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！
more。 It occurs to me； though my father never told me so； that it
was perhaps with a view to these birds that he had chosen to put
his English sovereigns into a metal box； with a clasp to it which
would defy them。
He made a roll of his blanket； and slung it over his shoulder； he
also took his pipe； tobacco； a little tea； a few ship's biscuits；
and his billy and pannikin； matches and salt go without saying。
When he had thus ordered everything as nearly to his satisfaction
as he could； he looked at his watch for the last time； as he
believed； till many weeks should have gone by； and found it to be
about seven o'clock。 Remembering what trouble it had got him into
years before； he took down his saddle…bags； reopened them； and put
the watch inside。 He then set himself to climb the mountain side；
towards the saddle on which he had seen the statues。
CHAPTER III： MY FATHER WHILE CAMPING IS ACCOSTED BY PROFESSORS
HANKY AND PANKY
My father found the ascent more fatiguing than he remembered it to
have been。 The climb； he said； was steady； and took him between
four and five hours； as near as he could guess； now that he had no
watch； but it offered nothing that could be called a difficulty；
and the watercourse that came down from the saddle was a sufficient
guide； once or twice there were waterfalls； but they did not
seriously delay him。
After he had climbed some three thousand feet； he began to be on
the alert for some sound of ghostly chanting from the statues； but
he heard nothing； and toiled on till he came to a sprinkling of
fresh snowpart of the fall which he had observed on the preceding
day as having whitened the higher mountains； he knew； therefore；
that he must now be nearing the saddle。 The snow grew rapidly
deeper； and by the time he reached the statues the ground was
covered to a depth of two or three inches。
He found the statues smaller than he had expected。 He had said in
his bookwritten many months after he had seen themthat they
were about six times the size of life； but he now thought that four
or five times would have been enough to say。 Their mouths were
much clogged with snow； so that even though there had been a strong
wind （which there was not） they would not have chanted。 In other
respects he found them not less mysteriously impressive than at
first。 He walked two or three times all round them； and then went
on。
The snow did not continue far down； but before long my father
entered a thick bank of cloud； and had to feel his way cautiously
along the stream that descended from the pass。 It was some two
hours before he emerged into clear air； and found himself on the
level bed of an old lake now grassed over。 He had quite forgotten
this feature of the descentperhaps the clouds had hung over it；
he was overjoyed； however； to find that the flat ground abounded
with a kind of quail； larger than ours； and hardly； if at all；
smaller than a partridge。 The abundance of these quails surprised
him； for he did not remember them as plentiful anywhere on the
Erewhonian side of the mountains。
The Erewhonian quail； like its now nearly； if not quite； extinct
New Zealand congener； can take three successive flights of a few
yards each； but then becomes exhausted； hence quails are only found
on ground that is never burned； and where there are no wild animals
to molest them； the cats and dogs that accompany European
civilisation soon exterminate them； my father； therefore； felt safe
in concluding that he was still far from any village。 Moreover he
could see no sheep or goat's dung； and this surprised him； for he
thought he had found signs of pasturage much higher than this。
Doubtless； he said to himself； when he wrote his book he had
forgotten how long the descent had been。 But it was odd； for the
grass was good feed enough； and ought； he considered； to have been
well stocked。
Tired with his climb； during which he had not rested to take food；
but had eaten biscuits； as he walked； he gave himself a good long
rest； and when refreshed； he ran down a couple of dozen quails；
some of which he meant to eat when he camped for the night； while
the others would help him out of a difficulty which had been
troubling him for some time。
What was he to say when people asked him； as they were sure to do；
how he was living？ And how was he to get enough Erewhonian money
to keep him going till he could find some safe means of selling a
few of his nuggets？ He had had a little Erewhonian money when he
went up in the balloon； but had thrown it over； with everything
else except the clothes he wore and his MSS。； when the balloon was
nearing the water。 He had nothing with him that he dared offer for
sale； and though he had plenty of gold； was in reality penniless。
When； therefore； he saw the quails； he again felt as though some
friendly spirit was smoothing his way before him。 What more easy
than to sell them at Coldharbour （for so the name of the town in
which he had been imprisoned should be translated）； where he knew
they were a delicacy； and would fetch him the value of an English
shilling a piece？
It took him between two and three hours to catch two dozen。 When
he had thus got what he considered a sufficient stock； he tied
their legs together with rushes； and ran a stout stick through the
whole lot。 Soon afterwards he came upon a wood of stunted pines；
which； though there was not much undergrowth； nevertheless afforded
considerable shelter and enabled him to gather wood enough to make
himself a good fire。 This was acceptable； for though the days were
long； it was now evening； and as soon as the sun had gone the air
became crisp and frosty。
Here he resolved to pass the night。 He chose a part where the
trees were thickest； lit his fire； plucked and cleaned four quails；
filled his billy with water from the stream hard by； made tea in
his pannikin； grilled two of his birds on the embers； ate them； and
when he had done all this； he lit his pipe and began to think
things over。 〃So far so good；〃 said he to himself； but hardly had
the words passed through his mind before he was startled by the
sound of voices； still at some distance； but evidently drawing
towards him。
He instantly gathered up his billy； pannikin； tea； biscuits； and
blanket； all of which he had determined to discard and hide on the
following morning； everything that could betray him he carried full
haste into the wood some few yards off； in the direction opposite
to that from which the voices were coming； but he let his quails
lie where they were； and put his pipe and tobacco in his pocket。
The voices drew nearer and nearer； and it was all my father could
do to get back and sit down innocently by his fire； before he could
hear what was being said。
〃Thank goodness；〃 said one of the speakers （of course in the
Erewhonian language）； 〃we seem to be finding somebody at last。 I
hope it is not some poacher； we had better be careful。〃
〃Nonsense！〃 said the other。 〃It must be one of the rangers。 No
one would dare to light a fire while poaching on the King's
preserves。 What o'clock do you make it？〃
〃Half after nine。〃 And the watch was still in the speaker's hand
as he emerged from darkness into the glowing light of the fire。 My
father glanced at it； and saw that it was exactly like the one he
had worn on entering Erewhon nearly twenty years previously。
The watch； however； was a very small matter； the dress of these two
men （for there were only two） was far more disconcerting。 They
were not in the Erewhonian costume。 The one was dressed like an
Englishman or would…be Englishman； while the other was wearing the
same kind of clothes but turned the wrong way round； so that when
his face was towards my father his body seemed to have its back
towards him； and vice verso。 The man's head； in fact； appeared to
have been screwed right round； and yet it was plain that if he were
stripped he would be found built like other people。
What could it all mean？ The men were about fifty years old。 They
were well…to…do people； well clad； well fed； and were felt
instinctively by my father to belong to the academic classes。 That
one of them should be dressed like a sensible Englishman dismayed
my father as much as that the other should have a watch； and look
as if he had just broken out of Bedlam； or as King Dagobert must
have looked if he had worn all his clothes as he is said to have
worn his breeches。 Both wore their clothes so easilyfor he who
wore them reversed had evidently been measured with a view to this
absurd fashionthat it was plain their dress was habitual。
My father was alarmed as well as astounded； for he saw that what
little plan of a campaign he had formed must be reconstructed； and
he had no idea in what direction his next move should be taken； but
he was a ready man； and knew that when people have taken any idea
into their heads； a little confirmation will fix it。 A first idea
is like a strong seedling； it will grow if it can。
In less time than it will have taken the reader to get through the
last foregoing paragraphs； my father took up the cue furnished him
by the second speaker。
〃Yes；〃 said