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that your arguments ought to be considered； but you must not expect
that it will be any part of their duty to consider them。
〃And even though we admitted that the body had been proved up to
the hilt to be the Sunchild's； do you think that such a trifle as
that could affect Sunchildism？ Hardly。 Sunch'ston is no match for
Bridgeford and the King； our only difficulty would lie in settling
which was the most plausible way of the many plausible ways in
which the death could be explained。 We should hatch up twenty
theories in less than twenty hours； and the last state of
Sunchildism would be stronger than the first。 For the people want
it； and so long as they want it they will have it。 At the same
time the supposed identification of the body； even by some few
ignorant people here； might lead to a local heresy that is as well
avoided； and it will be better that your son should arrest the man
before the dedication； if he can be found； and throw him into the
Blue Pool without any one but ourselves knowing that he has been
here at all。〃
I need not dwell on the deep disgust with which this speech was
listened to； but the Mayor； and Yram； and George said not a word。
〃But； Mayoress；〃 said Panky； who had not opened his lips so far；
〃are you sure that you are not too hasty in believing this stranger
to be the Sunchild？ People are continually thinking that such and
such another is the Sunchild come down again from the sun's palace
and going to and fro among us。 How many such stories； sometimes
very plausibly told； have we not had during the last twenty years？
They never take root； and die out of themselves as suddenly as they
spring up。 That the man is a poacher can hardly be doubted； I
thought so the moment I saw him； but I think I can also prove to
you that he is not a foreigner； and； therefore； that he is not the
Sunchild。 He quoted the Sunchild's prayer with a corruption that
can have only reached him from an Erewhonian source〃
Here Hanky interrupted him somewhat brusquely。 〃The man； Panky；〃
said he； 〃was the Sunchild； and he was not a poacher； for he had no
idea that he was breaking the law； nevertheless； as you say；
Sunchildism on the brain has been a common form of mania for
several years。 Several persons have even believed themselves to be
the Sunchild。 We must not forget this； if it should get about that
Higgs has been here。〃
Then； turning to Yram； he said sternly； 〃But come what may； your
son must take him to the Blue Pool at nightfall。〃
〃Sir；〃 said George； with perfect suavity； 〃you have spoken as
though you doubted my readiness to do my duty。 Let me assure you
very solemnly that when the time comes for me to act； I shall act
as duty may direct。〃
〃I will answer for him；〃 said Yram； with even more than her usual
quick； frank smile； 〃that he will fulfil his instructions to the
letter； unless；〃 she added； 〃some black and white horses come down
from heaven and snatch poor Higgs out of his grasp。 Such things
have happened before now。〃
〃I should advise your son to shoot them if they do；〃 said Hanky
drily and sub…defiantly。
Here the conversation closed； but it was useless trying to talk of
anything else； so the Professors asked Yram to excuse them if they
retired early； in view of the fact that they had a fatiguing day
before them。 This excuse their hostess readily accepted。
〃Do not let us talk any more now；〃 said Yram as soon as they had
left the room。 〃It will be quite time enough when the dedication
is over。 But I rather think the black and white horses will come。〃
〃I think so too； my dear；〃 said the Mayor laughing。
〃They shall come；〃 said George gravely； 〃but we have not yet got
enough to make sure of bringing them。 Higgs will perhaps be able
to help me to…morrow。〃
* * *
〃Now what；〃 said Panky as they went upstairs； 〃does that woman
meanfor she means something？ Black and white horses indeed！〃
〃I do not know what she means to do；〃 said the other； 〃but I know
that she thinks she can best us。〃
〃I wish we had not eaten those quails。〃
〃Nonsense； Panky； no one saw us but Higgs； and the evidence of a
foreign devil； in such straits as his； could not stand for a
moment。 We did not eat them。 No； no； she has something that she
thinks better than that。 Besides； it is absolutely impossible that
she should have heard what happened。 What I do not understand is；
why she should have told us about the Sunchild's being here at all。
Why not have left us to find it out or to know nothing about it？ I
do not understand it。〃
So true is it； as Euclid long since observed； that the less cannot
comprehend that which is the greater。 True； however； as this is；
it is also sometimes true that the greater cannot comprehend the
less。 Hanky went musing to his own room and threw himself into an
easy chair to think the position over。 After a few minutes he went
to a table on which he saw pen； ink； and paper； and wrote a short
letter； then he rang the bell。
When the servant came he said； 〃I want to send this note to the
manager of the new temple； and it is important that he should have
it to…night。 Be pleased； therefore； to take it to him and deliver
it into his own hands； but I had rather you said nothing about it
to the Mayor or Mayoress； nor to any of your fellow…servants。 Slip
out unperceived if you can。 When you have delivered the note； ask
for an answer at once； and bring it to me。〃
So saying； he slipped a sum equal to about five shillings into the
man's hand。
The servant returned in about twenty minutes； for the temple was
quite near； and gave a note to Hanky； which ran； 〃Your wishes shall
be attended to without fail。〃
〃Good！〃 said Hanky to the man。 〃No one in the house knows of your
having run this errand for me？〃
〃No one； sir。〃
〃Thank you！ I wish you a very good night。〃
CHAPTER XIII： A VISIT TO THE PROVINCIAL DEFORMATORY AT FAIRMEAD
Having finished his early dinner； and not fearing that he should be
either recognised at Fairmead or again enquired after from
Sunch'ston； my father went out for a stroll round the town； to see
what else he could find that should be new and strange to him。 He
had not gone far before he saw a large building with an inscription
saying that it was the Provincial Deformatory for Boys。 Underneath
the larger inscription there was a smaller oneone of those
corrupt versions of my father's sayings； which； on dipping into the
Sayings of the Sunchild； he had found to be so vexatiously common。
The inscription ran：…
〃When the righteous man turneth away from the righteousness that he
hath committed； and doeth that which is a little naughty and wrong；
he will generally be found to have gained in amiability what he has
lost in righteousness。〃 Sunchild Sayings； chap。 xxii。 v。 15。
The case of the little girl that he had watched earlier in the day
had filled him with a great desire to see the working of one of
these curious institutions； he therefore resolved to call on the
headmaster （whose name he found to be Turvey）； and enquire about
terms； alleging that he had a boy whose incorrigible rectitude was
giving him much anxiety。 The infor