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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。 Harum…
scarum； clodpole young lairds of the neighbourhood paid him the
compliment of a visit。 Young Hay of Romanes rode down to call； on his
crop…eared pony； young Pringle of Drumanno came up on his bony grey。
Hay remained on the hospitable field； and must be carried to bed； Pringle
got somehow to his saddle about 3 A。M。； and （as Archie stood with the
lamp on the upper doorstep） lurched； uttered a senseless view… holloa； and
vanished out of the small circle of illumination like a wraith。 Yet a minute
or two longer the clatter of his break…neck flight was audible； then it was
cut off by the intervening steepness of the hill； and again； a great while
after； the renewed beating of phantom horse…hoofs； far in the valley of the
Hermiston； showed that the horse at least； if not his rider； was still on the
homeward way。
There was a Tuesday club at the 〃Cross…keys〃 in Crossmichael； where
the young bloods of the country…side congregated and drank deep on a
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percentage of the expense； so that he was left gainer who should have
drunk the most。 Archie had no great mind to this diversion； but he took it
like a duty laid upon him； went with a decent regularity； did his manfullest
with the liquor； held up his head in the local jests； and got home again and
was able to put up his horse； to the admiration of Kirstie and the lass that
helped her。 He dined at Driffel； supped at Windielaws。 He went to the new
year's ball at Huntsfield and was made welcome； and thereafter rode to
hounds with my Lord Muirfell； upon whose name； as that of a legitimate
Lord of Parliament； in a work so full of Lords of Session； my pen should
pause reverently。 Yet the same fate attended him here as in Edinburgh。 The
habit of solitude tends to perpetuate itself； and an austerity of which he
was quite unconscious； and a pride which seemed arrogance； and perhaps
was chiefly shyness； discouraged and offended his new companions。 Hay
did not return more than twice； Pringle never at all； and there came a time
when Archie even desisted from the Tuesday Club； and became in all
things … what he had had the name of almost from the first … the Recluse of
Hermiston。 High…nosed Miss Pringle of Drumanno and high…stepping Miss
Marshall of the Mains were understood to have had a difference of opinion
about him the day after the ball … he was none the wiser； he could not
suppose himself to be remarked by these entrancing ladies。 At the ball
itself my Lord Muirfell's daughter； the Lady Flora； spoke to him twice； and
the second time with a touch of appeal； so that her colour rose and her
voice trembled a little in his ear； like a passing grace in music。 He stepped
back with a heart on fire； coldly and not ungracefully excused himself； and
a little after watched her dancing with young Drumanno of the empty
laugh； and was harrowed at the sight； and raged to himself that this was a
world in which it was given to Drumanno to please； and to himself only to
stand aside and envy。 He seemed excluded； as of right； from the favour of
such society … seemed to extinguish mirth wherever he came； and was
quick to feel the wound； and desist； and retire into solitude。 If he had but
understood the figure he presented； and the impression he made on these
bright eyes and tender hearts； if he had but guessed that the Recluse of
Hermiston； young； graceful； well spoken； but always cold； stirred the
maidens of the county with the charm of Byronism when Byronism was
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new； it may be questioned whether his destiny might not even yet have
been modified。 It may be questioned； and I think it should be doubted。 It
was in his horoscope to be parsimonious of pain to himself； or of the
chance of pain； even to the avoidance of any opportunity of pleasure； to
have a Roman sense of duty； an instinctive aristocracy of manners and
taste； to be the son of Adam Weir and Jean Rutherford。
2。 KIRSTIE
Kirstie was now over fifty； and might have sat to a sculptor。 Long of
limb； and still light of foot； deep…breasted； robust…loined； her golden hair
not yet mingled with any trace of silver； the years had but caressed and
embellished her。 By the lines of a rich and vigorous maternity； she seemed
destined to be the bride of heroes and the mother of their children； and
behold； by the iniquity of fate； she had passed through her youth alone；
and drew near to the confines of age； a childless woman。 The tender
ambitions that she had received at birth had been； by time and
disappointment； diverted into a certain barren zeal of industry and fury of
interference。 She carried her thwarted ardours into housework； she washed
floors with her empty heart。 If she could not win the love of one with love；
she must dominate all by her temper。 Hasty； wordy； and wrathful； she had
a drawn quarrel with most of her neighbours； and with the others not much
more than armed neutrality。 The grieve's wife had been 〃sneisty〃； the sister
of the gardener who kept house for him had shown herself 〃upsitten〃； and
she wrote to Lord Hermiston about once a year demanding the discharge
of the offenders； and justifying the demand by much wealth of detail。 For
it must not be supposed that the quarrel rested with the wife and did not
take in the husband also … or with the gardener's sister； and did not speedily
include the gardener himself。 As the upshot of all this petty quarrelling and
intemperate speech； she was practically excluded （like a lightkeeper on his
tower） from the comforts of human association； except with her own
indoor drudge； who； being but a lassie and entirely at her mercy； must
submit to the shifty weather of 〃the mistress's〃 moods without complaint；
and be willing to take buffets or caresses according to the temper of the
hour。 To Kirstie； thus situate and in the Indian summer of her heart； which
was slow to submit to age； the gods sent this equivocal good thing of
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Archie's presence。 She had known him in the cradle and paddled him
when he misbehaved； and yet； as she had not so much as set eyes on him
since he was eleven and had his last serious illness； the tall； slender；
refined； and rather melancholy young gentleman of twenty came upon her
with the shock of a new acquaintance。 He was 〃Young Hermiston；〃 〃the
laird himsel' 〃： he had an air of distinctive superiority； a cold straight
glance of his black eyes； that abashed the woman's tantrums in the
beginning； and therefore the possibility of any quarrel was excluded。 He
was new； and therefore immediately aroused her curiosity； he was reticent；
and kept it awake。 And lastly he was dark and she fair； and he was male
and she female； the everlasting fountains of interest。
Her feeling partook of the loyalty of a clanswoman； the hero…worship
of a maiden aunt； and the idolatry due to a god。 No matter what he had
asked of her； ridiculous or tragic； she would have done it and joyed to do it。
Her passion； for it was nothing less； entirely filled her。 It was a rich
physical pleasure to make his bed or light his lamp for him when he was
absent； to pull off his wet boots or wait on him at dinner when he returned。
A young man who should have so doted on the idea； moral and physical；
of any woman； might be properly described as being in love； head and
heels； and would have behaved himself accordingly。 But Kirstie … though
her heart leaped at his coming footsteps … though； when he patted her
shoulder； her face brightened for the day … had not a hope or thought
beyond the present moment and its perpetuation to the end of time。 Till the
end o