the water-babies-第2章

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They　passed　through　the　pitmen's　village；　all　shut　up　and　silent　now；　and　through　the　turnpike；　and　then　the　were　out　in　the　real　country；　and　plodding　along　the　black　dusty　road；　between　black　slag　walls；　with　no　sound　but　the　groaning　and　thumping　of　the　pit…　engine　in　the　next　field。　　But　soon　the　road　grew　white；　and　the　walls　likewise；　and　at　the　wall's　foot　grew　long　grass　and　gay　flowers；　all　drenched　with　dew；　and　instead　of　the　groaning　of　the　pit…engine；　they　heard　the　skylark　saying　his　matins　high　up　in　the　air；　and　the　pit…bird　warbling　in　the　sedges；　as　he　had　warbled　all　night　long。

All　else　was　silent。　　For　old　Mrs。　Earth　was　still　fast　asleep；　and；　like　many　pretty　people；　she　looked　still　prettier　asleep　than　awake。　　The　great　elm…trees　in　the　gold…green　meadows　were　fast　asleep　above；　and　the　cows　fast　asleep　beneath　them；　nay；　the　few　clouds　which　were　about　were　fast　asleep　likewise；　and　so　tired　that　they　had　lain　down　on　the　earth　to　rest；　in　long　white　flakes　and　bars；　among　the　stems　of　the　elm…trees；　and　along　the　tops　of　the　alders　by　the　stream；　waiting　for　the　sun　to　bid　them　rise　and　go　about　their　day's　business　in　the　clear　blue　overhead。

On　they　went；　and　Tom　looked；　and　looked；　for　he　never　had　been　so　far　into　the　country　before；　and　longed　to　get　over　a　gate；　and　pick　buttercups；　and　look　for　birds'　nests　in　the　hedge；　but　Mr。　Grimes　was　a　man　of　business；　and　would　not　have　heard　of　that。

Soon　they　came　up　with　a　poor　Irishwoman；　trudging　along　with　a　bundle　at　her　back。　　She　had　a　gray　shawl　over　her　head；　and　a　crimson　madder　petticoat；　so　you　may　be　sure　she　came　from　Galway。　She　had　neither　shoes　nor　stockings；　and　limped　along　as　if　she　were　tired　and　footsore；　but　she　was　a　very　tall　handsome　woman；　with　bright　gray　eyes；　and　heavy　black　hair　hanging　about　her　cheeks。　　And　she　took　Mr。　Grimes'　fancy　so　much；　that　when　he　came　alongside　he　called　out　to　her：

〃This　is　a　hard　road　for　a　gradely　foot　like　that。　　Will　ye　up；　lass；　and　ride　behind　me？〃

But；　perhaps；　she　did　not　admire　Mr。　Grimes'　look　and　voice；　for　she　answered　quietly：

〃No；　thank　you：　　I'd　sooner　walk　with　your　little　lad　here。〃

〃You　may　please　yourself；〃　growled　Grimes；　and　went　on　smoking。

So　she　walked　beside　Tom；　and　talked　to　him；　and　asked　him　where　he　lived；　and　what　he　knew；　and　all　about　himself；　till　Tom　thought　he　had　never　met　such　a　pleasant…spoken　woman。　　And　she　asked　him；　at　last；　whether　he　said　his　prayers！　and　seemed　sad　when　he　told　her　that　he　knew　no　prayers　to　say。

Then　he　asked　her　where　she　lived；　and　she　said　far　away　by　the　sea。　　And　Tom　asked　her　about　the　sea；　and　she　told　him　how　it　rolled　and　roared　over　the　rocks　in　winter　nights；　and　lay　still　in　the　bright　summer　days；　for　the　children　to　bathe　and　play　in　it；　and　many　a　story　more；　till　Tom　longed　to　go　and　see　the　sea；　and　bathe　in　it　likewise。

At　last；　at　the　bottom　of　a　hill；　they　came　to　a　spring；　not　such　a　spring　as　you　see　here；　which　soaks　up　out　of　a　white　gravel　in　the　bog；　among　red　fly…catchers；　and　pink　bottle…heath；　and　sweet　white　orchis；　nor　such　a　one　as　you　may　see；　too；　here；　which　bubbles　up　under　the　warm　sandbank　in　the　hollow　lane　by　the　great　tuft　of　lady　ferns；　and　makes　the　sand　dance　reels　at　the　bottom；　day　and　night；　all　the　year　round；　not　such　a　spring　as　either　of　those；　but　a　real　North　country　limestone　fountain；　like　one　of　those　in　Sicily　or　Greece；　where　the　old　heathen　fancied　the　nymphs　sat　cooling　themselves　the　hot　summer's　day；　while　the　shepherds　peeped　at　them　from　behind　the　bushes。　　Out　of　a　low　cave　of　rock；　at　the　foot　of　a　limestone　crag；　the　great　fountain　rose；　quelling；　and　bubbling；　and　gurgling；　so　clear　that　you　could　not　tell　where　the　water　ended　and　the　air　began；　and　ran　away　under　the　road；　a　stream　large　enough　to　turn　a　mill；　among　blue　geranium；　and　golden　globe…flower；　and　wild　raspberry；　and　the　bird…cherry　with　its　tassels　of　snow。

And　there　Grimes　stopped；　and　looked；　and　Tom　looked　too。　　Tom　was　wondering　whether　anything　lived　in　that　dark　cave；　and　came　out　at　night　to　fly　in　the　meadows。　　But　Grimes　was　not　wondering　at　all。　Without　a　word；　he　got　off　his　donkey；　and　clambered　over　the　low　road　wall；　and　knelt　down；　and　began　dipping　his　ugly　head　into　the　spring　…　and　very　dirty　he　made　it。

Tom　was　picking　the　flowers　as　fast　as　he　could。　　The　Irishwoman　helped　him；　and　showed　him　how　to　tie　them　up；　and　a　very　pretty　nosegay　they　had　made　between　them。　　But　when　he　saw　Grimes　actually　wash；　he　stopped；　quite　astonished；　and　when　Grimes　had　finished；　and　began　shaking　his　ears　to　dry　them；　he　said：

〃Why；　master；　I　never　saw　you　do　that　before。〃

〃Nor　will　again；　most　likely。　　'Twasn't　for　cleanliness　I　did　it；　but　for　coolness。　　I'd　be　ashamed　to　want　washing　every　week　or　so；　like　any　smutty　collier　lad。〃

〃I　wish　I　might　go　and　dip　my　head　in；〃　said　poor　little　Tom。　　〃It　must　be　as　good　as　putting　it　under　the　town…pump；　and　there　is　no　beadle　here　to　drive　a　chap　away。〃

〃Thou　come　along；〃　said　Grimes；　〃what　dost　want　with　washing　thyself？　　Thou　did　not　drink　half　a　gallon　of　beer　last　night；　like　me。〃

〃I　don't　care　for　you；〃　said　naughty　Tom；　and　ran　down　to　the　stream；　and　began　washing　his　face。

Grimes　was　very　sulky；　because　the　woman　preferred　Tom's　company　to　his；　so　he　dashed　at　him　with　horrid　words；　and　tore　him　up　from　his　knees；　and　began　beating　him。　　But　Tom　was　accustomed　to　that；　and　got　his　head　safe　between　Mr。　Grimes'　legs；　and　kicked　his　shins　with　all　his　might。

〃Are　you　not　ashamed　of　yourself；　Thomas　Grimes？〃　cried　the　Irishwoman　over　the　wall。

Grimes　looked　up；　startled　at　her　knowing　his　name；　but　all　he　answered　was；　〃No；　nor　never　was　yet；〃　and　went　on　beating　Tom。

〃True　for　you。　　If　you　ever　had　been　ashamed　of　yourself；　you　would　have　gone　over　into　Vendale　long　ago。〃

〃What　do　you　know　about　Vendale？〃　shouted　Grimes；　but　he　left　off　beating　Tom。

〃I　know　about　Vendale；　and　about　you；　too。　　I　know；　for　instance；　what　happened　in　Aldermire　Copse；　by　night；　two　years　ago　come　Martinmas。〃

〃You　do？〃　shouted　Grimes；　and　leaving　Tom；　he　climbed　up　over　the　wall；　and　faced　the　woman。　　Tom　thought　he　was　going　to　strike　her；　but　she　looked　him　too　full　and　fierce　in　the　face　for　that。

〃Yes；　I　was　there；〃　said　the　Irishwoman　quietly。

〃You　are　no　Irishwoman；　by　your　speech；〃　said　Grimes；　after　many　bad　words。

〃Never　mind　who　I　am。　　I　saw　what　I　saw；　and　if　you　strike　that　boy　again；　I　can　tell　what　I　know。〃

Grimes　seemed　quite　cowed；　and　got　on　his　donkey　without　another　word。

〃Stop！〃　said　the　Irishwoman。　　〃I　have　one　more　word　for　you　both；　for　you　will　both　see　me　again　before　all　is　over。　　Those　that　wish　to　be　clean；　clean　they　will　be；　and　those　that　wish　to　be　foul；　foul　they　will　be。　　Remember。〃

And　she　turned　away；　and　through　a　gate　into　the　meadow。　　Grimes　stood　still　a　moment；　like　a　man　who　had　been　stunned。　　Then　he　rushed　after　her；　shouting；　〃You　come　back。〃　　But　when　he　got　into　the　meadow；　the　woman　was　not　there。

Had　she　hidden　away？　　There　was　no　place　to　hide　in。　　But　Grimes　looked　about；　and　Tom　also；　for　he　was　as　puzzled　as　Grimes　himself　at　her　disappearing　so　suddenly；　but　look　where　they　would；　she　was　not　there。

Grimes　came　back　again；　as　silent　as　a　post；　for　he　was　a　little　frightened；　and；　getting　on　his　donkey；　filled　a　fresh　pipe；　and　smoked　away；　leaving　Tom　in　peace。

And　now　they　had　gone　three　miles　and　more；　and　came　to　Sir　John's　lodge…gates。

Very　grand　lodges　they　were；　with　very　grand　iron　gates　and　stone　gate…posts；　and　on　the　top　of　each　a　most　dreadful　bogy；　all　teeth；　horns；　and　tail；　which　was　the　crest　which　Sir　John's　ancestors　wore　in　the　Wars　of　the　Roses；　and　very　prudent　men　they　were　to　wear　it；　for　all　their　enemies　must　have　run　for　their　lives　at　the　very　first　sight　of　them。

Grimes　rang　at　the　gate；　and　out　came　a　keeper　on　the　spot；　and　opened。

〃I　was　told　to　expect　thee；〃　he　said。　　〃Now　thou'lt　be　so　good　as　to　keep　to　the　main　avenue；　and　not　let　me　find　a　hare　or　a　rabbit　on　thee　when　thou　comest　back。　　I　shall　look　sharp　for　one；　I　tell　thee。〃

〃Not　if　it's　in　the　bottom　of　the　soot…bag；〃　q