weir of hermiston-第7部分

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pardon　the　phrase）　like　a　wild　beast。　　‘A　change　for　the　better；'　said　

I。　　And　I　distinctly　heard　him　take　his　breath。〃



The　doctor　left　no　opportunity　for　anti…climax；　nodding　his　cocked　hat　

（a　piece　of　antiquity　to　which　he　clung）　and　repeating　〃Distinctly〃　with　

raised　eye…brows；　he　took　his　departure；　and　left　Archie　speechless　in　

the　street。



The　anecdote　might　be　called　infinitely　little；　and　yet　its　meaning　for　

Archie　was　immense。　　〃I　did　not　know　the　old　man　had　so　much　blood　in　

him。〃　　He　had　never　dreamed　this　sire　of　his；　this　aboriginal　antique；　

this　adamantine　Adam；　had　even　so　much　of　a　heart　as　to　be　moved　in　the　

least　degree　for　another　…　and　that　other　himself；　who　had　insulted　him！　　

With　the　generosity　of　youth；　Archie　was　instantly　under　arms　upon　the　

other　side：　had　instantly　created　a　new　image　of　Lord　Hermiston；　that　of　

a　man　who　was　all　iron　without　and　all　sensibility　within。　　The　mind　of　

the　vile　jester；　the　tongue　that　had　pursued　Duncan　Jopp　with　unmanly　

insults；　the　unbeloved　countenance　that　he　had　known　and　feared　for　so　

long；　were　all　forgotten；　and　he　hastened　home；　impatient　to　confess　his　

misdeeds；　impatient　to　throw　himself　on　the　mercy　of　this　imaginary　

character。



He　was　not　to　be　long　without　a　rude　awakening。　　It　was　in　the　gloaming　

when　he　drew　near　the　door…step　of　the　lighted　house；　and　was　aware　of　

the　figure　of　his　father　approaching　from　the　opposite　side。　　Little　

daylight　lingered；　but　on　the　door　being　opened；　the　strong　yellow　shine　

of　the　lamp　gushed　out　upon　the　landing　and　shone　full　on　Archie；　as　he　

stood；　in　the　old…fashioned　observance　of　respect；　to　yield　precedence。　　

The　judge　came　without　haste；　stepping　stately　and　firm；　his　chin　

raised；　his　face　（as　he　entered　the　lamplight）　strongly　illumined；　his　

mouth　set　hard。　　There　was　never　a　wink　of　change　in　his　expression；　

without　looking　to　the　right　or　left；　he　mounted　the　stair；　passed　close　

to　Archie；　and　entered　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　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　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　…　〃



〃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