unconsciousness；　it　was　to　catch　again　the　rainbow　thought　with　her
  first　moment　of　awaking。
  CHAPTER　VII　…　ENTER　MEPHISTOPHELES
  TWO　days　later　a　gig　from　Crossmichael　deposited　Frank　Innes　at　the
  doors　of　Hermiston。　　Once　in　a　way；　during　the　past　winter；　Archie；　in
  some　acute　phase　of　boredom；　had　written　him　a　letter。　　It　had　contained
  something　in　the　nature　of　an　invitation　or　a　reference　to　an　invitation
  …　precisely　what；　neither　of　them　now　remembered。　　When　Innes　had
  received　it；　there　had　been　nothing　further　from　his　mind　than　to　bury
  himself　in　the　moors　with　Archie；　but　not　even　the　most　acute　political
  heads　are　guided　through　the　steps　of　life　with　unerring　directness。
  That　would　require　a　gift　of　prophecy　which　has　been　denied　to　man。　　For
  instance；　who　could　have　imagined　that；　not　a　month　after　he　had
  received　the　letter；　and　turned　it　into　mockery；　and　put　off　answering
  it；　and　in　the　end　lost　it；　misfortunes　of　a　gloomy　cast　should　begin　to
  thicken　over　Frank's　career？　　His　case　may　be　briefly　stated。　　His
  father；　a　small　Morayshire　laird　with　a　large　family；　became
  recalcitrant　and　cut　off　the　supplies；　he　had　fitted　himself　out　with
  the　beginnings　of　quite　a　good　law　library；　which；　upon　some　sudden
  losses　on　the　turf；　he　had　been　obliged　to　sell　before　they　were　paid
  for；　and　his　bookseller；　hearing　some　rumour　of　the　event；　took　out　a
  warrant　for　his　arrest。　　Innes　had　early　word　of　it；　and　was　able　to
  take　precautions。　　In　this　immediate　welter　of　his　affairs；　with　an
  unpleasant　charge　hanging　over　him；　he　had　judged　it　the　part　of
  prudence　to　be　off　instantly；　had　written　a　fervid　letter　to　his　father
  at　Inverauld；　and　put　himself　in　the　coach　for　Crossmichael。　　Any　port
  in　a　storm！　　He　was　manfully　turning　his　back　on　the　Parliament　House
  and　its　gay　babble；　on　porter　and　oysters；　the　race…course　and　the　ring；
  and　manfully　prepared；　until　these　clouds　should　have　blown　by；　to　share
  a　living　grave　with　Archie　Weir　at　Hermiston。
  To　do　him　justice；　he　was　no　less　surprised　to　be　going　than　Archie　was
  to　see　him　come；　and　he　carried　off　his　wonder　with　an　infinitely　better
  grace。
  〃Well；　here　I　am！〃　said　he；　as　he　alighted。　　〃Pylades　has　come　to
  Orestes　at　last。　　By　the　way；　did　you　get　my　answer？　　No？　　How　very
  provoking！　　Well；　here　I　am　to　answer　for　myself；　and　that's　better
  still。〃
  〃I　am　very　glad　to　see　you；　of　course；〃　said　Archie。　　〃I　make　you
  heartily　welcome；　of　course。　　But　you　surely　have　not　come　to　stay；　with
  the　Courts　still　sitting；　is　that　not　most　unwise？〃
  〃Damn　the　Courts！〃　says　Frank。　　〃What　are　the　Courts　to　friendship　and　a
  little　fishing？〃
  And　so　it　was　agreed　that　he　was　to　stay；　with　no　term　to　the　visit　but
  the　term　which　he　had　privily　set　to　it　himself　…　the　day；　namely；　when
  his　father　should　have　come　down　with　the　dust；　and　he　should　be　able　to
  pacify　the　bookseller。　　On　such　vague　conditions　there　began　for　these
  two　young　men　（who　were　not　even　friends）　a　life　of　great　familiarity
  and；　as　the　days　drew　on；　less　and　less　intimacy。　　They　were　together　at
  meal　times；　together　o'　nights　when　the　hour　had　come　for　whisky…toddy；
  but　it　might　have　been　noticed　（had　there　been　any　one　to　pay　heed）　that
  they　were　rarely　so　much　together　by　day。　　Archie　had　Hermiston　to
  attend　to；　multifarious　activities　in　the　hills；　in　which　he　did　not
  require；　and　had　even　refused；　Frank's　escort。　　He　would　be　off
  sometimes　in　the　morning　and　leave　only　a　note　on　the　breakfast　table　to
  announce　the　fact；　and　sometimes；　with　no　notice　at　all；　he　would　not
  return　for　dinner　until　the　hour　was　long　past。　　Innes　groaned　under
  these　desertions；　it　required　all　his　philosophy　to　sit　down　to　a
  solitary　breakfast　with　composure；　and　all　his　unaffected　good…nature　to
  be　able　to　greet　Archie　with　friendliness　on　the　more　rare　occasions
  when　he　came　home　late　for　dinner。
  〃I　wonder　what　on　earth　he　finds　to　do；　Mrs。　Elliott？〃　said　he　one
  morning；　after　he　had　just　read　the　hasty　billet　and　sat　down　to　table。
  〃I　suppose　it　will　be　business；　sir；〃　replied　the　housekeeper　drily；
  measuring　his　distance　off　to　him　by　an　indicated　curtsy。
  〃But　I　can't　imagine　what　business！〃　he　reiterated。
  〃I　suppose　it　will　be　HIS　business；〃　retorted　the　austere　Kirstie。
  He　turned　to　her　with　that　happy　brightness　that　made　the　charm　of　his
  disposition；　and　broke　into　a　peal　of　healthy　and　natural　laughter。
  〃Well　played；　Mrs。　Elliott！〃　he　cried；　and　the　housekeeper's　face
  relaxed　into　the　shadow　of　an　iron　smile。　　〃Well　played　indeed！〃　said
  he。　　〃But　you　must　not　be　making　a　stranger　of　me　like　that。　　Why；
  Archie　and　I　were　at　the　High　School　together；　and　we've　been　to　college
  together；　and　we　were　going　to　the　Bar　together；　when　…　you　know！　　Dear；
  dear　me！　what　a　pity　that　was！　　A　life　spoiled；　a　fine　young　fellow　as
  good　as　buried　here　in　the　wilderness　with　rustics；　and　all　for　what？　　A
  frolic；　silly；　if　you　like；　but　no　more。　　God；　how　good　your　scones　are；
  Mrs。　Elliott！〃
  〃They're　no　mines；　it　was　the　lassie　made　them；〃　said　Kirstie；　〃and；
  saving　your　presence；　there's　little　sense　in　taking　the　Lord's　name　in
  vain　about　idle　vivers　that　you　fill　your　kyte　wi'。〃
  〃I　daresay　you're　perfectly　right；　ma'am；〃　quoth　the　imperturbable
  Frank。　　〃But　as　I　was　saying；　this　is　a　pitiable　business；　this　about
  poor　Archie；　and　you　and　I　might　do　worse　than　put　our　heads　together；
  like　a　couple　of　sensible　people；　and　bring　it　to　an　end。　　Let　me　tell
  you；　ma'am；　that　Archie　is　really　quite　a　promising　young　man；　and　in　my
  opinion　he　would　do　well　at　the　Bar。　　As　for　his　father；　no　one　can　deny
  his　ability；　and　I　don't　fancy　any　one　would　care　to　deny　that　he　has
  the　deil's　own　temper　…　〃
  〃If　you'll　excuse　me；　Mr。　Innes；　I　think　the　lass　is　crying　on　me；〃　said
  Kirstie；　and　flounced　from　the　room。
  〃The　damned；　cross…grained；　old　broomstick！〃　ejaculated　Innes。
  In　the　meantime；　Kirstie　had　escaped　into　the　kitchen；　and　before　her
  vassal　gave　vent　to　her　feelings。
  〃Here；　ettercap！　　Ye'll　have　to　wait　on　yon　Innes！　　I　canna　haud　myself
  in。　　‘Puir　Erchie！'　　I'd　‘puir　Erchie'　him；　if　I　had　my　way！　　And
  Hermiston　with　the　deil's　ain　temper！　　God；　let　him　take　Hermiston's
  scones　out　of　his　mouth　first。　　There's　no　a　hair　on　ayther　o'　the　Weirs
  that　hasna　mair　spunk　and　dirdum　to　it　than　what　he　has　in　his　hale
  dwaibly　body！　　Settin'　up　his　snash　to　me！　　Let　him　gang　to　the　black
  toon　where　he's　mebbe　wantit　…　birling　in　a　curricle　…　wi'　pimatum　on
  his　heid　…　making　a　mess　o'　himsel'　wi'　nesty　hizzies　…　a　fair
  disgrace！〃　　It　was　impossible　to　hear　without　admiration　Kirstie's
  graduated　disgust；　as　she　brought　forth；　one　after　another；　these
  somewhat　baseless　charges。　　Then　she　remembered　her　immediate　purpose；
  and　turned　again　on　her　fascinated　auditor。　　〃Do　ye　no　hear　me；　tawpie？
  Do　ye　no　hear　what　I'm　tellin'　ye？　　Will　I　have　to　shoo　ye　in　to　him？
  If　I　come　to　attend　to　ye；　mistress！〃　And　the　maid　fled　the　kitchen；
  which　had　become　practically　dangerous；　to　attend　on　Innes'　wants　in　the
  front　parlour。
  TANTAENE　IRAE？　　Has　the　reader　perceived　the　reason？　　Since　Frank's
  coming　there　were　no　more　hours　of　gossip　over　the　supper　tray！　　All　his
  blandishments　were　in　vain；　he　had　started　handicapped　on　the　race　for
  Mrs。　Elliott's　favour。
  But　it　was　a　strange　thing　how　misfortune　dogged　him　in　his　efforts　to
  be　genial。　　I　must　guard　the　reader　against　accepting　Kirstie's　epithets
  as　evidence；　she　was　more　concerned　for　their　vigour　than　for　their
  accuracy。　　Dwaibly；　for　instance；　nothing　could　be　more　calumnious。
  Frank　was　the　very　picture　of　good　looks；　good　humour；　and　manly　youth。
  He　had　bright　eyes　with　a　sparkle　and　a　dance　to　them；　curly　hair；　a
  charming　smile；　brilliant　teeth；　an　admirable　carriage　of　the　head；　the
  look　of　a　gentleman；　the　address　of　one　accustomed　to　please　at　first
  sight　and　to　improve　the　impression。　　And　with　all　these　advantages；　he
  failed　with　every　one　about　Hermiston；　with　the　silent　shepherd；　with
  the　obsequious　grieve；　with　the　groom　who　was　also　the　ploughman；　with
  the　gardener　and　the　gardener's　sister　…　a　pious；　down…hearted　woman
  with　a　shawl　over　her　ears　…　he　failed　equally　and　flatly。　　They　did　not
  like　him；　and　they　showed　it。　　The　little　maid；　indeed；　was　an
  exception；　she　admired　him　devoutly；　probably　dreamed　of　him　in　her
  private　hours；　but　she　was　accustomed　to　play　the　part　of　silent　auditor
  to　Kirstie's　tirades　and　silent　recipient　of　Kirstie's　buffets；　and　she
  had　learned　not　only　to　be　a　very　capable　girl　of　her　years；　but　a　very
  secret　and　prudent　one　besides。　　Frank　was　thus　conscious　that　he　had
  one　ally　and　sympathiser　in　the　midst　of　that　general　union　of　disfavour
  that　surrounded；　watched；　and　waited　on　him