erewhon-第27章

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would　not　hesitate　about　doing　so　through　the　fear　of　taking　nasty
medicine。　　It　was　possible　that　her　malady　was　incurable　（for　I　had
heard　enough　to　convince　me　that　her　dipsomania　was　only　a　pretence
and　that　she　was　temperate　in　all　her　habits）；　in　that　case　she
might　perhaps　be　justly　subject　to　annoyances　or　even　to　restraint；
but　who　could　say　whether　she　was　curable　or　not；　until　she　was
able　to　make　a　clean　breast　of　her　symptoms　instead　of　concealing
them？　　In　their　eagerness　to　stamp　out　disease；　these　people
overshot　their　mark；　for　people　had　become　so　clever　at
dissemblingthey　painted　their　faces　with　such　consummate　skill
they　repaired　the　decay　of　time　and　the　effects　of　mischance　with
such　profound　dissimulationthat　it　was　really　impossible　to　say
whether　any　one　was　well　or　ill　till　after　an　intimate　acquaintance
of　months　or　years。　　Even　then　the　shrewdest　were　constantly
mistaken　in　their　judgements；　and　marriages　were　often　contracted
with　most　deplorable　results；　owing　to　the　art　with　which　infirmity
had　been　concealed。

It　appeared　to　me　that　the　first　step　towards　the　cure　of　disease
should　be　the　announcement　of　the　fact　to　a　person's　near　relations
and　friends。　　If　any　one　had　a　headache；　he　ought　to　be　permitted
within　reasonable　limits　to　say　so　at　once；　and　to　retire　to　his
own　bedroom　and　take　a　pill；　without　every　one's　looking　grave　and
tears　being　shed　and　all　the　rest　of　it。　　As　it　was；　even　upon
hearing　it　whispered　that　somebody　else　was　subject　to　headaches；　a
whole　company　must　look　as　though　they　had　never　had　a　headache　in
their　lives。　　It　is　true　they　were　not　very　prevalent；　for　the
people　were　the　healthiest　and　most　comely　imaginable；　owing　to　the
severity　with　which　ill　health　was　treated；　still；　even　the　best
were　liable　to　be　out　of　sorts　sometimes；　and　there　were　few
families　that　had　not　a　medicine…chest　in　a　cupboard　somewhere。



CHAPTER　XV：　　THE　MUSICAL　BANKS



On　my　return　to　the　drawing…room；　I　found　that　the　Mahaina　current
had　expended　itself。　　The　ladies　were　just　putting　away　their　work
and　preparing　to　go　out。　　I　asked　them　where　they　were　going。　　They
answered　with　a　certain　air　of　reserve　that　they　were　going　to　the
bank　to　get　some　money。

Now　I　had　already　collected　that　the　mercantile　affairs　of　the
Erewhonians　were　conducted　on　a　totally　different　system　from　our
own；　I　had；　however；　gathered　little　hitherto；　except　that　they　had
two　distinct　commercial　systems；　of　which　the　one　appealed　more
strongly　to　the　imagination　than　anything　to　which　we　are
accustomed　in　Europe；　inasmuch　as　the　banks　that　were　conducted
upon　this　system　were　decorated　in　the　most　profuse　fashion；　and
all　mercantile　transactions　were　accompanied　with　music；　so　that
they　were　called　Musical　Banks；　though　the　music　was　hideous　to　a
European　ear。

As　for　the　system　itself　I　never　understood　it；　neither　can　I　do　so
now：　　they　have　a　code　in　connection　with　it；　which　I　have　not　the
slightest　doubt　that　they　understand；　but　no　foreigner　can　hope　to
do　so。　　One　rule　runs　into；　and　against；　another　as　in　a　most
complicated　grammar；　or　as　in　Chinese　pronunciation；　wherein　I　am
told　that　the　slightest　change　in　accentuation　or　tone　of　voice
alters　the　meaning　of　a　whole　sentence。　　Whatever　is　incoherent　in
my　description　must　be　referred　to　the　fact　of　my　never　having
attained　to　a　full　comprehension　of　the　subject。

So　far；　however；　as　I　could　collect　anything　certain；　I　gathered
that　they　have　two　distinct　currencies；　each　under　the　control　of
its　own　banks　and　mercantile　codes。　　One　of　these　（the　one　with　the
Musical　Banks）　was　supposed　to　be　THE　system；　and　to　give　out　the
currency　in　which　all　monetary　transactions　should　be　carried　on；
and　as　far　as　I　could　see；　all　who　wished　to　be　considered
respectable；　kept　a　larger　or　smaller　balance　at　these　banks。　　On
the　other　hand；　if　there　is　one　thing　of　which　I　am　more　sure　than
another；　it　is　that　the　amount　so　kept　had　no　direct　commercial
value　in　the　outside　world；　I　am　sure　that　the　managers　and
cashiers　of　the　Musical　Banks　were　not　paid　in　their　own　currency。
Mr。　Nosnibor　used　to　go　to　these　banks；　or　rather　to　the　great
mother　bank　of　the　city；　sometimes　but　not　very　often。　　He　was　a
pillar　of　one　of　the　other　kind　of　banks；　though　he　appeared　to
hold　some　minor　office　also　in　the　musical　ones。　　The　ladies
generally　went　alone；　as　indeed　was　the　case　in　most　families；
except　on　state　occasions。

I　had　long　wanted　to　know　more　of　this　strange　system；　and　had　the
greatest　desire　to　accompany　my　hostess　and　her　daughters。　　I　had
seen　them　go　out　almost　every　morning　since　my　arrival　and　had
noticed　that　they　carried　their　purses　in　their　hands；　not　exactly
ostentatiously；　yet　just　so　as　that　those　who　met　them　should　see
whither　they　were　going。　　I　had　never；　however；　yet　been　asked　to
go　with　them　myself。

It　is　not　easy　to　convey　a　person's　manner　by　words；　and　I　can
hardly　give　any　idea　of　the　peculiar　feeling　that　came　upon　me　when
I　saw　the　ladies　on　the　point　of　starting　for　the　bank。　　There　was
a　something　of　regret；　a　something　as　though　they　would　wish　to
take　me　with　them；　but　did　not　like　to　ask　me；　and　yet　as　though　I
were　hardly　to　ask　to　be　taken。　　I　was　determined；　however；　to
bring　matters　to　an　issue　with　my　hostess　about　my　going　with　them；
and　after　a　little　parleying；　and　many　inquiries　as　to　whether　I
was　perfectly　sure　that　I　myself　wished　to　go；　it　was　decided　that
I　might　do　so。

We　passed　through　several　streets　of　more　or　less　considerable
houses；　and　at　last　turning　round　a　corner　we　came　upon　a　large
piazza；　at　the　end　of　which　was　a　magnificent　building；　of　a
strange　but　noble　architecture　and　of　great　antiquity。　　It　did　not
open　directly　on　to　the　piazza；　there　being　a　screen；　through　which
was　an　archway；　between　the　piazza　and　the　actual　precincts　of　the
bank。　　On　passing　under　the　archway　we　entered　upon　a　green　sward；
round　which　there　ran　an　arcade　or　cloister；　while　in　front　of　us
uprose　the　majestic　towers　of　the　bank　and　its　venerable　front；
which　was　divided　into　three　deep　recesses　and　adorned　with　all
sorts　of　marbles　and　many　sculptures。　　On　either　side　there　were
beautiful　old　trees　wherein　the　birds　were　busy　by　the　hundred；　and
a　number　of　quaint　but　substantial　houses　of　singularly　comfortable
appearance；　they　were　situated　in　the　midst　of　orchards　and
gardens；　and　gave　me　an　impression　of　great　peace　and　plenty。

Indeed　it　had　been　no　error　to　say　that　this　building　was　one　that
appealed　to　the　imagination；　it　did　moreit　carried　both
imagination　and　judgement　by　storm。　　It　was　an　epic　in　stone　and
marble；　and　so　powerful　was　the　effect　it　produced　on　me；　that　as　I
beheld　it　I　was　charmed　and　melted。　　I　felt　more　conscious　of　the
existence　of　a　remote　past。　　One　knows　of　this　always；　but　the
knowledge　is　never　so　living　as　in　the　actual　presence　of　some
witness　to　the　life　of　bygone　ages。　　I　felt　how　short　a　space　of
human　life　was　the　period　of　our　own　existence。　　I　was　more
impressed　with　my　own　littleness；　and　much　more　inclinable　to
believe　that　the　people　whose　sense　of　the　fitness　of　things　was
equal　to　the　upraising　of　so　serene　a　handiwork；　were　hardly　likely
to　be　wrong　in　the　conclusions　they　might　come　to　upon　any　subject。
My　feeling　certainly　was　that　the　currency　of　this　bank　must　be　the
right　one。

We　crossed　the　sward　and　entered　the　building。　　If　the　outside　had
been　impressive　the　inside　was　even　more　so。　　It　was　very　lofty　and
divided　into　several　parts　by　walls　which　rested　upon　massive
pillars；　the　windows　were　filled　with　stained　glass　descriptive　of
the　principal　commercial　incidents　of　the　bank　for　many　ages。　　In　a
remote　part　of　the　building　there　were　men　and　boys　singing；　this
was　the　only　disturbing　feature；　for　as　the　gamut　was　still
unknown；　there　was　no　music　in　the　country　which　could　be　agreeable
to　a　European　ear。　　The　singers　seemed　to　have　derived　their
inspirations　from　the　songs　of　birds　and　the　wailing　of　the　wind；
which　last　they　tried　to　imitate　in　melancholy　cadences　that　at
times　degenerated　into　a　howl。　　To　my　thinking