erewhon-第4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！


after；　and　that　we　were　each　playing　against　the　other；　the　one　for
grog　the　other　for　information。

We　had　a　hard　fight：　　for　more　than　two　hours　he　had　tried　to　put
me　off　with　lies　but　had　carried　no　conviction；　during　the　whole
time　we　had　been　morally　wrestling　with　one　another　and　had　neither
of　us　apparently　gained　the　least　advantage；　at　length；　however；　I
had　become　sure　that　he　would　give　in　ultimately；　and　that　with　a
little　further　patience　I　should　get　his　story　out　of　him。　　As　upon
a　cold　day　in　winter；　when　one　has　churned　（as　I　had　often　had　to
do）；　and　churned　in　vain；　and　the　butter　makes　no　sign　of　coming；
at　last　one　tells　by　the　sound　that　the　cream　has　gone　to　sleep；
and　then　upon　a　sudden　the　butter　comes；　so　I　had　churned　at
Chowbok　until　I　perceived　that　he　had　arrived；　as　it　were；　at　the
sleepy　stage；　and　that　with　a　continuance　of　steady　quiet　pressure
the　day　was　mine。　　On　a　sudden；　without　a　word　of　warning；　he
rolled　two　bales　of　wool　（his　strength　was　very　great）　into　the
middle　of　the　floor；　and　on　the　top　of　these　he　placed　another
crosswise；　he　snatched　up　an　empty　wool…pack；　threw　it　like　a
mantle　over　his　shoulders；　jumped　upon　the　uppermost　bale；　and　sat
upon　it。　　In　a　moment　his　whole　form　was　changed。　　His　high
shoulders　dropped；　he　set　his　feet　close　together；　heel　to　heel　and
toe　to　toe；　he　laid　his　arms　and　hands　close　alongside　of　his　body；
the　palms　following　his　thighs；　he　held　his　head　high　but　quite
straight；　and　his　eyes　stared　right　in　front　of　him；　but　he　frowned
horribly；　and　assumed　an　expression　of　face　that　was　positively
fiendish。　　At　the　best　of　times　Chowbok　was　very　ugly；　but　he　now
exceeded　all　conceivable　limits　of　the　hideous。　　His　mouth　extended
almost　from　ear　to　ear；　grinning　horribly　and　showing　all　his
teeth；　his　eyes　glared；　though　they　remained　quite　fixed；　and　his
forehead　was　contracted　with　a　most　malevolent　scowl。

I　am　afraid　my　description　will　have　conveyed　only　the　ridiculous
side　of　his　appearance；　but　the　ridiculous　and　the　sublime　are
near；　and　the　grotesque　fiendishness　of　Chowbok's　face　approached
this　last；　if　it　did　not　reach　it。　　I　tried　to　be　amused；　but　I
felt　a　sort　of　creeping　at　the　roots　of　my　hair　and　over　my　whole
body；　as　I　looked　and　wondered　what　he　could　possibly　be　intending
to　signify。　　He　continued　thus　for　about　a　minute；　sitting　bolt
upright；　as　stiff　as　a　stone；　and　making　this　fearful　face。　　Then
there　came　from　his　lips　a　low　moaning　like　the　wind；　rising　and
falling　by　infinitely　small　gradations　till　it　became　almost　a
shriek；　from　which　it　descended　and　died　away；　after　that；　he
jumped　down　from　the　bale　and　held　up　the　extended　fingers　of　both
his　hands；　as　one　who　should　say　〃Ten；〃　though　I　did　not　then
understand　him。

For　myself　I　was　open…mouthed　with　astonishment。　　Chowbok　rolled
the　bales　rapidly　into　their　place；　and　stood　before　me　shuddering
as　in　great　fear；　horror　was　written　upon　his　facethis　time　quite
involuntarilyas　though　the　natural　panic　of　one　who　had　committed
an　awful　crime　against　unknown　and　superhuman　agencies。　　He　nodded
his　head　and　gibbered；　and　pointed　repeatedly　to　the　mountains。　　He
would　not　touch　the　grog；　but；　after　a　few　seconds　he　made　a　run
through　the　wool…shed　door　into　the　moonlight；　nor　did　he　reappear
till　next　day　at　dinner…time；　when　he　turned　up；　looking　very
sheepish　and　abject　in　his　civility　towards　myself。

Of　his　meaning　I　had　no　conception。　　How　could　I？　　All　I　could　feel
sure　of　was；　that　he　had　a　meaning　which　was　true　and　awful　to
himself。　　It　was　enough　for　me　that　I　believed　him　to　have　given　me
the　best　he　had　and　all　he　had。　　This　kindled　my　imagination　more
than　if　he　had　told　me　intelligible　stories　by　the　hour　together。
I　knew　not　what　the　great　snowy　ranges　might　conceal；　but　I　could
no　longer　doubt　that　it　would　be　something　well　worth　discovering。

I　kept　aloof　from　Chowbok　for　the　next　few　days；　and　showed　no
desire　to　question　him　further；　when　I　spoke　to　him　I　called　him
Kahabuka；　which　gratified　him　greatly：　　he　seemed　to　have　become
afraid　of　me；　and　acted　as　one　who　was　in　my　power。　　Having
therefore　made　up　my　mind　that　I　would　begin　exploring　as　soon　as
shearing　was　over；　I　thought　it　would　be　a　good　thing　to　take
Chowbok　with　me；　so　I　told　him　that　I　meant　going　to　the　nearer
ranges　for　a　few　days'　prospecting；　and　that　he　was　to　come　too。　　I
made　him　promises　of　nightly　grog；　and　held　out　the　chances　of
finding　gold。　　I　said　nothing　about　the　main　range；　for　I　knew　it
would　frighten　him。　　I　would　get　him　as　far　up　our　own　river　as　I
could；　and　trace　it　if　possible　to　its　source。　　I　would　then　either
go　on　by　myself；　if　I　felt　my　courage　equal　to　the　attempt；　or
return　with　Chowbok。　　So；　as　soon　as　ever　shearing　was　over　and　the
wool　sent　off；　I　asked　leave　of　absence；　and　obtained　it。　　Also；　I
bought　an　old　pack…horse　and　pack…saddle；　so　that　I　might　take
plenty　of　provisions；　and　blankets；　and　a　small　tent。　　I　was　to
ride　and　find　fords　over　the　river；　Chowbok　was　to　follow　and　lead
the　pack…horse；　which　would　also　carry　him　over　the　fords。　　My
master　let　me　have　tea　and　sugar；　ship's　biscuits；　tobacco；　and
salt　mutton；　with　two　or　three　bottles　of　good　brandy；　for；　as　the
wool　was　now　sent　down；　abundance　of　provisions　would　come　up　with
the　empty　drays。

Everything　being　now　ready；　all　the　hands　on　the　station　turned　out
to　see　us　off；　and　we　started　on　our　journey；　not　very　long　after
the　summer　solstice　of　1870。



CHAPTER　III：　　UP　THE　RIVER



The　first　day　we　had　an　easy　time；　following　up　the　great　flats　by
the　river　side；　which　had　already　been　twice　burned；　so　that　there
was　no　dense　undergrowth　to　check　us；　though　the　ground　was　often
rough；　and　we　had　to　go　a　good　deal　upon　the　riverbed。　　Towards
nightfall　we　had　made　a　matter　of　some　five…and…twenty　miles；　and
camped　at　the　point　where　the　river　entered　upon　the　gorge。

The　weather　was　delightfully　warm；　considering　that　the　valley　in
which　we　were　encamped　must　have　been　at　least　two　thousand　feet
above　the　level　of　the　sea。　　The　river…bed　was　here　about　a　mile
and　a　half　broad　and　entirely　covered　with　shingle　over　which　the
river　ran　in　many　winding　channels；　looking；　when　seen　from　above；
like　a　tangled　skein　of　ribbon；　and　glistening　in　the　sun。　　We　knew
that　it　was　liable　to　very　sudden　and　heavy　freshets；　but　even　had
we　not　known　it；　we　could　have　seen　it　by　the　snags　of　trees；　which
must　have　been　carried　long　distances；　and　by　the　mass　of　vegetable
and　mineral　debris　which　was　banked　against　their　lower　side；
showing　that　at　times　the　whole　river…bed　must　be　covered　with　a
roaring　torrent　many　feet　in　depth　and　of　ungovernable　fury。　　At
present　the　river　was　low；　there　being　but　five　or　six　streams；　too
deep　and　rapid　for　even　a　strong　man　to　ford　on　foot；　but　to　be
crossed　safely　on　horseback。　　On　either　side　of　it　there　were　still
a　few　acres　of　flat；　which　grew　wider　and　wider　down　the　river；
till　they　became　the　large　plains　on　which　we　looked　from　my
master's　hut。　　Behind　us　rose　the　lowest　spurs　of　the　second　range；
leading　abruptly　to　the　range　itself；　and　at　a　distance　of　half　a
mile　began　the　gorge；　where　the　river　narrowed　and　became
boisterous　and　terrible。　　The　beauty　of　the　scene　cannot　be
conveyed　in　language。　　The　one　side　of　the　valley　was　blue　with
evening　shadow；　through　which　loomed　forest　and　precipice；　hillside
and　mountain　top；　and　the　other　was　still　brilliant　with　the　sunset
gold。　　The　wide　and　wasteful　river　with　its　ceaseless　rushingthe
beautiful　water…birds　too；　which　abounded　upon　the　islets　and　were
so　tame　that　we　could　come　close　up　to　themthe　ineffable　purity
of　the　airthe　solemn　peacefulness　of　the　untrodden　regioncould
there　be　a　more　delightful　and　exhilarating　combination？

We　set　about　making　our　camp；　close　to　some　large　bush　which　came
down　from　the　mountains　on　to　the　flat；　and　tethered　out　our　horses
upon　ground　as　free　as　we　could　find　it　from　anything　round　which
they　might　wind　the　rope　and　get　themselves　tied　up。　　We　dared　not
let　them　run　loose；　lest　they　might　stray　down　the　river　home
again。　　We　then　gathered　wood　and　lit　the　fire。　　We　filled　a　tin
pannikin　with　water　and　set　it　against　the　hot　ashes　to　boil。　　When
the　water　boiled　we　threw　in　two　or　three　large　pinches　of　tea　and
let　them　brew。

We　had　caught　half　a　dozen　young　ducks　in　the　course　of　the　dayan
easy　matter；　for　the　old　birds　made　such　a　fuss　in　attempting　to
decoy　us　away　from　thempretending　to　be　badly　hurt　as　they　say
the　plover　doesthat　we　could　always　find　them　by　going　about　in
the　opposite　direction　to　the　old　bird　till　we　heard　the　young　ones
crying：　　then　we　ran　them　down；　for　they　could　not　fly　though　they
were　nearly　full　grown。　　Chowbok　plucked　them　a　little　and　singed
them　a　good　deal。　　Then　we　cut　them　up　and　boiled　them　in　another
pannikin；　and　this　completed　our　preparations。

When　we　had　done　supper　it　was　quite　dark。　　The　silence　and
freshness　of　the　night；　the　occasional　sharp　cry　of　the　wood…hen；
the　ruddy　glow　of　the　fire；　the　subdued　rushing　of　the　river；　the
sombre　forest；　and　the　immediate　foreg