weir of hermiston-第5章

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and　with　a　last　sordid　piece　of　pageantry；　he　would　cease　to　be。　　And　

here；　in　the　meantime；　with　a　trait　of　human　nature　that　caught　at　the　

beholder's　breath；　he　was　tending　a　sore　throat。



Over　against　him；　my　Lord　Hermiston　occupied　the　bench　in　the　red　robes　

of　criminal　jurisdiction；　his　face　framed　in　the　white　wig。　　Honest　all　

through；　he　did　not　affect　the　virtue　of　impartiality；　this　was　no　case　

for　refinement；　there　was　a　man　to　be　hanged；　he　would　have　said；　and　he　

was　hanging　him。　　Nor　was　it　possible　to　see　his　lordship；　and　acquit　

him　of　gusto　in　the　task。　　It　was　plain　he　gloried　in　the　exercise　of　

his　trained　faculties；　in　the　clear　sight　which　pierced　at　once　into　the　

joint　of　fact；　in　the　rude；　unvarnished　gibes　with　which　he　demolished　

every　figment　of　defence。　　He　took　his　ease　and　jested；　unbending　in　

that　solemn　place　with　some　of　the　freedom　of　the　tavern；　and　the　rag　of　

man　with　the　flannel　round　his　neck　was　hunted　gallowsward　with　jeers。



Duncan　had　a　mistress；　scarce　less　forlorn　and　greatly　older　than　

himself；　who　came　up；　whimpering　and　curtseying；　to　add　the　weight　of　

her　betrayal。　　My　lord　gave　her　the　oath　in　his　most　roaring　voice；　and　

added　an　intolerant　warning。



〃Mind　what　ye　say　now；　Janet；〃　said　he。　　〃I　have　an　e'e　upon　ye；　I'm　ill　

to　jest　with。〃



Presently；　after　she　was　tremblingly　embarked　on　her　story；　〃And　what　

made　ye　do　this；　ye　auld　runt？〃　the　Court　interposed。　　〃Do　ye　mean　to　

tell　me　ye　was　the　panel's　mistress？〃



〃If　you　please；　ma　loard；〃　whined　the　female。



〃Godsake！　ye　made　a　bonny　couple；〃　observed　his　lordship；　and　there　was　

something　so　formidable　and　ferocious　in　his　scorn　that　not　even　the　

galleries　thought　to　laugh。



The　summing　up　contained　some　jewels。



〃These　two　peetiable　creatures　seem　to　have　made　up　thegither；　it's　not　

for　us　to　explain　why。〃　…　〃The　panel；　who　（whatever　else　he　may　be）　

appears　to　be　equally　ill　set…out　in　mind　and　boady。〃　…　〃Neither　the　

panel　nor　yet　the　old　wife　appears　to　have　had　so　much　common　sense　as　

even　to　tell　a　lie　when　it　was　necessary。〃　　And　in　the　course　of　

sentencing；　my　lord　had　this　OBITER　DICTUM：　〃I　have　been　the　means；　

under　God；　of　haanging　a　great　number；　but　never　just　such　a　disjaskit　

rascal　as　yourself。〃　　The　words　were　strong　in　themselves；　the　light　and　

heat　and　detonation　of　their　delivery；　and　the　savage　pleasure　of　the　

speaker　in　his　task；　made　them　tingle　in　the　ears。



When　all　was　over；　Archie　came　forth　again　into　a　changed　world。　　Had　

there　been　the　least　redeeming　greatness　in　the　crime；　any　obscurity；　

any　dubiety；　perhaps　he　might　have　understood。　　But　the　culprit　stood；　

with　his　sore　throat；　in　the　sweat　of　his　mortal　agony；　without　defence　

or　excuse：　a　thing　to　cover　up　with　blushes：　a　being　so　much　sunk　

beneath　the　zones　of　sympathy　that　pity　might　seem　harmless。　　And　the　

judge　had　pursued　him　with　a　monstrous；　relishing　gaiety；　horrible　to　be　

conceived；　a　trait　for　nightmares。　　It　is　one　thing　to　spear　a　tiger；　

another　to　crush　a　toad；　there　are　aesthetics　even　of　the　slaughter…

house；　and　the　loathsomeness　of　Duncan　Jopp　enveloped　and　infected　the　

image　of　his　judge。



Archie　passed　by　his　friends　in　the　High　Street　with　incoherent　words　

and　gestures。　　He　saw　Holyrood　in　a　dream；　remembrance　of　its　romance　

awoke　in　him　and　faded；　he　had　a　vision　of　the　old　radiant　stories；　of　

Queen　Mary　and　Prince　Charlie；　of　the　hooded　stag；　of　the　splendour　and　

crime；　the　velvet　and　bright　iron　of　the　past；　and　dismissed　them　with　a　

cry　of　pain。　　He　lay　and　moaned　in　the　Hunter's　Bog；　and　the　heavens　

were　dark　above　him　and　the　grass　of　the　field　an　offence。　　〃This　is　my　

father；〃　he　said。　　〃I　draw　my　life　from　him；　the　flesh　upon　my　bones　is　

his；　the　bread　I　am　fed　with　is　the　wages　of　these　horrors。〃　　He　

recalled　his　mother；　and　ground　his　forehead　in　the　earth。　　He　thought　

of　flight；　and　where　was　he　to　flee　to？　of　other　lives；　but　was　there　

any　life　worth　living　in　this　den　of　savage　and　jeering　animals？



The　interval　before　the　execution　was　like　a　violent　dream。　　He　met　his　

father；　he　would　not　look　at　him；　he　could　not　speak　to　him。　　It　seemed　

there　was　no　living　creature　but　must　have　been　swift　to　recognise　that　

imminent　animosity；　but　the　hide　of　the　Justice…Clerk　remained　

impenetrable。　　Had　my　lord　been　talkative；　the　truce　could　never　have　

subsisted；　but　he　was　by　fortune　in　one　of　his　humours　of　sour　silence；　

and　under　the　very　guns　of　his　broadside；　Archie　nursed　the　enthusiasm　

of　rebellion。　　It　seemed　to　him；　from　the　top　of　his　nineteen　years'　

experience；　as　if　he　were　marked　at　birth　to　be　the　perpetrator　of　some　

signal　action；　to　set　back　fallen　Mercy；　to　overthrow　the　usurping　devil　

that　sat；　horned　and　hoofed；　on　her　throne。　　Seductive　Jacobin　figments；　

which　he　had　often　refuted　at　the　Speculative；　swam　up　in　his　mind　and　

startled　him　as　with　voices：　and　he　seemed　to　himself　to　walk　

accompanied　by　an　almost　tangible　presence　of　new　beliefs　and　duties。



On　the　named　morning　he　was　at　the　place　of　execution。　　He　saw　the　

fleering　rabble；　the　flinching　wretch　produced。　　He　looked　on　for　a　

while　at　a　certain　parody　of　devotion；　which　seemed　to　strip　the　wretch　

of　his　last　claim　to　manhood。　　Then　followed　the　brutal　instant　of　

extinction；　and　the　paltry　dangling　of　the　remains　like　a　broken　

jumping…jack。　　He　had　been　prepared　for　something　terrible；　not　for　this　

tragic　meanness。　　He　stood　a　moment　silent；　and　then　…　〃I　denounce　this　

God…defying　murder；〃　he　shouted；　and　his　father；　if　he　must　have　

disclaimed　the　sentiment；　might　have　owned　the　stentorian　voice　with　

which　it　was　uttered。



Frank　Innes　dragged　him　from　the　spot。　　The　two　handsome　lads　followed　

the　same　course　of　study　and　recreation；　and　felt　a　certain　mutual　

attraction；　founded　mainly　on　good　looks。　　It　had　never　gone　deep；　Frank　

was　by　nature　a　thin；　jeering　creature；　not　truly　susceptible　whether　of　

feeling　or　inspiring　friendship；　and　the　relation　between　the　pair　was　

altogether　on　the　outside；　a　thing　of　common　knowledge　and　the　

pleasantries　that　spring　from　a　common　acquaintance。　　The　more　credit　to　

Frank　that　he　was　appalled　by　Archie's　outburst；　and　at　least　conceived　

the　design　of　keeping　him　in　sight；　and；　if　possible；　in　hand；　for　the　

day。　　But　Archie；　who　had　just　defied　…　was　it　God　or　Satan？　…　would　not　

listen　to　the　word　of　a　college　companion。



〃I　will　not　go　with　you；〃　he　said。　　〃I　do　not　desire　your　company；　sir；　

I　would　be　alone。〃



〃Here；　Weir；　man；　don't　be　absurd；〃　said　Innes；　keeping　a　tight　hold　

upon　his　sleeve。　　〃I　will　not　let　you　go　until　I　know　what　you　mean　to　

do　with　yourself；　it's　no　use　brandishing　that　staff。〃　　For　indeed　at　

that　moment　Archie　had　made　a　sudden　…　perhaps　a　warlike　…　movement。　　

〃This　has　been　the　most　insane　affair；　you　know　it　has。　　You　know　very　

well　that　I'm　playing　the　good　Samaritan。　　All　I　wish　is　to　keep　you　

quiet。〃



〃If　quietness　is　what　you　wish；　Mr。　Innes；〃　said　Archie；　〃and　you　will　

promise　to　leave　me　entirely　to　myself；　I　will　tell　you　so　much；　that　I　

am　going　to　walk　in　the　country　and　admire　the　beauties　of　nature。〃



〃Honour　bright？〃　asked　Frank。



〃I　am　not　in　the　habit　of　lying；　Mr。　Innes；〃　retorted　Archie。　　〃I　have　

the　honour　of　wishing　you　good…day。〃



〃You　won't　forget　the　Spec。？〃　asked　Innes。



〃The　Spec。？〃　said　Archie。　　〃O　no；　I　won't　forget　the　Spec。〃



And　the　one　young　man　carried　his　tortured　spirit　forth　of　the　city　and　

all　the　day　long；　by　one　road　and　another；　in　an　endless　pilgrimage　of　

misery；　while　the　other　hastened　smilingly　to　spread　the　news　of　Weir's　

access　of　insanity；　and　to　drum　up　for　that　night　a　full　attendance　at　

the　Speculative；　where　further　eccentric　developments　might　certainly　be　

looked　for。　　I　doubt　if　Innes　had　the　least　belief　in　his　prediction；　I　

think　it　flowed　rather　from　a　wish　to　make　the　story　as　good　and　the　

scandal　as　great　as　possible；　not　from　any　ill…will　to　Archie　…　from　the　

mere　pleasure　of　beholding　interested　faces。　　But　for　all　that　his　words　

were　prophetic。　　Archie　did　not　forget　the　Spec。；　he　put　in　an　

appearance　there　at　the　due　time；　and；　before　the　evening　was　over；　had　

dealt　a　memorable　shock　to　his　companions。　　It　chanced　he　was　the　

president　of　the　night。　　He　sat　in　the　same　room　where　the　Society　still　

meets　…　only　the　portraits　were　not　there：　the　men　who　afterwards　sat　

for　them　were　then　but　beginning　their　career。　　The　same　lustre　of　many　

tapers　shed　its　light　over　the　meeting；　the　same　chair；　perhaps；　

supported　him　that　so　many　of　us　have　sat　in　since。　　At　times　he　seemed　

to　forget　the　business　of　the　evening；　but　even　in　these　periods　he　sat　

with　a　great　air　of　energy　and　determination。　　At　times　he　meddled　

bitterly；　and　launched　with　defiance　those　fines　which　are　the　precious　

and　rarely　used　artillery　of　the　president。　　He　little　thought；　as　he　

did　so；　how　he　resembled　his　father；　but　his　friends　remarked　upon　it；　

chuckling。　　So　far；　in　his　high　place　above　his　fellow…students；　he　

seemed　set　beyond　the　possibility　of　any　scandal；　but　his　mind　was　made　

up　…　he　was　determined　to　fulfil　the　sphere　of　his　offence。　　He　signed　

to　Innes　（whom　he　had　just　fined；　and　who　just　impeached　his　ruling）　to　

succeed　him　in　the　chair；　stepped　down　from　the　platform；　and　took　his　

place　by　the　chimney…piece；　the　shine　of　many　wax　tapers　from　above　

illuminating　his　pale　face；　the　glow　of　the　great　red　fire　relieving　

from　behind　his　slim　figure。　　He　had　to　propose；　as　an　amendment　to　the　

next　subject　in　the　case…book；　〃Whether　capital　punishment　be　consistent　

with　God's　will　or　man's　policy？〃



A　breath　of　embarrassment；　of　something　like　alarm；　passed　round　the　

room；　so　daring　did　these　words　appear　upon　the　lips　of　Hermiston's　only　

son。　　But　the　amendment　was　not　seconded；　the　previous　question　was　

promptly　moved　and　unanimously　voted；　and　the　momentary　scandal　smuggled　

by。　　Innes　triumphed　in　the　fulfilment　of　his　prophecy。　　He　and　Archie　

were　now　become　the　heroes　of　the　night；　but　whereas　every　one　crowded　

about　Innes；　when　the　meeting　broke　up；　but　one　of　all　his　companions　

came　to　speak　to　Archie。



〃Weir；　man！　　That　was　an　extraordinary　raid　of　yours！〃　observed　this　

courageous　member；　taking　him　confidentially　by　the　arm　as　they　went　

out。



〃I　don't　think　it　a　raid；〃　said　Archie　grimly。　　〃More　like　a　war。　　I

saw　that　poor　brute　hanged　this　morning；　and　my　gorge　rises　at　it　yet。〃



〃Hut…tut；〃　returned　his　companion；　and；　dropping　his　arm　like　something　

hot；　he　sought　the　less　tense　society　of　others。



Archie　found　himself　alone。　　The　last　of　the　faithful　…　or　was　it　only　

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

his　fellow…students　draw　off　down