quarter past twelve； but no George。 Half…past； still no George。
One o'clock； and all the quarters till three o'clock； but still no
George。 I tried to eat some of the ship's biscuits I had brought
with me； but I could not。 My disappointment was now as great as my
excitement had been all the forenoon； at three o'clock I fairly
cried； and for half an hour could only fling myself on the ground
and give way to all the unreasonable spleen that extreme vexation
could suggest。 True； I kept telling myself that for aught I knew
George might be dead； or down with a fever； but this would not do；
for in this last case he should have sent one of his brothers to
meet me； and it was not likely that he was dead。 I am afraid I
thought it most probable that he had been casualof which unworthy
suspicion I have long since been heartily ashamed。
I put the brooches inside my knapsack； and hid it in a place where
I was sure no one would find it； then； with a heavy heart； I
trudged down again to my campbroken in spirit； and hopeless for
the morrow。
I camped again； but it was some hours before I got a wink of sleep；
and when sleep came it was accompanied by a strange dream。 I
dreamed that I was by my father's bedside； watching his last
flicker of intelligence； and vainly trying to catch the words that
he was not less vainly trying to utter。 All of a sudden the bed
seemed to be at my camping ground； and the largest of the statues
appeared； quite small； high up the mountain side； but striding down
like a giant in seven league boots till it stood over me and my
father； and shouted out 〃Leap； John； leap。〃 In the horror of this
vision I woke with a loud cry that woke my dog also； and made him
shew such evident signs of fear； that it seemed to me as though he
too must have shared my dream。
Shivering with cold I started up in a frenzy； but there was
nothing； save a night of such singular beauty that I did not even
try to go to sleep again。 Naturally enough； on trying to keep
awake I dropped asleep before many minutes were over。
In the morning I again climbed up to the statues； without； to my
surprise； being depressed with the idea that George would again
fail to meet me。 On the contrary； without rhyme or reason； I had a
strong presentiment that he would come。 And sure enough； as soon
as I caught sight of the statues； which I did about a quarter to
twelve； I saw a youth coming towards me； with a quick step； and a
beaming face that had only to be seen to be fallen in love with。
〃You are my brother；〃 said he to me。 〃Is my father with you？〃
I pointed to the crape on my arm； and to the ground； but said
nothing。
He understood me； and bared his head。 Then he flung his arms about
me and kissed my forehead according to Erewhonian custom。 I was a
little surprised at his saying nothing to me about the way in which
he had disappointed me on the preceding day； I resolved； however；
to wait for the explanation that I felt sure he would give me
presently。
CHAPTER XXVIII： GEORGE AND I SPEND A FEW HOURS TOGETHER AT THE
STATUES； AND THEN PARTI REACH HOMEPOSTSCRIPT
I have said on an earlier page that George gained an immediate
ascendancy over me； but ascendancy is not the wordhe took me by
storm； how； or why； I neither know nor want to know； but before I
had been with him more than a few minutes I felt as though I had
known and loved him all my life。 And the dog fawned upon him as
though he felt just as I did。
〃Come to the statues；〃 said he； as soon as he had somewhat
recovered from the shock of the news I had given him。 〃We can sit
down there on the very stone on which our father and I sat a year
ago。 I have brought a basket； which my mother packed forforhim
and me。 Did he talk to you about me？〃
〃He talked of nothing so much； and he thought of nothing so much。
He had your boots put where he could see them from his bed until he
died。〃
Then followed the explanation about these boots； of which the
reader has already been told。 This made us both laugh； and from
that moment we were cheerful。
I say nothing about our enjoyment of the luncheon with which Yram
had provided us； and if I were to detail all that I told George
about my father； and all the additional information that I got from
him（many a point did he clear up for me that I had not fully
understood）I should fill several chapters； whereas I have left
myself only one。 Luncheon being over I said …
〃And are you married？〃
〃Yes〃 （with a blush）； 〃and are you？〃
I could not blush。 Why should I？ And yet young peopleespecially
the most ingenuous among themare apt to flush up on being asked
if they are； or are going； to be married。 If I could have blushed；
I would。 As it was I could only say that I was engaged and should
marry as soon as I got back。
〃Then you have come all this way for me； when you were wanting to
get married？〃
〃Of course I have。 My father on his death…bed told me to do so；
and to bring you something that I have brought you。〃
〃What trouble I have given！ How can I thank you？〃
〃Shake hands with me。〃
Whereon he gave my hand a stronger grip than I had quite bargained
for。
〃And now；〃 said I； 〃before I tell you what I have brought； you must
promise me to accept it。 Your father said I was not to leave you
till you had done so； and I was to say that he sent it with his
dying blessing。〃
After due demur George gave his promise； and I took him to the
place where I had hidden my knapsack。
〃I brought it up yesterday；〃 said I。
〃Yesterday？ but why？〃
〃Because yesterdaywas it not？was the first of the two days
agreed upon between you and our father？〃
〃Nosurely to…day is the first dayI was to come XXI。 i。 3； which
would be your December 9。〃
〃But yesterday was December 9 with usto…day is December 10。〃
〃Strange！ What day of the week do you make it？〃
〃To…day is Thursday； December 10。〃
〃This is still strangerwe make it Wednesday； yesterday was
Tuesday。〃
Then I saw it。 The year XX。 had been a leap year with the
Erewhonians； and 1891 in England had not。 This； then； was what had
crossed my father's brain in his dying hours； and what he had
vainly tried to tell me。 It was also what my unconscious self had
been struggling to tell my conscious one； during the past night；
but which my conscious self had been too stupid to understand。 And
yet my conscious self had caught it in an imperfect sort of a way
after all； for from the moment that my dream had left me I had been
composed； and easy in my mind that all would be well。 I wish some
one would write a book about dreams and parthenogenesisfor that
the two are part and parcel of the same storya brood of folly
without father bredI cannot doubt。
I did not trouble George with any of this rubbish； but only shewed
him how the mistake had arisen。 When we had laughed sufficiently
over my mistakefor it was I who had come up on the wrong day； not
heI fished my knapsack out of its hiding…place。
〃Do not unpack it；〃 said I； 〃beyond taking out the brooches； or you
will not be able to pack it so well； but you can see the ends of
the bars of gold； and you can feel the weight； my father sent them
for you。 The pearl brooch is for your mother； the smaller brooches
are for your sisters； and your wife。〃
I then told him how much gold there was； and from my pockets
brought out the watches and the English knife。
〃This last；〃 I said； 〃is the only thing that I am giving you； the
rest is all from our father。 I have many many times as much gold
myself； and this is legally your property as much as mine is mine。〃
George was aghast； but he was powerless alike to express his
feelings； or to refuse the gold。
〃Do you mean to say that my father left me this by his will？〃
〃Certainly he did；〃 said I； inventing a pious fraud。
〃It is all against my oath；〃 said he； looking grave。
〃Your oath be hanged；〃 said I。 〃You must give the gold to the
Mayor； who knows that it was coming； and it will appear to the
world； as though he were giving it you now instead of leaving you
anything。〃
〃But it is ever so much too much！〃
〃It is not half enough。 You and the Mayor must settle all that
between you。 He and our father talked it all over； and this was
what they settled。〃
〃And our father planned all this； without saying a word to me about
it while we were on our way up here？〃
〃Yes。 There might have been some hitch in the gold's coming。
Besides the Mayor told him not to tell you。〃
〃And he never said anything about the other money he left for me
which enabled me to marry at once？ Why was this？〃
〃Your mother said he was not to do so。〃
〃Bless my heart； how they have duped me all round。 But why would
not my mother let your father tell me？ Oh yesshe was afraid I
should tell the King about it； as I certainly should； when I told
him all the rest。〃
〃Tell the King？〃 said I； 〃what have you been telling the King？〃
〃Everything； except about the nuggets and the sovereigns； of which
I knew nothing； and I have felt myself a blackguard ever since for
not telling him about these when he came up here last autumnbut I
let the Mayor and my mother talk me over； as I am afraid they w