erewhon-第10部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

indeed　I　was；　for　I　would　have　gone　through　fire　and　water　for
either　of　them。

Then　came　the　inevitable　surprise　at　seeing　me　smoke；　which　I　will
spare　the　reader；　but　I　noticed　that　when　they　saw　me　strike　a
match；　there　was　a　hubbub　of　excitement　which；　it　struck　me；　was
not　altogether　unmixed　with　disapproval：　　why；　I　could　not　guess。
Then　the　women　retired；　and　I　was　left　alone　with　the　men；　who
tried　to　talk　to　me　in　every　conceivable　way；　but　we　could　come　to
no　understanding；　except　that　I　was　quite　alone；　and　had　come　from
a　long　way　over　the　mountains。　　In　the　course　of　time　they　grew
tired；　and　I　very　sleepy。　　I　made　signs　as　though　I　would　sleep　on
the　floor　in　my　blankets；　but　they　gave　me　one　of　their　bunks　with
plenty　of　dried　fern　and　grass；　on　to　which　I　had　no　sooner　laid
myself　than　I　fell　fast　asleep；　nor　did　I　awake　till　well　into　the
following　day；　when　I　found　myself　in　the　hut　with　two　men　keeping
guard　over　me　and　an　old　woman　cooking。　　When　I　woke　the　men　seemed
pleased；　and　spoke　to　me　as　though　bidding　me　good　morning　in　a
pleasant　tone。

I　went　out　of　doors　to　wash　in　a　creek　which　ran　a　few　yards　from
the　house。　　My　hosts　were　as　engrossed　with　me　as　ever；　they　never
took　their　eyes　off　me；　following　every　action　that　I　did；　no
matter　how　trifling；　and　each　looking　towards　the　other　for　his
opinion　at　every　touch　and　turn。　　They　took　great　interest　in　my
ablutions；　for　they　seemed　to　have　doubted　whether　I　was　in　all
respects　human　like　themselves。　　They　even　laid　hold　of　my　arms　and
overhauled　them；　and　expressed　approval　when　they　saw　that　they
were　strong　and　muscular。　　They　now　examined　my　legs；　and
especially　my　feet。　　When　they　desisted　they　nodded　approvingly　to
each　other；　and　when　I　had　combed　and　brushed　my　hair；　and
generally　made　myself　as　neat　and　well　arranged　as　circumstances
would　allow；　I　could　see　that　their　respect　for　me　increased
greatly；　and　that　they　were　by　no　means　sure　that　they　had　treated
me　with　sufficient　deferencea　matter　on　which　I　am　not　competent
to　decide。　　All　I　know　is　that　they　were　very　good　to　me；　for　which
I　thanked　them　heartily；　as　it　might　well　have　been　otherwise。

For　my　own　part；　I　liked　them　and　admired　them；　for　their　quiet
self…possession　and　dignified　ease　impressed　me　pleasurably　at
once。　　Neither　did　their　manner　make　me　feel　as　though　I　were
personally　distasteful　to　themonly　that　I　was　a　thing　utterly　new
and　unlooked　for；　which　they　could　not　comprehend。　　Their　type　was
more　that　of　the　most　robust　Italians　than　any　other；　their　manners
also　were　eminently　Italian；　in　their　entire　unconsciousness　of
self。　　Having　travelled　a　good　deal　in　Italy；　I　was　struck　with
little　gestures　of　the　hand　and　shoulders；　which　constantly
reminded　me　of　that　country。　　My　feeling　was　that　my　wisest　plan
would　be　to　go　on　as　I　had　begun；　and　be　simply　myself　for　better
or　worse；　such　as　I　was；　and　take　my　chance　accordingly。

I　thought　of　these　things　while　they　were　waiting　for　me　to　have
done　washing；　and　on　my　way　back。　　Then　they　gave　me　breakfasthot
bread　and　milk；　and　fried　flesh　of　something　between　mutton　and
venison。　　Their　ways　of　cooking　and　eating　were　European；　though
they　had　only　a　skewer　for　a　fork；　and　a　sort　of　butcher's　knife　to
cut　with。　　The　more　I　looked　at　everything　in　the　house；　the　more　I
was　struck　with　its　quasi…European　character；　and　had　the　walls
only　been　pasted　over　with　extracts　from　the　Illustrated　London
News　and　Punch；　I　could　have　almost　fancied　myself　in　a　shepherd's
hut　upon　my　master's　sheep…run。　　And　yet　everything　was　slightly
different。　　It　was　much　the　same　with　the　birds　and　flowers　on　the
other　side；　as　compared　with　the　English　ones。　　On　my　arrival　I　had
been　pleased　at　noticing　that　nearly　all　the　plants　and　birds　were
very　like　common　English　ones：　　thus；　there　was　a　robin；　and　a
lark；　and　a　wren；　and　daisies；　and　dandelions；　not　quite　the　same
as　the　English；　but　still　very　like　themquite　like　enough　to　be
called　by　the　same　name；　so　now；　here；　the　ways　of　these　two　men；
and　the　things　they　had　in　the　house；　were　all　very　nearly　the　same
as　in　Europe。　　It　was　not　at　all　like　going　to　China　or　Japan；
where　everything　that　one　sees　is　strange。　　I　was；　indeed；　at　once
struck　with　the　primitive　character　of　their　appliances；　for　they
seemed　to　be　some　five　or　six　hundred　years　behind　Europe　in　their
inventions；　but　this　is　the　case　in　many　an　Italian　village。

All　the　time　that　I　was　eating　my　breakfast　I　kept　speculating　as
to　what　family　of　mankind　they　could　belong　to；　and　shortly　there
came　an　idea　into　my　head；　which　brought　the　blood　into　my　cheeks
with　excitement　as　I　thought　of　it。　　Was　it　possible　that　they
might　be　the　lost　ten　tribes　of　Israel；　of　whom　I　had　heard　both　my
grandfather　and　my　father　make　mention　as　existing　in　an　unknown
country；　and　awaiting　a　final　return　to　Palestine？　　Was　it　possible
that　I　might　have　been　designed　by　Providence　as　the　instrument　of
their　conversion？　　Oh；　what　a　thought　was　this！　　I　laid　down　my
skewer　and　gave　them　a　hasty　survey。　　There　was　nothing　of　a　Jewish
type　about　them：　　their　noses　were　distinctly　Grecian；　and　their
lips；　though　full；　were　not　Jewish。

How　could　I　settle　this　question？　　I　knew　neither　Greek　nor　Hebrew；
and　even　if　I　should　get　to　understand　the　language　here　spoken；　I
should　be　unable　to　detect　the　roots　of　either　of　these　tongues。　　I
had　not　been　long　enough　among　them　to　ascertain　their　habits；　but
they　did　not　give　me　the　impression　of　being　a　religious　people。
This　too　was　natural：　　the　ten　tribes　had　been　always　lamentably
irreligious。　　But　could　I　not　make　them　change？　　To　restore　the
lost　ten　tribes　of　Israel　to　a　knowledge　of　the　only　truth：　　here
would　be　indeed　an　immortal　crown　of　glory！　　My　heart　beat　fast　and
furious　as　I　entertained　the　thought。　　What　a　position　would　it　not
ensure　me　in　the　next　world；　or　perhaps　even　in　this！　　What　folly
it　would　be　to　throw　such　a　chance　away！　　I　should　rank　next　to　the
Apostles；　if　not　as　high　as　theycertainly　above　the　minor
prophets；　and　possibly　above　any　Old　Testament　writer　except　Moses
and　Isaiah。　　For　such　a　future　as　this　I　would　sacrifice　all　that　I
have　without　a　moment's　hesitation；　could　I　be　reasonably　assured
of　it。　　I　had　always　cordially　approved　of　missionary　efforts；　and
had　at　times　contributed　my　mite　towards　their　support　and
extension；　but　I　had　never　hitherto　felt　drawn　towards　becoming　a
missionary　myself；　and　indeed　had　always　admired；　and　envied；　and
respected　them；　more　than　I　had　exactly　liked　them。　　But　if　these
people　were　the　lost　ten　tribes　of　Israel；　the　case　would　be　widely
different：　　the　opening　was　too　excellent　to　be　lost；　and　I
resolved　that　should　I　see　indications　which　appeared　to　confirm　my
impression　that　I　had　indeed　come　upon　the　missing　tribes；　I　would
certainly　convert　them。

I　may　here　mention　that　this　discovery　is　the　one　to　which　I
alluded　in　the　opening　pages　of　my　story。　　Time　strengthened　the
impression　made　upon　me　at　first；　and；　though　I　remained　in　doubt
for　several　months；　I　feel　now　no　longer　uncertain。

When　I　had　done　eating；　my　hosts　approached；　and　pointed　down　the
valley　leading　to　their　own　country；　as　though　wanting　to　show　that
I　must　go　with　them；　at　the　same　time　they　laid　hold　of　my　arms；
and　made　as　though　they　would　take　me；　but　used　no　violence。　　I
laughed；　and　motioned　my　hand　across　my　throat；　pointing　down　the
valley　as　though　I　was　afraid　lest　I　should　be　killed　when　I　got
there。　　But　they　divined　me　at　once；　and　shook　their　heads　with
much　decision；　to　show　that　I　was　in　no　danger。　　Their　manner　quite
reassured　me；　and　in　half　an　hour　or　so　I　had　packed　up　my　swag；
and　was　eager　for　the　forward　journey；　feeling　wonderfully
strengthened　and　refreshed　by　good　food　and　sleep；　while　my　hope
and　curiosity　were　aroused　to　their　very　utmost　by　the
extraordinary　position　in　which　I　found　myself。

But　already　my　excitement　had　begun　to　cool　and　I　reflected　that
these　people　might　not　be　the　ten　tribes　after　all；　in　which　case　I
could　not　but　regret　that　my　hopes　of　making　money；　which　had　led
me　into　so　much　trouble　and　danger；　were　almost　annihilated　by　the
fact　that　the　country　was　full　to　overflowing；　with　a　people　who
had　probably　already　developed　its　more　available　resources。
Moreover；　how　was　I　to　get　back？　　For　there　was　something　about　my
hosts　which　told　me　that　they　had　got　me；　and　meant　to　keep　me；　in
spite　of　all　their　goodness。



CHAPTER　VII：　　FIRST　IMPRESSIONS



We　followed　an　Alpine　path　for　some　four　miles；　now　hundreds　of
feet　above　a　brawling　stream　which　descended　from　the　glaciers；　and
now　nearly　alongside　it。　　The　morning　was　cold　and　somewhat　foggy；
for　the　autumn　had　made　great　strides　latterly。　　Sometimes　we　went
through　forests　of　pine；　or　rather　yew　trees；　though　they　looked
like　pine；　and　I　remember　that　now　and　again　we　passed　a　little
wayside　shrine；　wherein　there　would　be　a　statue　of　great　beauty；
representing　some　figure；　male　or　female；　in　the　very　heyday　of
youth；　strength；　and　beauty；　or　of　the　most　dignified　maturity　and
old　age。　　My　hosts　al