erewhon revisited-第18章

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the　candidates　had　to　answer　was；　whether　it　was　wiser　during　a
long　stay　at　a　hotel　to　tip　the　servants　pretty　early；　or　to　wait
till　the　stay　was　ended。　　All　the　other　candidates　took　one　side　or
the　other；　and　argued　their　case　in　full。　　Hanky　sent　in　three
lines　to　the　effect　that　the　proper　thing　to　do　would　be　to　promise
at　the　beginning；　and　go　away　without　giving。　　The　King；　with　whom
the　appointment　rested；　was　so　much　pleased　with　this　answer　that
he　gave　Hanky　the　professorship　without　so　much　as　looking　。　。　。　〃

Professor　Gabb　to　Mrs。　Humdrum：　　〃Oh　no；　I　can　assure　you　there　is
no　truth　in　it。　　What　happened　was　this。　　There　was　the　usual
crowd；　and　the　people　cheered　Professor　after　Professor；　as　he
stood　before　them　in　the　great　Bridgeford　theatre　and　satisfied
them　that　a　lump　of　butter　which　had　been　put　into　his　mouth　would
not　melt　in　it。　　When　Hanky's　turn　came　he　was　taken　suddenly
unwell；　and　had　to　leave　the　theatre；　on　which　there　was　a　report
in　the　house　that　the　butter　had　melted；　this　was　at　once　stopped
by　the　return　of　the　Professor。　　Another　piece　of　butter　was　put
into　his　mouth；　and　on　being　taken　out　after　the　usual　time；　was
found　to　shew　no　signs　of　having　。　。　。　〃

Miss　Bawl　to　Mr。　Principal　Crank：　　。　。　。　〃The　Manager　was　so　tall；
you　know；　and　then　there　was　that　little　mite　of　an　assistant
managerit　WAS　so　funny。　　For　the　assistant　manager's　voice　was
ever　so　much　louder　than　the　。　。　。　〃

Mrs。　Bawl　to　Professor　Gabb：　　。　。　。　　〃Live　for　art！　　If　I　had　to
choose　whether　I　would　lose　either　art　or　science；　I　have　not　the
smallest　hesitation　in　saying　that　I　would　lose　。　。　。　〃

The　Mayor　and　Dr。　Downie：　　。　。　。　〃That　you　are　to　be　canonised　at
the　close　of　the　year　along　with　Professors　Hanky　and　Panky？〃

〃I　believe　it　is　his　Majesty's　intention　that　the　Professors　and
myself　are　to　head　the　list　of　the　Sunchild's　Saints；　but　we　have
all　of　us　got　to　。　。　。　〃

And　so　on；　and　so　on；　buzz；　buzz；　buzz；　over　the　whole　table。
Presently　Yram　turned　to　Hanky　and　said　…

〃By　the　way；　Professor；　you　must　have　found　it　very　cold　up　at　the
statues；　did　you　not？　　But　I　suppose　the　snow　is　all　gone　by　this
time？〃

〃Yes；　it　was　cold；　and　though　the　winter's　snow　is　melted；　there
had　been　a　recent　fall。　　Strange　to　say；　we　saw　fresh　footprints　in
it；　as　of　some　one　who　had　come　up　from　the　other　side。　　But
thereon　hangs　a　tale；　about　which　I　believe　I　should　say　nothing。〃

〃Then　say　nothing；　my　dear　Professor；〃　said　Yram　with　a　frank
smile。　　〃Above　all；〃　she　added　quietly　and　gravely；　〃say　nothing　to
the　Mayor；　nor　to　my　son；　till　after　Sunday。　　Even　a　whisper　of
some　one　coming　over　from　the　other　side　disquiets　them；　and　they
have　enough　on　hand　for　the　moment。〃

Panky；　who　had　been　growing　more　and　more　restive　at　his　friend's
outspokenness；　but　who　had　encouraged　it　more　than　once　by　vainly
trying　to　check　it；　was　relieved　at　hearing　his　hostess　do　for　him
what　he　could　not　do　for　himself。　　As　for　Yram；　she　had　got　enough
out　of　the　Professor　to　be　now　fully　dissatisfied；　and　mentally
informed　them　that　they　might　leave　the　witness…box。　　During　the
rest　of　dinner　she　let　the　subject　of　their　adventure　severely
alone。

It　seemed　to　her　as　though　dinner　was　never　going　to　end；　but　in
the　course　of　time　it　did　so；　and　presently　the　ladies　withdrew。
As　they　were　entering　the　drawing…room　a　servant　told　her　that　her
son　had　been　found　more　easily　than　was　expected；　and　was　now　in
his　own　room　dressing。

〃Tell　him；〃　she　said；　〃to　stay　there　till　I　come；　which　I　will　do
directly。〃

She　remained　for　a　few　minutes　with　her　guests；　and　then；　excusing
herself　quietly　to　Mrs。　Humdrum；　she　stepped　out　and　hastened　to
her　son's　room。　　She　told　him　that　Professors　Hanky　and　Panky　were
staying　in　the　house；　and　that　during　dinner　they　had　told　her
something　he　ought　to　know；　but　which　there　was　no　time　to　tell　him
until　her　guests　were　gone。　　〃I　had　rather；〃　she　said；　〃tell　you
about　it　before　you　see　the　Professors；　for　if　you　see　them　the
whole　thing　will　be　reopened；　and　you　are　sure　to　let　them　see　how
much　more　there　is　in　it　than　they　suspect。　　I　want　everything
hushed　up　for　the　moment；　do　not；　therefore；　join　us。　　Have　dinner
sent　to　you　in　your　father's　study。　　I　will　come　to　you　about
midnight。〃

〃But；　my　dear　mother；〃　said　George；　〃I　have　seen　Panky　already。　　I
walked　down　with　him　a　good　long　way　this　afternoon。〃

Yram　had　not　expected　this；　but　she　kept　her　countenance。　　〃How　did
you　know；〃　said　she；　〃that　he　was　Professor　Panky？　　Did　he　tell　you
so？〃

〃Certainly　he　did。　　He　showed　me　his　permit；　which　was　made　out　in
favour　of　Professors　Hanky　and　Panky；　or　either　of　them。　　He　said
Hanky　had　been　unable　to　come　with　him；　and　that　he　was　himself
Professor　Panky。〃

Yram　again　smiled　very　sweetly。　　〃Then；　my　dear　boy；〃　she　said；　〃I
am　all　the　more　anxious　that　you　should　not　see　him　now。　　See
nobody　but　the　servants　and　your　brothers；　and　wait　till　I　can
enlighten　you。　　I　must　not　stay　another　moment；　but　tell　me　this
much；　have　you　seen　any　signs　of　poachers　lately？〃

〃Yes；　there　were　three　last　night。〃

〃In　what　part　of　the　preserves？〃

Her　son　described　the　place。

〃You　are　sure　they　had　been　killing　quails？〃

〃Yes；　and　eating　themtwo　on　one　side　of　a　fire　they　had　lit；　and
one　on　the　other；　this　last　man　had　done　all　the　plucking。〃

〃Good！〃

She　kissed　him　with　more　than　even　her　usual　tenderness；　and
returned　to　the　drawing…room。

During　the　rest　of　the　evening　she　was　engaged　in　earnest
conversation　with　Mrs。　Humdrum；　leaving　her　other　guests　to　her
daughters　and　to　themselves。　　Mrs。　Humdrum　had　been　her　closest
friend　for　many　years；　and　carried　more　weight　than　any　one　else　in
Sunch'ston；　except；　perhaps；　Yram　herself。　　〃Tell　him　everything；〃
she　said　to　Yram　at　the　close　of　their　conversation；　〃we　all　dote
upon　him；　trust　him　frankly；　as　you　trusted　your　husband　before　you
let　him　marry　you。　　No　lies；　no　reserve；　no　tears；　and　all　will
come　right。　　As　for　me；　command　me；〃　and　the　good　old　lady　rose　to
take　her　leave　with　as　kind　a　look　on　her　face　as　ever　irradiated
saint　or　angel。　　〃I　go　early；〃　she　added；　〃for　the　others　will　go
when　they　see　me　do　so；　and　the　sooner　you　are　alone　the　better。〃

By　half　an　hour　before　midnight　her　guests　had　gone。　　Hanky　and
Panky　were　given　to　understand　that　they　must　still　be　tired；　and
had　better　go　to　bed。　　So　was　the　Mayor；　so　were　her　sons　and
daughters；　except　of　course　George；　who　was　waiting　for　her　with
some　anxiety；　for　he　had　seen　that　she　had　something　serious　to
tell　him。　　Then　she　went　down　into　the　study。　　Her　son　embraced　her
as　she　entered；　and　moved　an　easy　chair　for　her；　but　she　would　not
have　it。

〃No；　I　will　have　an　upright　one。〃　　Then；　sitting　composedly　down　on
the　one　her　son　placed　for　her；　she　said　…

〃And　now　to　business。　　But　let　me　first　tell　you　that　the　Mayor　was
told；　twenty　years　ago；　all　the　more　important　part　of　what　you
will　now　hear。　　He　does　not　yet　know　what　has　happened　within　the
last　few　hours；　but　either　you　or　I　will　tell　him　to…morrow。〃



CHAPTER　IX：　　INTERVIEW　BETWEEN　YRAM　AND　HER　SON



〃What　did　you　think　of　Panky？〃

〃I　could　not　make　him　out。　　If　he　had　not　been　a　Bridgeford
Professor　I　might　have　liked　him；　but　you　know　how　we　all　of　us
distrust　those　people。〃

〃Where　did　you　meet　him？〃

〃About　two　hours　lower　down　than　the　statues。〃

〃At　what　o'clock？〃

〃It　might　be　between　two　and　half…past。〃

〃I　suppose　he　did　not　say　that　at　that　hour　he　was　in　bed　at　his
hotel　in　Sunch'ston。　　Hardly！　　Tell　me　what　passed　between　you。〃

〃He　had　his　permit　open　before　we　were　within　speaking　distance。　　I
think　he　feared　I　should　attack　him　without　making　sure　whether　he
was　a　foreign　devil　or　no。　　I　have　told　you　he　said　he　was
Professor　Panky。〃

〃I　suppose　he　had　a　dark　complexion　and　black　hair　like　the　rest　of
us？〃

〃Dark　complexion　and　hair　purplish　rather　than　black。　　I　was
surprised　to　see　that　his　eyelashes　were　as　light　as　my　own；　and
his　eyes　were　blue　like　minebut　you　will　have　noticed　this　at
dinner。〃

〃No；　my　dear；　I　did　not；　and　I　think　I　shou