the water-babies-第32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！


　lived　miserably　on　roots　and　nuts；　and　all　the　weakly　little　children　had　great　stomachs；　and　then　died。

〃Why；〃　said　Tom；　〃they　are　growing　no　better　than　savages。〃

〃And　look　how　ugly　they　are　all　getting；〃　said　Ellie。

〃Yes；　when　people　live　on　poor　vegetables　instead　of　roast　beef　and　plum…pudding；　their　jaws　grow　large；　and　their　lips　grow　coarse；　like　the　poor　Paddies　who　eat　potatoes。〃

And　she　turned　over　the　next　five　hundred　years。　　And　there　they　were　all　living　up　in　trees；　and　making　nests　to　keep　off　the　rain。　And　underneath　the　trees　lions　were　prowling　about。

〃Why；〃　said　Ellie；　〃the　lions　seem　to　have　eaten　a　good　many　of　them；　for　there　are　very　few　left　now。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　fairy；　〃you　see　it　was　only　the　strongest　and　most　active　ones　who　could　climb　the　trees；　and　so　escape。〃

〃But　what　great；　hulking；　broad…shouldered　chaps　they　are；〃　said　Tom；　〃they　are　a　rough　lot　as　ever　I　saw。〃

〃Yes；　they　are　getting　very　strong　now；　for　the　ladies　will　not　marry　any　but　the　very　strongest　and　fiercest　gentlemen；　who　can　help　them　up　the　trees　out　of　the　lions'　way。〃

And　she　turned　over　the　next　five　hundred　years。　　And　in　that　they　were　fewer　still；　and　stronger；　and　fiercer；　but　their　feet　had　changed　shape　very　oddly；　for　they　laid　hold　of　the　branches　with　their　great　toes；　as　if　they　had　been　thumbs；　just　as　a　Hindoo　tailor　uses　his　toes　to　thread　his　needle。

The　children　were　very　much　surprised；　and　asked　the　fairy　whether　that　was　her　doing。

〃Yes；　and　no；〃　she　said；　smiling。　　〃It　was　only　those　who　could　use　their　feet　as　well　as　their　hands　who　could　get　a　good　living：　　or；　indeed；　get　married；　so　that　they　got　the　best　of　everything；　and　starved　out　all　the　rest；　and　those　who　are　left　keep　up　a　regular　breed　of　toe…thumb…men；　as　a　breed　of　short…horns；　or　are　skye…　terriers；　or　fancy　pigeons　is　kept　up。〃

〃But　there　is　a　hairy　one　among　them；〃　said　Ellie。

〃Ah！〃　said　the　fairy；　〃that　will　be　a　great　man　in　his　time；　and　chief　of　all　the　tribe。〃

And；　when　she　turned　over　the　next　five　hundred　years；　it　was　true。

For　this　hairy　chief　had　had　hairy　children；　and　they　hairier　children　still；　and　every　one　wished　to　marry　hairy　husbands；　and　have　hairy　children　too；　for　the　climate　was　growing　so　damp　that　none　but　the　hairy　ones　could　live：　　all　the　rest　coughed　and　sneezed；　and　had　sore　throats；　and　went　into　consumptions；　before　they　could　grow　up　to　be　men　and　women。

Then　the　fairy　turned　over　the　next　five　hundred　years。　　And　they　were　fewer　still。

〃Why；　there　is　one　on　the　ground　picking　up　roots；〃　said　Ellie；　〃and　he　cannot　walk　upright。〃

No　more　he　could；　for　in　the　same　way　that　the　shape　of　their　feet　had　altered；　the　shape　of　their　backs　had　altered　also。

〃Why；〃　cried　Tom；　〃I　declare　they　are　all　apes。〃

〃Something　fearfully　like　it；　poor　foolish　creatures；〃　said　the　fairy。　　〃They　are　grown　so　stupid　now；　that　they　can　hardly　think：　for　none　of　them　have　used　their　wits　for　many　hundred　years。　　They　have　almost　forgotten；　too；　how　to　talk。　　For　each　stupid　child　forgot　some　of　the　words　it　heard　from　its　stupid　parents；　and　had　not　wits　enough　to　make　fresh　words　for　itself。　　Beside；　they　are　grown　so　fierce　and　suspicious　and　brutal　that　they　keep　out　of　each　other's　way；　and　mope　and　sulk　in　the　dark　forests；　never　hearing　each　other's　voice；　till　they　have　forgotten　almost　what　speech　is　like。　　I　am　afraid　they　will　all　be　apes　very　soon；　and　all　by　doing　only　what　they　liked。〃

And　in　the　next　five　hundred　years　they　were　all　dead　and　gone；　by　bad　food　and　wild　beasts　and　hunters；　all　except　one　tremendous　old　fellow　with　jaws　like　a　jack；　who　stood　full　seven　feet　high；　and　M。　Du　Chaillu　came　up　to　him；　and　shot　him；　as　he　stood　roaring　and　thumping　his　breast。　　And　he　remembered　that　his　ancestors　had　once　been　men；　and　tried　to　say；　〃Am　I　not　a　man　and　a　brother？〃　but　had　forgotten　how　to　use　his　tongue；　and　then　he　had　tried　to　call　for　a　doctor；　but　he　had　forgotten　the　word　for　one。　　So　all　he　said　was　〃Ubboboo！〃　and　died。

And　that　was　the　end　of　the　great　and　jolly　nation　of　the　Doasyoulikes。　　And；　when　Tom　and　Ellie　came　to　the　end　of　the　book；　they　looked　very　sad　and　solemn；　and　they　had　good　reason　so　to　do；　for　they　really　fancied　that　the　men　were　apes；　and　never　thought；　in　their　simplicity；　of　asking　whether　the　creatures　had　hippopotamus　majors　in　their　brains　or　not；　in　which　case；　as　you　have　been　told　already；　they　could　not　possibly　have　been　apes；　though　they　were　more　apish　than　the　apes　of　all　aperies。

〃But　could　you　not　have　saved　them　from　becoming　apes？〃　said　little　Ellie；　at　last。

〃At　first；　my　dear；　if　only　they　would　have　behaved　like　men；　and　set　to　work　to　do　what　they　did　not　like。　　But　the　longer　they　waited；　and　behaved　like　the　dumb　beasts；　who　only　do　what　they　like；　the　stupider　and　clumsier　they　grew；　till　at　last　they　were　past　all　cure；　for　they　had　thrown　their　own　wits　away。　　It　is　such　things　as　this　that　help　to　make　me　so　ugly；　that　I　know　not　when　I　shall　grow　fair。〃

〃And　where　are　they　all　now？〃　asked　Ellie。

〃Exactly　where　they　ought　to　be；　my　dear。〃

〃Yes！〃　said　the　fairy；　solemnly；　half　to　herself；　as　she　closed　the　wonderful　book。　　〃Folks　say　now　that　I　can　make　beasts　into　men；　by　circumstance；　and　selection；　and　competition；　and　so　forth。　　Well；　perhaps　they　are　right；　and　perhaps；　again；　they　are　wrong。　　That　is　one　of　the　seven　things　which　I　am　forbidden　to　tell；　till　the　coming　of　the　Cocqcigrues；　and；　at　all　events；　it　is　no　concern　of　theirs。　　Whatever　their　ancestors　were；　men　they　are；　and　I　advise　them　to　behave　as　such；　and　act　accordingly。　　But　let　them　recollect　this；　that　there　are　two　sides　to　every　question；　and　a　downhill　as　well　as　an　uphill　road；　and；　if　I　can　turn　beasts　into　men；　I　can；　by　the　same　laws　of　circumstance；　and　selection；　and　competition；　turn　men　into　beasts。　　You　were　very　near　being　turned　into　a　beast　once　or　twice；　little　Tom。　　Indeed；　if　you　had　not　made　up　your　mind　to　go　on　this　journey；　and　see　the　world；　like　an　Englishman；　I　am　not　sure　but　that　you　would　have　ended　as　an　eft　in　a　pond。〃

〃Oh；　dear　me！〃　said　Tom；　〃sooner　than　that；　and　be　all　over　slime；　I'll　go　this　minute；　if　it　is　to　the　world's　end。〃



CHAPTER　VII



〃And　Nature；　the　old　Nurse；　took　The　child　upon　her　knee；　Saying；　'Here　is　a　story　book　Thy　father　hath　written　for　thee。

〃'Come　wander　with　me；'　she　said；　'Into　regions　yet　untrod；　And　read　what　is　still　unread　In　the　Manuscripts　of　God。'

〃And　he　wandered　away　and　away　With　Nature；　the　dear　old　Nurse；　Who　sang　to　him　night　and　day　The　rhymes　of　the　universe。〃

LONGFELLOW。


〃Now；〃　said　Tom；　〃I　am　ready　be　off；　if　it's　to　the　world's　end。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　the　fairy；　〃that　is　a　brave；　good　boy。　　But　you　must　go　farther　than　the　world's　end；　if　you　want　to　find　Mr。　Grimes；　for　he　is　at　the　Other…end…of…Nowhere。　　You　must　go　to　Shiny　Wall；　and　through　the　white　gate　that　never　was　opened；　and　then　you　will　come　to　Peacepool；　and　Mother　Carey's　Haven；　where　the　good　whales　go　when　they　die。　　And　there　Mother　Carey　will　tell　you　the　way　to　the　Other…end…of…Nowhere；　and　there　you　will　find　Mr。　Grimes。〃

〃Oh；　dear！〃　said　Tom。　　〃But　I　do　not　know　my　way　to　Shiny　Wall；　or　where　it　is　at　all。〃

〃Little　boys　must　take　the　trouble　to　find　out　things　for　themselves；　or　they　will　never　grow　to　be　men；　so　that　you　must　ask　all　the　beasts　in　the　sea　and　the　birds　in　the　air；　and　if　you　have　been　good　to　them；　some　of　them　will　tell　you　the　way　to　Shiny　Wall。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Tom；　〃it　will　be　a　long　journey；　so　I　had　better　start　at　once。　　Good…bye；　Miss　Ellie；　you　know　I　am　getting　a　big　boy；　and　I　must　go　out　and　see　the　world。〃

〃I　know　you　must；〃　said　Ellie；　〃but　you　will　not　forget　me；　Tom。　　I　shall　wait　here　till　you　come。〃

And　she　shook　hands　with　him；　and　bade　him　good…bye。　　Tom　longed　very　much　again　to　kiss　her；　but　he　thought　it　would　not　be　respectful；　considering　she　was　a　lady　born；　so　he　promised　not　to　forget　her：　　but　his　little　whirl…about　of　a　head　was　so　full　of　the　notion　of　going　out　to　see　the　world；　that　it　forgot　her　in　five　minutes：　　however；　though　his　head　forgot　her；　I　am　glad　to　say