erewhon revisited-第7章
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！
they may encounter coming from the other side of the mountains。
They are to weight the body； and throw it into the Blue Pool under
the waterfall shown on the plan hereto annexed； but on pain of
imprisonment for life they shall not reserve to their own use any
article belonging to the deceased。 Neither shall they divulge what
they have done to any one save the Head Ranger； who shall report
the circumstances of the case fully and minutely to his Majesty。
〃As regards any of his Majesty's subjects who may be taken while
trespassing on his Majesty's preserves without a special permit
signed by the Mayor of Sunchildston； or any who may be convicted of
poaching on the said preserves； the Rangers shall forthwith arrest
them and bring them before the Mayor of Sunchildston； who shall
enquire into their antecedents； and punish them with such term of
imprisonment； with hard labour； as he may think fit； provided that
no such term be of less duration than twelve calendar months。
〃For the further provisions of the said Act； those whom it may
concern are referred to the Act in full； a copy of which may be
seen at the official residence of the Mayor of Sunchildston。〃
Then followed in MS。 〃XIX。 xii。 29。 Permit Professor Hanky；
Royal Professor of Worldly Wisdom at Bridgeford； seat of learning；
city of the people who are above suspicion； and Professor Panky；
Royal Professor of Unworldly Wisdom in the said city； or either of
them〃 ＇here the MS。 ended； the rest of the permit being in print＇
〃to pass freely during the space of forty…eight hours from the date
hereof； over the King's preserves； provided； under pain of
imprisonment with hard labour for twelve months； that they do not
kill； nor cause to be killed； nor eat； if another have killed； any
one or more of his Majesty's quails。〃
The signature was such a scrawl that my father could not read it；
but underneath was printed； 〃Mayor of Sunchildston； formerly called
Coldharbour。〃
What a mass of information did not my father gather as he read； but
what a far greater mass did he not see that he must get hold of ere
he could reconstruct his plans intelligently。
〃The year three；〃 indeed； and XIX。 xii。 29； in Roman and Arabic
characters！ There were no such characters when he was in Erewhon
before。 It flashed upon him that he had repeatedly shewn them to
the Nosnibors； and had once even written them down。 It could not
be that 。 。 。 No； it was impossible； and yet there was the European
dress； aimed at by the one Professor； and attained by the other。
Again 〃XIX。〃 what was that？ 〃xii。〃 might do for December； but it
was now the 4th of December not the 29th。 〃Afforested〃 too？ Then
that was why he had seen no sheep tracks。 And how about the quails
he had so innocently killed？ What would have happened if he had
tried to sell them in Coldharbour？ What other like fatal error
might he not ignorantly commit？ And why had Coldharbour become
Sunchildston？
These thoughts raced through my poor father's brain as he slowly
perused the paper handed to him by the Professors。 To give himself
time he feigned to be a poor scholar； but when he had delayed as
long as he dared； he returned it to the one who had given it him。
Without changing a muscle he said …
〃Your permit； sir； is quite regular。 You can either stay here the
night or go on to Sunchildston as you think fit。 May I ask which
of you two gentlemen is Professor Hanky； and which Professor
Panky？〃
〃My name is Panky；〃 said the one who had the watch； who wore his
clothes reversed； and who had thought my father might be a poacher。
〃And mine Hanky；〃 said the other。
〃What do you think； Panky；〃 he added； turning to his brother
Professor； 〃had we not better stay here till sunrise？ We are both
of us tired； and this fellow can make us a good fire。 It is very
dark； and there will be no moon this two hours。 We are hungry； but
we can hold out till we get to Sunchildston； it cannot be more than
eight or nine miles further down。〃
Panky assented； but then； turning sharply to my father； he said；
〃My man； what are you doing in the forbidden dress？ Why are you
not in ranger's uniform； and what is the meaning of all those
quails？〃 For his seedling idea that my father was in reality a
poacher was doing its best to grow。
Quick as thought my father answered； 〃The Head Ranger sent me a
message this morning to deliver him three dozen quails at
Sunchildston by to…morrow afternoon。 As for the dress； we can run
the quails down quicker in it； and he says nothing to us so long as
we only wear out old clothes and put on our uniforms before we near
the town。 My uniform is in the ranger's shelter an hour and a half
higher up the valley。〃
〃See what comes；〃 said Panky； 〃of having a whippersnapper not yet
twenty years old in the responsible post of Head Ranger。 As for
this fellow； he may be speaking the truth； but I distrust him。〃
〃The man is all right； Panky；〃 said Hanky； 〃and seems to be a
decent fellow enough。〃 Then to my father； 〃How many brace have you
got？〃 And he looked at them a little wistfully。
〃I have been at it all day； sir； and I have only got eight brace。
I must run down ten more brace to…morrow。〃
〃I see； I see。〃 Then； turning to Panky； he said； 〃Of course； they
are wanted for the Mayor's banquet on Sunday。 By the way； we have
not yet received our invitation； I suppose we shall find it when we
get back to Sunchildston。〃
〃Sunday； Sunday； Sunday！〃 groaned my father inwardly； but he
changed not a muscle of his face； and said stolidly to Professor
Hanky； 〃I think you must be right； sir； but there was nothing said
about it to me； I was only told to bring the birds。〃
Thus tenderly did he water the Professor's second seedling。 But
Panky had his seedling too； and； Cain…like； was jealous that
Hanky's should flourish while his own was withering。
〃And what； pray； my man；〃 he said somewhat peremptorily to my
father； 〃are those two plucked quails doing？ Were you to deliver
them plucked？ And what bird did those bones belong to which I see
lying by the fire with the flesh all eaten off them？ Are the
under…rangers allowed not only to wear the forbidden dress but to
eat the King's quails as well？〃
The form in which the question was asked gave my father his cue。
He laughed heartily； and said； 〃Why； sir； those plucked birds are
landrails； not quails； and those bones are landrail bones。 Look at
this thigh…bone； was there ever a quail with such a bone as that？〃
I cannot say whether or no Professor Panky was really deceived by
the sweet effrontery with which my father proffered him the bone。
If he was taken in； his answer was dictated simply by a donnish
unwillingness to allow any one to be better informed on any subject
than he was himself。
My father； when I suggested this to him； would not hear of it。 〃Oh
no；〃 he said； 〃the man knew well enough that I was lying。〃 However
this may be； the Professor's manner changed。
〃You are right；〃 he said； 〃I thought they were landrail bones； but
was not sure till I had one in my hand。 I see； too； that the
plucked birds are landrails； but there is little light； and I have
not often seen them without their feathers。〃
〃I think；〃 said my father to me； 〃that Hanky knew what his friend
meant； for he said； 'Panky； I am very hungry。'〃
〃Oh； Hanky； Hanky；〃 said the other； modulating his harsh voice till
it was quite pleasant。 〃Don't corrupt the poor man。〃
〃Panky； drop that； we are not at Bridgeford now； I am very hungry；
and I believe half those birds are not quails but landrails。〃
My father saw he was safe。 He said； 〃Perhaps some of them might
prove to be so； sir； under certain circumstances。 I am a poor man；
sir。〃
〃Come； come；〃 said Hanky； and he slipped a sum equal to about half…
a…crown into my father's hand。
〃I do not know what you mean； sir；〃 said my father； 〃and if I did；
half…a…crown would not be nearly enough。〃
〃Hanky；〃 said Panky； 〃you must get this fellow to give you
lessons。〃
CHAPTER IV： MY FATHER OVERHEARS MORE OF HANKY AND PANKY'S
CONVERSATION
My father； schooled under adversity； knew that it was never well to
press advantage too far
