Still it was a step in the right direction。〃
〃And now； my boy；〃 he said to a very frank and ingenuous youth
about half way up the class； 〃and how is truth best reached？〃
〃Through the falling out of thieves； sir。〃
〃Quite so。 Then it will be necessary that the more earnest；
careful； patient； self…sacrificing； enquirers after truth should
have a good deal of the thief about them； though they are very
honest people at the same time。 Now what does the man〃 （who on
enquiry my father found to be none other than Mr。 Turvey himself）
〃say about honesty？〃
〃He says； sir； that honesty does not consist in never stealing； but
in knowing how and where it will be safe to do so。〃
〃Remember；〃 said Mr。 Turvey to my father； 〃how necessary it is that
we should have a plentiful supply of thieves； if honest men are
ever to come by their own。〃
He spoke with the utmost gravity； evidently quite easy in his mind
that his scheme was the only one by which truth could be
successfully attained。
〃But pray let me have any criticism you may feel inclined to make。〃
〃I have none；〃 said my father。 〃Your system commends itself to
common sense； it is the one adopted in the law courts； and it lies
at the very foundation of party government。 If your academic
bodies can supply the country with a sufficient number of thieves
which I have no doubt they canthere seems no limit to the amount
of truth that may be attained。 If； however； I may suggest the only
difficulty that occurs to me； it is that academic thieves shew no
great alacrity in falling out； but incline rather to back each
other up through thick and thin。〃
〃Ah； yes；〃 said Mr。 Turvey； 〃there is that difficulty； nevertheless
circumstances from time to time arise to get them by the ears in
spite of themselves。 But from whatever point of view you may look
at the question； it is obviously better to aim at imperfection than
perfection； for if we aim steadily at imperfection； we shall
probably get it within a reasonable time； whereas to the end of our
days we should never reach perfection。 Moreover； from a worldly
point of view； there is no mistake so great as that of being always
right。〃 He then turned to his class and said …
〃And now tell me what did the Sunchild tell us about God and
Mammon？〃
The head…boy answered： 〃He said that we must serve both； for no
man can serve God well and truly who does not serve Mammon a little
also； and no man can serve Mammon effectually unless he serve God
largely at the same time。〃
〃What were his words？〃
〃He said； 'Cursed be they that say； 〃Thou shalt not serve God and
Mammon； for it is the whole duty of man to know how to adjust the
conflicting claims of these two deities。〃'
Here my father interposed。 〃I knew the Sunchild； and I more than
once heard him speak of God and Mammon。 He never varied the form
of the words he used； which were to the effect that a man must
serve either God or Mammon； but that he could not serve both。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Mr。 Turvey； 〃that no doubt was his exoteric teaching；
but Professors Hanky and Panky have assured me most solemnly that
his esoteric teaching was as I have given it。 By the way； these
gentlemen are both； I understand； at Sunch'ston； and I think it
quite likely that I shall have a visit from them this afternoon。
If you do not know them I should have great pleasure in introducing
you to them； I was at Bridgeford with both of them。〃
〃I have had the pleasure of meeting them already；〃 said my father；
〃and as you are by no means certain that they will come； I will ask
you to let me thank you for all that you have been good enough to
shew me； and bid you good…afternoon。 I have a rather pressing
engagement〃
〃My dear sir； you must please give me five minutes more。 I shall
examine the boys in the Musical Bank Catechism。〃 He pointed to one
of them and said； 〃Repeat your duty towards your neighbour。〃
〃My duty towards my neighbour；〃 said the boy； 〃is to be quite sure
that he is not likely to borrow money of me before I let him speak
to me at all； and then to have as little to do with him as〃
At this point there was a loud ring at the door bell。 〃Hanky and
Panky come to see me； no doubt；〃 said Mr。 Turvey。 〃I do hope it is
so。 You must stay and see them。〃
〃My dear sir；〃 said my father； putting his handkerchief up to his
face； 〃I am taken suddenly unwell and must positively leave you。〃
He said this in so peremptory a tone that Mr。 Turvey had to yield。
My father held his handkerchief to his face as he went through the
passage and hall； but when the servant opened the door he took it
down； for there was no Hanky or Pankyno one； in fact； but a poor；
wizened old man who had come； as he did every other Saturday
afternoon； to wind up the Deformatory clocks。
Nevertheless； he had been scared； and was in a very wicked…fleeth…
when…no…man…pursueth frame of mind。 He went to his inn； and shut
himself up in his room for some time； taking notes of all that had
happened to him in the last three days。 But even at his inn he no
longer felt safe。 How did he know but that Hanky and Panky might
have driven over from Sunch'ston to see Mr。 Turvey； and might put
up at this very house？ or they might even be going to spend the
night here。 He did not venture out of his room till after seven by
which time he had made rough notes of as much of the foregoing
chapters as had come to his knowledge so far。 Much of what I have
told as nearly as I could in the order in which it happened； he did
not learn till later。 After giving the merest outline of his
interview with Mr。 Turvey； he wrote a note as follows：… 〃I suppose
I must have held forth about the greatest happiness of the greatest
number； but I had quite forgotten it； though I remember repeatedly
quoting my favourite proverb； 'Every man for himself； and the devil
take the hindmost。' To this they have paid no attention。〃
By seven his panic about Hanky and Panky ended； for if they had not
come by this time； they were not likely to do so。 Not knowing that
they were staying at the Mayor's； he had rather settled it that
they would now stroll up to the place where they had left their
hoard and bring it down as soon as night had fallen。 And it is
quite possible that they might have found some excuse for doing
this； when dinner was over； if their hostess had not undesignedly
hindered them by telling them about the Sunchild。 When the
conversation recorded in the preceding chapter was over； it was too
late for them to make any plausible excuse for leaving the house；
we may be sure； therefore； that much more had been said than Yram
and George were able to remember and report to my father。
After another stroll about Fairmead； during which he saw nothing
but what on a larger scale he had already seen at Sunch'ston； he
returned to his inn at about half…past eight； and ordered supper in
a public room that corresponded with the coffee…room of an English
hotel。
CHAPTER XIV： MY FATHER MAKES THE ACQUAINTANCE OF MR BALMY； AND
WALKS WITH HIM NEXT DAY TO SUNCH'STON
Up to this point； though he had seen enough to shew him the main
drift of the great changes that had taken place in Erewhonian
opinions； my father had not been able to glean much about the
history of the transformation。 He could see that it had all grown
out of the supposed miracle of his balloon ascent； and he could
understand that the ignorant masses had been so astounded by an
event so contrary to all their experience； that their faith in
experience was utterly routed and demoralised。 It a man and a
woman might rise from the earth and disappear into the sky； what
else might not happen？ If they had been wrong in thinking such a
thing impossible； in how much else might they not be mistaken also？
The ground was shaken under their very feet。 understand that a
single incontrovertible miracle of the first magnitude should
uproot the hedges of caution in the minds of the common people； but
he could not understand how such men as Hanky and Panky； who
evidently did not believe that there had been any miracle at all；
had been led to throw themselves so energetically into a movement
so subversive of all their traditions； when； as it seemed to him；
if they had held out they might have pricked the balloon bubble
easily enough； and maintained everything in statu quo。
How； again； had they converted the Kingif they had converted him？
The Queen had had full knowledge of all the preparations for the
ascent。 The King had had everything explained to him。 The workmen
and workwomen who had made the balloon and the gas could testify
that none but natural means had been made use ofmeans which； if
again employed any number of times； would effect a like result。
How could it be that when the means of resistance were so ample and
so easy； the movement should nevertheless have been irresistible？
For had it not been irresistible； was it to be believed that astute
men like Hanky and Panky would have let themselves be drawn into
it？
What then had been its inner history？ My father had so fully
determined to make his way back on the following evening； that he
saw no chance of getting to know the factsunles