erewhon revisited-第15部分

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whole　thing　will　be　reopened；　and　you　are　sure　to　let　them　see　how
much　more　there　is　in　it　than　they　suspect。　　I　want　everything
hushed　up　for　the　moment；　do　not；　therefore；　join　us。　　Have　dinner
sent　to　you　in　your　father's　study。　　I　will　come　to　you　about
midnight。〃

〃But；　my　dear　mother；〃　said　George；　〃I　have　seen　Panky　already。　　I
walked　down　with　him　a　good　long　way　this　afternoon。〃

Yram　had　not　expected　this；　but　she　kept　her　countenance。　　〃How　did
you　know；〃　said　she；　〃that　he　was　Professor　Panky？　　Did　he　tell　you
so？〃

〃Certainly　he　did。　　He　showed　me　his　permit；　which　was　made　out　in
favour　of　Professors　Hanky　and　Panky；　or　either　of　them。　　He　said
Hanky　had　been　unable　to　come　with　him；　and　that　he　was　himself
Professor　Panky。〃

Yram　again　smiled　very　sweetly。　　〃Then；　my　dear　boy；〃　she　said；　〃I
am　all　the　more　anxious　that　you　should　not　see　him　now。　　See
nobody　but　the　servants　and　your　brothers；　and　wait　till　I　can
enlighten　you。　　I　must　not　stay　another　moment；　but　tell　me　this
much；　have　you　seen　any　signs　of　poachers　lately？〃

〃Yes；　there　were　three　last　night。〃

〃In　what　part　of　the　preserves？〃

Her　son　described　the　place。

〃You　are　sure　they　had　been　killing　quails？〃

〃Yes；　and　eating　themtwo　on　one　side　of　a　fire　they　had　lit；　and
one　on　the　other；　this　last　man　had　done　all　the　plucking。〃

〃Good！〃

She　kissed　him　with　more　than　even　her　usual　tenderness；　and
returned　to　the　drawing…room。

During　the　rest　of　the　evening　she　was　engaged　in　earnest
conversation　with　Mrs。　Humdrum；　leaving　her　other　guests　to　her
daughters　and　to　themselves。　　Mrs。　Humdrum　had　been　her　closest
friend　for　many　years；　and　carried　more　weight　than　any　one　else　in
Sunch'ston；　except；　perhaps；　Yram　herself。　　〃Tell　him　everything；〃
she　said　to　Yram　at　the　close　of　their　conversation；　〃we　all　dote
upon　him；　trust　him　frankly；　as　you　trusted　your　husband　before　you
let　him　marry　you。　　No　lies；　no　reserve；　no　tears；　and　all　will
come　right。　　As　for　me；　command　me；〃　and　the　good　old　lady　rose　to
take　her　leave　with　as　kind　a　look　on　her　face　as　ever　irradiated
saint　or　angel。　　〃I　go　early；〃　she　added；　〃for　the　others　will　go
when　they　see　me　do　so；　and　the　sooner　you　are　alone　the　better。〃

By　half　an　hour　before　midnight　her　guests　had　gone。　　Hanky　and
Panky　were　given　to　understand　that　they　must　still　be　tired；　and
had　better　go　to　bed。　　So　was　the　Mayor；　so　were　her　sons　and
daughters；　except　of　course　George；　who　was　waiting　for　her　with
some　anxiety；　for　he　had　seen　that　she　had　something　serious　to
tell　him。　　Then　she　went　down　into　the　study。　　Her　son　embraced　her
as　she　entered；　and　moved　an　easy　chair　for　her；　but　she　would　not
have　it。

〃No；　I　will　have　an　upright　one。〃　　Then；　sitting　composedly　down　on
the　one　her　son　placed　for　her；　she　said　…

〃And　now　to　business。　　But　let　me　first　tell　you　that　the　Mayor　was
told；　twenty　years　ago；　all　the　more　important　part　of　what　you
will　now　hear。　　He　does　not　yet　know　what　has　happened　within　the
last　few　hours；　but　either　you　or　I　will　tell　him　to…morrow。〃



CHAPTER　IX：　　INTERVIEW　BETWEEN　YRAM　AND　HER　SON



〃What　did　you　think　of　Panky？〃

〃I　could　not　make　him　out。　　If　he　had　not　been　a　Bridgeford
Professor　I　might　have　liked　him；　but　you　know　how　we　all　of　us
distrust　those　people。〃

〃Where　did　you　meet　him？〃

〃About　two　hours　lower　down　than　the　statues。〃

〃At　what　o'clock？〃

〃It　might　be　between　two　and　half…past。〃

〃I　suppose　he　did　not　say　that　at　that　hour　he　was　in　bed　at　his
hotel　in　Sunch'ston。　　Hardly！　　Tell　me　what　passed　between　you。〃

〃He　had　his　permit　open　before　we　were　within　speaking　distance。　　I
think　he　feared　I　should　attack　him　without　making　sure　whether　he
was　a　foreign　devil　or　no。　　I　have　told　you　he　said　he　was
Professor　Panky。〃

〃I　suppose　he　had　a　dark　complexion　and　black　hair　like　the　rest　of
us？〃

〃Dark　complexion　and　hair　purplish　rather　than　black。　　I　was
surprised　to　see　that　his　eyelashes　were　as　light　as　my　own；　and
his　eyes　were　blue　like　minebut　you　will　have　noticed　this　at
dinner。〃

〃No；　my　dear；　I　did　not；　and　I　think　I　should　have　done　so　if　it
had　been　there　to　notice。〃

〃Oh；　but　it　was　so　indeed。〃

〃Perhaps。　　Was　there　anything　strange　about　his　way　of　talking？〃

〃A　little　about　his　grammar；　but　these　Bridgeford　Professors　have
often　risen　from　the　ranks。　　His　pronunciation　was　nearly　like
yours　and　mine。〃

〃Was　his　manner　friendly？〃

〃Very；　more　so　than　I　could　understand　at　first。　　I　had　not；
however；　been　with　him　long　before　I　saw　tears　in　his　eyes；　and
when　I　asked　him　whether　he　was　in　distress；　he　said　I　reminded　him
of　a　son　whom　he　had　lost　and　had　found　after　many　years；　only　to
lose　him　almost　immediately　for　ever。　　Hence　his　cordiality　towards
me。〃

〃Then；〃　said　Yram　half　hysterically　to　herself；　〃he　knew　who　you
were。　　Now；　how；　I　wonder；　did　he　find　that　out？〃　　All　vestige　of
doubt　as　to　who　the　man　might　be　had　now　left　her。

〃Certainly　he　knew　who　I　was。　　He　spoke　about　you　more　than　once；
and　wished　us　every　kind　of　prosperity；　baring　his　head　reverently
as　he　spoke。〃

〃Poor　fellow！　　Did　he　say　anything　about　Higgs？〃

〃A　good　deal；　and　I　was　surprised　to　find　he　thought　about　it　all
much　as　we　do。　　But　when　I　said　that　if　I　could　go　down　into　the
hell　of　which　Higgs　used　to　talk　to　you　while　he　was　in　prison；　I
should　expect　to　find　him　in　its　hottest　fires；　he　did　not　like
it。〃

〃Possibly　not；　my　dear。　　Did　you　tell　him　how　the　other　boys；　when
you　were　at　school；　used　sometimes　to　say　you　were　son　to　this　man
Higgs；　and　that　the　people　of　Sunch'ston　used　to　say　so　also；　till
the　Mayor　trounced　two　or　three　people　so　roundly　that　they　held
their　tongues　for　the　future？〃

〃Not　all　that；　but　I　said　that　silly　people　had　believed　me　to　be
the　Sunchild's　son；　and　what　a　disgrace　I　should　hold　it　to　be　son
to　such　an　impostor。〃

〃What　did　he　say　to　this？〃

〃He　asked　whether　I　should　feel　the　disgrace　less　if　Higgs　were　to
undo　the　mischief　he　had　caused　by　coming　back　and　shewing　himself
to　the　people　for　what　he　was。　　But　he　said　it　would　be　no　use　for
him　to　do　so；　inasmuch　as　people　would　kill　him　but　would　not
believe　him。〃

〃And　you　said？〃

〃Let　him　come　back；　speak　out；　and　chance　what　might　befall　him。
In　that　case；　I　should　honour　him；　father　or　no　father。〃

〃And　he？〃

〃He　asked　if　that　would　be　a　bargain；　and　when　I　said　it　would；　he
grasped　me　warmly　by　the　hand　on　Higgs's　behalfthough　what　it
could　matter　to　him　passes　my　comprehension。〃

〃But　he　saw　that　even　though　Higgs　were　to　shew　himself　and　say　who
he　was；　it　would　mean　death　to　himself　and　no　good　to　any　one
else？〃

〃Perfectly。〃

〃Then　he　can　have　meant　nothing　by　shaking　hands　with　you。　　It　was
an　idle　jest。　　And　now　for　your　poachers。　　You　do　not　know　who　they
were？　　I　will　tell　you。　　The　two　who　sat　on　the　one　side　the　fire
were　Professors　Hanky　and　Panky　from　the　City　of　the　People　who　are
above　Suspicion。〃

〃No；〃　said　George　vehemently。　　〃Impossible。〃

〃Yes；　my　dear　boy；　quite　possible；　and　whether　possible　or
impossible；　assuredly　true。〃

〃And　the　third　man？〃

〃The　third　man　was　dressed　in　the　old　costume。　　He　was　in
possession　of　several　brace　of　birds。　　The　Professors　vowed　they
had　not　eaten　any〃

〃Oh　yes；　but　they　had；〃　blurted　out　George。

〃Of　course　they　had；　my　dear；　and　a　good　thing　too。　　Let　us　return
to　the　man　in　the　old　costume。〃

〃That　is　puzzling。　　Who　did　he　say　he　was？〃

〃He　said　he　was　one　of　your　men；　that　you　had　instructed　him　to
provide　you　with　three　dozen　quails　for　Sunday；　and　that　you　let
your　men　wear　the　old　costume　if　they　had　any　of　it　left；　provided…
…〃

This　was　too　much　for　George；　he　started　to　his　feet。　　〃What；　my
dearest　mother；　does　all　this　mean？　　You　have　been　playing　with　me
all　through。　　What　is　coming？〃

〃A　very　little　more；　and　you　shall　hear。　　This　man　staid　with　the
Professors　till　nearly　midnight；　and　then　left　them　on　the　plea
that　he　would　finish　the　night　in　the　Ranger's　shelter〃

〃Ranger's　shelter；　indeed！　　Why〃

〃Hush；　my　darling　boy；　be　patient　with　me。　　He　said　he　must　be　up
betimes；　to　run　down　the　rest　of　the　quails　you　had　ordered　him　to
bring　you。　　But　before　leaving　the　Professors　he　beguiled　them　into
giving　him　up　their　permit。〃

〃Then；　said　George；　striding　about　the　room　with　his　face　flushed
and　his　eyes　flashing；　〃he　was　the　man　with　whom　I　walked　down　this
afternoon。〃

〃Exactly　so。〃

〃And　he　must　have　changed　his　dress？〃

〃Exactly　so。〃

〃But　where　and　how？〃

〃At　some　place　not　very　far　down　on　the　other　side　the　range；　where
he　had　hidden　his　old　clothes。〃

〃And　who；　in　the　name　of　all　that　we　hold　most　sacred；　do　you　take
him　to　have　beenfor　I　see　you　know　more　than　you　have　yet　told
me？〃

〃My　son；　he　was　Higgs　the　Sunchild；　father　to　that　boy　whom　I　love
next　to　my　husband　more　dearly　than　any　one　in　the　whole　world。〃

She　folded　her　arms　about　him　for　a　second；　without　kissing　him；
and　left　him。　　〃And　now；〃　she　said；　the　moment　she　had　closed　the
door〃and　now　I　may　cry。〃

*　*　*

She　did　not　cry　for　long；　and　having　removed　all　trace　of　tears　as
far　as　might　be；　she　returned　to　her　son　outwardly　composed　and
cheerful。　　〃Shall　I　say　more　now；〃　she　said；　seeing　how　grave　he
looked；　〃or　shall　I　leave　you；　and　talk　further　with　you　to…
morrow？〃

〃Nownownow！〃

〃Good！　　A　little　before　Higgs　came　here；　the　Mayor；　as　he　now　is；
poor；　handsome；　generous　to　a　fault　so　far　as　he　had　the
wherewithal；　was　adored　by　all　the　women　of　his　own　rank　in
Sunch'ston。　　Report　said　that　he　had　adored　many　of　them　in　return；
but　after　having　known　me　for　a　very　few　days；　he　asked　me　to　marry
him；　protesting　that　he　was　a　changed　man。　　I　liked　him；　as　every
one　else　did；　but　I　was　not　in　love　with　him；　and　said　so；　he　said
he　would　give　me　as　much　time　as　I　chose；　if　I　would　not　point…
blank　refuse　him；　and　so　the　matter　was　left。

〃Within　a　week　or　so　Higgs　was　brought　to　the　prison；　and　he　had
not　been　there　long　before　I　found；　or　thought　I　found；　that　I
liked　him　better　than　I　liked　Strong。　　I　was　a　foolbut　there！　　As
for　Higgs；　he　liked；　but　did　not　love