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lass！ have pity upon her； Erchie！ and O； be wise for twa！ Think o' the risk
she rins！ I have seen ye； and what's to prevent ithers！ I saw ye once in the
Hags； in my ain howl； and I was wae to see ye there … in pairt for the omen；
for I think there's a weird on the place … and in pairt for pure nakit envy
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and bitterness o' hairt。 It's strange ye should forgather there tae！ God！ but
yon puir； thrawn； auld Covenanter's seen a heap o' human natur since he
lookit his last on the musket barrels； if he never saw nane afore；〃 she
added； with a kind of wonder in her eyes。
〃I swear by my honour I have done her no wrong；〃 said Archie。 〃I
swear by my honour and the redemption of my soul that there shall none
be done her。 I have heard of this before。 I have been foolish； Kirstie； not
unkind； and； above all； not base。〃
〃There's my bairn！〃 said Kirstie； rising。 〃I'll can trust ye noo； I'll can
gang to my bed wi' an easy hairt。〃 And then she saw in a flash how barren
had been her triumph。 Archie had promised to spare the girl； and he would
keep it； but who had promised to spare Archie？ What was to be the end of
it？ Over a maze of difficulties she glanced； and saw； at the end of every
passage； the flinty countenance of Hermiston。 And a kind of horror fell
upon her at what she had done。 She wore a tragic mask。 〃Erchie； the Lord
peety you； dear； and peety me！ I have buildit on this foundation〃 … laying
her hand heavily on his shoulder … 〃and buildit hie； and pit my hairt in the
buildin' of it。 If the hale hypothec were to fa'； I think； laddie； I would dee！
Excuse a daft wife that loves ye； and that kenned your mither。 And for His
name's sake keep yersel' frae inordinate desires； haud your heart in baith
your hands； carry it canny and laigh； dinna send it up like a hairn's kite
into the collieshangic o' the wunds！ Mind； Maister Erchie dear； that this
life's a' disappointment； and a mouthfu' o' mools is the appointed end。〃
〃Ay； but Kirstie； my woman； you're asking me ower much at last；〃 said
Archie； profoundly moved； and lapsing into the broad Scots。 〃Ye're asking
what nae man can grant ye； what only the Lord of heaven can grant ye if
He see fit。 Ay！ And can even He！ I can promise ye what I shall do； and you
can depend on that。 But how I shall feel … my woman； that is long past
thinking of！〃
They were both standing by now opposite each other。 The face of
Archie wore the wretched semblance of a smile； hers was convulsed for a
moment。
〃Promise me ae thing；〃 she cried in a sharp voice。 〃Promise me ye'll
never do naething without telling me。〃
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〃No； Kirstie； I canna promise ye that；〃 he replied。 〃I have promised
enough； God kens！〃
〃May the blessing of God lift and rest upon ye dear！〃 she said。
〃God bless ye； my old friend；〃 said he。
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CHAPTER IX … AT THE
WEAVER'S STONE
IT was late in the afternoon when Archie drew near by the hill path to
the Praying Weaver's stone。 The Hags were in shadow。 But still； through
the gate of the Slap； the sun shot a last arrow； which sped far and straight
across the surface of the moss； here and there touching and shining on a
tussock； and lighted at length on the gravestone and the small figure
awaiting him there。 The emptiness and solitude of the great moors seemed
to be concentrated there； and Kirstie pointed out by that figure of sunshine
for the only inhabitant。 His first sight of her was thus excruciatingly sad；
like a glimpse of a world from which all light； comfort； and society were
on the point of vanishing。 And the next moment； when she had turned her
face to him and the quick smile had enlightened it； the whole face of
nature smiled upon him in her smile of welcome。 Archie's slow pace was
quickened； his legs hasted to her though his heart was hanging back。 The
girl； upon her side； drew herself together slowly and stood up； expectant；
she was all languor； her face was gone white； her arms ached for him； her
soul was on tip… toes。 But he deceived her； pausing a few steps away； not
less white than herself； and holding up his hand with a gesture of denial。
〃No； Christina； not to…day；〃 he said。 〃To…day I have to talk to you
seriously。 Sit ye down； please； there where you were。 Please！〃 he repeated。
The revulsion of feeling in Christina's heart was violent。 To have
longed and waited these weary hours for him； rehearsing her endearments
… to have seen him at last come … to have been ready there； breathless；
wholly passive； his to do what he would with … and suddenly to have found
herself confronted with a grey…faced； harsh schoolmaster … it was too rude
a shock。 She could have wept； but pride withheld her。 She sat down on the
stone； from which she had arisen； part with the instinct of obedience； part
as though she had been thrust there。 What was this？ Why was she rejected？
Had she ceased to please？ She stood here offering her wares； and he would
none of them！ And yet they were all his！ His to take and keep； not his to
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refuse though！ In her quick petulant nature； a moment ago on fire with
hope； thwarted love and wounded vanity wrought。 The schoolmaster that
there is in all men； to the despair of all girls and most women； was now
completely in possession of Archie。 He had passed a night of sermons； a
day of reflection； he had come wound up to do his duty； and the set mouth；
which in him only betrayed the effort of his will； to her seemed the
expression of an averted heart。 It was the same with his constrained voice
and embarrassed utterance； and if so … if it was all over … the pang of the
thought took away from her the power of thinking。
He stood before her some way off。 〃Kirstie； there's been too much of
this。 We've seen too much of each other。〃 She looked up quickly and her
eyes contracted。 〃There's no good ever comes of these secret meetings。
They're not frank； not honest truly； and I ought to have seen it。 People
have begun to talk； and it's not right of me。 Do you see？〃
〃I see somebody will have been talking to ye；〃 she said sullenly。
〃They have； more than one of them；〃 replied Archie。
〃And whae were they？〃 she cried。 〃And what kind o' love do ye ca'
that； that's ready to gang round like a whirligig at folk talking？ Do ye think
they havena talked to me？〃
〃Have they indeed？〃 said Archie； with a quick breath。 〃That is what I
feared。 Who were they？ Who has dared … ？〃
Archie was on the point of losing his temper。
As a matter of fact； not any one had talked to Christina on the matter；
and she strenuously repeated her own first question in a panic of self…
defence。
〃Ah； well！ what does it matter？〃 he said。 〃They were good folk that
wished well to us； and the great affair is that there are people talking。 My
dear girl； we have to be wise。 We must not wreck our lives at the outset。
They may be long and happy yet； and we must see to it； Kirstie； like God's
rational creatures and not like fool children。 There is one thing we must
see to before all。 You're worth waiting for； Kirstie！ worth waiting for a
generation； it would be enough reward。〃 … And here he remembered the
schoolmaster again； and very unwisely took to following wisdom。 〃The
first thing that we must see to； is that there shall be no scandal about for
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my father's sake。 That would ruin all； do ye no see that？〃
Kirstie was a little pleased； there had been some show of warmth of
sentiment in what Archie had said last。 But the dull irritation still persisted
in her bosom； with the aboriginal instinct； having suffered herself； she
wished to make Archie suffer。
And besides； there had come out the word she had always feared to
hear f