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canonries； he had none but the vaguest idea of what a canonry is。
I may add further that as a boy my father had had his Bible well
drilled into him； and never forgot it。 Hence biblical passages and
expressions had been often in his mouth； as the effect of mere
unconscious cerebration。 The Erewhonians had caught many of these；
sometimes corrupting them so that they were hardly recognizable。
Things that he remembered having said were continually meeting him
during the few days of his second visit； and it shocked him deeply
to meet some gross travesty of his own words； or of words more
sacred than his own； and yet to be unable to correct it。 〃I
wonder；〃 he said to me； 〃that no one has ever hit on this as a
punishment for the damned in Hades。〃
Let me now return to Professor Hanky； whom I fear that I have left
too long。
〃And of course；〃 he continued； 〃I shall say all sorts of pretty
things about the Mayoressfor I suppose we must not even think of
her as Yram now。〃
〃The Mayoress；〃 replied Panky； 〃is a very dangerous woman； see how
she stood out about the way in which the Sunchild had worn his
clothes before they gave him the then Erewhonian dress。 Besides；
she is a sceptic at heart； and so is that precious son of hers。〃
〃She was quite right；〃 said Hanky； with something of a snort。 〃She
brought him his dinner while he was still wearing the clothes he
came in； and if men do not notice how a man wears his clothes；
women do。 Besides； there are many living who saw him wear them。〃
〃Perhaps；〃 said Panky； 〃but we should never have talked the King
over if we had not humoured him on this point。 Yram nearly wrecked
us by her obstinacy。 If we had not frightened her； and if your
study； Hanky； had not happened to have been burned 。 。 。 〃
〃Come； come； Panky； no more of that。〃
〃Of course I do not doubt that it was an accident； nevertheless if
your study had not been accidentally burned； on the very night the
clothes were entrusted to you for earnest； patient； careful；
scientific investigationand Yram very nearly burned toowe
should never have carried it through。 See what work we had to get
the King to allow the way in which the clothes were worn to be a
matter of opinion； not dogma。 What a pity it is that the clothes
were not burned before the King's tailor had copied them。〃
Hanky laughed heartily enough。 〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃it was touch and
go。 Why； I wonder； could not the Queen have put the clothes on a
dummy that would show back from front？ As soon as it was brought
into the council chamber the King jumped to a conclusion； and we
had to bundle both dummy and Yram out of the royal presence； for
neither she nor the King would budge an inch。
Even Panky smiled。 〃What could we do？ The common people almost
worship Yram； and so does her husband； though her fair…haired
eldest son was born barely seven months after marriage。 The people
in these parts like to think that the Sunchild's blood is in the
country； and yet they swear through thick and thin that he is the
Mayor's duly begotten offspringFaugh！ Do you think they would
have stood his being jobbed into the ranger…ship by any one else
but Yram？〃
My father's feelings may be imagined； but I will not here interrupt
the Professors。
〃Well； well；〃 said Hanky； 〃for men must rob and women must job so
long as the world goes on。 I did the best I could。 The King would
never have embraced Sunchildism if I had not told him he was right；
then； when satisfied that we agreed with him； he yielded to popular
prejudice and allowed the question to remain open。 One of his
Royal Professors was to wear the clothes one way； and the other the
other。〃
〃My way of wearing them；〃 said Panky； 〃is much the most
convenient。〃
〃Not a bit of it； said Hanky warmly。 On this the two Professors
fell out； and the discussion grew so hot that my father interfered
by advising them not to talk so loud lest another ranger should
hear them。 〃You know；〃 he said； 〃there are a good many landrail
bones lying about； and it might be awkward。〃
The Professors hushed at once。 〃By the way；〃 said Panky； after a
pause； 〃it is very strange about those footprints in the snow。 The
man had evidently walked round the statues two or three times； as
though they were strange to him； and he had certainly come from the
other side。〃
〃It was one of the rangers；〃 said Hanky impatiently； 〃who had gone
a little beyond the statues； and come back again。〃
〃Then we should have seen his footprints as he went。 I am glad I
measured them。〃
〃There is nothing in it； but what were your measurements？〃
〃Eleven inches by four and a half； nails on the soles； one nail
missing on the right foot and two on the left。〃 Then； turning to
my father quickly； he said； 〃My man； allow me to have a look at
your boots。〃
〃Nonsense； Panky； nonsense！〃
Now my father by this time was wondering whether he should not set
upon these two men； kill them if he could； and make the best of his
way back； but he had still a card to play。
〃Certainly； sir；〃 said he； 〃but I should tell you that they are not
my boots。〃
He took off his right boot and handed it to Panky。
〃Exactly so！ Eleven inches by four and a half； and one nail
missing。 And now； Mr。 Ranger； will you be good enough to explain
how you became possessed of that boot。 You need not show me the
other。〃 And he spoke like an examiner who was confident that he
could floor his examinee in viva voce。
〃You know our orders；〃 answered my father； 〃you have seen them on
your permit。 I met one of those foreign devils from the other
side； of whom we have had more than one lately； he came from out of
the clouds that hang higher up； and as he had no permit and could
not speak a word of our language； I gripped him； flung him； and
strangled him。 Thus far I was only obeying orders； but seeing how
much better his boots were than mine； and finding that they would
fit me； I resolved to keep them。 You may be sure I should not have
done so if I had known there was snow on the top of the pass。〃
〃He could not invent that；〃 said Hanky； 〃it is plain he has not
been up to the statues。〃
Panky was staggered。 〃And of course；〃 said he ironically； 〃you
took nothing from this poor wretch except his boots。〃
〃Sir；〃 said my father； 〃I will make a clean breast of everything。
I flung his body； his clothes； and my own old boots into the pool；
but I kept his blanket； some things he used for cooking； and some
strange stuff that looks like dried leaves； as well as a small bag
of something which I believe is gold。 I thought I could sell the
lot to some dealer in curiosities who would ask no questions。〃
〃And what； pray； have you done with all these things？〃
〃They are here； sir。〃 And as he spoke he dived into the wood；
returning with the blanket； billy； pannikin； tea； and the little
bag of nuggets； which he had kept accessible。
〃This is very strange；〃 said Hanky； who was beginning to be afraid
of my father when he learned that he sometimes killed people。
Here the Professors talked hurriedly to one another in a tongue
which my father could not understand； but which he felt sure was
the hypothetical language of which he has spoken in his book。
Presently Hanky said to my father quite civilly； 〃And what； my good
man； do you propose to do with all these things？ I should tell you
at once that what you take to be gold is nothing of the kind； it is
a base metal； hardly； if at all； worth more than copper。〃
〃I have had enough of them； to…morrow morning I shall take them
with me to the Blue Pool； and drop them into it。〃
〃It is a pity you should do that；〃 said Hanky musingly： 〃the
things are interesting as curiosities； andandandwhat will you
take for them？〃
〃I could not do it； sir；〃 answered my father。 〃I would not do it；
no； not for〃 and he named a sum equivalent to about five pounds
of our money。 For he wanted Erewhonian money； and thought it worth
his while to sacrifice his ten pounds' worth of nuggets in order to
get a supply of current coin。
Hanky tried to beat him down； assuring him that no curiosity dealer
would give half as much； and my father so far yielded as to take 4
pounds； 10s。 in silver； which； as I have already explained； would
not be worth more than half a sovereign in gold。 At this figure a
bargain was struck； and the Professors paid up without offering him
a single Musical Bank coin。 They wanted to include the boots in
the purchase； but here my father stood out。
But he could not stand out as regards another matter； which caused
him some anxiety。 Panky insisted that my father should give them a
receipt for the money； and there was an altercation between the
Professors on this point； much longer than I can here find space to
give。 Hanky argued that a receipt was useless； inasmuch as it
would be ruin to my father ever to refer to the subject again。
Panky； however； was anxious； not lest my father should again claim
the money； but （though he did not say so outright） lest Hanky
should claim the whole purchase as his own。 In so the end Panky；
for a wonder； carried the day； and a receipt was drawn up to the
effect that the undersigned acknowledged to