erewhon-第7章

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which　would　have　been　half　way　towards　making　him　a　sincere
Christian；　and　now　all　this　was　cut　off　from　me；　and　I　could
neither　be　of　further　spiritual　assistance　to　him　nor　he　of　bodily
profit　to　myself：　　besides；　any　company　was　better　than　being　quite
alone。

I　got　very　melancholy　as　these　reflections　crossed　me；　but　when　I
had　boiled　the　ducks　and　eaten　them　I　was　much　better。　　I　had　a
little　tea　left　and　about　a　pound　of　tobacco；　which　should　last　me
for　another　fortnight　with　moderate　smoking。　　I　had　also　eight　ship
biscuits；　and；　most　precious　of　all；　about　six　ounces　of　brandy；
which　I　presently　reduced　to　four；　for　the　night　was　cold。

I　rose　with　early　dawn；　and　in　an　hour　I　was　on　my　way；　feeling
strange；　not　to　say　weak；　from　the　burden　of　solitude；　but　full　of
hope　when　I　considered　how　many　dangers　I　had　overcome；　and　that
this　day　should　see　me　at　the　summit　of　the　dividing　range。

After　a　slow　but　steady　climb　of　between　three　and　four　hours；
during　which　I　met　with　no　serious　hindrance；　I　found　myself　upon　a
tableland；　and　close　to　a　glacier　which　I　recognised　as　marking　the
summit　of　the　pass。　　Above　it　towered　a　succession　of　rugged
precipices　and　snowy　mountain　sides。　　The　solitude　was　greater　than
I　could　bear；　the　mountain　upon　my　master's　sheep…run　was　a　crowded
thoroughfare　in　comparison　with　this　sombre　sullen　place。　　The　air；
moreover；　was　dark　and　heavy；　which　made　the　loneliness　even　more
oppressive。　　There　was　an　inky　gloom　over　all　that　was　not　covered
with　snow　and　ice。　　Grass　there　was　none。

Each　moment　I　felt　increasing　upon　me　that　dreadful　doubt　as　to　my
own　identityas　to　the　continuity　of　my　past　and　present
existencewhich　is　the　first　sign　of　that　distraction　which　comes
on　those　who　have　lost　themselves　in　the　bush。　　I　had　fought
against　this　feeling　hitherto；　and　had　conquered　it；　but　the
intense　silence　and　gloom　of　this　rocky　wilderness　were　too　much
for　me；　and　I　felt　that　my　power　of　collecting　myself　was　beginning
to　be　impaired。

I　rested　for　a　little　while；　and　then　advanced　over　very　rough
ground；　until　I　reached　the　lower　end　of　the　glacier。　　Then　I　saw
another　glacier；　descending　from　the　eastern　side　into　a　small
lake。　　I　passed　along　the　western　side　of　the　lake；　where　the
ground　was　easier；　and　when　I　had　got　about　half　way　I　expected
that　I　should　see　the　plains　which　I　had　already　seen　from　the
opposite　mountains；　but　it　was　not　to　be　so；　for　the　clouds　rolled
up　to　the　very　summit　of　the　pass；　though　they　did　not　overlip　it
on　to　the　side　from　which　I　had　come。　　I　therefore　soon　found
myself　enshrouded　by　a　cold　thin　vapour；　which　prevented　my　seeing
more　than　a　very　few　yards　in　front　of　me。　　Then　I　came　upon　a
large　patch　of　old　snow；　in　which　I　could　distinctly　trace　the
half…melted　tracks　of　goatsand　in　one　place；　as　it　seemed　to　me；
there　had　been　a　dog　following　them。　　Had　I　lighted　upon　a　land　of
shepherds？　　The　ground；　where　not　covered　with　snow；　was　so　poor
and　stony；　and　there　was　so　little　herbage；　that　I　could　see　no
sign　of　a　path　or　regular　sheep…track。　　But　I　could　not　help
feeling　rather　uneasy　as　I　wondered　what　sort　of　a　reception　I
might　meet　with　if　I　were　to　come　suddenly　upon　inhabitants。　　I　was
thinking　of　this；　and　proceeding　cautiously　through　the　mist；　when
I　began　to　fancy　that　I　saw　some　objects　darker　than　the　cloud
looming　in　front　of　me。　　A　few　steps　brought　me　nearer；　and　a
shudder　of　unutterable　horror　ran　through　me　when　I　saw　a　circle　of
gigantic　forms；　many　times　higher　than　myself；　upstanding　grim　and
grey　through　the　veil　of　cloud　before　me。

I　suppose　I　must　have　fainted；　for　I　found　myself　some　time
afterwards　sitting　upon　the　ground；　sick　and　deadly　cold。　　There
were　the　figures；　quite　still　and　silent；　seen　vaguely　through　the
thick　gloom；　but　in　human　shape　indisputably。

A　sudden　thought　occurred　to　me；　which　would　have　doubtless　struck
me　at　once　had　I　not　been　prepossessed　with　forebodings　at　the　time
that　I　first　saw　the　figures；　and　had　not　the　cloud　concealed　them
from　meI　mean　that　they　were　not　living　beings；　but　statues。　　I
determined　that　I　would　count　fifty　slowly；　and　was　sure　that　the
objects　were　not　alive　if　during　that　time　I　could　detect　no　sign
of　motion。

How　thankful　was　I　when　I　came　to　the　end　of　my　fifty　and　there　had
been　no　movement！

I　counted　a　second　timebut　again　all　was　still。

I　then　advanced　timidly　forward；　and　in　another　moment　I　saw　that
my　surmise　was　correct。　　I　had　come　upon　a　sort　of　Stonehenge　of
rude　and　barbaric　figures；　seated　as　Chowbok　had　sat　when　I
questioned　him　in　the　wool…shed；　and　with　the　same　superhumanly
malevolent　expression　upon　their　faces。　　They　had　been　all　seated；
but　two　had　fallen。　　They　were　barbarousneither　Egyptian；　nor
Assyrian；　nor　Japanesedifferent　from　any　of　these；　and　yet　akin
to　all。　　They　were　six　or　seven　times　larger　than　life；　of　great
antiquity；　worn　and　lichen　grown。　　They　were　ten　in　number。　　There
was　snow　upon　their　heads　and　wherever　snow　could　lodge。　　Each
statue　had　been　built　of　four　or　five　enormous　blocks；　but　how
these　had　been　raised　and　put　together　is　known　to　those　alone　who
raised　them。　　Each　was　terrible　after　a　different　kind。　　One　was
raging　furiously；　as　in　pain　and　great　despair；　another　was　lean
and　cadaverous　with　famine；　another　cruel　and　idiotic；　but　with　the
silliest　simper　that　can　be　conceivedthis　one　had　fallen；　and
looked　exquisitely　ludicrous　in　his　fallthe　mouths　of　all　were
more　or　less　open；　and　as　I　looked　at　them　from　behind；　I　saw　that
their　heads　had　been　hollowed。

I　was　sick　and　shivering　with　cold。　　Solitude　had　unmanned　me
already；　and　I　was　utterly　unfit　to　have　come　upon　such　an　assembly
of　fiends　in　such　a　dreadful　wilderness　and　without　preparation。　　I
would　have　given　everything　I　had　in　the　world　to　have　been　back　at
my　master's　station；　but　that　was　not　to　be　thought　of：　　my　head
was　failing；　and　I　felt　sure　that　I　could　never　get　back　alive。

Then　came　a　gust　of　howling　wind；　accompanied　with　a　moan　from　one
of　the　statues　above　me。　　I　clasped　my　hands　in　fear。　　I　felt　like
a　rat　caught　in　a　trap；　as　though　I　would　have　turned　and　bitten　at
whatever　thing　was　nearest　me。　　The　wildness　of　the　wind　increased；
the　moans　grew　shriller；　coming　from　several　statues；　and　swelling
into　a　chorus。　　I　almost　immediately　knew　what　it　was；　but　the
sound　was　so　unearthly　that　this　was　but　little　consolation。　　The
inhuman　beings　into　whose　hearts　the　Evil　One　had　put　it　to
conceive　these　statues；　had　made　their　heads　into　a　sort　of　organ…
pipe；　so　that　their　mouths　should　catch　the　wind　and　sound　with　its
blowing。　　It　was　horrible。　　However　brave　a　man　might　be；　he　could
never　stand　such　a　concert；　from　such　lips；　and　in　such　a　place。　　I
heaped　every　invective　upon　them　that　my　tongue　could　utter　as　I
rushed　away　from　them　into　the　mist；　and　even　after　I　had　lost
sight　of　them；　and　turning　my　head　round　could　see　nothing　but　the
storm…wraiths　driving　behind　me；　I　heard　their　ghostly　chanting；
and　felt　as　though　one　of　them　would　rush　after　me　and　grip　me　in
his　hand　and　throttle　me。

I　may　say　here　that；　since　my　return　to　England；　I　heard　a　friend
playing　some　chords　upon　the　organ　which　put　me　very　forcibly　in
mind　of　the　Erewhonian　statues　（for　Erewhon　is　the　name　of　the
country　upon　which　I　was　now　entering）。　　They　rose　most　vividly　to
my　recollection　the　moment　my　friend　began。　　They　are　as　follows；
and　are　by　the　greatest　of　all　musicians：…　｛2｝

＇Music　score　which　cannot　be　reproduced＇



CHAPTER　VI：　　INTO　EREWHON



And　now　I　found　myself　on　a　narrow　path　which　followed　a　small
watercourse。　　I　was　too　glad　to　have　an　easy　track　for　my　flight；
to　lay　hold　of　the　full　significance　of　its　existence。　　The
thought；　however；　soon　presented　itself　to　me　that　I　must　be　in　an
inhabited　country；　but　one　which　was　yet　unknown。　　What；　then；　was
to　be　my　fate　at　the　hands　of　its　inhabitants？　　Should　I　be　taken
and　offered　up　as　a　burnt…offering　to　those　hideous　guardians　of
the　pass？　　It　might　be　so。　　I　shuddered　at　the　thought；　yet　the
horrors　of　solitude　had　now　fairly　possessed　me；　and　so　dazed　was
I；　and　chilled；　and　woebegone；　that　I　could　lay　hold　of　no　idea
firmly　amid　the　crowd　of　fancies　that　kept　wandering　in　upon　my
brain。

I　hurried　onwarddown；　down；　down。　　More　streams　came　in；　then
there　was　a　bridge；　a　few　pine　logs　thrown　over　the　water；　but　they
gave　me　comfort；　for　savages　do　not　make　bridges。　　Then　I　had　a
treat　such　as　I　can　never　convey　on　papera　moment；　perhaps；　the
most　striking　and　unexpected　in　my　whole　lifethe　one　I　think
that；　with　some　three　or　four　exceptions；　I　would　most　gladly　have
again；　were　I　able　to　recall　it。　　I　got　below　the　level　of　the
clouds；　into　a　burst　of　brilliant　evening　sunshine；　I　was　facing
the　north…west；　and　the　sun　was　full　upon　me。　　Oh；　how　its　light
cheered　me！　　But　what　I　saw！　　It　was　such　an　expanse　as　was
revealed　to　Moses　when　he　stood　upon　the　summit　of　Mount　Sinai；　and
beheld　that　promised　land　which　it　was　not　to　be　his　to　enter。　　The
beautiful　sunset　sky　was　crimson　and　gold；　blue；　silver；　and
purple；　exquisite　and　tranquillising；　fading　away　therein　were
plains；　on　which　I　could　see　many　a　town　and　city；　with　buildings
that　had　lofty　steeples　and　rounded　domes。　　Nearer　beneath　me　lay
ridge　behind　ridge；　outline　behind　outline；　sunlight　behind　shadow；
and　shadow　behind　sunlight；　gully　and　serrated　ravine。　　I　saw　large
pine　forests；　and　the　glitter　of　a　noble　river　winding　its　way　upon
the　plains；　also　many　villages　and　hamlets；　some　of　them　quite　near
at　hand；　and　it　was　on　these　that　I　pondered　most。　　I　sank　upon　the
ground　at　the　foot　of　a　large　tree　and　thought　what　I　had　best　do；
but　I　could　not　collect　myself。　　I　was　quite　tired　out；　and
presently；　feeling　warmed　by　the　sun；　and　quieted；　I　fell　off　into
a　profound　sleep。

I　was　awoke　by　the　sound　of　tinkling　bells；　and　looking　up；　I　saw
four　or　five　goats　feeding　near　me。　　As　soon　as　I　moved；　the
creatures　turned　their　heads　towards　me　with　an　expression　of
infinite　wonder。　　They　did　not　run　away；　but　stood　stock　still；　and
looked　at　me　from　every　side；　as　I　at　them。　　Then　came　the　sound　of
chattering　and　laughter；　and　there　approached　two　lovely　girls；　of
about　seventeen　or　eighteen　years　old；　dressed　each　in　a　sort　of
linen　gaberdine；　with　a　girdle　round　the　waist。　　They　saw　me。　　I
sat　quite　still　and　looked　at　them；　dazzled　with　their　extreme
beauty。　　For　a　moment　they　looked　at　me　and　at　each　other　in　great
amazement；　then　they　gave　a　little　frightened　cry　and　ran　off　as
hard　as　they　could。

〃So　that's　that；〃　said　I　to　myself；　as　I　watched　them　scampering。
I　knew　that　I　had　better　stay　where　I　was　and　meet　my　fate；
whatever　it　was　to　be；　and　even　if　there　were　a　better　course；　I
had　no　strength　left　to　take　it。　　I　must　come　into　contact　with　the
inhabitants　sooner　or　later；　and　it　might　as　well　be　sooner。
Better　not　to　seem　afraid　of　them；　as　I　should　do　by　running　away
and　being　caught　with　a　hue　and　cry　to…morrow　or　next　day。　　So　I
remained　quite　still　and　waited。　　In　about　an　hour　I　heard　distant
voices　talking　excitedly；