weir of hermiston- 第9部分

offended　because　your　father　talks　a　little　sculduddery　after　dinner；　

which　it　is　perfectly　licit　for　him　to　do；　and　which　（although　I　am　not　

very　fond　of　it　myself）　appears　to　be　entirely　an　affair　of　taste。　　Your　

father；　I　scarcely　like　to　remind　you；　since　it　is　so　trite　a　

commonplace；　is　older　than　yourself。　　At　least；　he　is　MAJOR　and　SUI　

JURIS；　and　may　please　himself　in　the　matter　of　his　conversation。　　And；　

do　you　know；　I　wonder　if　he　might　not　have　as　good　an　answer　against　you　

and　me？　　We　say　we　sometimes　find　him　COARSE；　but　I　suspect　he　might　

retort　that　he　finds　us　always　dull。　　Perhaps　a　relevant　exception。〃



He　beamed　on　Archie；　but　no　smile　could　be　elicited。



〃And　now；〃　proceeded　the　Judge；　〃for　‘Archibald　on　Capital　Punishment。'　　

This　is　a　very　plausible　academic　opinion；　of　course　I　do　not　and　I　

cannot　hold　it；　but　that's　not　to　say　that　many　able　and　excellent　

persons　have　not　done　so　in　the　past。　　Possibly；　in　the　past　also；　I　may　

have　a　little　dipped　myself　in　the　same　heresy。　　My　third　client；　or　

possibly　my　fourth；　was　the　means　of　a　return　in　my　opinions。　　I　never　

saw　the　man　I　more　believed　in；　I　would　have　put　my　hand　in　the　fire；　I　

would　have　gone　to　the　cross　for　him；　and　when　it　came　to　trial　he　was　

gradually　pictured　before　me；　by　undeniable　probation；　in　the　light　of　

so　gross；　so　cold…blooded；　and　so　black…hearted　a　villain；　that　I　had　a　

mind　to　have　cast　my　brief　upon　the　table。　　I　was　then　boiling　against　

the　man　with　even　a　more　tropical　temperature　than　I　had　been　boiling　

for　him。　　But　I　said　to　myself：　‘No；　you　have　taken　up　his　case；　and　

because　you　have　changed　your　mind　it　must　not　be　suffered　to　let　drop。　　

All　that　rich　tide　of　eloquence　that　you　prepared　last　night　with　so　

much　enthusiasm　is　out　of　place；　and　yet　you　must　not　desert　him；　you　

must　say　something。'　　So　I　said　something；　and　I　got　him　off。　　It　made　

my　reputation。　　But　an　experience　of　that　kind　is　formative。　　A　man　must　

not　bring　his　passions　to　the　bar　…　or　to　the　bench；〃　he　added。



The　story　had　slightly　rekindled　Archie's　interest。　　〃I　could　never　

deny；〃　he　began　…　〃I　mean　I　can　conceive　that　some　men　would　be　better　

dead。　　But　who　are　we　to　know　all　the　springs　of　God's　unfortunate　

creatures？　　Who　are　we　to　trust　ourselves　where　it　seems　that　God　

Himself　must　think　twice　before　He　treads；　and　to　do　it　with　delight？　　

Yes；　with　delight。　　TIGRIS　UT　ASPERA。〃



〃Perhaps　not　a　pleasant　spectacle；〃　said　Glenalmond。　　〃And　yet；　do　you　

know；　I　think　somehow　a　great　one。〃



〃I've　had　a　long　talk　with　him　to…night；〃　said　Archie。



〃I　was　supposing　so；〃　said　Glenalmond。



〃And　he　struck　me　…　I　cannot　deny　that　he　struck　me　as　something　very　

big；〃　pursued　the　son。　　〃Yes；　he　is　big。　　He　never　spoke　about　himself；　

only　about　me。　　I　suppose　I　admired　him。　　The　dreadful　part　…　〃



〃Suppose　we　did　not　talk　about　that；〃　interrupted　Glenalmond。　　〃You　know　

it　very　well；　it　cannot　in　any　way　help　that　you　should　brood　upon　it；　

and　I　sometimes　wonder　whether　you　and　I　…　who　are　a　pair　of　

sentimentalists　…　are　quite　good　judges　of　plain　men。〃



〃How　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Archie。



〃FAIR　judges；　mean；〃　replied　Glenalmond。　　〃Can　we　be　just　to　them？　　Do　

we　not　ask　too　much？　　There　was　a　word　of　yours　just　now　that　impressed　

me　a　little　when　you　asked　me　who　we　were　to　know　all　the　springs　of　

God's　unfortunate　creatures。　　You　applied　that；　as　I　understood；　to　

capital　cases　only。　　But　does　it　…　I　ask　myself　…　does　it　not　apply　all　

through？　　Is　it　any　less　difficult　to　judge　of　a　good　man　or　of　a　half…

good　man；　than　of　the　worst　criminal　at　the　bar？　　And　may　not　each　have　

relevant　excuses？〃



〃Ah；　but　we　do　not　talk　of　punishing　the　good；〃　cried　Archie。



〃No；　we　do　not　talk　of　it；〃　said　Glenalmond。　　〃But　I　think　we　do　it。　　Your

father；　for　instance。〃



〃You　think　I　have　punished　him？〃　cried　Archie。



Lord　Glenalmond　bowed　his　head。



〃I　think　I　have；〃　said　Archie。　　〃And　the　worst　is；　I　think　he　feels　it！　　

How　much；　who　can　tell；　with　such　a　being？　　But　I　think　he　does。〃



〃And　I　am　sure　of　it；〃　said　Glenalmond。



〃Has　he　spoken　to　you；　then？〃　cried　Archie。



〃O　no；〃　replied　the　judge。



〃I　tell　you　honestly；〃　said　Archie；　〃I　want　to　make　it　up　to　him。　　I　

will　go；　I　have　already　pledged　myself　to　go　to　Hermiston。　　That　was　to　

him。　　And　now　I　pledge　myself　to　you；　in　the　sight　of　God；　that　I　will　

close　my　mouth　on　capital　punishment　and　all　other　subjects　where　our　

views　may　clash；　for　…　how　long　shall　I　say？　when　shall　I　have　sense　

enough？　…　ten　years。　　Is　that　well？〃



〃It　is　well；〃　said　my　lord。



〃As　far　as　it　goes；〃　said　Archie。　　〃It　is　enough　as　regards　myself；　it　

is　to　lay　down　enough　of　my　conceit。　　But　as　regards　him；　whom　I　have　

publicly　insulted？　　What　am　I　to　do　to　him？　　How　do　you　pay　attentions　

to　a　…　an　Alp　like　that？〃



〃Only　in　one　way；〃　replied　Glenalmond。　　〃Only　by　obedience；　punctual；　

prompt；　and　scrupulous。〃



〃And　I　promise　that　he　shall　have　it；〃　answered　Archie。　　〃I　offer　you　my　

hand　in　pledge　of　it。〃



〃And　I　take　your　hand　as　a　solemnity；〃　replied　the　judge。　　〃God　bless　

you；　my　dear；　and　enable　you　to　keep　your　promise。　　God　guide　you　in　the　

true　way；　and　spare　your　days；　and　preserve　to　you　your　honest　heart。〃　　

At　that；　he　kissed　the　young　man　upon　the　forehead　in　a　gracious；　

distant；　antiquated　way；　and　instantly　launched；　with　a　marked　change　of　

voice；　into　another　subject。　　〃And　now；　let　us　replenish　the　tankard；　

and　I　believe　if　you　will　try　my　Cheddar　again；　you　would　find　you　had　a　

better　appetite。　　The　Court　has　spoken；　and　the　case　is　dismissed。〃



〃No；　there　is　one　thing　I　must　say；〃　cried　Archie。　　〃I　must　say　it　in　

justice　to　himself。　　I　know　…　I　believe　faithfully；　slavishly；　after　our　

talk　…　he　will　never　ask　me　anything　unjust。　　I　am　proud　to　feel　it；　

that　we　have　that　much　in　common；　I　am　proud　to　say　it　to　you。〃



The　Judge；　with　shining　eyes；　raised　his　tankard。　　〃And　I　think　perhaps

that　we　might　permit　ourselves　a　toast；〃　said　he。　　〃I　should　like　to

propose　the　health　of　a　man　very　different　from　me　and　very　much　my

superior　…　a　man　from　whom　I　have　often　differed；　who　has　often　（in

the　trivial　expression）　rubbed　me　the　wrong　way；　but　whom　I　have　never

ceased　to　respect　and；　I　may　add；　to　be　not　a　little　afraid　of。　　Shall

I　give　you　his　name？〃



〃The　Lord　Justice…Clerk；　Lord　Hermiston；〃　said　Archie；　almost　with　

gaiety；　and　the　pair　drank　the　toast　deeply。



It　was　not　precisely　easy　to　re…establish；　after　these　emotional　

passages；　the　natural　flow　of　conversation。　　But　the　Judge　eked　out　what　

was　wanting　with　kind　looks；　produced　his　snuff…box　（which　was　very　

rarely　seen）　to　fill　in　a　pause；　and　at　last；　despairing　of　any　further　

social　success；　was　upon　the　point　of　getting　down　a　book　to　read　a　

favourite　passage；　when　there　came　a　rather　startling　summons　at　the　

front　door；　and　Carstairs　ushered　in　my　Lord　Glenkindie；　hot　from　a　

midnight　supper。　　I　am　not　aware　that　Glenkindie　was　ever　a　beautiful　

object；　being　short；　and　gross…bodied；　and　with　an　expression　of　

sensuality　comparable　to　a　bear's。　　At　that　moment；　coming　in　hissing　

from　many　potations；　with　a　flushed　countenance　and　blurred　eyes；　he　was　

strikingly　contrasted　with　the　tall；　pale；　kingly　figure　of　Glenalmond。　　

A　rush　of　confused　thought　came　over　Archie　…　of　shame　that　this　was　one　

of　his　father's　elect　friends；　of　pride；　that　at　the　least　of　it　

Hermiston　could　carry　his　liquor；　and　last　of　all；　of　rage；　that　he　

should　have　here　under　his　eyes　the　man　that　had　betrayed　him。　　And　then　

that　too　passed　away；　and　he　sat　quiet；　biding　his　opportunity。



The　tipsy　senator　plunged　at　once　into　an　explanation　with　Glenalmond。　　

There　was　a　point　reserved　yesterday；　he　had　been　able　to　make　neither　

head　nor　tail　of　it；　and　seeing　lights　in　the　house；　he　had　just　dropped　

in　for　a　glass　of　porter　…　and　at　this　point　he　became　aware　of　the　

third　person。　　Archie　saw　the　cod's　mouth　and　the　blunt　lips　of　

Glenkindie　gape　at　him　for　a　moment；　and　the　recognition　twinkle　in　his　

eyes。



〃Who's　this？〃　said　he。　　〃What？　is　this　possibly　you；　Don　Quickshot？　　And　

how　are　ye？　　And　how's　your　father？　　And　what's　all　this　we　hear　of　you？　　

It　seems　you're　a　most　extraordinary　leveller；　by　all　tales。　　No　king；　

no　parliaments；　and　your　gorge　rises　at　the　macers；　worthy　men！　　Hoot；　

toot！　　Dear；　dear　me！　　Your　father's　son　too！　　Most　rideeculous！〃



Archie　was　on　his　feet；　flushing　a　little　at　the　reappearance　of　his　

unhappy　figure　of　speech；　but　perfectly　self…possessed。　　〃My　lord　…　and　

you；　Lord　Glenalmond；　my　dear　friend；〃　he　began；　〃this　is　a　happy　chance　

for　me；　that　I　can　make　my　confession　and　offer　my　apologies　to　two　of　

you　at　once。〃



〃Ah；　but　I　don't　know　about　that。　　Confession？　　It'll　be　judeecial；　my　

young　friend；〃　cried　the　jocular　Glenkindie。　　〃And　I'm　afraid　to　listen　

to　ye。　　Think　if　ye　were　to　make　me　a　coanvert！〃



〃If　you　would　allow　me；　my　lord；〃　returned　Archie；　〃what　I　have　to　say　

is　very　serious　to　me；　and　be　pleased　to　be　humorous　after　I　am　gone！〃



〃Remember；　I'll　hear　nothing　against　the　macers！〃　put　in　the　

incorrigible　Glenkindie。



But　Archie　continued　as　though　he　had　not　spoken。　　〃I　have　played；　both　

yesterday　and　to…day；　a　part　for　which　I　can　only　offer　the　excuse　of　

youth。　　I　was　so　unwise　as　to　go　to　an　execution；　it　seems　I　made　a　

scene　at　the　gallows；　not　content　with　which；　I　spoke　the　same　night　in　

a　college　society　against　capital　punishment。　　This　is　the　extent　of　

what　I　have　done；　and　in　case　you　hear　more　alleged　against　me；　I　

protest　my　innocence。　　I　have　expressed　my　regret　already　to　my　father；　

who　is　so　good　as　to　pass　my　conduct　over　…　in　a　degree；　and　upon　the　

condition　that　I　am　to　leave　my　law　studies。〃　。　。　。