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look; and vain to look for mercy。 Ye mind me o' a bonny ship pitten oot
into the black and gowsty seas … ye're a' safe still; sittin' quait and crackin'
wi' Kirstie in your lown chalmer; but whaur will ye be the morn; and in
whatten horror o' the fearsome tempest; cryin' on the hills to cover ye?〃
〃Why; Kirstie; you're very enigmatical to…night … and very eloquent;〃
Archie put in。
〃And; my dear Mr。 Erchie;〃 she continued; with a change of voice; 〃ye
mauna think that I canna sympathise wi' ye。 Ye mauna think that I havena
been young mysel'。 Lang syne; when I was a bit lassie; no twenty yet … 〃
She paused and sighed。 〃Clean and caller; wi' a fit like the hinney bee;〃
she continned。 〃I was aye big and buirdly; ye maun understand; a bonny
figure o' a woman; though I say it that suldna … built to rear bairns … braw
bairns they suld hae been; and grand I would hae likit it! But I was young;
dear; wi' the bonny glint o' youth in my e'en; and little I dreamed I'd ever
be tellin' ye this; an auld; lanely; rudas wife! Weel; Mr。 Erchie; there was a
lad cam' courtin' me; as was but naetural。 Mony had come before; and I
would nane o' them。 But this yin had a tongue to wile the birds frae the lift
and the bees frae the foxglove bells。 Deary me; but it's lang syne! Folk
have dee'd sinsyne and been buried; and are forgotten; and bairns been
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born and got merrit and got bairns o' their ain。 Sinsyne woods have been
plantit; and have grawn up and are bonny trees; and the joes sit in their
shadow; and sinsyne auld estates have changed hands; and there have been
wars and rumours of wars on the face of the earth。 And here I'm still … like
an auld droopit craw … lookin' on and craikin'! But; Mr。 Erchie; do ye no
think that I have mind o' it a' still? I was dwalling then in my faither's
house; and it's a curious thing that we were whiles trysted in the Deil's
Hags。 And do ye no think that I have mind of the bonny simmer days; the
lang miles o' the bluid…red heather; the cryin' of the whaups; and the lad
and the lassie that was trysted? Do ye no think that I mind how the hilly
sweetness ran about my hairt? Ay; Mr。 Erchie; I ken the way o' it … fine do I
ken the way … how the grace o' God takes them; like Paul of Tarsus; when
they think it least; and drives the pair o' them into a land which is like a
dream; and the world and the folks in't' are nae mair than clouds to the puir
lassie; and heeven nae mair than windle…straes; if she can but pleesure him!
Until Tam dee'd … that was my story;〃 she broke off to say; 〃he dee'd; and I
wasna at the buryin'。 But while he was here; I could take care o' mysel'。
And can yon puir lassie?〃
Kirstie; her eyes shining with unshed tears; stretched out her hand
towards him appealingly; the bright and the dull gold of her hair flashed
and smouldered in the coils behind her comely head; like the rays of an
eternal youth; the pure colour had risen in her face; and Archie was
abashed alike by her beauty and her story。 He came towards her slowly
from the window; took up her hand in his and kissed it。
〃Kirstie;〃 he said hoarsely; 〃you have misjudged me sorely。 I have
always thought of her; I wouldna harm her for the universe; my woman!〃
〃Eh; lad; and that's easy sayin';〃 cried Kirstie; 〃but it's nane sae easy
doin'! Man; do ye no comprehend that it's God's wull we should be blendit
and glamoured; and have nae command over our ain members at a time
like that? My bairn;〃 she cried; still holding his hand; 〃think o' the puir
lass! have pity upon her; Erchie! and O; be wise for twa! Think o' the risk
she rins! I have seen ye; and what's to prevent ithers! I saw ye once in the
Hags; in my ain howl; and I was wae to see ye there … in pairt for the omen;
for I think there's a weird on the place … and in pairt for pure nakit envy
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and bitterness o' hairt。 It's strange ye should forgather there tae! God! but
yon puir; thrawn; auld Covenanter's seen a heap o' human natur since he
lookit his last on the musket barrels; if he never saw nane afore;〃 she
added; with a kind of wonder in her eyes。
〃I swear by my honour I have done her no wrong;〃 said Archie。 〃I
swear by my honour and the redemption of my soul that there shall none
be done her。 I have heard of this before。 I have been foolish; Kirstie; not
unkind; and; above all; not base。〃
〃There's my bairn!〃 said Kirstie; rising。 〃I'll can trust ye noo; I'll can
gang to my bed wi' an easy hairt。〃 And then she saw in a flash how barren
had been her triumph。 Archie had promised to spare the girl; and he would
keep it; but who had promised to spare Archie? What was to be the end of
it? Over a maze of difficulties she glanced; and saw; at the end of every
passage; the flinty countenance of Hermiston。 And a kind of horror fell
upon her at what she had done。 She wore a tragic mask。 〃Erchie; the Lord
peety you; dear; and peety me! I have buildit on this foundation〃 … laying
her hand heavily on his shoulder … 〃and buildit hie; and pit my hairt in the
buildin' of it。 If the hale hypothec were to fa'; I think; laddie; I would dee!
Excuse a daft wife that loves ye; and that kenned your mither。 And for His
name's sake keep yersel' frae inordinate desires; haud your heart in baith
your hands; carry it canny and laigh; dinna send it up like a hairn's kite
into the collieshangic o' the wunds! Mind; Maister Erchie dear; that this
life's a' disappointment; and a mouthfu' o' mools is the appointed end。〃
〃Ay; but Kirstie; my woman; you're asking me ower much at last;〃 said
Archie; profoundly moved; and lapsing into the broad Scots。 〃Ye're asking
what nae man can grant ye; what only the Lord of heaven can grant ye if
He see fit。 Ay! And can even He! I can promise ye what I shall do; and you
can depend on that。 But how I shall feel … my woman; that is long past
thinking of!〃
They were both standing by now opposite each other。 The face of
Archie wore the wretched semblance of a smile; hers was convulsed for a
moment。
〃Promise me ae thing;〃 she cried in a sharp voice。 〃Promise me ye'll
never do naething without telling me。〃
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〃No; Kirstie; I canna promise ye that;〃 he rep