erewhon revisited-第31部分

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〃I　know　the　tree；　have　you　got　the　nuggets　here？〃

〃Here　they　are；　with　the　receipt；　and　the　pocket　handkerchief
marked　with　Hanky's　name。　　The　pocket　handkerchief　was　found
wrapped　round　some　dried　leaves　that　we　call　tea；　but　I　have　not
got　these　with　me。〃　　As　he　spoke　he　gave　everything　to　George；　who
showed　the　utmost　delight　in　getting　possession　of　them。

〃I　suppose　the　blanket　and　the　rest　of　the　kit　are　still　in　the
tree？〃

〃Unless　Hanky　and　Panky　have　got　them　away；　or　some　one　has　found
them。〃

〃This　is　not　likely。　　I　will　now　go　to　my　office；　but　I　will　come
back　very　shortly。　　My　grandfather　shall　bring　you　something　to　eat
at　once。　　I　will　tell　him　to　send　enough　for　two〃which　he
accordingly　did。

On　reaching　the　office；　he　told　his　next　brother　（whom　he　had　made
an　under…ranger）　to　go　to　the　tree　he　described；　and　bring　back　the
bundle　he　should　find　concealed　therein。　　〃You　can　go　there　and
back；〃　he　said；　〃in　an　hour　and　a　half；　and　I　shall　want　the　bundle
by　that　time。〃

The　brother；　whose　name　I　never　rightly　caught；　set　out　at　once。
As　soon　as　he　was　gone；　George　took　from　a　drawer　the　feathers　and
bones　of　quails；　that　he　had　shown　my　father　on　the　morning　when　he
met　him。　　He　divided　them　in　half；　and　made　them　into　two　bundles；
one　of　which　he　docketed；　〃Bones　of　quails　eaten；　XIX。　xii。　29；　by
Professor　Hanky；　P。O。W。W。；　&c。〃　　And　he　labelled　Panky's　quail
bones　in　like　fashion。

Having　done　this；　he　returned　to　the　gaol；　but　on　his　way　he　looked
in　at　the　Mayor's；　and　left　a　note　saying　that　he　should　be　at　the
gaol；　where　any　message　would　reach　him；　but　that　he　did　not　wish
to　meet　Professors　Hanky　and　Panky　for　another　couple　of　hours。　　It
was　now　about　half…past　twelve；　and　he　caught　sight　of　a　crowd
coming　quietly　out　of　the　temple；　whereby　he　knew　that　Hanky　would
soon　be　at　the　Mayor's　house。

Dinner　was　brought　in　almost　at　the　moment　when　George　returned　to
the　gaol。　　As　soon　as　it　was　over　George　said：…

〃Are　you　quite　sure　you　have　made　no　mistake　about　the　way　in　which
you　got　the　permit　out　of　the　Professors？〃

〃Quite　sure。　　I　told　them　they　would　not　want　it；　and　said　I　could
save　them　trouble　if　they　gave　it　me。　　They　never　suspected　why　I
wanted　it。　　Where　do　you　think　I　may　be　mistaken？〃

〃You　sold　your　nuggets　for　rather　less　than　a　twentieth　part　of
their　value；　and　you　threw　in　some　curiosities；　that　would　have
fetched　about　half　as　much　as　you　got　for　the　nuggets。　　You　say　you
did　this　because　you　wanted　money　to　keep　you　going　till　you　could
sell　some　of　your　nuggets。　　This　sounds　well　at　first；　but　the
sacrifice　is　too　great　to　be　plausible　when　considered。　　It　looks
more　like　a　case　of　good　honest　manly　straightforward　corruption。〃

〃But　surely　you　believe　me？〃

〃Of　course　I　do。　　I　believe　every　syllable　that　comes　from　your
mouth；　but　I　shall　not　be　able　to　make　out　that　the　story　was　as　it
was　not；　unless　I　am　quite　certain　what　it　really　was。〃

〃It　was　exactly　as　I　have　told　you。〃

〃That　is　enough。　　And　now；　may　I　tell　my　mother　that　you　will　put
yourself　in　her；　and　the　Mayor's；　and　my；　hands；　and　will　do
whatever　we　tell　you？〃

〃I　will　be　obedience　itselfbut　you　will　not　ask　me　to　do　anything
that　will　make　your　mother　or　you　think　less　well　of　me？〃

〃If　we　tell　you　what　you　are　to　do；　we　shall　not　think　any　the
worse　of　you　for　doing　it。　　Then　I　may　say　to　my　mother　that　you
will　be　good　and　give　no　troublenot　even　though　we　bid　you　shake
hands　with　Hanky　and　Panky？〃

〃I　will　embrace　them　and　kiss　them　on　both　cheeks；　if　you　and　she
tell　me　to　do　so。　　But　what　about　the　Mayor？〃

〃He　has　known　everything；　and　condoned　everything；　these　last
twenty　years。　　He　will　leave　everything　to　my　mother　and　me。〃

〃Shall　I　have　to　see　him？〃

〃Certainly。　　You　must　be　brought　up　before　him　to…morrow　morning。〃

〃How　can　I　look　him　in　the　face？〃

〃As　you　would　me；　or　any　one　else。　　It　is　understood　among　us　that
nothing　happened。　　Things　may　have　looked　as　though　they　had
happened；　but　they　did　not　happen。〃

〃And　you　are　not　yet　quite　twenty？〃

〃No；　but　I　am　son　to　my　motherand；〃　he　added；　〃to　one　who　can
stretch　a　point　or　two　in　the　way　of　honesty　as　well　as　other
people。〃

Having　said　this　with　a　laugh；　he　again　took　my　father's　hand
between　both　his；　and　went　back　to　his　officewhere　he　set　himself
to　think　out　the　course　he　intended　to　take　when　dealing　with　the
Professors。



CHAPTER　XVIII：　　YRAM　INVITES　DR。　DOWNIE　AND　MRS。　HUMDRUM　TO
LUNCHEONA　PASSAGE　AT　ARMS　BETWEEN　HER　AND　HANKY　IS　AMICABLY
ARRANGED



The　disturbance　caused　by　my　father's　outbreak　was　quickly
suppressed；　for　George　got　him　out　of　the　temple　almost
immediately；　it　was　bruited　about；　however；　that　the　Sunchild　had
come　down　from　the　palace　of　the　sun；　but　had　disappeared　as　soon
as　any　one　had　tried　to　touch　him。　　In　vain　did　Hanky　try　to　put
fresh　life　into　his　sermon；　its　back　had　been　broken；　and　large
numbers　left　the　church　to　see　what　they　could　hear　outside；　or
failing　information；　to　discourse　more　freely　with　one　another。

Hanky　did　his　best　to　quiet　his　hearers　when　he　found　that　he　could
not　infuriate　them；

〃This　poor　man；〃　he　said；　〃is　already　known　to　me；　as　one　of　those
who　have　deluded　themselves　into　believing　that　they　are　the
Sunchild。　　I　have　known　of　his　so　declaring　himself；　more　than
once；　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Bridgeford；　and　others　have　not
infrequently　done　the　same；　I　did　not　at　first　recognize　him；　and
regret　that　the　shock　of　horror　his　words　occasioned　me　should　have
prompted　me　to　suggest　violence　against　him。　　Let　this　unfortunate
affair　pass　from　your　minds；　and　let　me　again　urge　upon　you　the
claims　of　the　Sunchild　Evidence　Society。〃

The　audience　on　hearing　that　they　were　to　be　told　more　about　the
Sunchild　Evidence　Society　melted　away　even　more　rapidly　than
before；　and　the　sermon　fizzled　out　to　an　ignominious　end　quite
unworthy　of　its　occasion。

About　half…past　twelve；　the　service　ended；　and　Hanky　went　to　the
robing…room　to　take　off　his　vestments。　　Yram；　the　Mayor；　and　Panky；
waited　for　him　at　the　door　opposite　to　that　through　which　my　father
had　been　taken；　while　waiting；　Yram　scribbled　off　two　notes　in
pencil；　one　to　Dr。　Downie；　and　another　to　Mrs。　Humdrum；　begging
them　to　come　to　lunch　at　oncefor　it　would　be　one　o'clock　before
they　could　reach　the　Mayor's。　　She　gave　these　notes　to　the　Mayor；
and　bade　him　bring　both　the　invited　guests　along　with　him。

The　Mayor　left　just　as　Hanky　was　coming　towards　her。　　〃This；
Mayoress；〃　he　said　with　some　asperity；　〃is　a　very　serious　business。
It　has　ruined　my　collection。　　Half　the　people　left　the　temple
without　giving　anything　at　all。　　You　seem；〃　he　added　in　a　tone　the
significance　of　which　could　not　be　mistaken；　〃to　be　very　fond；
Mayoress；　of　this　Mr。　Higgs。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Yram；　〃I　am；　I　always　liked　him；　and　I　am　sorry　for
him；　but　he　is　not　the　person　I　am　most　sorry　for　at　this　moment
he；　poor　man；　is　not　going　to　be　horsewhipped　within　the　next
twenty　minutes。〃　　And　she　spoke　the　〃he〃　in　italics。

〃I　do　not　understand　you；　Mayoress。〃

〃My　husband　will　explain；　as　soon　as　I　have　seen　him。〃

〃Hanky；〃　said　Panky；　〃you　must　withdraw；　and　apologise　at　once。〃

Hanky　was　not　slow　to　do　this；　and　when　he　had　disavowed
everything；　withdrawn　everything；　apologised　for　everything；　and
eaten　humble　pie　to　Yram's　satisfaction；　she　smiled　graciously；　and
held　out　her　hand；　which　Hanky　was　obliged　to　take。

〃And　now；　Professor；〃　she　said；　〃let　me　return　to　your　remark　that
this　is　a　very　serious　business；　and　let　me　also　claim　a　woman's
privilege　of　being　listened　to　whenever　she　chooses　to　speak。　　I
propose；　then；　that　we　say　nothing　further　about　this　matter　till
after　luncheon。　　I　have　asked　Dr。　Downie　and　Mrs。　Humdrum　to　join
us〃

〃Why　Mrs。　Humdrum？〃　interrupted　Hanky　none　too　pleasantly；　for　he
was　still　furious　about　the　duel　that　had　just　taken　place　between
himself　and　his　hostess。

〃My　dear　Professor；〃　said　Yram　good…humouredly；　〃pray　say　all　you
have　to　say　and　I　will　continue。〃

Hanky　was　silent。

〃I　have　asked；〃　resumed　Yram；　〃Dr。　Downie　and　Mrs。　Humdrum　to　join；
us；　and　after　luncheon　we　can　discuss　the　situation　or　no　as　you
may　think　proper。　　Till　then　let　us　say　no　more。　　Luncheon　will　be
over　by　two　o'clock　or　soon　after；　and　the　banquet　will　not　begin
till　seven；　so　we　shall　have　plenty　of　time。〃

Hanky　looked　black　and　said　nothing。　　As　for　Panky　he　was　morally
in　a　state　of　collapse；　and　did　not　count。

Hardly　had　they　reached　the　Mayor's　house　when　the　Mayor　also
arrived　with　Dr。　Downie　and　Mrs。　Humdrum；　both　of　whom　had　seen　and
recognised　my　father　in　spite　of　his　having　dyed　his　hair。　　Dr。
Downie　had　met　him　at　supper　in　Mr。　Thims's　rooms　when　he　had
visited　Bridgeford；　and　naturally　enough　had　observed　him　closely。
Mrs。　Humdrum；　as　I　have　already　said；　had　seen　him　more　than　once
when　he　was　in　prison。　　She　and　Dr。　Downie　were　talking　earnestly
over　the　strange　reappearance　of　one　whom　they　had　believed　long
since　dead；　but　Yram　imposed　on　them　the　same　silence　that　she　had
already　imposed　on　the　Professors。

〃Professor　Hanky；〃　said　she　to　Mrs。　Humdrum；　in　Hanky's　hearing；
〃is　a　little　alarmed　at　my　having　asked　you　to　join　our　secret
conclave。　　He　is　not　married；　and　does　not　know　how　well　a　woman
can　hold　her　tongue　when　she　chooses。　　I　should　have　told　you　all
that　passed；　for　I　mean　to　follow　your　advice；　so　I　thought　you　had
better　hear　everything　yourself。〃

Hanky　still　looked　black；　but　he　said　nothing。　　Luncheon　was
promptly　served；　and　done　justice　to　in　spite　of　much
preoccupation；　for　if　there　is　one　thing　that　gives　a　better
appetite　than　another；　it　is　a　Sunday　morning's　service　with　a
charity　sermon　to　follow。　　As　the　guests　might　not　talk　on　the
subject　they　wanted　to　talk　about；　and　were　in　no　humour　to　speak
of　anything　else；　they　gave　their　whole　attention　to　the　good
things　that　were　before　them；　without　so　much　as　a　thought　about
reserving　themselves　for　the　evening's　banquet。　　Nevertheless；　when
luncheon　was　over；　the　Professors　were　in　no　more　genial；
manageable；　state　of　mind　than　they　had　been　when　it