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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
nor Mrs。 Nosnibor would have any objection to my marrying into the
family； a physical excellence is considered in Erewhon as a set off
against almost any other disqualification； and my light hair was
sufficient to make me an eligible match。 But along with this
welcome fact I gathered another which filled me with dismay： I was
expected to marry Zulora； for whom I had already conceived a great
aversion。 At first I hardly noticed the little hints and the
artifices which were resorted to in order to bring us together； but
after a time they became too plain。 Zulora； whether she was in
love with me or not； was bent on marrying me； and I gathered in
talking with a young gentleman of my acquaintance who frequently
visited the house and whom I greatly disliked； that it was
considered a sacred and inviolable rule that whoever married into a
family must marry the eldest daughter at that time unmarried。 The
young gentleman urged this upon me so frequently that I at last saw
he was in love with Arowhena himself； and wanted me to get Zulora
out of the way； but others told me the same story as to the custom
of the country； and I saw there was a serious difficulty。 My only
comfort was that Arowhena snubbed my rival and would not look at
him。 Neither would she look at me； nevertheless there was a
difference in the manner of her disregard； this was all I could get
from her。
Not that she avoided me； on the contrary I had many a tete…a…tete
with her； for her mother and sister were anxious for me to deposit
some part of my pension in the Musical Banks； this being in
accordance with the dictates of their goddess Ydgrun； of whom both
Mrs。 Nosnibor and Zulora were great devotees。 I was not sure
whether I had kept my secret from being perceived by Arowhena
herself； but none of the others suspected me； so she was set upon
me to get me to open an account； at any rate pro forma； with the
Musical Banks； and I need hardly say that she succeeded。 But I did
not yield at once； I enjoyed the process of being argued with too
keenly to lose it by a prompt concession； besides； a little
hesitation rendered the concession itself more valuable。 It was in
the course of conversations on this subject that I learned the more
defined religious opinions of the Erewhonians； that coexist with
the Musical Bank system； but are not recognised by those curious
institutions。 I will describe them as briefly as possible in the
following chapters before I return to the personal adventures of
Arowhena and myself。
They were idolaters； though of a comparatively enlightened kind；
but here； as in other things； there was a discrepancy between their
professed and actual belief； for they had a genuine and potent
faith which existed without recognition alongside of their idol
worship。
The gods whom they worship openly are personifications of human
qualities； as justice； strength； hope； fear； love； &c。； &c。 The
people think that prototypes of these have a real objective
existence in a region far beyond the clouds； holding； as did the
ancients； that they are like men and women both in body and
passion； except that they are even comelier and more powerful； and
also that they can render themselves invisible to human eyesight。
They are capable of being propitiated by mankind and of coming to
the assistance of those who ask their aid。 Their interest in human
affairs is keen； and on the whole beneficent； but they become very
angry if neglected； and punish rather the first they come upon；
than the actual person who has offended them； their fury being
blind when it is raised； though never raised without reason。 They
will not punish with any less severity when people sin against them
from ignorance； and without the chance of having had knowledge；
they will take no excuses of this kind； but are even as the English
law； which assumes itself to be known to every one。
Thus they have a law that two pieces of matter may not occupy the
same space at the same moment； which law is presided over and
administered by the gods of time and space jointly； so that if a
flying stone and a man's head attempt to outrage these gods； by
〃arrogating a right which they do not possess〃 （for so it is
written in one of their books）； and to occupy the same space
simultaneously； a severe punishment； sometimes even death itself；
is sure to follow； without any regard to whether the stone knew
that the man's head was there； or the head the stone； this at least
is their view of the common accidents of life。 Moreover； they hold
their deities to be quite regardless of motives。 With them it is
the thing done which is everything； and the motive goes for
nothing。
Thus they hold it strictly forbidden for a man to go without common
air in his lungs for more than a very few minutes； and if by any
chance he gets into the water； the air…god is very angry； and will
not suffer it； no matter whether the man got into the water by
accident or on purpose； whether through the attempt to save a child
or through presumptuous contempt of the air…god； the air…god will
kill him； unless he keeps his head high enough out of the water；
and thus gives the air…god his due。
This with regard to the deities who manage physical affairs。 Over
and above these they personify hope； fear； love； and so forth；
giving them temples and priests； and carving likenesses of them in
stone； which they verily believe to be faithful representations of
living beings who are only not human in being more than human。 If
any one denies the objective existence of these divinities； and
says that there is really no such being as a beautiful woman called
Justice； with her eyes blinded and a pair of scales； positively
living and moving in a remote and ethereal region； but that justice
is only the personified expression of certain modes of human
thought and actionthey say that he denies the existence of
justice in denying her personality； and that he is a wanton
disturber of men's religious convictions。 They detest nothing so
much as any attempt to lead them to higher spiritual conceptions of
the deities whom they profess to worship。 Arowhena and I had a
pitched battle on this point； and should have had many more but for
my prudence in allowing her to get the better of me。
I am sure that in her heart she was suspicious of her own position
for she returned more than once to the subject。 〃Can you not see；〃
I had exclaimed； 〃that the fact of justice being admirable will not
be affected by the absence of a belief in her being also a living
agent？ Can you really think that men will be one whit less
hopeful； because they no longer believe that hope is an actual
person？〃 She shook her head； and said that with men's belief in
the personality all incentive to the reverence of the thing itself；
as justice or hope； would cease； men from that hour would never be
either just or hopeful again。
I could not move her； nor； indeed； did I seriously wish to do so。
She deferred to me in most things； but she never shrank from
maintaining her opinions if they were put in question； nor does she
to this day abate one jot of her belief in the religion of her
childhood；