erewhon-第8章

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remained　quite　still　and　waited。　　In　about　an　hour　I　heard　distant
voices　talking　excitedly；　and　in　a　few　minutes　I　saw　the　two　girls
bringing　up　a　party　of　six　or　seven　men；　well　armed　with　bows　and
arrows　and　pikes。　　There　was　nothing　for　it；　so　I　remained　sitting
quite　still；　even　after　they　had　seen　me；　until　they　came　close　up。
Then　we　all　had　a　good　look　at　one　another。

Both　the　girls　and　the　men　were　very　dark　in　colour；　but　not　more
so　than　the　South　Italians　or　Spaniards。　　The　men　wore　no　trousers；
but　were　dressed　nearly　the　same　as　the　Arabs　whom　I　have　seen　in
Algeria。　　They　were　of　the　most　magnificent　presence；　being　no　less
strong　and　handsome　than　the　women　were　beautiful；　and　not　only
this；　but　their　expression　was　courteous　and　benign。　　I　think　they
would　have　killed　me　at　once　if　I　had　made　the　slightest　show　of
violence；　but　they　gave　me　no　impression　of　their　being　likely　to
hurt　me　so　long　as　I　was　quiet。　　I　am　not　much　given　to　liking
anybody　at　first　sight；　but　these　people　impressed　me　much　more
favourably　than　I　should　have　thought　possible；　so　that　I　could　not
fear　them　as　I　scanned　their　faces　one　after　another。　　They　were
all　powerful　men。　　I　might　have　been　a　match　for　any　one　of　them
singly；　for　I　have　been　told　that　I　have　more　to　glory　in　the　flesh
than　in　any　other　respect；　being　over　six　feet　and　proportionately
strong；　but　any　two　could　have　soon　mastered　me；　even　were　I　not　so
bereft　of　energy　by　my　recent　adventures。　　My　colour　seemed　to
surprise　them　most；　for　I　have　light　hair；　blue　eyes；　and　a　fresh
complexion。　　They　could　not　understand　how　these　things　could　be；
my　clothes　also　seemed　quite　beyond　them。　　Their　eyes　kept
wandering　all　over　me；　and　the　more　they　looked　the　less　they
seemed　able　to　make　me　out。

At　last　I　raised　myself　upon　my　feet；　and　leaning　upon　my　stick；　I
spoke　whatever　came　into　my　head　to　the　man　who　seemed　foremost
among　them。　　I　spoke　in　English；　though　I　was　very　sure　that　he
would　not　understand。　　I　said　that　I　had　no　idea　what　country　I　was
in；　that　I　had　stumbled　upon　it　almost　by　accident；　after　a　series
of　hairbreadth　escapes；　and　that　I　trusted　they　would　not　allow　any
evil　to　overtake　me　now　that　I　was　completely　at　their　mercy。　　All
this　I　said　quietly　and　firmly；　with　hardly　any　change　of
expression。　　They　could　not　understand　me；　but　they　looked
approvingly　to　one　another；　and　seemed　pleased　（so　I　thought）　that
I　showed　no　fear　nor　acknowledgment　of　inferioritythe　fact　being
that　I　was　exhausted　beyond　the　sense　of　fear。　　Then　one　of　them
pointed　to　the　mountain；　in　the　direction　of　the　statues；　and　made
a　grimace　in　imitation　of　one　of　them。　　I　laughed　and　shuddered
expressively；　whereon　they　all　burst　out　laughing　too；　and
chattered　hard　to　one　another。　　I　could　make　out　nothing　of　what
they　said；　but　I　think　they　thought　it　rather　a　good　joke　that　I
had　come　past　the　statues。　　Then　one　among　them　came　forward　and
motioned　me　to　follow；　which　I　did　without　hesitation；　for　I　dared
not　thwart　them；　moreover；　I　liked　them　well　enough；　and　felt
tolerably　sure　that　they　had　no　intention　of　hurting　me。

In　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour　we　got　to　a　small　Hamlet　built　on　the
side　of　a　hill；　with　a　narrow　street　and　houses　huddled　up
together。　　The　roofs　were　large　and　overhanging。　　Some　few　windows
were　glazed；　but　not　many。　　Altogether　the　village　was　exceedingly
like　one　of　those　that　one　comes　upon　in　descending　the　less　known
passes　over　the　Alps　on　to　Lombardy。　　I　will　pass　over　the
excitement　which　my　arrival　caused。　　Suffice　it；　that　though　there
was　abundance　of　curiosity；　there　was　no　rudeness。　　I　was　taken　to
the　principal　house；　which　seemed　to　belong　to　the　people　who　had
captured　me。　　There　I　was　hospitably　entertained；　and　a　supper　of
milk　and　goat's　flesh　with　a　kind　of　oatcake　was　set　before　me；　of
which　I　ate　heartily。　　But　all　the　time　I　was　eating　I　could　not
help　turning　my　eyes　upon　the　two　beautiful　girls　whom　I　had　first
seen；　and　who　seemed　to　consider　me　as　their　lawful　prizewhich
indeed　I　was；　for　I　would　have　gone　through　fire　and　water　for
either　of　them。

Then　came　the　inevitable　surprise　at　seeing　me　smoke；　which　I　will
spare　the　reader；　but　I　noticed　that　when　they　saw　me　strike　a
match；　there　was　a　hubbub　of　excitement　which；　it　struck　me；　was
not　altogether　unmixed　with　disapproval：　　why；　I　could　not　guess。
Then　the　women　retired；　and　I　was　left　alone　with　the　men；　who
tried　to　talk　to　me　in　every　conceivable　way；　but　we　could　come　to
no　understanding；　except　that　I　was　quite　alone；　and　had　come　from
a　long　way　over　the　mountains。　　In　the　course　of　time　they　grew
tired；　and　I　very　sleepy。　　I　made　signs　as　though　I　would　sleep　on
the　floor　in　my　blankets；　but　they　gave　me　one　of　their　bunks　with
plenty　of　dried　fern　and　grass；　on　to　which　I　had　no　sooner　laid
myself　than　I　fell　fast　asleep；　nor　did　I　awake　till　well　into　the
following　day；　when　I　found　myself　in　the　hut　with　two　men　keeping
guard　over　me　and　an　old　woman　cooking。　　When　I　woke　the　men　seemed
pleased；　and　spoke　to　me　as　though　bidding　me　good　morning　in　a
pleasant　tone。

I　went　out　of　doors　to　wash　in　a　creek　which　ran　a　few　yards　from
the　house。　　My　hosts　were　as　engrossed　with　me　as　ever；　they　never
took　their　eyes　off　me；　following　every　action　that　I　did；　no
matter　how　trifling；　and　each　looking　towards　the　other　for　his
opinion　at　every　touch　and　turn。　　They　took　great　interest　in　my
ablutions；　for　they　seemed　to　have　doubted　whether　I　was　in　all
respects　human　like　themselves。　　They　even　laid　hold　of　my　arms　and
overhauled　them；　and　expressed　approval　when　they　saw　that　they
were　strong　and　muscular。　　They　now　examined　my　legs；　and
especially　my　feet。　　When　they　desisted　they　nodded　approvingly　to
each　other；　and　when　I　had　combed　and　brushed　my　hair；　and
generally　made　myself　as　neat　and　well　arranged　as　circumstances
would　allow；　I　could　see　that　their　respect　for　me　increased
greatly；　and　that　they　were　by　no　means　sure　that　they　had　treated
me　with　sufficient　deferencea　matter　on　which　I　am　not　competent
to　decide。　　All　I　know　is　that　they　were　very　good　to　me；　for　which
I　thanked　them　heartily；　as　it　might　well　have　been　otherwise。

For　my　own　part；　I　liked　them　and　admired　them；　for　their　quiet
self…possession　and　dignified　ease　impressed　me　pleasurably　at
once。　　Neither　did　their　manner　make　me　feel　as　though　I　were
personally　distasteful　to　themonly　that　I　was　a　thing　utterly　new
and　unlooked　for；　which　they　could　not　comprehend。　　Their　type　was
more　that　of　the　most　robust　Italians　than　any　other；　their　manners
also　were　eminently　Italian；　in　their　entire　unconsciousness　of
self。　　Having　travelled　a　good　deal　in　Italy；　I　was　struck　with
little　gestures　of　the　hand　and　shoulders；　which　constantly
reminded　me　of　that　country。　　My　feeling　was　that　my　wisest　plan
would　be　to　go　on　as　I　had　begun；　and　be　simply　myself　for　better
or　worse；　such　as　I　was；　and　take　my　chance　accordingly。

I　thought　of　these　things　while　they　were　waiting　for　me　to　have
done　washing；　and　on　my　way　back。　　Then　they　gave　me　breakfasthot
bread　and　milk；　and　fried　flesh　of　something　between　mutton　and
venison。　　Their　ways　of　cooking　and　eating　were　European；　though
they　had　only　a　skewer　for　a　fork；　and　a　sort　of　butcher's　knife　to
cut　with。　　The　more　I　looked　at　everything　in　the　house；　the　more　I
was　struck　with　its　quasi…European　character；　and　had　the　walls
only　been　pasted　over　with　extracts　from　the　Illustrated　London
News　and　Punch；　I　could　have　almost　fancied　myself　in　a　shepherd's
hut　upon　my　master's　sheep…run。　　And　yet　everything　was　slightly
different。　　It　was　much　the　same　with　the　birds　and　flowers　on　the
other　side；　as　compared　with　the　English　ones。　　On　my　arrival　I　had
been　pleased　at　noticing　that　nearly　all　the　plants　and　birds　were
very　like　common　English　ones：　　thus；　there　was　a　robin；　and　a
lark；　and　a　wren；　and　daisies；　and　dandelions；　not　quite　the　same
as　the　English；　but　still　very　like　themquite　like　enough　to　be
called　by　the　same　name；　so　now；　here；　the　ways　of　these　two　men；
and　the　things　they　had　in　the　house；　were　all　very　nearly　the　same
as　in　Europe。　　It　was　not　at　all　like　going　to　China　or　Japan；
where　everything　that　one　sees　is　strange。　　I　was；　indeed；　at　once
struck　with　the　primitive　character　of　their　appliances；　for　they
seemed　to　be　some　five　or　six　hundred　years　behind　Europe　in　their
inventions；　but　this　is　the　case　in　many　an　Italian　village。

All　the　time　that　I　was　eating　my　breakfast　I　kept　speculating　as
to　what　family　of　mankind　they　could　belong　to；　and　shortly　there
came　an　idea　into　my　head；　which　brought　the　blood　into　my　cheeks
with　excitement　as　I　thought　of　it。　　Was　it　possible　that　they
might　be　the　lost　ten　tribes　of　Israel；　of　whom　I　had　heard　both　my
grandfather　and　my　father　make　mention　as　existing　in　an　unknown
country；　and　awaiting　a　final　return　to　Palestine？　　Was　it　possible
that　I　might　have　been　designed　by　Providence　as　the　instrument　of
their　conversion？　　Oh；　what　a　thought　was　this！　　I　laid　down　my
skewer　and　gave　them　a　hasty　survey。　　There　was　nothing　of　a　Jewish
type　about　them：　　their　noses　were　distinctly　Grecian；　and　their
lips；　though　full；　were　not　Jewish。

How　could　I　settle　this　question？　　I　knew　neither　Greek　nor　Hebrew；
and　even　if　I　should　get　to　understand　the　language　here　spoken；　I
should　be　unable　to　detect　the　roots　of　either　of　these　tongues。　　I
had　not　been　long　enough　among　them　to　ascertain　their　habits；　but
they　did　not　give　me　the　impression　of　being　a　religious　people。
This　too　was　natural：　　the　ten　tribes　had　been　always　lamentably
irreligious。　　But　could　I　not　make　them　change？　　To　restore　the
lost　ten　tribes　of　Israel　to　a　knowledge　of　the　only　truth：　　here
would　be　indeed　an　immortal　crown　of　glory！　　My　heart　beat　fast　and
furious　as　I　entertained　the　thought。　　What　a　position　would　it　not
ensure　me　in　the　next　world；　or　perhaps　even　in　this！　　What　folly
it　would　be　to　throw　such　a　chance　away！　　I　should　rank　next　to　the
Apostles；　if　not　as　high　as　theycertainly　above　the　minor
prophets；　and　possibly　above　any　Old　Testament　writer　except　Moses
and　Isaiah。　　For　such　a　future　as　this　I　would　sacrifice　all　that　I
have　without　a　moment's　hesitation；　could　I　be　reasonably　assured
of　it。　　I　had　always　cordially　approved　of　missionary　efforts；　and
had　at　times　contributed　my　mite　towards　their　support　and
extension；　but　I　had　never　hitherto　felt　drawn　towards　becoming　a
missionary　myself；　and　indeed　had　always　admired；　and　envied；　and
respected　them；　more　than　I　had　exactly　liked　them。　　But　if　these
people　were　the　lost　ten　tribes　of　Israel；　the　case　would　be　widely
different：　　the　opening　was　too　excellent　to　be　lost；　and　I
resolved　that　should　I　see　indications　which　appeared　to　confirm　my
impression　that　I　had　indeed　come　upon　the　missing　tribes；　I　would
certainly　convert　them。

I　may　here　mention　that　this　discovery　is　the　one　to　which　I
alluded　in　the　opening　pages　of　my　story。　　Time　strengthened　the
impression　made　upon　me　at　first；　and；　though　I　remained　in　doubt
for　several　months；　I　feel　now　no　longer　uncertain。