Page 74 - erewhon

they must have worked out their mines of coal and iron, till
either none were left, or so few, that the use of these metals
was restricted to the very highest nobility. This was the only
solution I could think of; and, though I afterwards found
how entirely mistaken it was, I felt quite sure then that it
must be the right one.
I had hardly arrived at this opinion for above four or five
minutes, when the door opened, and a young woman made
her appearance with a tray, and a very appetising smell
of dinner. I gazed upon her with admiration as she laid a
cloth and set a savoury-looking dish upon the table. As I
beheld her I felt as though my position was already much
ameliorated, for the very sight of her carried great comfort.
She was not more than twenty, rather above the middle
height, active and strong, but yet most delicately featured;
her lips were full and sweet; her eyes were of a deep hazel,
and fringed with long and springing eyelashes; her hair was
neatly braided from off her forehead; her complexion was
simply exquisite; her figure as robust as was consistent with
the most perfect female beauty, yet not more so; her hands
and feet might have served as models to a sculptor. Having
set the stew upon the table, she retired with a glance of pity,
whereon (remembering pity’s kinsman) I decided that she
should pity me a little more. She returned with a bottle and
a glass, and found me sitting on the bed with my hands over
my face, looking the very picture of abject misery, and, like
all pictures, rather untruthful. As I watched her, through
my fingers, out of the room again, I felt sure that she was ex-
ceedingly sorry for me. Her back being turned, I set to work