erewhon-第56章
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that worst were soon to be at hand； for the balloon had begun to
sink。 On first seeing the sea I had been impressed with the idea
that we must have been falling； but now there could be no mistake；
we were sinking； and that fast。 I threw out a bag of ballast； and
for a time we rose again； but in the course of a few hours the
sinking recommenced； and I threw out another bag。
Then the battle commenced in earnest。 It lasted all that afternoon
and through the night until the following evening。 I had seen
never a sail nor a sign of a sail； though I had half blinded myself
with straining my eyes incessantly in every direction； we had
parted with everything but the clothes which we had upon our backs；
food and water were gone； all thrown out to the wheeling
albatrosses； in order to save us a few hours or even minutes from
the sea。 I did not throw away the books till we were within a few
feet of the water； and clung to my manuscripts to the very last。
Hope there seemed none whateveryet； strangely enough we were
neither of us utterly hopeless； and even when the evil that we
dreaded was upon us； and that which we greatly feared had come； we
sat in the car of the balloon with the waters up to our middle； and
still smiled with a ghastly hopefulness to one another。
* * *
He who has crossed the St。 Gothard will remember that below
Andermatt there is one of those Alpine gorges which reach the very
utmost limits of the sublime and terrible。 The feelings of the
traveller have become more and more highly wrought at every step；
until at last the naked and overhanging precipices seem to close
above his head； as he crosses a bridge hung in mid…air over a
roaring waterfall； and enters on the darkness of a tunnel； hewn out
of the rock。
What can be in store for him on emerging？ Surely something even
wilder and more desolate than that which he has seen already； yet
his imagination is paralysed； and can suggest no fancy or vision of
anything to surpass the reality which he had just witnessed。 Awed
and breathless he advances； when lo！ the light of the afternoon sun
welcomes him as he leaves the tunnel； and behold a smiling valley
a babbling brook； a village with tall belfries； and meadows of
brilliant greenthese are the things which greet him； and he
smiles to himself as the terror passes away and in another moment
is forgotten。
So fared it now with ourselves。 We had been in the water some two
or three hours； and the night had come upon us。 We had said
farewell for the hundredth time； and had resigned ourselves to meet
the end； indeed I was myself battling with a drowsiness from which
it was only too probable that I should never wake； when suddenly；
Arowhena touched me on the shoulder； and pointed to a light and to
a dark mass which was bearing right upon us。 A cry for helploud
and clear and shrillbroke forth from both of us at once； and in
another five minutes we were carried by kind and tender hands on to
the deck of an Italian vessel。
CHAPTER XXIX： CONCLUSION
The ship was the Principe Umberto； bound from Callao to Genoa； she
had carried a number of emigrants to Rio； had gone thence to
Callao； where she had taken in a cargo of guano； and was now on her
way home。 The captain was a certain Giovanni Gianni； a native of
Sestri； he has kindly allowed me to refer to him in case the truth
of my story should be disputed； but I grieve to say that I suffered
him to mislead himself in some important particulars。 I should add
that when we were picked up we were a thousand miles from land。
As soon as we were on board； the captain began questioning us about
the siege of Paris； from which city he had assumed that we must
have come； notwithstanding our immense distance from Europe。 As
may be supposed； I had not heard a syllable about the war between
France and Germany； and was too ill to do more than assent to all
that he chose to put into my mouth。 My knowledge of Italian is
very imperfect； and I gathered little from anything that he said；
but I was glad to conceal the true point of our departure； and
resolved to take any cue that he chose to give me。
The line that thus suggested itself was that there had been ten or
twelve others in the balloon； that I was an English Milord； and
Arowhena a Russian Countess； that all the others had been drowned；
and that the despatches which we had carried were lost。 I came
afterwards to learn that this story would not have been credible；
had not the captain been for some weeks at sea； for I found that
when we were picked up； the Germans had already long been masters
of Paris。 As it was； the captain settled the whole story for me；
and I was well content。
In a few days we sighted an English vessel bound from Melbourne to
London with wool。 At my earnest request； in spite of stormy
weather which rendered it dangerous for a boat to take us from one
ship to the other； the captain consented to signal the English
vessel； and we were received on board； but we were transferred with
such difficulty that no communication took place as to the manner
of our being found。 I did indeed hear the Italian mate who was in
charge of the boat shout out something in French to the effect that
we had been picked up from a balloon； but the noise of the wind was
so great； and the captain understood so little French that he
caught nothing of the truth； and it was assumed that we were two
persons who had been saved from shipwreck。 When the captain asked
me in what ship I had been wrecked； I said that a party of us had
been carried out to sea in a pleasure…boat by a strong current； and
that Arowhena （whom I described as a Peruvian lady） and I were
alone saved。
There were several passengers； whose goodness towards us we can
never repay。 I grieve to think that they cannot fail to discover
that we did not take them fully into our confidence； but had we
told them all； they would not have believed us； and I was
determined that no one should hear of Erewhon； or have the chance
of getting there before me； as long as I could prevent it。 Indeed；
the recollection of the many falsehoods which I was then obliged to
tell； would render my life miserable were I not sustained by the
consolations of my religion。 Among the passengers there was a most
estimable clergyman； by whom Arowhena and I were married within a
very few days of our coming on board。
After a prosperous voyage of about two months； we sighted the
Land's End； and in another week we were landed at London。 A
liberal subscription was made for us on board the ship； so that we
found ourselves in no immediate difficulty about money。 I
accordingly took Arowhena down into Somersetshire； where my mother
and sisters had resided when I last heard of them。 To my great
sorrow I found that my mother was dead； and that her death had been
accelerated by the report of my having been killed； which had been
brought to my employer's station by Chowbok。 It appeared that he
must have waited for a few days to see whether I returned； that he
then considered it safe to assume that I should never do so； and
had accordingly made up a story about my having fallen into a
whirlpool of seething waters while coming down the gorge homeward。
Search was made for my body； but the rascal had chosen to drown me
in a place where there would be no chance of its ever being
recovered。
My sisters were both married； but neither of their husbands was
rich。 No one seemed overjoyed on my return； and I soon discovered
that when a man's relations have once mourned for him as dead； they
seldom like the prospect of having to mourn for him a second time。
Accordingly I returned to London with my wife； and through the
assistance of an old friend supported myself by writing good little
stories for the magazines； and for a tract society。 I was well
paid； and I trust that I may not be considered presumptuous in
saying that some of the most popular of the brochures which are
distributed in the streets； and which are to be found in the
waiting…rooms of the railway stations； have proceeded from my pen。
During the time that I could spare； I arranged my notes and diary
till they assumed the
