erewhon revisited-第46部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

is　not　a　breath　of　air；　Nature　sleeps　so　calmly　that　she　dares　not
even　breathe　for　fear　of　waking；　the　very　river　has　hushed　his
flow。　　Without；　the　starlit　calm　of　a　summer's　night　in　a　great
wilderness；　within；　a　hurricane　of　wild　and　incoherent　thoughts
battling　with　one　another　in　their　fury　to　fall　upon　him　and　rend
himand　on　the　other　side　the　great　wall　of　mountain；　thousands　of
children　praying　at　their　mother's　knee　to　this　poor　dazed　thing。
I　suppose　this　half　delirious　wretch　must　have　been　myself。　　But　I
must　have　been　more　ill　when　I　left　England　than　I　thought　I　was；
or　Erewhon　would　not　have　broken　me　down　as　it　did。〃

No　doubt　he　was　right。　　Indeed　it　was　because　Mr。　Cathie　and　his
doctor　saw　that　he　was　out　of　health　and　in　urgent　need　of　change；
that　they　left　off　opposing　his　wish　to　travel。　　There　is　no　use；
however；　in　talking　about　this　now。

I　never　got　from　him　how　he　managed　to　reach　the　shepherd's　hut；
but　I　learned　some　little　from　the　shepherd；　when　I　stayed　with　him
both　on　going　towards　Erewhon；　and　on　returning。

〃He　did　not　seem　to　have　drink　in　him；〃　said　the　shepherd；　〃when　he
first　came　here；　but　he　must　have　been　pretty　full　of　it；　or　he
must　have　had　some　bottles　in　his　saddle…bags；　for　he　was　awful
when　he　came　back。　　He　had　got　them　worse　than　any　man　I　ever　saw；
only　that　he　was　not　awkward。　　He　said　there　was　a　bird　flying　out
of　a　giant's　mouth　and　laughing　at　him；　and　he　kept　muttering　about
a　blue　pool；　and　hanky…panky　of　all　sorts；　and　he　said　he　knew　it
was　all　hanky…panky；　at　least　I　thought　he　said　so；　but　it　was　no
use　trying　to　follow　him；　for　it　was　all　nothing　but　horrors。　　He
said　I　was　to　stop　the　people　from　trying　to　worship　him。　　Then　he
said　the　sky　opened　and　he　could　see　the　angels　going　about　and
singing　'Hallelujah。'〃

〃How　long　did　he　stay　with　you？〃　I　asked。

〃About　ten　days；　but　the　last　three　he　was　himself　again；　only　too
weak　to　move。　　He　thought　he　was　cured　except　for　weakness。〃

〃Do　you　know　how　he　had　been　spending　the　last　two　days　or　so
before　he　got　down　to　your　hut？〃

I　said　two　days；　because　this　was　the　time　I　supposed　he　would　take
to　descend　the　river。

〃I　should　say　drinking　all　the　time。　　He　said　he　had　fallen　off　his
horse　two　or　three　times；　till　he　took　to　leading　him。　　If　he　had
had　any　other　horse　than　old　Doctor　he　would　have　been　a　dead　man。
Bless　you；　I　have　known　that　horse　ever　since　he　was　foaled；　and　I
never　saw　one　like　him　for　sense。　　He　would　pick　fords　better　than
that　gentleman　could；　I　know；　and　if　the　gentleman　fell　off　him　he
would　just　stay　stock　still。　　He　was　badly　bruised；　poor　man；　when
he　got　here。　　I　saw　him　through　the　gorge　when　he　left　me；　and　he
gave　me　a　sovereign；　he　said　he　had　only　one　other　left　to　take　him
down　to　the　port；　or　he　would　have　made　it　more。〃

〃He　was　my　father；〃　said　I；　〃and　he　is　dead；　but　before　he　died　he
told　me　to　give　you　five　pounds　which　I　have　brought　you。　　I　think
you　are　wrong　in　saying　that　he　had　been　drinking。〃

〃That　is　what　they　all　say；　but　I　take　it　very　kind　of　him　to　have
thought　of　me。〃

My　father's　illness　for　the　first　three　weeks　after　his　return
played　with　him　as　a　cat　plays　with　a　mouse；　now　and　again　it　would
let　him　have　a　day　or　two's　run；　during　which　he　was　so　cheerful
and　unclouded　that　his　doctor　was　quite　hopeful　about　him。　　At
various　times　on　these　occasions　I　got　from　him　that　when　he　left
the　shepherd's　hut；　he　thought　his　illness　had　run　itself　out；　and
that　he　should　now　reach　the　port　from　which　he　was　to　sail　for　S。
Francisco　without　misadventure。　　This　he　did；　and　he　was　able　to　do
all　he　had　to　do　at　the　port；　though　frequently　attacked　with
passing　fits　of　giddiness。　　I　need　not　dwell　upon　his　voyage　to　S。
Francisco；　and　thence　home；　it　is　enough　to　say　that　he　was　able　to
travel　by　himself　in　spite　of　gradually；　but　continually；
increasing　failure。

〃When；〃　he　said；　〃I　reached　the　port；　I　telegraphed　as　you　know；
for　more　money。　　How　puzzled　you　must　have　been。　　I　sold　my　horse
to　the　man　from　whom　I　bought　it；　at　a　loss　of　only　about　10
pounds；　and　I　left　with　him　my　saddle；　saddlebags；　small　hatchet；
my　hobbles；　and　in　fact　everything　that　I　had　taken　with　me；　except
what　they　had　impounded　in　Erewhon。　　Yram's　rug　I　dropped　into　the
river　when　I　knew　that　I　should　no　longer　need　itas　also　her
substitutes　for　my　billy　and　pannikin；　and　I　burned　her　basket。
The　shepherd　would　have　asked　me　questions。　　You　will　find　an　order
to　deliver　everything　up　to　bearer。　　You　need　therefore　take
nothing　from　England。〃

At　another　time　he　said；　〃When　you　go；　for　it　is　plain　I　cannot；
and　go　one　or　other　of　us　must；　try　and　get　the　horse　I　had：　　he
will　be　nine　years　old；　and　he　knows　all　about　the　rivers：　　if　you
leave　everything　to　him；　you　may　shut　your　eyes；　but　do　not
interfere　with　him。　　Give　the　shepherd　what　I　said　and　he　will
attend　to　you；　but　go　a　day　or　two　too　soon；　for　the　margin　of　one
day　was　not　enough　to　allow　in　case　of　a　fresh　in　the　river；　if　the
water　is　discoloured　you　must　not　cross　itnot　even　with　Doctor。
I　could　not　ask　George　to　come　up　three　days　running　from
Sunch'ston　to　the　statues　and　back。〃

Here　he　became　exhausted。　　Almost　the　last　coherent　string　of
sentences　I　got　from　him　was　as　follows：…

〃About　George's　money　if　I　send　him　2000　pounds　you　will　still　have
nearly　150；000　pounds　left；　and　Mr。　Cathie　will　not　let　you　try　to
make　it　more。　　I　know　you　would　give　him　four　or　five　thousand；　but
the　Mayor　and　I　talked　it　over；　and　settled　that　2000　pounds　in
gold　would　make　him　a　rich　man。　　Consult　our　good　friend　Alfred〃
（meaning；　of　course；　Mr。　Cathie）　〃about　the　best　way　of　taking　the
money。　　I　am　afraid　there　is　nothing　for　it　but　gold；　and　this　will
be　a　great　weight　for　you　to　carryabout；　I　believe　36　lbs。　　Can
you　do　this？　　I　really　think　that　if　you　lead　your　horse　you　。　。　。
nothere　will　be　the　getting　him　down　again〃

〃Don't　worry　about　it；　my　dear　father；〃　said　I；　〃I　can　do　it　easily
if　I　stow　the　load　rightly；　and　I　will　see　to　this。　　I　shall　have
nothing　else　to　carry；　for　I　shall　camp　down　below　both　morning　and
evening。　　But　would　you　not　like　to　send　some　present　to　the　Mayor；
Yram；　their　other　children；　and　Mrs。　Humdrum's　grand…daughter？〃

〃Do　what　you　can；〃　said　my　father。　　And　these　were　the　last
instructions　he　gave　me　about　those　adventures　with　which　alone
this　work　is　concerned。

The　day　before　he　died；　he　had　a　little　flicker　of　intelligence；
but　all　of　a　sudden　his　face　became　clouded　as　with　great　anxiety；
he　seemed　to　see　some　horrible　chasm　in　front　of　him　which　he　had
to　cross；　or　which　he　feared　that　I　must　cross；　for　he　gasped　out
words；　which；　as　near　as　I　could　catch　them；　were；　〃Look　out！
John！　　Leap！　　Leap！　　Le　。　。　。　〃　but　he　could　not　say　all　that　he
was　trying　to　say　and　closed　his　eyes；　having；　as　I　then　deemed；
seen　that　he　was　on　the　brink　of　that　gulf　which　lies　between　life
and　death；　I　took　it　that　in　reality　he　died　at　that　moment；　for
there　was　neither　struggle；　nor　hardly　movement　of　any　kind
afterwardsnothing　but　a　pulse　which　for　the　next　several　hours
grew　fainter　and　fainter　so　gradually；　that　it　was　not　till　some
time　after　it　had　ceased　to　beat　that　we　were　certain　of　its　having
done　so。



CHAPTER　XXVII：　　I　MEET　MY　BROTHER　GEORGE　AT　THE　STATUES；　ON　THE　TOP
OF　THE　PASS　INTO　EREWHON



This　book　has　already　become　longer　than　I　intended；　but　I　will　ask
the　reader　to　have　patience　while　I　tell　him　briefly　of　my　own
visit　to　the　threshold　of　that　strange　country　of　which　I　fear　that
he　may　be　already　beginning　to　tire。

The　winding…up　of　my　father's　estate　was　a　very　simple　matter；　and
by　the　beginning　of　September　1891　I　should　have　been　free　to
start；　but　about　that　time　I　became　engaged；　and　naturally　enough　I
did　not　want　to　be　longer　away　than　was　necessary。　　I　should　not
have　gone　at　all　if　I　could　have　helped　it。　　I　left；　however；　a
fortnight　later　than　my　father　had　done。

Before　starting　I　bought　a　handsome　gold　repeater　for　the　Mayor；
and　a　brooch　for　Yram；　of　pearls　and　diamonds　set　in　gold；　for
which　I　paid　200　pounds。　　For　Yram's　three　daughters　and　for　Mrs。
Humdrum's　grand…daughter　I　took　four　brooches　each　of　which　cost
about　15　pounds；　15s。；　and　for　the　boys　I　got　three　ten…guinea
silver　watches。　　For　George　I　only　took　a　strong　English　knife　of
the　best　make；　and　the　two　thousand　pounds　worth　of　uncoined　gold；
which　for　convenience'　sake　I　had　had　made　into　small　bars。　　I　also
had　a　knapsack　made　that　would　hold　these　and　nothing　elseeach
bar　being　strongly　sewn　into　its　place；　so　that　none　of　them　could
shift。　　Whenever　I　went　on　board　ship；　or　went　on　shore；　I　put　this
on　my　back；　so　that　no　one　handled　it　except　myselfand　I　can
assure　the　reader　that　I　did　not　find　it　a　light　weight　to　handle。
I　ought　to　have　taken　something　for　old　Mrs。　Humdrum；　but　I　am
ashamed　to　say　that　I　forgot　her。

I　went　as　directly　as　I　could　to　the　port　of　which　my　father　had
told　me；　and　reached　it　on　November　27；　one　day　later　than　he　had
done　in　the　preceding　year。

On　the　following　day；　which　was　a　Saturday；　I　went　to　the