the water-babies-第1部分

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The　Water…Babies

by　Charles　Kingsley





CHAPTER　I



〃I　heard　a　thousand　blended　notes；　While　in　a　grove　I　sate　reclined；　In　that　sweet　mood　when　pleasant　thoughts　Bring　sad　thoughts　to　the　mind。

〃To　her　fair　works　did　Nature　link　The　human　soul　that　through　me　ran；　And　much　it　grieved　my　heart　to　think；　What　man　has　made　of　man。〃

WORDSWORTH。


Once　upon　a　time　there　was　a　little　chimney…sweep；　and　his　name　was　Tom。　　That　is　a　short　name；　and　you　have　heard　it　before；　so　you　will　not　have　much　trouble　in　remembering　it。　　He　lived　in　a　great　town　in　the　North　country；　where　there　were　plenty　of　chimneys　to　sweep；　and　plenty　of　money　for　Tom　to　earn　and　his　master　to　spend。　He　could　not　read　nor　write；　and　did　not　care　to　do　either；　and　he　never　washed　himself；　for　there　was　no　water　up　the　court　where　he　lived。　　He　had　never　been　taught　to　say　his　prayers。　　He　never　had　heard　of　God；　or　of　Christ；　except　in　words　which　you　never　have　heard；　and　which　it　would　have　been　well　if　he　had　never　heard。　　He　cried　half　his　time；　and　laughed　the　other　half。　　He　cried　when　he　had　to　climb　the　dark　flues；　rubbing　his　poor　knees　and　elbows　raw；　and　when　the　soot　got　into　his　eyes；　which　it　did　every　day　in　the　week；　and　when　his　master　beat　him；　which　he　did　every　day　in　the　week；　and　when　he　had　not　enough　to　eat；　which　happened　every　day　in　the　week　likewise。　　And　he　laughed　the　other　half　of　the　day；　when　he　was　tossing　halfpennies　with　the　other　boys；　or　playing　leap…frog　over　the　posts；　or　bowling　stones　at　the　horses'　legs　as　they　trotted　by；　which　last　was　excellent　fun；　when　there　was　a　wall　at　hand　behind　which　to　hide。　　As　for　chimney…sweeping；　and　being　hungry；　and　being　beaten；　he　took　all　that　for　the　way　of　the　world；　like　the　rain　and　snow　and　thunder；　and　stood　manfully　with　his　back　to　it　till　it　was　over；　as　his　old　donkey　did　to　a　hail…　storm；　and　then　shook　his　ears　and　was　as　jolly　as　ever；　and　thought　of　the　fine　times　coming；　when　he　would　be　a　man；　and　a　master　sweep；　and　sit　in　the　public…house　with　a　quart　of　beer　and　a　long　pipe；　and　play　cards　for　silver　money；　and　wear　velveteens　and　ankle…jacks；　and　keep　a　white　bull…dog　with　one　gray　ear；　and　carry　her　puppies　in　his　pocket；　just　like　a　man。　　And　he　would　have　apprentices；　one；　two；　three；　if　he　could。　　How　he　would　bully　them；　and　knock　them　about；　just　as　his　master　did　to　him；　and　make　them　carry　home　the　soot　sacks；　while　he　rode　before　them　on　his　donkey；　with　a　pipe　in　his　mouth　and　a　flower　in　his　button…hole；　like　a　king　at　the　head　of　his　army。　　Yes；　there　were　good　times　coming；　and；　when　his　master　let　him　have　a　pull　at　the　leavings　of　his　beer；　Tom　was　the　jolliest　boy　in　the　whole　town。

One　day　a　smart　little　groom　rode　into　the　court　where　Tom　lived。　Tom　was　just　hiding　behind　a　wall；　to　heave　half　a　brick　at　his　horse's　legs；　as　is　the　custom　of　that　country　when　they　welcome　strangers；　but　the　groom　saw　him；　and　halloed　to　him　to　know　where　Mr。　Grimes；　the　chimney…sweep；　lived。　　Now；　Mr。　Grimes　was　Tom's　own　master；　and　Tom　was　a　good　man　of　business；　and　always　civil　to　customers；　so　he　put　the　half…brick　down　quietly　behind　the　wall；　and　proceeded　to　take　orders。

Mr。　Grimes　was　to　come　up　next　morning　to　Sir　John　Harthover's；　at　the　Place；　for　his　old　chimney…sweep　was　gone　to　prison；　and　the　chimneys　wanted　sweeping。　　And　so　he　rode　away；　not　giving　Tom　time　to　ask　what　the　sweep　had　gone　to　prison　for；　which　was　a　matter　of　interest　to　Tom；　as　he　had　been　in　prison　once　or　twice　himself。　Moreover；　the　groom　looked　so　very　neat　and　clean；　with　his　drab　gaiters；　drab　breeches；　drab　jacket；　snow…white　tie　with　a　smart　pin　in　it；　and　clean　round　ruddy　face；　that　Tom　was　offended　and　disgusted　at　his　appearance；　and　considered　him　a　stuck…up　fellow；　who　gave　himself　airs　because　he　wore　smart　clothes；　and　other　people　paid　for　them；　and　went　behind　the　wall　to　fetch　the　half…　brick　after　all；　but　did　not；　remembering　that　he　had　come　in　the　way　of　business；　and　was；　as　it　were；　under　a　flag　of　truce。

His　master　was　so　delighted　at　his　new　customer　that　he　knocked　Tom　down　out　of　hand；　and　drank　more　beer　that　night　than　he　usually　did　in　two；　in　order　to　be　sure　of　getting　up　in　time　next　morning；　for　the　more　a　man's　head　aches　when　he　wakes；　the　more　glad　he　is　to　turn　out；　and　have　a　breath　of　fresh　air。　　And；　when　he　did　get　up　at　four　the　next　morning；　he　knocked　Tom　down　again；　in　order　to　teach　him　（as　young　gentlemen　used　to　be　taught　at　public　schools）　that　he　must　be　an　extra　good　boy　that　day；　as　they　were　going　to　a　very　great　house；　and　might　make　a　very　good　thing　of　it；　if　they　could　but　give　satisfaction。

And　Tom　thought　so　likewise；　and；　indeed；　would　have　done　and　behaved　his　best；　even　without　being　knocked　down。　　For；　of　all　places　upon　earth；　Harthover　Place　（which　he　had　never　seen）　was　the　most　wonderful；　and；　of　all　men　on　earth；　Sir　John　（whom　he　had　seen；　having　been　sent　to　gaol　by　him　twice）　was　the　most　awful。

Harthover　Place　was　really　a　grand　place；　even　for　the　rich　North　country；　with　a　house　so　large　that　in　the　frame…breaking　riots；　which　Tom　could　just　remember；　the　Duke　of　Wellington；　and　ten　thousand　soldiers　to　match；　were　easily　housed　therein；　at　least；　so　Tom　believed；　with　a　park　full　of　deer；　which　Tom　believed　to　be　monsters　who　were　in　the　habit　of　eating　children；　with　miles　of　game…preserves；　in　which　Mr。　Grimes　and　the　collier　lads　poached　at　times；　on　which　occasions　Tom　saw　pheasants；　and　wondered　what　they　tasted　like；　with　a　noble　salmon…river；　in　which　Mr。　Grimes　and　his　friends　would　have　liked　to　poach；　but　then　they　must　have　got　into　cold　water；　and　that　they　did　not　like　at　all。　　In　short；　Harthover　was　a　grand　place；　and　Sir　John　a　grand　old　man；　whom　even　Mr。　Grimes　respected；　for　not　only　could　he　send　Mr。　Grimes　to　prison　when　he　deserved　it；　as　he　did　once　or　twice　a　week；　not　only　did　he　own　all　the　land　about　for　miles；　not　only　was　he　a　jolly；　honest；　sensible　squire；　as　ever　kept　a　pack　of　hounds；　who　would　do　what　he　thought　right　by　his　neighbours；　as　well　as　get　what　he　thought　right　for　himself；　but；　what　was　more；　he　weighed　full　fifteen　stone；　was　nobody　knew　how　many　inches　round　the　chest；　and　could　have　thrashed　Mr。　Grimes　himself　in　fair　fight；　which　very　few　folk　round　there　could　do；　and　which；　my　dear　little　boy；　would　not　have　been　right　for　him　to　do；　as　a　great　many　things　are　not　which　one　both　can　do；　and　would　like　very　much　to　do。　　So　Mr。　Grimes　touched　his　hat　to　him　when　he　rode　through　the　town；　and　called　him　a　〃buirdly　awd　chap；〃　and　his　young　ladies　〃gradely　lasses；〃　which　are　two　high　compliments　in　the　North　country；　and　thought　that　that　made　up　for　his　poaching　Sir　John's　pheasants；　whereby　you　may　perceive　that　Mr。　Grimes　had　not　been　to　a　properly…inspected　Government　National　School。

Now；　I　dare　say；　you　never　got　up　at　three　o'clock　on　a　midsummer　morning。　　Some　people　get　up　then　because　they　want　to　catch　salmon；　and　some　because　they　want　to　climb　Alps；　and　a　great　many　more　because　they　must；　like　Tom。　　But；　I　assure　you；　that　three　o'clock　on　a　midsummer　morning　is　the　pleasantest　time　of　all　the　twenty…four　hours；　and　all　the　three　hundred　and　sixty…five　days；　and　why　every　one　does　not　get　up　then；　I　never　could　tell；　save　that　they　are　all　determined　to　spoil　their　nerves　and　their　complexions　by　doing　all　night　what　they　might　just　as　well　do　all　day。　　But　Tom；　instead　of　going　out　to　dinner　at　half…past　eight　at　night；　and　to　a　ball　at　ten；　and　finishing　off　somewhere　between　twelve　and　four；　went　to　bed　at　seven；　when　his　master　went　to　the　public…house；　and　slept　like　a　dead　pig；　for　which　reason　he　was　as　piert　as　a　game…cock　（who　always　gets　up　early　to　wake　the　maids）；　and　just　ready　to　get　up　when　the　fine　gentlemen　and　ladies　were　just　ready　to　go　to　bed。

So　he　and　his　master　set　out；　Grimes　rode　the　donkey　in　front；　and　Tom　and　the　brushes　walked　behind；　out　of　the　court；　and　up　the　street；　past　the　closed　window…shutters；　and　the　winking　weary　policemen；　and　the　roofs　all　shining　gray　in　the　gray　dawn。

They　passed　through　the　pitmen's　village；　all　shut　up　and　silent　now；　and　through　the　turnpike；　and　then　the　were　out　in　the　real　country；　and　plodding　along　the　black　dusty　road；　between　black　slag　walls；　with　no　sound　but　the　groaning　and　thumping　of　the　pit…　engine　in　the　next　field。　　But　soon　the　road　grew　white；　and　the　walls　likewise；　and　at　the　wall's　foot　grew　long　grass　and　gay　flowers；　all　drenched　with　dew；　and　instead　of　the　groaning　of　the　pit…engine；　they　heard　the　skylark　saying　his　matins　high　up　in　the　air；　and　the　pit…bird　warbling　in　the　sedges；　as　he　had　warbled　all　night　long。

All　else　was　silent。　　For　old　Mrs。　Earth　was　still　fast　asleep；　and；　like　many　pretty　people；　she　looked　still　prettier　asleep　than　awake。　　The　great　elm…trees　in　the　gold…green　meadows　were　fast　asleep　above；　and　the　cows　fast　asleep　beneath　them；　nay；　the　few　clouds　which　were　about　were　fast　asleep　likewise；　and　so　tired　that　they　had　lain　down　on　the　earth　to　rest；　in　long　white　flakes　and　bars；　among　the　stems　of　the　elm…trees；　and　along　the　tops　of　the　alders　by　the　stream；　waiting　for　the　sun　to　bid　them　rise　and　go　about　their　day's　business　in　the　clear　blue　overhead。

On　they　went；　and　Tom　looked；　and　looked；　for　he　never　had　been　so　far　into　the　country　before；　and　longed　to　get　over　a　gate；　and　pick　buttercups；　and　look　for　birds'　nests　in　the　hedge；　but　Mr。　Grimes　was　a　man　of　business；　and　would　not　have　heard　of　that。

Soon　they　came　up　with　a　poor　Irishwoman；　trudging　along　with　a　bundle　at　her　back。　　She　had　a　gray　shawl　over　her　head；　and　a　crimson　madder　petticoat；　so　you　may　be　sure　she　came　from　Galway。　She　had　neither　shoes　nor　stockings；　and　limped　along　as　if　she　were　tired　and　footsore；　but　she　was　a　very　tall　handsome　woman；　with　bright　gray　eyes；　and　heavy　black　hair　hanging　about　her　cheeks。　　And　she　took　Mr。　Grimes'　fancy　so　much；　that　when　he　came　alongside　he　called　out　to　her：

〃This　is　a　hard　road　for　a　gradely　foot　like　that。　　Will　ye　up；　lass；　and　ride　behind　me？〃

But；　perhaps；　she　did　not　admire　Mr。　Grimes'　look　and　voice；　for　she　answered　quietly：