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marriages of the pupils are inscribed yearly on the oak paneling of
the college refectory； and a reprint from these in pamphlet form
accompanies all the prospectuses that are sent out to parents。 It
was alleged that no other ladies' seminary in Erewhon could show
such a brilliant record during all the years of Miss La Frime's
presidency。 Many other guests of less note were there； but the
lions of the evening were the two Professors whom we have already
met with； and more particularly Hanky； who took the Mayoress in to
dinner。 Panky； of course； wore his clothes reversed； as did
Principal Crank and Professor Gabb； the others were dressed English
fashion。
Everything hung upon the hostess； for the host was little more than
a still handsome figure…head。 He had been remarkable for his good
looks as a young man； and Strong is the nearest approach I can get
to a translation of his Erewhonian name。 His face inspired
confidence at once； but he was a man of few words； and had little
of that grace which in his wife set every one instantly at his or
her ease。 He knew that all would go well so long as he left
everything to her； and kept himself as far as might be in the
background。
Before dinner was announced there was the usual buzz of
conversation； chiefly occupied with salutations； good wishes for
Sunday's weather； and admiration for the extreme beauty of the
Mayoress's three daughters； the two elder of whom were already out；
while the third； though only thirteen； might have passed for a year
or two older。 Their mother was so much engrossed with receiving
her guests that it was not till they were all at table that she was
able to ask Hanky what he thought of the statues； which she had
heard that he and Professor Panky had been to see。 She was told
how much interested he had been with them； and how unable he had
been to form any theory as to their date or object。 He then added；
appealing to Panky； who was on the Mayoress's left hand； 〃but we
had rather a strange adventure on our way down； had we not； Panky？
We got lost； and were benighted in the forest。 Happily we fell in
with one of the rangers who had lit a fire。〃
〃Do I understand； then；〃 said Yram； as I suppose we may as well
call her； 〃that you were out all last night？ How tired you must
be！ But I hope you had enough provisions with you？〃
〃Indeed we were out all night。 We staid by the ranger's fire till
midnight； and then tried to find our way down； but we gave it up
soon after we had got out of the forest； and then waited under a
large chestnut tree till four or five this morning。 As for food；
we had not so much as a mouthful from about three in the afternoon
till we got to our inn early this morning。〃
〃Oh； you poor； poor people！ how tired you must be。〃
〃No； we made a good breakfast as soon as we got in； and then went
to bed； where we staid till it was time for us to come to your
house。〃
Here Panky gave his friend a significant look； as much as to say
that he had said enough。
This set Hanky on at once。 〃Strange to say； the ranger was wearing
the old Erewhonian dress。 It did me good to see it again after all
these years。 It seems your son lets his men wear what few of the
old clothes they may still have； so long as they keep well away
from the town。 But fancy how carefully these poor fellows husband
them； why； it must be seventeen years since the dress was
forbidden！〃
We all of us have skeletons； large or small； in some cupboard of
our lives； but a well regulated skeleton that will stay in its
cupboard quietly does not much matter。 There are skeletons；
however； which can never be quite trusted not to open the cupboard
door at some awkward moment； go down stairs； ring the hall…door
bell； with grinning face announce themselves as the skeleton； and
ask whether the master or mistress is at home。 This kind of
skeleton； though no bigger than a rabbit； will sometimes loom large
as that of a dinotherium。 My father was Yram's skeleton。 True； he
was a mere skeleton of a skeleton； for the chances were thousands
to one that he and my mother had perished long years ago； and even
though he rang at the bell； there was no harm that he either could
or would now do to her or hers； still； so long as she did not
certainly know that he was dead； or otherwise precluded from
returning； she could not be sure that he would not one day come
back by the way that he would alone know； and she had rather he
should not do so。
Hence； on hearing from Professor Hanky that a man had been seen
between the statues and Sunch'ston wearing the old Erewhonian
dress； she was disquieted and perplexed。 The excuse he had
evidently made to the Professors aggravated her uneasiness； for it
was an obvious attempt to escape from an unexpected difficulty。
There could be no truth in it。 Her son would as soon think of
wearing the old dress himself as of letting his men do so； and as
for having old clothes still to wear out after seventeen years； no
one but a Bridgeford Professor would accept this。 She saw；
therefore； that she must keep her wits about her； and lead her
guests on to tell her as much as they could be induced to do。
〃My son；〃 she said innocently； 〃is always considerate to his men；
and that is why they are so devoted to him。 I wonder which of them
it was？ In what part of the preserves did you fall in with him？〃
Hanky described the place； and gave the best idea he could of my
father's appearance。
〃Of course he was swarthy like the rest of us？〃
〃I saw nothing remarkable about him； except that his eyes were blue
and his eyelashes nearly white； which； as you know； is rare in
Erewhon。 Indeed； I do not remember ever before to have seen a man
with dark hair and complexion but light eyelashes。 Nature is
always doing something unusual。〃
〃I have no doubt；〃 said Yram； 〃that he was the man they call
Blacksheep； but I never noticed this peculiarity in him。 If he was
Blacksheep； I am afraid you must have found him none too civil； he
is a rough diamond； and you would hardly be able to understand his
uncouth Sunch'ston dialect。〃
〃On the contrary； he was most kind and thoughtfuleven so far as
to take our permit from us； and thus save us the trouble of giving
it up at your son's office。 As for his dialect； his grammar was
often at fault； but we could quite understand him。〃
〃I am glad to hear he behaved better than I could have expected。
Did he say in what part of the preserves he had been？〃
〃He had been catching quails between the place where we saw him and
the statues； he was to deliver three dozen to your son this
afternoon for the Mayor's banquet on Sunday。〃
This was worse and worse。 She had urged her son to provide her
with a supply of quails for Sunday's banquet； but he had begged her
not to insist on having them。 There was no close time for them in
Erewhon； but he set his face against their being seen at table in
spring and summer。 During the winter； when any great occasion
arose； he had allowed a few brace to be provided。
〃I asked my son to let me have some；〃 said Yram； who was now on
full scent。 She laughed genially as she added； 〃Can you throw any
light upon the question whether I am likely to get my three dozen？
I have had no news as yet。〃
〃The man had taken a good many； we saw them but did not count them。
He started about midnight for the ranger's shelter； where he said
he should sleep till daybreak； so as to make up his full tale
betimes。〃
Yram had heard her son complain that there were no shelters on the
preserves； and state his intention of having some built before the
winter。 Here too； then； the man's story must be false。 She
changed the conversation for the moment； but quietly told a servant
to send high and low in search of her son； and if he could be
found； to bid him come to her at once。 She then returned to her
previous subject。
〃And did not this heartless wretch； knowing how hungry you must
both be； let you have a quail or two as an act of pardonable
charity？〃
〃My dear Mayoress； how can you ask such a question？ We knew you
would want all you could get； moreover； our permit threatened us
with all sorts of horrors if we so much as ate a single quail。 I
assure you we never even allowed a thought of eating one of them to
cross our minds。〃
〃Then；〃 said Yram to herself； 〃they gorged upon them。〃 What could
she think？ A man who wore the old dress； and therefore who had
almost certainly been in Erewhon； but had been many years away from
it； who spoke the language well； but whose grammar was defective
hence； again； one who had spent some time in Erewhon； who knew
nothing of the afforesting law now long since enacted； for how else
would he have dared to light a fire and be seen with quails in his
possession； an adroit liar； who on gleaning information from the
Professors had hazarded an excuse for immediately retracing his
steps； a man； too； with blue eyes and light eyelashes。 What did it
matter about his hair being dark and his complexion swarthyHiggs
was far too clever to attempt a second visit to Erewhon without
dyeing his hair and staining his face and hands。 And he had got
their permit out of the P