for you；〃 said George； 〃you had better come a second day if
necessary； as I will； for who can tell what might happen to make
the first day impossible？〃
〃Then；〃 said my father； 〃we shall be spared that horrible feeling
that we are parting without hope of seeing each other again。 I
find it hard enough to say good…bye even now； but I do not know how
I could have faced it if you had not agreed to our meeting again。〃
〃The day fixed upon will be our XXI。 i。 3； and the hour noon as
near as may be？〃
〃So。 Let me write it down： 'XXI。 i。 3； i。e。 our December 9； 1891；
I am to meet George at the statues； at twelve o'clock； and if he
does not come； I am to be there again on the following day。'
In like manner； George wrote down what he was to do： 〃XXI。 i。 3；
or failing this XXI。 i。 4。 Statues。 Noon。〃
〃This；〃 he said； 〃is a solemn covenant； is it not？〃
〃Yes；〃 said my father； 〃and may all good omens attend it！〃
The words were not out of his mouth before a mountain bird；
something like our jackdaw； but smaller and of a bluer black； flew
out of the hollow mouth of one of the statues； and with a hearty
chuckle perched on the ground at his feet； attracted doubtless by
the scraps of food that were lying about。 With the fearlessness of
birds in that country； it looked up at him and George； gave another
hearty chuckle； and flew back to its statue with the largest
fragment it could find。
They settled that this was an omen so propitious that they could
part in good hope。 〃Let us finish the wine；〃 said my father； 〃and
then； do what must be done！〃
They finished the wine to each other's good health； George drank
also to mine； and said he hoped my father would bring me with him；
while my father drank to Yram； the Mayor； their children； Mrs。
Humdrum； and above all to Mrs。 Humdrum's grand…daughter。 They then
re…packed all that could be taken away； my father rolled his rug to
his liking； slung it over his shoulder； gripped George's hand； and
said； 〃My dearest boy； when we have each turned our backs upon one
another； let us walk our several ways as fast as we can； and try
not to look behind us。〃
So saying he loosed his grip of George's hand； bared his head；
lowered it； and turned away。
George burst into tears； and followed him after he had gone two
paces； he threw his arms round him； hugged him； kissed him on his
lips； cheeks； and forehead； and then turning round； strode full
speed towards Sunch'ston。 My father never took his eyes off him
till he was out of sight； but the boy did not look round。 When he
could see him no more； my father with faltering gait； and feeling
as though a prop had suddenly been taken from under him； began to
follow the stream down towards his old camp。
CHAPTER XXVI： MY FATHER REACHES HOME； AND DIES NOT LONG AFTERWARDS
My father could walk but slowly； for George's boots had blistered
his feet； and it seemed to him that the river…bed； of which he
caught glimpses now and again； never got any nearer； but all things
come to an end； and by seven o'clock on the night of Tuesday； he
was on the spot which he had left on the preceding Friday morning。
Three entire days had intervened； but he felt that something； he
knew not what； had seized him； and that whereas before these three
days life had been one thing； what little might follow them； would
be anotherand a very different one。
He soon caught sight of his horse which had strayed a mile lower
down the river…bed； and in spite of his hobbles had crossed one
ugly stream that my father dared not ford on foot。 Tired though he
was； he went after him； bridle in hand； and when the friendly
creature saw him； it recrossed the stream； and came to him of its
own accordeither tired of his own company； or tempted by some
bread my father held out towards him。 My father took off the
hobbles； and rode him bare…backed to the camping ground； where he
rewarded him with more bread and biscuit； and then hobbled him
again for the night。
〃It was here；〃 he said to me on one of the first days after his
return； 〃that I first knew myself to be a broken man。 As for
meeting George again； I felt sure that it would be all I could do
to meet his brother； and though George was always in my thoughts；
it was for you and not him that I was now yearning。 When I gave
George my watch； how glad I was that I had left my gold one at
home； for that is yours； and I could not have brought myself to
give it him。〃
〃Never mind that； my dear father；〃 said I； 〃but tell me how you got
down the river； and thence home again。〃
〃My very dear boy；〃 he said； 〃I can hardly remember； and I had no
energy to make any more notes。 I remember putting a scrap of paper
into the box of sovereigns； merely sending George my love along
with the money； I remember also dropping the box into a hole in a
tree； which I blazed； and towards which I drew a line of wood…
ashes。 I seem to see a poor unhinged creature gazing moodily for
hours into a fire which he heaps up now and again with wood。 There
is not a breath of air； Nature sleeps so calmly that she dares not
even breathe for fear of waking； the very river has hushed his
flow。 Without； the starlit calm of a summer's night in a great
wilderness； within； a hurricane of wild and incoherent thoughts
battling with one another in their fury to fall upon him and rend
himand on the other side the great wall of mountain； thousands of
children praying at their mother's knee to this poor dazed thing。
I suppose this half delirious wretch must have been myself。 But I
must have been more ill when I left England than I thought I was；
or Erewhon would not have broken me down as it did。〃
No doubt he was right。 Indeed it was because Mr。 Cathie and his
doctor saw that he was out of health and in urgent need of change；
that they left off opposing his wish to travel。 There is no use；
however； in talking about this now。
I never got from him how he managed to reach the shepherd's hut；
but I learned some little from the shepherd； when I stayed with him
both on going towards Erewhon； and on returning。
〃He did not seem to have drink in him；〃 said the shepherd； 〃when he
first came here； but he must have been pretty full of it； or he
must have had some bottles in his saddle…bags； for he was awful
when he came back。 He had got them worse than any man I ever saw；
only that he was not awkward。 He said there was a bird flying out
of a giant's mouth and laughing at him； and he kept muttering about
a blue pool； and hanky…panky of all sorts； and he said he knew it
was all hanky…panky； at least I thought he said so； but it was no
use trying to follow him； for it was all nothing but horrors。 He
said I was to stop the people from trying to worship him。 Then he
said the sky opened and he could see the angels going about and
singing 'Hallelujah。'〃
〃How long did he stay with you？〃 I asked。
〃About ten days； but the last three he was himself again； only too
weak to move。 He thought he was cured except for weakness。〃
〃Do you know how he had been spending the last two days or so
before he got down to your hut？〃
I said two days； because this was the time I supposed he would take
to descend the river。
〃I should say drinking all the time。 He said he had fallen off his
horse two or three times； till he took to leading him。 If he had
had any other horse than old Doctor he would have been a dead man。
Bless you； I have known that horse ever since he was foaled； and I
never saw one like him for sense。 He would pick fords better than
that gentleman could； I know； and if the gentleman fell off him he
would just stay stock still。 He was badly bruised； poor man； when
he got here。 I saw him through the gorge when he left me； and he
gave me a sovereign； he said he had only one other left to take him
down to the port； or he would have made it more。〃
〃He was my father；〃 said I； 〃and he is dead； but before he died he
told me to give you five pounds which I have brought you。 I think
you are wrong in saying that he had been drinking。〃
〃That is what they all say； but I take it very kind of him to have
thought of me。〃
My father's illness for the first three weeks after his return
played with him as a cat plays with a mouse； now and again it would
let him have a day or two's run； during which he was so cheerful
and unclouded that his doctor was quite hopeful about him。 At
various times on these occasions I got from him that when he left
the shepherd's hut； he thought his illness had run itself out； and
that he should now reach the port from which he was to sail for S。
Francisco without misadventure。 This he did； and he was able to do
all he had to do at the port； though frequently attacked with
passing fits of giddiness。 I need not dwell upon his voyage to S。
Francisco； and thence home； it is enough to say that he was able to
travel by himself in spite of gradually； but continually；
increasing failure。
〃When；〃 he said； 〃I reached the port； I telegraphed as you know；
for more money。 How puzzled you must have been。 I sold my horse
to the man from whom I bought it； at a loss of only about 10
pounds； and I left with him my saddle； saddlebags； small hatchet；
my hobbles； and in fact everything that I had taken with me； except
what they had impounded in Erewhon。 Yram's rug I dropped into the
river when I knew that I should no longer need itas also her
substitutes for my billy and pannikin； and I burned her basket。
The shepherd would have asked me questions。 You will find an order
to deliver everything up to bearer。 You need therefore take
nothing from England。〃
At another time he said； 〃When you go； for it is plain I cannot；
and go one or other of us must； try and get the horse I had： he
will be nine years old； and he knows all about the rivers： if you
leave everything to him； you may shut your eyes； but do not
interfere with him。 Give the shepherd what I said and he will
attend to you； but go a day or two too soon； for the margin of one
day was not enough to allow in case of a fresh in the river； if the
water is discoloured you must not cross itnot even with Doctor。
I could not ask George to come up three days running from
Sunc