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bearing the sword； a dreid to evil…doers； as I was from the beginning； and
as I will be to the end！ Mair than enough of it！ Heedious！ I never gave twa
thoughts to heediousness； I have no call to be bonny。 I'm a man that gets
through with my day's business； and let that suffice。〃
The ring of sarcasm had died out of his voice as he went on； the plain
words became invested with some of the dignity of the Justice…seat。
〃It would be telling you if you could say as much；〃 the speaker
resumed。 〃But ye cannot。 Ye've been reading some of my cases； ye say。
But it was not for the law in them； it was to spy out your faither's
nakedness； a fine employment in a son。 You're splairging； you're running
at lairge in life like a wild nowt。 It's impossible you should think any
longer of coming to the Bar。 You're not fit for it； no splairger is。 And
another thing： son of mines or no son of mines； you have flung fylement in
public on one of the Senators of the Coallege of Justice； and I would make
it my business to see that ye were never admitted there yourself。 There is a
kind of a decency to be observit。 Then comes the next of it … what am I to
do with ye next？ Ye'll have to find some kind of a trade； for I'll never
support ye in idleset。 What do ye fancy ye'll be fit for？ The pulpit？ Na；
they could never get diveenity into that bloackhead。 Him that the law of
man whammles is no likely to do muckle better by the law of God。 What
would ye make of hell？ Wouldna your gorge rise at that？ Na； there's no
room for splairgers under the fower quarters of John Calvin。 What else is
there？ Speak up。 Have ye got nothing of your own？〃
〃Father； let me go to the Peninsula；〃 said Archie。 〃That's all I'm fit for …
to fight。〃
〃All？ quo' he！〃 returned the Judge。 〃And it would be enough too； if I
thought it。 But I'll never trust ye so near the French； you that's so Frenchi…
feed。〃
〃You do me injustice there； sir；〃 said Archie。 〃I am loyal； I will not
boast； but any interest I may have ever felt in the French … 〃
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〃Have ye been so loyal to me？〃 interrupted his father。
There came no reply。
〃I think not；〃 continued Hermiston。 〃And I would send no man to be a
servant to the King； God bless him！ that has proved such a shauchling son
to his own faither。 You can splairge here on Edinburgh street； and where's
the hairm？ It doesna play buff on me！ And if there were twenty thousand
eediots like yourself； sorrow a Duncan Jopp would hang the fewer。 But
there's no splairging possible in a camp； and if ye were to go to it； you
would find out for yourself whether Lord Well'n'ton approves of caapital
punishment or not。 You a sodger！〃 he cried； with a sudden burst of scorn。
〃Ye auld wife； the sodgers would bray at ye like cuddies！〃
As at the drawing of a curtain； Archie was aware of some illogicality
in his position； and stood abashed。 He had a strong impression； besides； of
the essential valour of the old gentleman before him； how conveyed it
would be hard to say。
〃Well； have ye no other proposeetion？〃 said my lord again。
〃You have taken this so calmly； sir； that I cannot but stand ashamed；〃
began Archie。
〃I'm nearer voamiting； though； than you would fancy；〃 said my lord。
The blood rose to Archie's brow。
〃I beg your pardon； I should have said that you had accepted my
affront。 。 。 。 I admit it was an affront； I did not think to apologise； but I do；
I ask your pardon； it will not be so again； I pass you my word of
honour。 。 。 。 I should have said that I admired your magnanimity with … this
… offender；〃 Archie concluded with a gulp。
〃I have no other son； ye see；〃 said Hermiston。 〃A bonny one I have
gotten！ But I must just do the best I can wi' him； and what am I to do？ If
ye had been younger； I would have wheepit ye for this rideeculous
exhibeetion。 The way it is； I have just to grin and bear。 But one thing is to
be clearly understood。 As a faither； I must grin and bear it； but if I had
been the Lord Advocate instead of the Lord Justice… Clerk； son or no son；
Mr。 Erchibald Weir would have been in a jyle the night。〃
Archie was now dominated。 Lord Hermiston was coarse and cruel； and
yet the son was aware of a bloomless nobility； an ungracious abnegation of
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the man's self in the man's office。 At every word； this sense of the
greatness of Lord Hermiston's spirit struck more home； and along with it
that of his own impotence； who had struck … and perhaps basely struck … at
his own father； and not reached so far as to have even nettled him。
〃I place myself in your hands without reserve；〃 he said。
〃That's the first sensible word I've had of ye the night；〃 said Hermiston。
〃I can tell ye； that would have been the end of it； the one way or the other；
but it's better ye should come there yourself； than what I would have had
to hirstle ye。 Weel； by my way of it … and my way is the best … there's just
the one thing it's possible that ye might be with decency； and that's a laird。
Ye'll be out of hairm's way at the least of it。 If ye have to rowt； ye can rowt
amang the kye； and the maist feck of the caapital punishmeiit ye're like to
come across'll be guddling trouts。 Now； I'm for no idle lairdies； every man
has to work； if it's only at peddling ballants； to work； or to be wheeped； or
to be haangit。 If I set ye down at Hermiston I'll have to see you work that
place the way it has never been workit yet； ye must ken about the sheep
like a herd； ye must be my grieve there； and I'll see that I gain by ye。 Is
that understood？〃
〃I will do my best；〃 said Archie。
〃Well； then； I'll send Kirstie word the morn； and ye can go yourself the
day after；〃 said Hermiston。 〃And just try to be less of an eediot！〃 he
concluded with a freezing smile； and turned immediately to the papers on
his desk。
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CHAPTER IV … OPINIONS OF
THE BENCH
LATE the same night； after a disordered walk； Archie was admitted
into Lord Glenalmond's dining…room； where he sat with a book upon his
knee；