erewhon-第17章

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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　as　such　a　thing　had　not　happened　for　ages。
They　would　be　too　ugly　to　be　allowed　to　go　at　large；　but　not　so
much　so　as　to　be　criminally　liable。　　Their　offence　in　having　come
would　be　a　moral　one；　but　they　would　be　beyond　the　straightener's
art。　　Possibly　they　would　be　consigned　to　the　Hospital　for
Incurable　Bores；　and　made　to　work　at　being　bored　for　so　many　hours
a　day　by　the　Erewhonian　inhabitants　of　the　hospital；　who　are
extremely　impatient　of　one　another's　boredom；　but　would　soon　die　if
they　had　no　one　whom　they　might　borein　fact；　that　they　would　be
kept　as　professional　borees。　　When　I　heard　this；　it　occurred　to　me
that　some　rumours　of　its　substance　might　perhaps　have　become
current　among　Chowbok's　people；　for　the　agony　of　his　fear　had　been
too　great　to　have　been　inspired　by　the　mere　dread　of　being　burnt
alive　before　the　statues。

I　also　questioned　them　about　the　museum　of　old　machines；　and　the
cause　of　the　apparent　retrogression　in　all　arts；　sciences；　and
inventions。　　I　learnt　that　about　four　hundred　years　previously；　the
state　of　mechanical　knowledge　was　far　beyond　our　own；　and　was
advancing　with　prodigious　rapidity；　until　one　of　the　most　learned
professors　of　hypothetics　wrote　an　extraordinary　book　（from　which　I
propose　to　give　extracts　later　on）；　proving　that　the　machines　were
ultimately　destined　to　supplant　the　race　of　man；　and　to　become
instinct　with　a　vitality　as　different　from；　and　superior　to；　that
of　animals；　as　animal　to　vegetable　life。　　So　convincing　was　his
reasoning；　or　unreasoning；　to　this　effect；　that　he　carried　the
country　with　him；　and　they　made　a　clean　sweep　of　all　machinery　that
had　not　been　in　use　for　more　than　two　hundred　and　seventy…one　years
（which　period　was　arrived　at　after　a　series　of　compromises）；　and
strictly　forbade　all　further　improvements　and　inventions　under　pain
of　being　considered　in　the　eye　of　the　law　to　be　labouring　under
typhus　fever；　which　they　regard　as　one　of　the　worst　of　all　crimes。

This　is　the　only　case　in　which　they　have　confounded　mental　and
physical　diseases；　and　they　do　it　even　here　as　by　an　avowed　legal
fiction。　　I　became　uneasy　when　I　remembered　about　my　watch；　but
they　comforted　me　with　the　assurance　that　transgression　in　this
matter　was　now　so　unheard　of；　that　the　law　could　afford　to　be
lenient　towards　an　utter　stranger；　especially　towards　one　who　had
such　a　good　character　（they　meant　physique）；　and　such　beautiful
light　hair。　　Moreover　the　watch　was　a　real　curiosity；　and　would　be
a　welcome　addition　to　the　metropolitan　collection；　so　they　did　not
think　I　need　let　it　trouble　me　seriously。

I　will　write；　however；　more　fully　upon　this　subject　when　I　deal
with　the　Colleges　of　Unreason；　and　the　Book　of　the　Machines。

In　about　a　month　from　the　time　of　our　starting　I　was　told　that　our
journey　was　nearly　over。　　The　bandage　was　now　dispensed　with；　for
it　seemed　impossible　that　I　should　ever　be　able　to　find　my　way　back
without　being　captured。　　Then　we　rolled　merrily　along　through　the
streets　of　a　handsome　town；　and　got　on　to　a　long；　broad；　and　level
road；　with　poplar　trees　on　either　side。　　The　road　was　raised
slightly　above　the　surrounding　country；　and　had　formerly　been　a
railway；　the　fields　on　either　side　were　in　the　highest　conceivable
cultivation；　but　the　harvest　and　also　the　vintage　had　been　already
gathered。　　The　weather　had　got　cooler　more　rapidly　than　could　be
quite　accounted　for　by　the　progress　of　the　season；　so　I　rather
thought　that　we　must　have　been　making　away　from　the　sun；　and　were
some　degrees　farther　from　the　equator　than　when　we　started。　　Even
here　the　vegetation　showed　that　the　climate　was　a　hot　one；　yet
there　was　no　lack　of　vigour　among　the　people；　on　the　contrary；　they
were　a　very　hardy　race；　and　capable　of　great　endurance。　　For　the
hundredth　time　I　thought　that；　take　them　all　round；　I　had　never
seen　their　equals　in　respect　of　physique；　and　they　looked　as　good…
natured　as　they　were　robust。　　The　flowers　were　for　the　most　part
over；　but　their　absence　was　in　some　measure　compensated　for　by　a
profusion　of　delicious　fruit；　closely　resembling　the　figs；　peaches；
and　pears　of　Italy　and　France。　　I　saw　no　wild　animals；　but　birds
were　plentiful　and　much　as　in　Europe；　but　not　tame　as　they　had　been
on　the　other　side　the　ranges。　　They　were　shot　at　with　the　cross…bow
and　with　arrows；　gunpowder　being　unknown；　or　at　any　rate　not　in
use。

We　were　now　nearing　the　metropolis　and　I　could　see　great　towers　and
fortifications；　and　lofty　buildings　that　looked　like　palaces。　　I
began　to　be　nervous　as　to　my　reception；　but　I　had　got　on　very　well
so　far；　and　resolved　to　continue　upon　the　same　plan　as　hitherto
namely；　to　behave　just　as　though　I　were　in　England　until　I　saw　that
I　was　making　a　blunder；　and　then　to　say　nothing　till　I　could　gather
how　the　land　lay。　　We　drew　nearer　and　nearer。　　The　news　of　my
approach　had　got　abroad；　and　there　was　a　great　crowd　collected　on
either　side　the　road；　who　greeted　me　with　marks　of　most　respectful
curiosity；　keeping　me　bowing　constantly　in　acknowledgement　from
side　to　side。

When　we　were　about　a　mile　off；　we　were　met　by　the　Mayor　and　several
Councillors；　among　whom　was　a　venerable　old　man；　who　was　introduced
to　me　by　the　Mayor　（for　so　I　suppose　I　should　call　him）　as　the
gentleman　who　had　invited　me　to　his　house。　　I　bowed　deeply　and　told
him　how　grateful　I　felt　to　him；　and　how　gladly　I　would　accept　his
hospitality。　　He　forbade　me　to　say　more；　and　pointing　to　his
carriage；　which　was　close　at　hand；　he　motioned　me　to　a　seat
therein。　　I　again　bowed　profoundly　to　the　Mayor　and　Councillors；
and　drove　off　with　my　entertainer；　whose　name　was　Senoj　Nosnibor。
After　about　half　a　mile　the　carriage　turned　off　the　main　road；　and
we　drove　under　the　walls　of　the　town　till　we　reached　a　palazzo　on　a
slight　eminence；　and　just　on　the　outskirts　of　the　city。　　This　was
Senoj　Nosnibor's　house；　and　nothing　can　be　imagined　finer。　　It　was
situated　near　the　magnificent　and　venerable　ruins　of　the　old
railway　station；　which　formed　an　imposing　feature　from　the　gardens
of　the　house。　　The　grounds；　some　ten　or　a　dozen　acres　in　extent；
were　laid　out　in　terraced　gardens；　one　above　the　other；　with
flights　of　broad　steps　ascending　and　descending　the　declivity　of
the　garden。　　On　these　steps　there　were　statues　of　most　exquisite
workmanship。　　Besides　the　statues　there　were　vases　filled　with
various　shrubs　that　were　new　to　me；　and　on　either　side　the　flights
of　steps　there　were　rows　of　old　cypresses　and　cedars；　with　grassy
alleys　between　them。　　Then　came　choice　vineyards　and　orchards　of
fruit…trees　in　full　bearing。

The　house　itself　was　approached　by　a　court…yard；　and　round　it　was　a
corridor　on　to　which　rooms　opened；　as　at　Pompeii。　　In　the　middle　of
the　court　there　was　a　bath　and　a　fountain。　　Having　passed　the　court
we　came　to　the　main　body　of　the　house；　which　was　two　stories　in
height。　　The　rooms　were　large　and　lofty；　perhaps　at　first　they
looked　rather　bare　of　furniture；　but　in　hot　climates　people
generally　keep　their　rooms　more　bare　than　they　do　in　colder　ones。
I　missed　also　the　sight　of　a　grand　piano　or　some　similar
instrument；　there　being　no　means　of　producing　music　in　any　of　the
rooms　save　the　larger　drawing…room；　where　there　were　half　a　dozen
large　bronze　gongs；　which　the　ladies　used　occasionally　to　beat
about　at　random。　　It　was　not　pleasant　to　hear　them；　but　I　have
heard　quite　as　unpleasant　music　both　before　and　since。

Mr。　Nosnibor　took　me　through　several　spacious　rooms　till　we　reached
a　boudoir　where　were　his　wife　and　daughters；　of　whom　I　had　heard
from　the　interpreter。　　Mrs。　Nosnibor　was　about　forty　years　old；　and
still　handsome；　but　she　had　grown　very　stout：　　her　daughters　were
in　the　prime　of　youth　and　exquisitely　beautiful。　　I　gave　the
preference　almost　at　once　to　the　younger；　whose　name　was　Arowhena；
for　the　elder　sister　was　haughty；　while　the　younger　had　a　very
winning　manner。　　Mrs。　Nosnibor　received　me　with　the　perfection　of
courtesy；　so　that　I　must　have　indeed　been　shy　and　nervous　if　I　had
not　at　once　felt　welc