erewhon revisited-第36章

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Almost　immediately；　however；　he　perceived　that　while　his　eyes　had
been　turned　on　Hanky；　two　burly　vergers　had　wormed　their　way
through　the　crowd　and　taken　their　stand　close　to　his　two　brothers。
Then　he　understood；　and　understood　also　how　to　frustrate。

As　for　my　father；　George's　ascendancy　over　himquite　felt　by
Georgewas　so　absolute　that　he　could　think　of　nothing　now　but　the
exceeding　great　joy　of　finding　his　fears　groundless；　and　of
delivering　himself　up　to　his　son's　guidance　in　the　assurance　that
the　void　in　his　heart　was　filled；　and　that　his　wager　not　only　would
be　held　as　won；　but　was　being　already　paid。　　How　they　had　found
out；　why　he　was　not　to　speak　as　he　would　assuredly　have　donefor
he　was　in　a　white　heat　of　furywhat　did　it　all　matter　now　that　he
had　found　that　which　he　had　feared　he　should　fail　to　find？　　He　gave
George　a　puzzled　smile；　and　composed　himself　as　best　he　could　to
hear　the　continuation　of　Hanky's　sermon；　which　was　as　follows：…

〃Who　could　the　Sunchild　have　chosen；　even　though　he　had　been　gifted
with　no　more　than　human　sagacity；　but　the　body　of　men　whom　he
selected？　　It　becomes　me　but　ill　to　speak　so　warmly　in　favour　of
that　body　of　whom　I　am　the　least　worthy　member；　but　what　other　is
there　in　Erewhon　so　above　all　suspicion　of　slovenliness；　self…
seeking；　preconceived　bias；　or　bad　faith？　　If　there　was　one　set　of
qualities　more　essential　than　another　for　the　conduct　of　the
investigations　entrusted　to　us　by　the　Sunchild；　it　was　those　that
turn　on　meekness　and　freedom　from　all　spiritual　pride。　　I　believe　I
can　say　quite　truly　that　these　are　the　qualities　for　which
Bridgeford　is　more　especially　renowned。　　The　readiness　of　her
Professors　to　learn　even　from　those　who　at　first　sight　may　seem
least　able　to　instruct　themthe　gentleness　with　which　they　correct
an　opponent　if　they　feel　it　incumbent　upon　them　to　do　so；　the
promptitude　with　which　they　acknowledge　error　when　it　is　pointed
out　to　them　and　quit　a　position　no　matter　how　deeply　they　have　been
committed　to　it；　at　the　first　moment　in　which　they　see　that　they
cannot　hold　it　righteously；　their　delicate　sense　of　honour；　their
utter　immunity　from　what　the　Sunchild　used　to　call　log…rolling　or
intrigue；　the　scorn　with　which　they　regard　anything　like　hitting
below　the　beltthese　I　believe　I　may　truly　say　are　the　virtues　for
which　Bridgeford　is　pre…eminently　renowned。〃

The　Professor　went　on　to　say　a　great　deal　more　about　the　fitness　of
Bridgeford　and　the　Musical　Bank　managers　for　the　task　imposed　on
them　by　the　Sunchild；　but　here　my　father's　attention　flaggednor；
on　looking　at　the　verbatim　report　of　the　sermon　that　appeared　next
morning　in　the　leading　Sunch'ston　journal；　do　I　see　reason　to
reproduce　Hanky's　words　on　this　head。　　It　was　all　to　shew　that
there　had　been　no　possibility　of　mistake。

Meanwhile　George　was　writing　on　a　scrap　of　paper　as　though　he　was
taking　notes　of　the　sermon。　　Presently　he　slipped　this　into　my
father's　hand。　　It　ran：…

〃You　see　those　vergers　standing　near　my　brothers；　who　gave　up　their
seats　to　us。　　Hanky　tried　to　goad　you　into　speaking　that　they　might
arrest　you；　and　get　you　into　the　Bank　prisons。　　If　you　fall　into
their　hands　you　are　lost。　　I　must　arrest　you　instantly　on　a　charge
of　poaching　on　the　King's　preserves；　and　make　you　my　prisoner。　　Let
those　vergers　catch　sight　of　the　warrant　which　I　shall　now　give
you。　　Read　it　and　return　it　to　me。　　Come　with　me　quietly　after
service。　　I　think　you　had　better　not　reveal　yourself　at　all。〃

As　soon　as　he　had　given　my　father　time　to　read　the　foregoing；
George　took　a　warrant　out　of　his　pocket。　　My　father　pretended　to
read　it　and　returned　it。　　George　then　laid　his　hand　on　his
shoulder；　and　in　an　undertone　arrested　him。　　He　then　wrote　on
another　scrap　of　paper　and　passed　it　on　to　the　elder　of　his　two
brothers。　　It　was　to　the　effect　that　he　had　now　arrested　my　father；
and　that　if　the　vergers　attempted　in　any　way　to　interfere　between
him　and　his　prisoner；　his　brothers　were　to　arrest　both　of　them；
which；　as　special　constables；　they　had　power　to　do。

Yram　had　noted　Hanky's　attempt　to　goad　my　father；　and　had　not　been
prepared　for　his　stealing　a　march　upon　her　by　trying　to　get　my
father　arrested　by　Musical　Bank　officials；　rather　than　by　her　son。
On　the　preceding　evening　this　last　plan　had　been　arranged　on；　and
she　knew　nothing　of　the　note　that　Hanky　had　sent　an　hour　or　two
later　to　the　Manager　of　the　templethe　substance　of　which　the
reader　can　sufficiently　guess。　　When　she　had　heard　Hanky's　words
and　saw　the　vergers；　she　was　for　a　few　minutes　seriously　alarmed；
but　she　was　reassured　when　she　saw　George　give　my　father　the
warrant；　and　her　two　sons　evidently　explaining　the　position　to　the
vergers。

Hanky　had　by　this　time　changed　his　theme；　and　was　warning　his
hearers　of　the　dangers　that　would　follow　on　the　legalization　of　the
medical　profession；　and　the　repeal　of　the　edicts　against　machines。
Space　forbids　me　to　give　his　picture　of　the　horrible　tortures　that
future　generations　would　be　put　to　by　medical　men；　if　these　were
not　duly　kept　in　check　by　the　influence　of　the　Musical　Banks；　the
horrors　of　the　inquisition　in　the　middle　ages　are　nothing　to　what
he　depicted　as　certain　to　ensue　if　medical　men　were　ever　to　have
much　money　at　their　command。　　The　only　people　in　whose　hands　money
might　be　trusted　safely　were　those　who　presided　over　the　Musical
Banks。　　This　tirade　was　followed　by　one　not　less　alarming　about　the
growth　of　materialistic　tendencies　among　the　artisans　employed　in
the　production　of　mechanical　inventions。　　My　father；　though　his
eyes　had　been　somewhat　opened　by　the　second　of　the　two　processions
he　had　seen　on　his　way　to　Sunch'ston；　was　not　prepared　to　find　that
in　spite　of　the　superficially　almost　universal　acceptance　of　the
new　faith；　there　was　a　powerful；　and　it　would　seem　growing；
undercurrent　of　scepticism；　with　a　desire　to　reduce　his　escape　with
my　mother　to　a　purely　natural　occurence。

〃It　is　not　enough；〃　said　Hanky；　〃that　the　Sunchild　should　have
ensured　the　preparation　of　authoritative　evidence　of　his
supernatural　character。　　The　evidences　happily　exist　in
overwhelming　strength；　but　they　must　be　brought　home　to　minds　that
as　yet　have　stubbornly　refused　to　receive　them。　　During　the　last
five　years　there　has　been　an　enormous　increase　in　the　number　of
those　whose　occupation　in　the　manufacture　of　machines　inclines　them
to　a　materialistic　explanation　even　of　the　most　obviously
miraculous　events；　and　the　growth　of　this　class　in　our　midst
constituted；　and　still　constitutes；　a　grave　danger　to　the　state。

〃It　was　to　meet　this　that　the　society　was　formed　on　behalf　of　which
I　appeal　fearlessly　to　your　generosity。　　It　is　called；　as　most　of
you　doubtless　know；　the　Sunchild　Evidence　Society；　and　his　Majesty
the　King　graciously　consented　to　become　its　Patron。　　This　society
not　only　collects　additional　evidencesindeed　it　is　entirely　due
to　its　labours　that　the　precious　relic　now　in　this　temple　was
discoveredbut　it　is　its　beneficent　purpose　to　lay　those　that　have
been　authoritatively　investigated　before　men　who；　if　left　to
themselves；　would　either　neglect　them　altogether；　or　worse　still
reject　them。

〃For　the　first　year　or　two　the　efforts　of　the　society　met　with　but
little　success　among　those　for　whose　benefit　they　were　more
particularly　intended；　but　during　the　present　year　the　working
classes　in　some　cities　and　towns　（stimulated　very　much　by　the
lectures　of　my　illustrious　friend　Professor　Panky）　have　shewn　a
most　remarkable　and　zealous　interest　in　Sunchild　evidences；　and
have　formed　themselves　into　local　branches　for　the　study　and
defence　of　Sunchild　truth。

〃Yet　in　spite　of　all　this　needof　all　this　patient　labour　and
really　very　gratifying　successthe　subscriptions　to　the　society　no
longer　furnish　it　with　its　former　very　modest　incomean　income
which　is　deplorably　insufficient　if　the　organization　is　to　be　kept
effective；　and　the　work　adequately　performed。　　In　spite　of　the　most
rigid　economy；　the　committee　have　been　compelled　to　part　with　a
considerable　portion　of　their　small　reserve　fund　（provided　by　a
legacy）　to　tide　over　difficulties。　　But　this　method　of　balancing
expenditu