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Kirstie； and flounced from the room。
〃The damned； cross…grained； old broomstick！〃 ejaculated Innes。
In the meantime； Kirstie had escaped into the kitchen； and before her
vassal gave vent to her feelings。
〃Here； ettercap！ Ye'll have to wait on yon Innes！ I canna haud myself
in。 ‘Puir Erchie！' I'd ‘puir Erchie' him； if I had my way！ And Hermiston
with the deil's ain temper！ God； let him take Hermiston's scones out of his
mouth first。 There's no a hair on ayther o' the Weirs that hasna mair spunk
and dirdum to it than what he has in his hale dwaibly body！ Settin' up his
snash to me！ Let him gang to the black toon where he's mebbe wantit …
birling in a curricle … wi' pimatum on his heid … making a mess o' himsel'
wi' nesty hizzies … a fair disgrace！〃 It was impossible to hear without
admiration Kirstie's graduated disgust； as she brought forth； one after
another； these somewhat baseless charges。 Then she remembered her
immediate purpose； and turned again on her fascinated auditor。 〃Do ye no
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hear me； tawpie？ Do ye no hear what I'm tellin' ye？ Will I have to shoo ye
in to him？ If I come to attend to ye； mistress！〃 And the maid fled the
kitchen； which had become practically dangerous； to attend on Innes'
wants in the front parlour。
TANTAENE IRAE？ Has the reader perceived the reason？ Since
Frank's coming there were no more hours of gossip over the supper tray！
All his blandishments were in vain； he had started handicapped on the race
for Mrs。 Elliott's favour。
But it was a strange thing how misfortune dogged him in his efforts to
be genial。 I must guard the reader against accepting Kirstie's epithets as
evidence； she was more concerned for their vigour than for their accuracy。
Dwaibly； for instance； nothing could be more calumnious。 Frank was the
very picture of good looks； good humour； and manly youth。 He had bright
eyes with a sparkle and a dance to them； curly hair； a charming smile；
brilliant teeth； an admirable carriage of the head； the look of a gentleman；
the address of one accustomed to please at first sight and to improve the
impression。 And with all these advantages； he failed with every one about
Hermiston； with the silent shepherd； with the obsequious grieve； with the
groom who was also the ploughman； with the gardener and the gardener's
sister … a pious； down…hearted woman with a shawl over her ears … he
failed equally and flatly。 They did not like him； and they showed it。 The
little maid； indeed； was an exception； she admired him devoutly； probably
dreamed of him in her private hours； but she was accustomed to play the
part of silent auditor to Kirstie's tirades and silent recipient of Kirstie's
buffets； and she had learned not only to be a very capable girl of her years；
but a very secret and prudent one besides。 Frank was thus conscious that
he had one ally and sympathiser in the midst of that general union of
disfavour that surrounded； watched； and waited on him in the house of
Hermiston； but he had little comfort or society from that alliance； and the
demure little maid （twelve on her last birthday） preserved her own counsel；
and tripped on his service； brisk； dumbly responsive； but inexorably
unconversational。 For the others； they were beyond hope and beyond
endurance。 Never had a young Apollo been cast among such rustic
barbarians。 But perhaps the cause of his ill…success lay in one trait which
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was habitual and unconscious with him； yet diagnostic of the man。 It was
his practice to approach any one person at the expense of some one else。
He offered you an alliance against the some one else； he flattered you by
slighting him； you were drawn into a small intrigue against him before you
knew how。 Wonderful are the virtues of this process generally； but Frank's
mistake was in the choice of the some one else。 He was not politic in that；
he listened to the voice of irritation。 Archie had offended him at first by
what he had felt to be rather a dry reception； had offended him since by his
frequent absences。 He was besides the one figure continually present in
Frank's eye； and it was to his immediate dependants that Frank could offer
the snare of his sympathy。 Now the truth is that the Weirs； father and son；
were surrounded by a posse of strenuous loyalists。 Of my lord they were
vastly proud。 It was a distinction in itself to be one of the vassals of the
〃Hanging Judge；〃 and his gross； formidable joviality was far from
unpopular in the neighbourhood of his home。 For Archie they had； one and
all； a sensitive affection and respect which recoiled from a word of
belittlement。
Nor was Frank more successful when he went farther afield。 To the
Four Black Brothers； for instance； he was antipathetic in the highest
degree。 Hob thought him too light； Gib too profane。 Clem； who saw him
but for a day or two before he went to Glasgow； wanted to know what the
fule's business was； and whether he meant to stay here all session time！
〃Yon's a drone；〃 he pronounced。 As for Dand； it will be enough to describe
their first meeting； when Frank had been whipping a river and the rustic
celebrity chanced to come along the path。
〃I'm told you're quite a poet；〃 Frank had said。
〃Wha tell't ye that； mannie？〃 had been the unconciliating answer。
〃O； everybody！〃 says Frank。
〃God！ Here's fame！〃 said the sardonic poet； and he had passed on his
way。
Come to think of it； we have here perhaps a truer explanation of
Frank's failures。 Had he met Mr。 Sheriff Scott he could have turned a
neater compliment； because Mr。 Scott would have been a friend worth
making。 Dand； on the other hand； he did not value sixpence； and he
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showed it even while he tried to flatter。 Condescension is an excellent
thing； but it is strange how one…sided the pleasure of it is！ He who goes
fishing among the Scots peasantry with condescension for a bait will have
an empty basket by evening。
In proof of this theory Frank made a great success of it at the
Crossmichael Club； to which Archie took him immediately on his arrival；
his own last appearance on that scene of gaiety。 Frank was made welcome
there at once； continued to go regularly； and had attended a meeting （as the
members ever after loved to tell） on the evening before his death。 Young
Hay and young Pringle appeared again。 There was another supper at
Windiclaws； another dinner at Driffel； and it resulted in Frank being taken
to the bosom of the county people as unreservedly as he had been
repudiated by the country folk。 He occupied Hermiston after the manner of
an invader in a conquered capital。 He was perpetually issuing from it； as
from a base； to toddy parties； fishing parties； and dinner parties； to which
Archie was not invited； or to which Archie would not go。 It was now that
the name of The Recluse became general for the young man。 Some say
that Innes invented it； Innes； at least； spread it abroad。
〃How's all with your Recluse to…day？〃 people would ask。
〃O； reclusing away！〃 Innes would declare； with his bright air of saying
something witty； and immediately interrupt the general laughter which he
had provoked much more by his air than his words； 〃Mind you； it's all
very well laughing； but I'm not very well pleased。 Poor Archie is a good
fellow； an excellent fellow； a fellow I always liked。 I think it small of him
to take his little disgrace so hard； and shut himself up。 'Grant that it is a
ridiculous story； painfully ridiculous；' I keep telling him。 'Be a man！ Live it
down； man！' But not he。 Of course； it's just solitude； and shame； and all
that。 But I confess I'm beginning to fear the result。 It would be all the
pities in the world if a really promisi