erewhon revisited-第34部分

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himself　from　laughing　outright。　　The　Mayor　brought　out　his　purse；
counted　the　money；　and　handed　it　good…humouredly　to　Panky；　who
gratefully　received　it；　and　said　he　would　divide　it　with　Hanky。　　He
then　held　up　his　hands；　〃But；〃　he　added；　turning　to　his　brother
Professor；　〃so　long　as　I　live；　Hanky；　I　will　never　go　out　anywhere
again　with　you。〃

George　then　turned　to　Hanky　and　said；　〃I　am　afraid　I　must　now
trouble　you　and　Professor　Panky　to　depose　on　oath　to　the　facts
which　Mrs。　Humdrum　and　Dr。　Downie　propose　you　should　swear　to　in
open　court　to…morrow。　　I　knew　you　would　do　so；　and　have　brought　an
ordinary　form；　duly　filled　up；　which　declares　that　the　prisoner　is
not　the　poacher　you　met　on　Thursday；　and　also；　that　he　has　been
long　known　to　both　of　you　as　a　harmless　monomaniac。〃

As　he　spoke　he　brought　out　depositions　to　the　above　effect　which　he
had　just　written　in　his　office；　he　shewed　the　Professors　that　the
form　was　this　time　an　innocent　one；　whereon　they　made　no　demur　to
signing　and　swearing　in　the　presence　of　the　Mayor；　who　attested。

〃The　former　depositions；〃　said　Hanky；　〃had　better　be　destroyed　at
once。〃

〃That；〃　said　George；　〃may　hardly　be；　but　so　long　as　you　stick　to
what　you　have　just　sworn　to；　they　will　not　be　used　against　you。〃

Hanky　scowled；　but　knew　that　he　was　powerless　and　said　no　more。

*　*　*

The　knowledge　of　what　ensued　did　not　reach　me　from　my　father。
George　and　his　mother；　seeing　how　ill　he　looked；　and　what　a　shock
the　events　of　the　last　few　days　had　given　him；　resolved　that　he
should　not　know　of　the　risk　that　George　was　about　to　run；　they
therefore　said　nothing　to　him　about　it。　　What　I　shall　now　tell；　I
learned　on　the　occasion　already　referred　to　when　I　had　the
happiness　to　meet　George。　　I　am　in　some　doubt　whether　it　is　more
fitly　told　here；　or　when　I　come　to　the　interview　between　him　and
me；　on　the　whole；　however；　I　suppose　chronological　order　is　least
outraged　by　dealing　with　it　here。

As　soon　as　the　Professors　had　signed　the　second　depositions；　George
said；　〃I　have　not　yet　held　up　my　hands；　but　I　will　hold　them　up　if
Mrs。　Humdrum　and　Dr。　Downie　will　approve　of　what　I　propose。　　Their
compromise　does　not　go　far　enough；　for　swear　as　we　may；　it　is　sure
to　get　noised　abroad；　with　the　usual　exaggerations；　that　the
Sunchild　has　been　here；　and　that　he　has　been　spirited　away　either
by　us；　or　by　the　sun　his　father。　　For　one　person　whom　we　know　of　as
having　identified　him；　there　will　be　five；　of　whom　we　know　nothing；
and　whom　we　cannot　square。　　Reports　will　reach　the　King　sooner　or
later；　and　I　shall　be　sent　for。　　Meanwhile　the　Professors　will　be
living　in　fear　of　intrigue　on　my　part；　and　I；　however　unreasonably；
shall　fear　the　like　on　theirs。　　This　should　not　be。　　I　mean；
therefore；　on　the　day　following　my　return　from　escorting　the
prisoner；　to　set　out　for　the　capital；　see　the　King；　and　make　a
clean　breast　of　the　whole　matter。　　To　this　end　I　must　have　the
nuggets；　the　prisoner's　kit；　his　receipt；　Professor　Hanky's
handkerchief；　and；　of　course；　the　two　depositions　just　sworn　to　by
the　Professors。　　I　hope　and　think　that　the　King　will　pardon　us　all
round；　but　whatever　he　may　do　I　shall　tell　him　everything。〃

Hanky　was　up　in　arms　at　once。　　〃Sheer　madness；〃　he　exclaimed。　　Yram
and　the　Mayor　looked　anxious；　Dr。　Downie　eyed　George　as　though　he
were　some　curious　creature；　which　he　heard　of　but　had　never　seen；
and　was　rather　disposed　to　like。　　Mrs。　Humdrum　nodded　her　head
approvingly。

〃Quite　right；　George；〃　said　she；　〃tell　his　Majesty　everything。〃

Dr。　Downie　then　said；　〃Your　son；　Mayoress；　is　a　very　sensible
fellow。　　I　will　go　with　him；　and　with　the　Professorsfor　they　had
better　come　too：　　each　will　hear　what　the　other　says；　and　we　will
tell　the　truth；　the　whole　truth；　and　nothing　but　the　truth。　　I　am；
as　you　know；　a　persona　grata　at　Court；　I　will　say　that　I　advised
your　son's　action。　　The　King　has　liked　him　ever　since　he　was　a　boy；
and　I　am　not　much　afraid　about　what　he　will　do。　　In　public；　no
doubt　we　had　better　hush　things　up；　but　in　private　the　King　must　be
told。〃

Hanky　fought　hard　for　some　time；　but　George　told　him　that　it　did
not　matter　whether　he　agreed　or　no。　　〃You　can　come；〃　he　said；　〃or
stop　away；　just　as　you　please。　　If　you　come；　you　can　hear　and
speak；　if　you　do　not；　you　will　not　hear；　but　these　two　depositions
will　speak　for　you。　　Please　yourself。〃

〃Very　well；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃I　suppose　we　had　better　go。〃

Every　one　having　now　understood　what　his　or　her　part　was　to　be；
Yram　said　they　had　better　shake　hands　all　round　and　take　a　couple
of　hours'　rest　before　getting　ready　for　the　banquet。　　George　said
that　the　Professors　did　not　shake　hands　with　him　very　cordially；
but　the　farce　was　gone　through。　　When　the　hand…shaking　was　over；
Dr。　Downie　and　Mrs。　Humdrum　left　the　house；　and　the　Professors
retired　grumpily　to　their　own　room。

I　will　say　here　that　no　harm　happened　either　to　George　or　the
Professors　in　consequence　of　his　having　told　the　King；　but　will
reserve　particulars　for　my　concluding　chapter。



CHAPTER　XXI：　　YRAM；　ON　GETTING　RID　OF　HER　GUESTS；　GOES　TO　THE
PRISON　TO　SEE　MY　FATHER



Yram　did　not　take　the　advice　she　had　given　her　guests；　but　set
about　preparing　a　basket　of　the　best　cold　dainties　she　could　find；
including　a　bottle　of　choice　wine　that　she　knew　my　father　would
like；　thus　loaded　she　went　to　the　gaol；　which　she　entered　by　her
father's　private　entrance。

It　was　now　about　half…past　four；　so　that　much　more　must　have　been
said　and　done　after　luncheon　at　the　Mayor's　than　ever　reached　my
father。　　The　wonder　is　that　he　was　able　to　collect　so　much。　　He；
poor　man；　as　soon　as　George　left　him；　flung　himself　on　to　the　bed
that　was　in　his　cell　and　lay　there　wakeful；　but　not　unquiet；　till
near　the　time　when　Yram　reached　the　gaol。

The　old　gaoler　came　to　tell　him　that　she　had　come　and　would　be　glad
to　see　him；　much　as　he　dreaded　the　meeting　there　was　no　avoiding
it；　and　in　a　few　minutes　Yram　stood　before　him。

Both　were　agitated；　but　Yram　betrayed　less　of　what　she　felt　than　my
father。　　He　could　only　bow　his　head　and　cover　his　face　with　his
hands。　　Yram　said；　〃We　are　old　friends；　take　your　hands　from　your
face　and　let　me　see　you。　　There！　　That　is　well。〃

She　took　his　right　hand　between　both　hers；　looked　at　him　with　eyes
full　of　kindness；　and　said　softly　…

〃You　are　not　much　changed；　but　you　look　haggard；　worn；　and　ill；　I
am　uneasy　about　you。　　Remember；　you　are　among　friends；　who　will　see
that　no　harm　befalls　you。　　There　is　a　look　in　your　eyes　that
frightens　me。〃

As　she　spoke　she　took　the　wine　out　of　her　basket；　and　poured　him
out　a　glass；　but　rather　to　give　him　some　little　thing　to　distract
his　attention；　than　because　she　expected　him　to　drink　itwhich　he
could　not　do。

She　never　asked　him　whether　he　found　her　altered；　or　turned　the
conversation　ever　such　a　little　on　to　herself；　all　was　for　him；　to
soothe　and　comfort　him；　not　in　words　alone；　but　in　look；　manner；
and　voice。　　My　father　knew　that　he　could　thank　her　best　by
controlling　himself；　and　letting　himself　be　soothed　and　comforted
at　any　rate　so　far　as　he　could　seem　to　be。

Up　to　this　time　they　had　been　standing；　but　now　Yram；　seeing　my
father　calmer；　said；　〃Enough；　let　us　sit　down。〃

So　saying　she　seated　herself　at　one　end　of　the　small　table　that　was
in　the　cell；　and　motioned　my　father　to　sit　opposite　to　her。　　〃The
light　hurts　you？〃　she　said；　for　the　sun　was　coming　into　the　room。
〃Change　places　with　me；　I　am　a　sun　worshipper。　　No；　we　can　move　the
table；　and　we　can　then　see　each　other　better。〃

This　done；　she　said；　still　very　softly；　〃And　now　tell　me　what　it　is
all　about。　　Why　have　you　come　here？〃

〃Tell　me　first；〃　said　my　father；　〃what　befell　you　after　I　had　been
taken　away。　　Why　did　you　not　send　me　word　when　you　found　what　had
happened？　or　come　after　me？　　You　know　I　should　have　married　you　at
once；　unless　they　bound　me　in　fetters。〃

〃I　know　you　would；　but　you　remember　Mrs。　Humdrum？　　Yes；　I　see　you
do。　　I　told　her　everything；　it　was　she　who　saved　me。　　We　thought　of
you；　but　she　saw　that　it　would　not　do。　　As　I　was　to　marry　Mr。
Strong；　the　more　you　were　lost　sight　of　the　better；　but　with　George
ever　with　me　I　have　not　been　able　to　forget　you。　　I　might　have　been
very　happy　with　you；　but　I　could　not　have　been　happier　than　I　have
been　ever　since　that　short　dreadful　time　was　over。　　George　must
tell　you　the　rest。　　I　cannot　do　so。　　All　is　well。　　I　love　my
husband　with　my　whole　heart　and　soul；　and　he　loves　me　with　his。　　As
between　him　and　me；　he　knows　everything；　George　is　his　son；　not
yours；　we　have　settled　it　so；　though　we　both　know　otherwise；　as
between　you　and　me；　for　this　one　hour；　here；　there　is　no　use　in
pretending　that　you　are　not　George's　father。　　I　have　said　all　I
need　say。　　Now；　tell　me　what　I　asked　youWhy　are　you　here？〃

〃I　fear；〃　said　my　father；　set　at　rest　by　the　sweetness　of　Yram's
voice　and　mannerhe　told　me　he　had　never　seen　any　one　to　compare
with　her　except　my　mother〃I　fear；　to　do　as　much　harm　now　as　I　did
before；　and　with　as　little　wish　to　do　any　harm　at　all。〃

He　then　told　her　all　that　the　reader　knows；　and　explained　how　he
had　thought　he　could　have　gone　about　the　country　as　a　peasant；　and
seen　how　she　herself　had　fared；　without　her；　or　any　one；　even
suspecting　that　he　was　in　the　country。

〃You　say　your　wife　is　dead；　and　that　she　left　you　with　a　sonis　he
like　George？〃

〃In　mind　and　disposition；　wonderfully；　in　appearance；　no；　he　is
dark　and　takes　after　his　mother；　and　though　he　is　handsome；　he　is
not　so　good…looking　as　George。〃

〃No　one；〃　said　George's　mother；　〃ever　was；　or　ever　will　be；　and　he
is　as　good　as　he　looks。〃

〃I　should　not　have　believed　you　if　you　had　said　he　was　not。〃

〃That　is　right。　　I　am　glad　you　are　proud　of　him。　　He　irradiates　the
lives　of　every　one　of　us。〃

〃And　the　mere　knowledge　that　he　exists　will　irradiate　the　rest　of
mine。〃

〃Long　may　it　do　so。　　Let　us　now　talk　about　this　morningdid　you
mean　to　declare　yourself？〃

〃I　do　not　know　what　I　meant；　what　I　most　cared　about　was　the　doing
what　I　thought　George　would　wish　to　see　his　father　do。〃

〃You　did　that；　but　he　says　he　told　you　not　to　say　who　you　were。〃

〃So　he　did；　but　I　knew