erewhon revisited-第47章

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more；　if　I　had　known　that　there　was　any　such　person。　　You　have
other　children；　if　you　leave　him　anything；　you　will　be　taking　it
away　from　your　own　flesh　and　blood；　if　you　leave　him　nothing；　it
will　be　a　slur　upon　him。　　I　must　therefore　send　you　enough　gold；　to
provide　for　George　as　your　other　children　will　be　provided　for；　you
can　settle　it　upon　him　at　once；　and　make　it　clear　that　the
settlement　is　instead　of　provision　for　him　by　will。　　The　difficulty
is　in　the　getting　the　gold　into　Erewhon；　and　until　it　is　actually
here；　he　must　know　nothing　about　it。〃

I　have　no　space　for　the　discussion　that　followed。　　In　the　end　it
was　settled　that　George　was　to　have　2000　pounds　in　gold；　which　the
Mayor　declared　to　be　too　much；　and　my　father　too　little。　　Both；
however；　were　agreed　that　Erewhon　would　before　long　be　compelled　to
enter　into　relations　with　foreign　countries；　in　which　case　the
value　of　gold　would　decline　so　much　as　to　make　2000　pounds　worth
little　more　than　it　would　be　in　England。　　The　Mayor　proposed　to　buy
land　with　it；　which　he　would　hand　over　to　George　as　a　gift　from
himself；　and　this　my　father　at　once　acceded　to。　　All　sorts　of
questions　such　as　will　occur　to　the　reader　were　raised　and　settled；
but　I　must　beg　him　to　be　content　with　knowing　that　everything　was
arranged　with　the　good　sense　that　two　such　men　were　sure　to　bring
to　bear　upon　it。

The　getting　the　gold　into　Erewhon　was　to　be　managed　thus。　　George
was　to　know　nothing；　but　a　promise　was　to　be　got　from　him　that　at
noon　on　the　following　New　Year's　day；　or　whatever　day　might　be
agreed　upon；　he　would　be　at　the　statues；　where　either　my　father　or
myself　would　meet　him；　spend　a　couple　of　hours　with　him；　and　then
return。　　Whoever　met　George　was　to　bring　the　gold　as　though　it　were
for　the　Mayor；　and　George　could　be　trusted　to　be　human　enough　to
bring　it　down；　when　he　saw　that　it　would　be　left　where　it　was　if　he
did　not　do　so。

〃He　will　kick　a　good　deal；〃　said　the　Mayor；　〃at　first；　but　he　will
come　round　in　the　end。〃

Luncheon　was　now　announced。　　My　father　was　feeling　faint　and　ill；
more　than　once　during　the　forenoon　he　had　had　a　return　of　the
strange　giddiness　and　momentary　loss　of　memory　which　had　already
twice　attacked　him；　but　he　had　recovered　in　each　case　so　quickly
that　no　one　had　seen　he　was　unwell。　　He；　poor　man；　did　not　yet　know
what　serious　brain　exhaustion　these　attacks　betokened；　and　finding
himself　in　his　usual　health　as　soon　as　they　passed　away；　set　them
down　as　simply　effects　of　fatigue　and　undue　excitement。

George　did　not　lunch　with　the　others。　　Yram　explained　that　he　had
to　draw　up　a　report　which　would　occupy　him　till　dinner　time。　　Her
three　other　sons；　and　her　three　lovely　daughters；　were　there。　　My
father　was　delighted　with　all　of　them；　for　they　made　friends　with
him　at　once。　　He　had　feared　that　he　would　have　been　disgraced　in
their　eyes；　by　his　having　just　come　from　prison；　but　whatever　they
may　have　thought；　no　trace　of　anything　but　a　little　engaging
timidity　on　the　girls'　part　was　to　be　seen。　　The　two　elder　boysor
rather　young　men；　for　they　seemed　fully　grown；　though；　like　George；
not　yet　beardedtreated　him　as　already　an　old　acquaintance；　while
the　youngest；　a　lad　of　fourteen；　walked　straight　up　to　him；　put　out
his　hand；　and　said；　〃How　do　you　do；　sir？〃　with　a　pretty　blush　that
went　straight　to　my　father's　heart。

〃These　boys；〃　he　said　to　Yram　aside；　〃who　have　nothing　to　blush
forsee　how　the　blood　mantles　into　their　young　cheeks；　while　I；
who　should　blush　at　being　spoken　to　by　them；　cannot　do　so。〃

〃Do　not　talk　nonsense；〃　said　Yram；　with　mock　severity。

But　it　was　no　nonsense　to　my　poor　father。　　He　was　awed　at　the
goodness　and　beauty　with　which　he　found　himself　surrounded。　　His
thoughts　were　too　full　of　what　had　been；　what　was；　and　what　was　yet
to　be；　to　let　him　devote　himself　to　these　young　people　as　he　would
dearly　have　liked　to　do。　　He　could　only　look　at　them；　wonder　at
them；　fall　in　love　with　them；　and　thank　heaven　that　George　had　been
brought　up　in　such　a　household。

When　luncheon　was　over；　Yram　said；　〃I　will　now　send　you　to　a　room
where　you　can　lie　down　and　go　to　sleep　for　a　few　hours。　　You　will
be　out　late　to…night；　and　had　better　rest　while　you　can。　　Do　you
remember　the　drink　you　taught　us　to　make　of　corn　parched　and
ground？　　You　used　to　say　you　liked　it。　　A　cup　shall　be　brought　to
your　room　at　about　five；　for　you　must　try　and　sleep　till　then。　　If
you　notice　a　little　box　on　the　dressing…table　of　your　room；　you
will　open　it　or　no　as　you　like。　　About　half…past　five　there　will　be
a　visitor；　whose　name　you　can　guess；　but　I　shall　not　let　her　stay
long　with　you。　　Here　comes　the　servant　to　take　you　to　your　room。〃
On　this　she　smiled；　and　turned　somewhat　hurriedly　away。

My　father　on　reaching　his　room　went　to　the　dressing…table；　where　he
saw　a　small　unpretending　box；　which　he　immediately　opened。　　On　the
top　was　a　paper　with　the　words；　〃Looksay　nothingforget。〃
Beneath　this　was　some　cotton　wool；　and　thenthe　two　buttons　and
the　lock　of　his　own　hair；　that　he　had　given　Yram　when　he　said　good…
bye　to　her。

The　ghost　of　the　lock　that　Yram　had　then　given　him；　rose　from　the
dead；　and　smote　him　as　with　a　whip　across　the　face。　　On　what　dust…
heap　had　it　not　been　thrown　how　many　long　years　ago？　　Then　she　had
never　forgotten　him？　to　have　been　remembered　all　these　years　by
such　a　woman　as　that；　and　never　to　have　heeded　itnever　to　have
found　out　what　she　was　though　he　had　seen　her　day　after　day　for
months。　　Ah！　but　she　was　then　still　budding。　　That　was　no　excuse。
If　a　loveable　womanaye；　or　any　womanhas　loved　a　man；　even
though　he　cannot　marry　her；　or　even　wish　to　do　so；　at　any　rate　let
him　not　forget　herand　he　had　forgotten　Yram　as　completely　until
the　last　few　days；　as　though　he　had　never　seen　her。　　He　took　her
little　missive；　and　under　〃Look；〃　he　wrote；　〃I　have；〃　under　〃Say
nothing；〃　〃I　will；〃　under　〃forget；〃　〃never。〃　　〃And　I　never　shall；〃
he　said　to　himself；　as　he　replaced　the　box　upon　the　table。　　He　then
lay　down　to　rest　upon　the　bed；　but　he　could　get　no　sleep。

When　the　servant　brought　him　his　imitation　coffeean　imitation　so
successful　that　Yram　made　him　a　packet　of　it　to　replace　the　tea
that　he　must　leave　behind　himhe　rose　and　presently　came
downstairs　into　the　drawing…room；　where　he　found　Yram　and　Mrs。
Humdrum's　grand…daughter；　of　whom　I　will　say　nothing；　for　I　have
never　seen　her；　and　know　nothing　about　her；　except　that　my　father
found　her　a　sweet…looking　girl；　of　graceful　figure　and　very
attractive　expression。　　He　was　quite　happy　about　her；　but　she　was
too　young　and　shy　to　make　it　possible　for　him　to　do　more　than
admire　her　appearance；　and　take　Yram's　word　for　it　that　she　was　as
good　as　she　looked。



CHAPTER　XXIV：　　AFTER　DINNER；　DR。　DOWNIE　AND　THE　PROFESSORS　WOULD　BE
GLAD　TO　KNOW　WHAT　IS　TO　BE　DONE　ABOUT　SUNCHILDISM



It　was　about　six　when　George's　fiancee　left　the　house；　and　as　soon
as　she　had　done　so；　Yram　began　to　see　about　the　rug　and　the　best
substitutes　she　could　find　for　the　billy　and　pannikin。　　She　had　a
basket　packed　with　all　that　my　father　and　George　would　want　to　eat
and　drink　while　on　the　preserves；　and　enough　of　everything；　except
meat；　to　keep　my　father　going　till　he　could　reach　the　shepherd's
hut　of　which　I　have　already　spoken。　　Meat　would　not　keep；　and　my
father　could　get　plenty　of　flappersi。e。　ducks　that　cannot　yet
flywhen　he　was　on　the　river…bed　down　below。

The　above　preparations　had　not　been　made　very　long；　before　Mrs。
Humdrum　arrived；　followed　presently　by　Dr。　Downie　and　in　due　course
by　the　Professors；　who　were　still　staying　in　the　house。　　My　father
remembered　Mrs。　Humdrum's　good　honest　face；　but　could　not　bring　Dr。
Downie　to　his　recollection　till　the　Doctor　told　him　when　and　where
they　had　met；　and　then　he　could　only　very　uncertainly　recall　him；
though　he　vowed　that　he　could　now　do　so　perfectly　well。

〃At　any　rate；〃　said　Hanky；　advancing　towards　him　with　his　best
Bridgeford　manner；　〃you　will　not　have　forgotten　meeting　my　brother
Professor　and　myself。〃

〃It　has　been　rather　a　forgetting　sort　of　a　morning；〃　said　my　father
demurely；　〃but　I　can　remember　that　much；　and　am　delighted　to　renew
my　acquainta