erewhon revisited-第31章

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straighteners。〃

〃But　the　straighteners；〃　said　my　father；　〃could　not　co…exist　with
Sunchildism；　and　it　is　hard　to　see　how　the　claims　of　the　Banks　can
be　reasonably　gainsaid。〃

〃Perhaps；　and　after　all　the　Banks　are　our　main　bulwark　against　the
evils　that　I　fear　will　follow　from　the　repeal　of　the　laws　against
machinery。　　This　has　already　led　to　the　development　of　a
materialism　which　minimizes　the　miraculous　element　in　the
Sunchild's　ascent；　as　our　own　people　minimize　the　material　means
that　were　the　necessary　prologue　to　the　miraculous。〃

Thus　did　they　converse；　but　I　will　not　pursue　their　conversation
further。　　It　will　be　enough　to　say　that　in　further　floods　of　talk
Mr。　Balmy　confirmed　what　George　had　said　about　the　Banks　having
lost　their　hold　upon　the　masses。　　That　hold　was　weak　even　in　the
time　of　my　father's　first　visit；　but　when　the　people　saw　the
hostility　of　the　Banks　to　a　movement　which　far　the　greater　number
of　them　accepted；　it　seemed　as　though　both　Bridgeford　and　the　Banks
were　doomed；　for　Bridgeford　was　heart　and　soul　with　the　Banks。
Hanky；　it　appeared；　though　under　thirty；　and　not　yet　a　Professor；
grasped　the　situation；　and　saw　that　Bridgeford　must　either　move
with　the　times；　or　go。　　He　consulted　some　of　the　most　sagacious
Heads　of　Houses　and　Professors；　with　the　result　that　a　committee　of
enquiry　was　appointed；　which　in　due　course　reported　that　the
evidence　for　the　Sunchild's　having　been　the　only　child　of　the　sun
was　conclusive。　　It　was　about　this　timethat　is　to　say　some　three
years　after　his　ascentthat　〃Higgsism；〃　as　it　had　been　hitherto
called；　became　〃Sunchildism；〃　and　〃Higgs〃　the　〃Sunchild。〃

My　father　also　learned　the　King's　fury　at　his　escape　（for　he　would
call　it　nothing　else）　with　my　mother。　　This　was　so　great　that
though　he　had　hitherto　been；　and　had　ever　since　proved　himself　to
be；　a　humane　ruler；　he　ordered　the　instant　execution　of　all　who　had
been　concerned　in　making　either　the　gas　or　the　balloon；　and　his
cruel　orders　were　carried　out　within　a　couple　of　hours。　　At　the
same　time　he　ordered　the　destruction　by　fire　of　the　Queen's
workshops；　and　of　all　remnants　of　any　materials　used　in　making　the
balloon。　　It　is　said　the　Queen　was　so　much　grieved　and　outraged
（for　it　was　her　doing　that　the　material　ground…work；　so　to　speak；
had　been　provided　for　the　miracle）　that　she　wept　night　and　day
without　ceasing　three　whole　months；　and　never　again　allowed　her
husband　to　embrace　her；　till　he　had　also　embraced　Sunchildism。

When　the　rain　came；　public　indignation　at　the　King's　action　was
raised　almost　to　revolution　pitch；　and　the　King　was　frightened　at
once　by　the　arrival　of　the　promised　downfall　and　the　displeasure　of
his　subjects。　　But　he　still　held　out；　and　it　was　only　after
concessions　on　the　part　of　the　Bridgeford　committee；　that　he　at
last　consented　to　the　absorption　of　Sunchildism　into　the　Musical
Bank　system；　and　to　its　establishment　as　the　religion　of　the
country。　　The　far…reaching　changes　in　Erewhonian　institutions　with
which　the　reader　is　already　acquainted　followed　as　a　matter　of
course。

〃I　know　the　difficulty；〃　said　my　father　presently；　〃with　which　the
King　was　persuaded　to　allow　the　way　in　which　the　Sunchild's　dress
should　be　worn　to　be　a　matter　of　opinion；　not　dogma。　　I　see　we　have
adopted　different　fashions。　　Have　you　any　decided　opinions　upon　the
subject？〃

〃I　have；　but　I　will　ask　you　not　to　press　me　for　them。　　Let　this
matter　remain　as　the　King　has　left　it。〃

My　father　thought　that　he　might　now　venture　on　a　shot。　　So　he　said；
〃I　have　always　understood；　too；　that　the　King　forced　the　repeal　of
the　laws　against　machinery　on　the　Bridgeford　committee；　as　another
condition　of　his　assent？〃

〃Certainly。　　He　insisted　on　this；　partly　to　gratify　the　Queen；　who
had　not　yet　forgiven　him；　and　who　had　set　her　heart　on　having　a
watch；　and　partly　because　he　expected　that　a　development　of　the
country's　resources；　in　consequence　of　a　freer　use　of　machinery；
would　bring　more　money　into　his　exchequer。　　Bridgeford　fought　hard
and　wisely　here；　but　they　had　gained　so　much　by　the　Musical　Bank
Managers　being　recognised　as　the　authorised　exponents　of
Sunchildism；　that　they　thought　it　wise　to　yieldapparently　with　a
good　graceand　thus　gild　the　pill　which　his　Majesty　was　about　to
swallow。　　But　even　then　they　feared　the　consequences　that　are
already　beginning　to　appear；　all　which；　if　I　mistake　not；　will
assume　far　more　serious　proportions　in　the　future。〃

〃See；〃　said　my　father　suddenly；　〃we　are　coming　to　another
procession；　and　they　have　got　some　banners；　let　us　walk　a　little
quicker　and　overtake　it。〃

〃Horrible！〃　replied　Mr。　Balmy　fiercely。　　〃You　must　be　short…
sighted；　or　you　could　never　have　called　my　attention　to　it。　　Let　us
get　it　behind　us　as　fast　as　possible；　and　not　so　much　as　look　at
it。〃

〃Oh　yes；　yes；〃　said　my　father；　〃it　is　indeed　horrible；　I　had　not
seen　what　it　was。〃

He　had　not　the　faintest　idea　what　the　matter　was；　but　he　let　Mr。
Balmy　walk　a　little　ahead　of　him；　so　that　he　could　see　the　banners；
the　most　important　of　which　he　found　to　display　a　balloon　pure　and
simple；　with　one　figure　in　the　car。　　True；　at　the　top　of　the　banner
there　was　a　smudge　which　might　be　taken　for　a　little　chariot；　and
some　very　little　horses；　but　the　balloon　was　the　only　thing
insisted　on。　　As　for　the　procession；　it　consisted　entirely　of　men；
whom　a　smaller　banner　announced　to　be　workmen　from　the　Fairmead
iron　and　steel　works。　　There　was　a　third　banner；　which　said；
〃Science　as　well　as　Sunchildism。〃



CHAPTER　XV：　　THE　TEMPLE　IS　DEDICATED　TO　MY　FATHER；　AND　CERTAIN
EXTRACTS　ARE　READ　FROM　HIS　SUPPOSED　SAYINGS



〃It　is　enough　to　break　one's　heart；〃　said　Mr。　Balmy　when　he　had
outstripped　the　procession；　and　my　father　was　again　beside　him。
〃'As　well　as；'　indeed！　　We　know　what　that　means。　　Wherever　there　is
a　factory　there　is　a　hot…bed　of　unbelief。　　'As　well　as'！　　Why　it　is
a　defiance。〃

〃What；　I　wonder；〃　said　my　father　innocently；　〃must　the　Sunchild's
feelings　be；　as　he　looks　down　on　this　procession。　　For　there　can　be
little　doubt　that　he　is　doing　so。〃

〃There　can　be　no　doubt　at　all；〃　replied　Mr。　Balmy；　〃that　he　is
taking　note　of　it；　and　of　all　else　that　is　happening　this　day　in
Erewhon。　　Heaven　grant　that　he　be　not　so　angered　as　to　chastise　the
innocent　as　well　as　the　guilty。〃

〃I　doubt；〃　said　my　father；　〃his　being　so　angry　even　with　this
procession；　as　you　think　he　is。〃

Here；　fearing　an　outburst　of　indignation；　he　found　an　excuse　for
rapidly　changing　the　conversation。　　Moreover　he　was　angry　with
himself　for　playing　upon　this　poor　good　creature。　　He　had　not　done
so　of　malice　prepense；　he　had　begun　to　deceive　him；　because　he
believed　himself　to　be　in　danger　if　he　spoke　the　truth；　and　though
he　knew　the　part　to　be　an　unworthy　one；　he　could　not　escape　from
continuing　to　play　it；　if　he　was　to　discover　things　that　he　was　not
likely　to　discover　otherwise。

Often；　however；　he　had　checked　himself。　　It　had　been　on　the　tip　of
his　tongue　to　be　illuminated　with　the　words；


Sukoh　and　Sukop　were　two　pretty　men；
They　lay　in　bed　till　the　clock　struck　ten；


and　to　follow　it　up　with；


Now　with　the　drops　of　this　most　Yknarc　time
My　love　looks　fresh；


in　order　to　see　how　Mr。　Balmy　would　interpret　the　assertion　here
made　about　the　Professors；　and　what　statement　he　would　connect　with
his　own　Erewhonian　name；　but　he　had　restrained　himself。

The　more　he　saw；　and　the　more　he　heard；　the　more　shocked　he　was　at
the　mischief　he　had　done。　　See　how　he　had　unsettled　the　little　mind
this　poor；　dear；　good　gentleman　had　ever　had；　till　he　was　now　a
mere　slave　to　preconception。　　And　how　many　more　had　he　not　in　like
manner　brought　to　the　verge　of　idiocy？　　How　many　again　had　he　not
made　more　corrupt　than　they　were　before；　even　though　he　had　not
deceived　themas　for　example；　Hanky　and　Panky。　　And　the　young？　how
could　such　a　lie　as　that　a　chariot　and　four　horses　came　down　out　of
the　clouds　enter　seriously　into　the　life　of　any　one；　without
distorting　his　mental　vision；　if　not　ruining　it？

And　yet；　the　more　he　reflected；　the　more　he　also　saw　that　he　could
do　no　good　by　saying　who　he　was。　　Matters　had　gone　so　far　that
thou