I have the Concise Scots Dictionary (Aberdeen
University Press, 1985, Ed. Mairi Robinson), which I find
excellent.
To simplify its entry, it says that
Spirk and Spark (or
Sperk) are the same, and it gives three basic meanings
for the word as a noun:
1. A spark (as in "Man is born to
trouble as the sparks fly upwards")
2. A very small amount of
something liquid or semi-liquid, a drop. And it gives three specific
sub-meanings
a. A nip of spirits
b. A drop of water, a
raindrop
c. A splash of mud
3. A small diamond/ruby,
etc.
If RK had one of those meanings in mind, I suppose
the one which I would suggest is 2c, a splash of mud. Tomlinson, in the
devil's eyes, is neither a spirit nor human clay. But that's the best I
can suggest.
And as a total irrelevance, there's also a nautical
word 'spirketing', much used by Patrick O'Brian, which is defined as "On the
side of a ship of war, the range of planks that lies between the waterways, the
planking that connects each deck to the side and forms a gutter for drainage,
and the lower edge of the gunports." I put that in specially for John
Radcliffe!
Yours,
Alastair
Wilson