erewhon-第39章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


for　the　presentthat　I　would　then　leave　her；　and　set　to　work　upon
maturing　my　plan　as　fast　as　possible。　　We　got　a　chance　of　being
alone　together；　and　then　I　gave　myself　the　loose　rein；　and　told　her
how　passionately　and　devotedly　I　loved　her。　　She　said　little　in
return；　but　her　tears　（which　I　could　not　refrain　from　answering
with　my　own）　and　the　little　she　did　say　were　quite　enough　to　show
me　that　I　should　meet　with　no　obstacle　from　her。　　Then　I　asked　her
whether　she　would　run　a　terrible　risk　which　we　should　share　in
common；　if；　in　case　of　success；　I　could　take　her　to　my　own　people；
to　the　home　of　my　mother　and　sisters；　who　would　welcome　her　very
gladly。　　At　the　same　time　I　pointed　out　that　the　chances　of　failure
were　far　greater　than　those　of　success；　and　that　the　probability
was　that　even　though　I　could　get　so　far　as　to　carry　my　design　into
execution；　it　would　end　in　death　to　us　both。

I　was　not　mistaken　in　her；　she　said　that　she　believed　I　loved　her
as　much　as　she　loved　me；　and　that　she　would　brave　anything　if　I
could　only　assure　her　that　what　I　proposed　would　not　be　thought
dishonourable　in　England；　she　could　not　live　without　me；　and　would
rather　die　with　me　than　alone；　that　death　was　perhaps　the　best　for
us　both；　that　I　must　plan；　and　that　when　the　hour　came　I　was　to
send　for　her；　and　trust　her　not　to　fail　me；　and　so　after　many　tears
and　embraces；　we　tore　ourselves　away。

I　then　left　the　Nosnibors；　took　a　lodging　in　the　town；　and　became
melancholy　to　my　heart's　content。　　Arowhena　and　I　used　to　see　each
other　sometimes；　for　I　had　taken　to　going　regularly　to　the　Musical
Banks；　but　Mrs。　Nosnibor　and　Zulora　both　treated　me　with
considerable　coldness。　　I　felt　sure　that　they　suspected　me。
Arowhena　looked　miserable；　and　I　saw　that　her　purse　was　now　always
as　full　as　she　could　fill　it　with　the　Musical　Bank　moneymuch
fuller　than　of　old。　　Then　the　horrible　thought　occurred　to　me　that
her　health　might　break　down；　and　that　she　might　be　subjected　to　a
criminal　prosecution。　　Oh！　how　I　hated　Erewhon　at　that　time。

I　was　still　received　at　court；　but　my　good　looks　were　beginning　to
fail　me；　and　I　was　not　such　an　adept　at　concealing　the　effects　of
pain　as　the　Erewhonians　are。　　I　could　see　that　my　friends　began　to
look　concerned　about　me；　and　was　obliged　to　take　a　leaf　out　of
Mahaina's　book；　and　pretend　to　have　developed　a　taste　for　drinking。
I　even　consulted　a　straightener　as　though　this　were　so；　and
submitted　to　much　discomfort。　　This　made　matters　better　for　a　time；
but　I　could　see　that　my　friends　thought　less　highly　of　my
constitution　as　my　flesh　began　to　fall　away。

I　was　told　that　the　poor　made　an　outcry　about　my　pension；　and　I　saw
a　stinging　article　in　an　anti…ministerial　paper；　in　which　the
writer　went　so　far　as　to　say　that　my　having　light　hair　reflected
little　credit　upon　me；　inasmuch　as　I　had　been　reported　to　have　said
that　it　was　a　common　thing　in　the　country　from　which　I　came。　　I
have　reason　to　believe　that　Mr。　Nosnibor　himself　inspired　this
article。　　Presently　it　came　round　to　me　that　the　king　had　begun　to
dwell　upon　my　having　been　possessed　of　a　watch；　and　to　say　that　I
ought　to　be　treated　medicinally　for　having　told　him　a　lie　about　the
balloons。　　I　saw　misfortune　gathering　round　me　in　every　direction；
and　felt　that　I　should　have　need　of　all　my　wits　and　a　good　many
more；　if　I　was　to　steer　myself　and　Arowhena　to　a　good　conclusion。

There　were　some　who　continued　to　show　me　kindness；　and　strange　to
say；　I　received　the　most　from　the　very　persons　from　whom　I　should
have　least　expected　itI　mean　from　the　cashiers　of　the　Musical
Banks。　　I　had　made　the　acquaintance　of　several　of　these　persons；
and　now　that　I　frequented　their　bank；　they　were　inclined　to　make　a
good　deal　of　me。　　One　of　them；　seeing　that　I　was　thoroughly　out　of
health；　though　of　course　he　pretended　not　to　notice　it；　suggested
that　I　should　take　a　little　change　of　air　and　go　down　with　him　to
one　of　the　principal　towns；　which　was　some　two　or　three　days'
journey　from　the　metropolis；　and　the　chief　seat　of　the　Colleges　of
Unreason；　he　assured　me　that　I　should　be　delighted　with　what　I　saw；
and　that　I　should　receive　a　most　hospitable　welcome。　　I　determined
therefore　to　accept　the　invitation。

We　started　two　or　three　days　later；　and　after　a　night　on　the　road；
we　arrived　at　our　destination　towards　evening。　　It　was　now　full
spring；　and　as　nearly　as　might　be　ten　months　since　I　had　started
with　Chowbok　on　my　expedition；　but　it　seemed　more　like　ten　years。
The　trees　were　in　their　freshest　beauty；　and　the　air　had　become
warm　without　being　oppressively　hot。　　After　having　lived　so　many
months　in　the　metropolis；　the　sight　of　the　country；　and　the　country
villages　through　which　we　passed　refreshed　me　greatly；　but　I　could
not　forget　my　troubles。　　The　last　five　miles　or　so　were　the　most
beautiful　part　of　the　journey；　for　the　country　became　more
undulating；　and　the　woods　were　more　extensive；　but　the　first　sight
of　the　city　of　the　colleges　itself　was　the　most　delightful　of　all。
I　cannot　imagine　that　there　can　be　any　fairer　in　the　whole　world；
and　I　expressed　my　pleasure　to　my　companion；　and　thanked　him　for
having　brought　me。

We　drove　to　an　inn　in　the　middle　of　the　town；　and　then；　while　it
was　still　light；　my　friend　the　cashier；　whose　name　was　Thims；　took
me　for　a　stroll　in　the　streets　and　in　the　court…yards　of　the
principal　colleges。　　Their　beauty　and　interest　were　extreme；　it　was
impossible　to　see　them　without　being　attracted　towards　them；　and　I
thought　to　myself　that　he　must　be　indeed　an　ill…grained　and
ungrateful　person　who　can　have　been　a　member　of　one　of　these
colleges　without　retaining　an　affectionate　feeling　towards　it　for
the　rest　of　his　life。　　All　my　misgivings　gave　way　at　once　when　I
saw　the　beauty　and　venerable　appearance　of　this　delightful　city。
For　half…an…hour　I　forgot　both　myself　and　Arowhena。

After　supper　Mr。　Thims　told　me　a　good　deal　about　the　system　of
education　which　is　here　practised。　　I　already　knew　a　part　of　what　I
heard；　but　much　was　new　to　me；　and　I　obtained　a　better　idea　of　the
Erewhonian　position　than　I　had　done　hitherto：　　nevertheless　there
were　parts　of　the　scheme　of　which　I　could　not　comprehend　the
fitness；　although　I　fully　admit　that　this　inability　was　probably
the　result　of　my　having　been　trained　so　very　differently；　and　to　my
being　then　much　out　of　sorts。

The　main　feature　in　their　system　is　the　prominence　which　they　give
to　a　study　which　I　can　only　translate　by　the　word　〃hypothetics。〃
They　argue　thusthat　to　teach　a　boy　merely　the　nature　of　the
things　which　exist　in　the　world　around　him；　and　about　which　he　will
have　to　be　conversant　during　his　whole　life；　would　be　giving　him
but　a　narrow　and　shallow　conception　of　the　universe；　which　it　is
urged　might　contain　all　manner　of　things　which　are　not　now　to　be
found　therein。　　To　open　his　eyes　to　these　possibilities；　and　so　to
prepare　him　for　all　sorts　of　emergencies；　is　the　object　of　this
system　of　hypothetics。　　To　imagine　a　set　of　utterly　strange　and
impossible　contingencies；　and　require　the　youths　to　give
intelligent　answers　to　the　questions　that　arise　therefrom；　is
reckoned　the　fittest　conceivable　way　of　preparing　them　for　the
actual　conduct　of　their　affairs　in　after　life。

Thus　they　are　taught　what　is　called　the　hypothetical　language　for
many　of　their　best　yearsa　language　which　was　originally　composed
at　a　time　when　the　country　was　in　a　very　different　state　of
civilisation　to　what　it　is　at　present；　a　state　which　has　long　since
disappeared　and　been　superseded。　　Many　valuable　maxims　and　noble
thoughts　which　were　at　one　time　concealed　in　it　have　become　current
in　their　modern　literature；　and　have　been　translated　over　and　over
again　into　the　language　now　spoken。　　Surely　then　it　would　seem
enough　that　the　study　of　the　original　language　should　be　confined
to　the　few　whose　instincts　led　them　naturally　to　pursue　it。

But　the　Erewhonians　think　differently；　the　store　they　set　by　this
hypothetical　language　can　hardly　be　believed；　they　will　even　give
any　one　a　maintenance　for　life　if　he　attains　a　considerable
proficiency　in　the　study　of　it；　nay；　they　will　spend　years　in
learning　to　translate　some　of　th