erewhon revisited-第36节

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identity　of　the　prisoner　and　your　poacher；　he　will　be　convicted　and
imprisoned。　　As　to　his　being　a　foreign　devil；　if　he　is　the
Sunchild；　of　course　he　is　one；　but　otherwise　I　cannot　Blue…Pool　him
even　when　his　sentence　is　expired；　without　testimony　deposed　to　me
on　oath　in　private；　though　no　open　trial　is　required。　　A　case　for
suspicion　was　made　out　in　my　hearing　last　night；　but　I　must　have
depositions　on　oath　to　all　the　leading　facts　before　I　can　decide
what　my　duty　is。　　What　will　you　swear　to？〃

〃All　this；〃　said　Hanky；　in　a　voice　husky　with　passion；　〃shall　be
reported　to　the　King。〃

〃I　intend　to　report　every　word　of　it；　but　that　is　not　the　point：
the　question　is　what　you　gentlemen　will　swear　to？〃

〃Very　well。　　I　will　settle　it　thus。　　We　will　swear　that　the
prisoner　is　the　poacher　we　met　on　Thursday　night；　and　that　he　is
also　a　foreign　devil：　　his　wearing　the　forbidden　dress；　his　foreign
accent；　the　foot…tracks　we　found　in　the　snow；　as　of　one　coming　over
from　the　other　side；　his　obvious　ignorance　of　the　Afforesting　Act；
as　shown　by　his　having　lit　a　fire　and　making　no　effort　to　conceal
his　quails　till　our　permit　shewed　him　his　blunder；　the　cock…and…
bull　story　he　told　us　about　your　orders；　and　that　other　story　about
his　having　killed　a　foreign　devilif　these　facts　do　not　satisfy
you；　they　will　satisfy　the　King　that　the　prisoner　is　a　foreign
devil　as　well　as　a　poacher。〃

〃Some　of　these　facts；〃　answered　George；　〃are　new　to　me。　　How　do　you
know　that　the　foot…tracks　were　made　by　the　prisoner？〃

Panky　brought　out　his　note…book　and　read　the　details　he　had　noted。

〃Did　you　examine　the　man's　boots？〃

〃One　of　them；　the　right　foot；　this；　with　the　measurements；　was
quite　enough。〃

〃Hardly。　　Please　to　look　at　both　soles　of　my　own　boots；　you　will
find　that　those　tracks　were　mine。　　I　will　have　the　prisoner's　boots
examined；　in　the　meantime　let　me　tell　you　that　I　was　up　at　the
statues　on　Thursday　morning；　walked　three　or　four　hundred　yards
beyond　them；　over　ground　where　there　was　less　snow；　returned　over
the　snow；　and　went　two　or　three　times　round　them；　as　it　is　the
Ranger's　duty　to　do　once　a　year　in　order　to　see　that　none　of　them
are　beginning　to　lean。〃

He　showed　the　soles　of　his　boots；　and　the　Professors　were　obliged
to　admit　that　the　tracks　were　his。　　He　cautioned　them　as　to　the
rest　of　the　points　on　which　they　relied。　　Might　they　not　be　as
mistaken；　as　they　had　just　proved　to　be　about　the　tracks？　　He　could
not；　however；　stir　them　from　sticking　to　it　that　there　was　enough
evidence　to　prove　my　father　to　be　a　foreign　devil；　and　declaring
their　readiness　to　depose　to　the　facts　on　oath。　　In　the　end　Hanky
again　fiercely　accused　him　of　trying　to　shield　the　prisoner。

〃You　are　quite　right；〃　said　George；　〃and　you　will　see　my　reasons
shortly。〃

〃I　have　no　doubt；〃　said　Hanky　significantly；　〃that　they　are　such　as
would　weigh　with　any　man　of　ordinary　feeling。〃

〃I　understand；　then；〃　said　George；　appearing　to　take　no　notice　of
Hanky's　innuendo；　〃that　you　will　swear　to　the　facts　as　you　have
above　stated　them？〃

〃Certainly。〃

〃Then　kindly　wait　while　I　write　them　on　the　form　that　I　have
brought　with　me；　the　Mayor　can　administer　the　oath　and　sign　your
depositions。　　I　shall　then　be　able　to　leave　you；　and　proceed　with
getting　up　the　case　against　the　prisoner。〃

So　saying；　he　went　to　a　writing…table　in　another　part　of　the　room；
and　made　out　the　depositions。

Meanwhile　the　Mayor；　Mrs。　Humdrum；　and　Dr。　Downie　（who　had　each　of
them　more　than　once　vainly　tried　to　take　part　in　the　above
discussion）　conversed　eagerly　in　an　undertone　among　themselves。
Hanky　was　blind　with　rage；　for　he　had　a　sense　that　he　was　going　to
be　outwitted；　the　Mayor；　Yram；　and　Mrs。　Humdrum　had　already　seen
that　George　thought　he　had　all　the　trumps　in　his　own　hand；　but　they
did　not　know　more。　　Dr。　Downie　was　frightened；　and　Panky　so　muddled
as　to　be　hors　de　combat。

George　now　rejoined　the　Professors；　and　read　the　depositions：　　the
Mayor　administered　the　oath　according　to　Erewhonian　custom；　the
Professors　signed　without　a　word；　and　George　then　handed　the
document　to　his　father　to　countersign。

The　Mayor　examined　it；　and　almost　immediately　said；　〃My　dear
George；　you　have　made　a　mistake；　these　depositions　are　on　a　form
reserved　for　deponents　who　are　on　the　point　of　death。〃

〃Alas！〃　answered　George；　〃there　is　no　help　for　it。　　I　did　my　utmost
to　prevent　their　signing。　　I　knew　that　those　depositions　were　their
own　death　warrant；　and　that　is　why；　though　I　was　satisfied　that
the　prisoner　is　a　foreign　devil；　I　had　hoped　to　be　able　to　shut　my
eyes。　　I　can　now　no　longer　do　so；　and　as　the　inevitable
consequence；　I　must　Blue…Pool　both　the　Professors　before　midnight。
What　man　of　ordinary　feeling　would　not　under　these　circumstances
have　tried　to　dissuade　them　from　deposing　as　they　have　done？〃

By　this　time　the　Professors　had　started　to　their　feet；　and　there
was　a　look　of　horrified　astonishment　on　the　faces　of　all　present；
save　that　of　George；　who　seemed　quite　happy。

〃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　mo