let the Mayor and my mother talk me over； as I am afraid they will
do again。〃
〃When did you tell the King？〃
Then followed all the details that I have told in the latter part
of Chapter XXI。 When I asked how the King took the confession；
George said …
〃He was so much flattered at being treated like a reasonable being；
and Dr。 Downie； who was chief spokesman； played his part so
discreetly； without attempting to obscure even the most
compromising issues； that though his Majesty made some show of
displeasure at first； it was plain that he was heartily enjoying
the whole story。
〃Dr。 Downie shewed very well。 He took on himself the onus of
having advised our action； and he gave me all the credit of having
proposed that we should make a clean breast of everything。
〃The King； too； behaved with truly royal politeness； he was on the
point of asking why I had not taken our father to the Blue Pool at
once； and flung him into it on the Sunday afternoon； when something
seemed to strike him： he gave me a searching look； on which he
said in an undertone； 'Oh yes；' and did not go on with his
question。 He never blamed me for anything； and when I begged him
to accept my resignation of the Rangership； he said …
〃'No。 Stay where you are till I lose confidence in you； which will
not； I think； be very soon。 I will come and have a few days'
shooting about the middle of March； and if I have good sport I
shall order your salary to be increased。 If any more foreign
devils come over； do not Blue…Pool them； send them down to me； and
I will see what I think of them； I am much disposed to encourage a
few of them to settle here。〃
〃I am sure；〃 continued George； 〃that he said this because he knew I
was half a foreign devil myself。 Indeed he won my heart not only
by the delicacy of his consideration； but by the obvious good will
he bore me。 I do not know what he did with the nuggets； but he
gave orders that the blanket and the rest of my father's kit should
be put in the great Erewhonian Museum。 As regards my father's
receipt； and the Professors' two depositions； he said he would have
them carefully preserved in his secret archives。 'A document；' he
said somewhat enigmatically； 'is a documentbut； Professor Hanky；
you can have this'and as he spoke he handed him back his pocket…
handkerchief。
〃Hanky during the whole interview was furious； at having to play so
undignified a part； but even more so； because the King while he
paid marked attention to Dr。 Downie； and even to myself； treated
him with amused disdain。 Nevertheless； angry though he was； he was
impenitent； unabashed； and brazened it out at Bridgeford； that the
King had received him with open arms； and had snubbed Dr。 Downie
and myself。 But for his （Hanky's） intercession； I should have been
dismissed then and there from the Rangership。 And so forth。 Panky
never opened his mouth。
〃Returning to the King； his Majesty said to Dr。 Downie； 'I am
afraid I shall not be able to canonize any of you gentlemen just
yet。 We must let this affair blow over。 Indeed I am in half a
mind to have this Sunchild bubble pricked； I never liked it； and am
getting tired of it； you Musical Bank gentlemen are overdoing it。
I will talk it over with her Majesty。 As for Professor Hanky； I do
not see how I can keep one who has been so successfully hoodwinked；
as my Professor of Worldly Wisdom； but I will consult her Majesty
about this point also。 Perhaps I can find another post for him。
If I decide on having Sunchildism pricked； he shall apply the pin。
You may go。'
〃And glad enough；〃 said George； 〃we all of us were to do so。〃
〃But did he；〃 I asked； 〃try to prick the bubble of Sunchildism？〃
〃Oh no。 As soon as he said he would talk it over with her Majesty；
I knew the whole thing would end in smoke； as indeed to all outward
appearance it shortly did； for Dr。 Downie advised him not to be in
too great a hurry； and whatever he did to do it gradually。 He
therefore took no further action than to show marked favour to
practical engineers and mechanicians。 Moreover he started an
aeronautical society； which made Bridgeford furious； but so far； I
am afraid it has done us no good； for the first ascent was
disastrous； involving the death of the poor fellow who made it； and
since then no one has ventured to ascend。 I am afraid we do not
get on very fast。〃
〃Did the King；〃 I asked； 〃increase your salary？〃
〃Yes。 He doubled it。〃
〃And what do they say in Sunch'ston about our father's second
visit？〃
George laughed； and shewed me the newspaper extract which I have
already given。 I asked who wrote it。
〃I did；〃 said he； with a demure smile； 〃I wrote it at night after I
returned home； and before starting for the capital next morning。 I
called myself 'the deservedly popular Ranger；' to avert suspicion。
No one found me out； you can keep the extract； I brought it here on
purpose。〃
〃It does you great credit。 Was there ever any lunatic； and was he
found？〃
〃Oh yes。 That part was true； except that he had never been up our
way。〃
〃Then the poacher is still at large？〃
〃It is to be feared so。〃
〃And were Dr。 Downie and the Professors canonized after all。〃
〃Not yet； but the Professors will be next monthfor Hanky is still
Professor。 Dr。 Downie backed out of it。 He said it was enough to
be a Sunchildist without being a Sunchild Saint。 He worships the
jumping cat as much as the others； but he keeps his eye better on
the cat； and sees sooner both when it will jump； and where it will
jump to。 Then； without disturbing any one； he insinuates himself
into the place which will be best when the jump is over。 Some say
that the cat knows him and follows him； at all events when he makes
a move the cat generally jumps towards him soon afterwards。〃
〃You give him a very high character。〃
〃Yes； but I have my doubts about his doing much in this matter； he
is getting old； and Hanky burrows like a mole night and day。 There
is no knowing how it will all end。〃
〃And the people at Sunch'ston？ Has it got well about among them；
in spite of your admirable article； that it was the Sunchild
himself who interrupted Hanky？〃
〃It has； and it has not。 Many of us know the truth； but a story
came down from Bridgeford that it was an evil spirit who had
assumed the Sunchild's form； intending to make people sceptical
about Sunchildism； Hanky and Panky cowed this spirit； otherwise it
would never have recanted。 Many people swallow this。〃
〃But Hanky and Panky swore that they knew the man。〃
〃That does not matter。〃
〃And now please； how long have you been married？〃
〃About ten months。〃
〃Any family？〃
〃One boy about a fortnight old。 Do come down to Sunch'ston and see
himhe is your own nephew。 You speak Erewhonian so perfectly that
no human being would suspect you were a foreigner； and you look one
of us from head to foot。 I can smuggle you through quite easily；
and my mother would so like to see you。〃
I should dearly have liked to have gone； but it was out of the
question。 I had nothing with me but the clothes I stood in；
moreover I was longing to be back in England； and when once I was
in Erewhon there was no knowing when I should be able to get away
again； but George fought hard before he gave in。
It was now nearing the time when this strange meeting between two
brothersas strange a one as the statues can ever have looked down
uponmust come to an end。 I shewed George what the repeater would
do； and what it would expect of its possessor。 I gave him six good
photographs； of my father and myselfthree of each。 He had never
seen a photograph； and could hardly believe his eyes as he looked
at those I shewed him。 I also gave him three envelopes addressed
to myself； care of Alfred Emery Cathie； Esq。； 15 Clifford's Inn；
London； and implored him to write to me if he could ever find means
of getting a letter over the range as far as the shepherd's hut。
At this he shook his head； but he promised to write if he could。 I
also told him that I had written a full account of my father's
second visit to Erewhon； but that it should never be published till
I heard from himat which he again shook his head； but added； 〃And
yet who can tell？ For the King may have the country opened up to
foreigners some day after all。〃
Then he thanked me a thousand times over； shouldered the knapsack；
embraced me as he had my father； and caressed the dog； embraced me
again； and made no attempt to hide the tears that ran down his
cheeks。
〃There；〃 he said； 〃I shall wait here till you are out of sight。〃
I turned away； and did not look back till I reached the place at
which I knew that I should lose the statues。 I then turned round；
waved my handas also did George； and went down the mountain side；
full of sad thoughts； but thankful that my task had been so happily
accomplished； and aware that my life henceforward had been enriched
by something that I could never lose。
For I had never seen； and felt as though I never could see；
George's equal。 His absolute unconsciousness of self； the
unhesitating way in which he took me to his heart； his fearless
frankness； the happy genial expression that played on