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！
only with the child that she had conceived and managed to pursue a
scheme of conduct。 Archie was to be a great man and a good； a minister if
possible； a saint for certain。 She tried to engage his mind upon her
favourite books； Rutherford's LETTERS； Scougalls GRACE
ABOUNDING； and the like。 It was a common practice of hers （and
strange to remember now） that she would carry the child to the Deil's Hags；
sit with him on the Praying Weaver's stone； and talk of the Covenanters till
their tears ran down。 Her view of history was wholly artless； a design in
snow and ink； upon the one side； tender innocents with psalms upon their
lips； upon the other； the persecutors； booted； bloody…minded； flushed with
wine： a suffering Christ； a raging Beelzebub。 PERSECUTOR was a word
that knocked upon the woman's heart； it was her highest thought of
wickedness； and the mark of it was on her house。 Her great…great…
8
… Page 9…
Weir of Hermiston
grandfather had drawn the sword against the Lord's anointed on the field
of Rullion Green； and breathed his last （tradition said） in the arms of the
detestable Dalyell。 Nor could she blind herself to this； that had they lived
in those old days； Hermiston himself would have been numbered
alongside of Bloody MacKenzie and the politic Lauderdale and Rothes； in
the band of God's immediate enemies。 The sense of this moved her to the
more fervour； she had a voice for that name of PERSECUTOR that
thrilled in the child's marrow； and when one day the mob hooted and
hissed them all in my lord's travelling carriage； and cried； 〃Down with the
persecutor！ down with Hanging Hermiston！〃 and mamma covered her
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