erewhon-第6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！


caverns；　like　that　of　Fingal；　within　whose　depths　I　could　see　the
burnished　pillars　gleaming。　　In　the　front　there　was　a　flight　of
lofty　terraces；　at　the　top　of　which　I　could　see　a　man　with　his　head
buried　forward　towards　a　key…board；　and　his　body　swaying　from　side
to　side　amid　the　storm　of　huge　arpeggioed　harmonies　that　came
crashing　overhead　and　round。　　Then　there　was　one　who　touched　me　on
the　shoulder；　and　said；　〃Do　you　not　see？　it　is　Handel〃；but　I　had
hardly　apprehended；　and　was　trying　to　scale　the　terraces；　and　get
near　him；　when　I　awoke；　dazzled　with　the　vividness　and　distinctness
of　the　dream。

A　piece　of　wood　had　burned　through；　and　the　ends　had　fallen　into
the　ashes　with　a　blaze：　　this；　I　supposed；　had　both　given　me　my
dream　and　robbed　me　of　it。　　I　was　bitterly　disappointed；　and
sitting　up　on　my　elbow；　came　back　to　reality　and　my　strange
surroundings　as　best　I　could。

I　was　thoroughly　arousedmoreover；　I　felt　a　foreshadowing　as
though　my　attention　were　arrested　by　something　more　than　the　dream；
although　no　sense　in　particular　was　as　yet　appealed　to。　　I　held　my
breath　and　waited；　and　then　I　heardwas　it　fancy？　　Nay；　I　listened
again　and　again；　and　I　DID　hear　a　faint　and　extremely　distant　sound
of　music；　like　that　of　an　AEolian　harp；　borne　upon　the　wind　which
was　blowing　fresh　and　chill　from　the　opposite　mountains。

The　roots　of　my　hair　thrilled。　　I　listened；　but　the　wind　had　died；
and；　fancying　that　it　must　have　been　the　wind　itselfno；　on　a
sudden　I　remembered　the　noise　which　Chowbok　had　made　in　the　wool…
shed。　　Yes；　it　was　that。

Thank　Heaven；　whatever　it　was；　it　was　over　now。　　I　reasoned　with
myself；　and　recovered　my　firmness。　　I　became　convinced　that　I　had
only　been　dreaming　more　vividly　than　usual。　　Soon　I　began　even　to
laugh；　and　think　what　a　fool　I　was　to　be　frightened　at　nothing；
reminding　myself　that　even　if　I　were　to　come　to　a　bad　end　it　would
be　no　such　dreadful　matter　after　all。　　I　said　my　prayers；　a　duty
which　I　had　too　often　neglected；　and　in　a　little　time　fell　into　a
really　refreshing　sleep；　which　lasted　till　broad　daylight；　and
restored　me。　　I　rose；　and　searching　among　the　embers　of　my　fire；　I
found　a　few　live　coals　and　soon　had　a　blaze　again。　　I　got
breakfast；　and　was　delighted　to　have　the　company　of　several　small
birds；　which　hopped　about　me　and　perched　on　my　boots　and　hands。　　I
felt　comparatively　happy；　but　I　can　assure　the　reader　that　I　had
had　a　far　worse　time　of　it　than　I　have　told　him；　and　I　strongly
recommend　him　to　remain　in　Europe　if　he　can；　or；　at　any　rate；　in
some　country　which　has　been　explored　and　settled；　rather　than　go
into　places　where　others　have　not　been　before　him。　　Exploring　is
delightful　to　look　forward　to　and　back　upon；　but　it　is　not
comfortable　at　the　time；　unless　it　be　of　such　an　easy　nature　as　not
to　deserve　the　name。



CHAPTER　V：　　THE　RIVER　AND　THE　RANGE



My　next　business　was　to　descend　upon　the　river。　　I　had　lost　sight
of　the　pass　which　I　had　seen　from　the　saddle；　but　had　made　such
notes　of　it　that　I　could　not　fail　to　find　it。　　I　was　bruised　and
stiff；　and　my　boots　had　begun　to　give；　for　I　had　been　going　on
rough　ground　for　more　than　three　weeks；　but；　as　the　day　wore　on；
and　I　found　myself　descending　without　serious　difficulty；　I　became
easier。　　In　a　couple　of　hours　I　got　among　pine　forests　where　there
was　little　undergrowth；　and　descended　quickly　till　I　reached　the
edge　of　another　precipice；　which　gave　me　a　great　deal　of　trouble；
though　I　eventually　managed　to　avoid　it。　　By　about　three　or　four
o'clock　I　found　myself　on　the　river…bed。

From　calculations　which　I　made　as　to　the　height　of　the　valley　on
the　other　side　the　saddle　over　which　I　had　come；　I　concluded　that
the　saddle　itself　could　not　be　less　than　nine　thousand　feet　high；
and　I　should　think　that　the　river…bed；　on　to　which　I　now　descended；
was　three　thousand　feet　above　the　sea…level。　　The　water　had　a
terrific　current；　with　a　fall　of　not　less　than　forty　to　fifty　feet
per　mile。　　It　was　certainly　the　river　next　to　the　northward　of　that
which　flowed　past　my　master's　run；　and　would　have　to　go　through　an
impassable　gorge　（as　is　commonly　the　case　with　the　rivers　of　that
country）　before　it　came　upon　known　parts。　　It　was　reckoned　to　be
nearly　two　thousand　feet　above　the　sea…level　where　it　came　out　of
the　gorge　on　to　the　plains。

As　soon　as　I　got　to　the　river　side　I　liked　it　even　less　than　I
thought　I　should。　　It　was　muddy；　being　near　its　parent　glaciers。
The　stream　was　wide；　rapid；　and　rough；　and　I　could　hear　the　smaller
stones　knocking　against　each　other　under　the　rage　of　the　waters；　as
upon　a　seashore。　　Fording　was　out　of　the　question。　　I　could　not
swim　and　carry　my　swag；　and　I　dared　not　leave　my　swag　behind　me。
My　only　chance　was　to　make　a　small　raft；　and　that　would　be
difficult　to　make；　and　not　at　all　safe　when　it　was　made；not　for
one　man　in　such　a　current。

As　it　was　too　late　to　do　much　that　afternoon；　I　spent　the　rest　of
it　in　going　up　and　down　the　river　side；　and　seeing　where　I　should
find　the　most　favourable　crossing。　　Then　I　camped　early；　and　had　a
quiet　comfortable　night　with　no　more　music；　for　which　I　was
thankful；　as　it　had　haunted　me　all　day；　although　I　perfectly　well
knew　that　it　had　been　nothing　but　my　own　fancy；　brought　on　by　the
reminiscence　of　what　I　had　heard　from　Chowbok　and　by　the　over…
excitement　of　the　preceding　evening。

Next　day　I　began　gathering　the　dry　bloom　stalks　of　a　kind　of　flag
or　iris…looking　plant；　which　was　abundant；　and　whose　leaves；　when
torn　into　strips；　were　as　strong　as　the　strongest　string。　　I
brought　them　to　the　waterside；　and　fell　to　making　myself　a　kind　of
rough　platform；　which　should　suffice　for　myself　and　my　swag　if　I
could　only　stick　to　it。　　The　stalks　were　ten　or　twelve　feet　long；
and　very　strong；　but　light　and　hollow。　　I　made　my　raft　entirely　of
them；　binding　bundles　of　them　at　right　angles　to　each　other；　neatly
and　strongly；　with　strips　from　the　leaves　of　the　same　plant；　and
tying　other　rods　across。　　It　took　me　all　day　till　nearly　four
o'clock　to　finish　the　raft；　but　I　had　still　enough　daylight　for
crossing；　and　resolved　on　doing　so　at　once。

I　had　selected　a　place　where　the　river　was　broad　and　comparatively
still；　some　seventy　or　eighty　yards　above　a　furious　rapid。　　At　this
spot　I　had　built　my　raft。　　I　now　launched　it；　made　my　swag　fast　to
the　middle；　and　got　on　to　it　myself；　keeping　in　my　hand　one　of　the
longest　blossom　stalks；　so　that　I　might　punt　myself　across　as　long
as　the　water　was　shallow　enough　to　let　me　do　so。　　I　got　on　pretty
well　for　twenty　or　thirty　yards　from　the　shore；　but　even　in　this
short　space　I　nearly　upset　my　raft　by　shifting　too　rapidly　from　one
side　to　the　other。　　The　water　then　became　much　deeper；　and　I　leaned
over　so　far　in　order　to　get　the　bloom　rod　to　the　bottom　that　I　had
to　stay　still；　leaning　on　the　rod　for　a　few　seconds。　　Then；　when　I
lifted　up　the　rod　from　the　ground；　the　current　was　too　much　for　me
and　I　found　myself　being　carried　down　the　rapid。　　Everything　in　a
second　flew　past　me；　and　I　had　no　more　control　over　the　raft；
neither　can　I　remember　anything　except　hurry；　and　noise；　and　waters
which　in　the　end　upset　me。　　But　it　all　came　right；　and　I　found
myself　near　the　shore；　not　more　than　up　to　my　knees　in　water　and
pulling　my　raft　to　land；　fortunately　upon　the　left　bank　of　the
river；　which　was　the　one　I　wanted。　　When　I　had　landed　I　found　that
I　was　about　a　mile；　or　perhaps　a　little　less；　below　the　point　from
which　I　started。　　My　swag　was　wet　upon　the　outside；　and　I　was
myself　dripping；　but　I　had　gained　my　point；　and　knew　that　my
difficulties　were　for　a　time　over。　　I　then　lit　my　fire　and　dried
myself；　having　done　so　I　caught　some　of　the　young　ducks　and　sea…
gulls；　which　were　abundant　on　and　near　the　river…bed；　so　that　I　had
not　only　a　good　meal；　of　which　I　was　in　great　want；　having　had　an
insufficient　diet　from　the　time　that　Chowbok　left　me；　but　was　also
well　provided　for　the　morrow。

I　thought　of　Chowbok；　and　felt　how　useful　he　had　been　to　me；　and　in
how　many　ways　I　was　the　loser　by　his　absence；　having　now　to　do　all
sorts　of　things　for　myself　which　he　had　hitherto　done　for　me；　and
could　do　infinitely　better　than　I　could。　　Moreover；　I　had　set　my
heart　upon　making　him　a　real　convert　to　the　Christian　religion；
which　he　had　already　embraced　outwardly；　though　I　cannot　think　that
it　had　taken　deep　root　in　his　impenetrably　stupid　nature。　　I　used
to　catechise　him　by　our　camp　fire；　and　explain　to　him　the　mysteries
of　the　Trinity　and　of　original　sin；　with　which　I　was　myself
familiar；　having　been　the　grandson　of　an　archdeacon　by　my　mother's
side；　to　say　nothing　of　the　fact　that　my　father　was　a　clergyman　of
the　English　Church。　　I　was　therefore　sufficiently　qualified　for　the
task；　and　was　the　more　inclined　to　it；　over　and　above　my　real
desire　to　save　the　unhappy　creature　from　an　eternity　of　torture；　by
recollecting　the　promise　of　St。　James；　that　if　any　one　converted　a
sinner　（which　Chowbok　surely　was）　he　should　hide　a　multitude　of
sins。　　I　reflected；　therefore；　that　the　conversion　of　Chowbok　might
in　some　degree　compensate　for　irregularities　and　short…comings　in
my　own　previous　life；　the　remembrance　of　which　had　been　more　than
once　unpleasant　to　me　during　my　recent　experiences。

Indeed；　on　one　occasion　I　had　even　gone　so　far　as　to　baptize　him；
as　well　as　I　could；　having　ascertained　that　he　had　certainly　not
been　both　christened　and　baptized；　and　gathering　（from　his　telling
me　that　he　had　received　the　name　William　from　the　missionary）　that
it　was　probably　the　first…mentioned　rite　to　which　he　had　been
subjected。　　I　thought　it　great　carelessness　on　the　part　of　the
missionary　to　have　omitted　the　second；　and　certainly　more
important；　ceremony　which　I　have　always　understood　precedes
christening　both　in　the　case　of　infants　and　of　adult　converts；　and
when　I　thought　of　the　risks　we　were　both　incurring　I　determined
that　there　should　be　no　further　delay。　　Fortunately　it　was　not　yet
twelve　o'clock；　so　I　baptized　him　at　once　from　one　of　the　pannikins
（the　only　vessels　I　had）　reverently；　and；　I　trust；　efficiently。　　I
then　set　myself　to　work　to　instruct　him　in　the　deeper　mysteries　of
our　belief；　and　to　make　him；　not　only　in　name；　but　in　heart　a
Christian。

It　is　true　that　I　might　not　have　succeeded；　for　Chowbok　was　very
hard　to　teach。　　Indeed；　on　the　evening　of　the　same　day　that　I
baptized　him　he　tried　for　the　twentieth　time　to　steal　the　brandy；
which　made　me　rather　unhappy　as　to　whether　I　could　have　baptized
him　rightly。　　He　had　a　prayer…bookmore　than　twenty　years　old
which　had　been　given　him　by　the　missionaries；　but　the　only　thing　in
it　which　had　taken　any　living　hold　upon　him　was　the　title　of
Adelaide　the　Queen　Dowager；　which　he　would　repeat　whenever　strongly
moved　or　touched；　and　which　did　really　seem　to　have　some　deep
spiritual　significance　to　him；　though　he　could　never　completely
separate　her　individuality　from　that　of　Mary　Magdalene；　whose　name
had　also　fascinated　him；　though　in　a　less　degree。

He　was　indeed　stony　ground；　but　by　digging　about　him　I　might　have
at　any　rate　deprived　him　of　all　faith　in　the　religion　of　his　tribe；
which　would　have　been　half　way　towards　making　him　a　sincere
Christian