erewhon revisited-第29章

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had　been　led　to　throw　themselves　so　energetically　into　a　movement
so　subversive　of　all　their　traditions；　when；　as　it　seemed　to　him；
if　they　had　held　out　they　might　have　pricked　the　balloon　bubble
easily　enough；　and　maintained　everything　in　statu　quo。

How；　again；　had　they　converted　the　Kingif　they　had　converted　him？
The　Queen　had　had　full　knowledge　of　all　the　preparations　for　the
ascent。　　The　King　had　had　everything　explained　to　him。　　The　workmen
and　workwomen　who　had　made　the　balloon　and　the　gas　could　testify
that　none　but　natural　means　had　been　made　use　ofmeans　which；　if
again　employed　any　number　of　times；　would　effect　a　like　result。
How　could　it　be　that　when　the　means　of　resistance　were　so　ample　and
so　easy；　the　movement　should　nevertheless　have　been　irresistible？
For　had　it　not　been　irresistible；　was　it　to　be　believed　that　astute
men　like　Hanky　and　Panky　would　have　let　themselves　be　drawn　into
it？

What　then　had　been　its　inner　history？　　My　father　had　so　fully
determined　to　make　his　way　back　on　the　following　evening；　that　he
saw　no　chance　of　getting　to　know　the　factsunless；　indeed；　he
should　be　able　to　learn　something　from　Hanky's　sermon；　he　was
therefore　not　sorry　to　find　an　elderly　gentleman　of　grave　but
kindly　aspect　seated　opposite　to　him　when　he　sat　down　to　supper。

The　expression　on　this　man's　face　was　much　like　that　of　the　early
Christians　as　shewn　in　the　S。　Giovanni　Laterano　bas…reliefs　at
Rome；　and　again；　though　less　aggressively　self…confident；　like　that
on　the　faces　of　those　who　have　joined　the　Salvation　Army。　　If　he
had　been　in　England；　my　father　would　have　set　him　down　as　a
Swedenborgian；　this　being　impossible；　he　could　only　note　that　the
stranger　bowed　his　head；　evidently　saying　a　short　grace　before　he
began　to　eat；　as　my　father　had　always　done　when　he　was　in　Erewhon
before。　　I　will　not　say　that　my　father　had　never　omitted　to　say
grace　during　the　whole　of　the　last　twenty　years；　but　he　said　it
now；　and　unfortunately　forgetting　himself；　he　said　it　in　the
English　language；　not　loud；　but　nevertheless　audibly。

My　father　was　alarmed　at　what　he　had　done；　but　there　was　no　need；
for　the　stranger　immediately　said；　〃I　hear；　sir；　that　you　have　the
gift　of　tongues。　　The　Sunchild　often　mentioned　it　to　us；　as　having
been　vouchsafed　long　since　to　certain　of　the　people；　to　whom；　for
our　learning；　he　saw　fit　to　feign　that　he　belonged。　　He　thus
foreshadowed　prophetically　its　manifestation　also　among　ourselves。
All　which；　however；　you　must　know　as　well　as　I　do。　　Can　you
interpret？〃

My　father　was　much　shocked；　but　he　remembered　having　frequently
spoken　of　the　power　of　speaking　in　unknown　tongues　which　was
possessed　by　many　of　the　early　Christians；　and　he　also　remembered
that　in　times　of　high　religious　enthusiasm　this　power　had
repeatedly　been　imparted；　or　supposed　to　be　imparted；　to　devout
believers　in　the　middle　ages。　　It　grated　upon　him　to　deceive　one
who　was　so　obviously　sincere；　but　to　avoid　immediate　discomfiture
he　fell　in　with　what　the　stranger　had　said。

〃Alas！　sir；〃　said　he；　〃that　rarer　and　more　precious　gift　has　been
withheld　from　me；　nor　can　I　speak　in　an　unknown　tongue；　unless　as
it　is　borne　in　upon　me　at　the　moment。　　I　could　not　even　repeat　the
words　that　have　just　fallen　from　me。〃

〃That；〃　replied　the　stranger；　〃is　almost　invariably　the　case。
These　illuminations　of　the　spirit　are　beyond　human　control。　　You
spoke　in　so　low　a　tone　that　I　cannot　interpret　what　you　have　just
said；　but　should　you　receive　a　second　inspiration　later；　I　shall
doubtless　be　able　to　interpret　it　for　you。　　I　have　been　singularly
gifted　in　this　respectmore　so；　perhaps；　than　any　other
interpreter　in　Erewhon。〃

My　father　mentally　vowed　that　no　second　inspiration　should　be
vouchsafed　to　him；　but　presently　remembering　how　anxious　he　was　for
information　on　the　points　touched　upon　at　the　beginning　of　this
chapter；　and　seeing　that　fortune　had　sent　him　the　kind　of　man　who
would　be　able　to　enlighten　him；　he　changed　his　mind；　nothing；　he
reflected；　would　be　more　likely　to　make　the　stranger　talk　freely
with　him；　than　the　affording　him　an　opportunity　for　showing　off　his
skill　as　an　interpreter。

Something；　therefore；　he　would　say；　but　what？　　No　one　could　talk
more　freely　when　the　train　of　his　thoughts；　or　the　conversation　of
others；　gave　him　his　cue；　but　when　told　to　say　an　unattached
〃something；〃　he　could　not　even　think　of　〃How　do　you　do　this
morning？　it　is　a　very　fine　day；〃　and　the　more　he　cudgelled　his
brains　for　〃something；〃　the　more　they　gave　no　response。　　He　could
not　even　converse　further　with　the　stranger　beyond　plain　〃yes〃　and
〃no〃；　so　he　went　on　with　his　supper；　and　in　thinking　of　what　he　was
eating　and　drinking　for　the　moment　forgot　to　ransack　his　brain。　　No
sooner　had　he　left　off　ransacking　it；　than　it　suggested　something
not；　indeed；　a　very　brilliant　something；　but　still　something。　　On
having　grasped　it；　he　laid　down　his　knife　and　fork；　and　with　the
air　of　one　distraught　he　said　…


〃My　name　is　Norval；　on　the　Grampian　Hills
My　father　feeds　his　flocka　frugal　swain。〃


〃I　heard　you；〃　exclaimed　the　stranger；　〃and　I　can　interpret　every
word　of　what　you　have　said；　but　it　would　not　become　me　to　do　so；
for　you　have　conveyed　to　me　a　message　more　comforting　than　I　can
bring　myself　to　repeat　even　to　him　who　has　conveyed　it。〃

Having　said　this　he　bowed　his　head；　and　remained　for　some　time
wrapped　in　meditation。　　My　father　kept　a　respectful　silence；　but
after　a　little　time　he　ventured　to　say　in　a　low　tone；　how　glad　he
was　to　have　been　the　medium　through　whom　a　comforting　assurance　had
been　conveyed。　　Presently；　on　finding　himself　encouraged　to　renew
the　conversation；　he　threw　out　a　deferential　feeler　as　to　the
causes　that　might　have　induced　Mr。　Balmy　to　come　to　Fairmead。
〃Perhaps；〃　he　said；　〃you；　like　myself；　have　come　to　these　parts　in
order　to　see　the　dedication　of　the　new　temple；　I　could　not　get　a
lodging　in　Sunch'ston；　so　I　walked　down　here　this　morning。〃

This；　it　seemed；　had　been　Mr。　Balmy's　own　case；　except　that　he　had
not　yet　been　to　Sunch'ston。　　Having　heard　that　it　was　full　to
overflowing；　he　had　determined　to　pass　the　night　at　Fairmead；　and
walk　over　in　the　morningstarting　soon　after　seven；　so　as　to
arrive　in　good　time　for　the　dedication　ceremony。　　When　my　father
heard　this；　he　proposed　that　they　should　walk　together；　to　which
Mr。　Balmy　gladly　consented；　it　was　therefore　arranged　that　they
should　go　to　bed　early；　breakfast　soon　after　six；　and　then　walk　to
Sunch'ston。　　My　father　then　went　to　his　own　room；　where　he　again
smoked　a　surreptitious　pipe　up　the　chimney。

Next　morning　the　two　men　breakfasted　together；　and　set　out　as　the
clock　was　striking　seven。　　The　day　was　lovely　beyond　the　power　of
words；　and　still　freshfor　Fairmead　was　some　2500　feet　above　the
sea；　and　the　sun　did　not　get　above　the　mountains　that　overhung　it
on　the　east　side；　till　after　eight　o'clock。　　Many　persons　were　also
starting　for　Sunch'ston；　and　there　was　a　procession　got　up　by　the
Musical　Bank　Managers　of　the　town；　who　walked　in　it；　robed　in　rich
dresses　of　scarlet　and　white　embroidered　with　much　gold　thread。
There　was　a　banner　displaying　an　open　chariot　in　which　the　Sunchild
and　his　bride　were　seated；　beaming　with　smiles；　and　in　attitudes
suggesting　that　they　were　bowing　to　people　who　were　below　them。
The　chariot　was；　of　course；　drawn　by　the　four　black　and　white
horses　of　which　the　reader　has　already　heard；　and　the　balloon　had
been　ignored。　　Readers　of　my　father's　book　will　perhaps　remember
that　my　mother　was　not　seen　at　allshe　was　smuggled　into　the　car
of　the　balloon　along　with　sundry　rugs；　under　which　she　lay
concealed　till　the　balloon　had　left　the　earth。　　All　this　went　for
nothing。　　It　has　been　said　that　though　God　cannot　alter　the　past；
historians　can；　it　is　perhaps　because　they　can　be　useful　to　Him　in
this　respect　that　He　tolerates　their　existence。　　Painters；　my
father　now　realised；　can　do　all　that　historians　can；　with　even
greater　effect。

Women　headed　the　processionthe　younger　ones　dressed　in　white；
with　veils　and　chaplets　of　roses；　blue　cornflower；　and　pheasant's
eye　Narcissus；　while　the　older　women　were　more　soberly　attired。