the water-babies-第22部分

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ir　hands　and　feet　swelled；　and　then　she　crammed　their　poor　feet　into　the　most　dreadfully　tight　boots；　and　made　them　all　dance；　which　they　did　most　clumsily　indeed；　and　then　she　asked　them　how　they　liked　it；　and　when　they　said　not　at　all；　she　let　them　go：　　because　they　had　only　done　it　out　of　foolish　fashion；　fancying　it　was　for　their　children's　good；　as　if　wasps'　waists　and　pigs'　toes　could　be　pretty；　or　wholesome；　or　of　any　use　to　anybody。

Then　she　called　up　all　the　careless　nurserymaids；　and　stuck　pins　into　them　all　over；　and　wheeled　them　about　in　perambulators　with　tight　straps　across　their　stomachs　and　their　heads　and　arms　hanging　over　the　side；　till　they　were　quite　sick　and　stupid；　and　would　have　had　sun…strokes：　　but；　being　under　the　water；　they　could　only　have　water…strokes；　which；　I　assure　you；　are　nearly　as　bad；　as　you　will　find　if　you　try　to　sit　under　a　mill…wheel。　　And　mind　…　when　you　hear　a　rumbling　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea；　sailors　will　tell　you　that　it　is　a　ground…swell：　　but　now　you　know　better。　　It　is　the　old　lady　wheeling　the　maids　about　in　perambulators。

And　by　that　time　she　was　so　tired；　she　had　to　go　to　luncheon。

And　after　luncheon　she　set　to　work　again；　and　called　up　all　the　cruel　schoolmasters　…　whole　regiments　and　brigades　of　them；　and　when　she　saw　them；　she　frowned　most　terribly；　and　set　to　work　in　earnest；　as　if　the　best　part　of　the　day's　work　was　to　come。　　More　than　half　of　them　were　nasty；　dirty；　frowzy；　grubby；　smelly　old　monks；　who；　because　they　dare　not　hit　a　man　of　their　own　size；　amused　themselves　with　beating　little　children　instead；　as　you　may　see　in　the　picture　of　old　Pope　Gregory　（good　man　and　true　though　he　was；　when　he　meddled　with　things　which　he　did　understand）；　teaching　children　to　sing　their　fa…fa…mi…fa　with　a　cat…o'…nine　tails　under　his　chair：　　but；　because　they　never　had　any　children　of　their　own；　they　took　into　their　heads　（as　some　folks　do　still）　that　they　were　the　only　people　in　the　world　who　knew　how　to　manage　children：　　and　they　first　brought　into　England；　in　the　old　Anglo…Saxon　times；　the　fashion　of　treating　free　boys；　and　girls　too；　worse　than　you　would　treat　a　dog　or　a　horse：　　but　Mrs。　Bedonebyasyoudid　has　caught　them　all　long　ago；　and　given　them　many　a　taste　of　their　own　rods；　and　much　good　may　it　do　them。

And　she　boxed　their　ears；　and　thumped　them　over　the　head　with　rulers；　and　pandied　their　hands　with　canes；　and　told　them　that　they　told　stories；　and　were　this　and　that　bad　sort　of　people；　and　the　more　they　were　very　indignant；　and　stood　upon　their　honour；　and　declared　they　told　the　truth；　the　more　she　declared　they　were　not；　and　that　they　were　only　telling　lies；　and　at　last　she　birched　them　all　round　soundly　with　her　great　birch…rod　and　set　them　each　an　imposition　of　three　hundred　thousand　lines　of　Hebrew　to　learn　by　heart　before　she　came　back　next　Friday。　　And　at　that　they　all　cried　and　howled　so；　that　their　breaths　came　all　up　through　the　sea　like　bubbles　out　of　soda…water；　and　that　is　one　reason　of　the　bubbles　in　the　sea。　　There　are　others：　　but　that　is　the　one　which　principally　concerns　little　boys。　　And　by　that　time　she　was　so　tired　that　she　was　glad　to　stop；　and；　indeed；　she　had　done　a　very　good　day's　work。

Tom　did　not　quite　dislike　the　old　lady：　　but　he　could　not　help　thinking　her　a　little　spiteful　…　and　no　wonder　if　she　was；　poor　old　soul；　for　if　she　has　to　wait　to　grow　handsome　till　people　do　as　they　would　be　done　by；　she　will　have　to　wait　a　very　long　time。

Poor　old　Mrs。　Bedonebyasyoudid！　she　has　a　great　deal　of　hard　work　before　her；　and　had　better　have　been　born　a　washerwoman；　and　stood　over　a　tub　all　day：　　but；　you　see；　people　cannot　always　choose　their　own　profession。

But　Tom　longed　to　ask　her　one　question；　and　after　all；　whenever　she　looked　at　him；　she　did　not　look　cross　at　all；　and　now　and　then　there　was　a　funny　smile　in　her　face；　and　she　chuckled　to　herself　in　a　way　which　gave　Tom　courage；　and　at　last　he　said：

〃Pray；　ma'am；　may　I　ask　you　a　question？〃

〃Certainly；　my　little　dear。〃

〃Why　don't　you　bring　all　the　bad　masters　here　and　serve　them　out　too？　　The　butties　that　knock　about　the　poor　collier…boys；　and　the　nailers　that　file　off　their　lads'　noses　and　hammer　their　fingers；　and　all　the　master　sweeps；　like　my　master　Grimes？　　I　saw　him　fall　into　the　water　long　ago；　so　I　surely　expected　he　would　have　been　here。　　I'm　sure　he　was　bad　enough　to　me。〃

Then　the　old　lady　looked　so　very　stern　that　Tom　was　quite　frightened；　and　sorry　that　he　had　been　so　bold。　　But　she　was　not　angry　with　him。　　She　only　answered；　〃I　look　after　them　all　the　week　round；　and　they　are　in　a　very　different　place　from　this；　because　they　knew　that　they　were　doing　wrong。〃

She　spoke　very　quietly；　but　there　was　something　in　her　voice　which　made　Tom　tingle　from　head　to　foot；　as　if　he　had　got　into　a　shoal　of　sea…nettles。

〃But　these　people；〃　she　went　on；　〃did　not　know　that　they　were　doing　wrong：　　they　were　only　stupid　and　impatient；　and　therefore　I　only　punish　them　till　they　become　patient；　and　learn　to　use　their　common　sense　like　reasonable　beings。　　But　as　for　chimney…sweeps；　and　collier…boys；　and　nailer　lads；　my　sister　has　set　good　people　to　stop　all　that　sort　of　thing；　and　very　much　obliged　to　her　I　am；　for　if　she　could　only　stop　the　cruel　masters　from　ill…using　poor　children；　I　should　grow　handsome　at　least　a　thousand　years　sooner。　And　now　do　you　be　a　good　boy；　and　do　as　you　would　be　done　by；　which　they　did　not；　and　then；　when　my　sister；　MADAME　DOASYOUWOULDBEDONEBY；　comes　on　Sunday；　perhaps　she　will　take　notice　of　you；　and　teach　you　how　to　behave。　　She　understands　that　better　than　I　do。〃　　And　so　she　went。

Tom　was　very　glad　to　hear　that　there　was　no　chance　of　meeting　Grimes　again；　though　he　was　a　little　sorry　for　him；　considering　that　he　used　sometimes　to　give　him　the　leavings　of　the　beer：　　but　he　determined　to　be　a　very　good　boy　all　Saturday；　and　he　was；　for　he　never　frightened　one　crab；　nor　tickled　any　live　corals；　nor　put　stones　into　the　sea　anemones'　mouths；　to　make　them　fancy　they　had　got　a　dinner；　and　when　Sunday　morning　came；　sure　enough；　MRS。　DOASYOUWOULDBEDONEBY　came　too。　　Whereat　all　the　little　children　began　dancing　and　clapping　their　hands；　and　Tom　danced　too　with　all　his　might。

And　as　for　the　pretty　lady；　I　cannot　tell　you　what　the　colour　of　her　hair　was；　or；　of　her　eyes：　　no　more　could　Tom；　for；　when　any　one　looks　at　her；　all　they　can　think　of　is；　that　she　has　the　sweetest；　kindest；　tenderest；　funniest；　merriest　face　they　ever　saw；　or　want　to　see。　　But　Tom　saw　that　she　was　a　very　tall　woman；　as　tall　as　her　sister：　　but　instead　of　being　gnarly　and　horny；　and　scaly；　and　prickly；　like　her；　she　was　the　most　nice；　soft；　fat；　smooth；　pussy；　cuddly；　delicious　creature　who　ever　nursed　a　baby；　and　she　understood　babies　thoroughly；　for　she　had　plenty　of　her　own；　whole　rows　and　regiments　of　them；　and　has　to　this　day。　　And　all　her　delight　was；　whenever　she　had　a　spare　moment；　to　play　with　babies；　in　which　she　showed　herself　a　woman　of　sense；　for　babies　are　the　best　company；　and　the　pleasantest　playfellows；　in　the　world；　at　least；　so　all　the　wise　people　in　the　world　think。　　And　therefore　when　the　children　saw　her；　they　naturally　all　caught　hold　of　her；　and　pulled　her　till　she　sat　down　on　a　stone；　and　climbed　into　her　lap；　and　clung　round　her　neck；　and　caught　hold　of　her　hands；　and　then　they　all　put　their　thumbs　into　their　mouths；　and　began　cuddling　and　purring　like　so　many　kittens；　as　they　ought　to　have　done。　　While　those　who　could　get　nowhere　else　sat　down　on　the　sand；　and　cuddled　her　feet　…　for　no　one；　you　know；　wear　shoes　in　the　water；　except　horrid　old　bathing…women；　who　are　afraid　of　the　water…babies　pinching　their　horny　toes。　　And　Tom　stood　staring　at　them；　for　he　could　not　understand　what　it　was　all　about。

〃And　who　are　you；　you　little　darling？〃　she　said。

〃Oh；　that　is　the　new　baby！〃　they　all　cried；　pulling　their　thumbs　out　of　their　mouths；　〃and　he　never　had　any　mother；〃　and　they　all　put　their　thumbs　back　again；　for　they　did　not　wish　to　lose　any　time。

〃Then　I　will　be　his　mother；　and　he　shall　have　the　very　best　place；　so　get　out；　all　of　you；　this　moment。〃

And　she　took　up　two　great　armfuls　of　babies　…　nine　hundred　under　one　arm；　and　thirteen　hundred　under　the　other　…　and　threw　them　away；　right　and　left；　into　the　water。　　But　they　minded　it　no　more　than　the　naughty　boys　in　Struwelpeter　minded　when　St。　Nicholas　dipped　them　in　his　inkstand；　and　did　not　even　take　their　thumbs　out　of　their　mouths；　but　came　paddling　and　wriggling　back　to　her　like　so　many　tadpoles；　till　you　could　see　nothing　of　her　from　head　to　foot　for　the　swarm　of　little　babies。

But　she　took　Tom　in　her　arms；　and　laid　him　in　the　softest　place　of　all；　and　kissed　him；　and　patted　him；　and　talked　to　him；　tenderly　and　low；　such　things　as　he　had　never　heard　before　in　his　life；　and　Tom　looked　up　into　her　eyes；　and　loved　her；　and　loved；　till　he　fell　fast　asleep　from　pure　love。

And　when　he　woke　she　was　telling　the　children　a　story。　　And　what　story　did　she　tell　them？　　One　story　she　told　them；　which　begins　every　Christmas　Eve；　and　yet　never　ends　at　all　for　ever　and　ever；　and；　as　she　went　on；　the　children　took　their　thumbs　out　of　their　mouths　and　listened　quite　seriously；　but　not　sadly　at　all；　for　she　never　told　them　anything　sad；　and　Tom　listened　too；　and　never　grew　tired　of　listening。　　And　he　listened　so　long　that　he　fell　fast　asleep　again；　and；　when　he　woke；　the　lady　was　nursing　him　still。

〃Don't　go　away；〃　said　little　Tom。　　〃This　is　so　nice。　　I　never　had　any　one　to　cuddle　me　before。〃

〃Don't　go　away；〃　said　all　the　children；　〃you　have　not　sung　us　one　song。〃

〃Well；　I　have　time　for　only　one。　　So　what　shall　it　be？〃

〃The　doll　you　lost！　　The　doll　you　lost！〃　cried　all　the　babies　at　once。

So　the　strange　fairy　sang：…


I　once　had　a　sweet　little　doll；　dears；　The　prettiest　doll　in　the　world；　Her　cheeks　were　so　red　and　so　white；　dears；　And　her　hair　was　so　charmingly　curled。　But　I　lost　my　poor　little　doll；　dears；　As　I　played　in　the　heath　one　day；　And　I　cried　for　her　more　than　a　week；　dears；　But　I　never　could　find　where　she　lay。

I　found　my　poor　little　doll；　dears；　As　I　played　in　the　heath　one　day：　Folks　say　she　is　terribly　changed；　dears；　For　her　paint　is　all　washed　away；　And　her　arm　trodden　off