the water-babies-第15部分

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e　stream　turned　round；　and　running　up　inland。

It　was　the　tide；　of　course：　　but　Tom　knew　nothing　of　the　tide。　　He　only　knew　that　in　a　minute　more　the　water；　which　had　been　fresh；　turned　salt　all　round　him。　　And　then　there　came　a　change　over　him。　He　felt　as　strong；　and　light；　and　fresh；　as　if　his　veins　had　run　champagne；　and　gave；　he　did　not　know　why；　three　skips　out　of　the　water；　a　yard　high；　and　head　over　heels；　just　as　the　salmon　do　when　they　first　touch　the　noble　rich　salt　water；　which；　as　some　wise　men　tell　us；　is　the　mother　of　all　living　things。

He　did　not　care　now　for　the　tide　being　against　him。　　The　red　buoy　was　in　sight；　dancing　in　the　open　sea；　and　to　the　buoy　he　would　go；　and　to　it　he　went。　　He　passed　great　shoals　of　bass　and　mullet；　leaping　and　rushing　in　after　the　shrimps；　but　he　never　heeded　them；　or　they　him；　and　once　he　passed　a　great　black　shining　seal；　who　was　coming　in　after　the　mullet。　　The　seal　put　his　head　and　shoulders　out　of　water；　and　stared　at　him；　looking　exactly　like　a　fat　old　greasy　negro　with　a　gray　pate。　　And　Tom；　instead　of　being　frightened；　said；　〃How　d'ye　do；　sir；　what　a　beautiful　place　the　sea　is！〃　　And　the　old　seal；　instead　of　trying　to　bite　him；　looked　at　him　with　his　soft　sleepy　winking　eyes；　and　said；　〃Good　tide　to　you；　my　little　man；　are　you　looking　for　your　brothers　and　sisters？　　I　passed　them　all　at　play　outside。〃

〃Oh；　then；〃　said　Tom；　〃I　shall　have　playfellows　at　last；〃　and　he　swam　on　to　the　buoy；　and　got　upon　it　（for　he　was　quite　out　of　breath）　and　sat　there；　and　looked　round　for　water…babies：　　but　there　were　none　to　be　seen。

The　sea…breeze　came　in　freshly　with　the　tide　and　blew　the　fog　away；　and　the　little　waves　danced　for　joy　around　the　buoy；　and　the　old　buoy　danced　with　them。　　The　shadows　of　the　clouds　ran　races　over　the　bright　blue　bay；　and　yet　never　caught　each　other　up；　and　the　breakers　plunged　merrily　upon　the　wide　white　sands；　and　jumped　up　over　the　rocks；　to　see　what　the　green　fields　inside　were　like；　and　tumbled　down　and　broke　themselves　all　to　pieces；　and　never　minded　it　a　bit；　but　mended　themselves　and　jumped　up　again。　　And　the　terns　hovered　over　Tom　like　huge　white　dragon…flies　with　black　heads；　and　the　gulls　laughed　like　girls　at　play；　and　the　sea…pies；　with　their　red　bills　and　legs；　flew　to　and　fro　from　shore　to　shore；　and　whistled　sweet　and　wild。　　And　Tom　looked　and　looked；　and　listened；　and　he　would　have　been　very　happy；　if　he　could　only　have　seen　the　water…babies。　　Then　when　the　tide　turned；　he　left　the　buoy；　and　swam　round　and　round　in　search　of　them：　　but　in　vain。　　Sometimes　he　thought　he　heard　them　laughing：　　but　it　was　only　the　laughter　of　the　ripples。　　And　sometimes　he　thought　he　saw　them　at　the　bottom：　but　it　was　only　white　and　pink　shells。　　And　once　he　was　sure　he　had　found　one；　for　he　saw　two　bright　eyes　peeping　out　of　the　sand。　　So　he　dived　down；　and　began　scraping　the　sand　away；　and　cried；　〃Don't　hide；　I　do　want　some　one　to　play　with　so　much！〃　　And　out　jumped　a　great　turbot　with　his　ugly　eyes　and　mouth　all　awry；　and　flopped　away　along　the　bottom；　knocking　poor　Tom　over。　　And　he　sat　down　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea；　and　cried　salt　tears　from　sheer　disappointment。

To　have　come　all　this　way；　and　faced　so　many　dangers；　and　yet　to　find　no　water…babies！　　How　hard！　　Well；　it　did　seem　hard：　　but　people；　even　little　babies；　cannot　have　all　they　want　without　waiting　for　it；　and　working　for　it　too；　my　little　man；　as　you　will　find　out　some　day。

And　Tom　sat　upon　the　buoy　long　days；　long　weeks；　looking　out　to　sea；　and　wondering　when　the　water…babies　would　come　back；　and　yet　they　never　came。

Then　he　began　to　ask　all　the　strange　things　which　came　in　out　of　the　sea　if　they　had　seen　any；　and　some　said　〃Yes；〃　and　some　said　nothing　at　all。

He　asked　the　bass　and　the　pollock；　but　they　were　so　greedy　after　the　shrimps　that　they　did　not　care　to　answer　him　a　word。

Then　there　came　in　a　whole　fleet　of　purple　sea…snails；　floating　along；　each　on　a　sponge　full　of　foam；　and　Tom　said；　〃Where　do　you　come　from；　you　pretty　creatures？　and　have　you　seen　the　water…　babies？〃

And　the　sea…snails　answered；　〃Whence　we　come　we　know　not；　and　whither　we　are　going；　who　can　tell？　　We　float　out　our　life　in　the　mid…ocean；　with　the　warm　sunshine　above　our　heads；　and　the　warm　gulf…stream　below；　and　that　is　enough　for　us。　　Yes；　perhaps　we　have　seen　the　water…babies。　　We　have　seen　many　strange　things　as　we　sailed　along。〃　　And　they　floated　away；　the　happy　stupid　things；　and　all　went　ashore　upon　the　sands。

Then　there　came　in　a　great　lazy　sunfish；　as　big　as　a　fat　pig　cut　in　half；　and　he　seemed　to　have　been　cut　in　half　too；　and　squeezed　in　a　clothes…press　till　he　was　flat；　but　to　all　his　big　body　and　big　fins　he　had　only　a　little　rabbit's　mouth；　no　bigger　than　Tom's；　and；　when　Tom　questioned　him；　he　answered　in　a　little　squeaky　feeble　voice：

〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know；　I've　lost　my　way。　　I　meant　to　go　to　the　Chesapeake；　and　I'm　afraid　I've　got　wrong　somehow。　　Dear　me！　it　was　all　by　following　that　pleasant　warm　water。　　I'm　sure　I've　lost　my　way。〃

And；　when　Tom　asked　him　again；　he　could　only　answer；　〃I've　lost　my　way。　　Don't　talk　to　me；　I　want　to　think。〃

But；　like　a　good　many　other　people；　the　more　he　tried　to　think　the　less　he　could　think；　and　Tom　saw　him　blundering　about　all　day；　till　the　coast…guardsmen　saw　his　big　fin　above　the　water；　and　rowed　out；　and　struck　a　boat…hook　into　him；　and　took　him　away。　　They　took　him　up　to　the　town　and　showed　him　for　a　penny　a　head；　and　made　a　good　day's　work　of　it。　　But　of　course　Tom　did　not　know　that。

Then　there　came　by　a　shoal　of　porpoises；　rolling　as　they　went　…　papas；　and　mammas；　and　little　children　…　and　all　quite　smooth　and　shiny；　because　the　fairies　French…polish　them　every　morning；　and　they　sighed　so　softly　as　they　came　by；　that　Tom　took　courage　to　speak　to　them：　　but　all　they　answered　was；　〃Hush；　hush；　hush；〃　for　that　was　all　they　had　learnt　to　say。

And　then　there　came　a　shoal　of　basking　sharks'　some　of　them　as　long　as　a　boat；　and　Tom　was　frightened　at　them。　　But　they　were　very　lazy　good…natured　fellows；　not　greedy　tyrants；　like　white　sharks　and　blue　sharks　and　ground　sharks　and　hammer…heads；　who　eat　men；　or　saw…fish　and　threshers　and　ice…sharks；　who　hunt　the　poor　old　whales。　　They　came　and　rubbed　their　great　sides　against　the　buoy；　and　lay　basking　in　the　sun　with　their　backfins　out　of　water；　and　winked　at　Tom：　　but　he　never　could　get　them　to　speak。　　They　had　eaten　so　many　herrings　that　they　were　quite　stupid；　and　Tom　was　glad　when　a　collier　brig　came　by　and　frightened　them　all　away；　for　they　did　smell　most　horribly；　certainly；　and　he　had　to　hold　his　nose　tight　as　long　as　they　were　there。

And　then　there　came　by　a　beautiful　creature；　like　a　ribbon　of　pure　silver　with　a　sharp　head　and　very　long　teeth；　but　it　seemed　very　sick　and　sad。　　Sometimes　it　rolled　helpless　on　its　side；　and　then　it　dashed　away　glittering　like　white　fire；　and　then　it　lay　sick　again　and　motionless。

〃Where　do　you　come　from？〃　asked　Tom。　　〃And　why　are　YOU　so　sick　and　sad？〃

〃I　come　from　the　warm　Carolinas；　and　the　sandbanks　fringed　with　pines；　where　the　great　owl…rays　leap　and　flap；　like　giant　bats；　upon　the　tide。　　But　I　wandered　north　and　north；　upon　the　treacherous　warm　gulf…stream；　till　I　met　with　the　cold　icebergs；　afloat　in　the　mid　ocean。　　So　I　got　tangled　among　the　icebergs；　and　chilled　with　their　frozen　breath。　　But　the　water…babies　helped　me　from　among　them；　and　set　me　free　again。　　And　now　I　am　mending　every　day；　but　I　am　very　sick　and　sad；　and　perhaps　I　shall　never　get　home　again　to　play　with　the　owl…rays　any　more。〃

〃Oh！〃　cried　Tom。　　〃And　you　have　seen　water…babies？　　Have　you　seen　any　near　here？〃

〃Yes；　they　helped　me　again　last　night；　or　I　should　have　been　eaten　by　a　great　black　porpoise。〃

How　vexatious！　　The　water…babies　close　to　him；　and　yet　he　could　not　find　one。

And　then　he　left　the　buoy；　and　used　to　go　along　the　sands　and　round　the　rocks；　and　come　out　in　the　night　…　like　the　forsaken　Merman　in　Mr。　Arnold's　beautiful；　beautiful　poem；　which　you　must　learn　by　heart　some　day　…　and　sit　upon　a　point　of　rock；　among　the　shining　sea…weeds；　in　the　low　October　tides；　and　cry　and　call　for　the　water…babies；　but　he　never　heard　a　voice　call　in　return。　　And　at　last；　with　his　fretting　and　crying；　he　grew　quite　lean　and　thin。

But　one　day　among　the　rocks　he　found　a　playfellow。　　It　was　not　a　water…baby；　alas！　but　it　was　a　lobster；　and　a　very　distinguished　lobster　he　was；　for　he　had　live　barnacles　on　his　claws；　which　is　a　great　mark　of　distinction　in　lobsterdom；　and　no　more　to　be　bought　for　money　than　a　good　conscience　or　the　Victoria　Cross。

Tom　had　never　seen　a　lobster　before；　and　he　was　mightily　taken　with　this　one；　for　he　thought　him　the　most　curious；　odd；　ridiculous　creature　he　had　ever　seen；　and　there　he　was　not　far　wrong；　for　all　the　ingenious　men；　and　all　the　scientific　men；　and　all　the　fanciful　men；　in　the　world；　with　all　the　old　German　bogy…painters　into　the　bargain；　could　never　invent；　if　all　their　wits　were　boiled　into　one；　anything　so　curious；　and　so　ridiculous；　as　a　lobster。

He　had　one　claw　knobbed　and　the　other　jagged；　and　Tom　delighted　in　watching　him　hold　on　to　the　seaweed　with　his　knobbed　claw；　while　he　cut　up　salads　with　his　jagged　one；　and　then　put　them　into　his　mouth；　after　smelling　at　them；　like　a　monkey。　　And　always　the　little　barnacles　threw　out　their　casting…nets　and　swept　the　water；　and　came　in　for　their　share　of　whatever　there　was　for　dinner。

But　Tom　was　most　astonished　to　see　how　he　fired　himself　off　…　snap！　like　the　leap…frogs　which　you　make　out　of　a　goose's　breast…bone。　Certainly　he　took　the　most　wonderful　shots；　and　backwards；　too。　For；　if　he　wanted　to　go　into　a　narrow　crack　ten　yards　off；　what　do　you　think　he　did？　　If　he　had　gone　in　head　foremost；　of　course　he　could　not　have　turned　round。　　So　he　used　to　turn　his　tail　to　it；　and　lay　his　long　horns；　which　carry　his　sixth　sense　in　their　tips　（and　nobody　knows　what　that　sixth　sense　is）；　straight　down　his　back　to　guide　him；　and　twist　his　eyes　back　till　they　almost　came　out　of　their　sockets；　and　then　made　ready；　present；　fire；　snap！　…　and　away　he　went；　pop　into　the　hole；　and　peeped　out　and　twiddled　his　whiskers；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃You　couldn't　do　that。〃

Tom　asked　him　about　water