erewhon revisited- 第33部分

〃What　monstrous　absurdity　is　this？〃　shouted　Hanky；　〃do　you　mean　to
murder　us？〃

〃Certainly　not。　　But　you　have　insisted　that　I　should　do　my　duty；
and　I　mean　to　do　it。　　You　gentlemen　have　now　been　proved　to　my
satisfaction　to　have　had　traffic　with　a　foreign　devil；　and　under
section　37　of　the　Afforesting　Act；　I　must　at　once　Blue…Pool　any
such　persons　without　public　trial。〃

〃Nonsense；　nonsense；　there　was　nothing　of　the　kind　on　our　permit；
and　as　for　trafficking　with　this　foreign　devil；　we　spoke　to　him；
but　we　neither　bought　nor　sold。　　Where　is　the　Act？〃

〃Here。　　On　your　permit　you　were　referred　to　certain　other　clauses
not　set　out　therein；　which　might　be　seen　at　the　Mayor's　office。
Clause　37　is　as　follows：…


〃It　is　furthermore　enacted　that　should　any　of　his　Majesty's
subjects　be　found；　after　examination　by　the　Head　Ranger；　to　have
had　traffic　of　any　kind　by　way　of　sale　or　barter　with　any　foreign
devil；　the　said　Ranger；　on　being　satisfied　that　such　traffic　has
taken　place；　shall　forthwith；　with　or　without　the　assistance　of　his
under…rangers；　convey　such　subjects　of　his　Majesty　to　the　Blue
Pool；　bind　them；　weight　them；　and　fling　them　into　it；　without　the
formality　of　a　trial；　and　shall　report　the　circumstances　of　the
case　to　his　Majesty。〃


〃But　we　never　bought　anything　from　the　prisoner。　　What　evidence　can
you　have　of　this　but　the　word　of　a　foreign　devil　in　such　straits
that　he　would　swear　to　anything？〃

〃The　prisoner　has　nothing　to　do　with　it。　　I　am　convinced　by　this
receipt　in　Professor　Panky's　handwriting　which　states　that　he　and
you　jointly　purchased　his　kit　from　the　prisoner；　and　also　this　bag
of　gold　nuggets　worth　about　100　pounds　in　silver；　for　the　absurdly
small　sum　of　4　pounds；　10s。　in　silver。　　I　am　further　convinced　by
this　handkerchief　marked　with　Professor　Hanky's　name；　in　which　was
found　a　broken　packet　of　dried　leaves　that　are　now　at　my　office
with　the　rest　of　the　prisoner's　kit。〃

〃Then　we　were　watched　and　dogged；〃　said　Hanky；　〃on　Thursday
evening。〃

〃That；　sir；〃　replied　George；　〃is　my　business；　not　yours。〃

Here　Panky　laid　his　arms　on　the　table；　buried　his　head　in　them；　and
burst　into　tears。　　Every　one　seemed　aghast；　but　the　Mayor；　Yram；
and　Mrs。　Humdrum　saw　that　George　was　enjoying　it　all　far　too　keenly
to　be　serious。　　Dr。　Downie　was　still　frightened　（for　George's
surface　manner　was　Rhadamanthine）　and　did　his　utmost　to　console
Panky。　　George　pounded　away　ruthlessly　at　his　case。

〃I　say　nothing　about　your　having　bought　quails　from　the　prisoner
and　eaten　them。　　As　you　justly　remarked　just　now；　there　is　no
object　in　preferring　a　smaller　charge　when　one　must　inflict　the
death　penalty　on　a　more　serious　one。　　Still；　Professor　Hanky；　these
are　bones　of　the　quails　you　ate　as　you　sate　opposite　the　prisoner
on　the　side　of　the　fire　nearest　Sunch'ston；　these　are　Professor
Panky's　bones；　with　which　I　need　not　disturb　him。　　This　is　your
permit；　which　was　found　upon　the　prisoner；　and　which　there　can　be
no　doubt　you　sold　him；　having　been　bribed　by　the　offer　of　the
nuggets　for〃

〃Monstrous；　monstrous！　　Infamous　falsehood！　　Who　will　believe　such
a　childish　trumped　up　story！〃

〃Who；　sir；　will　believe　anything　else？　　You　will　hardly　contend
that　you　did　not　know　the　nuggets　were　gold；　and　no　one　will
believe　you　mean　enough　to　have　tried　to　get　this　poor　man's
property　out　of　him　for　a　songyou　knowing　its　value；　and　he　not
knowing　the　same。　　No　one　will　believe　that　you　did　not　know　the
man　to　be　a　foreign　devil；　or　that　he　could　hoodwink　two　such
learned　Professors　so　cleverly　as　to　get　their　permit　out　of　them。
Obviously　he　seduced　you　into　selling　him　your　permit；　andI
presume　because　he　wanted　a　little　of　our　moneyhe　made　you　pay
him　for　his　kit。　　I　am　satisfied　that　you　have　not　only　had　traffic
with　a　foreign　devil；　but　traffic　of　a　singularly　atrocious　kind；
and　this　being　so；　I　shall　Blue…Pool　both　of　you　as　soon　as　I　can
get　you　up　to　the　Pool　itself。　　The　sooner　we　start　the　better。　　I
shall　gag　you；　and　drive　you　up　in　a　close　carriage　as　far　as　the
road　goes；　from　that　point　you　can　walk　up；　or　be　dragged　up　as　you
may　prefer；　but　you　will　probably　find　walking　more　comfortable。〃

〃But；〃　said　Hanky；　〃come　what　may；　I　must　be　at　the　banquet。　　I　am
set　down　to　speak。〃

〃The　Mayor　will　explain　that　you　have　been　taken　somewhat　suddenly
unwell。〃

Here　Yram；　who　had　been　talking　quietly　with　her　husband；　Dr。
Downie；　and　Mrs。　Humdrum；　motioned　her　son　to　silence。

〃I　feared；〃　she　said；　〃that　difficulties　might　arise；　though　I　did
not　foresee　how　seriously　they　would　affect　my　guests。　　Let　Mrs。
Humdrum　on　our　side；　and　Dr。　Downie　on　that　of　the　Professors；　go
into　the　next　room　and　talk　the　matter　quietly　over；　let　us　then
see　whether　we　cannot　agree　to　be　bound　by　their　decision。　　I　do
not　doubt　but　they　will　find　some　means　of　averting　any　catastrophe
more　seriousNo；　Professor　Hanky；　the　doors　are　lockedthan　a
little　perjury　in　which　we　shall　all　share　and　share　alike。〃

〃Do　what　you　like；〃　said　Hanky；　looking　for　all　the　world　like　a
rat　caught　in　a　trap。　　As　he　spoke　he　seized　a　knife　from　the
table；　whereon　George　pulled　a　pair　of　handcuffs　from　his　pocket
and　slipped　them　on　to　his　wrists　before　he　well　knew　what　was
being　done　to　him。

〃George；〃　said　the　Mayor；　〃this　is　going　too　far。　　Do　you　mean　to
Blue…Pool　the　Professors　or　no？〃

〃Not　if　they　will　compromise。　　If　they　will　be　reasonable；　they
will　not　be　Blue…Pooled；　if　they　think　they　can　have　everything
their　own　way；　the　eels　will　be　at　them　before　morning。〃

A　voice　was　heard　from　the　head　of　Panky　which　he　had　buried　in　his
arms　upon　the　table。　　〃Co…co…co…compromise；〃　it　said；　and　the
effect　was　so　comic　that　every　one　except　Hanky　smiled。　　Meanwhile
Yram　had　conducted　Dr。　Downie　and　Mrs。　Humdrum　into　an　adjoining
room。



CHAPTER　XX：　　MRS。　HUMDRUM　AND　DR。　DOWNIE　PROPOSE　A　COMPROMISE；
WHICH；　AFTER　AN　AMENDMENT　BY　GEORGE；　IS　CARRIED　NEM。　　CON。



They　returned　in　about　ten　minutes；　and　Dr。　Downie　asked　Mrs。
Humdrum　to　say　what　they　had　agreed　to　recommend。

〃We　think；〃　said　she　very　demurely；　〃that　the　strict　course　would
be　to　drop　the　charge　of　poaching；　and　Blue…Pool　both　the
Professors　and　the　prisoner　without　delay。

〃We　also　think　that　the　proper　thing　would　be　to　place　on　record
that　the　prisoner　is　the　Sunchildabout　which　neither　Dr。　Downie
nor　I　have　a　shadow　of　doubt。

〃These　measures　we　hold　to　be　the　only　legal　ones；　but　at　the　same
time　we　do　not　recommend　them。　　We　think　it　would　offend　the　public
conscience　if　it　came　to　be　known；　as　it　certainly　would；　that　the
Sunchild　was　violently　killed；　on　the　very　day　that　had　seen　us
dedicate　a　temple　in　his　honour；　and　perhaps　at　the　very　hour　when
laudatory　speeches　were　being　made　about　him　at　the　Mayor's
banquet；　we　think　also　that　we　should　strain　a　good　many　points
rather　than　Blue…Pool　the　Professors。

〃Nothing　is　perfect；　and　Truth　makes　her　mistakes　like　other
people；　when　she　goes　wrong　and　reduces　herself　to　such　an
absurdity　as　she　has　here　done；　those　who　love　her　must　save　her
from　herself；　correct　her；　and　rehabilitate　her。

〃Our　conclusion；　therefore；　is　this：…

〃The　prisoner　must　recant　on　oath　his　statement　that　he　is　the
Sunchild。　　The　interpreter　must　be　squared；　or　convinced　of　his
mistake。　　The　Mayoress；　Dr。　Downie；　I；　and　the　gaoler　（with　the
interpreter　if　we　can　manage　him）；　must　depose　on　oath　that　the
prisoner　is　not　Higgs。　　This　must　be　our　contribution　to　the
rehabilitation　of　Truth。

〃The　Professors　must　contribute　as　follows：　　They　must　swear　that
the　prisoner　is　not　the　man　they　met　with　quails　in　his　possession
on　Thursday　night。　　They　must　further　swear　that　they　have　one　or
both　of　them　known　him；　off　and　on；　for　many　years　past；　as　a
monomaniac　with　Sunchildism　on　the　brain　but　otherwise　harmless。
If　they　will　do　this；　no　proceedings　are　to　be　taken　against　them。

〃The　Mayor's　contribution　shall　be　to　reprimand　the　prisoner；　and
order　him　to　repeat　his　recantation　in　the　new　temple　before　the
Manager　and　Head　Cashier；　and　to　confirm　his　statement　on　oath　by
kissing　the　reliquary　containing　the　newly　found　relic。

〃The　Ranger　and　the　Master　of　the　Gaol　must　contribute　that　the
prisoner's　measurements；　and　the　marks　found　on　his　body；　negative
all　possibility　of　his　identity　with　the　Sunchild；　and　that　all　the
hair　on　the　covered　as　well　as　the　uncovered　parts　of　his　body　was
found　to　be　jet　black。

〃We　advise　further　that　the　prisoner　should　have　his　nuggets　and
his　kit　returned　to　him；　and　that　the　receipt　given　by　the
Professors　together　with　Professor　Hanky's　handkerchief　be　given
back　to　the　Professors。

〃Furthermore；　seeing　that　we　should　all　of　us　like　to　have　a　quiet
evening　with　the　prisoner；　we　should　petition　the　Mayor　and
Mayoress　to　ask　him　to　meet　all　here　present　at　dinner　to…morrow
evening；　after　his　discharge；　on　the　plea　that　Professors　Hanky　and
Panky　and　Dr。　Downie　may　give　him　counsel；　convince　him　of　his
folly；　and　if　possible　free　him　henceforth　from　the　monomania　under
which　he　now　suffers。

〃The　prisoner　shall　give　his　word　of　honour；　never　to　return　to
Erewhon；　nor　to　encourage　any　of　his　countrymen　to　do　so。　　After
the　dinner　to　which　we　hope　the　Mayoress　Will　invite　us；　the
Ranger；　if　the　night　is　fair；　shall　escort　the　prisoner　as　far　as
the　statues；　whence　he　will　find　his　own　way　home。

〃Those　who　are　in　favour　of　this　compromise　hold　up　their　hands。〃

The　Mayor　and　Yram　held　up　theirs。　　〃Will　you　hold　up　yours；
Professor　Hanky；〃　said　George；　〃if　I　release　you？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Hanky　with　a　gruff　laugh；　whereon　George　released　him
and　he　held　up　both　his　hands。

Panky　did　not　hold　up　his；　whereon　Hanky　said；　〃Hold　up　your　hands；
Panky；　can't　you？　　We　are　really　very　well　out　of　it。〃

Panky；　hardly　lifting　his　head；　sobbed　out；　〃I　think　we　ought　to
have　our　f…f…fo…fo…four　pounds　ten　returned　to　us。〃

〃I　am　afraid；　sir；〃　said　George；　〃that　the　prisoner　must　have　spent
the　greater　part　of　this　money。〃

Every　one　smiled；　indeed　it　was　all　George　could　do　to　prevent
himself　from　laughing　outright。　　The　Mayor　brought　out　his　purse；
counted　the　money；