erewhon revisited-第14部分

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to　one　that　he　and　my　mother　had　perished　long　years　ago；　and　even
though　he　rang　at　the　bell；　there　was　no　harm　that　he　either　could
or　would　now　do　to　her　or　hers；　still；　so　long　as　she　did　not
certainly　know　that　he　was　dead；　or　otherwise　precluded　from
returning；　she　could　not　be　sure　that　he　would　not　one　day　come
back　by　the　way　that　he　would　alone　know；　and　she　had　rather　he
should　not　do　so。

Hence；　on　hearing　from　Professor　Hanky　that　a　man　had　been　seen
between　the　statues　and　Sunch'ston　wearing　the　old　Erewhonian
dress；　she　was　disquieted　and　perplexed。　　The　excuse　he　had
evidently　made　to　the　Professors　aggravated　her　uneasiness；　for　it
was　an　obvious　attempt　to　escape　from　an　unexpected　difficulty。
There　could　be　no　truth　in　it。　　Her　son　would　as　soon　think　of
wearing　the　old　dress　himself　as　of　letting　his　men　do　so；　and　as
for　having　old　clothes　still　to　wear　out　after　seventeen　years；　no
one　but　a　Bridgeford　Professor　would　accept　this。　　She　saw；
therefore；　that　she　must　keep　her　wits　about　her；　and　lead　her
guests　on　to　tell　her　as　much　as　they　could　be　induced　to　do。

〃My　son；〃　she　said　innocently；　〃is　always　considerate　to　his　men；
and　that　is　why　they　are　so　devoted　to　him。　　I　wonder　which　of　them
it　was？　　In　what　part　of　the　preserves　did　you　fall　in　with　him？〃

Hanky　described　the　place；　and　gave　the　best　idea　he　could　of　my
father's　appearance。

〃Of　course　he　was　swarthy　like　the　rest　of　us？〃

〃I　saw　nothing　remarkable　about　him；　except　that　his　eyes　were　blue
and　his　eyelashes　nearly　white；　which；　as　you　know；　is　rare　in
Erewhon。　　Indeed；　I　do　not　remember　ever　before　to　have　seen　a　man
with　dark　hair　and　complexion　but　light　eyelashes。　　Nature　is
always　doing　something　unusual。〃

〃I　have　no　doubt；〃　said　Yram；　〃that　he　was　the　man　they　call
Blacksheep；　but　I　never　noticed　this　peculiarity　in　him。　　If　he　was
Blacksheep；　I　am　afraid　you　must　have　found　him　none　too　civil；　he
is　a　rough　diamond；　and　you　would　hardly　be　able　to　understand　his
uncouth　Sunch'ston　dialect。〃

〃On　the　contrary；　he　was　most　kind　and　thoughtfuleven　so　far　as
to　take　our　permit　from　us；　and　thus　save　us　the　trouble　of　giving
it　up　at　your　son's　office。　　As　for　his　dialect；　his　grammar　was
often　at　fault；　but　we　could　quite　understand　him。〃

〃I　am　glad　to　hear　he　behaved　better　than　I　could　have　expected。
Did　he　say　in　what　part　of　the　preserves　he　had　been？〃

〃He　had　been　catching　quails　between　the　place　where　we　saw　him　and
the　statues；　he　was　to　deliver　three　dozen　to　your　son　this
afternoon　for　the　Mayor's　banquet　on　Sunday。〃

This　was　worse　and　worse。　　She　had　urged　her　son　to　provide　her
with　a　supply　of　quails　for　Sunday's　banquet；　but　he　had　begged　her
not　to　insist　on　having　them。　　There　was　no　close　time　for　them　in
Erewhon；　but　he　set　his　face　against　their　being　seen　at　table　in
spring　and　summer。　　During　the　winter；　when　any　great　occasion
arose；　he　had　allowed　a　few　brace　to　be　provided。

〃I　asked　my　son　to　let　me　have　some；〃　said　Yram；　who　was　now　on
full　scent。　　She　laughed　genially　as　she　added；　〃Can　you　throw　any
light　upon　the　question　whether　I　am　likely　to　get　my　three　dozen？
I　have　had　no　news　as　yet。〃

〃The　man　had　taken　a　good　many；　we　saw　them　but　did　not　count　them。
He　started　about　midnight　for　the　ranger's　shelter；　where　he　said
he　should　sleep　till　daybreak；　so　as　to　make　up　his　full　tale
betimes。〃

Yram　had　heard　her　son　complain　that　there　were　no　shelters　on　the
preserves；　and　state　his　intention　of　having　some　built　before　the
winter。　　Here　too；　then；　the　man's　story　must　be　false。　　She
changed　the　conversation　for　the　moment；　but　quietly　told　a　servant
to　send　high　and　low　in　search　of　her　son；　and　if　he　could　be
found；　to　bid　him　come　to　her　at　once。　　She　then　returned　to　her
previous　subject。

〃And　did　not　this　heartless　wretch；　knowing　how　hungry　you　must
both　be；　let　you　have　a　quail　or　two　as　an　act　of　pardonable
charity？〃

〃My　dear　Mayoress；　how　can　you　ask　such　a　question？　　We　knew　you
would　want　all　you　could　get；　moreover；　our　permit　threatened　us
with　all　sorts　of　horrors　if　we　so　much　as　ate　a　single　quail。　　I
assure　you　we　never　even　allowed　a　thought　of　eating　one　of　them　to
cross　our　minds。〃

〃Then；〃　said　Yram　to　herself；　〃they　gorged　upon　them。〃　　What　could
she　think？　　A　man　who　wore　the　old　dress；　and　therefore　who　had
almost　certainly　been　in　Erewhon；　but　had　been　many　years　away　from
it；　who　spoke　the　language　well；　but　whose　grammar　was　defective
hence；　again；　one　who　had　spent　some　time　in　Erewhon；　who　knew
nothing　of　the　afforesting　law　now　long　since　enacted；　for　how　else
would　he　have　dared　to　light　a　fire　and　be　seen　with　quails　in　his
possession；　an　adroit　liar；　who　on　gleaning　information　from　the
Professors　had　hazarded　an　excuse　for　immediately　retracing　his
steps；　a　man；　too；　with　blue　eyes　and　light　eyelashes。　　What　did　it
matter　about　his　hair　being　dark　and　his　complexion　swarthyHiggs
was　far　too　clever　to　attempt　a　second　visit　to　Erewhon　without
dyeing　his　hair　and　staining　his　face　and　hands。　　And　he　had　got
their　permit　out　of　the　Professors　before　he　left　them；　clearly；
then；　he　meant　coming　back；　and　coming　back　at　once　before　the
permit　had　expired。　　How　could　she　doubt？　　My　father；　she　felt
sure；　must　by　this　time　be　in　Sunch'ston。　　He　would　go　back　to
change　his　clothes；　which　would　not　be　very　far　down　on　the　other
side　the　pass；　for　he　would　not　put　on　his　old　Erewhonian　dress
till　he　was　on　the　point　of　entering　Erewhon；　and　he　would　hide　his
English　dress　rather　than　throw　it　away；　for　he　would　want　it　when
he　went　back　again。　　It　would　be　quite　possible；　then；　for　him　to
get　through　the　forest　before　the　permit　was　void；　and　he　would　be
sure　to　go　on　to　Sunch'ston　for　the　night。

She　chatted　unconcernedly；　now　with　one　guest　now　with　another；
while　they　in　their　turn　chatted　unconcernedly　with　one　another。

Miss　La　Frime　to　Mrs。　Humdrum：　　〃You　know　how　he　got　his
professorship？　　No？　　I　thought　every　one　knew　that。　　The　question
the　candidates　had　to　answer　was；　whether　it　was　wiser　during　a
long　stay　at　a　hotel　to　tip　the　servants　pretty　early；　or　to　wait
till　the　stay　was　ended。　　All　the　other　candidates　took　one　side　or
the　other；　and　argued　their　case　in　full。　　Hanky　sent　in　three
lines　to　the　effect　that　the　proper　thing　to　do　would　be　to　promise
at　the　beginning；　and　go　away　without　giving。　　The　King；　with　whom
the　appointment　rested；　was　so　much　pleased　with　this　answer　that
he　gave　Hanky　the　professorship　without　so　much　as　looking　。　。　。　〃

Professor　Gabb　to　Mrs。　Humdrum：　　〃Oh　no；　I　can　assure　you　there　is
no　truth　in　it。　　What　happened　was　this。　　There　was　the　usual
crowd；　and　the　people　cheered　Professor　after　Professor；　as　he
stood　before　them　in　the　great　Bridgeford　theatre　and　satisfied
them　that　a　lump　of　butter　which　had　been　put　into　his　mouth　would
not　melt　in　it。　　When　Hanky's　turn　came　he　was　taken　suddenly
unwell；　and　had　to　leave　the　theatre；　on　which　there　was　a　report
in　the　house　that　the　butter　had　melted；　this　was　at　once　stopped
by　the　return　of　the　Professor。　　Another　piece　of　butter　was　put
into　his　mouth；　and　on　being　taken　out　after　the　usual　time；　was
found　to　shew　no　signs　of　having　。　。　。　〃

Miss　Bawl　to　Mr。　Principal　Crank：　　。　。　。　〃The　Manager　was　so　tall；
you　know；　and　then　there　was　that　little　mite　of　an　assistant
managerit　WAS　so　funny。　　For　the　assistant　manager's　voice　was
ever　so　much　louder　than　the　。　。　。　〃

Mrs。　Bawl　to　Professor　Gabb：　　。　。　。　　〃Live　for　art！　　If　I　had　to
choose　whether　I　would　lose　either　art　or　science；　I　have　not　the
smallest　hesitation　in　saying　that　I　would　lose　。　。　。　〃

The　Mayor　and　Dr。　Downie：　　。　。　。　〃That　you　are　to　be　canonised　at
the　close　of　the　year　along　with　Professors　Hanky　and　Panky？〃

〃I　believe　it　is　his　Majesty's　intention　that　the　Professors　and
myself　are　to　head　the　list　of　the　Sunchild's　Saints；　but　we　have
all　of　us　got　to　。　。　。　〃

And　so　on；　and　so　on；　buzz；　buzz；　buzz；　over　the　whole　table。
Presently　Yram　turned　to　Hanky　and　said　…

〃By　the　way；　Professor；　you　must　have　found　it　very　cold　up　at　the
statues；　did　you　not？　　But　I　suppose　the　snow　is　all　gone　by　this
time？〃

〃Yes；　it　was　cold；　and　though　the　winter's　snow　is　melted；　there
had　been　a　recent　fall。　　Strange　to　say；　we　saw　fresh　footprints　in
it；　as　of　some　one　who　had　come　up　from　the　other　side。　　But
thereon　hangs　a　tale；　about　which　I　believe　I　should　say　nothing。〃

〃Then　say　nothing；　my　dear　Professor；〃　said　Yram　with　a　frank
smile。　　〃Above　all；〃　she　added　quietly　and　gravely；　〃say　nothing　to
the　Mayor；　nor　to　my　son；　till　after　Sunday。　　Even　a　whisper　of
some　one　coming　over　from　the　other　side　disquiets　them；　and　they
have　enough　on　hand　for　the　moment。〃

Panky；　who　had　been　growing　more　and　more　restive　at　his　friend's
outspokenness；　but　who　had　encouraged　it　more　than　once　by　vainly
trying　to　check　it；　was　relieved　at　hearing　his　hostess　do　for　him
what　he　could　not　do　for　himself。　　As　for　Yram；　she　had　got　enough
out　of　the　Professor　to　be　now　fully　dissatisfied；　and　mentally
informed　them　that　they　might　leave　the　witness…box。　　During　the
rest　of　dinner　she　let　the　subject　of　their　adventure　severely
alone。

It　seemed　to　her　as　though　dinner　was　never　going　to　end；　but　in
the　course　of　time　it　did　so；　and　presently　the　ladies　withdrew。
As　they　were　entering　the　drawing…room　a　servant　told　her　that　her
son　had　been　found　more　easily　than　was　expected；　and　was　now　in
his　own　room　dressing。

〃Tell　him；〃　she　said；　〃to　stay　there　till　I　come；　which　I　will　do
directly。〃

She　remained　for　a　few　minutes　with　her　guests；　and　then；　excusing
herself　quietly　to　Mrs。　Humdrum；　she　stepped　out　and　hastened　to
her　son's　room。　　She　told　him　that　Professors　Hanky　and　Panky　were
staying　in　the　house；　and　that　during　dinner　they　had　told　her
something　he　ought　to　know；　but　which　there　was　no　time　to　tell　him
until　her　guests　were　gone。　　〃I　had　rather；〃　she　said；　〃tell　you
about　it　before　you　see　the　Professors；　for　if　you　see　them　the
whole　thing　will　be　reopened；　and　you　are　sure　to　let　them　see　how
much　more　there　is　in　it　than　they　suspec