the water-babies-第26章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


hat　they　kept　a　very　sharp　look…out；　and　when　they　wanted　a　baby…snake；　they　just　grew　one　at　the　end　of　their　own　tails；　and　when　it　was　able　to　take　care　of　itself　it　dropped　off；　so　that　they　brought　up　their　families　very　cheaply。　But　if　any　nasty　thing　came　by；　out　they　rushed　upon　it；　and　then　out　of　each　of　their　hundreds　of　feet　there　sprang　a　whole　cutler's　shop　of

Scythes；　　　　　　　　Javelins；　Billhooks；　　　　　　Lances；　Pickaxes；　　　　　　　Halberts；　Forks；　　　　　　　　　　Gisarines；　Penknives；　　　　　　Poleaxes；　Rapiers；　　　　　　　　Fishhooks；　Sabres；　　　　　　　　　Bradawls；　Yataghans；　　　　　　Gimblets；　Creeses；　　　　　　　　Corkscrews；　Ghoorka　swords；　Pins；　Tucks；　　　　　　　　　　Needles；　And　so　forth；

which　stabbed；　shot；　poked；　pricked；　scratched；　ripped；　pinked；　and　crimped　those　naughty　beasts　so　terribly；　that　they　had　to　run　for　their　lives；　or　else　be　chopped　into　small　pieces　and　be　eaten　afterwards。　　And；　if　that　is　not　all；　every　word；　true；　then　there　is　no　faith　in　microscopes；　and　all　is　over　with　the　Linnaean　Society。

And　there　were　the　water…babies　in　thousands；　more　than　Tom；　or　you　either；　could　count。　…　All　the　little　children　whom　the　good　fairies　take　to；　because　their　cruel　mothers　and　fathers　will　not；　all　who　are　untaught　and　brought　up　heathens；　and　all　who　come　to　grief　by　ill…usage　or　ignorance　or　neglect；　all　the　little　children　who　are　overlaid；　or　given　gin　when　they　are　young；　or　are　let　to　drink　out　of　hot　kettles；　or　to　fall　into　the　fire；　all　the　little　children　in　alleys　and　courts；　and　tumble…down　cottages；　who　die　by　fever；　and　cholera；　and　measles；　and　scarlatina；　and　nasty　complaints　which　no　one　has　any　business　to　have；　and　which　no　one　will　have　some　day；　when　folks　have　common　sense；　and　all　the　little　children　who　have　been　killed　by　cruel　masters　and　wicked　soldiers；　they　were　all　there；　except；　of　course；　the　babes　of　Bethlehem　who　were　killed　by　wicked　King　Herod；　for　they　were　taken　straight　to　heaven　long　ago；　as　everybody　knows；　and　we　call　them　the　Holy　Innocents。

But　I　wish　Tom　had　given　up　all　his　naughty　tricks；　and　left　off　tormenting　dumb　animals　now　that　he　had　plenty　of　playfellows　to　amuse　him。　　Instead　of　that；　I　am　sorry　to　say；　he　would　meddle　with　the　creatures；　all　but　the　water…snakes；　for　they　would　stand　no　nonsense。　　So　he　tickled　the　madrepores；　to　make　them　shut　up；　and　frightened　the　crabs；　to　make　them　hide　in　the　sand　and　peep　out　at　him　with　the　tips　of　their　eyes；　and　put　stones　into　the　anemones'　mouths；　to　make　them　fancy　that　their　dinner　was　coming。

The　other　children　warned　him；　and　said；　〃Take　care　what　you　are　at。　　Mrs。　Bedonebyasyoudid　is　coming。〃　　But　Tom　never　heeded　them；　being　quite　riotous　with　high　spirits　and　good　luck；　till；　one　Friday　morning　early；　Mrs。　Bedonebyasyoudid　came　indeed。

A　very　tremendous　lady　she　was；　and　when　the　children　saw　her　they　all　stood　in　a　row；　very　upright　indeed；　and　smoothed　down　their　bathing　dresses；　and　put　their　hands　behind　them；　just　as　if　they　were　going　to　be　examined　by　the　inspector。

And　she　had　on　a　black　bonnet；　and　a　black　shawl；　and　no　crinoline　at　all；　and　a　pair　of　large　green　spectacles；　and　a　great　hooked　nose；　hooked　so　much　that　the　bridge　of　it　stood　quite　up　above　her　eyebrows；　and　under　her　arm　she　carried　a　great　birch…rod。　　Indeed；　she　was　so　ugly　that　Tom　was　tempted　to　make　faces　at　her：　　but　did　not；　for　he　did　not　admire　the　look　of　the　birch…rod　under　her　arm。

And　she　looked　at　the　children　one　by　one；　and　seemed　very　much　pleased　with　them；　though　she　never　asked　them　one　question　about　how　they　were　behaving；　and　then　began　giving　them　all　sorts　of　nice　sea…things　…　sea…cakes；　sea…apples；　sea…oranges；　sea…　bullseyes；　sea…toffee；　and　to　the　very　best　of　all　she　gave　sea…　ices；　made　out　of　sea…cows'　cream；　which　never　melt　under　water。

And；　if　you　don't　quite　believe　me；　then　just　think　…　What　is　more　cheap　and　plentiful　than　sea…rock？　　Then　why　should　there　not　be　sea…toffee　as　well？　　And　every　one　can　find　sea…lemons　（ready　quartered　too）　if　they　will　look　for　them　at　low　tide；　and　sea…　grapes　too　sometimes；　hanging　in　bunches；　and；　if　you　will　go　to　Nice；　you　will　find　the　fish…market　full　of　sea…fruit；　which　they　call　〃frutta　di　mare：〃　though　I　suppose　they　call　them　〃fruits　de　mer〃　now；　out　of　compliment　to　that　most　successful；　and　therefore　most　immaculate；　potentate　who　is　seemingly　desirous　of　inheriting　the　blessing　pronounced　on　those　who　remove　their　neighbours'　land…　mark。　　And；　perhaps；　that　is　the　very　reason　why　the　place　is　called　Nice；　because　there　are　so　many　nice　things　in　the　sea　there：　　at　least；　if　it　is　not；　it　ought　to　be。

Now　little　Tom　watched　all　these　sweet　things　given　away；　till　his　mouth　watered；　and　his　eyes　grew　as　round　as　an　owl's。　　For　he　hoped　that　his　turn　would　come　at　last；　and　so　it　did。　　For　the　lady　called　him　up；　and　held　out　her　fingers　with　something　in　them；　and　popped　it　into　his　mouth；　and；　lo　and　behold；　it　was　a　nasty　cold　hard　pebble。

〃You　are　a　very　cruel　woman；〃　said　he；　and　began　to　whimper。

〃And　you　are　a　very　cruel　boy；　who　puts　pebbles　into　the　sea…　anemones'　mouths；　to　take　them　in；　and　make　them　fancy　that　they　had　caught　a　good　dinner！　　As　you　did　to　them；　so　I　must　do　to　you。〃

〃Who　told　you　that？〃　said　Tom。

〃You　did　yourself；　this　very　minute。〃

Tom　had　never　opened　his　lips；　so　he　was　very　much　taken　aback　indeed。

〃Yes；　every　one　tells　me　exactly　what　they　have　done　wrong；　and　that　without　knowing　it　themselves。　　So　there　is　no　use　trying　to　hide　anything　from　me。　　Now　go；　and　be　a　good　boy；　and　I　will　put　no　more　pebbles　in　your　mouth；　if　you　put　none　in　other　creatures'。〃

〃I　did　not　know　there　was　any　harm　in　it；〃　said　Tom。

〃Then　you　know　now。　　People　continually　say　that　to　me：　　but　I　tell　them；　if　you　don't　know　that　fire　burns；　that　is　no　reason　that　it　should　not　burn　you；　and　if　you　don't　know　that　dirt　breeds　fever；　that　is　no　reason　why　the　fevers　should　not　kill　you。　　The　lobster　did　not　know　that　there　was　any　harm　in　getting　into　the　lobster…　pot；　but　it　caught　him　all　the　same。〃

〃Dear　me；〃　thought　Tom；　〃she　knows　everything！〃　　And　so　she　did；　indeed。

〃And　so；　if　you　do　not　know　that　things　are　wrong　that　is　no　reason　why　you　should　not　be　punished　for　them；　though　not　as　much；　not　as　much；　my　little　man〃　（and　the　lady　looked　very　kindly；　after　all）；　〃as　if　you　did　know。〃

〃Well；　you　are　a　little　hard　on　a　poor　lad；〃　said　Tom。

〃Not　at　all；　I　am　the　best　friend　you　ever　had　in　all　your　life。　But　I　will　tell　you；　I　cannot　help　punishing　people　when　they　do　wrong。　　I　like　it　no　more　than　they　do；　I　am　often　very；　very　sorry　for　them；　poor　things：　　but　I　cannot　help　it。　　If　I　tried　not　to　do　it；　I　should　do　it　all　the　same。　　For　I　work　by　machinery；　just　like　an　engine；　and　am　full　of　wheels　and　springs　inside；　and　am　wound　up　very　carefully；　so　that　I　cannot　help　going。〃

〃Was　it　long　ago　since　they　wound　you　up？〃　asked　Tom。　　For　he　thought；　the　cunning　little　fellow；　〃She　will　run　down　some　day：　or　they　may　forget　to　wind　her　up；　as　old　Grimes　used　to　forget　to　wind　up　his　watch　when　he　came　in　from　the　public…house；　and　then　I　shall　be　safe。〃

〃I　was　wound　up　once　and　for　all；　so　long　ago；　that　I　forget　all　about　it。〃

〃Dear　me；〃　said　Tom；　〃you　must　have　been　made　a　long　time！〃

〃I　never　was　made；　my　child；　and　I　shall　go　for　ever　and　ever；　for　I　am　as　old　as　Eternity；　and　yet　as　young　as　Time。〃

And　there　came　over　the　lady's　face　a　very　curious　expression　…　very　solemn；　and　very　sad；　and　yet　very；　very　sweet。　　And　she　looked　up　and　away；　as　if　she　were　gazing　through　the　sea；　and　through　the　sky；　at　something　far；　far　off；　and　as　she　did　so；　there　came　such　a　quiet；　tender；　patient；　hopeful　smile　over　her　face　that　Tom　thought　for　the　moment　that　she　did　not　look　ugly　at　all。　　And　no　more　she　did；　for　she　was　like　a　great　many　people　who　have　not　a　pretty　feature　in　their　faces；　and　yet　are　lovely　to　behold；　and　draw　little　children's　hearts　to　them　at　once　because　though　the　house　is　plain　enough；　yet　from　the　windows　a　beautiful　and　good　spirit　is　looking　forth。

And　Tom　smiled　in　her　face；　she　looked　so　pleasant　for　the　moment。　And　the　strange　fairy　smiled　too；　and　said：