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judge； and the delicacy of his person； thoughts； and language； spoke to
Archie's heart in its own tongue。 He conceived the ambition to be such
another； and； when the day came for him to choose a profession； it was in
emulation of Lord Glenalmond； not of Lord Hermiston； that he chose the
Bar。 Hermiston looked on at this friendship with some secret pride； but
openly with the intolerance of scorn。 He scarce lost an opportunity to put
them down with a rough jape； and； to say truth； it was not difficult； for
they were neither of them quick。 He had a word of contempt for the whole
crowd of poets； painters； fiddlers； and their admirers； the bastard race of
amateurs； which was continually on his lips。 〃Signor Feedle…eerie！〃 he
would say。 〃O； for Goad's sake； no more of the Signor！〃
〃You and my father are great friends； are you not？〃 asked Archie once。
〃There is no man that I more respect； Archie；〃 replied Lord
Glenalmond。 〃He is two things of price。 He is a great lawyer； and he is
upright as the day。〃
〃You and he are so different；〃 said the boy； his eyes dwelling on those
of his old friend； like a lover's on his mistress's。
〃Indeed so；〃 replied the judge； 〃very different。 And so I fear are you
and he。 Yet I would like it very ill if my young friend were to misjudge his
father。 He has all the Roman virtues： Cato and Brutus were such； I think a
son's heart might well be proud of such an ancestry of one。〃
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〃And I would sooner he were a plaided herd；〃 cried Archie； with
sudden bitterness。
〃And that is neither very wise； nor I believe entirely true；〃 returned
Glenalmond。 〃Before you are done you will find some of these
expressions rise on you like a remorse。 They are merely literary and
decorative； they do not aptly express your thought； nor is your thought
clearly apprehended； and no doubt your father （if he were here） would say；
〃Signor Feedle…eerie！〃
With the infinitely delicate sense of youth； Archie avoided the subject
from that hour。 It was perhaps a pity。 Had he but talked … talked freely … let
himself gush out in words （the way youth loves to do and should）； there
might have been no tale to write upon the Weirs of Hermiston。 But the
shadow of a threat of ridicule sufficed； in the slight tartness of these words
he read a prohibition； and it is likely that Glenalmond meant it so。
Besides the veteran； the boy was without confidant or friend。 Serious
and eager； he came through school and college； and moved among a
crowd of the indifferent； in the seclusion of his shyness。 He grew up
handsome； with an open； speaking countenance； with graceful； youthful
ways； he was clever； he took prizes； he shone in the Speculative Society。 It
should seem he must become the centre of a crowd of friends； but
something that was in part the delicacy of his mother； in part the austerity
of his father； held him aloof from all。 It is a fact； and a strange one； that
among his contemporaries Hermiston's son was thought to be a chip of the
old block。 〃You're a friend of Archie Weir's？〃 said one to Frank Innes； and
Innes replied； with his usual flippancy and more than his usual insight： 〃I
know Weir。 but I never met Archie。〃 No one had met Archie； a malady
most incident to only sons。 He flew his private signal； and none heeded it；
it seemed he was abroad in a world from which the very hope of intimacy
was banished； and he looked round about him on the concourse of his
fellow…students； and forward to the trivial days and acquaintances that
were to come； without hope or interest。
As time went on； the tough and rough old sinner felt himself drawn to
the son of his loins and sole continuator of his new family； with softnesses
of sentiment that he could hardly credit and was wholly impotent to
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Weir of Hermiston
express。 With a face； voice； and manner trained through forty years to
terrify and repel； Rhadamanthus may be great； but he will scarce be
engaging。 It is a fact that he tried to propitiate Archie； but a fact that
cannot be too lightly taken； the attempt was so unconspicuously made； the
failure so stoically supported。 Sympathy is not due to these steadfast iron
natures。 If he failed to gain his son's friendship； or even his son's toleration；
on he went up the great； bare staircase of his duty； uncheered and
undepressed。 There might have been more pleasure in his relations with
Archie； so much he may have recognised at moments； but pleasure was a
by…product of the singular chemistry of life； which only fools expected。
An idea of Archie's attitude； since we are all grown up and have
forgotten the days of our youth； it is more difficult to convey。 He made no
attempt whatsoever to understand the man with whom he dined and
breakfasted。 Parsimony of pain； glut of pleasure； these are the two
alternating ends of youth； and Archie was of the parsimonious。 The wind
blew cold out of a certain quarter … he turned his back upon it； stayed as
little as was possible in his father's presence； and when there； averted his
eyes as much as was decent from his father's face。 The lamp shone for
many hundred days upon these two at table … my lord； ruddy； gloomy； and
unreverent； Archie with a potential brightness that was always dimmed
and veiled in that society； and there were not； perhaps； in Christendom two
men more radically strangers。 The father； with a grand simplicity； either
spoke of what interested himself； or maintained an unaffected silence。 The
son turned in his head for some topic that should be quite safe； that would
spare him fresh evidences either of my lord's inherent grossness or of the
innocence of his inhumanity； treading gingerly the ways of intercourse；
like a lady gathering up her skirts in a by…path。 If he made a mistake； and
my lord began to abound in matter of offence； Archie drew himself up； his
brow grew dark； his share of the talk expired； but my lord wou