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Weir of Hermiston
him； and no hesitation in pronouncing him vulgar； the worst of the family。
Clem was leaning lazily forward when Archie first saw him。 Presently he
leaned nonchalantly back； and that deadly instrument； the maiden； was
suddenly unmasked in profile。 Though not quite in the front of the fashion
（had anybody cared！）； certain artful Glasgow mantua…makers； and her own
inherent taste； had arrayed her to great advantage。 Her accoutrement was；
indeed； a cause of heart… burning； and almost of scandal； in that
infinitesimal kirk company。 Mrs。 Hob had said her say at Cauldstaneslap。
〃Daft…like！〃 she had pronounced it。 〃A jaiket that'll no meet！ Whaur's the
sense of a jaiket that'll no button upon you； if it should come to be weet？
What do ye ca' thir things？ Demmy brokens； d'ye say？ They'll be brokens
wi' a vengeance or ye can win back！ Weel； I have nae thing to do wi' it …
it's no good taste。〃 Clem； whose purse had thus metamorphosed his sister；
and who was not insensible to the advertisement； had come to the rescue
with a 〃Hoot； woman！ What do you ken of good taste that has never been
to the ceety？〃 And Hob； looking on the girl with pleased smiles； as she
timidly displayed her finery in the midst of the dark kitchen； had thus
ended the dispute： 〃The cutty looks weel；〃 he had said； 〃and it's no very
like rain。 Wear them the day； hizzie； but it's no a thing to make a practice
o'。〃 In the breasts of her rivals； coming to the kirk very conscious of white
under…linen； and their faces splendid with much soap； the sight of the toilet
had raised a storm of varying emotion； from the mere unenvious
admiration that was expressed in a long…drawn 〃Eh！〃 to the angrier feeling
that found vent in an emphatic 〃Set her up！〃 Her frock was of straw…
coloured jaconet muslin； cut low at the bosom and short at the ankle； so as
to display her DEMI… BROQUINS of Regency violet； crossing with many
straps upon a yellow cobweb stocking。 According to the pretty fashion in
which our grandmothers did not hesitate to appear； and our great…aunts
went forth armed for the pursuit and capture of our great…uncles； the dress
was drawn up so as to mould the contour of both breasts； and in the nook
between； a cairngorm brooch maintained it。 Here； too； surely in a very
enviable position； trembled the nosegay of primroses。 She wore on her
shoulders … or rather on her back and not her shoulders； which it scarcely
passed … a French coat of sarsenet； tied in front with Margate braces； and
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of the same colour with her violet shoes。 About her face clustered a
disorder of dark ringlets； a little garland of yellow French roses
surmounted her brow； and the whole was crowned by a village hat of
chipped straw。 Amongst all the rosy and all the weathered faces that
surrounded her in church； she glowed like an open flower … girl and
raiment； and the cairngorm that caught the daylight and returned it in a
fiery flash； and the threads of bronze and gold that played in her hair。
Archie was attracted by the bright thing like a child。 He looked at her
again and yet again； and their looks crossed。 The lip was lifted from her
little teeth。 He saw the red blood work vividly under her tawny skin。 Her
eye； which was great as a stag's； struck and held his gaze。 He knew who
she must be … Kirstie； she of the harsh diminutive； his housekeeper's niece；
the sister of the rustic prophet； Gib … and he found in her the answer to his
wishes。
Christina felt the shock of their encountering glances； and seemed to
rise； clothed in smiles； into a region of the vague and bright。 But the
gratification was not more exquisite than it was brief。 She looked away
abruptly； and immediately began to blame herself for that abruptness。 She
knew what she should have done； too late … turned slowly with her nose in
the air。 And meantime his look was not removed； but continued to play
upon her like a battery of cannon constantly aimed； and now seemed to
isolate her alone with him； and now seemed to uplift her； as on a pillory；
before the congregation。 For Archie continued to drink her in with his eyes；
even as a wayfarer comes to a well…head on a mountain； and stoops his
face； and drinks with thirst unassuageable。 In the cleft of her little breasts
the fiery eye of the topaz and the pale florets of primrose fascinated him。
He saw the breasts heave； and the flowers shake with the heaving； and
marvelled what should so much discompose the girl。 And Christina was
conscious of his gaze … saw it； perhaps； with the dainty plaything of an ear
that peeped among her ringlets； she was conscious of changing colour；
conscious of her unsteady breath。 Like a creature tracked； run down；
surrounded； she sought in a dozen ways to give herself a countenance。 She
used her handkerchief … it was a really fine one … then she desisted in a
panic： 〃He would only think I was too warm。〃 She took to reading in the
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metrical psalms； and then remembered it was sermon…time。 Last she put a
〃sugar…bool〃 in her mouth； and the next moment repented of the step。 It
was such a homely…like thing！ Mr。 Archie would never be eating sweeties
in kirk； and； with a palpable effort； she swallowed it whole； and her colour
flamed high。 At this signal of distress Archie awoke to a sense of his ill…
behaviour。 What had he been doing？ He had been exquisitely rude in
church to the niece of his housekeeper； he had stared like a lackey and a
libertine at a beautiful and modest girl。 It was possible； it was even likely；
he would be presented to her after service in the kirk…yard； and then how
was he to look？ And there was no excuse。 He had marked the tokens of her
shame； of her increasing indignation； and he was such a fool that he had
not understood them。 Shame bowed him down； and he looked resolutely at
Mr。 Torrance； who little supposed； good； worthy man； as he continued to
expound justification by faith； what was his true business： to play the part
of derivative to a pair of children at the old game of falling in love。
Christina was greatly relieved at first。 It seemed to her that she was
clothed again。 She looked back on what had passed。 All would have been
right if she had not blushed； a silly fool！ There was nothing to blush at； if
she HAD taken a sugar…bool。 Mrs。 MacTaggart； the elder's wife in St。
Enoch's； took them often。 And if he had looked at her； what was more
natural than that a young gentleman should look at the best…dressed girl in
church？ And at the same time； she knew far otherwise； she knew there was
nothing casual or ordinary in the look； and valued herself on its memory
like a decoration。 Well； it was a blessing he had found something else to
look at！ And presently she began to have other thoughts。 It was necessary；
she fancied； that she should put herself right by a repetition of the incident；
better managed。 If the wish was father to the thought； she did not know or
she would not recognise it。 It was simply as a manoeuvre of propriety； as
something called for to lessen the significance of what had gone before；
that she should a second time meet his eyes； and this time without
blushing。 And at the memory of the blush； she blushed again； and became
one general blush burning from head to foot。 Was ever anything so
indelicate； so forward； done by a girl before？ And here she was； making an
exhibition of herself before the congregation about nothing！ She stole a
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glance upon her neighbours； and behold！ they were steadily indifferent；
and Clem had gone to sleep。 And still the one idea was becoming more
and more potent with her； that in common prudence she must look again
before the service ended。 Something of the same sort was going forwar