfish; ancient place seated for fifty; and
standing in a green by the burn…side among two…score gravestones。 The
manse close by; although no more than a cottage; is surrounded by the
brightness of a flower…garden and the straw roofs of bees; and the whole
colony; kirk and manse; garden and graveyard; finds harbourage in a grove
of rowans; and is all the year round in a great silence broken only by the
drone of the bees; the tinkle of the burn; and the bell on Sundays。 A mile
beyond the kirk the road leaves the valley by a precipitous ascent; and
brings you a little after to the place of Hermiston; where it comes to an end
in the back…yard before the coach…house。 All beyond and about is the great
field; of the hills; the plover; the curlew; and the lark cry there; the wind
blows as it blows in a ship's rigging; hard and cold and pure; and the hill…
tops huddle one behind another like a herd of cattle into the sunset。
The house was sixty years old; unsightly; comfortable; a farmyard and
a kitchen…garden on the left; with a fruit wall where little hard green pears
came to their maturity about the end of October。
The policy (as who should say the park) was of some extent; but very
ill reclaimed; heather and moorfowl had crossed the boundary wall and
spread and roosted within; and it would have tasked a landscape gardener
to say where policy ended and unpolicied nature began。 My lord had been
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led by the influence of Mr。 Sheriff Scott into a considerable design of
planting; many acres were accordingly set out with fir; and the little
feathery besoms gave a false scale and lent a strange air of a toy…shop to
the moors。 A great; rooty sweetness of bogs was in the air; and at all
seasons an infinite melancholy piping of hill birds。 Standing so high and
with so little shelter; it was a cold; exposed house; splashed by showers;
drenched by continuous rains that made the gutters to spout; beaten upon
and buffeted by all the winds of heaven; and the prospect would be often
black with tempest; and often white with the snows of winter。 But the
house was wind and weather proof; the hearths were kept bright; and the
rooms pleasant with live fires of peat; and Archie might sit of an evening
and hear the squalls bugle on the moorland; and watch the fire prosper in
the earthy fuel; and the smoke winding up the chimney; and drink deep of
the pleasures of shelter。
Solitary as the place was; Archie did not want neighbours。 Every night;
if he chose; he might go down to the manse and share a 〃brewst〃 of toddy
with the minister … a hare…brained ancient gentleman; long and light and
still active; though his knees were loosened with age; and his voice broke
continually in childish trebles … and his lady wife; a heavy; comely dame;
without a word to say for herself beyond good…even and good…day。 H