erewhon revisited-第48章

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〃It　has　been　rather　a　forgetting　sort　of　a　morning；〃　said　my　father
demurely；　〃but　I　can　remember　that　much；　and　am　delighted　to　renew
my　acquaintance　with　both　of　you。〃

As　he　spoke　he　shook　hands　with　both　Professors。

George　was　a　little　late；　but　when　he　came；　dinner　was　announced。
My　father　sat　on　Yram's　right…hand；　Dr。　Downie　on　her　left。　　George
was　next　my　father；　with　Mrs。　Humdrum　opposite　to　him。　　The
Professors　sat　one　on　either　side　of　the　Mayor。　　During　dinner　the
conversation　turned　almost　entirely　on　my　father's　flight；　his
narrow　escape　from　drowning；　and　his　adventures　on　his　return　to
England；　about　these　last　my　father　was　very　reticent；　for　he　said
nothing　about　his　book；　and　antedated　his　accession　of　wealth　by
some　fifteen　years；　but　as　he　walked　up　towards　the　statues　with
George　he　told　him　everything。

My　father　repeatedly　tried　to　turn　the　conversation　from　himself；
but　Mrs。　Humdrum　and　Yram　wanted　to　know　about　Nna　Haras；　as　they
persisted　in　calling　my　motherhow　she　endured　her　terrible
experiences　in　the　balloon；　when　she　and　my　father　were　married；
all　about　my　unworthy　self；　and　England　generally。　　No　matter　how
often　he　began　to　ask　questions　about　the　Nosnibors　and　other　old
acquaintances；　both　the　ladies　soon　went　back　to　his　own
adventures。　　He　succeeded；　however；　in　learning　that　Mr。　Nosnibor
was　dead；　and　Zulora；　an　old　maid　of　the　most　unattractive　kind；
who　had　persistently　refused　to　accept　Sunchildism；　while　Mrs。
Nosnibor　was　the　recipient　of　honours　hardly　inferior　to　those
conferred　by　the　people　at　large　on　my　father　and　mother；　with
whom；　indeed；　she　believed　herself　to　have　frequent　interviews　by
way　of　visionary　revelations。　　So　intolerable　were　these
revelations　to　Zulora；　that　a　separate　establishment　had　been
provided　for　her。　　George　said　to　my　father　quietly〃Do　you　know　I
begin　to　think　that　Zulora　must　be　rather　a　nice　person。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　said　my　father　grimly；　〃but　my　wife　and　I　did　not　find
it　out。〃

When　the　ladies　left　the　room；　Dr。　Downie　took　Yram's　seat；　and
Hanky　Dr。　Downie's；　the　Mayor　took　Mrs。　Humdrum's；　leaving　my
father；　George；　and　Panky；　in　their　old　places。　　Almost
immediately；　Dr。　Downie　said；　〃And　now；　Mr；　Higgs；　tell　us；　as　a
man　of　the　world；　what　we　are　to　do　about　Sunchildism？〃

My　father　smiled　at　this。　　〃You　know；　my　dear　sir；　as　well　as　I　do；
that　the　proper　thing　would　be　to　put　me　back　in　prison；　and　keep
me　there　till　you　can　send　me　down　to　the　capital。　　You　should　eat
your　oaths　of　this　morning；　as　I　would　eat　mine；　tell　every　one
here　who　I　am；　let　them　see　that　my　hair　has　been　dyed；　get　all　who
knew　me　when　I　was　here　before　to　come　and　see　me；　appoint　an
unimpeachable　committee　to　examine　the　record　of　my　marks　and
measurements；　and　compare　it　with　those　of　my　own　body。　　You　should
let　me　be　seen　in　every　town　at　which　I　lodged　on　my　way　down；　and
tell　people　that　you　had　made　a　mistake。　　When　you　get　to　the
capital；　hand　me　over　to　the　King's　tender　mercies　and　say　that　our
oaths　were　only　taken　this　morning　to　prevent　a　ferment　in　the
town。　　I　will　play　my　part　very　willingly。　　The　King　can　only　kill
me；　and　I　should　die　like　a　gentleman。〃

〃They　will　not　do　it；〃　said　George　quietly　to　my　father；　〃and　I　am
glad　of　it。〃

He　was　right。　　〃This；〃　said　Dr。　Downie；　〃is　a　counsel　of
perfection。　　Things　have　gone　too　far；　and　we　are　flesh　and　blood。
What　would　those　who　in　your　country　come　nearest　to　us　Musical
Bank　Managers　do；　if　they　found　they　had　made　such　a　mistake　as　we
have；　and　dared　not　own　it？〃

〃Do　not　ask　me；〃　said　my　father；　〃the　story　is　too　long；　and　too
terrible。〃

〃At　any　rate；　then；　tell　us　what　you　would　have　us　do　that　is
within　our　reach。〃

〃I　have　done　you　harm　enough；　and　if　I　preach；　as　likely　as　not　I
shall　do　more。〃

Seeing；　however；　that　Dr。　Downie　was　anxious　to　hear　what　he
thought；　my　father　said　…

〃Then　I　must　tell　you。　　Our　religion　sets　before　us　an　ideal　which
we　all　cordially　accept；　but　it　also　tells　us　of　marvels　like　your
chariot　and　horses；　which　we　most　of　us　reject。　　Our　best　teachers
insist　on　the　ideal；　and　keep　the　marvels　in　the　background。　　If
they　could　say　outright　that　our　age　has　outgrown　them；　they　would
say　so；　but　this　they　may　not　do；　nevertheless　they　contrive　to　let
their　opinions　be　sufficiently　well　known；　and　their　hearers　are
content　with　this。

〃We　have　others　who　take　a　very　different　course；　but　of　these　I
will　not　speak。　　Roughly；　then；　if　you　cannot　abolish　me
altogether；　make　me　a　peg　on　which　to　hang　all　your　own　best
ethical　and　spiritual　conceptions。　　If　you　will　do　this；　and
wriggle　out　of　that　wretched　relic；　with　that　not　less　wretched
pictureif　you　will　make　me　out　to　be　much　better　and　abler　than　I
was；　or　ever　shall　be；　Sunchildism　may　serve　your　turn　for　many　a
long　year　to　come。　　Otherwise　it　will　tumble　about　your　heads
before　you　think　it　will。

〃Am　I　to　go　on　or　stop？〃

〃Go　on；〃　said　George　softly。　　That　was　enough　for　my　father；　so　on
he　went。

〃You　are　already　doing　part　of　what　I　wish。　　I　was　delighted　with
the　two　passages　I　heard　on　Sunday；　from　what　you　call　the
Sunchild's　Sayings。　　I　never　said　a　word　of　either　passage；　I　wish
I　had；　I　wish　I　could　say　anything　half　so　good。　　And　I　have　read　a
pamphlet　by　President　Gurgoyle；　which　I　liked　extremely；　but　I
never　said　what　he　says　I　did。　　Again；　I　wish　I　had。　　Keep　to　this
sort　of　thing；　and　I　will　be　as　good　a　Sunchildist　as　any　of　you。
But　you　must　bribe　some　thief　to　steal　that　relic；　and　break　it　up
to　mend　the　roads　with；　andfor　I　believe　that　here　as　elsewhere
fires　sometimes　get　lighted　through　the　carelessness　of　a　workman
set　the　most　careless　workman　you　can　find　to　do　a　plumbing　job
near　that　picture。〃

Hanky　looked　black　at　this；　and　George　trod　lightly　on　my　father's
toe；　but　he　told　me　that　my　father's　face　was　innocence　itself。

〃These　are　hard　sayings；〃　said　Dr。　Downie。

〃I　know　they　are；〃　replied　my　father；　〃and　I　do　not　like　saying
them；　but　there　is　no　royal　road　to　unlearning；　and　you　have　much
to　unlearn。　　Still；　you　Musical　Bank　people　bear　witness　to　the
fact　that　beyond　the　kingdoms　of　this　world　there　is　another；
within　which　the　writs　of　this　world's　kingdoms　do　not　run。　　This
is　the　great　service　which　our　church　does　for　us　in　England；　and
hence　many　of　us　uphold　it；　though　we　have　no　sympathy　with　the
party　now　dominant　within　it。　　'Better；'　we　think；　'a　corrupt
church　than　none　at　all。'　　Moreover；　those　who　in　my　country　would
step　into　the　church's　shoes　are　as　corrupt　as　the　church；　and　more
exacting。　　They　are　also　more　dangerous；　for　the　masses　distrust
the　church；　and　are　on　their　guard　against　aggression；　whereas　they
do　not　suspect　the　doctrinaires　and　faddists；　who；　if　they　could；
would　interfere　in　every　concern　of　our　lives。

〃Let　me　return　to　yourselves。　　You　Musical　Bank　Managers　are　very
much　such　a　body　of　men　as　your　country　needsbut　when　I　was　here
before　you　had　no　figurehead；　I　have　unwittingly　supplied　you　with
one；　and　it　is　perhaps　because　you　saw　this；　that　you　good　people
of　Bridgeford　took　up　with　me。　　Sunchildism　is　still　young　and
plastic；　if　you　will　let　the　cock…and…bull　stories　about　me　tacitly
drop；　and　invent　no　new　ones；　beyond　saying　what　a　delightful
person　I　was；　I　really　cannot　see　why　I　should　not　do　for　you　as
well　as　any　one　else。

〃There。　　What　I　have　said　is　nine…tenths　of　it　rotten　and　wrong；
but　it　is　the　most　practicable　rotten　and　wrong　that　I　can　suggest；
seeing　into　what　a　rotten　and　wrong　state　of　things　you　have
drifted。　　And　now；　Mr。　Mayor；　do　you　not　think　we　may　join　the
Mayoress　and　Mrs。　Humdrum？〃

〃As　you　please；　Mr。　Higgs；〃　answered　the　Mayor。

〃Then　let　us　go；　for　I　have　said　too　much　already；　and　your　son
George　tells　me　that　we　must　be　starting　shortly。〃

As　they　were　leaving　the　room　Panky　sidled　up　to　my　father　and
said；　〃There　is　a　point；　Mr。　Higgs；　which　you　can　settle　for　me；
though　I　feel　pretty　certain　how　you　will　settle　it。　　I　think　that
a　corruption　has　crept　into　the　text　of　the　very　beautiful〃

At　this　moment；　as　my　father；　who　saw　what　was　coming；　was
wond