erewhon revisited-第50章

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welcome　more　relics　and　more　cock…and…bull　stories；　his　single　eye
will　be　upon　his　own　aggrandisement　and　that　of　his　order。
Plausible；　unscrupulous；　heartless　scoundrel　that　he　is；　he　will
play　for　the　queen　and　the　women　of　the　court；　as　Dr。　Downie　will
play　for　the　king　and　the　men。　　He　and　his　party　will　sleep　neither
night　nor　day；　but　they　will　have　one　redeeming　featurewhoever
they　may　deceive；　they　will　not　deceive　themselves。　　They　believe
every　one　else　to　be　as　bad　as　they　are；　and　see　no　reason　why　they
should　not　push　their　own　wares　in　the　way　of　business。　　Hanky　is
everything　that　we　in　England　rightly　or　wrongly　believe　a　typical
Jesuit　to　be。〃

〃And　Pankywhat　about　him？〃

〃Panky　must　persuade　himself　of　his　own　lies；　before　he　is　quite
comfortable　about　telling　them　to　other　people。　　Hanky　keeps　Hanky
well　out　of　it；　Panky　must　have　a　base　of　operations　in　Panky。
Hanky　will　lead　him　by　the　nose；　bit　by　bit；　for　his　is　the　master
spirit。　　In　England　Panky　would　be　what　we　call　an　extreme
ritualist。〃

〃Then　the　real　battle　will　be　between　Hanky　and　Dr。　Downie。　　Which
will　carry　the　day？〃

〃For　the　present；　probably　Hanky。　　He　is　the　more　vigilant；　and
energetic；　in　this　case　Sunchildism　will　have　to　go；　and　I　am
afraid　your　whole　Musical　Bank　system　will　be　swept　away　along　with
it。〃

〃And　why　not？〃

〃Because；　my　dear　boy；　though　false　in　the　letter；　if　good　counsels
prevail；　it　may　be　made　true　enough　in　spirit。　　If　it　were　to　go；
its　place　would　be　soon　filled　by　men　who　would　be　as　false　in
letter　as　the　others　were；　and　much　more　false　in　spirit。　　You　want
a　heart　to　check　your　head；　and　a　head　to　check　your　heart。　　As　in
our　English　body　politic　there　are　two　parties　opposed　to　one
another；　neither　of　which　can　thrive　if　the　other　is　unduly
weakened；　so　in　our　spiritual　and　intellectual　world　two　parties
more　or　less　antagonistic　are　equally　necessary。　　Those　who　are　at
the　head　of　science　provide　us　with　the　one　party；　those　whom　we
call　our　churchmen　are　the　other。　　Both　are　corrupt；　but　we　can
spare　neither；　for　each　checks　as　far　as　it　can　the　corruptions　of
the　other。〃

〃Then　you　would　have　us　uphold　Sunchildism；　knowing　it　to　be
untrue？〃

〃Do　what　you　will；　you　will　not　get　perfect　truth。　　And　if　you　can
follow　the　lead　which　I　believe　Dr。　Downie　will　give　you；　that　is
to　say；　get　rid　of　cock…and…bull　stories；　idealise　my　unworthy
self；　and；　as　I　said　last　night；　make　me　a　peg　on　which　to　hang
your　own　best　thoughtsSunchildism　will　be　as　near　truth　as
anything　you　are　likely　to　get。　　But　if　Hankyism　triumphs；　come
what　may　you　must　get　rid　of　it；　for　he　and　his　school　will　tamper
with　the　one　sure　and　everlasting　word　of　God　revealed　to　us　by
human　experience。　　He　who　plays　fast　and　loose　with　this　is　as　one
who　would　forge　God's　signature　to　a　cheque　drawn　on　God's　own
bank。〃

〃Are　we　to　foster　the　belief　that　it　was　indeed　the　Sunchild　who
interrupted　Hanky's　sermon？〃

〃Yes；　where　you　safely　can；　but　not　otherwise；　and　commit　the　facts
to　writing　as　soon　as　you　can　find　time。　　Do　nothing　to　jeopardise
your　own　safety；　you　can　do　more　by　perfunctory　acquiescence　than
by　open　dissent。　　And　tell　those　friends　whom　you　can　trust；　what
these　my　parting　words　to　you　have　been。　　But　above　all　I　charge
you　solemnly；　do　nothing　to　jeopardise　your　own　safety；　you　cannot
play　into　Hanky's　hands　more　certainly　than　by　risking　this。　　Think
how　he　and　Panky　would　rejoice；　and　how　Dr。　Downie　would　grieve。
Be　wise　and　wary；　bide　your　time；　do　what　you　prudently　can；　and
you　will　find　you　can　do　much；　try　to　do　more；　and　you　will　do
nothing。　　Be　guided　by　the　Mayor；　by　your　motherand　by　that　dear
old　lady　whose　grandson　you　will〃

〃Then　they　have　told　you；〃　interrupted　the　youth　blushing　scarlet。

〃My　dearest　boy；　of　course　they　have；　and　I　have　seen　her；　and　am
head　over　ears　in　love　with　her　myself。〃

He　was　all　smiles　and　blushes；　and　vowed　for　a　few　minutes　that　it
was　a　shame　of　them　to　tell　me；　but　presently　he　said　…

〃Then　you　like　her。〃

〃Rather！〃　said　my　father　vehemently；　and　shaking　George　by　the
hand。　　But　he　said　nothing　about　the　nuggets　and　the　sovereigns；
knowing　that　Yram　did　not　wish　him　to　do　so。　　Neither　did　George
say　anything　about　his　determination　to　start　for　the　capital　in
the　morning；　and　make　a　clean　breast　of　everything　to　the　King。　　So
soon　does　it　become　necessary　even　for　those　who　are　most　cordially
attached　to　hide　things　from　one　another。　　My　father；　however；　was
made　comfortable　by　receiving　a　promise　from　the　youth　that　he
would　take　no　step　of　which　the　persons　he　had　named　would
disapprove。

When　once　Mrs。　Humdrum's　grand…daughter　had　been　introduced　there
was　no　more　talking　about　Hanky　and　Panky；　for　George　began　to
bubble　over　with　the　subject　that　was　nearest　his　heart；　and　how
much　he　feared　that　it　would　be　some　time　yet　before　he　could　be
married。　　Many　a　story　did　he　tell　of　his　early　attachment　and　of
its　course　for　the　last　ten　years；　but　my　space　will　not　allow　me
to　inflict　one　of　them　on　the　reader。　　My　father　saw　that　the　more
he　listened　and　sympathised　and　encouraged；　the　fonder　George
became　of　him；　and　this　was　all　he　cared　about。

Thus　did　they　converse　hour　after　hour。　　They　passed　the　Blue　Pool；
without　seeing　it　or　even　talking　about　it　for　more　than　a　minute。
George　kept　an　eye　on　the　quails　and　declared　them　fairly　plentiful
and　strong　on　the　wing；　but　nothing　now　could　keep　him　from　pouring
out　his　whole　heart　about　Mrs。　Humdrum's　grand…daughter；　until
towards　noon　they　caught　sight　of　the　statues；　and　a　halt　was　made
which　gave　my　father　the　first　pang　he　had　felt　that　morning；　for
he　knew　that　the　statues　would　be　the　beginning　of　the　end。

There　was　no　need　to　light　a　fire；　for　Yram　had　packed　for　them　two
bottles　of　a　delicious　white　wine；　something　like　White　Capri；
which　went　admirably　with　the　many　more　solid　good　things　that　she
had　provided　for　them。　　As　soon　as　they　had　finished　a　hearty　meal
my　father　said　to　George；　〃You　must　have　my　watch　for　a　keepsake；　I
see　you　are　not　wearing　my　boots。　　I　fear　you　did　not　find　them
comfortable；　but　I　am　glad　you　have　not　got　them　on；　for　I　have　set
my　heart　on　keeping　yours。〃

〃Let　us　settle　about　the　boots　first。　　I　rather　fancied　that　that
was　why　you　put　me　off　when　I　wanted　to　get　my　own　back　again；　and
then　I　thought　I　should　like　yours　for　a　keepsake；　so　I　put　on
another　pair　last　night；　and　they　are　nothing　like　so　comfortable
as　yours　were。〃

〃Now　I　wonder；〃　said　my　father　to　me；　〃whether　this　was　true；　or
whether　it　was　only　that　dear　fellow's　pretty　invention；　but　true
or　false　I　was　as　delighted　as　he　meant　me　to　be。〃

I　asked　George　about　this　when　I　saw　him；　and　he　confessed　with　an
ingenuous　blush　that　my　father's　boots　had　hurt　him；　and　that　he
had　never　thought　of　making　a　keepsake　of　them；　till　my　father's
words　stimulated　his　invention。

As　for　the　watch；　which　was　only　a　silver　one；　but　of　the　best
make；　George　protested　for　a　time；　but　when　he　had　yielded；　my
father　could　see　that　he　was　overjoyed　at　getting　it；　for　watches；
though　now　permitted；　were　expensive　and　not　in　common　use。

Having　thus　bribed　him；　my　father　broached　the　possibility　of　his
meeting　him　at　the　statues　on　that　day　twelvemonth；　but　of　course
saying　nothing　about　why　he　was　so　anxious　that　he　should　come。

〃I　will　come；〃　said　my　father；　〃not　a　yard　farther　than　the
statues；　and　if　I　cannot　come　I　will　send　your　brother。　　And　I　will
come　at　noon；　but　it　is　possible　that　the　river　down　below　may　be
in　fresh；　and　I　may　not　be　able　to　hit　off　the　day；　though　I　will
move　heaven　and　earth　to　do　so。　　Therefore　if　I　do　not　meet　you　on
the　day　appointed；　do　your　best　to　come　also　at　noon　on　the
following　day。　　I　know　how　inconvenient　this　will　be　for　you；　and
will　come　true　to　the　day　if　it　is　possible。〃

To　my　father's　surprise；　George　did　not　raise　so　many　difficulties
as　he　had　expected。　　He　said　it　might　be　done；　if　neither　he　nor　my
father　were　to　go　beyond　the　statues。　　〃And　difficult　as　it　will　be
for　you；〃　said　George；　〃you　had　better　come　a　second　day　if
nece