erewhon revisited-第19章

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his　eyes　were　blue　like　minebut　you　will　have　noticed　this　at
dinner。〃

〃No；　my　dear；　I　did　not；　and　I　think　I　should　have　done　so　if　it
had　been　there　to　notice。〃

〃Oh；　but　it　was　so　indeed。〃

〃Perhaps。　　Was　there　anything　strange　about　his　way　of　talking？〃

〃A　little　about　his　grammar；　but　these　Bridgeford　Professors　have
often　risen　from　the　ranks。　　His　pronunciation　was　nearly　like
yours　and　mine。〃

〃Was　his　manner　friendly？〃

〃Very；　more　so　than　I　could　understand　at　first。　　I　had　not；
however；　been　with　him　long　before　I　saw　tears　in　his　eyes；　and
when　I　asked　him　whether　he　was　in　distress；　he　said　I　reminded　him
of　a　son　whom　he　had　lost　and　had　found　after　many　years；　only　to
lose　him　almost　immediately　for　ever。　　Hence　his　cordiality　towards
me。〃

〃Then；〃　said　Yram　half　hysterically　to　herself；　〃he　knew　who　you
were。　　Now；　how；　I　wonder；　did　he　find　that　out？〃　　All　vestige　of
doubt　as　to　who　the　man　might　be　had　now　left　her。

〃Certainly　he　knew　who　I　was。　　He　spoke　about　you　more　than　once；
and　wished　us　every　kind　of　prosperity；　baring　his　head　reverently
as　he　spoke。〃

〃Poor　fellow！　　Did　he　say　anything　about　Higgs？〃

〃A　good　deal；　and　I　was　surprised　to　find　he　thought　about　it　all
much　as　we　do。　　But　when　I　said　that　if　I　could　go　down　into　the
hell　of　which　Higgs　used　to　talk　to　you　while　he　was　in　prison；　I
should　expect　to　find　him　in　its　hottest　fires；　he　did　not　like
it。〃

〃Possibly　not；　my　dear。　　Did　you　tell　him　how　the　other　boys；　when
you　were　at　school；　used　sometimes　to　say　you　were　son　to　this　man
Higgs；　and　that　the　people　of　Sunch'ston　used　to　say　so　also；　till
the　Mayor　trounced　two　or　three　people　so　roundly　that　they　held
their　tongues　for　the　future？〃

〃Not　all　that；　but　I　said　that　silly　people　had　believed　me　to　be
the　Sunchild's　son；　and　what　a　disgrace　I　should　hold　it　to　be　son
to　such　an　impostor。〃

〃What　did　he　say　to　this？〃

〃He　asked　whether　I　should　feel　the　disgrace　less　if　Higgs　were　to
undo　the　mischief　he　had　caused　by　coming　back　and　shewing　himself
to　the　people　for　what　he　was。　　But　he　said　it　would　be　no　use　for
him　to　do　so；　inasmuch　as　people　would　kill　him　but　would　not
believe　him。〃

〃And　you　said？〃

〃Let　him　come　back；　speak　out；　and　chance　what　might　befall　him。
In　that　case；　I　should　honour　him；　father　or　no　father。〃

〃And　he？〃

〃He　asked　if　that　would　be　a　bargain；　and　when　I　said　it　would；　he
grasped　me　warmly　by　the　hand　on　Higgs's　behalfthough　what　it
could　matter　to　him　passes　my　comprehension。〃

〃But　he　saw　that　even　though　Higgs　were　to　shew　himself　and　say　who
he　was；　it　would　mean　death　to　himself　and　no　good　to　any　one
else？〃

〃Perfectly。〃

〃Then　he　can　have　meant　nothing　by　shaking　hands　with　you。　　It　was
an　idle　jest。　　And　now　for　your　poachers。　　You　do　not　know　who　they
were？　　I　will　tell　you。　　The　two　who　sat　on　the　one　side　the　fire
were　Professors　Hanky　and　Panky　from　the　City　of　the　People　who　are
above　Suspicion。〃

〃No；〃　said　George　vehemently。　　〃Impossible。〃

〃Yes；　my　dear　boy；　quite　possible；　and　whether　possible　or
impossible；　assuredly　true。〃

〃And　the　third　man？〃

〃The　third　man　was　dressed　in　the　old　costume。　　He　was　in
possession　of　several　brace　of　birds。　　The　Professors　vowed　they
had　not　eaten　any〃

〃Oh　yes；　but　they　had；〃　blurted　out　George。

〃Of　course　they　had；　my　dear；　and　a　good　thing　too。　　Let　us　return
to　the　man　in　the　old　costume。〃

〃That　is　puzzling。　　Who　did　he　say　he　was？〃

〃He　said　he　was　one　of　your　men；　that　you　had　instructed　him　to
provide　you　with　three　dozen　quails　for　Sunday；　and　that　you　let
your　men　wear　the　old　costume　if　they　had　any　of　it　left；　provided…
…〃

This　was　too　much　for　George；　he　started　to　his　feet。　　〃What；　my
dearest　mother；　does　all　this　mean？　　You　have　been　playing　with　me
all　through。　　What　is　coming？〃

〃A　very　little　more；　and　you　shall　hear。　　This　man　staid　with　the
Professors　till　nearly　midnight；　and　then　left　them　on　the　plea
that　he　would　finish　the　night　in　the　Ranger's　shelter〃

〃Ranger's　shelter；　indeed！　　Why〃

〃Hush；　my　darling　boy；　be　patient　with　me。　　He　said　he　must　be　up
betimes；　to　run　down　the　rest　of　the　quails　you　had　ordered　him　to
bring　you。　　But　before　leaving　the　Professors　he　beguiled　them　into
giving　him　up　their　permit。〃

〃Then；　said　George；　striding　about　the　room　with　his　face　flushed
and　his　eyes　flashing；　〃he　was　the　man　with　whom　I　walked　down　this
afternoon。〃

〃Exactly　so。〃

〃And　he　must　have　changed　his　dress？〃

〃Exactly　so。〃

〃But　where　and　how？〃

〃At　some　place　not　very　far　down　on　the　other　side　the　range；　where
he　had　hidden　his　old　clothes。〃

〃And　who；　in　the　name　of　all　that　we　hold　most　sacred；　do　you　take
him　to　have　beenfor　I　see　you　know　more　than　you　have　yet　told
me？〃

〃My　son；　he　was　Higgs　the　Sunchild；　father　to　that　boy　whom　I　love
next　to　my　husband　more　dearly　than　any　one　in　the　whole　world。〃

She　folded　her　arms　about　him　for　a　second；　without　kissing　him；
and　left　him。　　〃And　now；〃　she　said；　the　moment　she　had　closed　the
door〃and　now　I　may　cry。〃

*　*　*

She　did　not　cry　for　long；　and　having　removed　all　trace　of　tears　as
far　as　might　be；　she　returned　to　her　son　outwardly　composed　and
cheerful。　　〃Shall　I　say　more　now；〃　she　said；　seeing　how　grave　he
looked；　〃or　shall　I　leave　you；　and　talk　further　with　you　to…
morrow？〃

〃Nownownow！〃

〃Good！　　A　little　before　Higgs　came　here；　the　Mayor；　as　he　now　is；
poor；　handsome；　generous　to　a　fault　so　far　as　he　had　the
wherewithal；　was　adored　by　all　the　women　of　his　own　rank　in
Sunch'ston。　　Report　said　that　he　had　adored　many　of　them　in　return；
but　after　having　known　me　for　a　very　few　days；　he　asked　me　to　marry
him；　protesting　that　he　was　a　changed　man。　　I　liked　him；　as　every
one　else　did；　but　I　was　not　in　love　with　him；　and　said　so；　he　said
he　would　give　me　as　much　time　as　I　chose；　if　I　would　not　point…
blank　refuse　him；　and　so　the　matter　was　left。

〃Within　a　week　or　so　Higgs　was　brought　to　the　prison；　and　he　had
not　been　there　long　before　I　found；　or　thought　I　found；　that　I
liked　him　better　than　I　liked　Strong。　　I　was　a　foolbut　there！　　As
for　Higgs；　he　liked；　but　did　not　love　me。　　If　I　had　let　him　alone
he　would　have　done　the　like　by　me；　and　let　each　other　alone　we　did；
till　the　day　before　he　was　taken　down　to　the　capital。　　On　that　day；
whether　through　his　fault　or　mine　I　know　notwe　neither　of　us
meant　itit　was　as　though　Nature；　my　dear；　was　determined　that　you
should　not　slip　through　her　fingerswell；　on　that　day　we　took　it
into　our　heads　that　we　were　broken…hearted　loversthe　rest
followed。　　And　how；　my　dearest　boy；　as　I　look　upon　you；　can　I　feign
repentance？

〃My　husband；　who　never　saw　Higgs；　and　knew　nothing　about　him　except
the　too　little　that　I　told　him；　pressed　his　suit；　and　about　a　month
after　Higgs　had　gone；　having　recovered　my　passing　infatuation　for
him；　I　took　kindly　to　the　Mayor　and　accepted　him；　without　telling
him　what　I　ought　to　have　told　himbut　the　words　stuck　in　my
throat。　　I　had　not　been　engaged　to　him　many　days　before　I　found
that　there　was　something　which　I　should　not　be　able　to　hide　much
longer。

〃You　know；　my　dear；　that　my　mother　had　been　long　dead；　and　I　never
had　a　sister　or　any　near　kinswoman。　　At　my　wits'　end　who　I　should
consult；　instinct　drew　me　to　Mrs。　Humdrum；　then　a　woman　of　about
five…and…forty。　　She　was　a　grand　lady；　while　I　was　about　the　rank
of　one　of　my　own　housemaids。　　I　had　no　claim　on　her；　I　went　to　her
as　a　lost　dog　looks　into　the　faces　of　people　on　a　road；　and　singles
out　the　one　who　will　most　surely　help　him。　　I　had　had　a　good　look
at　her　once　as　she　was　putting　on　her　gloves；　and　I　liked　the　way
she　did　it。　　I　marvel　at　my　own　boldness。　　At　any　rate；　I　asked　to
see　her；　and　told　her　my　story　exactly　as　I　have　now　told　it　to
you。

〃'You　have　no　mother？'　she　said；　when　she　had　heard　all。

〃'No。'

〃'Then；　my　dear；　I　will　mother　you　myself。　　Higgs　is　out　of　the
question；　so　Strong　must　marry　you　at　once。　　We　will　tell　him
everything；　and　I；　on　your　behalf；　will　insist　upon　it　that　the
engagement　is　at　an　end。　　I　hear　good　reports　of　him；　and　if　we　are
fair　towards　him　he　will　be　generous