erewhon-第12章

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embezzler's　invitation；on　which　my　instructor　brightened　and　said
I　was　a　sensible　fellow。　　But　I　felt　very　uncomfortable。　　When　he
had　left　the　room；　I　mused　over　the　conversation　which　had　just
taken　place　between　us；　but　I　could　make　nothing　out　of　it；　except
that　it　argued　an　even　greater　perversity　of　mental　vision　than　I
had　been　yet　prepared　for。　　And　this　made　me　wretched；　for　I　cannot
bear　having　much　to　do　with　people　who　think　differently　from
myself。　　All　sorts　of　wandering　thoughts　kept　coming　into　my　head。
I　thought　of　my　master's　hut；　and　my　seat　upon　the　mountain　side；
where　I　had　first　conceived　the　insane　idea　of　exploring。　　What
years　and　years　seemed　to　have　passed　since　I　had　begun　my　journey！

I　thought　of　my　adventures　in　the　gorge；　and　on　the　journey　hither；
and　of　Chowbok。　　I　wondered　what　Chowbok　told　them　about　me　when　he
got　back；he　had　done　well　in　going　back；　Chowbok　had。　　He　was　not
handsomenay；　he　was　hideous；　and　it　would　have　gone　hardly　with
him。　　Twilight　drew　on；　and　rain　pattered　against　the　windows。
Never　yet　had　I　felt　so　unhappy；　except　during　three　days　of　sea…
sickness　at　the　beginning　of　my　voyage　from　England。　　I　sat　musing
and　in　great　melancholy；　until　Yram　made　her　appearance　with　light
and　supper。　　She　too；　poor　girl；　was　miserable；　for　she　had　heard
that　I　was　to　leave　them。　　She　had　made　up　her　mind　that　I　was　to
remain　always　in　the　town；　even　after　my　imprisonment　was　over；　and
I　fancy　had　resolved　to　marry　me　though　I　had　never　so　much　as
hinted　at　her　doing　so。　　So　what　with　the　distressingly　strange
conversation　with　my　teacher；　my　own　friendless　condition；　and
Yram's　melancholy；　I　felt　more　unhappy　than　I　can　describe；　and
remained　so　till　I　got　to　bed；　and　sleep　sealed　my　eyelids。

On　awaking　next　morning　I　was　much　better。　　It　was　settled　that　I
was　to　make　my　start　in　a　conveyance　which　was　to　be　in　waiting　for
me　at　about　eleven　o'clock；　and　the　anticipation　of　change　put　me
in　good　spirits；　which　even　the　tearful　face　of　Yram　could　hardly
altogether　derange。　　I　kissed　her　again　and　again；　assured　her　that
we　should　meet　hereafter；　and　that　in　the　meanwhile　I　should　be
ever　mindful　of　her　kindness。　　I　gave　her　two　of　the　buttons　off　my
coat　and　a　lock　of　my　hair　as　a　keepsake；　taking　a　goodly　curl　from
her　own　beautiful　head　in　return：　　and　so；　having　said　good…bye　a
hundred　times；　till　I　was　fairly　overcome　with　her　great　sweetness
and　her　sorrow；　I　tore　myself　away　from　her　and　got　down…stairs　to
the　caleche　which　was　in　waiting。　　How　thankful　I　was　when　it　was
all　over；　and　I　was　driven　away　and　out　of　sight。　　Would　that　I
could　have　felt　that　it　was　out　of　mind　also！　　Pray　heaven　that　it
is　so　now；　and　that　she　is　married　happily　among　her　own　people；
and　has　forgotten　me！

And　now　began　a　long　and　tedious　journey　with　which　I　should　hardly
trouble　the　reader　if　I　could。　　He　is　safe；　however；　for　the　simple
reason　that　I　was　blindfolded　during　the　greater　part　of　the　time。
A　bandage　was　put　upon　my　eyes　every　morning；　and　was　only　removed
at　night　when　I　reached　the　inn　at　which　we　were　to　pass　the　night。
We　travelled　slowly；　although　the　roads　were　good。　　We　drove　but
one　horse；　which　took　us　our　day's　journey　from　morning　till
evening；　about　six　hours；　exclusive　of　two　hours'　rest　in　the
middle　of　the　day。　　I　do　not　suppose　we　made　above　thirty　or
thirty…five　miles　on　an　average。　　Each　day　we　had　a　fresh　horse。
As　I　have　said　already；　I　could　see　nothing　of　the　country。　　I　only
know　that　it　was　level；　and　that　several　times　we　had　to　cross
large　rivers　in　ferry…boats。　　The　inns　were　clean　and　comfortable。
In　one　or　two　of　the　larger　towns　they　were　quite　sumptuous；　and
the　food　was　good　and　well　cooked。　　The　same　wonderful　health　and
grace　and　beauty　prevailed　everywhere。

I　found　myself　an　object　of　great　interest；　so　much　so；　that　the
driver　told　me　he　had　to　keep　our　route　secret；　and　at　times　to　go
to　places　that　were　not　directly　on　our　road；　in　order　to　avoid　the
press　that　would　otherwise　have　awaited　us。　　Every　evening　I　had　a
reception；　and　grew　heartily　tired　of　having　to　say　the　same　things
over　and　over　again　in　answer　to　the　same　questions；　but　it　was
impossible　to　be　angry　with　people　whose　manners　were　so
delightful。　　They　never　once　asked　after　my　health；　or　even　whether
I　was　fatigued　with　my　journey；　but　their　first　question　was　almost
invariably　an　inquiry　after　my　temper；　the　naivete　of　which
astonished　me　till　I　became　used　to　it。　　One　day；　being　tired　and
cold；　and　weary　of　saying　the　same　thing　over　and　over　again；　I
turned　a　little　brusquely　on　my　questioner　and　said　that　I　was
exceedingly　cross；　and　that　I　could　hardly　feel　in　a　worse　humour
with　myself　and　every　one　else　than　at　that　moment。　　To　my
surprise；　I　was　met　with　the　kindest　expressions　of　condolence；　and
heard　it　buzzed　about　the　room　that　I　was　in　an　ill　temper；　whereon
people　began　to　give　me　nice　things　to　smell　and　to　eat；　which
really　did　seem　to　have　some　temper…mending　quality　about　them；　for
I　soon　felt　pleased　and　was　at　once　congratulated　upon　being
better。　　The　next　morning　two　or　three　people　sent　their　servants
to　the　hotel　with　sweetmeats；　and　inquiries　whether　I　had　quite
recovered　from　my　ill　humour。　　On　receiving　the　good　things　I　felt
in　half　a　mind　to　be　ill…tempered　every　evening；　but　I　disliked　the
condolences　and　the　inquiries；　and　found　it　most　comfortable　to
keep　my　natural　temper；　which　is　smooth　enough　generally。

Among　those　who　came　to　visit　me　were　some　who　had　received　a
liberal　education　at　the　Colleges　of　Unreason；　and　taken　the
highest　degrees　in　hypothetics；　which　are　their　principal　study。
These　gentlemen　had　now　settled　down　to　various　employments　in　the
country；　as　straighteners；　managers　and　cashiers　of　the　Musical
Banks；　priests　of　religion；　or　what　not；　and　carrying　their
education　with　them　they　diffused　a　leaven　of　culture　throughout
the　country。　　I　naturally　questioned　them　about　many　of　the　things
which　had　puzzled　me　since　my　arrival。　　I　inquired　what　was　the
object　and　meaning　of　the　statues　which　I　had　seen　upon　the　plateau
of　the　pass。　　I　was　told　that　they　dated　from　a　very　remote　period；
and　that　there　were　several　other　such　groups　in　the　country；　but
none　so　remarkable　as　the　one　which　I　had　seen。　　They　had　a
religious　origin；　having　been　designed　to　propitiate　the　gods　of
deformity　and　disease。　　In　former　times　it　had　been　the　custom　to
make　expeditions　over　the　ranges；　and　capture　the　ugliest　of
Chowbok's　ancestors　whom　they　could　find；　in　order　to　sacrifice
them　in　the　presence　of　these　deities；　and　thus　avert　ugliness　and
disease　from　the　Erewhonians　themselves。　　It　had　been　whispered
（but　my　informant　assured　me　untruly）　that　centuries　ago　they　had
even　offered　up　some　of　their　own　people　who　were　ugly　or　out　of
health；　in　order　to　make　examples　of　them；　these　detestable
customs；　however；　had　been　long　discontinued；　neither　was　there　any
present　observance　of　the　statues。

I　had　the　curiosity　to　inquire　what　would　be　done　to　any　of
Chowbok's　tribe　if　they　crossed　over　into　Erewhon。　　I　was　told　that
nobody　knew；　inasmuch　as　such　a　thing　had　not　happened　for　ages。
They　would　be　too　ugly　to　be　allowed　to　go　at　large；　but　not　so
much　so　as　to　be　criminally　liable。　　Their　offence　in　having　come
would　be　a　moral　one；　but　they　would　be　beyond　the　straightener's
art。　　Possibly　they　would　be　consigned　to　the　Hospital　for
Incurable　Bores；　and　made　to　work　at　being　bored　for　so　many　hours
a　day　by　the　Erewhonian　inhabitants　of　the　hospital；　who　are
extremely　impatient　of　one　another's　boredom；　but　would　soon　die　if
they　had　no　one　whom　they　might　borein　fact；　that　they　would　be
kept　as　professional　borees。　　When　I　heard　this；　it　occurred　to　me
that　some　rumours　of　its　substance　might　perhaps　have　become
current　among　Chowbok's　people；　for　the　agony　of　his　fear　had　been
too　great　to　have　been　inspired　by　the　mere　dread　of　being　burnt
alive　before　the　statues。

I　also　questioned　them　about　the　museum　of　old　machines；　and　the
cause　of　the　apparent　retrogression　in　all　arts；　sciences；　and
inventions。　　I　learnt　that　about　four　hundred　years　previously；　the
state　of　mechanical　knowledge　was　far　beyond　our　own；　and　was
advancing　with　prodigious　rapidity；　until　one　of　the　most　learned
professors　of　hypothetics　wrote　an　extraordinary　book　（from　which　I
propose　to　give　extracts　later　on）；　proving　that　the　machines　were
ultimately　destined　to　supplant　the　race　of　man；　and　to　become
instinct　with　a　vitality　as　different　from；　and　superior　to；　that
of　animals；　as　animal　to　vegetable　life。　　So　convincing　was　his
reasoning；　or　unreasoning；　to　this　effect；　that　he　carried　the
country　with　him；　and　they　made　a　clean　sweep　of　all　machinery　that
had　not　been　in　use　for　more　than　two　hundred　and　seventy…one　years
（which　period　was　arrived　at　after　a　series　of　compromises）；　and
strictly　forbade　all　further　improvements　and　inventions　under　pain
of　being　considered　in　the　eye　of　the　law　to　be　labouring　under
typhus　fever；　which　they　regard　as　one　of　the　worst　of　all　crimes。

This　is　the　only　case　in　which　they　have　confounded　mental　and
physical　diseases；　and　they　do　it　even　here　as　by　an　avowed　legal
fiction。　　I　became　uneasy　when　I　remembered　about　my　watch；　but
they　comforted　me　with　the　assurance　that　transgression　in　this
matter　was　now　so　unheard　of；　that　the　law　could　afford　to　be
lenient　towards　an　utter　stranger；　especially　towards　one　who　had
such　a　good　character　（they　meant　physique）；　and　such　beautiful
light　hair。　　Moreover　the　watch　was　a　real　curiosity；　and　would　be
a　welcome　addition　to　the　metropolitan　collection；　so　they　did　not
think　I　need　let　it　trouble　me　seriously。

I　will　write；　however；　more　fully　upon　this　subject　when　I　deal
with　the　Colleges　of　Unreason；　and　the　Book　of　the　Machines。

In　about　a　month　from　the　time　of　our　starting　I　was　told　that　our
journey　was　nearly　over。　　The　bandage　was　now　dispensed　with；　for
it　seemed　impossible　that　I　should　ever　be　able　to　find　my　way　back
without　being　captured。　　Then　we　rolled　merrily　along　through　the
streets　of　a　handsome　town；　and　got　on　to　a　long；　broad；　and　level
road；　with　poplar　trees　on　either　side。　　The　road　was　raised
slightly　above　the　surrounding　country；　and　had　formerly　been　a
railway；　the　fields　on　either　side　were　in　the　highest　conceivable
cultivation；　but　the　harvest　and　also　the　vintage　had　been　already
gathered。　　The　weather　had　got　cooler　more　rapidly　than　could　be
quite　accounted　for　by　the　progress　of　the　season；　so　I　rather
thought　that　we　must　have　been　making　away　from　the　sun；　and　were
some　degrees　farther　from　the　equator　than　when　we　started。　　Even
here　the　vegetation　showed　that　the　climate　was　a　hot　one；　yet
there　was　no　lack　of　vigour　among　the　people；　on　the　contrary；　they
were　a　very　hardy　race；　and　capable　of　great　endurance。　　For　the
hundredth　time　I　thought　that；　take　them　all　round；　I　had　never
seen　their　equals　in　respect　of　physique；　and　they　looked　as　good…
natured　as　they　were　robust。　　The　flowers　were　for　the　most　part
over；　but　their　absence　was　in　some　measure　compensated　for