erewhon-第45节

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the　end　he　carried　the　more　highly　educated　part　of　the　people　with
him；　and　presently　the　poorer　classes　followed　suit；　or　professed
to　do　so。　　Having　seen　the　triumph　of　his　principles；　he　was
gathered　to　his　fathers；　and　no　doubt　entered　at　once　into　full
communion　with　that　unseen　power　whose　favour　he　had　already　so
pre…eminently　enjoyed。

He　had　not；　however；　been　dead　very　long；　before　some　of　his　more
ardent　disciples　took　it　upon　them　to　better　the　instruction　of
their　master。　　The　old　prophet　had　allowed　the　use　of　eggs　and
milk；　but　his　disciples　decided　that　to　eat　a　fresh　egg　was　to
destroy　a　potential　chicken；　and　that　this　came　to　much　the　same　as
murdering　a　live　one。　　Stale　eggs；　if　it　was　quite　certain　that
they　were　too　far　gone　to　be　able　to　be　hatched；　were　grudgingly
permitted；　but　all　eggs　offered　for　sale　had　to　be　submitted　to　an
inspector；　who；　on　being　satisfied　that　they　were　addled；　would
label　them　〃Laid　not　less　than　three　months〃　from　the　date；
whatever　it　might　happen　to　be。　　These　eggs；　I　need　hardly　say；
were　only　used　in　puddings；　and　as　a　medicine　in　certain　cases
where　an　emetic　was　urgently　required。　　Milk　was　forbidden　inasmuch
as　it　could　not　be　obtained　without　robbing　some　calf　of　its
natural　sustenance；　and　thus　endangering　its　life。

It　will　be　easily　believed　that　at　first　there　were　many　who　gave
the　new　rules　outward　observance；　but　embraced　every　opportunity　of
indulging　secretly　in　those　flesh…pots　to　which　they　had　been
accustomed。　　It　was　found　that　animals　were　continually　dying
natural　deaths　under　more　or　less　suspicious　circumstances。
Suicidal　mania；　again；　which　had　hitherto　been　confined　exclusively
to　donkeys；　became　alarmingly　prevalent　even　among　such　for　the
most　part　self…respecting　creatures　as　sheep　and　cattle。　　It　was
astonishing　how　some　of　these　unfortunate　animals　would　scent　out　a
butcher's　knife　if　there　was　one　within　a　mile　of　them；　and　run
right　up　against　it　if　the　butcher　did　not　get　it　out　of　their　way
in　time。

Dogs；　again；　that　had　been　quite　law…abiding　as　regards　domestic
poultry；　tame　rabbits；　sucking　pigs；　or　sheep　and　lambs；　suddenly
took　to　breaking　beyond　the　control　of　their　masters；　and　killing
anything　that　they　were　told　not　to　touch。　　It　was　held　that　any
animal　killed　by　a　dog　had　died　a　natural　death；　for　it　was　the
dog's　nature　to　kill　things；　and　he　had　only　refrained　from
molesting　farmyard　creatures　hitherto　because　his　nature　had　been
tampered　with。　　Unfortunately　the　more　these　unruly　tendencies
became　developed；　the　more　the　common　people　seemed　to　delight　in
breeding　the　very　animals　that　would　put　temptation　in　the　dog's
way。　　There　is　little　doubt；　in　fact；　that　they　were　deliberately
evading　the　law；　but　whether　this　was　so　or　no　they　sold　or　ate
everything　their　dogs　had　killed。

Evasion　was　more　difficult　in　the　case　of　the　larger　animals；　for
the　magistrates　could　not　wink　at　all　the　pretended　suicides　of
pigs；　sheep；　and　cattle　that　were　brought　before　them。　　Sometimes
they　had　to　convict；　and　a　few　convictions　had　a　very　terrorising
effectwhereas　in　the　case　of　animals　killed　by　a　dog；　the　marks
of　the　dog's　teeth　could　be　seen；　and　it　was　practically　impossible
to　prove　malice　on　the　part　of　the　owner　of　the　dog。

Another　fertile　source　of　disobedience　to　the　law　was　furnished　by
a　decision　of　one　of　the　judges　that　raised　a　great　outcry　among
the　more　fervent　disciples　of　the　old　prophet。　　The　judge　held　that
it　was　lawful　to　kill　any　animal　in　self…defence；　and　that　such
conduct　was　so　natural　on　the　part　of　a　man　who　found　himself
attacked；　that　the　attacking　creature　should　be　held　to　have　died　a
natural　death。　　The　High　Vegetarians　had　indeed　good　reason　to　be
alarmed；　for　hardly　had　this　decision　become　generally　known　before
a　number　of　animals；　hitherto　harmless；　took　to　attacking　their
owners　with　such　ferocity；　that　it　became　necessary　to　put　them　to
a　natural　death。　　Again；　it　was　quite　common　at　that　time　to　see
the　carcase　of　a　calf；　lamb；　or　kid　exposed　for　sale　with　a　label
from　the　inspector　certifying　that　it　had　been　killed　in　self…
defence。　　Sometimes　even　the　carcase　of　a　lamb　or　calf　was　exposed
as　〃warranted　still…born；〃　when　it　presented　every　appearance　of
having　enjoyed　at　least　a　month　of　life。

As　for　the　flesh　of　animals　that　had　bona　fide　died　a　natural
death；　the　permission　to　eat　it　was　nugatory；　for　it　was　generally
eaten　by　some　other　animal　before　man　got　hold　of　it；　or　failing
this　it　was　often　poisonous；　so　that　practically　people　were　forced
to　evade　the　law　by　some　of　the　means　above　spoken　of；　or　to　become
vegetarians。　　This　last　alternative　was　so　little　to　the　taste　of
the　Erewhonians；　that　the　laws　against　killing　animals　were　falling
into　desuetude；　and　would　very　likely　have　been　repealed；　but　for
the　breaking　out　of　a　pestilence；　which　was　ascribed　by　the　priests
and　prophets　of　the　day　to　the　lawlessness　of　the　people　in　the
matter　of　eating　forbidden　flesh。　　On　this；　there　was　a　reaction；
stringent　laws　were　passed；　forbidding　the　use　of　meat　in　any　form
or　shape；　and　permitting　no　food　but　grain；　fruits；　and　vegetables
to　be　sold　in　shops　and　markets。　　These　laws　were　enacted　about　two
hundred　years　after　the　death　of　the　old　prophet　who　had　first
unsettled　people's　minds　about　the　rights　of　animals；　but　they　had
hardly　been　passed　before　people　again　began　to　break　them。

I　was　told　that　the　most　painful　consequence　of　all　this　folly　did
not　lie　in　the　fact　that　law…abiding　people　had　to　go　without
animal　foodmany　nations　do　this　and　seem　none　the　worse；　and　even
in　flesh…eating　countries　such　as　Italy；　Spain；　and　Greece；　the
poor　seldom　see　meat　from　year's　end　to　year's　end。　　The　mischief
lay　in　the　jar　which　undue　prohibition　gave　to　the　consciences　of
all　but　those　who　were　strong　enough　to　know　that　though　conscience
as　a　rule　boons；　it　can　also　bane。　　The　awakened　conscience　of　an
individual　will　often　lead　him　to　do　things　in　haste　that　he　had
better　have　left　undone；　but　the　conscience　of　a　nation　awakened　by
a　respectable　old　gentleman　who　has　an　unseen　power　up　his　sleeve
will　pave　hell　with　a　vengeance。

Young　people　were　told　that　it　was　a　sin　to　do　what　their　fathers
had　done　unhurt　for　centuries；　those；　moreover；　who　preached　to
them　about　the　enormity　of　eating　meat；　were　an　unattractive
academic　folk；　and　though　they　over…awed　all　but　the　bolder　youths；
there　were　few　who　did　not　in　their　hearts　dislike　them。　　However
much　the　young　person　might　be　shielded；　he　soon　got　to　know　that
men　and　women　of　the　worldoften　far　nicer　people　than　the
prophets　who　preached　abstentioncontinually　spoke　sneeringly　of
the　new　doctrinaire　laws；　and　were　believed　to　set　them　aside　in
secret；　though　they　dared　not　do　so　openly。　　Small　wonder；　then；
that　the　more　human　among　the　student　classes　were　provoked　by　the
touch…not；　taste…not；　handle…not　precepts　of　their　rulers；　into
questioning　much　that　they　would　otherwise　have　unhesitatingly
accepted。

One　sad　story　is　on　record　about　a　young　man　of　promising　amiable
disposition；　but　cursed　with　more　conscience　than　brains；　who　had
been　told　by　his　doctor　（for　as　I　have　above　said　disease　was　not
yet　held　to　be　criminal）　that　he　ought　to　eat　meat；　law　or　no　law。
He　was　much　shocked　and　for　some　time　refused　to　comply　with　what
he　deemed　the　unrighteous　advice　given　him　by　his　doctor；　at　last；
however；　finding　that　he　grew　weaker　and　weaker；　he　stole　secretly
on　a　dark　night　into　one　of　those　dens　in　which　meat　was
surreptitiously　sold；　and　bought　a　pound　of　prime　steak。　　He　took
it　home；　cooked　it　in　his　bedroom　when　every　one　in　the　house　had
gone　to　rest；　ate　it；　and　though　he　could　hardly　sleep　for　remorse
and　shame；　felt　so　much　better　next　morning　that　he　hardly　knew
himself。

Three　or　four　days　later；　he　again　found　himself　irresistibly　drawn
to　this　same　den。　　Again　he　bought　a　pound　of　steak；　again　he
cooked　and　ate　it；　and　again；　in　spite　of　much　mental　torture；　on
the　following　morning　felt　himself　a　different　man。　　To　cut　the
story　short；　though　he　never　went　beyond　the　bounds　of　moderation；
it　preyed　upon　his　mind　that　he　should　be　drifting；　as　he　certainly
was；　into　the　ranks　of　the　habitual　law…breakers。

All　the　time　his　health　kept　on　improving；　and　though　he　felt　sure
that　he　owed　this　to　the　beefsteaks；　the　better　he　became　in　body；
the　more　his　conscience　gave　him　no　rest；　two　voices　were　for　ever
ringing　in　his　earsthe　one　saying；　〃I　am　Common　Sense　and　Nature；
heed　me；　and　I　will　reward　you　as　I　rewarded　your　fathers　before
you。〃　　But　the　other　voice　said：　　〃Let　not　that　plausible　spirit
lure　you　to　your　ruin。　　I　am　Duty；　heed　me；　and　I　will　reward　you
as　I　rewarded　your　fathers　before　you。〃

Sometimes　he　even　seemed　to　see　the　faces　of　the　speakers。　　Common
Sense　looked　so　easy；　genial；　and　serene；　so　frank　and　fearless；
that　do　what　he　might　he　could　not　mistrust　her；　but　as　he　was　on
the　point　of　following　her；　he　would　be　checked　by　the　austere　face
of　Duty；　so　grave；　but　yet　so　kindly；　and　it　cut　him　to　the　heart
that　from　time　to　time　he　should　see　her　turn