come； and though it were good for me to speak out； should I not do
better by refraining？
〃Such were the lawless and uncertain thoughts that tortured me very
cruelly； so that I did what I had not done for many a long yearI
prayed for guidance。 'Shew me Thy will； O Lord；' I cried in great
distress； 'and strengthen me to do it when Thou hast shewn it me。'
But there was no answer。 Instinct tore me one way and reason
another。 Whereon I settled that I would obey the reason with which
God had endowed me； unless the instinct He had also given me should
thrash it out of me。 I could get no further than this； that the
Lord hath mercy on whom He will have mercy； and whom He willeth He
hardeneth； and again I prayed that I might be among those on whom
He would shew His mercy。
〃This was the strongest internal conflict that I ever remember to
have felt； and it was at the end of it that I perceived the first；
but as yet very faint； symptoms of that sickness from which I shall
not recover。 Whether this be a token of mercy or no； my Father
which is in heaven knows； but I know not。〃
From what my father afterwards told me； I do not think the above
reflections had engrossed him for more than three or four minutes；
the giddiness which had for some seconds compelled him to lay hold
of the first thing he could catch at in order to avoid falling；
passed away without leaving a trace behind it； and his path seemed
to become comfortably clear before him。 He settled it that the
proper thing to do would be to buy some food； start back at once
while his permit was still valid； help himself to the property
which he had sold the Professors； leaving the Erewhonians to
wrestle as they best might with the lot that it had pleased Heaven
to send them。
This； however； was too heroic a course。 He was tired； and wanted a
night's rest in a bed； he was hungry； and wanted a substantial
meal； he was curious； moreover； to see the temple dedicated to
himself； and hear Hanky's sermon； there was also this further
difficulty； he should have to take what he had sold the Professors
without returning them their 4 pounds； 10s。； for he could not do
without his blanket； &c。； and even if he left a bag of nuggets made
fast to the sucker； he must either place it where it could be seen
so easily that it would very likely get stolen； or hide it so
cleverly that the Professors would never find it。 He therefore
compromised by concluding that he would sup and sleep in
Sunch'ston； get through the morrow as he best could without
attracting attention； deepen the stain on his face and hair； and
rely on the change so made in his appearance to prevent his being
recognised at the dedication of the temple。 He would do nothing to
disillusion the peopleto do this would only be making bad worse。
As soon as the service was over； he would set out towards the
preserves； and； when it was well dark； make for the statues。 He
hoped that on such a great day the rangers might be many of them in
Sunch'ston； if there were any about； he must trust the moonless
night and his own quick eyes and ears to get him through the
preserves safely。
The shops were by this time closed； but the keepers of a few stalls
were trying by lamplight to sell the wares they had not yet got rid
of。 One of these was a bookstall； and； running his eye over some
of the volumes； my father saw one entitled …
〃The Sayings of the Sunchild during his stay in Erewhon； to which
is added a true account of his return to the palace of the sun with
his Erewhonian bride。 This is the only version authorised by the
Presidents and Vice…Presidents of the Musical Banks； all other
versions being imperfect and inaccurate。Bridgeford； XVIII。； 150
pp。 8vo。 Price 3s。
The reader will understand that I am giving the prices as nearly as
I can in their English equivalents。 Another title was …
〃The Sacrament of Divorce： an Occasional Sermon preached by Dr。
Gurgoyle； President of the Musical Banks for the Province of
Sunch'ston。 8vo； 16 pp。 6d。
Other titles ran …
〃Counsels of Imperfection。〃 8vo； 20 pp。 6d。
〃Hygiene； or； How to Diagnose your Doctor。 8vo； 10 pp。 3d。
〃The Physics of Vicarious Existence；〃 by Dr。 Gurgoyle； President of
the Musical Banks for the Province of Sunch'ston。 8vo； 20 pp。 6d。
There were many other books whose titles would probably have
attracted my father as much as those that I have given； but he was
too tired and hungry to look at more。 Finding that he could buy
all the foregoing for 4s。 9d。； he bought them and stuffed them into
the valise that he had just bought。 His purchases in all had now
amounted to a little over 1 pound； 10s。 （silver）； leaving him about
3 pounds （silver）； including the money for which he had sold the
quails； to carry him on till Sunday afternoon。 He intended to
spend say 2 pounds （silver）； and keep the rest of the money in
order to give it to the British Museum。
He now began to search for an inn； and walked about the less
fashionable parts of the town till he found an unpretending tavern；
which he thought would suit him。 Here； on importunity； he was
given a servant's room at the top of the house； all others being
engaged by visitors who had come for the dedication。 He ordered a
meal； of which he stood in great need； and having eaten it； he
retired early for the night。 But he smoked a pipe surreptitiously
up the chimney before he got into bed。
Meanwhile other things were happening； of which； happily for his
repose； he was still ignorant； and which he did not learn till a
few days later。 Not to depart from chronological order I will deal
with them in my next chapter。
CHAPTER VIII： YRAM； NOW MAYORESS； GIVES A DINNER…PARTY； IN THE
COURSE OF WHICH SHE IS DISQUIETED BY WHAT SHE LEARNS FROM PROFESSOR
HANKY： SHE SENDS FOR HER SON GEORGE AND QUESTIONS HIM
The Professors； returning to their hotel early on the Friday
morning； found a note from the Mayoress urging them to be her
guests during the remainder of their visit； and to meet other
friends at dinner on this same evening。 They accepted； and then
went to bed； for they had passed the night under the tree in which
they had hidden their purchase； and； as may be imagined； had slept
but little。 They rested all day； and transferred themselves and
their belongings to the Mayor's house in time to dress for dinner。
When they came down into the drawing…room they found a brilliant
company assembled； chiefly Musical…Bankical like themselves。 There
was Dr。 Downie； Professor of Logomachy； and perhaps the most subtle
dialectician in Erewhon。 He could say nothing in more words than
any man of his generation。 His text…book on the 〃Art of Obscuring
Issues〃 had passed through ten or twelve editions； and was in the
hands of all aspirants for academic distinction。 He had earned a
high reputation for sobriety of judgement by resolutely refusing to
have definite views on any subject； so safe a man was he
considered； that while still quite young he had been appointed to
the lucrative post of Thinker in Ordinary to the Royal Family。
There was Mr。 Principal Crank； with his sister Mrs。 Quack；
Professors Gabb and Bawl； with their wives and two or three erudite
daughters。
Old Mrs。 Humdrum （of whom more anon） was there of course； with her
venerable white hair and rich black satin dress； looking the very
ideal of all that a stately old dowager ought to be。 In society
she was commonly known as Ydgrun； so perfectly did she correspond
with the conception of this strange goddess formed by the
Erewhonians。 She was one of those who had visited my father when
he was in prison twenty years earlier。 When he told me that she
was now called Ydgrun； he said； 〃I am sure that the Erinyes were
only Mrs。 Humdrums； and that they were delightful people when you
came to know them。 I do not believe they did the awful things we
say they did。 I think； but am not quite sure； that they let
Orestes off； but even though they had not pardoned him； I doubt
whether they would have done anything more dreadful to him than
issue a mot d'ordre that he was not to be asked to any more
afternoon teas。 This； however； would be down…right torture to some
people。 At any rate；〃 he continued； 〃be it the Erinyes； or Mrs。
Grundy； or Ydgrun； in all times and places it is woman who decides
whether society is to condone an offence or no。〃
Among the most attractive ladies present was one for whose
Erewhonian name I can find no English equivalent； and whom I must
therefore call Miss La Frime。 She was Lady President of the
principal establishment for the higher education of young ladies；
and so celebrated was she； that pupils flocked to her from all
parts of the surrounding country。 Her primer （written for the
Erewhonian Arts and Science Series） on the Art of Man…killing； was
the most complete thing of the kind that had yet been done； but
ill…natured people had been heard to say that she had killed all
her own admirers so effectually that not one of them had ever lived
to marry her。 According to Erewhonian custom the successful
marriages of the pupils are inscribed yearly on the oak paneling of
the college refectory； and a re