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〃O； my lamb； ye must never say the like of that！〃 she cried。 〃Ye're to
honour faither and mother； dear； that your days may be long in the land。
It's Atheists that cry out against him … French Atheists； Erchie！ Ye would
never surely even yourself down to be saying the same thing as French
Atheists？ It would break my heart to think that of you。 And O； Erchie； here
are'na YOU setting up to JUDGE？ And have ye no forgot God's plain
command … the First with Promise； dear？ Mind you upon the beam and the
mote！〃
Having thus carried the war into the enemy's camp； the terrified lady
breathed again。 And no doubt it is easy thus to circumvent a child with
catchwords； but it may be questioned how far it is effectual。 An 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。
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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
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Weir of Hermiston
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。
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〃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。
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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 pr