erewhon-第43部分

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stones；　and　the　like；　or　he　would　come　near　to　incurring　the　guilt
of　infanticide。　　The　grain　of　cereals；　according　to　him；　was　out　of
the　question；　for　every　such　grain　had　a　living　soul　as　much　as　man
had；　and　had　as　good　a　right　as　man　to　possess　that　soul　in　peace。

Having　thus　driven　his　fellow　countrymen　into　a　corner　at　the　point
of　a　logical　bayonet　from　which　they　felt　that　there　was　no　escape；
he　proposed　that　the　question　what　was　to　be　done　should　be
referred　to　an　oracle　in　which　the　whole　country　had　the　greatest
confidence；　and　to　which　recourse　was　always　had　in　times　of
special　perplexity。　　It　was　whispered　that　a　near　relation　of　the
philosopher's　was　lady's…maid　to　the　priestess　who　delivered　the
oracle；　and　the　Puritan　party　declared　that　the　strangely
unequivocal　answer　of　the　oracle　was　obtained　by　backstairs
influence；　but　whether　this　was　so　or　no；　the　response　as　nearly　as
I　can　translate　it　was　as　follows：…


〃He　who　sins　aught
Sins　more　than　he　ought；
But　he　who　sins　nought
Has　much　to　be　taught。
Beat　or　be　beaten；
Eat　or　be　eaten；
Be　killed　or　kill；
Choose　which　you　will。〃


It　was　clear　that　this　response　sanctioned　at　any　rate　the
destruction　of　vegetable　life　when　wanted　as　food　by　man；　and　so
forcibly　had　the　philosopher　shown　that　what　was　sauce　for
vegetables　was　so　also　for　animals；　that；　though　the　Puritan　party
made　a　furious　outcry；　the　acts　forbidding　the　use　of　meat　were
repealed　by　a　considerable　majority。　　Thus；　after　several　hundred
years　of　wandering　in　the　wilderness　of　philosophy；　the　country
reached　the　conclusions　that　common　sense　had　long　since　arrived
at。　　Even　the　Puritans　after　a　vain　attempt　to　subsist　on　a　kind　of
jam　made　of　apples　and　yellow　cabbage　leaves；　succumbed　to　the
inevitable；　and　resigned　themselves　to　a　diet　of　roast　beef　and
mutton；　with　all　the　usual　adjuncts　of　a　modern　dinner…table。

One　would　have　thought　that　the　dance　they　had　been　led　by　the　old
prophet；　and　that　still　madder　dance　which　the　Professor　of　botany
had　gravely；　but　as　I　believe　insidiously；　proposed　to　lead　them；
would　have　made　the　Erewhonians　for　a　long　time　suspicious　of
prophets　whether　they　professed　to　have　communications　with　an
unseen　power　or　no；　but　so　engrained　in　the　human　heart　is　the
desire　to　believe　that　some　people　really　do　know　what　they　say
they　know；　and　can　thus　save　them　from　the　trouble　of　thinking　for
themselves；　that　in　a　short　time　would…be　philosophers　and　faddists
became　more　powerful　than　ever；　and　gradually　led　their　countrymen
to　accept　all　those　absurd　views　of　life；　some　account　of　which　I
have　given　in　my　earlier　chapters。　　Indeed　I　can　see　no　hope　for
the　Erewhonians　till　they　have　got　to　understand　that　reason
uncorrected　by　instinct　is　as　bad　as　instinct　uncorrected　by
reason。



CHAPTER　XXVIII：　　ESCAPE



Though　busily　engaged　in　translating　the　extracts　given　in　the　last
five　chapters；　I　was　also　laying　matters　in　train　for　my　escape
with　Arowhena。　　And　indeed　it　was　high　time；　for　I　received　an
intimation　from　one　of　the　cashiers　of　the　Musical　Banks；　that　I
was　to　be　prosecuted　in　a　criminal　court　ostensibly　for　measles；
but　really　for　having　owned　a　watch；　and　attempted　the
reintroduction　of　machinery。

I　asked　why　measles？　and　was　told　that　there　was　a　fear　lest
extenuating　circumstances　should　prevent　a　jury　from　convicting　me；
if　I　were　indicted　for　typhus　or　small…pox；　but　that　a　verdict
would　probably　be　obtained　for　measles；　a　disease　which　could　be
sufficiently　punished　in　a　person　of　my　age。　　I　was　given　to
understand　that　unless　some　unexpected　change　should　come　over　the
mind　of　his　Majesty；　I　might　expect　the　blow　to　be　struck　within　a
very　few　days。

My　plan　was　thisthat　Arowhena　and　I　should　escape　in　a　balloon
together。　　I　fear　that　the　reader　will　disbelieve　this　part　of　my
story；　yet　in　no　other　have　I　endeavoured　to　adhere　more
conscientiously　to　facts；　and　can　only　throw　myself　upon　his
charity。

I　had　already　gained　the　ear　of　the　Queen；　and　had　so　worked　upon
her　curiosity　that　she　promised　to　get　leave　for　me　to　have　a
balloon　made　and　inflated；　I　pointed　out　to　her　that　no　complicated
machinery　would　be　wantednothing；　in　fact；　but　a　large　quantity
of　oiled　silk；　a　car；　a　few　ropes；　&c。；　&c。；　and　some　light　kind　of
gas；　such　as　the　antiquarians　who　were　acquainted　with　the　means
employed　by　the　ancients　for　the　production　of　the　lighter　gases
could　easily　instruct　her　workmen　how　to　provide。　　Her　eagerness　to
see　so　strange　a　sight　as　the　ascent　of　a　human　being　into　the　sky
overcame　any　scruples　of　conscience　that　she　might　have　otherwise
felt；　and　she　set　the　antiquarians　about　showing　her　workmen　how　to
make　the　gas；　and　sent　her　maids　to　buy；　and　oil；　a　very　large
quantity　of　silk　（for　I　was　determined　that　the　balloon　should　be　a
big　one）　even　before　she　began　to　try　and　gain　the　King's
permission；　this；　however；　she　now　set　herself　to　do；　for　I　had
sent　her　word　that　my　prosecution　was　imminent。

As　for　myself；　I　need　hardly　say　that　I　knew　nothing　about
balloons；　nor　did　I　see　my　way　to　smuggling　Arowhena　into　the　car；
nevertheless；　knowing　that　we　had　no　other　chance　of　getting　away
from　Erewhon；　I　drew　inspiration　from　the　extremity　in　which　we
were　placed；　and　made　a　pattern　from　which　the　Queen's　workmen　were
able　to　work　successfully。　　Meanwhile　the　Queen's　carriage…builders
set　about　making　the　car；　and　it　was　with　the　attachments　of　this
to　the　balloon　that　I　had　the　greatest　difficulty；　I　doubt；　indeed；
whether　I　should　have　succeeded　here；　but　for　the　great
intelligence　of　a　foreman；　who　threw　himself　heart　and　soul　into
the　matter；　and　often　both　foresaw　requirements；　the　necessity　for
which　had　escaped　me；　and　suggested　the　means　of　providing　for
them。

It　happened　that　there　had　been　a　long　drought；　during　the　latter
part　of　which　prayers　had　been　vainly　offered　up　in　all　the　temples
of　the　air　god。　　When　I　first　told　her　Majesty　that　I　wanted　a
balloon；　I　said　my　intention　was　to　go　up　into　the　sky　and　prevail
upon　the　air　god　by　means　of　a　personal　interview。　　I　own　that　this
proposition　bordered　on　the　idolatrous；　but　I　have　long　since
repented　of　it；　and　am　little　likely　ever　to　repeat　the　offence。
Moreover　the　deceit；　serious　though　it　was；　will　probably　lead　to
the　conversion　of　the　whole　country。

When　the　Queen　told　his　Majesty　of　my　proposal；　he　at　first　not
only　ridiculed　it；　but　was　inclined　to　veto　it。　　Being；　however；　a
very　uxorious　husband；　he　at　length　consentedas　he　eventually
always　did　to　everything　on　which　the　Queen　had　set　her　heart。　　He
yielded　all　the　more　readily　now；　because　he　did　not　believe　in　the
possibility　of　my　ascent；　he　was　convinced　that　even　though　the
balloon　should　mount　a　few　feet　into　the　air；　it　would　collapse
immediately；　whereon　I　should　fall　and　break　my　neck；　and　he　should
be　rid　of　me。　　He　demonstrated　this　to　her　so　convincingly；　that
she　was　alarmed；　and　tried　to　talk　me　into　giving　up　the　idea；　but
on　finding　that　I　persisted　in　my　wish　to　have　the　balloon　made；
she　produced　an　order　from　the　King　to　the　effect　that　all
facilities　I　might　require　should　be　afforded　me。

At　the　same　time　her　Majesty　told　me　that　my　attempted　ascent　would
be　made　an　article　of　impeachment　against　me　in　case　I　did　not
succeed　in　prevailing　on　the　air　god　to　stop　the　drought。　　Neither
King　nor　Queen　had　any　idea　that　I　meant　going　right　away　if　I
could　get　the　wind　to　take　me；　nor　had　he　any　conception　of　the
existence　of　a　certain　steady　upper　current　of　air　which　was　always
setting　in　one　direction；　as　could　be　seen　by　the　shape　of　the
higher　clouds；　which　pointed　invariably　from　south…east　to　north…
west。　　I　had　myself　long　noticed　this　peculiarity　in　the　climate；
and　attributed　it；　I　believe　justly；　to　a　trade…wind　which　was
constant　at　a　few　thousand　feet　above　the　earth；　but　was　disturbed
by　local　influences　at　lower　elevations。

My　next　business　was　to　break　the　plan　to　Arowhena；　and　to　devise
the　means　for　getting　her　into　the　car。　　I　felt　sure　that　she　would
come　with　me；　but　had　made　up　my　mind　that　if　her　courage　failed
her；　the　whole　thing　should　come　to　nothing。　　Arowhena　and　I　had
been　in　constant　communication　through　her　maid；　but　I　had　thought
it　best　not　to　tell　her　the　details　of　my　scheme　till　everything
was　settled。　　The　time　had　now　arrived；　and　I　arranged　with　the
maid　that　I　should　be　admitted　by　a　private　door　into　Mr。
Nosnibor's　garden　at　about　dusk　on　the　following　evening。

I　came　at　the　appointed　time；　the　girl　let　me　into　the　garden　and
bade　me　wait　in　a　secluded　alley　until　Arowhena　should　come。　　It
was　now　early　summer；　and　the　leaves　were　so　thick　upon　the　trees
that　even　though　some　one　else　had　entered　the　garden　I　could　have
easily　hidden　myself。　　The　night　was　one　of　extreme　beauty；　the　sun
had　long　set；　but　there　was　still　a　rosy　gleam　in　the　sky　over　the
ruins　of　the　railway　station；　below　me　was　the　city　already
twinkling　with　lights；　while　beyond　it　stretched　the　plains　for
many　a　league　until　they　blended　with　the　sky。　　I　just　noted　these
things；　but　I　could　not　heed　them。　　I　could　heed　nothing；　till；　as
I　peered　into　the　darkness　of　the　alley；　I　perceived　a　white　figure
gliding　swiftly　towards　me。　　I　bounded　towards　it；　and　ere　thought
could　either　prompt　or　check；　I　had　caught　Arowhena　to　my　heart　and
covered　her　unresisting　cheek　with　kisses。

So　overjoyed　were　we　that　we　knew　not　how　to　speak；　indeed　I　do　not
know　when　we　should　have　found　words　and　come　to　our　senses；　if　the
maid　had　not　gone　off　into　a　fit　of　hysterics；　and　awakened　us　to
the　necessity　of　self…control；　then；　briefly　and　plainly；　I
unfolded　what　I　proposed；　I　showed　her　the　darkest　side；　for　I　felt
sure　that　the　darker　the　prospect　the　more　likely　she　was　to　come。
I　told　her　that　my　plan　would　probably　end　in　death　for　both　of　us；
and　that　I　dared　not　press　itthat　at　a　word　from　her　it　should　be
abandoned；　still　that　there　was　just　a　possibility　of　our　escaping
together　to　some　part　of　the　world　where　there　would　be　no　bar　to
our　getting　married；　and　that　I　could　see　no　other　hope。

She　made　no