I then left the Nosnibors, took a lodging in the town, and became
melancholy to my heart's content. Arowhena and I used to see each other
sometimes, for I had taken to going regularly to the Musical Banks, but
Mrs. Nosnibor and Zulora both treated me with considerable coldness. I
felt sure that they suspected me. Arowhena looked miserable, and I saw
that her purse was now always as full as she could fill it with the
Musical Bank money--much fuller than of old. Then the horrible thought
occurred to me that her health might break down, and that she might be
subjected to a criminal prosecution. Oh! how I hated Erewhon at that
time.
I was still received at court, but my good looks were beginning to fail
me, and I was not such an adept at concealing the effects of pain as the
Erewhonians are. I could see that my friends began to look concerned
about me, and was obliged to take a leaf out of Mahaina's book, and
pretend to have developed a taste for drinking. I even consulted a
straightener as though this were so, and submitted to much discomfort.
This made matters better for a time, but I could see that my friends
thought less highly of my constitution as my flesh began to fall away.
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