erewhon revisited-第46章

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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　pity　for　the　poor　creature's　obvious　contrition；　rather
than　see　him　sent　to　prison　for　a　month　in　default　of　payment。

〃The　prisoner　was　then　conducted　to　the　temple；　followed　by　a
considerable　number　of　people。　　Strange　to　say；　in　spite　of　the
overwhelming　evidence　that　they　had　just　heard；　some　few　among　the
followers；　whose　love　of　the　marvellous　overpowered　their　reason；
still　maintained　that　the　prisoner　was　the　Sunchild。　　Nothing　could
be　more　decorous　than　the　prisoner's　behaviour　when；　after　hearing
the　recantation　that　was　read　out　to　him　by　the　Manager；　he　signed
the　document　with　his　name　and　address；　which　we　again　withhold；
and　kissed　the　reliquary　in　confirmation　of　his　words。

〃The　Mayor　then　declared　the　prisoner　to　be　at　liberty。　　When　he
had　done　so　he　said；　'I　strongly　urge　you　to　place　yourself　under
my　protection　for　the　present；　that　you　may　be　freed　from　the
impertinent　folly　and　curiosity　of　some　whose　infatuation　might
lead　you　from　that　better　mind　to　which　I　believe　you　are　now
happily　restored。　　I　wish　you　to　remain　for　some　few　hours　secluded
in　the　privacy　of　my　own　study；　where　Dr。　Downie　and　the　two
excellent　Professors　will　administer　that　ghostly　counsel　to　you；
which　will　be　likely　to　protect　you　from　any　return　of　your　unhappy
delusion。'

〃The　man　humbly　bowed　assent；　and　was　taken　by　the　Mayor's　younger
sons　to　the　Mayor's　own　house；　where　he　was　duly　cared　for。　　About
midnight；　when　all　was　quiet；　he　was　conducted　to　the　outskirts　of
the　town　towards　Clearwater；　and　furnished　with　enough　money　to
provide　for　his　more　pressing　necessities　till　he　could　reach　some
relatives　who　reside　three　or　four　days'　walk　down　on　the　road
towards　the　capital。　　He　desired　the　man　who　accompanied　him　to
repeat　to　the　Mayor　his　heartfelt　thanks　for　the　forbearance　and
generosity　with　which　he　had　been　treated。　　The　remembrance　of
this；　he　said；　should　be　ever　present　with　him；　and　he　was
confident　would　protect　him　if　his　unhappy　monomania　shewed　any
signs　of　returning。

〃Let　us　now；　however；　remind　our　readers　that　the　poacher　who
threatened　Professors　Hanky　and　Panky's　life　on　Thursday　evening
last　is　still　at　large。　　He　is　evidently　a　man　of　desperate
character；　and　it　is　to　be　hoped　that　our　fellow…citizens　will　give
immediate　information　at　the　Ranger's　office　if　they　see　any
stranger　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　preserves　whom　they　may　have
reasonable　grounds　for　suspecting。

〃P。S。As　we　are　on　the　point　of　going　to　press　we　learn　that　a
dangerous　lunatic；　who　has　been　for　some　years　confined　in　the
Clearwater　asylum；　succeeded　in　escaping　on　the　night　of　Wednesday
last；　and　it　is　surmised　with　much　probability；　that　this　was　the
man　who　threatened　the　two　Professors　on　Thursday　evening。　　His
being　alone；　his　having　dared　to　light　a　fire；　probably　to　cook
quails　which　he　had　been　driven　to　kill　from　stress　of　hunger；　the
respectability　of　his　dress；　and　the　fury　with　which　he　would　have
attacked　the　two　Professors　single…handed；　but　for　Professor
Hanky's　presence　of　mind　in　giving　him　a　knock…down　blow；　all　point
in　the　direction　of　thinking　that　he　was　no　true　poacher；　but；　what
is　even　more　dangerousa　madman　at　large。　　We　have　not　received
any　particulars　as　to　the　man's　appearance；　nor　the　clothes　he　was
wearing；　but　we　have　little　doubt　that　these　will　confirm　the
surmise　to　which　we　now　give　publicity。　　If　it　is　correct　it
becomes　doubly　incumbent　on　all　our　fellow…citizens　to　be　both　on
the　watch；　and　on　their　guard。

〃We　may　add　that　the　man　was　fully　believed　to　have　taken　the
direction　towards　the　capital；　hence　no　attempts　were　made　to　look
for　him　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Sunch'ston；　until　news　of　the
threatened　attack　on　the　Professors　led　the　keeper　of　the　asylum　to
feel　confident　that　he　had　hitherto　been　on　a　wrong　scent。〃



CHAPTER　XXIII：　　MY　FATHER　IS　ESCORTED　TO　THE　MAYOR'S　HOUSE；　AND　IS
INTRODUCED　TO　A　FUTURE　DAUGHTER…IN…LAW



My　father　said　he　was　followed　to　the　Mayor's　house　by　a　good　many
people；　whom　the　Mayor's　sons　in　vain　tried　to　get　rid　of。　　One　or
two　of　these　still　persisted　in　saying　he　was　the　Sunchildwhereon
another　said；　〃But　his　hair　is　black。〃

〃Yes；〃　was　the　answer；　〃but　a　man　can　dye　his　hair；　can　he　not？
look　at　his　blue　eyes　and　his　eye…lashes？〃

My　father　was　doubting　whether　he　ought　not　to　again　deny　his
identity　out　of　loyalty　to　the　Mayor　and　Yram；　when　George's　next
brother　said；　〃Pay　no　attention　to　them；　but　step　out　as　fast　as
you　can。〃　　This　settled　the　matter；　and　in　a　few　minutes　they　were
at　the　Mayor's；　where　the　young　men　took　him　into　the　study；　the
elder　said　with　a　smile；　〃We　should　like　to　stay　and　talk　to　you；
but　my　mother　said　we　were　not　to　do　so。〃　　Whereon　they　left　him
much　to　his　regret；　but　he　gathered　rightly　that　they　had　not　been
officially　told　who　he　was；　and　were　to　be　left　to　think　what　they
liked；　at　any　rate　for　the　present。

In　a　few　minutes　the　Mayor　entered；　and　going　straight　up　to　my
father　shook　him　cordially　by　the　hand。

〃I　have　brought　you　this　morning's　paper；〃　said　he。　　〃You　will　find
a　full　report　of　Professor　Hanky's　sermon；　and　of　the　speeches　at
last　night's　banquet。　　You　see　they　pass　over　your　little
interruption　with　hardly　a　word；　but　I　dare　say　they　will　have　made
up　their　minds　about　it　all　by　Thursday's　issue。〃

He　laughed　as　he　produced　the　paperwhich　my　father　brought　home
with　him；　and　without　which　I　should　not　have　been　able　to　report
Hanky's　sermon　as　fully　as　I　have　done。　　But　my　father　could　not
let　things　pass　over　thus　lightly。

〃I　thank　you；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　have　much　more　to　thank　you　for；　and
know　not　how　to　do　it。〃

〃Can　you　not　trust　me　to　take　everything　as　said？〃

〃Yes；　but　I　cannot　trust　myself　not　to　be　haunted　if　I　do　not　say
or　at　any　rate　try　to　saysome　part　of　what　I　ought　to　say。〃

〃Very　well；　then　I　will　say　something　myself。　　I　have　a　small　joke；
the　only　one　I　ever　made；　which　I　inflict　periodically　upon　my
wife。　　You；　and　I　suppose　George；　are　the　only　two　other　people　in
the　world　to　whom　it　can　ever　be　told；　let　me　see；　then；　if　I
cannot　break　the　ice　with　it。　　It　is　this。　　Some　men　have　twin
sons；　George　in　this　topsy　turvey　world　of　ours　has　twin　fathers
you　by　luck；　and　me　by　cunning。　　I　see　you　smile；　give　me　your
hand。〃

My　father　took　the　Mayor's　hand　between　both　his　own。　　〃Had　I　been
in　your　place；〃　he　said；　〃I　should　be　glad　to　hope　that　I　might
have　done　as　you　did。〃

〃And　I；〃　said　the　Mayor；　more　readily　than　might　have　been　expected
of　him；　〃fear　that　if　I　had　been　in　yoursI　should　have　made　it
the　proper　thing　for　you　to　do。　　There！　　The　ice　is　well　broken；
and　now　for　business。　　You　will　lunch　with　us；　and　dine　in　the
evening。　　I　have　given　it　out　that　you　are　of　good　family；　so　there
is　nothing　odd　in　this。　　At　lunch　you　will　not　be　the　Sunchild；　for
my　younger　children　will　be　there；　at　dinner　all　present　will　know
who　you　are；　so　we　shall　be　free　as　soon　as　the　servants　are　out　of
the　room。

〃I　am　sorry；　but　I　must　send　you　away　with　George　as　soon　as　the
streets　are　emptysay　at　midnightfor　the　excitement　is　too　great
to　allow　of　your　staying　longer。　　We　must　keep　your　rug　and　the
things　you　cook　with；　but　my　wife　will　find　you　what　will　serve
your　turn。　　There　is　no　moon；　so　you　and　George　will　camp　out　as
soon　as　you　get　well　on　to　the　preserves；　the　weather　is　hot；　and
you　will　neither　of　you　take　any　harm。　　To…morrow　by　mid…day　you
will　be　at　the　statues；　where　George　must　bid　you　good…bye；　for　he
must　be　at　Sunch'ston　to…morrow　night。　　You　will　doubtless　get
safely　home；　I　wish　with　all　my　heart　that　I　could　hear　of　your
having　done　so；　but　this；　I　fear；　may　not　be。〃

〃So　be　it；〃　replied　my　father；　〃but　there　is　something　I　should　yet
say。　　The　Mayoress　has　no　doubt　told　you　of　some　gold；　coined　and
uncoined；　that　I　am　leaving　for　George。　　She　will　also　have　told
you　that　I　am　rich；　this　being　so；　I　should　have　brought　him　much
more；　if　I　had　known　that　there　was　any