the water-babies-第33章

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he　world；　that　it　forgot　her　in　five　minutes：　　however；　though　his　head　forgot　her；　I　am　glad　to　say　his　heart　did　not。

So　he　asked　all　the　beasts　in　the　sea；　and　all　the　birds　in　the　air；　but　none　of　them　knew　the　way　to　Shiny　Wall。　　For　why？　　He　was　still　too　far　down　south。

Then　he　met　a　ship；　far　larger　than　he　had　ever　seen　…　a　gallant　ocean…steamer；　with　a　long　cloud　of　smoke　trailing　behind；　and　he　wondered　how　she　went　on　without　sails；　and　swam　up　to　her　to　see。　A　school　of　dolphins　were　running　races　round　and　round　her；　going　three　feet　for　her　one；　and　Tom　asked　them　the　way　to　Shiny　Wall：　but　they　did　not　know。　　Then　he　tried　to　find　out　how　she　moved；　and　at　last　he　saw　her　screw；　and　was　so　delighted　with　it　that　he　played　under　her　quarter　all　day；　till　he　nearly　had　his　nose　knocked　off　by　the　fans；　and　thought　it　time　to　move。　　Then　he　watched　the　sailors　upon　deck；　and　the　ladies；　with　their　bonnets　and　parasols：　　but　none　of　them　could　see　him；　because　their　eyes　were　not　opened；　…　as；　indeed；　most　people's　eyes　are　not。

At　last　there　came　out　into　the　quarter…gallery　a　very　pretty　lady；　in　deep　black　widow's　weeds；　and　in　her　arms　a　baby。　　She　leaned　over　the　quarter…gallery；　and　looked　back　and　back　toward　England　far　away；　and　as　she　looked　she　sang：


I。

〃Soft　soft　wind；　from　out　the　sweet　south　sliding；　Waft　thy　silver　cloud…webs　athwart　the　summer　sea；　Thin　thin　threads　of　mist　on　dewy　fingers　twining　Weave　a　veil　of　dappled　gauze　to　shade　my　babe　and　me。

II。

〃Deep　deep　Love；　within　thine　own　abyss　abiding；　Pour　Thyself　abroad；　O　Lord；　on　earth　and　air　and　sea；　Worn　weary　hearts　within　Thy　holy　temple　hiding；　Shield　from　sorrow；　sin；　and　shame　my　helpless　babe　and　me。〃


Her　voice　was　so　soft　and　low；　and　the　music　of　the　air　so　sweet；　that　Tom　could　have　listened　to　it　all　day。　　But　as　she　held　the　baby　over　the　gallery　rail；　to　show　it　the　dolphins　leaping　and　the　water　gurgling　in　the　ship's　wake；　lo！　and　behold；　the　baby　saw　Tom。

He　was　quite　sure　of　that　for　when　their　eyes　met；　the　baby　smiled　and　held　out　his　hands；　and　Tom　smiled　and　held　out　his　hands　too；　and　the　baby　kicked　and　leaped；　as　if　it　wanted　to　jump　overboard　to　him。

〃What　do　you　see；　my　darling？〃　said　the　lady；　and　her　eyes　followed　the　baby's　till　she　too　caught　sight　of　Tom；　swimming　about　among　the　foam…beads　below。

She　gave　a　little　shriek　and　start；　and　then　she　said；　quite　quietly；　〃Babies　in　the　sea？　　Well；　perhaps　it　is　the　happiest　place　for　them；〃　and　waved　her　hand　to　Tom；　and　cried；　〃Wait　a　little；　darling；　only　a　little：　　and　perhaps　we　shall　go　with　you　and　be　at　rest。〃

And　at　that　an　old　nurse；　all　in　black；　came　out　and　talked　to　her；　and　drew　her　in。　　And　Tom　turned　away　northward；　sad　and　wondering；　and　watched　the　great　steamer　slide　away　into　the　dusk；　and　the　lights　on　board　peep　out　one　by　one；　and　die　out　again；　and　the　long　bar　of　smoke　fade　away　into　the　evening　mist；　till　all　was　out　of　sight。

And　he　swam　northward　again；　day　after　day；　till　at　last　he　met　the　King　of　the　Herrings；　with　a　curry…comb　growing　out　of　his　nose；　and　a　sprat　in　his　mouth　for　a　cigar；　and　asked　him　the　way　to　Shiny　Wall；　so　he　bolted　his　sprat　head　foremost；　and　said：

〃If　I　were　you；　young　Gentleman；　I　should　go　to　the　Allalonestone；　and　ask　the　last　of　the　Gairfowl。　　She　is　of　a　very　ancient　clan；　very　nearly　as　ancient　as　my　own；　and　knows　a　good　deal　which　these　modern　upstarts　don't；　as　ladies　of　old　houses　are　likely　to　do。〃

Tom　asked　his　way　to　her；　and　the　King　of　the　Herrings　told　him　very　kindly；　for　he　was　a　courteous　old　gentleman　of　the　old　school；　though　he　was　horribly　ugly；　and　strangely　bedizened　too；　like　the　old　dandies　who　lounge　in　the　club…house　windows。

But　just　as　Tom　had　thanked　him　and　set　off；　he　called　after　him：　〃Hi！　　I　say；　can　you　fly？〃

〃I　never　tried；〃　says　Tom。　　〃Why？〃

〃Because；　if　you　can；　I　should　advise　you　to　say　nothing　to　the　old　lady　about　it。　　There；　take　a　hint。　　Good…bye。〃

And　away　Tom　went　for　seven　days　and　seven　nights　due　north…west；　till　he　came　to　a　great　codbank；　the　like　of　which　he　never　saw　before。　　The　great　cod　lay　below　in　tens　of　thousands；　and　gobbled　shell…fish　all　day　long；　and　the　blue　sharks　roved　above　in　hundreds；　and　gobbled　them　when　they　came　up。　　So　they　ate；　and　ate；　and　ate　each　other；　as　they　had　done　since　the　making　of　the　world；　for　no　man　had　come　here　yet　to　catch　them；　and　find　out　how　rich　old　Mother　Carey　is。

And　there　he　saw　the　last　of　the　Gairfowl；　standing　up　on　the　Allalonestones　all　alone。　　And　a　very　grand　old　lady　she　was；　full　three　feet　high；　and　bolt　upright；　like　some　old　Highland　chieftainess。　　She　had　on　a　black　velvet　gown；　and　a　white　pinner　and　apron；　and　a　very　high　bridge　to　her　nose　（which　is　a　sure　mark　of　high　breeding）；　and　a　large　pair　of　white　spectacles　on　it；　which　made　her　look　rather　odd：　　but　it　was　the　ancient　fashion　of　her　house。

And　instead　of　wings；　she　had　two　little　feathery　arms；　with　which　she　fanned　herself；　and　complained　of　the　dreadful　heat；　and　she　kept　on　crooning　an　old　song　to　herself；　which　she　learnt　when　she　was　a　little　baby…bird；　long　ago　…


〃Two　little　birds　they　sat　on　a　stone；　One　swam　away；　and　then　there　was　one；　With　a　fal…lal…la…lady。

〃The　other　swam　after；　and　then　there　was　none；　And　so　the　poor　stone　was　left　all　alone；　With　a　fal…lal…la…lady。〃


It　was　〃flew〃　away；　properly；　and　not　〃swam〃　away：　　but；　as　she　could　not　fly；　she　had　a　right　to　alter　it。　　However；　it　was　a　very　fit　song　for　her　to　sing；　because　she　was　a　lady　herself。

Tom　came　up　to　her　very　humbly；　and　made　his　bow；　and　the　first　thing　she　said　was　…

〃Have　you　wings？　　Can　you　fly？〃

〃Oh　dear；　no；　ma'am；　I　should　not　think　of　such　thing；〃　said　cunning　little　Tom。

〃Then　I　shall　have　great　pleasure　in　talking　to　you；　my　dear。　　It　is　quite　refreshing　nowadays　to　see　anything　without　wings。　　They　must　all　have　wings；　forsooth；　now；　every　new　upstart　sort　of　bird；　and　fly。　　What　can　they　want　with　flying；　and　raising　themselves　above　their　proper　station　in　life？　　In　the　days　of　my　ancestors　no　birds　ever　thought　of　having　wings；　and　did　very　well　without；　and　now　they　all　laugh　at　me　because　I　keep　to　the　good　old　fashion。　Why；　the　very　marrocks　and　dovekies　have　got　wings；　the　vulgar　creatures；　and　poor　little　ones　enough　they　are；　and　my　own　cousins　too；　the　razor…bills；　who　are　gentlefolk　born；　and　ought　to　know　better　than　to　ape　their　inferiors。〃

And　so　she　was　running　on；　while　Tom　tried　to　get　in　a　word　edgeways；　and　at　last　he　did；　when　the　old　lady　got　out　of　breath；　and　began　fanning　herself　again；　and　then　he　asked　if　she　knew　the　way　to　Shiny　Wall。

〃Shiny　Wall？　　Who　should　know　better　than　I？　　We　all　came　from　Shiny　Wall；　thousands　of　years　ago；　when　it　was　decently　cold；　and　the　climate　was　fit　for　gentlefolk；　but　now；　what　with　the　heat；　and　what　with　these　vulgar…winged　things　who　fly　up　and　down　and　eat　everything；　so　that　gentlepeople's　hunting　is　all　spoilt；　and　one　really　cannot　get　one's　living；　or　hardly　venture　off　the　rock　for　fear　of　being　flown　against　by　some　creature　that　would　not　have　dared　to　come　within　a　mile　of　one　a　thousand　years　ago　…　what　was　I　saying？　　Why；　we　have　quite　gone　down　in　the　world；　my　dear；　and　have　nothing　left　but　our　honour。　　And　I　am　the　last　of　my　family。　　A　friend　of　mine　and　I　came　and　settled　on　this　rock　when　we　were　young；　to　be　out　of　the　way　of　low　people。　　Once　we　were　a　great　nation；　and　spread　over　all　the　Northern　Isles。　　But　men　shot　us　so；　and　knocked　us　on　the　head；　and　took　our　eggs　…　why；　if　you　will　believe　it；　they　say　that　on　the　coast　of　Labrador　the　sailors　used　to　lay　a　plank　from　the　rock　on　board　the　thing　called　their　ship；　and　drive　us　along　the　plank　by　hundreds；　till　we　tumbled　down　into　the　ship's　waist　in　heaps；　and　then；　I　suppose；　they　ate　us；　the　nasty　fellows！　　Well　…　but　…　what　was　I　saying？　　At　last；　there　were　none　of　us　left；　except　on　the　old　Gairfowlskerry；　just　off　the　Iceland　coast；　up　which　no　man　could　climb。　　Even　there　we　had　no　peace；　for　one　day；　when　I　was　quite　a　young　girl；　the　land　rocked；　and　the　sea　boiled；　and　the　sky　grew　dark；　and　all　the