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you； I am quite at your command。 Let an old man say it； for once； and
not need to blush： I love you like a son。〃
There came a sudden sharp sound in Archie's throat。 〃Ay；〃 he cried；
〃and there it is！ Love！ Like a son！ And how do you think I love my
father？〃
〃Quietly； quietly；〃 says my lord。
〃I will be very quiet；〃 replied Archie。 〃And I will be baldly frank。 I
do not love my father； I wonder sometimes if I do not hate him。 There's
my shame； perhaps my sin； at least； and in the sight of God； not my
fault。 How was I to love him？ He has never spoken to me； never smiled
upon me； I do not think he ever touched me。 You know the way he talks？
You do not talk so； yet you can sit and hear him without shuddering； and
I cannot。 My soul is sick when he begins with it； I could smite him in
the mouth。 And all that's nothing。 I was at the trial of this Jopp。
You were not there； but you must have heard him often； the man's
notorious for it； for being … look at my position！ he's my father and
this is how I have to speak of him … notorious for being a brute and
cruel and a coward。 Lord Glenalmond； I give you my word； when I came
out of that Court； I longed to die … the shame of it was beyond my
strength： but I … I …〃 he rose from his seat and began to pace the room
in a disorder。 〃Well； who am I？ A boy； who have never been tried； have
never done anything except this twopenny impotent folly with my father。
But I tell you； my lord； and I know myself； I am at least that kind of a
man … or that kind of a boy； if you prefer it … that I could die in
torments rather than that any one should suffer as that scoundrel
suffered。 Well； and what have I done？ I see it now。 I have made a
fool of myself； as I said in the beginning； and I have gone back； and
asked my father's pardon； and placed myself wholly in his hands … and he
has sent me to Hermiston；〃 with a wretched smile； 〃for life； I suppose …
and what can I say？ he strikes me as having done quite right； and let me
off better than I had deserved。〃
〃My poor； dear boy！〃 observed Glenalmond。 〃My poor dear and； if you
will allow me to say so； very foolish boy！ You are only discovering
where you are； to one of your temperament； or of mine； a painful
discovery。 The world was not made for us； it was made for ten hundred
millions of men； all different from each other and from us； there's no
royal road there； we just have to sclamber and tumble。 Don't think that
I am at all disposed to be surprised； don't suppose that I ever think of
blaming you； indeed I rather admire！ But there fall to be offered one
or two observations on the case which occur to me and which （if you will
listen to them dispassionately） may be the means of inducing you to view
the matter more calmly。 First of all； I cannot acquit you of a good
deal of what is called intolerance。 You seem to have been very much
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！