erewhon revisited-第41章
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〃What monstrous absurdity is this？〃 shouted Hanky； 〃do you mean to
murder us？〃
〃Certainly not。 But you have insisted that I should do my duty；
and I mean to do it。 You gentlemen have now been proved to my
satisfaction to have had traffic with a foreign devil； and under
section 37 of the Afforesting Act； I must at once Blue…Pool any
such persons without public trial。〃
〃Nonsense； nonsense； there was nothing of the kind on our permit；
and as for trafficking with this foreign devil； we spoke to him；
but we neither bought nor sold。 Where is the Act？〃
〃Here。 On your permit you were referred to certain other clauses
not set out therein； which might be seen at the Mayor's office。
Clause 37 is as follows：…
〃It is furthermore enacted that should any of his Majesty's
subjects be found； after examination by the Head Ranger； to have
had traffic of any kind by way of sale or barter with any foreign
devil； the said Ranger； on being satisfied that such traffic has
taken place； shall forthwith； with or without the assistance of his
under…rangers； convey such subjects of his Majesty to the Blue
Pool； bind them； weight them； and fling them into it； without the
formality of a trial； and shall report the circumstances of the
case to his Majesty。〃
〃But we never bought anything from the prisoner。 What evidence can
you have of this but the word of a foreign devil in such straits
that he would swear to anything？〃
〃The prisoner has nothing to do with it。 I am convinced by this
receipt in Professor Panky's handwriting which states that he and
you jointly purchased his kit from the prisoner； and also this bag
of gold nuggets worth about 100 pounds in silver； for the absurdly
small sum of 4 pounds； 10s。 in silver。 I am further convinced by
this handkerchief marked with Professor Hanky's name； in which was
found a broken packet of dried leaves that are now at my office
with the rest of the prisoner's kit。〃
〃Then we were watched and dogged；〃 said Hanky； 〃on Thursday
evening。〃
〃That； sir；〃 replied George； 〃is my business； not yours。〃
Here Panky laid his arms on the table； buried his head in them； and
burst into tears。 Every one seemed aghast； but the Mayor； Yram；
and Mrs。 Humdrum saw that George was enjoying it all far too keenly
to be serious。 Dr。 Downie was still frightened （for George's
surface manner was Rhadamanthine） and did his utmost to console
Panky。 George pounded away ruthlessly at his case。
〃I say nothing about your having bought quails from the prisoner
and eaten them。 As you justly remarked just now； there is no
object in preferring a smaller charge when one must inflict the
death penalty on a more serious one。 Still； Professor Hanky； these
are bones of the quails you ate as you sate opposite the prisoner
on the side of the fire nearest Sunch'ston； these are Professor
Panky's bones； with which I need not disturb him。 This is your
permit； which was found upon the prisoner； and which there can be
no doubt you sold him； having been bribed by the offer of the
nuggets for〃
〃Monstrous； monstrous！ Infamous falsehood！ Who will believe such
a childish trumped up story！〃
〃Who； sir； will believe anything else？ You will hardly contend
that you did not know the nuggets were gold； and no one will
believe you mean enough to have tried to get this poor man's
property out of him for a songyou knowing its value； and he not
knowing the same。 No one will believe that you did not know the
man to be a foreign devil； or that he could hoodwink two such
learned Professors so cleverly as to get their permit out of them。
Obviously he seduced you into selling him your permit； andI
presume because he wanted a little of our moneyhe made you pay
him for his kit。 I am satisfied that you have not only had traffic
with a foreign devil； but traffic of a singularly atrocious kind；
and this being so； I shall Blue…Pool both of you as soon as I can
get you up to the Pool itself。 The sooner we start the better。 I
shall gag you； and drive you up in a close carriage as far as the
road goes； from that point you can walk up； or be dragged up as you
may prefer； but you will probably find walking more comfortable。〃
〃But；〃 said Hanky； 〃come what may； I must be at the banquet。 I am
set down to speak。〃
〃The Mayor will explain that you have been taken somewhat suddenly
unwell。〃
Here Yram； who had been talking quietly with her husband； Dr。
Downie； and Mrs。 Humdrum； motioned her son to silence。
〃I feared；〃 she said； 〃that difficulties might arise； though I did
not foresee how seriously they would affect my guests。 Let Mrs。
Humdrum on our side； and Dr。 Downie on that of the Professors； go
into the next room and talk the matter quietly over； let us then
see whether we cannot agree to be bound by their decision。 I do
not doubt but they will find some means of averting any catastrophe
more seriousNo； Professor Hanky； the doors are lockedthan a
little perjury in which we shall all share and share alike。〃
〃Do what you like；〃 said Hanky； looking for all the world like a
rat caught in a trap。 As he spoke he seized a knife from the
table； whereon George pulled a pair of handcuffs from his pocket
and slipped them on to his wrists before he well knew what was
being done to him。
〃George；〃 said the Mayor； 〃this is going too far。 Do you mean to
Blue…Pool the Professors or no？〃
〃Not if they will compromise。 If they will be reasonable； they
will not be Blue…Pooled； if they think they can have everything
their own way； the eels will be at them before morning。〃
A voice was heard from the head of Panky which he had buried in his
arms upon the table。 〃Co…co…co…compromise；〃 it said； and the
effect was so comic that every one except Hanky smiled。 Meanwhile
Yram had conducted Dr。 Downie and Mrs。 Humdrum into an adjoining
room。
CHAPTER XX： MRS。 HUMDRUM AND DR。 DOWNIE PROPOSE A COMPROMISE；
WHICH； AFTER AN AMENDMENT BY GEORGE； IS CARRIED NEM。 CON。
They returned in about ten minutes； and Dr。 Downie asked Mrs。
Humdrum to say what they had agreed to recommend。
〃We think；〃 said she very demurely； 〃that the strict course would
be to drop the charge of poaching； and Blue…Pool both the
Professors and the prisoner without delay。
〃We also think that the proper thing would be to place on record
that the prisoner is the Sunchildabout which neither Dr。 Downie
nor I have a shadow of doubt。
〃These measures we hold to be the only legal ones； but at the same
time we do not recommend them。 We think it would offend the public
conscience if it came to be known； as it certainly would； that the
Sunchild was violently killed； on the very day that had seen us
dedicate a temple in his honour； and perhaps at the very hour when
laudatory speeches were being made about him at the Mayor's
banquet； we think also that we should strain a good many points
rather than Blue…Pool the Professors。
〃Nothing is perfect； and Truth makes her mistakes like other
people； when she goes wrong and reduces herself to such an
absurdity as she has here done； those who love her must save her
from herself； correct her； and rehabilitate her。
〃Our conclusion； therefore； is this：…
〃The prisoner must recant on oath his statement that he is the
Sunchild。 The interpreter must be squared； or convinced of his
mistake。 The Mayoress； Dr。 Downie； I； and the gaoler （with the
interpreter if we can manage him）； must depose on oath that the
prisoner is not Higgs。 This must be our contribution to the
rehabilitation of Truth。
〃The Professors must contribute as follows： They must swear that
the prisoner is not the man they met with quails in his possession
on Thursday night。 They must further swear that they have one or
both of them known him； off and on； for many years past； as a
monomaniac with Sunchildism on the brain but otherwise harmless。
If they will do this； no proceedings are to be taken against them。
〃The Mayor's contribution shall be to reprimand the prisoner； and
order him to repeat his recantation in the new temple before the
Manager and Head Cashier； and to confirm his statement on oath by
kissing the reliquary containing the newly found re
