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small figure awaiting him there。 The emptiness and solitude of the
great moors seemed to be concentrated there； and Kirstie pointed out by
that figure of sunshine for the only inhabitant。 His first sight of her
was thus excruciatingly sad； like a glimpse of a world from which all
light； comfort； and society were on the point of vanishing。 And the
next moment； when she had turned her face to him and the quick smile had
enlightened it； the whole face of nature smiled upon him in her smile of
welcome。 Archie's slow pace was quickened； his legs hasted to her
though his heart was hanging back。 The girl； upon her side； drew
herself together slowly and stood up； expectant； she was all languor；
her face was gone white； her arms ached for him； her soul was on tip…
toes。 But he deceived her； pausing a few steps away； not less white
than herself； and holding up his hand with a gesture of denial。
〃No； Christina； not to…day；〃 he said。 〃To…day I have to talk to you
seriously。 Sit ye down； please； there where you were。 Please！〃 he
repeated。
The revulsion of feeling in Christina's heart was violent。 To have
longed and waited these weary hours for him； rehearsing her endearments
… to have seen him at last come … to have been ready there； breathless；
wholly passive； his to do what he would with … and suddenly to have
found herself confronted with a grey…faced； harsh schoolmaster … it was
too rude a shock。 She could have wept； but pride withheld her。 She sat
down on the stone； from which she had arisen； part with the instinct of
obedience； part as though she had been thrust there。 What was this？
Why was she rejected？ Had she ceased to please？ She stood here
offering her wares； and he would none of them！ And yet they were all
his！ His to take and keep； not his to refuse though！ In her quick
petulant nature； a moment ago on fire with hope； thwarted love and
wounded vanity wrought。 The schoolmaster that there is in all men； to
the despair of all girls and most women； was now completely in
possession of Archie。 He had passed a night of sermons； a day of
reflection； he had come wound up to do his duty； and the set mouth；
which in him only betrayed the effort of his will； to her seemed the
expression of an averted heart。 It was the same with his constrained
voice and embarrassed utterance； and if so … if it was all over … the
pang of the thought took away from her the power of thinking。
He stood before her some way off。 〃Kirstie； there's been too much of
this。 We've seen too much of each other。〃 She looked up quickly and
her eyes contracted。 〃There's no good ever comes of these secret
meetings。 They're not frank； not honest truly； and I ought to have seen
it。 People have begun to talk； and it's not right of me。 Do you see？〃
〃I see somebody will have been talking to ye；〃 she said sullenly。
〃They have； more than one of them；〃 replied Archie。
〃And whae were they？〃 she cried。 〃And what kind o' love do ye ca' that；
that's ready to gang round like a whirligig at folk talking？ Do ye
think they havena talked to me？〃
〃Have they indeed？〃 said Archie； with a quick breath。 〃That is what I
feared。 Who were they？ Who has dared … ？〃
Archie was on the point of losing his temper。
As a matter of fact； not any one had talked to Christina on the matter；
and she strenuously repeated her own first question in a panic of self…
defence。
〃Ah； well！ what does it matter？〃 he said。 〃They were good folk that
wished well to us； and the great affair is that there are people
talking。 My dear girl； we have to be wise。 We must not wreck our lives
at the outset。 They may be long and happy yet； and we must see to it；
Kirstie； like God's rational creatures and not like fool children。
There is one thing we must see to before all。 You're worth waiting for；
Kirstie！ worth waiting for a generation； it would be enough reward。〃 …
And here he remembered the schoolmaster again； and very unwisely took to
following wisdom。 〃The first thing that we must see to； is that there
shall be no scandal about for my father's sake。 That would ruin all； do
ye no see that？〃
Kirstie was a little pleased； there had been some show of warmth of
sentiment in what Archie had said last。 But the dull irritation still
persisted in her bosom； with the aboriginal instinct； having suffered
herself； she wished to make Archie suffer。
And besides； there had come out the word she had always feared to hear
from his lips； the name of his father。 It is not to be supposed that；
during so many days with a love avowed between them； some reference had
not been made to their conjoint future。 It had in fact been often
touched upon； and from the first had been the sore point。 Kirstie had
wilfully closed the eye of thought； she would not argue even with
herself； gallant； desperate little heart； she had accepted the command
of that supreme attraction like the call of fate and marched blindfold
on her doom。 But Archie； with his masculine sense of responsibility；
must reason； he must dwell on some future good； when the present good
was all in all to Kirstie； he must talk … and talk lamely； as necessity
drove him … of what was to be。 Again and again he had touched on
marriage； again and again been driven back into indistinctness by a
memory of Lord Hermiston。 And Kirstie had been swift to understand and
quick to choke down and smother the understanding； swift to leap up in
flame at a mention of that hope； which spoke volumes to her vanity and
her love； that she might one day be Mrs。 Weir of Hermiston； swift； also；
to recognise in his stumbling or throttled utterance the death…knell of
these expectations； and constant； poor girl！ in her large…minded
madness； to go on and to reck nothing of the future。 But these
unfinished references； these blinks in which his heart spoke； and his
memory and reason rose up to silence it before the words were well
uttered； gave her unqualifiable agony。 She was raised up and dashed
down again bleeding。 The recurrence of the subject forced her； for
however short a time； to open her eyes on what she did not wish to see；
and it had invariably ended in another disappointment。 So now again； at
the mere wind of its coming； at the mere mention of his father's name …
who might seem indeed to have accompanied them in their whole moorland
courtship； an awful figure in a wig with an ironical and bitter smile；
present to guilty consciousness … she fled from it head down。
〃Ye havena told me yet；〃 she said； 〃who was it spoke？〃
〃Your aunt for one；〃 said Archie。
〃Auntie Kirstie？〃 she cried。 〃And what do I care for my Auntie
Kirstie？〃
〃She cares a great deal for her niece；〃 replied Archie； in kind reproof。
〃Troth； and it's the first I've heard of it；〃 retorted the girl。
〃The question here is not who it is； but what they s