weir of hermiston-第6章

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the　boldest　of　the　curious？　…　had　fled。　　He　watched　the　black　huddle　of　

his　fellow…students　draw　off　down　and　up　the　street；　in　whispering　or　

boisterous　gangs。　　And　the　isolation　of　the　moment　weighed　upon　him　like　

an　omen　and　an　emblem　of　his　destiny　in　life。　　Bred　up　in　unbroken　fear　

himself；　among　trembling　servants；　and　in　a　house　which　（at　the　least　

ruffle　in　the　master's　voice）　shuddered　into　silence；　he　saw　himself　on　

the　brink　of　the　red　valley　of　war；　and　measured　the　danger　and　length　

of　it　with　awe。　　He　made　a　detour　in　the　glimmer　and　shadow　of　the　

streets；　came　into　the　back　stable　lane；　and　watched　for　a　long　while　

the　light　burn　steady　in　the　Judge's　room。　　The　longer　he　gazed　upon　

that　illuminated　window…blind；　the　more　blank　became　the　picture　of　the　

man　who　sat　behind　it；　endlessly　turning　over　sheets　of　process；　pausing　

to　sip　a　glass　of　port；　or　rising　and　passing　heavily　about　his　book…

lined　walls　to　verify　some　reference。　　He　could　not　combine　the　brutal　

judge　and　the　industrious；　dispassionate　student；　the　connecting　link　

escaped　him；　from　such　a　dual　nature；　it　was　impossible　he　should　

predict　behaviour；　and　he　asked　himself　if　he　had　done　well　to　plunge　

into　a　business　of　which　the　end　could　not　be　foreseen？　and　presently　

after；　with　a　sickening　decline　of　confidence；　if　he　had　done　loyally　to　

strike　his　father？　　For　he　had　struck　him　…　defied　him　twice　over　and　

before　a　cloud　of　witnesses　…　struck　him　a　public　buffet　before　crowds。　　

Who　had　called　him　to　judge　his　father　in　these　precarious　and　high　

questions？　　The　office　was　usurped。　　It　might　have　become　a　stranger；　in　

a　son　…　there　was　no　blinking　it　…　in　a　son；　it　was　disloyal。　　And　now；　

between　these　two　natures　so　antipathetic；　so　hateful　to　each　other；　

there　was　depending　an　unpardonable　affront：　and　the　providence　of　God　

alone　might　foresee　the　manner　in　which　it　would　be　resented　by　Lord　

Hermiston。



These　misgivings　tortured　him　all　night　and　arose　with　him　in　the　

winter's　morning；　they　followed　him　from　class　to　class；　they　made　him　

shrinkingly　sensitive　to　every　shade　of　manner　in　his　companions；　they　

sounded　in　his　ears　through　the　current　voice　of　the　professor；　and　he　

brought　them　home　with　him　at　night　unabated　and　indeed　increased。　　The　

cause　of　this　increase　lay　in　a　chance　encounter　with　the　celebrated　Dr。　

Gregory。　　Archie　stood　looking　vaguely　in　the　lighted　window　of　a　book　

shop；　trying　to　nerve　himself　for　the　approaching　ordeal。　　My　lord　and　

he　had　met　and　parted　in　the　morning　as　they　had　now　done　for　long；　with　

scarcely　the　ordinary　civilities　of　life；　and　it　was　plain　to　the　son　

that　nothing　had　yet　reached　the　father's　ears。　　Indeed；　when　he　

recalled　the　awful　countenance　of　my　lord；　a　timid　hope　sprang　up　in　him　

that　perhaps　there　would　be　found　no　one　bold　enough　to　carry　tales。　　If　

this　were　so；　he　asked　himself；　would　he　begin　again？　and　he　found　no　

answer。　　It　was　at　this　moment　that　a　hand　was　laid　upon　his　arm；　and　a　

voice　said　in　his　ear；　〃My　dear　Mr。　Archie；　you　had　better　come　and　see　

me。〃



He　started；　turned　round；　and　found　himself　face　to　face　with　Dr。　

Gregory。　　〃And　why　should　I　come　to　see　you？〃　he　asked；　with　the　

defiance　of　the　miserable。



〃Because　you　are　looking　exceedingly　ill；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃and　you　

very　evidently　want　looking　after；　my　young　friend。　　Good　folk　are　

scarce；　you　know；　and　it　is　not　every　one　that　would　be　quite　so　much　

missed　as　yourself。　　It　is　not　every　one　that　Hermiston　would　miss。〃



And　with　a　nod　and　a　smile；　the　doctor　passed　on。



A　moment　after；　Archie　was　in　pursuit；　and　had　in　turn；　but　more　

roughly；　seized　him　by　the　arm。



〃What　do　you　mean？　what　did　you　mean　by　saying　that？　　What　makes　you　

think　that　Hermis　…　my　father　would　have　missed　me？〃



The　doctor　turned　about　and　looked　him　all　over　with　a　clinical　eye。　　A　

far　more　stupid　man　than　Dr。　Gregory　might　have　guessed　the　truth；　but　

ninety…nine　out　of　a　hundred；　even　if　they　had　been　equally　inclined　to　

kindness；　would　have　blundered　by　some　touch　of　charitable　exaggeration。　　

The　doctor　was　better　inspired。　　He　knew　the　father　well；　in　that　white　

face　of　intelligence　and　suffering；　he　divined　something　of　the　son；　and　

he　told；　without　apology　or　adornment；　the　plain　truth。



〃When　you　had　the　measles；　Mr。　Archibald；　you　had　them　gey　and　ill；　and　

I　thought　you　were　going　to　slip　between　my　fingers；〃　he　said。　　〃Well；　

your　father　was　anxious。　　How　did　I　know　it？　says　you。　　Simply　because　I　

am　a　trained　observer。　　The　sign　that　I　saw　him　make；　ten　thousand　would　

have　missed；　and　perhaps　…　PERHAPS；　I　say；　because　he's　a　hard　man　to　

judge　of　…　but　perhaps　he　never　made　another。　　A　strange　thing　to　

consider！　　It　was　this。　　One　day　I　came　to　him：　‘Hermiston；'　said　I；　

‘there's　a　change。'　　He　never　said　a　word；　just　glowered　at　me　（if　ye'll　

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！　w