He and his father were now
on excellent terms, and were likely to remain so unless either of them
should again have the misfortune mortally to offend the other.
In the following chapter I will give a few examples of the way in which
what we should call misfortune, hardship, or disease are dealt with by
the Erewhonians, but for the moment will return to their treatment of
cases that with us are criminal. As I have already said, these, though
not judicially punishable, are recognised as requiring correction.
Accordingly, there exists a class of men trained in soul-craft, whom they
call straighteners, as nearly as I can translate a word which literally
means "one who bends back the crooked." These men practise much as
medical men in England, and receive a quasi-surreptitious fee on every
visit. They are treated with the same unreserve, and obeyed as readily,
as our own doctors--that is to say, on the whole sufficiently--because
people know that it is their interest to get well as soon as they can,
and that they will not be scouted as they would be if their bodies were
out of order, even though they may have to undergo a very painful course
of treatment.
When I say that they will not be scouted, I do not mean that an
Erewhonian will suffer no social inconvenience in consequence, we will
say, of having committed fraud.
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