第 29 节
作者:
痛罚 更新:2021-02-27 02:20 字数:9322
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 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…bir