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〃I say； Weir； you'll excuse me for returning again to this affair。 I've
been thinking it over； and I wish to beg you very seriously to be more
careful。 It's not a safe business。 Not safe； my boy；〃 said he。
〃What？〃 said Archie。
〃Well； it's your own fault if I must put a name on the thing； but really；
as a friend； I cannot stand by and see you rushing head down into these
dangers。 My dear boy；〃 said he； holding up a warning cigar； 〃consider！
What is to be the end of it？〃
〃The end of what？〃 … Archie； helpless with irritation； persisted in this
dangerous and ungracious guard。
〃Well； the end of the milkmaid； or； to speak more by the card； the end
of Miss Christina Elliott of the Cauldstaneslap。〃
〃I assure you；〃 Archie broke out； 〃this is all a figment of your
imagination。 There is nothing to be said against that young lady； you have
no right to introduce her name into the conversation。〃
〃I'll make a note of it；〃 said Frank。 〃She shall henceforth be nameless；
nameless； nameless； Grigalach！ I make a note besides of your valuable
testimony to her character。 I only want to look at this thing as a man of the
world。 Admitted she's an angel … but； my good fellow； is she a lady？〃
This was torture to Archie。 〃I beg your pardon；〃 he said； struggling to
be composed； 〃but because you have wormed yourself into my confidence
… 〃
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〃O； come！〃 cried Frank。 〃Your confidence？ It was rosy but
unconsenting。 Your confidence； indeed？ Now； look！ This is what I must
say； Weir； for it concerns your safety and good character； and therefore my
honour as your friend。 You say I wormed myself into your confidence。
Wormed is good。 But what have I done？ I have put two and two together；
just as the parish will be doing tomorrow； and the whole of Tweeddale in
two weeks； and the black brothers … well； I won't put a date on that； it will
be a dark and stormy morning！ Your secret； in other words； is poor Poll's。
And I want to ask of you as a friend whether you like the prospect？ There
are two horns to your dilemma； and I must say for myself I should look
mighty ruefully on either。 Do you see yourself explaining to the four Black
Brothers？ or do you see yourself presenting the milkmaid to papa as the
future lady of Hermiston？ Do you？ I tell you plainly； I don't！〃
Archie rose。 〃I will hear no more of this；〃 he said； in a trembling voice。
But Frank again held up his cigar。 〃Tell me one thing first。 Tell me if
this is not a friend's part that I am playing？〃
〃I believe you think it so；〃 replied Archle。 〃I can go as far as that。 I can
do so much justice to your motives。 But I will hear no more of it。 I am
going to bed。〃
〃That's right； Weir；〃 said Frank heartily。 〃Go to bed and think over it；
and I say； man； don't forget your prayers！ I don't often do the moral … don't
go in for that sort of thing … but when I do there's one thing sure； that I
mean it。〃
So Archie marched off to bed； and Frank sat alone by the table for
another hour or so； smiling to himself richly。 There was nothing vindictive
in his nature； but； if revenge came in his way； it might as well be good；
and the thought of Archie's pillow reflections that night was indescribably
sweet to him。 He felt a pleasant sense of power。 He looked down on
Archie as on a very little boy whose strings he pulled … as on a horse
whom he had backed and bridled by sheer power of intelligence； and
whom he might ride to glory or the grave at pleasure。 Which was it to be？
He lingered long； relishing the details of schemes that he was too idle to
pursue。 Poor cork upon a torrent； he tasted that night the sweets of
omnipotence； and brooded like a deity over the strands of that intrigue
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which was to shatter him before the summer waned。
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CHAPTER VIII … A NOCTURNAL
VISIT
KIRSTIE had many causes of distress。 More and more as we grow old
… and yet more and more as we grow old and are women； frozen by the
fear of age … we come to rely on the voice as the single outlet of the soul。
Only thus； in the curtailment of our means； can we relieve the straitened
cry of the passion within us； only thus； in the bitter and sensitive shyness
of advancing years； can we maintain relations with those vivacious figures
of the young that still show before us and tend daily to become no more
than the moving wall…paper of life。 Talk is the last link； the last relation。
But with the end of the conversation； when the voice stops and the bright
face of the listener is turned away； solitude falls again on the bruised heart。
Kirstie had lost her 〃cannie hour at e'en〃； she could no more wander with
Archie； a ghost if you will； but a happy ghost； in fields Elysian。 And to her
it was as if the whole world had fallen silent； to him； but an unremarkable
change of amusements。 And she raged to know it。 The effervescency of
her passionate and irritable nature rose within her at times to bursting
point。
This is the price paid by age for unseasonable ardours of feeling。 It
must have been so for Kirstie at any time when the occasion chanced； but
it so fell out that she was deprived of this delight in the hour when she had
most need of it； when she had most to say； most to ask； and when she
trembled to recognise her sovereignty not merely in abeyance but annulled。
For； with the clairvoyance of a genuine love； she had pierced the mystery
that had so long embarrassed Frank。 She was conscious； even before it was
carried out； even on that Sunday night when it began； of an invasion of her
rights； and a voice told her the invader's name。 Since then； by arts； by
accident； by small things observed； and by the general drift of Archie's
humour； she had passed beyond all possibility of doubt。 With a sense of
justice that Lord Hermiston might have envied； she had that day in church
considered and admitted the attractions of the younger Kirstie； and with
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the profound humanity and sentimentality of her nature； she had
recognised the coming of fate。 Not thus would she have chosen。 She had
seen； in imagination； Archie wedded to some tall； powerful； and rosy
heroine of the golden locks； made in her own image； for whom she would
have strewed the bride…bed with delight； and now she could have wept to
see the ambition falsified。 But the gods had pronounced； and her doom
was otherwise。
She lay tossing in bed that night； besieged with feverish thoughts。
There were dangerous matters pending； a battle was toward； over the fate
of which she hung in jealousy； sympathy； fear； and alternate loyalty and
disloyalty to either side。 Now she was reincarnated in her niece； and now
in Archie。 Now she saw； through the girl's eyes； the youth on his knees to
her； heard his persuasive instances with a deadly weakness； and received
his overmastering caresses。 Anon； with a revulsion； her temper raged to
see such utmost favours of fortune and love squandered on a brat of a girl；
one of her own house； using her own name … a deadly ingredient … and that
〃didna ken her ain mind an' was as black's your hat。〃 Now she trembled
lest her deity should plead in vain； loving the idea of success for him like a
triumph of nature； anon； with returning loyalty to her own family and sex；
she trembled for Kirstie and the credit of the Elliotts。 And again she had a
vision of herself； the day over for her old…world tales and local gossip；
bidding farewell to her last link with life and brightness and love； and
behind and beyond； she saw but the blank butt…end where she must crawl
to die。 Had she then come to the lees？ she； so great； so beautiful； with a