erewhon-第16章

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with　the　basest　criminals；　and　yet　deem　simple　embezzlement　a　bar
to　friendly　intercourse。　　I　cannot　understand　you。〃

〃But　I　am　poor　myself；〃　cried　I。

〃You　were；〃　said　he；　〃and　you　were　liable　to　be　severely　punished
for　it；indeed；　at　the　council　which　was　held　concerning　you；　this
fact　was　very　nearly　consigning　you　to　what　I　should　myself
consider　a　well…deserved　chastisement〃　（for　he　was　getting　angry；
and　so　was　I）；　〃but　the　Queen　was　so　inquisitive；　and　wanted　so
much　to　see　you；　that　she　petitioned　the　King　and　made　him　give　you
his　pardon；　and　assign　you　a　pension　in　consideration　of　your
meritorious　complexion。　　It　is　lucky　for　you　that　he　has　not　heard
what　you　have　been　saying　now；　or　he　would　be　sure　to　cancel　it。〃

As　I　heard　these　words　my　heart　sank　within　me。　　I　felt　the　extreme
difficulty　of　my　position；　and　how　wicked　I　should　be　in　running
counter　to　established　usage。　　I　remained　silent　for　several
minutes；　and　then　said　that　I　should　be　happy　to　accept　the
embezzler's　invitation；on　which　my　instructor　brightened　and　said
I　was　a　sensible　fellow。　　But　I　felt　very　uncomfortable。　　When　he
had　left　the　room；　I　mused　over　the　conversation　which　had　just
taken　place　between　us；　but　I　could　make　nothing　out　of　it；　except
that　it　argued　an　even　greater　perversity　of　mental　vision　than　I
had　been　yet　prepared　for。　　And　this　made　me　wretched；　for　I　cannot
bear　having　much　to　do　with　people　who　think　differently　from
myself。　　All　sorts　of　wandering　thoughts　kept　coming　into　my　head。
I　thought　of　my　master's　hut；　and　my　seat　upon　the　mountain　side；
where　I　had　first　conceived　the　insane　idea　of　exploring。　　What
years　and　years　seemed　to　have　passed　since　I　had　begun　my　journey！

I　thought　of　my　adventures　in　the　gorge；　and　on　the　journey　hither；
and　of　Chowbok。　　I　wondered　what　Chowbok　told　them　about　me　when　he
got　back；he　had　done　well　in　going　back；　Chowbok　had。　　He　was　not
handsomenay；　he　was　hideous；　and　it　would　have　gone　hardly　with
him。　　Twilight　drew　on；　and　rain　pattered　against　the　windows。
Never　yet　had　I　felt　so　unhappy；　except　during　three　days　of　sea…
sickness　at　the　beginning　of　my　voyage　from　England。　　I　sat　musing
and　in　great　melancholy；　until　Yram　made　her　appearance　with　light
and　supper。　　She　too；　poor　girl；　was　miserable；　for　she　had　heard
that　I　was　to　leave　them。　　She　had　made　up　her　mind　that　I　was　to
remain　always　in　the　town；　even　after　my　imprisonment　was　over；　and
I　fancy　had　resolved　to　marry　me　though　I　had　never　so　much　as
hinted　at　her　doing　so。　　So　what　with　the　distressingly　strange
conversation　with　my　teacher；　my　own　friendless　condition；　and
Yram's　melancholy；　I　felt　more　unhappy　than　I　can　describe；　and
remained　so　till　I　got　to　bed；　and　sleep　sealed　my　eyelids。

On　awaking　next　morning　I　was　much　better。　　It　was　settled　that　I
was　to　make　my　start　in　a　conveyance　which　was　to　be　in　waiting　for
me　at　about　eleven　o'clock；　and　the　anticipation　of　change　put　me
in　good　spirits；　which　even　the　tearful　face　of　Yram　could　hardly
altogether　derange。　　I　kissed　her　again　and　again；　assured　her　that
we　should　meet　hereafter；　and　that　in　the　meanwhile　I　should　be
ever　mindful　of　her　kindness。　　I　gave　her　two　of　the　buttons　off　my
coat　and　a　lock　of　my　hair　as　a　keepsake；　taking　a　goodly　curl　from
her　own　beautiful　head　in　return：　　and　so；　having　said　good…bye　a
hundred　times；　till　I　was　fairly　overcome　with　her　great　sweetness
and　her　sorrow；　I　tore　myself　away　from　her　and　got　down…stairs　to
the　caleche　which　was　in　waiting。　　How　thankful　I　was　when　it　was
all　over；　and　I　was　driven　away　and　out　of　sight。　　Would　that　I
could　have　felt　that　it　was　out　of　mind　also！　　Pray　heaven　that　it
is　so　now；　and　that　she　is　married　happily　among　her　own　people；
and　has　forgotten　me！

And　now　began　a　long　and　tedious　journey　with　which　I　should　hardly
trouble　the　reader　if　I　could。　　He　is　safe；　however；　for　the　simple
reason　that　I　was　blindfolded　during　the　greater　part　of　the　time。
A　bandage　was　put　upon　my　eyes　every　morning；　and　was　only　removed
at　night　when　I　reached　the　inn　at　which　we　were　to　pass　the　night。
We　travelled　slowly；　although　the　roads　were　good。　　We　drove　but
one　horse；　which　took　us　our　day's　journey　from　morning　till
evening；　about　six　hours；　exclusive　of　two　hours'　rest　in　the
middle　of　the　day。　　I　do　not　suppose　we　made　above　thirty　or
thirty…five　miles　on　an　average。　　Each　day　we　had　a　fresh　horse。
As　I　have　said　already；　I　could　see　nothing　of　the　country。　　I　only
know　that　it　was　level；　and　that　several　times　we　had　to　cross
large　rivers　in　ferry…boats。　　The　inns　were　clean　and　comfortable。
In　one　or　two　of　the　larger　towns　they　were　quite　sumptuous；　and
the　food　was　good　and　well　cooked。　　The　same　wonderful　health　and
grace　and　beauty　prevailed　everywhere。

I　found　myself　an　object　of　great　interest；　so　much　so；　that　the
driver　told　me　he　had　to　keep　our　route　secret；　and　at　times　to　go
to　places　that　were　not　directly　on　our　road；　in　order　to　avoid　the
press　that　would　otherwise　have　awaited　us。　　Every　evening　I　had　a
reception；　and　grew　heartily　tired　of　having　to　say　the　same　things
over　and　over　again　in　answer　to　the　same　questions；　but　it　was
impossible　to　be　angry　with　people　whose　manners　were　so
delightful。　　They　never　once　asked　after　my　health；　or　even　whether
I　was　fatigued　with　my　journey；　but　their　first　question　was　almost
invariably　an　inquiry　after　my　temper；　the　naivete　of　which
astonished　me　till　I　became　used　to　it。　　One　day；　being　tired　and
cold；　and　weary　of　saying　the　same　thing　over　and　over　again；　I
turned　a　little　brusquely　on　my　questioner　and　said　that　I　was
exceedingly　cross；　and　that　I　could　hardly　feel　in　a　worse　humour
with　myself　and　every　one　else　than　at　that　moment。　　To　my
surprise；　I　was　met　with　the　kindest　expressions　of　condolence；　and
heard　it　buzzed　about　the　room　that　I　was　in　an　ill　temper；　whereon
people　began　to　give　me　nice　things　to　smell　and　to　eat；　which
really　did　seem　to　have　some　temper…mending　quality　about　them；　for
I　soon　felt　pleased　and　was　at　once　congratulated　upon　being
better。　　The　next　morning　two　or　three　people　sent　their　servants
to　the　hotel　with　sweetmeats；　and　inquiries　whether　I　had　quite
recovered　from　my　ill　humour。　　On　receiving　the　good　things　I　felt
in　half　a　mind　to　be　ill…tempered　every　evening；　but　I　disliked　the
condolences　and　the　inquiries；　and　found　it　most　comfortable　to
keep　my　natural　temper；　which　is　smooth　enough　generally。

Among　those　who　came　to　visit　me　were　some　who　had　received　a
liberal　education　at　the　Colleges　of　Unreason；　and　taken　the
highest　degrees　in　hypothetics；　which　are　their　principal　study。
These　gentlemen　had　now　settled　down　to　various　employments　in　the
country；　as　straighteners；　managers　and　cashiers　of　the　Musical
Banks；　priests　of　religion；　or　what　not；　and　carrying　their
education　with　them　they　diffused　a　leaven　of　culture　throughout
the　country。　　I　naturally　questioned　them　about　many　of　the　things
which　had　puzzled　me　since　my　arrival。　　I　inquired　what　was　the
object　and　meaning　of　the　statues　which　I　had　seen　upon　the　plateau
of　the　pass。　　I　was　told　that　they　dated　from　a　very　remote　period；
and　that　there　were　several　other　such　groups　in　the　country；　but
none　so　remarkable　as　the　one　which　I　had　seen。　　They　had　a
religious　origin；　having　been　designed　to　propitiate　the　gods　of
deformity　and　disease。　　In　former　times　it　had　been　the　custom　to
make　expeditions　over　the　ranges；　and　capture　the　ugliest　of
Chowbok's　ancestors　whom　they　could　find；　in　order　to　sacrifice
them　in　the　presence　of　these　deities；　and　thus　avert　ugliness　and
disease　from　the　Erewhonians　themselves。　　It　had　been　whispered
（but　my　informant　assured　me　untruly）　that　centuries　ago　they　had
even　offered　up　some　of　their　own　people　who　were　ugly　or　out　of
health；　in　order　to　make　examples　of　them；　these　detestable
customs；　however；　had　been　long　discontinued；　neither　was　there　any
present　observance　of　the　statues。

I　had　the　curiosity　to　inquire　what　would　be　done　to　any　of
Chowbok's　tribe　if　they　crossed　over　into　Erewhon。　　I　was　told　that
nobody　knew；　inasmuch