erewhon revisited-第38章

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reasons　too　long　to　repeat；　my　mother　warned　Hanky　and　Panky　that
you　would　be　in　the　temple；　whereon　Hanky　tried　to　get　you　into　his
clutches。　　Happily　he　failed；　but　if　I　had　known　what　he　was　doing
I　should　have　arrested　you　before　the　service。　　I　ought　to　have
done　this；　but　I　wanted　you　to　win　your　wager；　and　I　shall　get　you
safely　away　in　spite　of　them。　　My　mother　will　not　like　my　having
let　you　hear　Hanky's　sermon　and　declare　yourself。〃

〃You　half　told　me　not　to　say　who　I　was。〃

〃Yes；　but　I　was　delighted　when　you　disobeyed　me。〃

〃I　did　it　very　badly。　　I　never　rise　to　great　occasions；　I　always
fall　to　them；　but　these　things　must　come　as　they　come。〃

〃You　did　it　as　well　as　it　could　be　done；　and　good　will　come　of　it。〃

〃And　now；〃　he　continued；　〃describe　exactly　all　that　passed　between
you　and　the　Professors。　　On　which　side　of　Panky　did　Hanky　sit；　and
did　they　sit　north　and　south　or　east　and　west？　　How　did　you　getoh
yes；　I　know　thatyou　told　them　it　would　be　of　no　further　use　to
them。　　Tell　me　all　else　you　can。〃

My　father　said　that　the　Professors　were　sitting　pretty　well　east
and　west；　so　that　Hanky；　who　was　on　the　east　side；　nearest　the
mountains；　had　Panky；　who　was　on　the　Sunch'ston　side；　on　his　right
hand。　　George　made　a　note　of　this。　　My　father　then　told　what　the
reader　already　knows；　but　when　he　came　to　the　measurement　of　the
boots；　George　said；　〃Take　your　boots　off；〃　and　began　taking　off　his
own。　　〃Foot　for　foot；〃　said　he；　〃we　are　not　father　and　son；　but
brothers。　　Yours　will　fit　me；　they　are　less　worn　than　mine；　but　I
daresay　you　will　not　mind　that。〃

On　this　George　ex　abundanti　cautela　knocked　a　nail　out　of　the　right
boot　that　he　had　been　wearing　and　changed　boots　with　my　father；　but
he　thought　it　more　plausible　not　to　knock　out　exactly　the　same　nail
that　was　missing　on　my　father's　boot。　　When　the　change　was　made；
each　foundor　said　he　foundthe　other's　boots　quite　comfortable。

My　father　all　the　time　felt　as　though　he　were　a　basket　given　to　a
dog。　　The　dog　had　got　him；　was　proud　of　him；　and　no　one　must　try　to
take　him　away。　　The　promptitude　with　which　George　took　to　him；　the
obvious　pleasure　he　had　in　〃running〃　him；　his　quick　judgement；
verging　as　it　should　towards　rashness；　his　confidence　that　my
father　trusted　him　without　reserve；　the　conviction　of　perfect
openness　that　was　conveyed　by　the　way　in　which　his　eyes　never
budged　from　my　father's　when　he　spoke　to　him；　his　genial；　kindly；
manner；　perfect　physical　health；　and　the　air　he　had　of　being　on　the
best　possible　terms　with　himself　and　every　one　elsethe
combination　of　all　this　so　overmastered　my　poor　father　（who　indeed
had　been　sufficiently　mastered　before　he　had　been　five　minutes　in
George's　company）　that　he　resigned　himself　as　gratefully　to　being　a
basket；　as　George　had　cheerfully　undertaken　the　task　of　carrying
him。

In　passing　I　may　say　that　George　could　never　get　his　own　boots　back
again；　though　he　tried　more　than　once　to　do　so。　　My　father　always
made　some　excuse。　　They　were　the　only　memento　of　George　that　he
brought　home　with　him；　I　wonder　that　he　did　not　ask　for　a　lock　of
his　hair；　but　he　did　not。　　He　had　the　boots　put　against　a　wall　in
his　bedroom；　where　he　could　see　them　from　his　bed；　and　during　his
illness；　while　consciousness　yet　remained　with　him；　I　saw　his　eyes
continually　turn　towards　them。　　George；　in　fact；　dominated　him　as
long　as　anything　in　this　world　could　do　so。　　Nor　do　I　wonder；　on
the　contrary；　I　love　his　memory　the　better；　for　I　too；　as　will
appear　later；　have　seen　George；　and　whatever　little　jealousy　I　may
have　felt；　vanished　on　my　finding　him　almost　instantaneously　gain
the　same　ascendancy　over　me　his　brother；　that　he　had　gained　over
his　and　my　father。　　But　of　this　no　more　at　present。　　Let　me　return
to　the　gaol　in　Sunch'ston。

〃Tell　me　more；〃　said　George；　〃about　the　Professors。〃

My　father　told　him　about　the　nuggets；　the　sale　of　his　kit；　the
receipt　he　had　given　for　the　money；　and　how　he　had　got　the　nuggets
back　from　a　tree；　the　position　of　which　he　described。

〃I　know　the　tree；　have　you　got　the　nuggets　here？〃

〃Here　they　are；　with　the　receipt；　and　the　pocket　handkerchief
marked　with　Hanky's　name。　　The　pocket　handkerchief　was　found
wrapped　round　some　dried　leaves　that　we　call　tea；　but　I　have　not
got　these　with　me。〃　　As　he　spoke　he　gave　everything　to　George；　who
showed　the　utmost　delight　in　getting　possession　of　them。

〃I　suppose　the　blanket　and　the　rest　of　the　kit　are　still　in　the
tree？〃

〃Unless　Hanky　and　Panky　have　got　them　away；　or　some　one　has　found
them。〃

〃This　is　not　likely。　　I　will　now　go　to　my　office；　but　I　will　come
back　very　shortly。　　My　grandfather　shall　bring　you　something　to　eat
at　once。　　I　will　tell　him　to　send　enough　for　two〃which　he
accordingly　did。

On　reaching　the　office；　he　told　his　next　brother　（whom　he　had　made
an　under…ranger）　to　go　to　the　tree　he　described；　and　bring　back　the
bundle　he　should　find　concealed　therein。　　〃You　can　go　there　and
back；〃　he　said；　〃in　an　hour　and　a　half；　and　I　shall　want　the　bundle
by　that　time。〃

The　brother；　whose　name　I　never　rightly　caught；　set　out　at　once。
As　soon　as　he　was　gone；　George　took　from　a　drawer　the　feathers　and
bones　of　quails；　that　he　had　shown　my　father　on　the　morning　when　he
met　him。　　He　divided　them　in　half；　and　made　them　into　two　bundles；
one　of　which　he　docketed；　〃Bones　of　quails　eaten；　XIX。　xii。　29；　by
Professor　Hanky；　P。O。W。W。；　&c。〃　　And　he　labelled　Panky's　quail
bones　in　like　fashion。

Having　done　this；　he　returned　to　the　gaol；　but　on　his　way　he　looked
in　at　the　Mayor's；　and　left　a　note　saying　that　he　should　be　at　the
gaol；　where　any　message　would　reach　him；　but　that　he　did　not　wish
to　meet　Professors　Hanky　and　Panky　for　another　couple　of　hours。　　It
was　now　about　half…past　twelve；　and　he　caught　sight　of　a　crowd
coming　quietly　out　of　the　temple；　whereby　he　knew　that　Hanky　would
soon　be　at　the　Mayor's　house。

Dinner　was　brought　in　almost　at　the　moment　when　George　returned　to
the　gaol。　　As　soon　as　it　was　over　George　said：…

〃Are　you　quite　sure　you　have　made　no　mistake　about　the　way　in　which
you　got　the　permit　out　of　the　Professors？〃

〃Quite　sure。　　I　told　them　they　would　not　want　it；　and　said　I　could
save　them　trouble　if　they　gave　it　me。　　They　never　suspected　why　I
wanted　it。　　Where　do　you　think　I　may　be　mistaken？〃

〃You　sold　your　nuggets　for　rather　less　than　a　twentieth　part　of
their　value；　and　you　threw　in　some　curiosities；　that　would　have
fetched　about　half　as　much　as　you　got　for　the　nuggets。　　You　say　you
did　this　because　you　wanted　money　to　keep　you　going　till　you　could
sell　some　of　your　nuggets。　　This　sounds　well　at　first；　but　the
sacrifice　is　too　great　to　be　plausible　when　considered。　　It　looks
more　like　a　case　of　good　honest　manly　straightforward　corruption。〃

〃But　surely　you　believe　me？〃

〃Of　course　I　do。　　I　believe　every　syllable　that　comes　from　your
mouth；　but　I　shall　not　be　able　to　make　out　that　the　story　was　as　it
was　not；　unless　I　am　quite　certain　what　it　really　was。〃

〃It　was　exactly　as　I　have　told　you。〃

〃That　is　enough。　　And　now；　may　I　tell　my　mother　that　you　will　put
yourself　in　her；　and　the　Mayor's；　and　my；　hands；　and　will　do
whatever　we　tell　you？〃

〃I　will　be　obedience　itselfbut　you　will　not　ask　me　to　do　anything
that　will　make　your　mother　or　you　think　less　well　of　me？〃

〃If　we　tell　you　what　you　are　to　do；　we　shall　not　think　any　the
worse　of　you　for　doing　it。　　Then　I　may　say　to　my　mother　that　you
will　be　good　and　give　no　troublenot　even　though　we　bid　you　shake
hands　with　Hanky　and　Panky？〃

〃I　will　embrace　them　and　kiss　them　on　both　cheeks；　if　you　and　she
tell　me　to　do　so。　　But　what　about　the　Mayor？〃

〃He　has　known　everything；　and　condoned　everything；　these　last
twenty　years。　　He　will　leave　everything　to　my　mother　and　me。〃

〃Shall　I　have　to　see　him？〃

〃Certainly。　　You　must　be　brought　up　before　him　to…morrow　morning。〃

〃How　can　I　look　him　in　the　face？〃

〃As　you　would　me；　or　any　one　else。　　It　is　understood　among　us　that
nothing　happened。　　Things　may　have　looked　as　though　they　had
happened；　but　they　did　not　happen。〃

〃And　you　are　not　yet　quite　twenty？〃

〃No；　but　I　am　son　to　my　motherand；〃　he　adde