attended him here as in Edinburgh. The habit of solitude tends to

perpetuate itself, and an austerity of which he was quite unconscious,

and a pride which seemed arrogance, and perhaps was chiefly shyness,

discouraged and offended his new companions. Hay did not return more

than twice, Pringle never at all, and there came a time when Archie even

desisted from the Tuesday Club, and became in all things - what he had

had the name of almost from the first - the Recluse of Hermiston.

High-nosed Miss Pringle of Drumanno and high-stepping Miss Marshall of

the Mains were understood to have had a difference of opinion about him

the day after the ball - he was none the wiser, he could not suppose

himself to be remarked by these entrancing ladies. At the ball itself

my Lord Muirfell's daughter, the Lady Flora, spoke to him twice, and the

second time with a touch of appeal, so that her colour rose and her

voice trembled a little in his ear, like a passing grace in music. He

stepped back with a heart on fire, coldly and not ungracefully excused

himself, and a little after watched her dancing with young Drumanno of

the empty laugh, and was harrowed at the sight, and raged to himself

that this was a world in which it was given to Drumanno to please, and

to himself only to stand aside and envy. He seemed excluded, as of

right, from the favour of such society - seemed to extinguish mirth

wherever he came, and was quick to feel the wound, and desist, and

retire into solitude. If he had but understood the figure he presented,

and the impression he made on these bright eyes and tender hearts; if he

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