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Here the Professors talked hurriedly to one another in a tongue
which my father could not understand； but which he felt sure was
the hypothetical language of which he has spoken in his book。
Presently Hanky said to my father quite civilly； 〃And what； my good
man； do you propose to do with all these things？ I should tell you
at once that what you take to be gold is nothing of the kind； it is
a base metal； hardly； if at all； worth more than copper。〃
〃I have had enough of them； to…morrow morning I shall take them
with me to the Blue Pool； and drop them into it。〃
〃It is a pity you should do that；〃 said Hanky musingly： 〃the
things are interesting as curiosities； andandandwhat will you
take for them？〃
〃I could not do it； sir；〃 answered my father。 〃I would not do it；
no； not for〃 and he named a sum equivalent to about five pounds
of our money。 For he wanted Erewhonian money； and thought it worth
his while to sacrifice his ten pounds' worth of nuggets in order to
get a supply of current coin。
Hanky tried to beat him down； assuring him that no curiosity dealer
would give half as much； and my father so far yielded as to take 4
pounds； 10s。 in silver； which； as I have already explained； would
not be worth more than half a sovereign in gold。 At this figure a
bargain was struck； and the Professors paid up without offering him
a single Musical Bank coin。 They wanted to include the boots in
the purchase； but here my father stood out。
But he could not stand out as regards another matter； which caused
him some anxiety。 Panky insisted that my father should give them a
receipt for the money； and there was an altercation between the
Professors on this point； much longer than I can here find space to
give。 Hanky argued that a receipt was useless； inasmuch as it
would be ruin to my father ever to refer to the subject again。
Panky； however； was anxious； not lest my father should again claim
the money； but （though he did not say so outright） lest Hanky
should claim the whole purchase as his own。 In so the end Panky；
for a wonder； carried the day； and a receipt was drawn up to the
effect that the undersigned acknowledged to have received from
Professors Hanky and Panky the sum of 4 pounds； 10s。 （I translate
the amount）； as joint purchasers of certain pieces of yellow ore； a
blanket； and sundry articles found without an owner in the King's
preserves。 This paper was dated； as the permit had been； XIX。
xii。 29。
My father； generally so ready； was at his wits' end for a name； and
could think of none but Mr。 Nosnibor's。 Happily； remembering that
this gentleman had also been called Senoja name common enough in
Erewhonhe signed himself Senoj； Under…ranger。〃
Panky was now satisfied。 〃We will put it in the bag；〃 he said；
〃with the pieces of yellow ore。〃
〃Put it where you like；〃 said Hanky contemptuously； and into the
bag it was put。
When all was now concluded； my father laughingly said； 〃If you have
dealt unfairly by me； I forgive you。 My motto is； 'Forgive us our
trespasses； as we forgive them that trespass against us。'〃
〃Repeat those last words；〃 said Panky eagerly。 My father was
alarmed at his manner； but thought it safer to repeat them。
〃You hear that； Hanky？ I am convinced； I have not another word to
say。 The man is a true Erewhonian； he has our corrupt reading of
the Sunchild's prayer。〃
〃Please explain。〃
〃Why； can you not see？〃 said Panky； who was by way of being great
at conjectural emendations。 〃Can you not see how impossible it is
for the Sunchild； or any of the people to whom he declared （as we
now know provisionally） that he belonged； could have made the
forgiveness of his own sins depend on the readiness with which he
forgave other people？ No man in his senses would dream of such a
thing。 It would be asking a supposed all…powerful being not to
forgive his sins at all； or at best to forgive them imperfectly。
No； Yram got it wrong。 She mistook 'but do not' for 'as we。' The
sound of the words is very much alike； the correct reading should
obviously be； 'Forgive us our trespasses； but do not forgive them
that trespass against us。' This makes sense； and turns an
impossible prayer into one that goes straight to the heart of every
one of us。〃 Then； turning to my father； he said； 〃You can see
this； my man； can you not； as soon as it is pointed out to you？〃
My father said that he saw it now； but had always heard the words
as he had himself spoken them。
〃Of course you have； my good fellow； and it is because of this that
I know they never can have reached you except from an Erewhonian
source。〃
Hanky smiled；snorted； and muttered in an undertone； 〃I shall
begin to think that this fellow is a foreign devil after all。〃
〃And now； gentlemen；〃 said my father； 〃the moon is risen。 I must
be after the quails at day…break； I will therefore go to the
ranger's shelter〃 （a shelter； by the way； which existed only in my
father's invention）； 〃and get a couple of hours' sleep； so as to be
both close to the quail…ground； and fresh for running。 You are so
near the boundary of the preserves that you will not want your
permit further； no one will meet you； and should any one do so； you
need only give your names and say that you have made a mistake。
You will have to give it up to…morrow at the Ranger's office； it
will save you trouble if I collect it now； and give it up when I
deliver my quails。
〃As regards the curiosities； hide them as you best can outside the
limits。 I recommend you to carry them at once out of the forest；
and rest beyond the limits rather than here。 You can then recover
them whenever； and in whatever way； you may find convenient。 But I
hope you will say nothing about any foreign devil's having come
over on to this side。 Any whisper to this effect unsettles
people's minds； and they are too much unsettled already； hence our
orders to kill any one from over there at once； and to tell no one
but the Head Ranger。 I was forced by you； gentlemen； to disobey
these orders in self…defence； I must trust your generosity to keep
what I have told you secret。 I shall； of course； report it to the
Head Ranger。 And now； if you think proper； you can give me up your
permit。〃
All this was so plausible that the Professors gave up their permit
without a word but thanks。 They bundled their curiosities
hurriedly into 〃the poor foreign devil's〃 blanket； reserving a more
careful packing till they were out of the preserves。 They wished
my father a very good night； and all success with his quails in the
morning； they thanked him again for the care he had taken of them
in the matter of the landrails； and Panky even went so far as to
give him a few Musical Bank coins； which he gratefully accepted。
They then started off in the direction of Sunch'ston。
My father gathered up the remaining quails； some of which he meant
to eat in the morning； while the others he would throw away as soon
as he could find a safe place。 He turned towards the mountains；
but before he had gone a dozen yards he heard a voice； which he
recognised as Panky's； shouting after him； and saying …
〃Mind you do not forget the true readin