weir of hermiston-第16部分

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grandmothers　did　not　hesitate　to　appear；　and　our　great…aunts　went　forth　

armed　for　the　pursuit　and　capture　of　our　great…uncles；　the　dress　was　

drawn　up　so　as　to　mould　the　contour　of　both　breasts；　and　in　the　nook　

between；　a　cairngorm　brooch　maintained　it。　　Here；　too；　surely　in　a　very　

enviable　position；　trembled　the　nosegay　of　primroses。　　She　wore　on　her　

shoulders　…　or　rather　on　her　back　and　not　her　shoulders；　which　it　

scarcely　passed　…　a　French　coat　of　sarsenet；　tied　in　front　with　Margate　

braces；　and　of　the　same　colour　with　her　violet　shoes。　　About　her　face　

clustered　a　disorder　of　dark　ringlets；　a　little　garland　of　yellow　French　

roses　surmounted　her　brow；　and　the　whole　was　crowned　by　a　village　hat　of　

chipped　straw。　　Amongst　all　the　rosy　and　all　the　weathered　faces　that　

surrounded　her　in　church；　she　glowed　like　an　open　flower　…　girl　and　

raiment；　and　the　cairngorm　that　caught　the　daylight　and　returned　it　in　a　

fiery　flash；　and　the　threads　of　bronze　and　gold　that　played　in　her　hair。



Archie　was　attracted　by　the　bright　thing　like　a　child。　　He　looked　at　her　

again　and　yet　again；　and　their　looks　crossed。　　The　lip　was　lifted　from　

her　little　teeth。　　He　saw　the　red　blood　work　vividly　under　her　tawny　

skin。　　Her　eye；　which　was　great　as　a　stag's；　struck　and　held　his　gaze。　　

He　knew　who　she　must　be　…　Kirstie；　she　of　the　harsh　diminutive；　his　

housekeeper's　niece；　the　sister　of　the　rustic　prophet；　Gib　…　and　he　

found　in　her　the　answer　to　his　wishes。



Christina　felt　the　shock　of　their　encountering　glances；　and　seemed　to　

rise；　clothed　in　smiles；　into　a　region　of　the　vague　and　bright。　　But　the　

gratification　was　not　more　exquisite　than　it　was　brief。　　She　looked　away　

abruptly；　and　immediately　began　to　blame　herself　for　that　abruptness。　　

She　knew　what　she　should　have　done；　too　late　…　turned　slowly　with　her　

nose　in　the　air。　　And　meantime　his　look　was　not　removed；　but　continued　

to　play　upon　her　like　a　battery　of　cannon　constantly　aimed；　and　now　

seemed　to　isolate　her　alone　with　him；　and　now　seemed　to　uplift　her；　as　

on　a　pillory；　before　the　congregation。　　For　Archie　continued　to　drink　

her　in　with　his　eyes；　even　as　a　wayfarer　comes　to　a　well…head　on　a　

mountain；　and　stoops　his　face；　and　drinks　with　thirst　unassuageable。　　In　

the　cleft　of　her　little　breasts　the　fiery　eye　of　the　topaz　and　the　pale　

florets　of　primrose　fascinated　him。　　He　saw　the　breasts　heave；　and　the　

flowers　shake　with　the　heaving；　and　marvelled　what　should　so　much　

discompose　the　girl。　　And　Christina　was　conscious　of　his　gaze　…　saw　it；　

perhaps；　with　the　dainty　plaything　of　an　ear　that　peeped　among　her　

ringlets；　she　was　conscious　of　changing　colour；　conscious　of　her　

unsteady　breath。　　Like　a　creature　tracked；　run　down；　surrounded；　she　

sought　in　a　dozen　ways　to　give　herself　a　countenance。　　She　used　her　

handkerchief　…　it　was　a　really　fine　one　…　then　she　desisted　in　a　panic：　

〃He　would　only　think　I　was　too　warm。〃　　She　took　to　reading　in　the　

metrical　psalms；　and　then　remembered　it　was　sermon…time。　　Last　she　put　a　

〃sugar…bool〃　in　her　mouth；　and　the　next　moment　repented　of　the　step。　　It　

was　such　a　homely…like　thing！　　Mr。　Archie　would　never　be　eating　sweeties　

in　kirk；　and；　with　a　palpable　effort；　she　swallowed　it　whole；　and　her　

colour　flamed　high。　　At　this　signal　of　distress　Archie　awoke　to　a　sense　

of　his　ill…behaviour。　　What　had　he　been　doing？　　He　had　been　exquisitely　

rude　in　church　to　the　niece　of　his　housekeeper；　he　had　stared　like　a　

lackey　and　a　libertine　at　a　beautiful　and　modest　girl。　　It　was　possible；　

it　was　even　likely；　he　would　be　presented　to　her　after　service　in　the　

kirk…yard；　and　then　how　was　he　to　look？　　And　there　was　no　excuse。　　He　

had　marked　the　tokens　of　her　shame；　of　her　increasing　indignation；　and　

he　was　such　a　fool　that　he　had　not　understood　them。　　Shame　bowed　him　

down；　and　he　looked　resolutely　at　Mr。　Torrance；　who　little　supposed；　

good；　worthy　man；　as　he　continued　to　expound　justification　by　faith；　

what　was　his　true　business：　to　play　the　part　of　derivative　to　a　pair　of　

children　at　the　old　game　of　falling　in　love。



Christina　was　greatly　relieved　at　first。　　It　seemed　to　her　that　she　was　

clothed　again。　　She　looked　back　on　what　had　passed。　　All　would　have　been　

right　if　she　had　not　blushed；　a　silly　fool！　　There　was　nothing　to　blush　

at；　if　she　HAD　taken　a　sugar…bool。　　Mrs。　MacTaggart；　the　elder's　wife　in　

St。　Enoch's；　took　them　often。　　And　if　he　had　looked　at　her；　what　was　

more　natural　than　that　a　young　gentleman　should　look　at　the　best…dressed　

girl　in　church？　　And　at　the　same　time；　she　knew　far　otherwise；　she　knew　

there　was　nothing　casual　or　ordinary　in　the　look；　and　valued　herself　on　

its　memory　like　a　decoration。　　Well；　it　was　a　blessing　he　had　found　

something　else　to　look　at！　　And　presently　she　began　to　have　other　

thoughts。　　It　was　necessary；　she　fancied；　that　she　should　put　herself　

right　by　a　repetition　of　the　incident；　better　managed。　　If　the　wish　was　

father　to　the　thought；　she　did　not　know　or　she　would　not　recognise　it。　　

It　was　simply　as　a　manoeuvre　of　propriety；　as　something　called　for　to　

lessen　the　significance　of　what　had　gone　before；　that　she　should　a　

second　time　meet　his　eyes；　and　this　time　without　blushing。　　And　at　the　

memory　of　the　blush；　she　blushed　again；　and　became　one　general　blush　

burning　from　head　to　foot。　　Was　ever　anything　so　indelicate；　so　forward；　

done　by　a　girl　before？　　And　here　she　was；　making　an　exhibition　of　

herself　before　the　congregation　about　nothing！　　She　stole　a　glance　upon　

her　neighbours；　and　behold！　they　were　steadily　indifferent；　and　Clem　had　

gone　to　sleep。　　And　still　the　one　idea　was　becoming　more　and　more　potent　

with　her；　that　in　common　prudence　she　must　look　again　before　the　service　

ended。　　Something　of　the　same　sort　was　going　forward　in　the　mind　of　

Archie；　as　he　struggled　with　the　load　of　penitence。　　So　it　chanced　that；　

in　the　flutter　of　the　moment　when　the　last　psalm　was　given　out；　and　

Torrance　was　reading　the　verse；　and　the　leaves　of　every　psalm…book　in　

church　were　rustling　under　busy　fingers；　two　stealthy　glances　were　sent　

out　like　antennae　among　the　pews　and　on　the　indifferent　and　absorbed　

occupants；　and　drew　timidly　nearer　to　the　straight　line　between　Archie　

and　Christina。　　They　met；　they　lingered　together　for　the　least　fraction　

of　time；　and　that　was　enough。　　A　charge　as　of　electricity　passed　through　

Christina；　and　behold！　the　leaf　of　her　psalm…book　was　torn　across。



Archie　was　outside　by　the　gate　of　the　graveyard；　conversing　with　Hob　and　

the　minister　and　shaking　hands　all　round　with　the　scattering　

congregation；　when　Clem　and　Christina　were　brought　up　to　be　presented。　　

The　laird　took　off　his　hat　and　bowed　to　her　with　grace　and　respect。　　

Christina　made　her　Glasgow　curtsey　to　the　laird；　and　went　on　again　up　

the　road　for　Hermiston　and　Cauldstaneslap；　walking　fast；　breathing　

hurriedly　with　a　heightened　colour；　and　in　this　strange　frame　of　mind；　

that　when　she　was　alone　she　seemed　in　high　happiness；　and　when　any　one　

addressed　her　she　resented　it　like　a　contradiction。　　A　part　of　the　way　

she　had　the　company　of　some　neighbour　girls　and　a　loutish　young　man；　

never　had　they　seemed　so　insipid；　never　had　she　made　herself　so　

disagreeable。　　But　these　struck　aside　to　their　various　destinations　or　

were　out…walked　and　left　behind；　and　when　she　had　driven　off　with　sharp　

words　the　proffered　convoy　of　some　of　her　nephews　and　nieces；　she　was　

free　to　go　on　alone　up　Hermiston　brae；　walking　on　air；　dwelling　

intoxicated　among　clouds　of　happiness。　　Near　to　the　summit　she　heard　

steps　behind　her；　a　man's　steps；　light　and　very　rapid。　　She　knew　the　

foot　at　once　and　walked　the　faster。　　〃If　it's　me　he's　wanting；　he　can　

run　for　it；〃　she　thought；　smiling。



Archie　overtook　her　like　a　man　whose　mind　was　made　up。



〃Miss　Kirstie；〃　he　began。



〃Miss　Christina；　if　you　please；　Mr。　Weir；〃　she　interrupted。　　〃I　canna　

bear　the　contraction。〃



〃You　forget　it　has　a　friendly　sound　for　me。　　Your　aunt　is　an　old　friend　

of　mine；　and　a　very　good　one。　　I　hope　we　shall　see　much　of　you　at　

Hermiston？〃



〃My　aunt　and　my　sister…in…law　doesna　agree　very　well。　　Not　that　I　have　

much　ado　with　it。　　But　still　when　I'm　stopping　in　the　house；　if　I　was　to　

be　visiting　my　aunt；　it　would　not　look　considerate…like。〃



〃I　am　sorry；〃　said　Archie。



〃I　thank　you　kindly；　Mr。　Weir；〃　she　said。　　〃I　whiles　think　myself　it's　a　

great　peety。〃



〃Ah；　I　am　sure　your　voice　would　always　be　for　peace！〃　he　cried。



〃I　wouldna　be　too　sure　of　that；〃　she　said。　　〃I　have　my　days　like　other　

folk；　I　suppose。〃



〃Do　you　know；　in　our　old　kirk；　among　our　good　old　grey　dames；　you　made　

an　effect　like　sunshine。〃



〃Ah；　but　that　would　be　my　Glasgow　clothes！〃



〃I　did　not　think　I　was　so　much　under　the　influence　of　pretty　frocks。〃



She　smiled　with　a　half　look　at　him。　　〃There's　more　than　you！〃　she　said。　　

〃But　you　see　I'm　only　Cinderella。　　I'll　have　to　put　all　these　things　by　

in　my　trunk；　next　Sunday　I'll　be　as　grey　as　the　rest。　　They're　Glasgow　

clothes；　you　see；　and　it　would　never　do　to　make　a　practice　of　it。　　It　

would　seem　terrible　conspicuous。〃



By　that　they　were　come　to　the　place　where　their　ways　severed。　　The　old　

grey　moors　were　all　about　them；　in　the　midst　a　few　sheep　wandered；　and　

they　could　see　on　the　one　hand　the　straggling　caravan　scaling　the　braes　

in　front　of　them　for　Cauldstaneslap；　and　on　the　other；　the　contingent　

from　Hermiston　bending　off　and　beginning　to　disappear　by　detachments　

into　the　policy　gate。　　It　was　in　these　circumstances　that　they　turned　to　

say　farewell；　and　deliberately　exchanged　a　glance　as　they　shook　hands。　　

All　passed　as　it　should；　genteelly；　and　in　Christina's　mind；　as　she　

mounted　the　first　steep　ascent　for　Cauldstaneslap；　a　gratifying　sense　of　

triumph　prevailed　over　the　recollection　of　minor　lapses　and　mistakes。　　

She　had　kilted　her　gown；　as　she