erewhon revisited-第45节

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〃Then　you　like　her。〃

〃Rather！〃　said　my　father　vehemently；　and　shaking　George　by　the
hand。　　But　he　said　nothing　about　the　nuggets　and　the　sovereigns；
knowing　that　Yram　did　not　wish　him　to　do　so。　　Neither　did　George
say　anything　about　his　determination　to　start　for　the　capital　in
the　morning；　and　make　a　clean　breast　of　everything　to　the　King。　　So
soon　does　it　become　necessary　even　for　those　who　are　most　cordially
attached　to　hide　things　from　one　another。　　My　father；　however；　was
made　comfortable　by　receiving　a　promise　from　the　youth　that　he
would　take　no　step　of　which　the　persons　he　had　named　would
disapprove。

When　once　Mrs。　Humdrum's　grand…daughter　had　been　introduced　there
was　no　more　talking　about　Hanky　and　Panky；　for　George　began　to
bubble　over　with　the　subject　that　was　nearest　his　heart；　and　how
much　he　feared　that　it　would　be　some　time　yet　before　he　could　be
married。　　Many　a　story　did　he　tell　of　his　early　attachment　and　of
its　course　for　the　last　ten　years；　but　my　space　will　not　allow　me
to　inflict　one　of　them　on　the　reader。　　My　father　saw　that　the　more
he　listened　and　sympathised　and　encouraged；　the　fonder　George
became　of　him；　and　this　was　all　he　cared　about。

Thus　did　they　converse　hour　after　hour。　　They　passed　the　Blue　Pool；
without　seeing　it　or　even　talking　about　it　for　more　than　a　minute。
George　kept　an　eye　on　the　quails　and　declared　them　fairly　plentiful
and　strong　on　the　wing；　but　nothing　now　could　keep　him　from　pouring
out　his　whole　heart　about　Mrs。　Humdrum's　grand…daughter；　until
towards　noon　they　caught　sight　of　the　statues；　and　a　halt　was　made
which　gave　my　father　the　first　pang　he　had　felt　that　morning；　for
he　knew　that　the　statues　would　be　the　beginning　of　the　end。

There　was　no　need　to　light　a　fire；　for　Yram　had　packed　for　them　two
bottles　of　a　delicious　white　wine；　something　like　White　Capri；
which　went　admirably　with　the　many　more　solid　good　things　that　she
had　provided　for　them。　　As　soon　as　they　had　finished　a　hearty　meal
my　father　said　to　George；　〃You　must　have　my　watch　for　a　keepsake；　I
see　you　are　not　wearing　my　boots。　　I　fear　you　did　not　find　them
comfortable；　but　I　am　glad　you　have　not　got　them　on；　for　I　have　set
my　heart　on　keeping　yours。〃

〃Let　us　settle　about　the　boots　first。　　I　rather　fancied　that　that
was　why　you　put　me　off　when　I　wanted　to　get　my　own　back　again；　and
then　I　thought　I　should　like　yours　for　a　keepsake；　so　I　put　on
another　pair　last　night；　and　they　are　nothing　like　so　comfortable
as　yours　were。〃

〃Now　I　wonder；〃　said　my　father　to　me；　〃whether　this　was　true；　or
whether　it　was　only　that　dear　fellow's　pretty　invention；　but　true
or　false　I　was　as　delighted　as　he　meant　me　to　be。〃

I　asked　George　about　this　when　I　saw　him；　and　he　confessed　with　an
ingenuous　blush　that　my　father's　boots　had　hurt　him；　and　that　he
had　never　thought　of　making　a　keepsake　of　them；　till　my　father's
words　stimulated　his　invention。

As　for　the　watch；　which　was　only　a　silver　one；　but　of　the　best
make；　George　protested　for　a　time；　but　when　he　had　yielded；　my
father　could　see　that　he　was　overjoyed　at　getting　it；　for　watches；
though　now　permitted；　were　expensive　and　not　in　common　use。

Having　thus　bribed　him；　my　father　broached　the　possibility　of　his
meeting　him　at　the　statues　on　that　day　twelvemonth；　but　of　course
saying　nothing　about　why　he　was　so　anxious　that　he　should　come。

〃I　will　come；〃　said　my　father；　〃not　a　yard　farther　than　the
statues；　and　if　I　cannot　come　I　will　send　your　brother。　　And　I　will
come　at　noon；　but　it　is　possible　that　the　river　down　below　may　be
in　fresh；　and　I　may　not　be　able　to　hit　off　the　day；　though　I　will
move　heaven　and　earth　to　do　so。　　Therefore　if　I　do　not　meet　you　on
the　day　appointed；　do　your　best　to　come　also　at　noon　on　the
following　day。　　I　know　how　inconvenient　this　will　be　for　you；　and
will　come　true　to　the　day　if　it　is　possible。〃

To　my　father's　surprise；　George　did　not　raise　so　many　difficulties
as　he　had　expected。　　He　said　it　might　be　done；　if　neither　he　nor　my
father　were　to　go　beyond　the　statues。　　〃And　difficult　as　it　will　be
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