erewhon revisited-第22部分

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terms；　alleging　that　he　had　a　boy　whose　incorrigible　rectitude　was
giving　him　much　anxiety。　　The　information　he　had　gained　in　the
forenoon　would　be　enough　to　save　him　from　appearing　to　know　nothing
of　the　system。　　On　having　rung　the　bell；　he　announced　himself　to
the　servant　as　a　Mr。　Senoj；　and　asked　if　he　could　see　the
Principal。

Almost　immediately　he　was　ushered　into　the　presence　of　a　beaming；
dapper…looking；　little　old　gentleman；　quick　of　speech　and　movement；
in　spite　of　some　little　portliness。

〃Ts；　ts；　ts；〃　he　said；　when　my　father　had　enquired　about　terms　and
asked　whether　he　might　see　the　system　at　work。　　〃How　unfortunate
that　you　should　have　called　on　a　Saturday　afternoon。　　We　always
have　a　half…holiday。　　But　stayyesthat　will　do　very　nicely；　I
will　send　for　them　into　school　as　a　means　of　stimulating　their
refractory　system。〃

He　called　his　servant　and　told　him　to　ring　the　boys　into　school。
Then；　turning　to　my　father　he　said；　〃Stand　here；　sir；　by　the
window；　you　will　see　them　all　come　trooping　in。　　H'm；　h'm；　I　am
sorry　to　see　them　still　come　back　as　soon　as　they　hear　the　bell。　　I
suppose　I　shall　ding　some　recalcitrancy　into　them　some　day；　but　it
is　uphill　work。　　Do　you　see　the　head…boythe　third　of　those　that
are　coming　up　the　path？　　I　shall　have　to　get　rid　of　him。　　Do　you
see　him？　he　is　going　back　to　whip　up　the　laggersand　now　he　has
boxed　a　boy's　ears：　　that　boy　is　one　of　the　most　hopeful　under　my
care。　　I　feel　sure　he　has　been　using　improper　language；　and　my
head…boy　has　checked　him　instead　of　encouraging　him。〃　　And　so　on
till　the　boys　were　all　in　school。

〃You　see；　my　dear　sir；〃　he　said　to　my　father；　〃we　are　in　an
impossible　position。　　We　have　to　obey　instructions　from　the　Grand
Council　of　Education　at　Bridgeford；　and　they　have　established　these
institutions　in　consequence　of　the　Sunchild's　having　said　that　we
should　aim　at　promoting　the　greatest　happiness　of　the　greatest
number。　　This；　no　doubt；　is　a　sound　principle；　and　the　greatest
number　are　by　nature　somewhat　dull；　conceited；　and　unscrupulous。
They　do　not　like　those　who　are　quick；　unassuming；　and　sincere；　how；
then；　consistently　with　the　first　principles　either　of　morality　or
political　economy　as　revealed　to　us　by　the　Sunchild；　can　we
encourage　such　people　if　we　can　bring　sincerity　and　modesty　fairly
home　to　them？　　We　cannot　do　so。　　And　we　must　correct　the　young　as
far　as　possible　from　forming　habits　which；　unless　indulged　in　with
the　greatest　moderation；　are　sure　to　ruin　them。

〃I　cannot　pretend　to　consider　myself　very　successful。　　I　do　my
best；　but　I　can　only　aim　at　making　my　school　a　reflection　of　the
outside　world。　　In　the　outside　world　we　have　to　tolerate　much　that
is　prejudicial　to　the　greatest　happiness　of　the　greatest　number；
partly　because　we　cannot　always　discover　in　time　who　may　be　let
alone　as　being　genuinely　insincere；　and　who　are　in　reality　masking
sincerity　under　a　garb　of　flippancy；　and　partly　also　because　we
wish　to　err　on　the　side　of　letting　the　guilty　escape；　rather　than
of　punishing　the　innocent。　　Thus　many　people　who　are　perfectly　well
known　to　belong　to　the　straightforward　classes　are　allowed　to
remain　at　large；　and　may　be　even　seen　hobnobbing　with　the　guardians
of　public　immorality。　　Indeed　it　is　not　in　the　public　interest　that
straightforwardness　should　be　extirpated　root　and　branch；　for　the
presence　of　a　small　modicum　of　sincerity　acts　as　a　wholesome
irritant　to　the　academicism　of　the　greatest　number；　stimulating　it
to　consciousness　of　its　own　happy　state；　and　giving　it　something　to
look　down　upon。　　Moreover；　we　hold　it　useful　to　have　a　certain
number　of　melancholy　examples；　whose　notorious　failure　shall　serve
as　a　warning　to　those　who　neglect　cultivating　that　power　of　immoral
self…control　which　shall　prevent　them　from　saying；　or　even
thinking；　anything　that　shall　not　immediately　and　palpably　minister
to　the　happiness；　and　hence　meet　the　approval；　of　the　greatest
number。〃

By　this　time　the　boys　were　all　in　school。　　〃There　is　not　one　prig
in　the　whole　lot；〃　said　the　headmaster　sadly。　　〃I　wish　there　was；
but　only　those　boys　come　here　who　are　notoriously　too　good　to
become　current　coin　in　the　world　unless　they　are　hardened　with　an
alloy　of　vice。　　I　should　have　liked　to　show　you　our　gambling；　book…
making；　and　speculation　class；　but　the　assistant…master　who　attends
to　this　branch　of　our　curriculum　is　gone　to　Sunch'ston　this
afternoon。　　He　has　friends　who　have　asked　him　to　see　the　dedication
of　the　new　temple；　and　he　will　not　be　back　till　Monday。　　I　really
do　not　know　what　I　can　do　better　for　you　than　examine　the　boys　in
Counsels　of　Imperfection。

So　saying；　he　went　into　the　schoolroom；　over　the　fireplace　of　which
my　father's　eye　caught　an　inscription；　〃Resist　good；　and　it　will
fly　from　you。　　Sunchild's　Sayings；　xvii。　2。〃　　Then；　taking　down　a
copy　of　the　work　just　named　from　a　shelf　above　his　desk；　he　ran　his
eye　over　a　few　of　its　pages。

He　called　up　a　class　of　about　twenty　boys。

〃Now；　my　boys；〃　he　said；　〃Why　is　it　so　necessary　to　avoid　extremes
of　truthfulness？〃

〃It　is　not　necessary；　sir；〃　said　one　youngster；　〃and　the　man　who
says　that　it　is　so　is　a　scoundrel。〃

〃Come　here；　my　boy；　and　hold　out　your　hand。〃　　When　he　had　done　so；
Mr。　Turvey　gave　him　two　sharp　cuts　with　a　cane。　　〃There　now；　go
down　to　the　bottom　of　the　class　and　try　not　to　be　so　extremely
truthful　in　future。〃　　Then；　turning　to　my　father；　he　said；　〃I　hate
caning　them；　but　it　is　the　only　way　to　teach　them。　　I　really　do
believe　that　boy　will　know　better　than　to　say　what　he　thinks
another　time。〃

He　repeated　his　question　to　the　class；　and　the　head…boy　answered；
〃Because；　sir；　extremes　meet；　and　extreme　truth　will　be　mixed　with
extreme　falsehood。〃

〃Quite　right；　my　boy。　　Truth　is　like　religion；　it　has　only　two
enemiesthe　too　much　and　the　too　little。　　Your　answer　is　more
satisfactory　than　some　of　your　recent　conduct　had　led　me　to
expect。〃

〃But；　sir；　you　punished　me　only　three　weeks　ago　for　telling　you　a
lie。〃

〃Oh　yes；　why；　so　I　did；　I　had　forgotten。　　But　then　you　overdid　it。
Still　it　was　a　step　in　the　right　direction。〃

〃And　now；　my　boy；〃　he　said　to　a　very　frank　and　ingenuous　youth
about　half　way　up　the　class；　〃and　how　is　truth　best　reached？〃

〃Through　the　falling　out　of　thieves；　sir。〃

〃Quite　so。　　Then　it　will　be　necessary　that　the　more　earnest；
careful；　patient；　self…sacrificing；　enquirers　after　truth　should
have　a　good　deal　of　the　thief　about　them；　though　they　are　very
honest　people　at　the　same　time。　　Now　what　does　the　man〃　（who　on
enquiry　my　father　found　to　be　none　other　than　Mr。　Turvey　himself）
〃say　about　honesty？〃

〃He　says；　sir；　that　honesty　does　not　consist　in　never　stealing；　but
in　knowing　how　and　where　it　will　be　safe　to　do　so。〃

〃Remember；〃　said　Mr。　Turvey　to　my　father；　〃how　necessary　it　is　that
we　should　have　a　plentiful　supply　of　thieves；　if　honest　men　are
ever　to　come　by　their　own。〃

He　spoke　with　the　utmost　gravity；　evidently　quite　easy　in　his　mind
that　his　scheme　was　the　only　one　by　which　truth　could　be
successfully　attained。

〃But　pray　let　me　have　any　criticism　you　may　feel　inclined　to　make。〃

〃I　have　none；〃　said　my　father。　　〃Your　system　commends　itself　to
common　sense；　it　is　the　one　adopted　in　the　law　courts；　and　it　lies
at　the　very　foundation　of　party　government。　　If　your　academic
bodies　can　supply　the　country　with　a　sufficient　number　of　thieves
which　I　have　no　doubt　they　canthere　seems　no　limit　to　the　amount
of　truth　that　may　be　attained。　　If；　however；　I　may　suggest　the　only
difficulty　that　occurs　to　me；　it　is　that　academic　thieves　shew　no
great　alacrity　in　falling　out；　but　incline　rather　to　back　each
other　up　through　thick　and　thin。〃

〃Ah；　yes；〃　said　Mr。　Turvey；　〃there　is　that　difficulty；　nevertheless
circumstances　from　time　to　time　arise　to　get　them　by　the　ears　in
spite　of　themselves。　　But　from　whatever　point　of　view　you　may　look
at　the　question；　it　is　obviously　better　to　aim　at　imperfection　than
perfection；　for　if　we　aim　steadily　at　imperfection；　we　shall
probably　get　it　within　a　reasonable　time；　whereas　to　the　end　of　our
days　we　should　never　reach　perfection。　　Moreover；　from　a　worldly
point　of　view；　there　is　no　mistake　so　great　as　that　of　being　always
right。〃　　He　then　turned　to　his　class　and　said　…

〃And　now　tell　me　what　did　the　Sunchild　tell　us　about　God　and
Mammon？〃

The　head…boy　answered：　　〃He　said　that　we　must　serve　both；　for　no
man　can　serve　God　well　and　truly　who　does　not　serve　Mammon　a　little
also；　and　no　man　can　serve　Mammon　effectually　unless　he　serve　God
largely　at　the　same　time。〃

〃What　were　his　words？〃

〃He　said；　'Cursed　be　they　that　say；　〃Thou　shalt　not　serve　God　and
Mammon；　for　it　is　the　whole　duty　of　man　to　know　how　to　adjust　the
conflicting　claims　of　these　two　deities。〃'

Here　my　father　interposed。　　〃I　knew　the　Sunchild；　and　I　more　than
once　heard　him　speak　of　God　and　Mammon。　　He　never　varied　the　form
of　the　words　he　used；　which　were　to　the　effect　that　a　man　must
serve　either　God　or　Mammon；　but　that　he　could　not　serve　both。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Mr。　Turvey；　〃that　no　doubt　was　his　exoteric　teaching；
but　Professors　Hanky　and　Panky　have　assured　me　most　solemnly　that
his　esoteric　teaching　was　as　I　have　given　it。　　By　the　way；　these
gentlemen　are　both；　I　understand；　at　Sunch'ston；　and　I　think　it
quite　likely　that　I　shall　have　a　visit　from　them　this　afternoon。
If　you　do　not　know　them　I　should　have　great　pleasure　in　introducing
you　to　them；　I　was　at　Bridgeford　with　both　of　them。〃

〃I　have　had　the　pleasure　of　meeting　them　already；〃　said　my　father；
〃and　as　you　are　by　no　means　certain　that　they　will　come；　I　will　ask
you　to　let　me　thank　you　for　all　that　you　have　been　good　enough　to
shew　me；　and　bid　you　good…afternoon。　　I　have　a　rather　pressing
engagement〃

〃My　dear　sir；　you　must　please　give　me　five　minutes　more。　　I　shall
examine　the　boys　in　the　Musical　Bank　Catechism。〃　　He　pointed　to　one
of　them　and　said；　〃Repeat　your　duty　towards　your　neighbour。〃

〃My　duty　towards　my　neighbour；〃　said　the　boy；　〃is　to　be　quite　sure
that　he　is　not　likely　to　borrow　money　of　me　before　I　let　him　speak
to　me　at　all；　and　then　to　have　as　little　to　do　with　him　as〃

At　this　point　there　was　a　loud　ring