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starting from the rug。
〃I do not ken；〃 answered her mistress； shaking her head。 〃But he is not
speeritually minded； my dear。〃
〃Here； sit down with ye！ Godsake； what ails the wife？〃 cried Kirstie；
and helped and forced her into my lord's own chair by the cheek of the
hearth。
〃Keep me； what's this？〃 she gasped。 〃Kirstie； what's this？ I'm
frich'ened。〃
They were her last words。
It was the lowering nightfall when my lord returned。 He had the sunset
in his back； all clouds and glory； and before him； by the wayside； spied
Kirstie Elliott waiting。 She was dissolved in tears； and addressed him in
the high； false note of barbarous mourning； such as still lingers modified
among Scots heather。
〃The Lord peety ye； Hermiston！ the Lord prepare ye！〃 she keened out。
〃Weary upon me； that I should have to tell it！〃
He reined in his horse and looked upon her with the hanging face。
〃Has the French landit？〃 cried he。
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〃Man； man；〃 she said； 〃is that a' ye can think of？ The Lord prepare ye：
the Lord comfort and support ye！〃
〃Is onybody deid？〃 said his lordship。 〃It's no Erchie？〃
〃Bethankit； no！〃 exclaimed the woman； startled into a more natural
tone。 〃Na； na； it's no sae bad as that。 It's the mistress； my lord； she just fair
flittit before my e'en。 She just gi'ed a sab and was by wi' it。 Eh； my bonny
Miss Jeannie； that I mind sae weel！〃 And forth again upon that pouring
tide of lamentation in which women of her class excel and over…abound。
Lord Hermiston sat in the saddle beholding her。 Then he seemed to
recover command upon himself。
〃Well； it's something of the suddenest；〃 said he。 〃But she was a
dwaibly body from the first。〃
And he rode home at a precipitate amble with Kirstie at his horse's
heels。
Dressed as she was for her last walk； they had laid the dead lady on
her bed。 She was never interesting in life； in death she was not impressive；
and as her husband stood before her； with his hands crossed behind his
powerful back； that which he looked upon was the very image of the
insignificant。
〃Her and me were never cut out for one another；〃 he remarked at last。
〃It was a daft…like marriage。〃 And then； with a most unusual gentleness of
tone； 〃Puir bitch；〃 said he； 〃puir bitch！〃 Then suddenly： 〃Where's Erchie？〃
Kirstie had decoyed him to her room and given him 〃a jeely…piece。〃
〃Ye have some kind of gumption； too；〃 observed the judge； and
considered his housekeeper grimly。 〃When all's said；〃 he added； 〃I micht
have done waur … I micht have been marriet upon a skirting Jezebel like
you！〃
〃There's naebody thinking of you； Hermiston！〃 cried the offended
woman。 〃We think of her that's out of her sorrows。 And could SHE have
done waur？ Tell me that； Hermiston … tell me that before her clay…cauld
corp！〃
〃Weel； there's some of them gey an' ill to please；〃 observed his
lordship。
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CHAPTER II … FATHER AND
SON
MY Lord Justice…Clerk was known to many； the man Adam Weir
perhaps to none。 He had nothing to explain or to conceal； he sufficed
wholly and silently to himself； and that part of our nature which goes out
（too often with false coin） to acquire glory or love； seemed in him to be
omitted。 He did not try to be loved； he did not care to be； it is probable the
very thought of it was a stranger to his mind。 He was an admired lawyer； a
highly unpopular judge； and he looked down upon those who were his
inferiors in either distinction； who were lawyers of less grasp or judges not
so much detested。 In all the rest of his days and doings； not one trace of
vanity appeared； and he went on through life with a mechanical movement；
as of the unconscious； that was almost august。
He saw little of his son。 In the childish maladies with which the boy
was troubled； he would make daily inquiries and daily pay him a visit；
entering the sick…room with a facetious and appalling countenance； letting
off a few perfunctory jests； and going again swiftly； to the patient's relief。
Once； a court holiday falling opportunely； my lord had his carriage； and
drove the child himself to Hermiston； the customary place of
convalescence。 It is conceivable he had been more than usually anxious；
for that journey always remained in Archie's memory as a thing apart； his
father having related to him from beginning to end； and with much detail；
three authentic murder cases。 Archie went the usual round of other
Edinburgh boys； the high school and the college； and Hermiston looked on；
or rather looked away； with scarce an affectation of interest in his progress。
Daily； indeed； upon a signal after dinner； he was brought in； given nuts and
a glass of port； regarded sardonically； sarcastically questioned。 〃Well； sir；
and what have you donn with your book to…day？〃 my lord might begin；
and set him posers in law Latin。 To a child just stumbling into Corderius；
Papinian and Paul proved quite invincible。 But papa had memory of no
other。 He was not harsh to the little scholar； having a vast fund of patience
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learned upon the bench； and was at no pains whether to conceal or to
express his disappointment。 〃Well； ye have a long jaunt before ye yet！〃 he
might observe； yawning； and fall back on his own thoughts （as like as not）
until the time came for separation； and my lord would take the decanter
and the glass； and be off to the back chamber looking on the Meadows；
where he toiled on his cases till the hours were small。 There was no 〃fuller
man〃 on the bench； his memory was marvellous； though wholly legal； if
he had to 〃advise〃 extempore； none did it better； yet there was none who
more earnestly prepared。 As he thus watched in the night； or sat at table
and forgot the presence of his son； no doubt but he tasted deeply of
recondite pleasures。 To be wholly devoted to some intellectual exercise is
to have succeeded in life； and perhaps only in law and the higher
mathematics may this devotion be maintained； suffice to itself without
reaction； and find continual rewards without excitement。 This atmosphere
of his father's sterling industry was the best of Archie's education。
Assuredly it did not attract him； assuredly it rather rebutted and depressed。
Yet it was still present； unobserved like the ticking of a clock； an arid ideal；
a tasteless stimulant in the boy's life。
But Hermiston was not all of one piece。 He was； besides； a mighty
toper； he could sit at wine until the day dawned； and pass directly from the
table to the bench with a steady hand and a clear head。 Beyond the third
bottle； he showed the plebeian in a larger print； the low； gross accent； the
low； foul mirth； grew broader and commoner； he became less formidable；
and infinitely more disgusting。 Now； the boy had inherited from Jean
Rutherford a shivering delicacy； une