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had toleration for only one： David Keith Carnegie； Lord Glenalmond。
Lord Glenalmond was tall and emaciated； with long features and long
delicate hands。 He was often compared with the statue of Forbes of
Culloden in the Parliament House； and his blue eye； at more than sixty；
preserved some of the fire of youth。 His exquisite disparity with any
of his fellow…guests； his appearance as of an artist and an aristocrat
stranded in rude company； riveted the boy's attention； and as curiosity
and interest are the things in the world that are the most immediately
and certainly rewarded； Lord Glenalmond was attracted by the boy。
〃And so this is your son； Hermiston？〃 he asked； laying his hand on
Archie's shoulder。 〃He's getting a big lad。〃
〃Hout！〃 said the gracious father； 〃just his mother over again … daurna
say boo to a goose！〃
But the stranger retained the boy； talked to him； drew him out； found in
him a taste for letters； and a fine； ardent； modest； youthful soul； and
encouraged him to be a visitor on Sunday evenings in his bare； cold；
lonely dining…room； where he sat and read in the isolation of a bachelor
grown old in refinement。 The beautiful gentleness and grace of the old
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。〃
〃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 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 w