Hanky's words literally。 There was not a trace of fluster in her
gait； action； or words； as she said …
〃My friends； this temple； and this day； must not be profaned with
blood。 My son will take this poor madman to the prison。 Let him
be judged and punished according to law。 Make room； that he and my
son may pass。〃
Then； turning to my father； she said； 〃Go quietly with the Ranger。〃
Having so spoken； she returned to her seat as unconcernedly as she
had left it。
Hanky for a time continued to foam at the mouth and roar out； 〃Tear
him to pieces！ burn him alive！〃 but when he saw that there was no
further hope of getting the people to obey him； he collapsed on to
a seat in his pulpit； mopped his bald head； and consoled himself
with a great pinch of a powder which corresponds very closely to
our own snuff。
George led my father out by the side door at the north end of the
western aisle； the people eyed him intently； but made way for him
without demonstration。 One voice alone was heard to cry out； 〃Yes；
he is the Sunchild！〃 My father glanced at the speaker； and saw
that he was the interpreter who had taught him the Erewhonian
language when he was in prison。
George； seeing a special constable close by； told him to bid his
brothers release the vergers； and let them arrest the interpreter
this the vergers； foiled as they had been in the matter of my
father's arrest； were very glad to do。 So the poor interpreter； to
his dismay； was lodged at once in one of the Bank prison…cells；
where he could do no further harm。
CHAPTER XVII： GEORGE TAKES HIS FATHER TO PRISON； AND THERE OBTAINS
SOME USEFUL INFORMATION
By this time George had got my father into the open square； where
he was surprised to find that a large bonfire had been made and
lighted。 There had been nothing of the kind an hour before； the
wood； therefore； must have been piled and lighted while people had
been in church。 He had no time at the moment to enquire why this
had been done； but later on he discovered that on the Sunday
morning the Manager of the new temple had obtained leave from the
Mayor to have the wood piled in the square； representing that this
was Professor Hanky's contribution to the festivities of the day。
There had； it seemed； been no intention of lighting it until
nightfall； but it had accidentally caught fire through the
carelessness of a workman； much about the time when Hanky began to
preach。 No one for a moment believed that there had been any
sinister intention； or that Professor Hanky when he urged the crowd
to burn my father alive； even knew that there was a pile of wood in
the square at allmuch less that it had been lightedfor he could
hardly have supposed that the wood had been got together so soon。
Nevertheless both George and my father； when they knew all that had
passed； congratulated themselves on the fact that my father had not
fallen into the hands of the vergers； who would probably have tried
to utilise the accidental fire； though in no case is it likely they
would have succeeded。
As soon as they were inside the gaol； the old Master recognised my
father。 〃Bless my heartwhat？ You here； again； Mr。 Higgs？ Why；
I thought you were in the palace of the sun your father。〃
〃I wish I was；〃 answered my father； shaking hands with him； but he
could say no more。
〃You are as safe here as if you were；〃 said George laughing； 〃and
safer。〃 Then turning to his grandfather； he said； 〃You have the
record of Mr。 Higgs's marks and measurements？ I know you have：
take him to his old cell； it is the best in the prison； and then
please bring me the record。〃
The old man took George and my father to the cell which he had
occupied twenty years earlierbut I cannot stay to describe his
feelings on finding himself again within it。 The moment his
grandfather's back was turned； George said to my father； 〃And now
shake hands also with your son。〃
As he spoke he took my father's hand and pressed it warmly between
both his own。
〃Then you know you are my son；〃 said my father as steadily as the
strong emotion that mastered him would permit。
〃Certainly。〃
〃But you did not know this when I was walking with you on Friday？〃
〃Of course not。 I thought you were Professor Panky； if I had not
taken you for one of the two persons named in your permit； I should
have questioned you closely； and probably ended by throwing you
into the Blue Pool。〃 He shuddered as he said this。
〃But you knew who I was when you called me Panky in the temple？〃
〃Quite so。 My mother told me everything on Friday evening。〃
〃And that is why you tried to find me at Fairmead？〃
〃Yes； but where in the world were you？〃
〃I was inside the Musical Bank of the town； resting and reading。〃
George laughed； and said； 〃On purpose to hide？〃
〃Oh no； pure chance。 But on Friday evening？ How could your mother
have found out by that time that I was in Erewhon？ Am I on my head
or my heels？〃
〃On your heels； my father； which shall take you back to your own
country as soon as we can get you out of this。〃
〃What have I done to deserve so much goodwill？ I have done you
nothing but harm？〃 Again he was quite overcome。
George patted him gently on the hand； and said； 〃You made a bet and
you won it。 During the very short time that we can be together；
you shall be paid in full； and may heaven protect us both。〃
As soon as my father could speak he said； 〃But how did your mother
find out that I was in Erewhon？〃
〃Hanky and Panky were dining with her； and they told her some
things that she thought strange。 She cross…questioned them； put
two and two together； learned that you had got their permit out of
them； saw that you intended to return on Friday； and concluded that
you would be sleeping in Sunch'ston。 She sent for me； told me all；
bade me scour Sunch'ston to find you； intending that you should be
at once escorted safely over the preserves by me。 I found your
inn； but you had given us the slip。 I tried first Fairmead and
then Clearwater； but did not find you till this morning。 For
reasons too long to repeat； my mother warned Hanky and Panky that
you would be in the temple； whereon Hanky tried to get you into his
clutches。 Happily he failed； but if I had known what he was doing
I should have arrested you before the service。 I ought to have
done this； but I wanted you to win your wager； and I shall get you
safely away in spite of them。 My mother will not like my having
let you hear Hanky's sermon and declare yourself。〃
〃You half told me not to say who I was。〃
〃Yes； but I was delighted when you disobeyed me。〃
〃I did it very badly。 I never rise to great occasions； I always
fall to them； but these things must come as they come。〃
〃You did it as well as it could be done； and good will come of it。〃
〃And now；〃 he continued； 〃describe exactly all that passed between
you and the Professors。 On which side of Panky did Hanky sit； and
did they sit north and south or east and west？ How did you getoh
yes； I know thatyou told them it would be of no further use to
them。 Tell me all else you can。〃
My father said that the Professors were sitting pretty well east
and west； so that Hanky； who was on the east side； nearest the
mountains； had Panky； who was on the Sunch'ston side； on his right
hand。 George made a note of this。 My father then told what the
reader already knows； but when he came to the measurement of the
boots； George said； 〃Take your boots off；〃 and began taking off his
own。 〃Foot for foot；〃 said he； 〃we are not father and son； but
brothers。 Yours will fit me； they are less worn than mine； but I
daresay you will not mind that。〃
On this George ex abundanti cautela knocked a nail out of the right
boot that he had been wearing and changed boots with my father； but
he thought it more plausible not to knock out exactly the same nail
that was missing on my father's boot。 When the change was made；
each foundor said he foundthe other's boots quite comfortable。
My father all the time felt as though he were a basket given to a
dog。 The dog had got him； was proud of him； and no one must try to
take him away。 The promptitude with which George took to him； the
obvious pleasure he had in 〃running〃 him； his quick judgement；
verging as it should towards rashness； his confidence that my
father trusted him without reserve； the conviction of perfect
openness that was conveyed by the way in which his eyes never
budged from my father's when he spoke to him； his genial； kindly；
manner； perfect physical health； and the air he had of being on the
best possible terms with himself and every one elsethe
combination of all this so overmastered my poor father （who indeed
had been sufficiently mastered before he had been five minutes in
George's company） that he resigned himself as gratefully to being a
basket； as George had cheerfully undertaken the task of carrying
him。
In passing I may say that George could never get his own boots back
again； though he tried more than once to do so。 My father always
made some excuse。 They were the only memento of George that he
brought home with him； I wonder that he did not ask for a lock of
his hair； but he did not。 He had the boots put against a wall in
his bedroom； where he could see them from his bed； and during his
illness； while consciousness yet remained with him； I saw his eyes
continually turn towards them。 George； in fact； dominated him as
long as anything in this world could do so。 Nor do I wonder； on
the contrary； I love his memory the better； for I too； as will
appear later； have seen George； and whatever little jealousy I may
have felt； vanished on my finding him almost instantaneously gain
the same ascendancy over me his brother； that he had gained over
his and my father。 But of this no more at present。 Let me return
to the gaol in Sunch'ston。
〃Tell me more；〃 said George； 〃about the Professors。〃
My father told him about the nuggets； the sale of his kit； the
receipt he had given for the money； and how he had got the nuggets
back from a tree； the position of which he described。
〃I know the tree； have you got the nuggets here？〃
〃Here they are； with the receipt； and