erewhon revisited-第39部分

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chariot　and　horses；　which　we　most　of　us　reject。　　Our　best　teachers
insist　on　the　ideal；　and　keep　the　marvels　in　the　background。　　If
they　could　say　outright　that　our　age　has　outgrown　them；　they　would
say　so；　but　this　they　may　not　do；　nevertheless　they　contrive　to　let
their　opinions　be　sufficiently　well　known；　and　their　hearers　are
content　with　this。

〃We　have　others　who　take　a　very　different　course；　but　of　these　I
will　not　speak。　　Roughly；　then；　if　you　cannot　abolish　me
altogether；　make　me　a　peg　on　which　to　hang　all　your　own　best
ethical　and　spiritual　conceptions。　　If　you　will　do　this；　and
wriggle　out　of　that　wretched　relic；　with　that　not　less　wretched
pictureif　you　will　make　me　out　to　be　much　better　and　abler　than　I
was；　or　ever　shall　be；　Sunchildism　may　serve　your　turn　for　many　a
long　year　to　come。　　Otherwise　it　will　tumble　about　your　heads
before　you　think　it　will。

〃Am　I　to　go　on　or　stop？〃

〃Go　on；〃　said　George　softly。　　That　was　enough　for　my　father；　so　on
he　went。

〃You　are　already　doing　part　of　what　I　wish。　　I　was　delighted　with
the　two　passages　I　heard　on　Sunday；　from　what　you　call　the
Sunchild's　Sayings。　　I　never　said　a　word　of　either　passage；　I　wish
I　had；　I　wish　I　could　say　anything　half　so　good。　　And　I　have　read　a
pamphlet　by　President　Gurgoyle；　which　I　liked　extremely；　but　I
never　said　what　he　says　I　did。　　Again；　I　wish　I　had。　　Keep　to　this
sort　of　thing；　and　I　will　be　as　good　a　Sunchildist　as　any　of　you。
But　you　must　bribe　some　thief　to　steal　that　relic；　and　break　it　up
to　mend　the　roads　with；　andfor　I　believe　that　here　as　elsewhere
fires　sometimes　get　lighted　through　the　carelessness　of　a　workman
set　the　most　careless　workman　you　can　find　to　do　a　plumbing　job
near　that　picture。〃

Hanky　looked　black　at　this；　and　George　trod　lightly　on　my　father's
toe；　but　he　told　me　that　my　father's　face　was　innocence　itself。

〃These　are　hard　sayings；〃　said　Dr。　Downie。

〃I　know　they　are；〃　replied　my　father；　〃and　I　do　not　like　saying
them；　but　there　is　no　royal　road　to　unlearning；　and　you　have　much
to　unlearn。　　Still；　you　Musical　Bank　people　bear　witness　to　the
fact　that　beyond　the　kingdoms　of　this　world　there　is　another；
within　which　the　writs　of　this　world's　kingdoms　do　not　run。　　This
is　the　great　service　which　our　church　does　for　us　in　England；　and
hence　many　of　us　uphold　it；　though　we　have　no　sympathy　with　the
party　now　dominant　within　it。　　'Better；'　we　think；　'a　corrupt
church　than　none　at　all。'　　Moreover；　those　who　in　my　country　would
step　into　the　church's　shoes　are　as　corrupt　as　the　church；　and　more
exacting。　　They　are　also　more　dangerous；　for　the　masses　distrust
the　church；　and　are　on　their　guard　against　aggression；　whereas　they
do　not　suspect　the　doctrinaires　and　faddists；　who；　if　they　could；
would　interfere　in　every　concern　of　our　lives。

〃Let　me　return　to　yourselves。　　You　Musical　Bank　Managers　are　very
much　such　a　body　of　men　as　your　country　needsbut　when　I　was　here
before　you　had　no　figurehead；　I　have　unwittingly　supplied　you　with
one；　and　it　is　perhaps　because　you　saw　this；　that　you　good　people
of　Bridgeford　took　up　with　me。　　Sunchildism　is　still　young　and
plastic；　if　you　will　let　the　cock…and…bull　stories　about　me　tacitly
drop；　and　invent　no　new　ones；　beyond　saying　what　a　delightful
person　I　was；　I　really　cannot　see　why　I　should　not　do　for　you　as
well　as　any　one　else。

〃There。　　What　I　have　said　is　nine…tenths　of　it　rotten　and　wrong；
but　it　is　the　most　practicable　rotten　and　wrong　that　I　can　suggest；
seeing　into　what　a　rotten　and　wrong　state　of　things　you　have
drifted。　　And　now；　Mr。　Mayor；　do　you　not　think　we　may　join　the
Mayoress　and　Mrs。　Humdrum？〃

〃As　you　please；　Mr。　Higgs；〃　answered　the　Mayor。

〃Then　let　us　go；　for　I　have　said　too　much　already；　and　your　son
George　tells　me　that　we　must　be　starting　shortly。〃

As　they　were　leaving　the　room　Panky　sidled　up　to　my　father　and
said；　〃There　is　a　point；　Mr。　Higgs；　which　you　can　settle　for　me；
though　I　feel　pretty　certain　how　you　will　settle　it。　　I　think　that
a　corruption　has　crept　into　the　text　of　the　very　beautiful〃

At　this　moment；　as　my　father；　who　saw　what　was　coming；　was
wondering　what　in　the　world　he　could　say；　George　came　up　to　him　and
said；　〃Mr。　Higgs；　my　mother　wishes　me　to　take　you　down　into　the
store…room；　to　make　sure　that　she　has　put　everything　for　you　as　you
would　like　it。〃　　On　this　my　father　said　he　would　return　directly
and　answer　what　he　knew　would　be　Panky's　question。

When　Yram　had　shewn　what　she　had　preparedall　of　it；　of　course；
faultlessshe　said；　〃And　now；　Mr。　Higgs；　about　our　leave…taking。
Of　course　we　shall　both　of　us　feel　much。　　I　shall；　I　know　you　will；
George　will　have　a　few　more　hours　with　you　than　the　rest　of　us；　but
his　time　to　say　good…bye　will　come；　and　it　will　be　painful　to　both
of　you。　　I　am　glad　you　cameI　am　glad　you　have　seen　George；　and
George　you；　and　that　you　took　to　one　another。　　I　am　glad　my　husband
has　seen　you；　he　has　spoken　to　me　about　you　very　warmly；　for　he　has
taken　to　you　much　as　George　did。　　I　am　very；　very　glad　to　have　seen
you　myself；　and　to　have　learned　what　became　of　youand　of　your
wife。　　I　know　you　wish　well　to　all　of　us；　be　sure　that　we　all　of　us
wish　most　heartily　well　to　you　and　yours。　　I　sent　for　you　and
George；　because　I　could　not　say　all　this　unless　we　were　alone；　it
is　all　I　can　do；〃　she　said；　with　a　smile；　〃to　say　it　now。〃

Indeed　it　was；　for　the　tears　were　in　her　eyes　all　the　time；　as　they
were　also　in　my　father's。

〃Let　this；〃　continued　Yram；　〃be　our　leave…takingfor　we　must　have
nothing　like　a　scene　upstairs。　　Just　shake　hands　with　us　all；　say
the　usual　conventional　things；　and　make　it　as　short　as　you　can；　but
I　could　not　bear　to　send　you　away　without　a　few　warmer　words　than　I
could　have　said　when　others　were　in　the　room。〃

〃May　heaven　bless　you　and　yours；〃　said　my　father；　〃for　ever　and
ever。〃

〃That　will　do；〃　said　George　gently。　　〃Now；　both　of　you　shake　hands；
and　come　upstairs　with　me。〃

*　*　*

When　all　three　of　them　had　got　calm；　for　George　had　been　moved
almost　as　much　as　his　father　and　mother；　they　went　upstairs；　and
Panky　came　for　his　answer。　　〃You　are　very　possibly　right；〃　said　my
father〃the　version　you　hold　to　be　corrupt　is　the　one　in　common
use　amongst　ourselves；　but　it　is　only　a　translation；　and　very
possibly　only　a　translation　of　a　translation；　so　that　it　may
perhaps　have　been　corrupted　before　it　reached　us。〃

〃That；〃　said　Panky；　〃will　explain　everything；〃　and　he　went
contentedly　away。

My　father　talked　a　little　aside　with　Mrs。　Humdrum　about　her　grand…
daughter　and　George；　for　Yram　had　told　him　that　she　knew　all　about
the　attachment；　and　then　George；　who　saw　that　my　father　found　the
greatest　difficulty　in　maintaining　an　outward　calm；　said；　〃Mr。
Higgs；　the　streets　are　empty；　we　had　better　go。〃

My　father　did　as　Yram　had　told　him；　shook　hands　with　every　one；
said　all　that　was　usual　and　proper　as　briefly　as　he　could；　and
followed　George　out　of　the　room。　　The　Mayor　saw　them　to　the　door；
and　saved　my　father　from　embarrassment　by　saying；　〃Mr。　Higgs；　you
and　I　understand　one　another　too　well　to　make　it　necessary　for　us
to　say　so。　　Good…bye　to　you；　and　may　no　ill　befall　you　ere　you　get
home。〃

My　father　grasped　his　hand　in　both　his　own。　　〃Again；〃　he　said；　〃I
can　say　no　more　than　that　I　thank　you　from　the　bottom　of　my　heart。〃

As　he　spoke　he　bowed　his　head；　and　went　out　with　George　into　the
night。



CHAPTER　XXV：　　GEORGE　ESCORTS　MY　FATHER　TO　THE　STATUES；　THE　TWO　THEN
PART



The　streets　were　quite　deserted　as　George　had　said　they　would　be；
and　very　dark；　save　for　an　occasional　oil　lamp。

〃As　soon　as　we　can　get　within　the　preserves；〃　said　George；　〃we　had
better　wait　till　morning。　　I　have　a　rug　for　myself　as　well　as　for
you。〃

〃I　saw　you　had　two；〃　answered　my　father；　〃you　must　let　me　carry
them　both；　the　provisions　are　much　the　heavier　load。

George　fought　as　hard　as　a　dog　would　do；　till　my　father　said　that
they　must　not　quarrel　during　the　very　short　time　they　had　to　be
together。　　On　this　George　gave　up　one　rug　meekly　enough；　and　my
father　yielded　about　the　basket；　and　the　other　rug。

It　was　about　half…past　eleven　when　they　started；　and　it　was　after
one　before　they　reached　the　preserves。　　For　the　first　mile　from　the
town　they　were　not　much　hindered　by　the　darkness；　and　my　father
told　George　about　his　book　and　many　another　matter；　he　also
promised　George　to　say　nothing　about　this　second　visit。　　Then　the
road　became　more　rough；　and　when　it　dwindled　away　to　be　a　mere
lanebecoming　presently　only　a　foot　trackthey　had　to　mind　their
footsteps；　and　got　on　but　slowly。　　The　night　was　starlit；　and　warm；
considering　that　they　were　more　than　three　thousand　feet　above　the
sea；　but　it　was　very　dark；　so　that　my　father　was　well　enough
pleased　when　George　showed　him　the　white　stones　that　marked　the
boundary；　and　said　they　had　better　soon　make　themselves　as
comfortable　as　they　could　till　morning。

〃We　can　stay　here；〃　he　said；　〃till　half…past　three；　there　will　be　a
little　daylight　then；　we　will　rest　half　an　hour　for　breakfast　at
about　five；　and　by　noon　we　shall　be　at　the　statues；　where　we　will
dine。〃

This　being　settled；　George　rolled　himself　up　in　his　rug；　and　in　a
few　minutes　went　comfortably　off　to　sleep。　　Not　so　my　poor　father。
He　wound　up　his　watch；　wrapped　his　rug　round　him；　and　lay　down；　but
he　could　get　no　sleep。　　After　such　a　day；　and　such　an　evening；　how
could　any　one　have　slept？

About　three　the　first　signs　of　dawn　began　to　show；　and　half　an　hour
later　my　father　could　see　the　sleeping　face　of　his　sonwhom　it
went　to　his　heart　to　wake。　　Nevertheless　he　woke　him；　and　in　a　few
minutes　the　two　were　on　their　wayGeorge　as　fresh　as　a　larkmy
poor　father　intent　on　nothing　so　much　as　on　hiding　from　George　how
ill　and　unsound　in　body　and　mind　he　was　feeling。

They　walked　on；　saying　but　little；　till　at　five　by　my　father's
watch　George　proposed　a　halt　for　breakfast。　　The　spot　he　chose　was
a　grassy　oasis　among　the　trees；　carpeted　with　subalpine　flowers；
now　in　their　fullest　beauty；　and　close　to　a　small　stream　that　here
came　down　from　a　side　valley。　　The　freshness　of　the　morning　air；
the　extreme　beauty　of　the　place；　the　lovely　birds　that　flitted