the water-babies-第14部分

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〃My　dear；　we　do　not　even　mention　them；　if　we　can　help　it；　for　I　am　sorry　to　say　they　are　relations　of　ours　who　do　us　no　credit。　　A　great　many　years　ago　they　were　just　like　us：　　but　they　were　so　lazy；　and　cowardly；　and　greedy；　that　instead　of　going　down　to　the　sea　every　year　to　see　the　world　and　grow　strong　and　fat；　they　chose　to　stay　and　poke　about　in　the　little　streams　and　eat　worms　and　grubs；　and　they　are　very　properly　punished　for　it；　for　they　have　grown　ugly　and　brown　and　spotted　and　small；　and　are　actually　so　degraded　in　their　tastes；　that　they　will　eat　our　children。〃

〃And　then　they　pretend　to　scrape　acquaintance　with　us　again；〃　said　the　lady。　　〃Why；　I　have　actually　known　one　of　them　propose　to　a　lady　salmon；　the　little　impudent　little　creature。〃

〃I　should　hope；〃　said　the　gentleman；　〃that　there　are　very　few　ladies　of　our　race　who　would　degrade　themselves　by　listening　to　such　a　creature　for　an　instant。　　If　I　saw　such　a　thing　happen；　I　should　consider　it　my　duty　to　put　them　both　to　death　upon　the　spot。〃　　So　the　old　salmon　said；　like　an　old　blue…blooded　hidalgo　of　Spain；　and　what　is　more；　he　would　have　done　it　too。　　For　you　must　know；　no　enemies　are　so　bitter　against　each　other　as　those　who　are　of　the　same　race；　and　a　salmon　looks　on　a　trout；　as　some　great　folks　look　on　some　little　folks；　as　something　just　too　much　like　himself　to　be　tolerated。



CHAPTER　IV



〃Sweet　is　the　lore　which　Nature　brings；　Our　meddling　intellect　Mis…shapes　the　beauteous　forms　of　things　We　murder　to　dissect。

Enough　of　science　and　of　art：　Close　up　these　barren　leaves；　Come　forth；　and　bring　with　you　a　heart　That　watches　and　receives。〃

WORDSWORTH。


So　the　salmon　went　up；　after　Tom　had　warned　them　of　the　wicked　old　otter；　and　Tom　went　down；　but　slowly　and　cautiously；　coasting　along　shore。　　He　was　many　days　about　it；　for　it　was　many　miles　down　to　the　sea；　and　perhaps　he　would　never　have　found　his　way；　if　the　fairies　had　not　guided　him；　without　his　seeing　their　fair　faces；　or　feeling　their　gentle　hands。

And；　as　he　went；　he　had　a　very　strange　adventure。　　It　was　a　clear　still　September　night；　and　the　moon　shone　so　brightly　down　through　the　water；　that　he　could　not　sleep；　though　he　shut　his　eyes　as　tight　as　possible。　　So　at　last　he　came　up　to　the　top；　and　sat　upon　a　little　point　of　rock；　and　looked　up　at　the　broad　yellow　moon；　and　wondered　what　she　was；　and　thought　that　she　looked　at　him。　　And　he　watched　the　moonlight　on　the　rippling　river；　and　the　black　heads　of　the　firs；　and　the　silver…frosted　lawns；　and　listened　to　the　owl's　hoot；　and　the　snipe's　bleat；　and　the　fox's　bark；　and　the　otter's　laugh；　and　smelt　the　soft　perfume　of　the　birches；　and　the　wafts　of　heather　honey　off　the　grouse　moor　far　above；　and　felt　very　happy；　though　he　could　not　well　tell　why。　　You；　of　course；　would　have　been　very　cold　sitting　there　on　a　September　night；　without　the　least　bit　of　clothes　on　your　wet　back；　but　Tom　was　a　water…baby；　and　therefore　felt　cold　no　more　than　a　fish。

Suddenly；　he　saw　a　beautiful　sight。　　A　bright　red　light　moved　along　the　river…side；　and　threw　down　into　the　water　a　long　tap…root　of　flame。　　Tom；　curious　little　rogue　that　he　was；　must　needs　go　and　see　what　it　was；　so　he　swam　to　the　shore；　and　met　the　light　as　it　stopped　over　a　shallow　run　at　the　edge　of　a　low　rock。

And　there；　underneath　the　light；　lay　five　or　six　great　salmon；　looking　up　at　the　flame　with　their　great　goggle　eyes；　and　wagging　their　tails；　as　if　they　were　very　much　pleased　at　it。

Tom　came　to　the　top；　to　look　at　this　wonderful　light　nearer；　and　made　a　splash。

And　he　heard　a　voice　say：

〃There　was　a　fish　rose。〃

He　did　not　know　what　the　words　meant：　　but　he　seemed　to　know　the　sound　of　them；　and　to　know　the　voice　which　spoke　them；　and　he　saw　on　the　bank　three　great　two…legged　creatures；　one　of　whom　held　the　light；　flaring　and　sputtering；　and　another　a　long　pole。　　And　he　knew　that　they　were　men；　and　was　frightened；　and　crept　into　a　hole　in　the　rock；　from　which　he　could　see　what　went　on。

The　man　with　the　torch　bent　down　over　the　water；　and　looked　earnestly　in；　and　then　he　said：

〃Tak'　that　muckle　fellow；　lad；　he's　ower　fifteen　punds；　and　haud　your　hand　steady。〃

Tom　felt　that　there　was　some　danger　coming；　and　longed　to　warn　the　foolish　salmon；　who　kept　staring　up　at　the　light　as　if　he　was　bewitched。　　But　before　he　could　make　up　his　mind；　down　came　the　pole　through　the　water；　there　was　a　fearful　splash　and　struggle；　and　Tom　saw　that　the　poor　salmon　was　speared　right　through；　and　was　lifted　out　of　the　water。

And　then；　from　behind；　there　sprang　on　these　three　men　three　other　men；　and　there　were　shouts；　and　blows；　and　words　which　Tom　recollected　to　have　heard　before；　and　he　shuddered　and　turned　sick　at　them　now；　for　he　felt　somehow　that　they　were　strange；　and　ugly；　and　wrong；　and　horrible。　　And　it　all　began　to　come　back　to　him。　They　were　men；　and　they　were　fighting；　savage；　desperate；　up…and…　down　fighting；　such　as　Tom　had　seen　too　many　times　before。

And　he　stopped　his　little　ears；　and　longed　to　swim　away；　and　was　very　glad　that　he　was　a　water…baby；　and　had　nothing　to　do　any　more　with　horrid　dirty　men；　with　foul　clothes　on　their　backs；　and　foul　words　on　their　lips；　but　he　dared　not　stir　out　of　his　hole：　　while　the　rock　shook　over　his　head　with　the　trampling　and　struggling　of　the　keepers　and　the　poachers。

All　of　a　sudden　there　was　a　tremendous　splash；　and　a　frightful　flash；　and　a　hissing；　and　all　was　still。

For　into　the　water；　close　to　Tom；　fell　one　of　the　men；　he　who　held　the　light　in　his　hand。　　Into　the　swift　river　he　sank；　and　rolled　over　and　over　in　the　current。　　Tom　heard　the　men　above　run　along　seemingly　looking　for　him；　but　he　drifted　down　into　the　deep　hole　below；　and　there　lay　quite　still；　and　they　could　not　find　him。

Tom　waited　a　long　time；　till　all　was　quiet；　and　then　he　peeped　out；　and　saw　the　man　lying。　　At　last　he　screwed　up　his　courage　and　swam　down　to　him。　　〃Perhaps；〃　he　thought；　〃the　water　has　made　him　fall　asleep；　as　it　did　me。〃

Then　he　went　nearer。　　He　grew　more　and　more　curious；　he　could　not　tell　why。　　He　must　go　and　look　at　him。　　He　would　go　very　quietly；　of　course；　so　he　swam　round　and　round　him；　closer　and　closer；　and；　as　he　did　not　stir；　at　last　he　came　quite　close　and　looked　him　in　the　face。

The　moon　shone　so　bright　that　Tom　could　see　every　feature；　and；　as　he　saw；　he　recollected；　bit　by　bit；　it　was　his　old　master；　Grimes。

Tom　turned　tail；　and　swam　away　as　fast　as　he　could。

〃Oh　dear　me！〃　he　thought；　〃now　he　will　turn　into　a　water…baby。　What　a　nasty　troublesome　one　he　will　be！　　And　perhaps　he　will　find　me　out；　and　beat　me　again。〃

So　he　went　up　the　river　again　a　little　way；　and　lay　there　the　rest　of　the　night　under　an　alder　root；　but；　when　morning　came；　he　longed　to　go　down　again　to　the　big　pool；　and　see　whether　Mr。　Grimes　had　turned　into　a　water…baby　yet。

So　he　went　very　carefully；　peeping　round　all　the　rocks；　and　hiding　under　all　the　roots。　　Mr。　Grimes　lay　there　still；　he　had　not　turned　into　a　water…baby。　　In　the　afternoon　Tom　went　back　again。　　He　could　not　rest　till　he　had　found　out　what　had　become　of　Mr。　Grimes。　　But　this　time　Mr。　Grimes　was　gone；　and　Tom　made　up　his　mind　that　he　was　turned　into　a　water…baby。

He　might　have　made　himself　easy；　poor　little　man；　Mr。　Grimes　did　not　turn　into　a　water…baby；　or　anything　like　one　at　all。　　But　he　did　not　make　himself　easy；　and　a　long　time　he　was　fearful　lest　he　should　meet　Grimes　suddenly　in　some　deep　pool。　　He　could　not　know　that　the　fairies　had　carried　him　away；　and　put　him；　where　they　put　everything　which　falls　into　the　water；　exactly　where　it　ought　to　be。　　But；　do　you　know；　what　had　happened　to　Mr。　Grimes　had　such　an　effect　on　him　that　he　never　poached　salmon　any　more。　　And　it　is　quite　certain　that；　when　a　man　becomes　a　confirmed　poacher；　the　only　way　to　cure　him　is　to　put　him　under　water　for　twenty…four　hours；　like　Grimes。　　So　when　you　grow　to　be　a　big　man；　do　you　behave　as　all　honest　fellows　should；　and　never　touch　a　fish　or　a　head　of　game　which　belongs　to　another　man　without　his　express　leave；　and　then　people　will　call　you　a　gentleman；　and　treat　you　like　one；　and　perhaps　give　you　good　sport：　　instead　of　hitting　you　into　the　river；　or　calling　you　a　poaching　snob。

Then　Tom　went　on　down；　for　he　was　afraid　of　staying　near　Grimes：　and　as　he　went；　all　the　vale　looked　sad。　　The　red　and　yellow　leaves　showered　down　into　the　river；　the　flies　and　beetles　were　all　dead　and　gone；　the　chill　autumn　fog　lay　low　upon　the　hills；　and　sometimes　spread　itself　so　thickly　on　the　river　that　he　could　not　see　his　way。　　But　he　felt　his　way　instead；　following　the　flow　of　the　stream；　day　after　day；　past　great　bridges；　past　boats　and　barges；　past　the　great　town；　with　its　wharfs；　and　mills；　and　tall　smoking　chimneys；　and　ships　which　rode　at　anchor　in　the　stream；　and　now　and　then　he　ran　against　their　hawsers；　and　wondered　what　they　were；　and　peeped　out；　and　saw　the　sailors　lounging　on　board　smoking　their　pipes；　and　ducked　under　again；　for　he　was　terribly　afraid　of　being　caught　by　man　and　turned　into　a　chimney…sweep　once　more。　　He　did　not　know　that　the　fairies　were　close　to　him　always；　shutting　the　sailors'　eyes　lest　they　should　see　him；　and　turning　him　aside　from　millraces；　and　sewer…mouths；　and　all　foul　and　dangerous　things。　　Poor　little　fellow；　it　was　a　dreary　journey　for　him；　and　more　than　once　he　longed　to　be　back　in　Vendale；　playing　with　the　trout　in　the　bright　summer　sun。　　But　it　could　not　be。　　What　has　been　once　can　never　come　over　again。　　And　people　can　be　little　babies；　even　water…babies；　only　once　in　their　lives。

Besides；　people　who　make　up　their　minds　to　go　and　see　the　world；　as　Tom　did；　must　needs　find　it　a　weary　journey。　　Lucky　for　them　if　they　do　not　lose　heart　and　stop　half…way；　instead　of　going　on　bravely　to　the　end　as　Tom　did。　　For　then　they　will　remain　neither　boys　nor　men；　neither　fish；　flesh；　nor　good　red…herring：　　having　learnt　a　great　deal　too　much；　and　yet　not　enough；　and　sown　their　wild　oats；　without　having　the　advantage　of　reaping　them。

But　Tom　was　always　a　brave；　determined；　little　English　bull…dog；　who　never　knew　when　he　was　beaten；　and　on　and　on　he　held；　till　he　saw　a　long　way　off　the　red　buoy　through　the　fog。　　And　then　he　found　to　his　surprise；　the　str