erewhon-第13章

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natured　as　they　were　robust。　　The　flowers　were　for　the　most　part
over；　but　their　absence　was　in　some　measure　compensated　for　by　a
profusion　of　delicious　fruit；　closely　resembling　the　figs；　peaches；
and　pears　of　Italy　and　France。　　I　saw　no　wild　animals；　but　birds
were　plentiful　and　much　as　in　Europe；　but　not　tame　as　they　had　been
on　the　other　side　the　ranges。　　They　were　shot　at　with　the　cross…bow
and　with　arrows；　gunpowder　being　unknown；　or　at　any　rate　not　in
use。

We　were　now　nearing　the　metropolis　and　I　could　see　great　towers　and
fortifications；　and　lofty　buildings　that　looked　like　palaces。　　I
began　to　be　nervous　as　to　my　reception；　but　I　had　got　on　very　well
so　far；　and　resolved　to　continue　upon　the　same　plan　as　hitherto
namely；　to　behave　just　as　though　I　were　in　England　until　I　saw　that
I　was　making　a　blunder；　and　then　to　say　nothing　till　I　could　gather
how　the　land　lay。　　We　drew　nearer　and　nearer。　　The　news　of　my
approach　had　got　abroad；　and　there　was　a　great　crowd　collected　on
either　side　the　road；　who　greeted　me　with　marks　of　most　respectful
curiosity；　keeping　me　bowing　constantly　in　acknowledgement　from
side　to　side。

When　we　were　about　a　mile　off；　we　were　met　by　the　Mayor　and　several
Councillors；　among　whom　was　a　venerable　old　man；　who　was　introduced
to　me　by　the　Mayor　（for　so　I　suppose　I　should　call　him）　as　the
gentleman　who　had　invited　me　to　his　house。　　I　bowed　deeply　and　told
him　how　grateful　I　felt　to　him；　and　how　gladly　I　would　accept　his
hospitality。　　He　forbade　me　to　say　more；　and　pointing　to　his
carriage；　which　was　close　at　hand；　he　motioned　me　to　a　seat
therein。　　I　again　bowed　profoundly　to　the　Mayor　and　Councillors；
and　drove　off　with　my　entertainer；　whose　name　was　Senoj　Nosnibor。
After　about　half　a　mile　the　carriage　turned　off　the　main　road；　and
we　drove　under　the　walls　of　the　town　till　we　reached　a　palazzo　on　a
slight　eminence；　and　just　on　the　outskirts　of　the　city。　　This　was
Senoj　Nosnibor's　house；　and　nothing　can　be　imagined　finer。　　It　was
situated　near　the　magnificent　and　venerable　ruins　of　the　old
railway　station；　which　formed　an　imposing　feature　from　the　gardens
of　the　house。　　The　grounds；　some　ten　or　a　dozen　acres　in　extent；
were　laid　out　in　terraced　gardens；　one　above　the　other；　with
flights　of　broad　steps　ascending　and　descending　the　declivity　of
the　garden。　　On　these　steps　there　were　statues　of　most　exquisite
workmanship。　　Besides　the　statues　there　were　vases　filled　with
various　shrubs　that　were　new　to　me；　and　on　either　side　the　flights
of　steps　there　were　rows　of　old　cypresses　and　cedars；　with　grassy
alleys　between　them。　　Then　came　choice　vineyards　and　orchards　of
fruit…trees　in　full　bearing。

The　house　itself　was　approached　by　a　court…yard；　and　round　it　was　a
corridor　on　to　which　rooms　opened；　as　at　Pompeii。　　In　the　middle　of
the　court　there　was　a　bath　and　a　fountain。　　Having　passed　the　court
we　came　to　the　main　body　of　the　house；　which　was　two　stories　in
height。　　The　rooms　were　large　and　lofty；　perhaps　at　first　they
looked　rather　bare　of　furniture；　but　in　hot　climates　people
generally　keep　their　rooms　more　bare　than　they　do　in　colder　ones。
I　missed　also　the　sight　of　a　grand　piano　or　some　similar
instrument；　there　being　no　means　of　producing　music　in　any　of　the
rooms　save　the　larger　drawing…room；　where　there　were　half　a　dozen
large　bronze　gongs；　which　the　ladies　used　occasionally　to　beat
about　at　random。　　It　was　not　pleasant　to　hear　them；　but　I　have
heard　quite　as　unpleasant　music　both　before　and　since。

Mr。　Nosnibor　took　me　through　several　spacious　rooms　till　we　reached
a　boudoir　where　were　his　wife　and　daughters；　of　whom　I　had　heard
from　the　interpreter。　　Mrs。　Nosnibor　was　about　forty　years　old；　and
still　handsome；　but　she　had　grown　very　stout：　　her　daughters　were
in　the　prime　of　youth　and　exquisitely　beautiful。　　I　gave　the
preference　almost　at　once　to　the　younger；　whose　name　was　Arowhena；
for　the　elder　sister　was　haughty；　while　the　younger　had　a　very
winning　manner。　　Mrs。　Nosnibor　received　me　with　the　perfection　of
courtesy；　so　that　I　must　have　indeed　been　shy　and　nervous　if　I　had
not　at　once　felt　welcome。　　Scarcely　was　the　ceremony　of　my
introduction　well　completed　before　a　servant　announced　that　dinner
was　ready　in　the　next　room。　　I　was　exceedingly　hungry；　and　the
dinner　was　beyond　all　praise。　　Can　the　reader　wonder　that　I　began
to　consider　myself　in　excellent　quarters？　　〃That　man　embezzle
money？〃　thought　I　to　myself；　〃impossible。〃

But　I　noticed　that　my　host　was　uneasy　during　the　whole　meal；　and
that　he　ate　nothing　but　a　little　bread　and　milk；　towards　the　end　of
dinner　there　came　a　tall　lean　man　with　a　black　beard；　to　whom　Mr。
Nosnibor　and　the　whole　family　paid　great　attention：　　he　was　the
family　straightener。　　With　this　gentleman　Mr。　Nosnibor　retired　into
another　room；　from　which　there　presently　proceeded　a　sound　of
weeping　and　wailing。　　I　could　hardly　believe　my　ears；　but　in　a　few
minutes　I　got　to　know　for　a　certainty　that　they　came　from　Mr。
Nosnibor　himself。

〃Poor　papa；〃　said　Arowhena；　as　she　helped　herself　composedly　to　the
salt；　〃how　terribly　he　has　suffered。〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　her　mother；　〃but　I　think　he　is　quite　out　of　danger
now。〃

Then　they　went　on　to　explain　to　me　the　circumstances　of　the　case；
and　the　treatment　which　the　straightener　had　prescribed；　and　how
successful　he　had　beenall　which　I　will　reserve　for　another
chapter；　and　put　rather　in　the　form　of　a　general　summary　of　the
opinions　current　upon　these　subjects　than　in　the　exact　words　in
which　the　facts　were　delivered　to　me；　the　reader；　however；　is
earnestly　requested　to　believe　that　both　in　this　next　chapter　and
in　those　that　follow　it　I　have　endeavoured　to　adhere　most
conscientiously　to　the　strictest　accuracy；　and　that　I　have　never
willingly　misrepresented；　though　I　may　have　sometimes　failed　to
understand　all　the　bearings　of　an　opinion　or　custom。



CHAPTER　X：　　CURRENT　OPINIONS



This　is　what　I　gathered。　　That　in　that　country　if　a　man　falls　into
ill　health；　or　catches　any　disorder；　or　fails　bodily　in　any　way
before　he　is　seventy　years　old；　he　is　tried　before　a　jury　of　his
countrymen；　and　if　convicted　is　held　up　to　public　scorn　and
sentenced　more　or　less　severely　as　the　case　may　be。　　There　are
subdivisions　of　illnesses　into　crimes　and　misdemeanours　as　with
offences　amongst　ourselvesa　man　being　punished　very　heavily　for
serious　illness；　while　failure　of　eyes　or　hearing　in　one　over
sixty…five；　who　has　had　good　health　hitherto；　is　dealt　with　by　fine
only；　or　imprisonment　in　default　of　payment。　　But　if　a　man　forges　a
cheque；　or　sets　his　house　on　fire；　or　robs　with　violence　from　the
person；　or　does　any　other　such　things　as　are　criminal　in　our　own
country；　he　is　either　taken　to　a　hospital　and　most　carefully　tended
at　the　public　expense；　or　if　he　is　in　good　circumstances；　he　lets
it　be　known　to　all　his　friends　that　he　is　suffering　from　a　severe
fit　of　immorality；　just　as　we　do　when　we　are　ill；　and　they　come　and
visit　him　with　great　solicitude；　and　inquire　with　interest　how　it
all　came　about；　what　symptoms　first　showed　themselves；　and　so
forth；questions　which　he　will　answer　with　perfect　unreserve；　for
bad　conduct；　though　considered　no　less　deplorable　than　illness　with
ourselves；　and　as　unquestionably　indicating　something　seriously
wrong　with　the　individual　who　misbehaves；　is　nevertheless　held　to
be　the　result　of　either　pre…natal　or　post…natal　misfortune。

The　strange　part　of　the　story；　however；　is　that　though　they　ascribe
moral　defects　to　the　effect　of　misfortune　either　in　character　or
surroundings；　they　will　not　listen　to　the　plea　of　misfortune　in
cases　that　in　England　meet　with　sympathy　and　commiseration　only。
Ill　luck　of　any　kind；　or　even　ill　treatment　at　the　hands　of　others；
is　considered　an　offence　against　society；　inasmuch　as　it　makes
people　uncomfortable　to　hear　of　it。　　Loss　of　fortune；　therefore；　or
loss　of　some　dear　friend　on　whom　another　was　much　dependent；　is
punished　hardly　less　severely　than　physical　delinquency。

Foreign；　indeed；　as　such　ideas　are　to　our　own；　traces　of　somewhat
similar　opinions　can　be　found　even　in　nineteenth…century　England。
If　a　person　has　an　abscess；　the　medical　man　will　say　that　it
contains　〃peccant〃　matter；　and　people　say　that　they　have　a　〃bad〃
arm　or　finger；　or　that　they　are　very　〃bad〃　all　over；　when　they　only
mean　〃diseased。〃　　Among　foreign　nations　Erewhonian　opinions　may　be
still　more　clearly　noted。　　The　Mahommedans；　for　example；　to　this
day；　send　their　female　prisoners　to　hospitals；　and　the　New　Zealand
Maories　visit　any　misfortune　with　forcible　entry　into　the　house　of
the　offender；　and　the　breaking　up　and　burning　of　all　his　goods。
The　Italians；　again；　use　the　same　word　for　〃disgrace〃　and
〃misfortune。〃　　I　once　heard　an　Italian　lady　speak　of　a　young　friend
whom　she　described　as　endowed　with　every　virtue　under　heaven；　〃ma；〃
she　exclaimed；　〃povero　disgraziato；　ha　ammazzato　suo　zio。〃　　（〃Poor
unfortunate　fellow；　he　has　murdered　his　uncle。〃）

On　mentioning　this；　which　I　heard　when　taken　to　Italy　as　a　boy　by
my　father；　the　person　to　whom　I　told　it　showed　no　surprise。　　He
said　that　he　had　been　driven　for　two　or　three　years　in　a　certain
city　by　a　young　Sicilian　cabdriver　of　prepossessing　manners　and
appearance；　but　then　lost　sight　of　him。　　On　asking　what　had　become
of　him；　he　was　told　that　he　was　in　prison　for　having　shot　at　his
father　with　intent　to　kill　himhappily　without　serious　result。
Some　years　later　my　informant　again　found　himself　warmly　accosted
by　the　prepossessing　young　cabdriver。　　〃Ah；　caro　signore；〃　he
exclaimed；　〃sono　cinque　anni　che　non　lo　vedotre　anni　di　militare；
e　due　anni　di　disgrazia；〃　&c。　　（〃My　dear　sir；　it　is　five　years
since　I　saw　youthree　years　of　military　service；　and　two　of
misfortune〃）during　which　last　the　poor　fellow　had　been　in　prison。
Of　moral　sense　he　showed　not　so　much　as　a　trace。　　He　and　his　father
were　now　on　excellent　terms；　and　were　likely　to　remain　so　unless
either　of　them　should　again　have　the　misfortune　mortally　to　offend
the　other。

In　the　following　chapter　I　will　give　a　few　examples　of　the　way　in
which　what　we　should　call　misfortune；　hardship；　or　disease　are
dealt　with　by　the　Erewhonians；　but　for　the　moment　will　return　to
their　treatment　of　cases　that　with　us　are　criminal。　　As　I　have
already　said；　these；　though　not　judicially　punishable；　are
recognised　as　requiring　correction。　　Accordingly；　there　exists　a
class　of　men　trained　in　soul…craft；　whom　they　call　straighteners；
as　nearly　as　I　can　translate　a　word　which　literally　means　〃one　who
bends　back　the　crooked。〃　　These　men　practise　much　as　medical　men　in
England；　and　receive　a　quasi…surreptitious　fee　on　every　visit。
They　are　treated　with　the　same　unreserve；　and　obeyed　as　readily；　as
our　own　doctorsthat　is　to　say；　on　the　whole　sufficientlybecause
people　know　that　it　is　their　interest　to　get　well　as　soon　as　they
can；　and　that　they　will　not　be　scouted　as　they　would　be　if　their
bodies　were　out　of　order；　even　though　they　may　have　to　undergo　a
very　painful　course　of　treatment。

When　I　say　that　they　will　not　be　scouted；　I　do　not　mean　that　an
Erewhonian　will　suffer　no　social　inconvenience　in　consequence；　we
will　say；　of　having　committed　fraud。　　Frie