按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
eyes and wept； and papa let down the glass and looked out upon the rabble
with his droll formidable face； bitter and smiling； as they said he
sometimes looked when he gave sentence； Archie was for the moment too
much amazed to be alarmed； but he had scarce got his mother by herself
before his shrill voice was raised demanding an explanation： why had they
called papa a persecutor？
〃Keep me； my precious！〃 she exclaimed。 〃Keep me； my dear！ this is
poleetical。 Ye must never ask me anything poleetical； Erchie。 Your faither
is a great man； my dear； and it's no for me or you to be judging him。 It
would be telling us all； if we behaved ourselves in our several stations the
way your faither does in his high office； and let me hear no more of any
such disrespectful and undutiful questions！ No that you meant to be
undutiful； my lamb； your mother kens that … she kens it well； dearie！〃 And
so slid off to safer topics； and left on the mind of the child an obscure but
ineradicable sense of something wrong。
Mrs。 Weir's philosophy of life was summed in one expression …
tenderness。 In her view of the universe； which was all lighted up with a
glow out of the doors of hell； good people must walk there in a kind of
ecstasy of tenderness。 The beasts and plants had no souls； they were here
but for a day； and let their day pass gently！ And as for the immortal men；
on what black； downward path were many of them wending； and to what a
horror of an immortality！ 〃Are not two sparrows；〃 〃Whosoever shall smite
thee；〃 〃God sendeth His rain；〃 〃Judge not； that ye be not judged〃 … these
texts made her body of divinity； she put them on in the morning with her
9
… Page 10…
Weir of Hermiston
clothes and lay down to sleep with them at night； they haunted her like a
favourite air； they clung about her like a favourite perfume。 Their minister
was a marrowy expounder of the law； and my lord sat under him with
relish； but Mrs。 Weir respected him from far off； heard him （like the
cannon of a beleaguered city） usefully booming outside on the dogmatic
ramparts； and meanwhile； within and out of shot； dwelt in her private
garden which she watered with grateful tears。 It seems strange to say of
this colourless and ineffectual woman； but she was a true enthusiast； and
might have made the sunshine and the glory of a cloister。 Perhaps none but
Archie knew she could be eloquent； perhaps none but he had seen her … her
colour raised； her hands clasped or quivering … glow with gentle ardour。
There is a corner of the policy of Hermiston； where you come suddenly in
view of the summit of Black Fell； sometimes like the mere grass top of a
hill； sometimes （and this is her own expression） like a precious jewel in
the heavens。 On such days； upon the sudden view of it； her hand would
tighten on the child's fingers； her voice rise like a song。 〃I TO THE
HILLS！〃 she would repeat。 〃And O； Erchie； are nae these like the hills of
Naphtali？〃 and her tears would flow。
Upon an impressionable child the effect of this continual and pretty
accompaniment to life was deep。 The woman's quietism and piety passed
on to his different nature undiminished； but whereas in her it was a native
sentiment； in him it was only an implanted dogma。 Nature and the child's
pugnacity at times revolted。 A cad from the Potterrow once struck him in
the mouth； he struck back； the pair fought it out in the back stable lane
towards the Meadows； and Archie returned with a considerable decline in
the number of his front teeth； and unregenerately boasting of the losses of
the foe。 It was a sore day for Mrs。 Weir； she wept and prayed over the
infant backslider until my lord was due from Court； and she must resume
that air of tremulous composure with which she always greeted him。 The
judge was that day in an observant mood； and remarked upon the absent
teeth。
〃I am afraid Erchie will have been fechting with some of they blagyard
lads；〃 said Mrs。 Weir。
My lord's voice rang out as it did seldom in the privacy of his own
10
… Page 11…
Weir of Hermiston
house。 〃I'll have norm of that； sir！〃 he cried。 〃Do you hear me？ … nonn of
that！ No son of mine shall be speldering in the glaur with any dirty
raibble。〃
The anxious mother was grateful for so much support； she had even
feared the contrary。 And that night when she put the child to bed … 〃Now；
my dear； ye see！〃 she said； 〃I told you what your faither would think of it；
if he heard ye had fallen into this dreidful sin； and let you and me pray to
God that ye may be keepit from the like temptation or strengthened to
resist it！〃
The womanly falsity of this was thrown away。 Ice and iron cannot be
welded； and the points of view of the Justice…Clerk and Mrs。 Weir were
not less unassimilable。 The character and position of his father had long
been a stumbling…block to Archie； and with every year of his age the
difficulty grew more instant。 The man was mostly silent； when he spoke at
all； it was to speak of the things of the world； always in a worldly spirit；
often in language that the child had been schooled to think coarse； and
sometimes with words that he knew to be sins in themselves。 Tenderness
was the first duty； and my lord was invariably harsh。 God was love； the
name of my lord （to all who knew him） was fear。 In the world； as
schematised for Archie by his mother； the place was marked for such a
creature。 There were some whom it was good to pity and well （though
very likely useless） to pray for； they were named reprobates； goats； God's
enemies； brands for the burning； and Archie tallied every mark of
identification； and drew the inevitable private inference that the Lord
Justice…Clerk was the chief of sinners。
The mother's honesty was scarce complete。 There was one influence
she feared for the child and still secretly combated； that was my lord's； and
half unconsciously； half in a wilful blindness； she continued to undermine
her husband with his son。 As long as Archie remained silent； she did so
ruthlessly； with a single eye to heaven and the child's salvation； but the day
came when Archie spoke。 It was 1801； and Archie was seven； and beyond
his years for curiosity and logic； when he brought the case up openly。 If
judging were sinful and forbidden； how came papa to be a judge？ to have
that sin for a trade？ to bear the name of it for a distinction？
11
… Page 12…
Weir of Hermiston
〃I can't see it；〃 said the little Rabbi； and wagged his head。
Mrs。 Weir abounded in commonplace replies。
〃No； I cannae see it；〃 reiterated Archie。 〃And I'll tell you what；
mamma； I don't think you and me's justifeed in staying with him。〃
The woman awoke to remorse； she saw herself disloyal to her man； her
sovereign and bread…winner； in whom （with what she had of worldliness）
she took a certain subdued pride。 She expatiated in reply on my lord's
honour and greatness； his useful services in this world of sorrow and
wrong； and the place in which he stood； far above where babes and
innocents could hope to see or criticise。 But she had builded too well …
Archie had his answers pat： Were not babes and innocents the type of the
kingdom of heaven？ Were not honour and greatness the badges of the
world？ And at any rate； how about the mob that had once seethed about
the carriage？
〃It's all very fine；〃 he concluded； 〃but in my opinion papa has no right
to be it。 And it seems that's not the worst yet of it。 It seems he's called
〃The Hanging judge〃 … it seems he's crooool。 I'll tell you what it is；
mamma； there's a tex' borne in upon me： It were better for that man if a
milestone were bound upon his back and him flung into the deepestmost
pairts of the sea。〃
〃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