erewhon revisited-第45章

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the　arrest　of　a　man；　who；　however　foolish；　and　indeed　guilty；　he　is
in　other　respects；　is　innocent　of　the　particular　crime　imputed　to
him。　　The　circumstances　that　led　to　his　arrest　have　reached　us　from
an　exceptionally　well…informed　source；　and　are　as　follows：…

〃Our　distinguished　guests；　Professors　Hanky　and　Panky；　both　of　them
justly　celebrated　archaeologists；　had　availed　themselves　of　the
opportunity　afforded　them　by　their　visit　to　Sunch'ston；　to　inspect
the　mysterious　statues　at　the　head　of　the　stream　that　comes　down
near　this　city；　and　which　have　hitherto　baffled　all　those　who　have
tried　to　ascertain　their　date　and　purpose。

〃On　their　descent　after　a　fatiguing　day　the　Professors　were
benighted；　and　lost　their　way。　　Seeing　the　light　of　a　small　fire
among　some　trees　near　them；　they　made　towards　it；　hoping　to　be
directed　rightly；　and　found　a　man；　respectably　dressed；　sitting　by
the　fire　with　several　brace　of　quails　beside　him；　some　of　them
plucked。　　Believing　that　in　spite　of　his　appearance；　which　would
not　have　led　them　to　suppose　that　he　was　a　poacher；　he　must
unquestionably　be　one；　they　hurriedly　enquired　their　way；　intending
to　leave　him　as　soon　as　they　had　got　their　answer；　he；　however；
attacked　them；　or　made　as　though　he　would　do　so；　and　said　he　would
show　them　a　way　which　they　should　be　in　no　fear　of　losing；　whereon
Professor　Hanky；　with　a　well…directed　blow；　felled　him　to　the
ground。　　The　two　Professors；　fearing　that　other　poachers　might　come
to　his　assistance；　made　off　as　nearly　as　they　could　guess　in　the
direction　of　Sunch'ston。　　When　they　had　gone　a　mile　or　two　onward
at　haphazard；　they　sat　down　under　a　large　tree；　and　waited　till　day
began　to　break；　they　then　resumed　their　journey；　and　before　long
struck　a　path　which　led　them　to　a　spot　from　which　they　could　see
the　towers　of　the　new　temple。

〃Fatigued　though　they　were；　they　waited　before　taking　the　rest　of
which　they　stood　much　in　need；　till　they　had　reported　their
adventure　at　the　Ranger's　office。　　The　Ranger　was　still　out　on　the
preserves；　but　immediately　on　his　return　on　Saturday　morning　he
read　the　description　of　the　poacher's　appearance　and　dress；　about
which　last；　however；　the　only　remarkable　feature　was　that　it　was
better　than　a　poacher　might　be　expected　to　possess；　and　gave　an　air
of　respectability　to　the　wearer　that　might　easily　disarm　suspicion。

〃The　Ranger　made　enquiries　at　all　the　inns　in　Sunch'ston；　and　at
length　succeeded　in　hearing　of　a　stranger　who　appeared　to
correspond　with　the　poacher　whom　the　Professors　had　seen；　but　the
man　had　already　left；　and　though　the　Ranger　did　his　best　to　trace
him　he　did　not　succeed。　　On　Sunday　morning；　however；　he　observed
the　prisoner；　and　found　that　he　answered　the　description　given　by
the　Professors；　he　therefore　arrested　him　quietly　in　the　temple；
but　told　him　that　he　should　not　take　him　to　prison　till　the　service
was　over。　　The　man　said　he　would　come　quietly　inasmuch　as　he　should
easily　be　able　to　prove　his　innocence。　　In　the　meantime；　however；
he　professed　the　utmost　anxiety　to　hear　Professor　Hanky's　sermon；
which　he　said　he　believed　would　concern　him　nearly。　　The　Ranger
paid　no　attention　to　this；　and　was　as　much　astounded　as　the　rest　of
the　congregation　were；　when　immediately　after　one　of　Professor
Hanky's　most　eloquent　passages；　the　man　started　up　and　declared
himself　to　be　the　Sunchild。　　On　this　the　Ranger　took　him　away　at
once；　and　for　the　man's　own　protection　hurried　him　off　to　prison。

〃Professor　Hanky　was　so　much　shocked　at　such　outrageous　conduct；
that　for　the　moment　he　failed　to　recognise　the　offender；　after　a
few　seconds；　however；　he　grasped　the　situation；　and　knew　him　to　be
one　who　on　previous　occasions；　near　Bridgeford；　had　done　what　he
was　now　doing。　　It　seems　that　he　is　notorious　in　the　neighbourhood
of　Bridgeford；　as　a　monomaniac　who　is　so　deeply　impressed　with　the
beauty　of　the　Sunchild's　characterand　we　presume　also　of　his　own…
…as　to　believe　that　he　is　himself　the　Sunchild。

〃Recovering　almost　instantly　from　the　shock　the　interruption　had
given　him；　the　learned　Professor　calmed　his　hearers　by　acquainting
them　with　the　facts　of　the　case；　and　continued　his　sermon　to　the
delight　of　all　who　heard　it。　　We　should　say；　however；　that　the
gentleman　who　twenty　years　ago　instructed　the　Sunchild　in　the
Erewhonian　language；　was　so　struck　with　some　few　points　of
resemblance　between　the　stranger；　and　his　former　pupil；　that　he
acclaimed　him；　and　was　removed　forcibly　by　the　vergers。

〃On　Monday　morning　the　prisoner　was　brought　up　before　the　Mayor。
We　cannot　say　whether　it　was　the　sobering　effect　of　prison　walls；
or　whether　he　had　been　drinking　before　he　entered　the　temple；　and
had　now　had　time　enough　to　recover　himselfat　any　rate　for　some
reason　or　other　he　was　abjectly　penitent　when　his　case　came　on　for
hearing。　　The　charge　of　poaching　was　first　gone　into；　but　was
immediately　disposed　of　by　the　evidence　of　the　two　Professors；　who
stated　that　the　prisoner　bore　no　resemblance　to　the　poacher　they
had　seen；　save　that　he　was　about　the　same　height　and　age；　and　was
respectably　dressed。

〃The　charge　of　disturbing　the　congregation　by　declaring　himself　the
Sunchild　was　then　proceeded　with；　and　unnecessary　as　it　may　appear
to　be；　it　was　thought　advisable　to　prevent　all　possibility　of　the
man's　assertion　being　accepted　by　the　ignorant　as　true；　at　some
later　date；　when　those　who　could　prove　its　falsehood　were　no　longer
living。　　The　prisoner；　therefore；　was　removed　to　his　cell；　and
there　measured　by　the　Master　of　the　Gaol；　and　the　Ranger　in　the
presence　of　the　Mayor；　who　attested　the　accuracy　of　the
measurements。　　Not　one　single　one　of　them　corresponded　with　those
recorded　of　the　Sunchild　himself；　and　a　few　marks　such　as　moles；
and　permanent　scars　on　the　Sunchild's　body　were　not　found　on　the
prisoner's。　　Furthermore　the　prisoner　was　shaggy…breasted；　with
much　coarse　jet　black　hair　on　the　fore…arms　and　from　the　knees
downwards；　whereas　the　Sunchild　had　little　hair　save　on　his　head；
and　what　little　there　was；　was　fine；　and　very　light　in　colour。

〃Confronted　with　these　discrepancies；　the　gentleman　who　had　taught
the　Sunchild　our　language　was　convinced　of　his　mistake；　though　he
still　maintained　that　there　was　some　superficial　likeness　between
his　former　pupil　and　the　prisoner。　　Here　he　was　confirmed　by　the
Master　of　the　Gaol；　the　Mayoress；　Mrs。　Humdrum；　and　Professors
Hanky　and　Panky；　who　all　of　them　could　see　what　the　interpreter
meant；　but　denied　that　the　prisoner　could　be　mistaken　for　the
Sunchild　for　more　than　a　few　seconds。　　No　doubt　the　prisoner's
unhappy　delusion　has　been　fostered；　if　not　entirely　caused；　by　his
having　been　repeatedly　told　that　he　was　like　the　Sunchild。　　The
celebrated　Dr。　Downie；　who　well　remembers　the　Sunchild；　was　also
examined；　and　gave　his　evidence　with　so　much　convincing　detail　as
to　make　it　unnecessary　to　call　further　witnesses。

〃It　having　been　thus　once　for　all　officially　and　authoritatively
placed　on　record　that　the　prisoner　was　not　the　Sunchild；　Professors
Hanky　and　Panky　then　identified　him　as　a　well　known　monomaniac　on
the　subject　of　Sunchildism；　who　in　other　respects　was　harmless。　　We
withhold　his　name　and　place　of　abode；　out　of　consideration　for　the
well　known　and　highly　respectable　family　to　which　he　belongs。　　The
prisoner　admitted　with　much　contrition　that　he　had　made　a
disturbance　in　the　temple；　but　pleaded　that　he　had　been　carried
away　by　the　eloquence　of　Professor　Hanky；　he　promised　to　avoid　all
like　offence　in　future；　and　threw　himself　on　the　mercy　of　the
court。

〃The　Mayor；　unwilling　that　Sunday's　memorable　ceremony　should　be
the　occasion　of　a　serious　punishment　to　any　of　those　who　took　part
in　it；　reprimanded　the　prisoner　in　a　few　severe　but　not　unkindly
words；　inflicted　a　fine　of　forty　shillings；　and　ordered　that　the
prisoner　should　be　taken　directly　to　the　temple；　where　he　should
confess　his　folly　to　the　Manager　and　Head　Cashier；　and　confirm　his
words　by　kissing　the　reliquary　in　which　the　newly　found　relic　has
been　placed。　　The　prisoner　being　unable　to　pay　the　fine；　some　of
the　ladies　and　gentlemen　in　court　kindly　raised　the　amount　amongst
them；　in