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last foregoing paragraphs； my father took up the cue furnished him
by the second speaker。
〃Yes；〃 said he； going boldly up to this gentleman； 〃I am one of the
rangers； and it is my duty to ask you what you are doing here upon
the King's preserves。〃
〃Quite so； my man；〃 was the rejoinder。 〃We have been to see the
statues at the head of the pass； and have a permit from the Mayor
of Sunch'ston to enter upon the preserves。 We lost ourselves in
the thick fog； both going and coming back。〃
My father inwardly blessed the fog。 He did not catch the name of
the town； but presently found that it was commonly pronounced as I
have written it。
〃Be pleased to show it me；〃 said my father in his politest manner。
On this a document was handed to him。
I will here explain that I shall translate the names of men and
places； as well as the substance of the document； and I shall
translate all names in future。 Indeed I have just done so in the
case of Sunch'ston。 As an example； let me explain that the true
Erewhonian names for Hanky and Panky； to whom the reader will be
immediately introduced； are Sukoh and Sukopnames too cacophonous
to be read with pleasure by the English public。 I must ask the
reader to believe that in all cases I am doing my best to give the
spirit of the original name。
I would also express my regret that my father did not either
uniformly keep to the true Erewhonian names； as in the cases of
Senoj Nosnibor； Ydgrun； Thims； &c。names which occur constantly in
Erewhonor else invariably invent a name； as he did whenever he
considered the true name impossible。 My poor mother's name； for
example； was really Nna Haras； and Mahaina's Enaj Ysteb； which he
dared not face。 He； therefore； gave these characters the first
names that euphony suggested； without any attempt at translation。
Rightly or wrongly； I have determined to keep consistently to
translation for all names not used in my father's book； and
throughout； whether as regards names or conversations； I shall
translate with the freedom without which no translation rises above
construe level。
Let me now return to the permit。 The earlier part of the document
was printed； and ran as follows：…
Extracts from the Act for the afforesting of certain lands lying
between the town of Sunchildston； formerly called Coldharbour； and
the mountains which bound the kingdom of Erewhon； passed in the
year Three； being the eighth year of the reign of his Most Gracious
Majesty King Well…beloved the Twenty…Second。
〃Whereas it is expedient to prevent any of his Majesty's subjects
from trying to cross over into unknown lands beyond the mountains；
and in like manner to protect his Majesty's kingdom from intrusion
on the part of foreign devils； it is hereby enacted that certain
lands； more particularly described hereafter； shall be afforested
and set apart as a hunting…ground for his Majesty's private use。
〃It is also enacted that the Rangers and Under…rangers shall be
required to immediately kill without parley any foreign devil whom
they may encounter coming from the other side of the mountains。
They are to weight the body； and throw it into the Blue Pool under
the waterfall shown on the plan hereto annexed； but on pain of
imprisonment for life they shall not reserve to their own use any
article belonging to the deceased。 Neither shall they divulge what
they have done to any one save the Head Ranger； who shall report
the circumstances of the case fully and minutely to his Majesty。
〃As regards any of his Majesty's subjects who may be taken while
trespassing on his Majesty's preserves without a special permit
signed by the Mayor of Sunchildston； or any who may be convicted of
poaching on the said preserves； the Rangers shall forthwith arrest
them and bring them before the Mayor of Sunchildston； who shall
enquire into their antecedents； and punish them with such term of
imprisonment； with hard labour； as he may think fit； provided that
no such term be of less duration than twelve calendar months。
〃For the further provisions of the said Act； those whom it may
concern are referred to the Act in full； a copy of which may be
seen at the official residence of the Mayor of Sunchildston。〃
Then followed in MS。 〃XIX。 xii。 29。 Permit Professor Hanky；
Royal Professor of Worldly Wisdom at Bridgeford； seat of learning；
city of the people who are above suspicion； and Professor Panky；
Royal Professor of Unworldly Wisdom in the said city； or either of
them〃 ＇here the MS。 ended； the rest of the permit being in print＇
〃to pass freely during the space of forty…eight hours from the date
hereof； over the King's preserves； provided； under pain of
imprisonment with hard labour for twelve months； that they do not
kill； nor cause to be killed； nor eat； if another have killed； any
one or more of his Majesty's quails。〃
The signature was such a scrawl that my father could not read it；
but underneath was printed； 〃Mayor of Sunchildston； formerly called
Coldharbour。〃
What a mass of information did not my father gather as he read； but
what a far greater mass did he not see that he must get hold of ere
he could reconstruct his plans intelligently。
〃The year three；〃 indeed； and XIX。 xii。 29； in Roman and Arabic
characters！ There were no such characters when he was in Erewhon
before。 It flashed upon him that he had repeatedly shewn them to
the Nosnibors； and had once even written them down。 It could not
be that 。 。 。 No； it was impossible； and yet there was the European
dress； aimed at by the one Professor； and attained by the other。
Again 〃XIX。〃 what was that？ 〃xii。〃 might do for December； but it
was now the 4th of December not the 29th。 〃Afforested〃 too？ Then
that was why he had seen no sheep tracks。 And how about the quails
he had so innocently killed？ What would have happened if he had
tried to sell them in Coldharbour？ What other like fatal error
might he not ignorantly commit？ And why had Coldharbour become
Sunchildston？
These thoughts raced through my poor father's brain as he slowly
perused the paper handed to him by the Professors。 To give himself
time he feigned to be a poor scholar； but when he had delayed as
long as he dared； he returned it to the one who had given it him。
Without changing a muscle he said …
〃Your permit； sir； is quite regular。 You can either stay here the
night or go on to Sunchildston as you think fit。 May I ask which
of you two gentlemen is Professor Hanky； and which Professor
Panky？〃
〃My name is Panky；〃 said the one who had the watch； who wore his
clothes reversed； and who had thought my father might be a poacher。
〃And mine Hanky；〃 said the other。
〃What do you think； Panky；〃 he added； turning to his brother
Professor； 〃had we not better stay here till sunrise？ We are both
of us tired； and this fellow can make us a good fire。 It is very
dark； and there will be no moon this two hours。 We are hungry； but
we can hold out till we get to Sunchildston； it cannot be more than
eight or nine miles further down。〃
Panky assented； but then； turning sharply to my father； he said；
〃My man； what are you doing in the forbidden dress？ Why are you
not in ranger's uniform； and what is the meaning of all those
quails？〃 For his seedling idea that my father was in reality a
poacher was doing its best to grow。
Quick as thought my father answered； 〃The Head Ranger sent me a
message this morning to deliver him three dozen quails at
Sunchildston by to…morrow afternoon。 As for the dress； we can run
the quails down quicker in it； and he says nothing to us so long as
we only wear out old clothes and put on our uniforms before we near
the town。 My uniform is in the ranger's shelter an hour and a half
higher up the valley。〃
〃See what comes；〃 said Panky； 〃of having a whippersnapper not yet
twenty years old in the responsible post of Head Ranger。 As for
this fellow； he may be speaking the truth； but I distrust him。〃
〃The man is all right； Panky；〃 said Hanky； 〃and seems to be a
decent fellow enough。〃 Then to my father； 〃How many brace have you
got？〃 And he looked at them a little wistfully。
〃I have been at it all day； sir； and I have only got eight brace。
I must run down ten more brace to…morrow。〃
〃I see； I see。〃 Then； turning to Panky； he said； 〃Of course； they
are wanted for the Mayor's banquet on Sunday。 By the way； we have
not yet received our invitation； I suppose we shall find it when we
get back to Sunchildston。〃
〃Sunday； Sunday； Sunday！〃 groaned my father inwardly； but he
changed not a muscle of his face； and said stolidly to Professor
Hanky； 〃I think you must be right； sir； but there was nothing said
about it to me； I was only told to bring the birds。〃
Thus tenderly did he water the Professor's second seedling。 But
Panky had his seedling too； and； Cain…like； was jealous that
Hanky's should flourish while his own was withering。
〃And what； pray； my man；〃 he said somewhat peremptorily to my
father； 〃are those two plucked quails doing？ Were you to deliver
them plucked？ And what bird did those bones belong to which I see
lying by the fire with the flesh all eaten off them？ Are the
under…rangers allowed not