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第9章

the water-babies-第9章

小说: the water-babies 字数: 每页4000字

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So; at five the next morning up he got; and into his bath; and into his shooting…jacket and gaiters; and into the stableyard; like a fine old English gentleman; with a face as red as a rose; and a hand as hard as a table; and a back as broad as a bullock's; and bade them bring his shooting pony; and the keeper to come on his pony; and the huntsman; and the first whip; and the second whip; and the under…keeper with the bloodhound in a leash … a great dog as tall as a calf; of the colour of a gravel…walk; with mahogany ears and nose; and a throat like a church…bell。  They took him up to the place where Tom had gone into the wood; and there the hound lifted up his mighty voice; and told them all he knew。

Then he took them to the place where Tom had climbed the wall; and they shoved it down; and all got through。

And then the wise dog took them over the moor; and over the fells; step by step; very slowly; for the scent was a day old; you know; and very light from the heat and drought。  But that was why cunning old Sir John started at five in the morning。

And at last he came to the top of Lewthwaite Crag; and there he bayed; and looked up in their faces; as much as to say; 〃I tell you he is gone down here!〃

They could hardly believe that Tom would have gone so far; and when they looked at that awful cliff; they could never believe that he would have dared to face it。  But if the dog said so; it must be true。

〃Heaven forgive us!〃 said Sir John。  〃If we find him at all; we shall find him lying at the bottom。〃  And he slapped his great hand upon his great thigh; and said …

〃Who will go down over Lewthwaite Crag; and see if that boy is alive?  Oh that I were twenty years younger; and I would go down myself!〃  And so he would have done; as well as any sweep in the county。  Then he said …

〃Twenty pounds to the man who brings me that boy alive!〃 and as was his way; what he said he meant。

Now among the lot was a little groom…boy; a very little groom indeed; and he was the same who had ridden up the court; and told Tom to come to the Hall; and he said …

〃Twenty pounds or none; I will go down over Lewthwaite Crag; if it's only for the poor boy's sake。  For he was as civil a spoken little chap as ever climbed a flue。〃

So down over Lewthwaite Crag he went:  a very smart groom he was at the top; and a very shabby one at the bottom; for he tore his gaiters; and he tore his breeches; and he tore his jacket; and he burst his braces; and he burst his boots; and he lost his hat; and what was worst of all; he lost his shirt pin; which he prized very much; for it was gold; and he had won it in a raffle at Malton; and there was a figure at the top of it; of t'ould mare; noble old Beeswing herself; as natural as life; so it was a really severe loss:  but he never saw anything of Tom。

And all the while Sir John and the rest were riding round; full three miles to the right; and back again; to get into Vendale; and to the foot of the crag。

When they came to the old dame's school; all the children came out to see。  And the old dame came out too; and when she saw Sir John; she curtsied very low; for she was a tenant of his。

〃Well; dame; and how are you?〃 said Sir John。

〃Blessings on you as broad as your back; Harthover;〃 says she … she didn't call him Sir John; but only Harthover; for that is the fashion in the North country … 〃and welcome into Vendale:  but you're no hunting the fox this time of the year?〃

〃I am hunting; and strange game too;〃 said he。

〃Blessings on your heart; and what makes you look so sad the morn?〃

〃I'm looking for a lost child; a chimney…sweep; that is run away。〃

〃Oh; Harthover; Harthover;〃 says she; 〃ye were always a just man and a merciful; and ye'll no harm the poor little lad if I give you tidings of him?〃

〃Not I; not I; dame。  I'm afraid we hunted him out of the house all on a miserable mistake; and the hound has brought him to the top of Lewthwaite Crag; and … 〃

Whereat the old dame broke out crying; without letting him finish his story。

〃So he told me the truth after all; poor little dear!  Ah; first thoughts are best; and a body's heart'll guide them right; if they will but hearken to it。〃  And then she told Sir John all。

〃Bring the dog here; and lay him on;〃 said Sir John; without another word; and he set his teeth very hard。

And the dog opened at once; and went away at the back of the cottage; over the road; and over the meadow; and through a bit of alder copse; and there; upon an alder stump; they saw Tom's clothes lying。  And then they knew as much about it all as there was any need to know。

And Tom?

Ah; now comes the most wonderful part of this wonderful story。 Tom; when he woke; for of course he woke … children always wake after they have slept exactly as long as is good for them … found himself swimming about in the stream; being about four inches; or … that I may be accurate … 3。87902 inches long and having round the parotid region of his fauces a set of external gills (I hope you understand all the big words) just like those of a sucking eft; which he mistook for a lace frill; till he pulled at them; found he hurt himself; and made up his mind that they were part of himself; and best left alone。

In fact; the fairies had turned him into a water…baby。

A water…baby?  You never heard of a water…baby。  Perhaps not。  That is the very reason why this story was written。  There are a great many things in the world which you never heard of; and a great many more which nobody ever heard of; and a great many things; too; which nobody will ever hear of; at least until the coming of the Cocqcigrues; when man shall be the measure of all things。

〃But there are no such things as water…babies。〃

How do you know that?  Have you been there to see?  And if you had been there to see; and had seen none; that would not prove that there were none。  If Mr。 Garth does not find a fox in Eversley Wood … as folks sometimes fear he never will … that does not prove that there are no such things as foxes。  And as is Eversley Wood to all the woods in England; so are the waters we know to all the waters in the world。  And no one has a right to say that no water…babies exist; till they have seen no water…babies existing; which is quite a different thing; mind; from not seeing water…babies; and a thing which nobody ever did; or perhaps ever will do。

〃But surely if there were water…babies; somebody would have caught one at least?〃

Well。  How do you know that somebody has not?

〃But they would have put it into spirits; or into the ILLUSTRATED NEWS; or perhaps cut it into two halves; poor dear little thing; and sent one to Professor Owen; and one to Professor Huxley; to see what they would each say about it。〃

Ah; my dear little man! that does not follow at all; as you will see before the end of the story。

〃But a water…baby is contrary to nature。〃

Well; but; my dear little man; you must learn to talk about such things; when you grow older; in a very different way from that。 You must not talk about 〃ain't〃 and 〃can't〃 when you speak of this great wonderful world round you; of which the wisest man knows only the very smallest corner; and is; as the great Sir Isaac Newton said; only a child picking up pebbles on the shore of a boundless ocean。

You must not say that this cannot be; or that that is contrary to nature。  You do not know what Nature is; or what she can do; and nobody knows; not even Sir Roderick Murchison; or Professor Owen; or Professor Sedgwick; or Professor Huxley; or Mr。 Darwin; or Professor Faraday; or Mr。 Grove; or any other of the great men whom good boys are taught to respect。  They are very wise men; and you must listen respectfully to all they say:  but even if they should say; which I am sure they never would; 〃That cannot exist。  That is contrary to nature;〃 you must wait a little; and see; for perhaps even they may be wrong。  It is only children who read Aunt Agitate's Arguments; or Cousin Cramchild's Conversations; or lads who go to popular lectures; and see a man pointing at a few big ugly pictures on the wall; or making nasty smells with bottles and squirts; for an hour or two; and calling that anatomy or chemistry … who talk about 〃cann

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