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第36章

the water-babies-第36章

小说: the water-babies 字数: 每页4000字

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 it's a shame of those black imps of petrels to call us so; but because they're her grace's pets; they think they may say anything they like。〃

〃And who are you?〃 asked Tom of him; for he saw that he was the king of all the birds。

〃My name is Hendrick Hudson; and a right good skipper was I; and my name will last to the world's end; in spite of all the wrong I did。 For I discovered Hudson River; and I named Hudson's Bay; and many have come in my wake that dared not have shown me the way。  But I was a hard man in my time; that's truth; and stole the poor Indians off the coast of Maine; and sold them for slaves down in Virginia; and at last I was so cruel to my sailors; here in these very seas; that they set me adrift in an open boat; and I never was heard of more。  So now I'm the king of all mollys; till I've worked out my time。〃

And now they came to the edge of the pack; and beyond it they could see Shiny Wall looming; through mist; and snow; and storm。  But the pack rolled horribly upon the swell; and the ice giants fought and roared; and leapt upon each other's backs; and ground each other to powder; so that Tom was afraid to venture among them; lest he should be ground to powder too。  And he was the more afraid; when he saw lying among the ice pack the wrecks of many a gallant ship; some with masts and yards all standing; some with the seamen frozen fast on board。  Alas; alas; for them!  They were all true English hearts; and they came to their end like good knights…errant; in searching for the white gate that never was opened yet。

But the good mollys took Tom and his dog up; and flew with them safe over the pack and the roaring ice giants; and set them down at the foot of Shiny Wall。

〃And where is the gate?〃 asked Tom。

〃There is no gate;〃 said the mollys。

〃No gate?〃 cried Tom; aghast。

〃None; never a crack of one; and that's the whole of the secret; as better fellows; lad; than you have found to their cost; and if there had been; they'd have killed by now every right whale that swims the sea。〃

〃What am I to do; then?〃

〃Dive under the floe; to be sure; if you have pluck。〃

〃I've not come so far to turn now;〃 said Tom; 〃so here goes for a header。〃

〃A lucky voyage to you; lad;〃 said the mollys; 〃we knew you were one of the right sort。  So good…bye。〃

〃Why don't you come too?〃 asked Tom。

But the mollys only wailed sadly; 〃We can't go yet; we can't go yet;〃 and flew away over the pack。

So Tom dived under the great white gate which never was opened yet; and went on in black darkness; at the bottom of the sea; for seven days and seven nights。  And yet he was not a bit frightened。  Why should he be?  He was a brave English lad; whose business is to go out and see all the world。

And at last he saw the light; and clear clear water overhead; and up he came a thousand fathoms; among clouds of sea…moths; which fluttered round his head。  There were moths with pink heads and wings and opal bodies; that flapped about slowly; moths with brown wings that flapped about quickly; yellow shrimps that hopped and skipped most quickly of all; and jellies of all the colours in the world; that neither hopped nor skipped; but only dawdled and yawned; and would not get out of his way。  The dog snapped at them till his jaws were tired; but Tom hardly minded them at all; he was so eager to get to the top of the water; and see the pool where the good whales go。

And a very large pool it was; miles and miles across; though the air was so clear that the ice cliffs on the opposite side looked as if they were close at hand。  All round it the ice cliffs rose; in walls and spires and battlements; and caves and bridges; and stories and galleries; in which the ice…fairies live; and drive away the storms and clouds; that Mother Carey's pool may lie calm from year's end to year's end。  And the sun acted policeman; and walked round outside every day; peeping just over the top of the ice wall; to see that all went right; and now and then he played conjuring tricks; or had an exhibition of fireworks; to amuse the ice…fairies。  For he would make himself into four or five suns at once; or paint the sky with rings and crosses and crescents of white fire; and stick himself in the middle of them; and wink at the fairies; and I daresay they were very much amused; for anything's fun in the country。

And there the good whales lay; the happy sleepy beasts; upon the still oily sea。  They were all right whales; you must know; and finners; and razor…backs; and bottle…noses; and spotted sea… unicorns with long ivory horns。  But the sperm whales are such raging; ramping; roaring; rumbustious fellows; that; if Mother Carey let them in; there would be no more peace in Peacepool。  So she packs them away in a great pond by themselves at the South Pole; two hundred and sixty…three miles south…south…east of Mount Erebus; the great volcano in the ice; and there they butt each other with their ugly noses; day and night from year's end to year's end。

But here there were only good quiet beasts; lying about like the black hulls of sloops; and blowing every now and then jets of white steam; or sculling round with their huge mouths open; for the sea… moths to swim down their throats。  There were no threshers there to thresh their poor old backs; or sword…fish to stab their stomachs; or saw…fish to rip them up; or ice…sharks to bite lumps out of their sides; or whalers to harpoon and lance them。  They were quite safe and happy there; and all they had to do was to wait quietly in Peacepool; till Mother Carey sent for them to make them out of old beasts into new。

Tom swam up to the nearest whale; and asked the way to Mother Carey。

〃There she sits in the middle;〃 said the whale。

Tom looked; but he could see nothing in the middle of the pool; but one peaked iceberg:  and he said so。

〃That's Mother Carey;〃 said the whale; 〃as you will find when you get to her。  There she sits making old beasts into new all the year round。〃

〃How does she do that?〃

〃That's her concern; not mine;〃 said the old whale; and yawned so wide (for he was very large) that there swam into his mouth 943 sea…moths; 13;846 jelly…fish no bigger than pins' heads; a string of salpae nine yards long; and forty…three little ice…crabs; who gave each other a parting pinch all round; tucked their legs under their stomachs; and determined to die decently; like Julius Caesar。

〃I suppose;〃 said Tom; 〃she cuts up a great whale like you into a whole shoal of porpoises?〃

At which the old whale laughed so violently that he coughed up all the creatures; who swam away again very thankful at having escaped out of that terrible whalebone net of his; from which bourne no traveller returns; and Tom went on to the iceberg; wondering。

And; when he came near it; it took the form of the grandest old lady he had ever seen … a white marble lady; sitting on a white marble throne。  And from the foot of the throne there swum away; out and out into the sea; millions of new…born creatures; of more shapes and colours than man ever dreamed。  And they were Mother Carey's children; whom she makes out of the sea…water all day long。

He expected; of course … like some grown people who ought to know better … to find her snipping; piecing; fitting; stitching; cobbling; basting; filing; planing; hammering; turning; polishing; moulding; measuring; chiselling; clipping; and so forth; as men do when they go to work to make anything。

But; instead of that; she sat quite still with her chin upon her hand; looking down into the sea with two great grand blue eyes; as blue as the sea itself。  Her hair was as white as the snow … for she was very very old … in fact; as old as anything which you are likely to come across; except the difference between right and wrong。

And; when she saw Tom; she looked at him very kindly。

〃What do you want; my little man?  It is long since I have seen a water…baby here。〃

Tom told her his errand; and asked the way to the Other…end…of… Nowhere。

〃You ought to know yourself; for you have been there already。〃

〃Have I; ma'am?  I'm sure I forget all about it。〃

〃Then look at me。〃

And; as Tom looked into her great blue eyes; he recollected the way perfectly。

Now;

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