erewhon revisited-第28节

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which　the　reader　is　already　acquainted　followed　as　a　matter　of
course。

〃I　know　the　difficulty；〃　said　my　father　presently；　〃with　which　the
King　was　persuaded　to　allow　the　way　in　which　the　Sunchild's　dress
should　be　worn　to　be　a　matter　of　opinion；　not　dogma。　　I　see　we　have
adopted　different　fashions。　　Have　you　any　decided　opinions　upon　the
subject？〃

〃I　have；　but　I　will　ask　you　not　to　press　me　for　them。　　Let　this
matter　remain　as　the　King　has　left　it。〃

My　father　thought　that　he　might　now　venture　on　a　shot。　　So　he　said；
〃I　have　always　understood；　too；　that　the　King　forced　the　repeal　of
the　laws　against　machinery　on　the　Bridgeford　committee；　as　another
condition　of　his　assent？〃

〃Certainly。　　He　insisted　on　this；　partly　to　gratify　the　Queen；　who
had　not　yet　forgiven　him；　and　who　had　set　her　heart　on　having　a
watch；　and　partly　because　he　expected　that　a　development　of　the
country's　resources；　in　consequence　of　a　freer　use　of　machinery；
would　bring　more　money　into　his　exchequer。　　Bridgeford　fought　hard
and　wisely　here；　but　they　had　gained　so　much　by　the　Musical　Bank
Managers　being　recognised　as　the　authorised　exponents　of
Sunchildism；　that　they　thought　it　wise　to　yieldapparently　with　a
good　graceand　thus　gild　the　pill　which　his　Majesty　was　about　to
swallow。　　But　even　then　they　feared　the　consequences　that　are
already　beginning　to　appear；　all　which；　if　I　mistake　not；　will
assume　far　more　serious　proportions　in　the　future。〃

〃See；〃　said　my　father　suddenly；　〃we　are　coming　to　another
procession；　and　they　have　got　some　banners；　let　us　walk　a　little
quicker　and　overtake　it。〃

〃Horrible！〃　replied　Mr。　Balmy　fiercely。　　〃You　must　be　short…
sighted；　or　you　could　never　have　called　my　attention　to　it。　　Let　us
get　it　behind　us　as　fast　as　possible；　and　not　so　much　as　look　at
it。〃

〃Oh　yes；　yes；〃　said　my　father；　〃it　is　indeed　horrible；　I　had　not
seen　what　it　was。〃

He　had　not　the　faintest　idea　what　the　matter　was；　but　he　let　Mr。
Balmy　walk　a　little　ahead　of　him；　so　that　he　could　see　the　banners；
the　most　important　of　which　he　found　to　display　a　balloon　pure　and
simple；　with　one　figure　in　the　car。　　True；　at　the　top　of　the　banner
there　was　a　smudge　which　might　be　taken　for　a　little　chariot；　and
some　very　little　horses；　but　the　balloon　was　the　only　thing
insisted　on。　　As　for　the　procession；　it　consisted　entirely　of　men；
whom　a　smaller　banner　announced　to　be　workmen　from　the　Fairmead
iron　and　steel　works。　　There　was　a　third　banner；　which　said；
〃Science　as　well　as　Sunchildism。〃



CHAPTER　XV：　　THE　TEMPLE　IS　DEDICATED　TO　MY　FATHER；　AND　CERTAIN
EXTRACTS　ARE　READ　FROM　HIS　SUPPOSED　SAYINGS



〃It　is　enough　to　break　one's　heart；〃　said　Mr。　Balmy　when　he　had
outstripped　the　procession；　and　my　father　was　again　beside　him。
〃'As　well　as；'　indeed！　　We　know　what　that　means。　　Wherever　there　is
a　factory　there　is　a　hot…bed　of　unbelief。　　'As　well　as'！　　Why　it　is
a　defiance。〃

〃What；　I　wonder；〃　said　my　father　innocently；　〃must　the　Sunchild's
feelings　be；　as　he　looks　down　on　this　procession。　　For　there　can　be
little　doubt　that　he　is　doing　so。〃

〃There　can　be　no　doubt　at　all；〃　replied　Mr。　Balmy；　〃that　he　is
taking　note　of　it；　and　of　all　else　that　is　happening　this　day　in
Erewhon。　　Heaven　grant　that　he　be　not　so　angered　as　to　chastise　the
innocent　as　well　as　the　guilty。〃

〃I　doubt；〃　said　my　father；　〃his　being　so　angry　even　with　this
procession；　as　you　think　he　is。〃

Here；　fearing　an　outburst　of　indignation；　he　found　an　excuse　for
rapidly　changing　the　conversation。　　Moreover　he　was　angry　with
himself　for　playing　upon　this　poor　good　creature。　　He　had　not　done
so　of　malice　prepense；　he　had　begun　to　deceive　him；　because　he
believed　himself　to　be　in　danger　if　he　spoke　the　truth；　and　though
he　knew　the　part　to　be　an　unworthy　one；　he　could　not　escape　from
continuing　to　play　it；　if　he　was　to　discover　things　that　he　was　not
likely　to　discover　otherwise。

Often；　however；　he　had　checked　himself。　　It　had　been　on　the　tip　of
his　tongue　to　be　illuminated　with　the　words；


Sukoh　and　Sukop　were　two　pretty　men；
They　lay　in　bed　till　the　clock　struck　ten；


and　to　follow　it　up　with；


Now　with　the　drops　of　this　most　Yknarc　time
My　love　looks　fresh；


in　order　to　see　how　Mr。　Balmy　would　interpret　the　assertion　here
made　about　the　Professors；　and　what　statement　he　would　connect　with
his　own　Erewhonian　name；　but　he　had　restrained　himself。

The　more　he　saw；　and　the　more　he　heard；　the　more　shocked　he　was　at
the　mischief　he　had　done。　　See　how　he　had　unsettled　the　little　mind
this　poor；　dear；　good　gentleman　had　ever　had；　till　he　was　now　a
mere　slave　to　preconception。　　And　how　many　more　had　he　not　in　like
manner　brought　to　the　verge　of　idiocy？　　How　many　again　had　he　not
made　more　corrupt　than　they　were　before；　even　though　he　had　not
deceived　themas　for　example；　Hanky　and　Panky。　　And　the　young？　how
could　such　a　lie　as　that　a　chariot　and　four　horses　came　down　out　of
the　clouds　enter　seriously　into　the　life　of　any　one；　without
distorting　his　mental　vision；　if　not　ruining　it？

And　yet；　the　more　he　reflected；　the　more　he　also　saw　that　he　could
do　no　good　by　saying　who　he　was。　　Matters　had　gone　so　far　that
though　he　spoke　with　the　tongues　of　men　and　angels　he　would　not　be
listened　to；　and　even　if　he　were；　it　might　easily　prove　that　he　had
added　harm　to　that　which　he　had　done　already。　　No。　　As　soon　as　he
had　heard　Hanky's　sermon；　he　would　begin　to　work　his　way　back；　and
if　the　Professors　had　not　yet　removed　their　purchase；　he　would
recover　it；　but　he　would　pin　a　bag　containing　about　five　pounds
worth　of　nuggets　on　to　the　tree　in　which　they　had　hidden　it；　and；
if　possible；　he　would　find　some　way　of　sending　the　rest　to　George。

He　let　Mr。　Balmy　continue　talking；　glad　that　this　gentleman
required　little　more　than　monosyllabic　answers；　and　still　more
glad；　in　spite　of　some　agitation；　to　see　that　they　were　now　nearing
Sunch'ston；　towards　which　a　great　concourse　of　people　was　hurrying
from　Clearwater；　and　more　distant　towns　on　the　main　road。　　Many
whole　families　were　coming；the　fathers　and　mothers　carrying　the
smaller　children；　and　also　their　own　shoes　and　stockings；　which
they　would　put　on　when　nearing　the　town。　　Most　of　the　pilgrims
brought　provisions　with　them。　　All　wore　European　costumes；　but　only
a　few　of　them　wore　it　reversed；　and　these　were　almost　invariably　of
higher　social　status　than　the　great　body　of　the　people；　who　were
mainly　peasants。

When　they　reached　the　town；　my　father　was　relieved　at　finding　that
Mr。　Balmy　had　friends　on　whom　he　wished　to　call　before　going　to　the
temple。　　He　asked　my　father　to　come　with　him；　but　my　father　said
that　he　too　had　friends；　and　would　leave　him　for　the　present；　while
hoping　to　meet　him　again　later　in　the　day。　　The　two；　therefore；
shook　hands　with　great　effusion；　and　went　their　several　ways。　　My
father's　way　took　him　first　into　a　confectioner's　shop；　where　he
bought　a　couple　of　Sunchild　buns；　which　he　put　into　his　pocket；　and
refreshed　himself　with　a　bottle　of　Sunchild　cordial　and　water。　　All
shops　except　those　dealing　in　refreshments　were　closed；　and　the
town　was　gaily　decorated　with　flags　and　flowers；　often　festooned
into　words　or　emblems　proper　for　the　occasion。

My　father；　it　being　now　a　quarter　to　eleven；　made　his　way　towards
the　temple；　and　his　heart　was　clouded　with　care　as　he　walked　along。
Not　only　was　his　heart　clouded；　but　his　brain　also　was　oppressed；
and　he　reeled　so　much　on　leaving　the　confectioner's　shop；　that　he
had　to　catch　hold　of　some　railings　till　the　faintness　and　giddiness
left　him。　　He　knew　the　feeling　to　be　the　same　as　what　he　had　felt
on　the　Friday　evening；　but　he　had　no　idea　of　the　cause；　and　as　soon
as　the　giddiness　left　him　he　thought　there　was　nothing　the　matter
with　him。

Turning　down　a　side　street　that　led　into　the　main　square　of　the
town；　he　found　himself　opposite　the　south　end　of　the　temple；　with
its　two　lofty　towers　that　flanked　the　richly　decorated　main
entrance。　　I　will　not　attempt　to　describe　the　architecture；　for　my
father　could　give　me　little　information　on　this　point。　　He　only　saw
the　south　front　for　two　or　three　minutes；　and　was　not　impressed　by
it；　save　in　so　far　as　it　was　richly　ornamentedevidently　at　great
expenseand　very　large。　　Even　if　he　had　had　a　longer　look；　I　doubt
whether　I　should　have　got　more　out　of　him；　for　he　knew　nothing　of
architecture；　and　I　fear　his　test　whether　a　building　was　good　or
bad；　was　whether　it　looked　old　and　weather…beaten　or　no。　　No　matter
what　a　building　was；　if　it　was　three　or　four　hundred　years　old　he
liked　it；　whereas；　if　it　was　new；　he　would　look　to　nothing　but
whether　it　kept　the　rain　out。　　Indeed　I　have　heard　him　say　that　the
mediaeval　sculpture　on　some　of　our　great　cathedrals　often　only
pleases　us　because　time　and　weather　have　set　their　seals　upon　it；
and　that　if　we　could　see　it　as　it　was　when　it　left　the　mason's
hands；　we　should　find　it　no　better　than　much　that　is　now　turned　out
in　the　Euston　Road。

The　ground　plan　here　given　will　help　the　reader　to　understand　the
few　following　pages　more　easily。

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