erewhon revisited-第43章

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father。　　He　could　only　bow　his　head　and　cover　his　face　with　his
hands。　　Yram　said；　〃We　are　old　friends；　take　your　hands　from　your
face　and　let　me　see　you。　　There！　　That　is　well。〃

She　took　his　right　hand　between　both　hers；　looked　at　him　with　eyes
full　of　kindness；　and　said　softly　…

〃You　are　not　much　changed；　but　you　look　haggard；　worn；　and　ill；　I
am　uneasy　about　you。　　Remember；　you　are　among　friends；　who　will　see
that　no　harm　befalls　you。　　There　is　a　look　in　your　eyes　that
frightens　me。〃

As　she　spoke　she　took　the　wine　out　of　her　basket；　and　poured　him
out　a　glass；　but　rather　to　give　him　some　little　thing　to　distract
his　attention；　than　because　she　expected　him　to　drink　itwhich　he
could　not　do。

She　never　asked　him　whether　he　found　her　altered；　or　turned　the
conversation　ever　such　a　little　on　to　herself；　all　was　for　him；　to
soothe　and　comfort　him；　not　in　words　alone；　but　in　look；　manner；
and　voice。　　My　father　knew　that　he　could　thank　her　best　by
controlling　himself；　and　letting　himself　be　soothed　and　comforted
at　any　rate　so　far　as　he　could　seem　to　be。

Up　to　this　time　they　had　been　standing；　but　now　Yram；　seeing　my
father　calmer；　said；　〃Enough；　let　us　sit　down。〃

So　saying　she　seated　herself　at　one　end　of　the　small　table　that　was
in　the　cell；　and　motioned　my　father　to　sit　opposite　to　her。　　〃The
light　hurts　you？〃　she　said；　for　the　sun　was　coming　into　the　room。
〃Change　places　with　me；　I　am　a　sun　worshipper。　　No；　we　can　move　the
table；　and　we　can　then　see　each　other　better。〃

This　done；　she　said；　still　very　softly；　〃And　now　tell　me　what　it　is
all　about。　　Why　have　you　come　here？〃

〃Tell　me　first；〃　said　my　father；　〃what　befell　you　after　I　had　been
taken　away。　　Why　did　you　not　send　me　word　when　you　found　what　had
happened？　or　come　after　me？　　You　know　I　should　have　married　you　at
once；　unless　they　bound　me　in　fetters。〃

〃I　know　you　would；　but　you　remember　Mrs。　Humdrum？　　Yes；　I　see　you
do。　　I　told　her　everything；　it　was　she　who　saved　me。　　We　thought　of
you；　but　she　saw　that　it　would　not　do。　　As　I　was　to　marry　Mr。
Strong；　the　more　you　were　lost　sight　of　the　better；　but　with　George
ever　with　me　I　have　not　been　able　to　forget　you。　　I　might　have　been
very　happy　with　you；　but　I　could　not　have　been　happier　than　I　have
been　ever　since　that　short　dreadful　time　was　over。　　George　must
tell　you　the　rest。　　I　cannot　do　so。　　All　is　well。　　I　love　my
husband　with　my　whole　heart　and　soul；　and　he　loves　me　with　his。　　As
between　him　and　me；　he　knows　everything；　George　is　his　son；　not
yours；　we　have　settled　it　so；　though　we　both　know　otherwise；　as
between　you　and　me；　for　this　one　hour；　here；　there　is　no　use　in
pretending　that　you　are　not　George's　father。　　I　have　said　all　I
need　say。　　Now；　tell　me　what　I　asked　youWhy　are　you　here？〃

〃I　fear；〃　said　my　father；　set　at　rest　by　the　sweetness　of　Yram's
voice　and　mannerhe　told　me　he　had　never　seen　any　one　to　compare
with　her　except　my　mother〃I　fear；　to　do　as　much　harm　now　as　I　did
before；　and　with　as　little　wish　to　do　any　harm　at　all。〃

He　then　told　her　all　that　the　reader　knows；　and　explained　how　he
had　thought　he　could　have　gone　about　the　country　as　a　peasant；　and
seen　how　she　herself　had　fared；　without　her；　or　any　one；　even
suspecting　that　he　was　in　the　country。

〃You　say　your　wife　is　dead；　and　that　she　left　you　with　a　sonis　he
like　George？〃

〃In　mind　and　disposition；　wonderfully；　in　appearance；　no；　he　is
dark　and　takes　after　his　mother；　and　though　he　is　handsome；　he　is
not　so　good…looking　as　George。〃

〃No　one；〃　said　George's　mother；　〃ever　was；　or　ever　will　be；　and　he
is　as　good　as　he　looks。〃

〃I　should　not　have　believed　you　if　you　had　said　he　was　not。〃

〃That　is　right。　　I　am　glad　you　are　proud　of　him。　　He　irradiates　the
lives　of　every　one　of　us。〃

〃And　the　mere　knowledge　that　he　exists　will　irradiate　the　rest　of
mine。〃

〃Long　may　it　do　so。　　Let　us　now　talk　about　this　morningdid　you
mean　to　declare　yourself？〃

〃I　do　not　know　what　I　meant；　what　I　most　cared　about　was　the　doing
what　I　thought　George　would　wish　to　see　his　father　do。〃

〃You　did　that；　but　he　says　he　told　you　not　to　say　who　you　were。〃

〃So　he　did；　but　I　knew　what　he　would　think　right。　　He　was　uppermost
in　my　thoughts　all　the　time。〃

Yram　smiled；　and　said；　〃George　is　a　dangerous　person；　you　were　both
of　you　very　foolish；　one　as　bad　as　the　other。〃

〃I　do　not　know。　　I　do　not　know　anything。　　It　is　beyond　me；　but　I　am
at　peace　about　it；　and　hope　I　shall　do　the　like　again　to…morrow
before　the　Mayor。〃

〃I　heartily　hope　you　will　do　nothing　of　the　kind。　　George　tells　me
you　have　promised　him　to　be　good　and　to　do　as　we　bid　you。〃

〃So　I　will；　but　he　will　not　tell　me　to　say　that　I　am　not　what　I
am。〃

〃Yes；　he　will；　and　I　will　tell　you　why。　　If　we　permit　you　to　be
Higgs　the　Sunchild；　he　must　either　throw　his　own　father　into　the
Blue　Poolwhich　he　will　not　door　run　great　risk　of　being　thrown
into　it　himself；　for　not　having　Blue…Pooled　a　foreigner。　　I　am
afraid　we　shall　have　to　make　you　do　a　good　deal　that　neither　you
nor　we　shall　like。〃

She　then　told　him　briefly　of　what　had　passed　after　luncheon　at　her
house；　and　what　it　had　been　settled　to　do；　leaving　George　to　tell
the　details　while　escorting　him　towards　the　statues　on　the
following　evening。　　She　said　that　every　one　would　be　so　completely
in　every　one　else's　power　that　there　was　no　fear　of　any　one's
turning　traitor。　　But　she　said　nothing　about　George's　intention　of
setting　out　for　the　capital　on　Wednesday　morning　to　tell　the　whole
story　to　the　King。

〃Now；〃　she　said；　when　she　had　told　him　as　much　as　was　necessary；
〃be　good；　and　do　as　you　said　you　would。〃

〃I　will。　　I　will　deny　myself；　not　once；　nor　twice；　but　as　often　as
is　necessary。　　I　will　kiss　the　reliquary；　and　when　I　meet　Hanky　and
Panky　at　your　table；　I　will　be　sworn　brother　to　themso　long；　that
is；　as　George　is　out　of　hearing；　for　I　cannot　lie　well　to　them　when
he　is　listening。〃

〃Oh　yes；　you　can。　　He　will　understand　all　about　it；　he　enjoys
falsehood　as　well　as　we　all　do；　and　has　the　nicest　sense　of　when　to
lie　and　when　not　to　do　so。〃

〃What　gift　can　be　more　invaluable？〃

My　father；　knowing　that　he　might　not　have　another　chance　of　seeing
Yram　alone；　now　changed　the　conversation。

〃I　have　something；〃　he　said；　〃for　George；　but　he　must　know　nothing
about　it　till　after　I　am　gone。〃

As　he　spoke；　he　took　from　his　pockets　the　nine　small　bags　of
nuggets　that　remained　to　him。

〃But　this；〃　said　Yram；　〃being　gold；　is　a　large　sum：　　can　you　indeed
spare　it；　and　do　you　really　wish　George　to　have　it　all？〃

〃I　shall　be　very　unhappy　if　he　does　not；　but　he　must　know　nothing
about　it　till　I　am　out　of　Erewhon。〃

My　father　then　explained　to　her　that　he　was　now　very　rich；　and
would　have　brought　ten　times　as　much；　if　he　had　known　of　George's
existence。　　〃Then；〃　said　Yram；　musing；　〃if　you　are　rich；　I　accept
and　thank　you　heartily　on　his　behalf。　　I　can　see　a　reason　for　his
not　knowing　what　you　are　giving　him　at　present；　but　it　is　too　long
to　tell。〃

The　reason　was；　that　if　George　knew　of　this　gold　before　he　saw　the
King；　he　would　be　sure　to　tell　him　of　it；　and　the　King　might　claim
it；　for　George　would　never　explain　that　it　was　a　gift　from　father
to　son；　whereas　if　the　King　had　once　pardoned　him；　he　would　not　be
so　squeamish　as　to　open　up　the　whole　thing　again　with　a　postscript
to　his　confession。　　But　of　this　she　said　not　a　word。

My　father　then　told　her　of　the　box　of　sovereigns　that　he　had　left
in　his　saddle…bags。　　〃They　are　coined；〃　he　said；　〃and　George　will
have　to　melt　them　down；　but　he　will　find　some　way　of　doing　this。
They　will　be　worth　rather　more　than　these　nine　bags　of　nuggets。〃

〃The　difficulty　will　be　to　get　him　to　go　down　and　fetch　them；　for
it　is　against　his　oath　to　go　far　beyond　the　statues。　　If　you　could
be　taken　faint　and　say　you　wanted　help；　he　would　see　you　to　your
camping　ground　without　a　word；　but　he　would　be　angry　if　he　found　he
had　been　tricked　into　breaking　his　oath　in　order　that　money　might
be　given　him。　　It　would　never　do。　　Besides；　there　would　not　be
time；　for　he　must　be　back　here　on　Tuesday　night。　　No；　if　he　breaks
his　oath　he　must　do　it　with　his　eyes　openand　he　will　do　it　later
o