CHAPTER VII – ENTER MEPHISTOPHELES

Frank Innes arrives at Hermiston with an undefined invitation from Archie, who is surprised but welcoming. Despite their history as schoolmates and friends, Archie and Frank’s relationship becomes strained due to Frank’s careless and intrusive nature, contrasting sharply with Archie’s reserved personality and secretive behavior. Frank’s attempts to fit in at Hermiston are met with general dislike from the household and locals, aside from minor successes at neighboring social gatherings, where he subtly maligns Archie’s reputation with insinuations of disgrace and concern for his friend’s well-being.

Frank’s curiosity about Archie’s secretive outings leads to a discovery of an interest in a young woman, Kirstie (Christina Elliott), from Cauldstaneslap. Despite initially pursuing this interest partly in jest and partly in pique, Frank finds himself becoming a genuine rival for Kirstie’s affections. Through observation and inference, Frank deduces the nature of Archie’s secret romantic endeavors and confronts him, causing tension. Frank’s insinuations about the potential consequences of Archie’s relationship with a lower-class woman, and the implied threat of social ruin, highlight the class prejudices and personal rivalries at play.

Archie’s indignation at Frank’s meddling and the suggestion that his relationship with Kirstie might be inappropriate or untenable reflect the social and personal constraints of the time. Frank, reveling in the manipulation and control he exerts over Archie’s life, contemplates with delight the discomfort and turmoil he has sown, illustrating the complex dynamics of friendship, rivalry, and social standing in their community.