erewhon-第12节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


me　so　much　astray；　but　I　soon　discovered　that　I　had　misinterpreted
the　expression　on　the　magistrate's　face；　and　that　it　was　one　not　of
fear；　but　hatred。　　He　spoke　to　me　solemnly　and　sternly　for　two　or
three　minutes。　　Then；　reflecting　that　this　was　of　no　use；　he　caused
me　to　be　conducted　through　several　passages　into　a　large　room；
which　I　afterwards　found　was　the　museum　of　the　town；　and　wherein　I
beheld　a　sight　which　astonished　me　more　than　anything　that　I　had
yet　seen。

It　was　filled　with　cases　containing　all　manner　of　curiositiessuch
as　skeletons；　stuffed　birds　and　animals；　carvings　in　stone　（whereof
I　saw　several　that　were　like　those　on　the　saddle；　only　smaller）；
but　the　greater　part　of　the　room　was　occupied　by　broken　machinery
of　all　descriptions。　　The　larger　specimens　had　a　case　to
themselves；　and　tickets　with　writing　on　them　in　a　character　which　I
could　not　understand。　　There　were　fragments　of　steam　engines；　all
broken　and　rusted；　among　them　I　saw　a　cylinder　and　piston；　a　broken
fly…wheel；　and　part　of　a　crank；　which　was　laid　on　the　ground　by
their　side。　　Again；　there　was　a　very　old　carriage　whose　wheels　in
spite　of　rust　and　decay；　I　could　see；　had　been　designed　originally
for　iron　rails。　　Indeed；　there　were　fragments　of　a　great　many　of
our　own　most　advanced　inventions；　but　they　seemed　all　to　be　several
hundred　years　old；　and　to　be　placed　where　they　were；　not　for
instruction；　but　curiosity。　　As　I　said　before；　all　were　marred　and
broken。

We　passed　many　cases；　and　at　last　came　to　one　in　which　there　were
several　clocks　and　two　or　three　old　watches。　　Here　the　magistrate
stopped；　and　opening　the　case　began　comparing　my　watch　with　the
others。　　The　design　was　different；　but　the　thing　was　clearly　the
same。　　On　this　he　turned　to　me　and　made　me　a　speech　in　a　severe　and
injured　tone　of　voice；　pointing　repeatedly　to　the　watches　in　the
case；　and　to　my　own；　neither　did　he　seem　in　the　least　appeased
until　I　made　signs　to　him　that　he　had　better　take　my　watch　and　put
it　with　the　others。　　This　had　some　effect　in　calming　him。　　I　said
in　English　（trusting　to　tone　and　manner　to　convey　my　meaning）　that
I　was　exceedingly　sorry　if　I　had　been　found　to　have　anything
contraband　in　my　possession；　that　I　had　had　no　intention　of　evading
the　ordinary　tolls；　and　that　I　would　gladly　forfeit　the　watch　if　my
doing　so　would　atone　for　an　unintentional　violation　of　the　law。　　He
began　presently　to　relent；　and　spoke　to　me　in　a　kinder　manner。　　I
think　he　saw　that　I　had　offended　without　knowledge；　but　I　believe
the　chief　thing　that　brought　him　round　was　my　not　seeming　to　be
afraid　of　him；　although　I　was　quite　respectful；　this；　and　my　having
light　hair　and　complexion；　on　which　he　had　remarked　previously　by
signs；　as　every　one　else　had　done。

I　afterwards　found　that　it　was　reckoned　a　very　great　merit　to　have
fair　hair；　this　being　a　thing　of　the　rarest　possible　occurrence；
and　greatly　admired　and　envied　in　all　who　were　possessed　of　it。
However　that　might　be；　my　watch　was　taken　from　me；　but　our　peace
was　made；　and　I　was　conducted　back　to　the　room　where　I　had　been
examined。　　The　magistrate　then　made　me　another　speech；　whereon　I
was　taken　to　a　building　hard　by；　which　I　soon　discovered　to　be　the
common　prison　of　the　town；　but　in　which　an　apartment　was　assigned
me　separate　from　the　other　prisoners。　　The　room　contained　a　bed；
table；　and　chairs；　also　a　fireplace　and　a　washing…stand。　　There　was
another　door；　which　opened　on　to　a　balcony；　with　a　flight　of　steps
descending　into　a　walled　garden　of　some　size。　　The　man　who
conducted　me　into　this　room　made　signs　to　me　that　I　might　go　down
and　walk　in　the　garden　whenever　I　pleased；　and　intimated　that　I
should　shortly　have　something　brought　me　to　eat。　　I　was　allowed　to
retain　my　blankets；　and　the　few　things　which　I　had　wrapped　inside
them；　but　it　was　plain　that　I　was　to　consider　myself　a　prisoner
for　how　long　a　period　I　could　not　by　any　means　determine。　　He　then
left　me　alone。



CHAPTER　VIII：　　IN　PRISON



And　now　for　the　first　time　my　courage　completely　failed　me。　　It　is
enough　to　say　that　I　was　penniless；　and　a　prisoner　in　a　foreign
country；　where　I　had　no　friend；　nor　any　knowledge　of　the　customs　or
language　of　the　people。　　I　was　at　the　mercy　of　men　with　whom　I　had
little　in　common。　　And　yet；　engrossed　as　I　was　with　my　extremely
difficult　and　doubtful　position；　I　could　not　help　feeling　deeply
interested　in　the　people　among　whom　I　had　fallen。　　What　was　the
meaning　of　that　room　full　of　old　machinery　which　I　had　just　seen；
and　of　the　displeasure　with　which　the　magistrate　had　regarded　my
watch？　　The　people　had　very　little　machinery　now。　　I　had　been
struck　with　this　over　and　over　again；　though　I　had　not　been　more
than　four…and…twenty　hours　in　the　country。　　They　were　about　as　far
advanced　as　Europeans　of　the　twelfth　or　thirteenth　century；
certainly　not　more　so。　　And　yet　they　must　have　had　at　one　time　the
fullest　knowledge　of　our　own　most　recent　inventions。　　How　could　it
have　happened　that　having　been　once　so　far　in　advance　they　were　now
as　much　behind　us？　　It　was　evident　that　it　was　not　from　ignorance。
They　knew　my　watch　as　a　watch　when　they　saw　it；　and　the　care　with
which　the　broken　machines　were　preserved　and　ticketed；　proved　that
they　had　not　lost　the　recollection　of　their　former　civilisation。
The　more　I　thought；　the　less　I　could　understand　it；　but　at　last　I
concluded　that　they　must　have　worked　out　their　mines　of　coal　and
iron；　till　either　none　were　left；　or　so　few；　that　the　use　of　these
metals　was　restricted　to　the　very　highest　nobility。　　This　was　the
only　solution　I　could　think　of；　and；　though　I　afterwards　found　how
entirely　mistaken　it　was；　I　felt　quite　sure　then　that　it　must　be
the　right　one。

I　had　hardly　arrived　at　this　opinion　for　above　four　or　five
minutes；　when　the　door　opened；　and　a　young　woman　made　her
appearance　with　a　tray；　and　a　very　appetising　smell　of　dinner。　　I
gazed　upon　her　with　admiration　as　she　laid　a　cloth　and　set　a
savoury…looking　dish　upon　the　table。　　As　I　beheld　her　I　felt　as
though　my　position　was　already　much　ameliorated；　for　the　very　sight
of　her　carried　great　comfort。　　She　was　not　more　than　twenty；　rather
above　the　middle　height；　active　and　strong；　but　yet　most　delicately
featured；　her　lips　were　full　and　sweet；　her　eyes　were　of　a　deep
hazel；　and　fringed　with　long　and　springing　eyelashes；　her　hair　was
neatly　braided　from　off　her　forehead；　her　complexion　was　simply
exquisite；　her　figure　as　robust　as　was　consistent　with　the　most
perfect　female　beauty；　yet　not　more　so；　her　hands　and　feet　might
have　served　as　models　to　a　sculptor。　　Having　set　the　stew　upon　the
table；　she　retired　with　a　glance　of　pity；　whereon　（remembering
pity's　kinsman）　I　decided　that　she　should　pity　me　a　little　more。
She　returned　with　a　bottle　and　a　glass；　and　found　me　sitting　on　the
bed　with　my　hands　over　my　face；　looking　the　very　picture　of　abject
misery；　and；　like　all　pictures；　rather　untruthful。　　As　I　watched
her；　through　my　fingers；　out　of　the　room　again；　I　felt　sure　that
she　was　exceedingly　sorry　for　me。　　Her　back　being　turned；　I　set　to
work　and　ate　my　dinner；　which　was　excellent。

She　returned　in　about　an　hour　to　take　away；　and　there　came　with　her
a　man　who　had　a　great　bunch　of　keys　at　his　waist；　and　whose　manner
convinced　me　that　he　was　the　jailor。　　I　afterwards　found　that　he
was　father　to　the　beautiful　creature　who　had　brought　me　my　dinner。
I　am　not　a　much　greater　hypocrite　than　other　people；　and　do　what　I
would；　I　could　not　look　so　very　miserable。　　I　had　already　recovered
from　my　dejection；　and　felt　in　a　most　genial　humour　both　with　my
jailor　and　his　daughter。　　I　thanked　them　for　their　attention
towards　me；　and；　though　they　could　not　understand；　they　looked　at
one　another　and　laughed　and　chattered　till　the　old　man　said
something　or　other　which　I　suppose　was　a　joke；　for　the　girl　laughed
merrily　and　ran　away；　leaving　her　father　to　take　away　the　dinner
things。　　Then　I　had　another　visitor；　who　was　not　so　prepossessing；
and　who　seemed　to　have　a　great　idea　of　himself　and　a　small　one　of
me。　　He　brought　a　book　with　him；　and　pens　and　paperall　very
English；　and　yet；　neither　paper；　nor　printing；　nor　binding；　nor
pen；　nor　ink；　were　quite　the　same　as　ours。

He　gave　me　to　understand　that　he　was　to　teach　me　the　language　and
that　we　were　to　begin　at　once。　　This　delighted　me；　both　because　I
should　be　more　comfortable　when　I　could　understand　and　make　myself
understood；　and　because　I　supposed　that　the　authorities　would
hardly　teach　me　the　language　if　they　intended　any　cruel　usage
towards　me　afterwards。　　We　began　at　once；　and　I　learnt　the　names　of
everything　in　the　room；　and　also　the　numerals　and　personal
pronouns。　　I　found　to　my　sorrow　that　the　resemblance　to　European
things；　which　I　had　so　frequently　observed　hitherto；　did　not　hold
good　in　the　matter　of　language；　for　I　could　detect　no　analogy
whatever　between　this　and　any　tongue　of　which　I　have　the　slightest
knowledge；a　thing　which　made　me　think　it　possible　that　I　might　be
learning　Hebrew。

I　must　detail　no　longer；　from　this　time　my　days　were　spent　with　a
monotony　which　would　have　been　tedious　but　for　the　society　of　Yram；
the　jailor's　daughter；　who　had　t