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the house。 Instinctively； the boy； upon his first coming； had made a
movement to meet him； instinctively he recoiled against the railing； as the
old man swept by him in a pomp of indignation。 Words were needless； he
knew all … perhaps more than all … and the hour of judgment was at hand。
It is possible that； in this sudden revulsion of hope； and before these
symptoms of impending danger； Archie might have fled。 But not even that
was left to him。 My lord； after hanging up his cloak and hat； turned round
in the lighted entry； and made him an imperative and silent gesture with
his thumb； and with the strange instinct of obedience； Archie followed him
into the house。
All dinner…time there reigned over the Judge's table a palpable silence；
and as soon as the solids were despatched he rose to his feet。
〃M'Killup； tak' the wine into my room；〃 said he； and then to his son：
〃Archie； you and me has to have a talk。〃
It was at this sickening moment that Archie's courage； for the first and
last time； entirely deserted him。 〃I have an appointment；〃 said he。
〃It'll have to be broken； then；〃 said Hermiston； and led the way into his
study。
The lamp was shaded； the fire trimmed to a nicety； the table covered
deep with orderly documents； the backs of law books made a frame upon
all sides that was only broken by the window and the doors。
For a moment Hermiston warmed his hands at the fire； presenting his
back to Archie； then suddenly disclosed on him the terrors of the Hanging
Face。
〃What's this I hear of ye？〃 he asked。
There was no answer possible to Archie。
〃I'll have to tell ye； then；〃 pursued Hermiston。 〃It seems ye've been
skirting against the father that begot ye； and one of his Maijesty's Judges
in this land； and that in the public street； and while an order of the Court
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was being executit。 Forbye which； it would appear that ye've been airing
your opeenions in a Coallege Debatin' Society〃； he paused a moment： and
then； with extraordinary bitterness； added： 〃Ye damned eediot。〃
〃I had meant to tell you；〃 stammered Archie。 〃I see you are well
informed。〃
〃Muckle obleeged to ye；〃 said his lordship； and took his usual seat。
〃And so you disapprove of Caapital Punishment？〃 he added。
〃I am sorry； sir； I do；〃 said Archie。
〃I am sorry； too；〃 said his lordship。 〃And now； if you please； we shall
approach this business with a little more parteecularity。 I hear that at the
hanging of Duncan Jopp … and； man！ ye had a fine client there … in the
middle of all the riff…raff of the ceety； ye thought fit to cry out； ‘This is a
damned murder； and my gorge rises at the man that haangit him。' 〃
〃No； sir； these were not my words；〃 cried Archie。
〃What were yer words； then？〃 asked the Judge。
〃I believe I said； ‘I denounce it as a murder！'〃 said the son。 〃I beg your
pardon … a God…defying murder。 I have no wish to conceal the truth；〃 he
added； and looked his father for a moment in the face。
〃God； it would only need that of it next！〃 cried Hermiston。 〃There was
nothing about your gorge rising； then？〃
〃That was afterwards； my lord； as I was leaving the Speculative。 I said
I had been to see the miserable creature hanged； and my gorge rose at it。〃
〃Did ye； though？〃 said Hermiston。 〃And I suppose ye knew who
haangit him？〃
〃I was present at the trial； I ought to tell you that； I ought to explain。 I
ask your pardon beforehand for any expression that may seem undutiful。
The position in which I stand is wretched；〃 said the unhappy hero； now
fairly face to face with the business he had chosen。 〃I have been reading
some of your cases。 I was present while Jopp was tried。 It was a hideous
business。 Father； it was a hideous thing！ Grant he was vile； why should
you hunt him with a vileness equal to his own？ It was done with glee … that
is the word … you did it with glee； and I looked on； God help me！ with
horror。〃
〃You're a young gentleman that doesna approve of Caapital
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Punishment；〃 said Hermiston。 〃Weel； I'm an auld man that does。 I was
glad to get Jopp haangit； and what for would I pretend I wasna？ You're all
for honesty； it seems； you couldn't even steik your mouth on the public
street。 What for should I steik mines upon the bench； the King's officer；
bearing the sword； a dreid to evil…doers； as I was from the beginning； and
as I will be to the end！ Mair than enough of it！ Heedious！ I never gave twa
thoughts to heediousness； I have no call to be bonny。 I'm a man that gets
through with my day's business； and let that suffice。〃
The ring of sarcasm had died out of his voice as he went on； the plain
words became invested with some of the dignity of the Justice…seat。
〃It would be telling you if you could say as much；〃 the speaker
resumed。 〃But ye cannot。 Ye've been reading some of my cases； ye say。
But it was not for the law in them； it was to spy out your faither's
nakedness； a fine employment in a son。 You're splairging； you're running
at lairge in life like a wild nowt。 It's impossible you should think any
longer of coming to the Bar。 You're not fit for it； no splairger is。 And
another thing： son of mines or no son of mines； you have flung fylement in
public on one of the Senators of the Coallege of Justice； and I would make
it my business to see that ye were never admitted there yourself。 There is a
kind of a decency to be observit。 Then comes the next of it … what am I to
do with ye next？ Ye'll have to find some kind of a trade； for I'll never
support ye in idleset。 What do ye fancy ye'll be fit for？ The pulpit？ Na；
they could never get diveenity into that bloackhead。 Him that the law of
man whammles is no likely to do muckle better by the law of God。 What
would ye make of hell？ Wouldna your gorge rise at that？ Na； there's no
room for splairgers under the fower quarters of John Calvin。 What else is
there？ Speak up。 Have ye got nothing of your own？〃
〃Father； let me go to the Peninsula；〃 said Archie。 〃That's all I'm fit for …
to fight。〃
〃All？ quo' he！〃 returned the Judge。 〃And it would be enough too； if I
thought it。 But I'll never trust ye so near the French； you that's so Frenchi…
feed。〃
〃You do me injustice there； sir；〃 said Archie。 〃I am loyal； I will not
boast； but any interest I may have ever felt in the French … 〃
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〃Have ye been so loyal to me？〃 interrupted his father。
There came no reply。
〃I think not；〃 continued Hermiston。 〃And I would send no man to be a
servant to the King； God bless him！ that has proved such a shauchling son
to his own faither。 You can splairge here on Edinburgh street； and where's
the hairm？ It doesna play buff on me！ And if there were twenty thousand
eediots like yourself； sorrow a Duncan Jopp would hang the fewer。 But
there's no splairging possible in a camp； and if ye were to go to it； you
would find out for yourself whether Lord Well'n'ton approves of caapital
punishment or not。 You a sodger！〃 he cried； with a sudden burst of scorn。
〃Ye auld wife； the sodgers would bray at ye like cuddies！〃
As at the drawing of a curtain； Archie was aware of some illogicality
in his position； and stood abashed。 He had a strong impression； besides； of
the essential valour of the old gentleman before him； how conveyed it
would be hard to say。
〃Well； have ye no other proposeetion？〃 said my lord again。
〃You have taken this so calmly； sir； that I cannot but stand ashamed；〃
began Archie。
〃I'm nearer voamiting； though； than you would fancy；〃 said my lord。
The blood rose to Archie's brow。
〃I beg your pardon； I should have said that you had accepted my
affront。 。 。 。 I admit it was an affront； I did not think to apologise； but I do；
I ask your pardon； it will not be so again； I pass you my word of
honour。 。 。 。 I should have said that I