erewhon revisited-第26部分
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town was gaily decorated with flags and flowers； often festooned
into words or emblems proper for the occasion。
My father； it being now a quarter to eleven； made his way towards
the temple； and his heart was clouded with care as he walked along。
Not only was his heart clouded； but his brain also was oppressed；
and he reeled so much on leaving the confectioner's shop； that he
had to catch hold of some railings till the faintness and giddiness
left him。 He knew the feeling to be the same as what he had felt
on the Friday evening； but he had no idea of the cause； and as soon
as the giddiness left him he thought there was nothing the matter
with him。
Turning down a side street that led into the main square of the
town； he found himself opposite the south end of the temple； with
its two lofty towers that flanked the richly decorated main
entrance。 I will not attempt to describe the architecture； for my
father could give me little information on this point。 He only saw
the south front for two or three minutes； and was not impressed by
it； save in so far as it was richly ornamentedevidently at great
expenseand very large。 Even if he had had a longer look； I doubt
whether I should have got more out of him； for he knew nothing of
architecture； and I fear his test whether a building was good or
bad； was whether it looked old and weather…beaten or no。 No matter
what a building was； if it was three or four hundred years old he
liked it； whereas； if it was new； he would look to nothing but
whether it kept the rain out。 Indeed I have heard him say that the
mediaeval sculpture on some of our great cathedrals often only
pleases us because time and weather have set their seals upon it；
and that if we could see it as it was when it left the mason's
hands； we should find it no better than much that is now turned out
in the Euston Road。
The ground plan here given will help the reader to understand the
few following pages more easily。
＋＋
N / a
W＋E / b ＋
S / G H ｜
｜ C ｜ N ｜
＋…＋…＋…＋＋
｜ … I ｜
｜ … ｜
｜ … ｜
｜ o' o' ｜
｜ ｜
｜ E ｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜ ｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜ F ｜
｜ ｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜ ｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜｜ ｜
｜ ｜
｜ e A o' B C o' D ｜ f
｜ … … … … ｜
｜ … … … … ｜
｜ … … … … ｜
｜ … o' … … o' … ｜
｜ … … … … ｜
｜ … … … … ｜
｜ … … … … ｜
｜ … o' … … o' … ｜
｜ ｜
｜ ｜
｜ ｜
｜ o' o' ｜
｜ ｜
｜ ｜
｜ g ｜ h
｜ o' o' ｜
＋…＋＋…＋
｜ ｜｜ ｜
｜ ｜…M｜ ｜
｜ K ｜｜ L ｜
｜ ｜｜ ｜
｜ ｜｜ ｜
｜ ｜ ｜ ｜
＋…＋ ＋…＋
a。 Table with cashier's seat on either side； and alms…box in
front。 The picture is exhibited on a scaffolding behind it。
b。 The reliquary。
c。 The President's chair。
d。 Pulpit and lectern。
e。 ｝
f。 ｝ Side doors。
g。 ｝
h。 ｝
i。 Yram's seat。
k。 Seats of George and the Sunchild。
o' Pillars。
A； B； C； D； E； F； G； H； blocks of seats。
I。 Steps leading from the apse to the nave。
K and L。 Towers。
M。 Steps and main entrance。
N。 Robing…room。
The building was led up to by a flight of steps （M）； and on
entering it my father found it to consist of a spacious nave； with
two aisles and an apse which was raised some three feet above the
nave and aisles。 There were no transepts。 In the apse there was
the table （a）； with the two bowls of Musical Bank money mentioned
on an earlier page； as also the alms…box in front of it。
At some little distance in front of the table stood the President's
chair （c）； or I might almost call it throne。 It was so placed that
his back would be turned towards the table； which fact again shews
that the table was not regarded as having any greater sanctity than
the rest of the temple。
Behind the table； the picture already spoken of was raised aloft。
There was no balloon； some clouds that hung about the lower part of
the chariot served to conceal the fact that the painter was
uncertain whether it ought to have wheels or no。 The horses were
without driver； and my father thought that some one ought to have
had them in hand； for they were in far too excited a state to be
left safely to themselves。 They had hardly any harness； but what
little there was was enriched with gold bosses。 My mother was in
Erewhonian costume； my father in European； but he wore his clothes
reversed。 Both he and my mother seemed to be bowing graciously to
an unseen crowd beneath them； and in the distance； near the bottom
of the picture； was a fairly accurate representation of the
Sunch'ston new temple。 High up； on the right hand； was a disc；
raised and gilt； to represent the sun； on it； in low relief； there
was an indication of a gorgeous palace； in which； no doubt； the sun
was supposed to live； though how they made it all out my father
could not conceive。
On the right of the table there was a reliquary （b） of glass； much
adorned with gold； or more probably gilding； for gold was so scarce
in Erewhon that gilding would be as expensive as a thin plate of
gold would be in Europe： but there is no knowing。 The reliquary
was attached to a portable stand some five feet high； and inside it
was the relic already referred to。 The crowd was so great that my
father could not get near enough to see what it contained； but I
may say here； that when； two days later； circumstances compelled
him to have a close look at it； he saw that it consisted of about a
dozen fine coprolites； deposited by some antediluvian creature or
creatures； which； whatever else they may have been； were certainly
not horses。
In the apse there were a few cross benches （G and H） on either
side； with an open space between them； which was partly occupied by
the President's seat already mentioned。 Those on the right； as one
looked towards the apse； were for the Managers and Cashiers of the
Bank； while those on the left were for their wives and daughters。
In the centre of the nave； only a few feet in front of the steps
leading to the apse； was a handsome pulpit and lectern （d）。 The
pulpit was raised some feet above the ground； and was so roomy that
the preacher could walk about in it。 On either side of it there
were cross benches with backs （E and F）； those on the right were
reserved for the Mayor； civic functionaries； and distinguished
visitors； while those on the left were for their wives and
daughters。
Benches with backs （A； B； C； D） were placed about half…way down
both nave and aislesthose in the nave being divided so as to
allow a free passage between them。 The rest of the temple was open
space； about which people might walk at their will。 There were
side doors （e； j； and f； h） at the upper and lower end of each
aisle。 Over the main entrance was a gallery in which singers were
placed。
As my father was worming his way among the crowd； which was now
very dense； he was startled at finding himself tapped lightly on
the shoulder； and turning round in alarm was confronted by the
beaming face of George。
〃How do you do； Professor Panky？〃 said the youthwho had decided
thus to address him。 〃What are you doing here among the common
people？ Why have you not taken your place in one of the seats
reserved for our distinguished visitors？ I am afraid they must be
all full by this time； but I will see what I can do for you。 Come
with me。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said my father。 His heart beat so fast that this was
all he could say； and he followed meek as a lamb。
With some difficulty the two made their way to the right…hand
corner seats of block C； for every seat in the reserved block was
taken。 The places which George wanted for my father and for
himself were already occupied by two young men of about eighteen
and nineteen； both of them well…grown； and of prepossessing
appearance。 My father saw by the truncheons they carried that they
were special constables； but he took no notice of this； for there
were many others scattered about the crowd。 George whispered a few
words to one of them； and to my father's surprise they both gave up
their seats； which appear on the plan as （k）。
It afterwards transpired that these two young men were George's
brothers； who by his desire had taken the seats some hours ago； for
it was here that George had determined to place himself and my
father if he could find him。 He chose these places because they
would be near enough to let his mother （who was at i； in the middle
of the front row of block E； to the left of the pulpit） see my
father without being so near as to embarrass him； he could also see
and be seen by Hanky； and hear every word of his sermon； but
perhaps his chief reason had been the fact that they were not far
from the side…door at the upper end of the right…hand aisle； while
there was no barrier to interrupt rapid egress should this prove
necessary。
It was now high time that they should sit down； which they
accordingly did。 George sat at the end of the b
