erewhon-第9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！


of　the　statues　above　me。　　I　clasped　my　hands　in　fear。　　I　felt　like
a　rat　caught　in　a　trap；　as　though　I　would　have　turned　and　bitten　at
whatever　thing　was　nearest　me。　　The　wildness　of　the　wind　increased；
the　moans　grew　shriller；　coming　from　several　statues；　and　swelling
into　a　chorus。　　I　almost　immediately　knew　what　it　was；　but　the
sound　was　so　unearthly　that　this　was　but　little　consolation。　　The
inhuman　beings　into　whose　hearts　the　Evil　One　had　put　it　to
conceive　these　statues；　had　made　their　heads　into　a　sort　of　organ…
pipe；　so　that　their　mouths　should　catch　the　wind　and　sound　with　its
blowing。　　It　was　horrible。　　However　brave　a　man　might　be；　he　could
never　stand　such　a　concert；　from　such　lips；　and　in　such　a　place。　　I
heaped　every　invective　upon　them　that　my　tongue　could　utter　as　I
rushed　away　from　them　into　the　mist；　and　even　after　I　had　lost
sight　of　them；　and　turning　my　head　round　could　see　nothing　but　the
storm…wraiths　driving　behind　me；　I　heard　their　ghostly　chanting；
and　felt　as　though　one　of　them　would　rush　after　me　and　grip　me　in
his　hand　and　throttle　me。

I　may　say　here　that；　since　my　return　to　England；　I　heard　a　friend
playing　some　chords　upon　the　organ　which　put　me　very　forcibly　in
mind　of　the　Erewhonian　statues　（for　Erewhon　is　the　name　of　the
country　upon　which　I　was　now　entering）。　　They　rose　most　vividly　to
my　recollection　the　moment　my　friend　began。　　They　are　as　follows；
and　are　by　the　greatest　of　all　musicians：…　｛2｝

＇Music　score　which　cannot　be　reproduced＇



CHAPTER　VI：　　INTO　EREWHON



And　now　I　found　myself　on　a　narrow　path　which　followed　a　small
watercourse。　　I　was　too　glad　to　have　an　easy　track　for　my　flight；
to　lay　hold　of　the　full　significance　of　its　existence。　　The
thought；　however；　soon　presented　itself　to　me　that　I　must　be　in　an
inhabited　country；　but　one　which　was　yet　unknown。　　What；　then；　was
to　be　my　fate　at　the　hands　of　its　inhabitants？　　Should　I　be　taken
and　offered　up　as　a　burnt…offering　to　those　hideous　guardians　of
the　pass？　　It　might　be　so。　　I　shuddered　at　the　thought；　yet　the
horrors　of　solitude　had　now　fairly　possessed　me；　and　so　dazed　was
I；　and　chilled；　and　woebegone；　that　I　could　lay　hold　of　no　idea
firmly　amid　the　crowd　of　fancies　that　kept　wandering　in　upon　my
brain。

I　hurried　onwarddown；　down；　down。　　More　streams　came　in；　then
there　was　a　bridge；　a　few　pine　logs　thrown　over　the　water；　but　they
gave　me　comfort；　for　savages　do　not　make　bridges。　　Then　I　had　a
treat　such　as　I　can　never　convey　on　papera　moment；　perhaps；　the
most　striking　and　unexpected　in　my　whole　lifethe　one　I　think
that；　with　some　three　or　four　exceptions；　I　would　most　gladly　have
again；　were　I　able　to　recall　it。　　I　got　below　the　level　of　the
clouds；　into　a　burst　of　brilliant　evening　sunshine；　I　was　facing
the　north…west；　and　the　sun　was　full　upon　me。　　Oh；　how　its　light
cheered　me！　　But　what　I　saw！　　It　was　such　an　expanse　as　was
revealed　to　Moses　when　he　stood　upon　the　summit　of　Mount　Sinai；　and
beheld　that　promised　land　which　it　was　not　to　be　his　to　enter。　　The
beautiful　sunset　sky　was　crimson　and　gold；　blue；　silver；　and
purple；　exquisite　and　tranquillising；　fading　away　therein　were
plains；　on　which　I　could　see　many　a　town　and　city；　with　buildings
that　had　lofty　steeples　and　rounded　domes。　　Nearer　beneath　me　lay
ridge　behind　ridge；　outline　behind　outline；　sunlight　behind　shadow；
and　shadow　behind　sunlight；　gully　and　serrated　ravine。　　I　saw　large
pine　forests；　and　the　glitter　of　a　noble　river　winding　its　way　upon
the　plains；　also　many　villages　and　hamlets；　some　of　them　quite　near
at　hand；　and　it　was　on　these　that　I　pondered　most。　　I　sank　upon　the
ground　at　the　foot　of　a　large　tree　and　thought　what　I　had　best　do；
but　I　could　not　collect　myself。　　I　was　quite　tired　out；　and
presently；　feeling　warmed　by　the　sun；　and　quieted；　I　fell　off　into
a　profound　sleep。

I　was　awoke　by　the　sound　of　tinkling　bells；　and　looking　up；　I　saw
four　or　five　goats　feeding　near　me。　　As　soon　as　I　moved；　the
creatures　turned　their　heads　towards　me　with　an　expression　of
infinite　wonder。　　They　did　not　run　away；　but　stood　stock　still；　and
looked　at　me　from　every　side；　as　I　at　them。　　Then　came　the　sound　of
chattering　and　laughter；　and　there　approached　two　lovely　girls；　of
about　seventeen　or　eighteen　years　old；　dressed　each　in　a　sort　of
linen　gaberdine；　with　a　girdle　round　the　waist。　　They　saw　me。　　I
sat　quite　still　and　looked　at　them；　dazzled　with　their　extreme
beauty。　　For　a　moment　they　looked　at　me　and　at　each　other　in　great
amazement；　then　they　gave　a　little　frightened　cry　and　ran　off　as
hard　as　they　could。

〃So　that's　that；〃　said　I　to　myself；　as　I　watched　them　scampering。
I　knew　that　I　had　better　stay　where　I　was　and　meet　my　fate；
whatever　it　was　to　be；　and　even　if　there　were　a　better　course；　I
had　no　strength　left　to　take　it。　　I　must　come　into　contact　with　the
inhabitants　sooner　or　later；　and　it　might　as　well　be　sooner。
Better　not　to　seem　afraid　of　them；　as　I　should　do　by　running　away
and　being　caught　with　a　hue　and　cry　to…morrow　or　next　day。　　So　I
remained　quite　still　and　waited。　　In　about　an　hour　I　heard　distant
voices　talking　excitedly；　and　in　a　few　minutes　I　saw　the　two　girls
bringing　up　a　party　of　six　or　seven　men；　well　armed　with　bows　and
arrows　and　pikes。　　There　was　nothing　for　it；　so　I　remained　sitting
quite　still；　even　after　they　had　seen　me；　until　they　came　close　up。
Then　we　all　had　a　good　look　at　one　another。

Both　the　girls　and　the　men　were　very　dark　in　colour；　but　not　more
so　than　the　South　Italians　or　Spaniards。　　The　men　wore　no　trousers；
but　were　dressed　nearly　the　same　as　the　Arabs　whom　I　have　seen　in
Algeria。　　They　were　of　the　most　magnificent　presence；　being　no　less
strong　and　handsome　than　the　women　were　beautiful；　and　not　only
this；　but　their　expression　was　courteous　and　benign。　　I　think　they
would　have　killed　me　at　once　if　I　had　made　the　slightest　show　of
violence；　but　they　gave　me　no　impression　of　their　being　likely　to
hurt　me　so　long　as　I　was　quiet。　　I　am　not　much　given　to　liking
anybody　at　first　sight；　but　these　people　impressed　me　much　more
favourably　than　I　should　have　thought　possible；　so　that　I　could　not
fear　them　as　I　scanned　their　faces　one　after　another。　　They　were
all　powerful　men。　　I　might　have　been　a　match　for　any　one　of　them
singly；　for　I　have　been　told　that　I　have　more　to　glory　in　the　flesh
than　in　any　other　respect；　being　over　six　feet　and　proportionately
strong；　but　any　two　could　have　soon　mastered　me；　even　were　I　not　so
bereft　of　energy　by　my　recent　adventures。　　My　colour　seemed　to
surprise　them　most；　for　I　have　light　hair；　blue　eyes；　and　a　fresh
complexion。　　They　could　not　understand　how　these　things　could　be；
my　clothes　also　seemed　quite　beyond　them。　　Their　eyes　kept
wandering　all　over　me；　and　the　more　they　looked　the　less　they
seemed　able　to　make　me　out。

At　last　I　raised　myself　upon　my　feet；　and　leaning　upon　my　stick；　I
spoke　whatever　came　into　my　head　to　the　man　who　seemed　foremost
among　them。　　I　spoke　in　English；　though　I　was　very　sure　that　he
would　not　understand。　　I　said　that　I　had　no　idea　what　country　I　was
in；　that　I　had　stumbled　upon　it　almost　by　accident；　after　a　series
of　hairbreadth　escapes；　and　that　I　trusted　they　would　not　allow　any
evil　to　overtake　me　now　that　I　was　completely　at　their　mercy。　　All
this　I　said　quietly　and　firmly；　with　hardly　any　change　of
expression。　　They　could　not　understand　me；　but　they　looked
approvingly　to　one　another；　and　seemed　pleased　（so　I　thought）　that
I　showed　no　fear　nor　acknowledgment　of　inferioritythe　fact　being
that　I　was　exhausted　beyond　the　sense　of　fear。　　Then　one　of　them
pointed　to　the　mountain；　in　the　direction　of　the　statues；　and　made
a　grimace　in　imitation　of　one　of　them。　　I　laughed　and　shuddered
expressively；　whereon　they　all　burst　out　laughing　too；　and
chattered　hard　to　one　another。　　I　could　make　out　nothing　of　what
they　said；　but　I　think　they　thought　it　rather　a　good　joke　that　I
had　come　past　the　statues。　　Then　one　among　them　came　forward　and
motioned　me　to　follow；　which　I　did　without　hesitation；　for　I　dared
not　thwart　them；　moreover；　I　liked　them　well　enough；　and　felt
tolerably　sure　that　they　had　no　intention　of　hurting　me。

In　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour　we　got　to　a　small　Hamlet　built　on　the
side　of　a　hill；　with　a　narrow　street　and　houses　huddled　up
together。　　The　roofs　were　large　and　overhanging。　　Some　few　windows
were　glazed；　but　not　many。　　Altogether　the　village　was　exceedingly
like　one　of　those　that　one　comes　upon　in　descending　the　less　known
passes　over　the　Alps　on　to　Lombardy。　　I　will　pass　over　the
excitement　which　my　arrival　caused。　　Suffice　it；　that　though　there
was　abundance　of　curiosity；　there　was　no　rudeness。　　I　was　taken　to
the　principal　house；　which　seemed　to　belong　to　the　people　who　had
captured　me。　　There　I　was　hospitably　entertained；　and　a　supper　of
milk　and　goat's　flesh　with　a　kind　of　oatcake　was　set　before　me；　of
which　I　ate　heartily。　　But　all　the　time　I　was　eating　I　could　not
help　turning　my　eyes　upon　the　two　beautiful　girls　whom　I　had　first
seen；　and　who　seemed　to　consider　me　as　their　lawful　prizewhich
indeed　I　was；　for　I　would　have　gone　through　fire　and　water　for
either　of　them。

The