erewhon-第7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！


northern　basin？　　This　was　too　improbable。　　But　even　as　I　doubted
there　came　a　rent　in　the　cloud　opposite；　and　a　second　time　I　saw
blue　lines　of　heaving　downs；　growing　gradually　fainter；　and
retiring　into　a　far　space　of　plain。　　It　was　substantial；　there　had
been　no　mistake　whatsoever。　　I　had　hardly　made　myself　perfectly
sure　of　this；　ere　the　rent　in　the　clouds　joined　up　again　and　I
could　see　nothing　more。

What；　then；　should　I　do？　　The　night　would　be　upon　me　shortly；　and　I
was　already　chilled　with　standing　still　after　the　exertion　of
climbing。　　To　stay　where　I　was　would　be　impossible；　I　must　either
go　backwards　or　forwards。　　I　found　a　rock　which　gave　me　shelter
from　the　evening　wind；　and　took　a　good　pull　at　the　brandy　flask；
which　immediately　warmed　and　encouraged　me。

I　asked　myself；　Could　I　descend　upon　the　river…bed　beneath　me？　　It
was　impossible　to　say　what　precipices　might　prevent　my　doing　so。
If　I　were　on　the　river…bed；　dare　I　cross　the　river？　　I　am　an
excellent　swimmer；　yet；　once　in　that　frightful　rush　of　waters；　I
should　be　hurled　whithersoever　it　willed；　absolutely　powerless。
Moreover；　there　was　my　swag；　I　should　perish　of　cold　and　hunger　if
I　left　it；　but　I　should　certainly　be　drowned　if　I　attempted　to
carry　it　across　the　river。　　These　were　serious　considerations；　but
the　hope　of　finding　an　immense　tract　of　available　sheep　country
（which　I　was　determined　that　I　would　monopolise　as　far　as　I
possibly　could）　sufficed　to　outweigh　them；　and；　in　a　few　minutes；　I
felt　resolved　that；　having　made　so　important　a　discovery　as　a　pass
into　a　country　which　was　probably　as　valuable　as　that　on　our　own
side　of　the　ranges；　I　would　follow　it　up　and　ascertain　its　value；
even　though　I　should　pay　the　penalty　of　failure　with　life　itself。
The　more　I　thought；　the　more　determined　I　became　either　to　win　fame
and　perhaps　fortune；　by　entering　upon　this　unknown　world；　or　give
up　life　in　the　attempt。　　In　fact；　I　felt　that　life　would　be　no
longer　valuable　if　I　were　to　have　seen　so　great　a　prize　and　refused
to　grasp　at　the　possible　profits　therefrom。

I　had　still　an　hour　of　good　daylight　during　which　I　might　begin　my
descent　on　to　some　suitable　camping…ground；　but　there　was　not　a
moment　to　be　lost。　　At　first　I　got　along　rapidly；　for　I　was　on　the
snow；　and　sank　into　it　enough　to　save　me　from　falling；　though　I
went　forward　straight　down　the　mountain　side　as　fast　as　I　could；
but　there　was　less　snow　on　this　side　than　on　the　other；　and　I　had
soon　done　with　it；　getting　on　to　a　coomb　of　dangerous　and　very
stony　ground；　where　a　slip　might　have　given　me　a　disastrous　fall。
But　I　was　careful　with　all　my　speed；　and　got　safely　to　the　bottom；
where　there　were　patches　of　coarse　grass；　and　an　attempt　here　and
there　at　brushwood：　　what　was　below　this　I　could　not　see。　　I
advanced　a　few　hundred　yards　farther；　and　found　that　I　was　on　the
brink　of　a　frightful　precipice；　which　no　one　in　his　senses　would
attempt　descending。　　I　bethought　me；　however；　to　try　the　creek
which　drained　the　coomb；　and　see　whether　it　might　not　have　made
itself　a　smoother　way。　　In　a　few　minutes　I　found　myself　at　the
upper　end　of　a　chasm　in　the　rocks；　something　like　Twll　Dhu；　only　on
a　greatly　larger　scale；　the　creek　had　found　its　way　into　it；　and
had　worn　a　deep　channel　through　a　material　which　appeared　softer
than　that　upon　the　other　side　of　the　mountain。　　I　believe　it　must
have　been　a　different　geological　formation；　though　I　regret　to　say
that　I　cannot　tell　what　it　was。

I　looked　at　this　rift　in　great　doubt；　then　I　went　a　little　way　on
either　side　of　it；　and　found　myself　looking　over　the　edge　of
horrible　precipices　on　to　the　river；　which　roared　some　four　or　five
thousand　feet　below　me。　　I　dared　not　think　of　getting　down　at　all；
unless　I　committed　myself　to　the　rift；　of　which　I　was　hopeful　when
I　reflected　that　the　rock　was　soft；　and　that　the　water　might　have
worn　its　channel　tolerably　evenly　through　the　whole　extent。　　The
darkness　was　increasing　with　every　minute；　but　I　should　have
twilight　for　another　half…hour；　so　I　went　into　the　chasm　（though　by
no　means　without　fear）；　and　resolved　to　return　and　camp；　and　try
some　other　path　next　day；　should　I　come　to　any　serious　difficulty。
In　about　five　minutes　I　had　completely　lost　my　head；　the　side　of
the　rift　became　hundreds　of　feet　in　height；　and　overhung　so　that　I
could　not　see　the　sky。　　It　was　full　of　rocks；　and　I　had　many　falls
and　bruises。　　I　was　wet　through　from　falling　into　the　water；　of
which　there　was　no　great　volume；　but　it　had　such　force　that　I　could
do　nothing　against　it；　once　I　had　to　leap　down　a　not　inconsiderable
waterfall　into　a　deep　pool　below；　and　my　swag　was　so　heavy　that　I
was　very　nearly　drowned。　　I　had　indeed　a　hair's…breadth　escape；
but；　as　luck　would　have　it；　Providence　was　on　my　side。　　Shortly
afterwards　I　began　to　fancy　that　the　rift　was　getting　wider；　and
that　there　was　more　brushwood。　　Presently　I　found　myself　on　an　open
grassy　slope；　and　feeling　my　way　a　little　farther　along　the　stream；
I　came　upon　a　flat　place　with　wood；　where　I　could　camp　comfortably；
which　was　well；　for　it　was　now　quite　dark。

My　first　care　was　for　my　matches；　were　they　dry？　　The　outside　of　my
swag　had　got　completely　wet；　but；　on　undoing　the　blankets；　I　found
things　warm　and　dry　within。　　How　thankful　I　was！　　I　lit　a　fire；　and
was　grateful　for　its　warmth　and　company。　　I　made　myself　some　tea
and　ate　two　of　my　biscuits：　　my　brandy　I　did　not　touch；　for　I　had
little　left；　and　might　want　it　when　my　courage　failed　me。　　All　that
I　did；　I　did　almost　mechanically；　for　I　could　not　realise　my
situation　to　myself；　beyond　knowing　that　I　was　alone；　and　that
return　through　the　chasm　which　I　had　just　descended　would　be
impossible。　　It　is　a　dreadful　feeling　that　of　being　cut　off　from
all　one's　kind。　　I　was　still　full　of　hope；　and　built　golden　castles
for　myself　as　soon　as　I　was　warmed　with　food　and　fire；　but　I　do　not
believe　that　any　man　could　long　retain　his　reason　in　such　solitude；
unless　he　had　the　companionship　of　animals。　　One　begins　doubting
one's　own　identity。

I　remember　deriving　comfort　even　from　the　sight　of　my　blankets；　and
the　sound　of　my　watch　tickingthings　which　seemed　to　link　me　to
other　people；　but　the　screaming　of　the　wood…hens　frightened　me；　as
also　a　chattering　bird　which　I　had　never　heard　before；　and　which
seemed　to　laugh　at　me；　though　I　soon　got　used　to　it；　and　before
long　could　fancy　that　it　was　many　years　since　I　had　first　heard　it。

I　took　off　my　clothes；　and　wrapped　my　inside　blanket　about　me；　till
my　things　were　dry。　　The　night　was　very　still；　and　I　made　a　roaring
fire；　so　I　soon　got　warm；　and　at　last　could　put　my　clothes　on
again。　　Then　I　strapped　my　blanket　round　me；　and　went　to　sleep　as
near　the　fire　as　I　could。

I　dreamed　that　there　was　an　organ　placed　in　my　master's　wool…shed：
the　wool…shed　faded　away；　and　the　organ　seemed　to　grow　and　grow
amid　a　blaze　of　brilliant　light；　till　it　became　like　a　golden　city
upon　the　side　of　a　mountain；　with　rows　upon　rows　of　pipes　set　in
cliffs　and　precipices；　one　above　the　other；　and　in　mysterious
caverns；　like　that　of　Fingal；　within　whose　depths　I　could　see　the
burnished　pillars　gleaming。　　In　the　front　there　was　a　flight　of
lofty　terraces；　at　the　top　of　which　I　could　see　a　man　with　his　head
buried　forward　towards　a　key…board；　and　his　body　swaying　from　side
to　side　amid　the　storm　of　huge　arpeggioed　harmonies　that　came
crashing　overhead　and　round。　　Then　there　was　one　who　touched　me　on
the　shoulder；　and　said；　〃Do　you　not　see？　it　is　Handel〃；but　I　had
hardly　apprehended；　and　was　trying　to　scale　the　terraces；　and　get
near　him；　when　I　awoke；　dazzled　with　the　vividness　and　distinctness
of　the　dream。

A　piece　of　wood　had　burned　through；　and　the　ends　had　fallen　into
the　ashes　with　a　blaze：　　this；　I　supposed；　had　both　given　me　my
dream　and　robbed　me　of　it。　　I　was　bitterly　disappointed；　and
sitting　up　on　my　elbow；　came　back　to　reality　and　my　strange
surroundings　as　best　I　could。

I　was　thoroughly　arousedmoreover；　I　felt　a　foreshadowing　as
though　my　attention　were　arrested　by　something　more　than　the　dream；
although　no　sense　in　particular　was　as　yet　appealed　to。　　I　held　my
breath　and　waited；　and