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to die。 Had she then come to the lees？ she； so great； so beautiful； with a
heart as fresh as a girl's and strong as womanhood？ It could not be； and yet
it was so； and for a moment her bed was horrible to her as the sides of the
grave。 And she looked forward over a waste of hours； and saw herself go
on to rage； and tremble； and be softened； and rage again； until the day
came and the labours of the day must be renewed。
Suddenly she heard feet on the stairs … his feet； and soon after the
sound of a window…sash flung open。 She sat up with her heart beating。 He
had gone to his room alone； and he had not gone to bed。 She might again
have one of her night cracks； and at the entrancing prospect； a change
came over her mind； with the approach of this hope of pleasure； all the
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baser metal became immediately obliterated from her thoughts。 She rose；
all woman； and all the best of woman； tender； pitiful； hating the wrong；
loyal to her own sex … and all the weakest of that dear miscellany；
nourishing； cherishing next her soft heart； voicelessly flattering； hopes that
she would have died sooner than have acknowledged。 She tore off her
nightcap； and her hair fell about her shoulders in profusion。 Undying
coquetry awoke。 By the faint light of her nocturnal rush； she stood before
the looking…glass； carried her shapely arms above her head； and gathered
up the treasures of her tresses。 She was never backward to admire herself；
that kind of modesty was a stranger to her nature； and she paused； struck
with a pleased wonder at the sight。 〃Ye daft auld wife！〃 she said；
answering a thought that was not； and she blushed with the innocent
consciousness of a child。 Hastily she did up the massive and shining coils；
hastily donned a wrapper； and with the rushlight in her hand； stole into the
hall。 Below stairs she heard the clock ticking the deliberate seconds； and
Frank jingling with the decanters in the dining…room。 Aversion rose in her；
bitter and momentary。 〃Nesty； tippling puggy！〃 she thought； and the next
moment she had knocked guardedly at Archie's door and was bidden enter。
Archie had been looking out into the ancient blackness； pierced here
and there with a rayless star； taking the sweet air of the moors and the
night into his bosom deeply； seeking； perhaps finding； peace after the
manner of the unhappy。 He turned round as she came in； and showed her a
pale face against the window…frame。
〃Is that you； Kirstie？〃 he asked。 〃Come in！〃
〃It's unco late； my dear；〃 said Kirstie； affecting unwillingness。
〃No； no；〃 he answered； 〃not at all。 Come in； if you want a crack。 I am
not sleepy； God knows！〃
She advanced； took a chair by the toilet table and the candle； and set
the rushlight at her foot。 Something … it might be in the comparative
disorder of her dress； it might be the emotion that now welled in her
bosom … had touched her with a wand of transformation； and she seemed
young with the youth of goddesses。
〃Mr。 Erchie；〃 she began； 〃what's this that's come to ye？〃
〃I am not aware of anything that has come；〃 said Archie； and blushed；
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and repented bitterly that he had let her in。
〃O； my dear； that'll no dae！〃 said Kirstie。 〃It's ill to blend the eyes of
love。 O； Mr。 Erchie； tak a thocht ere it's ower late。 Ye shouldna be
impatient o' the braws o' life； they'll a' come in their saison； like the sun
and the rain。 Ye're young yet； ye've mony cantie years afore ye。 See and
dinna wreck yersel' at the outset like sae mony ithers！ Hae patience … they
telled me aye that was the owercome o' life … hae patience； there's a braw
day coming yet。 Gude kens it never cam to me； and here I am； wi' nayther
man nor bairn to ca' my ain； wearying a' folks wi' my ill tongue； and you
just the first； Mr。 Erchie！〃
〃I have a difficulty in knowing what you mean；〃 said Archie。
〃Weel； and I'll tell ye；〃 she said。 〃It's just this； that I'm feared。 I'm
feared for ye； my dear。 Remember； your faither is a hard man； reaping
where he hasna sowed and gaithering where he hasna strawed。 It's easy
speakin'； but mind！ Ye'll have to look in the gurly face o'm； where it's ill to
look； and vain to look for mercy。 Ye mind me o' a bonny ship pitten oot
into the black and gowsty seas … ye're a' safe still； sittin' quait and crackin'
wi' Kirstie in your lown chalmer； but whaur will ye be the morn； and in
whatten horror o' the fearsome tempest； cryin' on the hills to cover ye？〃
〃Why； Kirstie； you're very enigmatical to…night … and very eloquent；〃
Archie put in。
〃And； my dear Mr。 Erchie；〃 she continued； with a change of voice； 〃ye
mauna think that I canna sympathise wi' ye。 Ye mauna think that I havena
been young mysel'。 Lang syne； when I was a bit lassie； no twenty yet … 〃
She paused and sighed。 〃Clean and caller； wi' a fit like the hinney bee；〃
she continned。 〃I was aye big and buirdly； ye maun understand； a bonny
figure o' a woman； though I say it that suldna … built to rear bairns … braw
bairns they suld hae been； and grand I would hae likit it！ But I was young；
dear； wi' the bonny glint o' youth in my 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
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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