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第44章

the water-babies-第44章

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Up jumped the truncheon; and was going to hit him on the crown a tremendous thump; and drive him down again like a cork into a bottle。  But the strange lady put it aside。

〃Will you obey me if I give you a chance?〃

〃As you please; ma'am。  You're stronger than me … that I know too well; and wiser than me; I know too well also。  And; as for being my own master; I've fared ill enough with that as yet。  So whatever your ladyship pleases to order me; for I'm beat; and that's the truth。〃

〃Be it so then … you may come out。  But remember; disobey me again; and into a worse place still you go。〃

〃I beg pardon ma'am; but I never disobeyed you that I know of。  I never had the honour of setting eyes upon you till I came to these ugly quarters。〃

〃Never saw me?  Who said to you; Those that will be foul; foul they will be?〃

Grimes looked up; and Tom looked up too; for the voice was that of the Irishwoman who met them the day that they went out together to Harthover。  〃I gave you your warning then:  but you gave it yourself a thousand times before and since。  Every bad word that you said … every cruel and mean thing that you did … every time that you got tipsy … every day that you went dirty … you were disobeying me; whether you knew it or not。〃

〃If I'd only known; ma'am … 〃

〃You knew well enough that you were disobeying something; though you did not know it was me。  But come out and take your chance。 Perhaps it may be your last。〃

So Grimes stepped out of the chimney; and really; if it had not been for the scars on his face; he looked as clean and respectable as a master…sweep need look。

〃Take him away;〃 said she to the truncheon; 〃and give him his ticket…of…leave。〃

〃And what is he to do; ma'am?〃

〃Get him to sweep out the crater of Etna; he will find some very steady men working out their time there; who will teach him his business:  but mind; if that crater gets choked again; and there is an earthquake in consequence; bring them all to me; and I shall investigate the case very severely。〃

So the truncheon marched off Mr。 Grimes; looking as meek as a drowned worm。

And for aught I know; or do not know; he is sweeping the crater of Etna to this very day。

〃And now;〃 said the fairy to Tom; 〃your work here is done。  You may as well go back again。〃

〃I should be glad enough to go;〃 said Tom; 〃but how am I to get up that great hole again; now the steam has stopped blowing?〃

〃I will take you up the backstairs:  but I must bandage your eyes first; for I never allow anybody to see those backstairs of mine。〃

〃I am sure I shall not tell anybody about them; ma'am; if you bid me not。〃

〃Aha!  So you think; my little man。  But you would soon forget your promise if you got back into the land…world。  For; if people only once found out that you had been up my backstairs; you would have all the fine ladies kneeling to you; and the rich men emptying their purses before you; and statesmen offering you place and power; and young and old; rich and poor; crying to you; 'Only tell us the great backstairs secret; and we will be your slaves; we will make you lord; king; emperor; bishop; archbishop; pope; if you like … only tell us the secret of the backstairs。  For thousands of years we have been paying; and petting; and obeying; and worshipping quacks who told us they had the key of the backstairs; and could smuggle us up them; and in spite of all our disappointments; we will honour; and glorify; and adore; and beatify; and translate; and apotheotise you likewise; on the chance of your knowing something about the backstairs; that we may all go on pilgrimage to it; and; even if we cannot get up it; lie at the foot of it; and cry …


'Oh; backstairs; precious backstairs; invaluable backstairs; requisite backstairs; necessary backstairs; good…natured backstairs; cosmopolitan backstairs; comprehensive backstairs; accommodating backstairs; well…bred backstairs; commercial backstairs; economical backstairs; practical backstairs; logical backstairs; deductive backstairs; comfortable backstairs; humane backstairs; reasonable backstairs; long…sought backstairs; coveted backstairs; aristocratic backstairs; respectable backstairs; gentlenmanlike backstairs; ladylike backstairs; orthodox backstairs; probable backstairs; credible backstairs; demonstrable backstairs; irrefragable backstairs; potent backstairs; all…but…omnipotent backstairs; &c。


Save us from the consequences of our own actions; and from the cruel fairy; Mrs。 Bedonebyasyoudid!'  Do not you think that you would be a little tempted then to tell what you know; laddie?〃

Tom thought so certainly。  〃But why do they want so to know about the backstairs?〃 asked he; being a little frightened at the long words; and not understanding them the least; as; indeed; he was not meant to do; or you either。

〃That I shall not tell you。  I never put things into little folks' heads which are but too likely to come there of themselves。  So come … now I must bandage your eyes。〃  So she tied the bandage on his eyes with one hand; and with the other she took it off。

〃Now;〃 she said; 〃you are safe up the stairs。〃  Tom opened his eyes very wide; and his mouth too; for he had not; as he thought; moved a single step。  But; when he looked round him; there could be no doubt that he was safe up the backstairs; whatsoever they may be; which no man is going to tell you; for the plain reason that no man knows。

The first thing which Tom saw was the black cedars; high and sharp against the rosy dawn; and St。 Brandan's Isle reflected double in the still broad silver sea。  The wind sang softly in the cedars; and the water sang among the eaves:  the sea…birds sang as they streamed out into the ocean; and the land…birds as they built among the boughs; and the air was so full of song that it stirred St。 Brandan and his hermits; as they slumbered in the shade; and they moved their good old lips; and sang their morning hymn amid their dreams。  But among all the songs one came across the water more sweet and clear than all; for it was the song of a young girl's voice。

And what was the song which she sang?  Ah; my little man; I am too old to sing that song; and you too young to understand it。  But have patience; and keep your eye single; and your hands clean; and you will learn some day to sing it yourself; without needing any man to teach you。

And as Tom neared the island; there sat upon a rock the most graceful creature that ever was seen; looking down; with her chin upon her hand; and paddling with her feet in the water。  And when they came to her she looked up; and behold it was Ellie。

〃Oh; Miss Ellie;〃 said he; 〃how you are grown!〃

〃Oh; Tom;〃 said she; 〃how you are grown too!〃

And no wonder; they were both quite grown up … he into a tall man; and she into a beautiful woman。

〃Perhaps I may be grown;〃 she said。  〃I have had time enough; for I have been sitting here waiting for you many a hundred years; till I thought you were never coming。〃

〃Many a hundred years?〃 thought Tom; but he had seen so much in his travels that he had quite given up being astonished; and; indeed; he could think of nothing but Ellie。  So he stood and looked at Ellie; and Ellie looked at him; and they liked the employment so much that they stood and looked for seven years more; and neither spoke nor stirred。

At last they heard the fairy say:  〃Attention; children。  Are you never going to look at me again?〃

〃We have been looking at you all this while;〃 they said。  And so they thought they had been。

〃Then look at me once more;〃 said she。

They looked … and both of them cried out at once; 〃Oh; who are you; after all?〃

〃You are our dear Mrs。 Doasyouwouldbedoneby。〃

〃No; you are good Mrs。 Bedonebyasyoudid; but you are grown quite beautiful now!〃

〃To you;〃 said the fairy。  〃But look again。〃

〃You are Mother Carey;〃 said Tom; in a very low; solemn voice; for he had found out something which made him very happy; and yet frightened him more than all that he had ever seen。

〃But you are grown quite young again。〃

〃To you;〃 said the fairy。  〃Look again。〃

〃You are the Irishwoman who met me the day I went to Harthover!〃

And when they looked she was neither of them; and yet all of them 

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