the water-babies-第24部分

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he　could　stand　it　no　longer；　and　thrust　the　sweetmeats　away；　saying；　〃No；　I　don't　want　any：　　I　can't　bear　them　now；〃　and　then　burst　out　crying；　poor　little　man；　and　told　Mrs。　Bedonebyasyoudid　every　word　as　it　happened。

He　was　horribly　frightened　when　he　had　done　so；　for　he　expected　her　to　punish　him　very　severely。　　But；　instead；　she　only　took　him　up　and　kissed　him；　which　was　not　quite　pleasant；　for　her　chin　was　very　bristly　indeed；　but　he　was　so　lonely…hearted；　he　thought　that　rough　kissing　was　better　than　none。

〃I　will　forgive　you；　little　man；〃　she　said。　　〃I　always　forgive　every　one　the　moment　they　tell　me　the　truth　of　their　own　accord。〃

〃Then　you　will　take　away　all　these　nasty　prickles？〃

〃That　is　a　very　different　matter。　　You　put　them　there　yourself；　and　only　you　can　take　them　away。〃

〃But　how　can　I　do　that？〃　asked　Tom；　crying　afresh。

〃Well；　I　think　it　is　time　for　you　to　go　to　school；　so　I　shall　fetch　you　a　schoolmistress；　who　will　teach　you　how　to　get　rid　of　your　prickles。〃　　And　so　she　went　away。

Tom　was　frightened　at　the　notion　of　a　school…mistress；　for　he　thought　she　would　certainly　come　with　a　birch…rod　or　a　cane；　but　he　comforted　himself；　at　last；　that　she　might　be　something　like　the　old　woman　in　Vendale　…　which　she　was　not　in　the　least；　for；　when　the　fairy　brought　her；　she　was　the　most　beautiful　little　girl　that　ever　was　seen；　with　long　curls　floating　behind　her　like　a　golden　cloud；　and　long　robes　floating　all　round　her　like　a　silver　one。

〃There　he　is；〃　said　the　fairy；　〃and　you　must　teach　him　to　be　good；　whether　you　like　or　not。〃

〃I　know；〃　said　the　little　girl；　but　she　did　not　seem　quite　to　like；　for　she　put　her　finger　in　her　mouth；　and　looked　at　Tom　under　her　brows；　and　Tom　put　his　finger　in　his　mouth；　and　looked　at　her　under　his　brows；　for　he　was　horribly　ashamed　of　himself。

The　little　girl　seemed　hardly　to　know　how　to　begin；　and　perhaps　she　would　never　have　begun　at　all　if　poor　Tom　had　not　burst　out　crying；　and　begged　her　to　teach　him　to　be　good　and　help　him　to　cure　his　prickles；　and　at　that　she　grew　so　tender…hearted　that　she　began　teaching　him　as　prettily　as　ever　child　was　taught　in　the　world。

And　what　did　the　little　girl　teach　Tom？　　She　taught　him；　first；　what　you　have　been　taught　ever　since　you　said　your　first　prayers　at　your　mother's　knees；　but　she　taught　him　much　more　simply。　　For　the　lessons　in　that　world；　my　child；　have　no　such　hard　words　in　them　as　the　lessons　in　this；　and　therefore　the　water…babies　like　them　better　than　you　like　your　lessons；　and　long　to　learn　them　more　and　more；　and　grown　men　cannot　puzzle　nor　quarrel　over　their　meaning；　as　they　do　here　on　land；　for　those　lessons　all　rise　clear　and　pure；　like　the　Test　out　of　Overton　Pool；　out　of　the　everlasting　ground　of　all　life　and　truth。

So　she　taught　Tom　every　day　in　the　week；　only　on　Sundays　she　always　went　away　home；　and　the　kind　fairy　took　her　place。　　And　before　she　had　taught　Tom　many　Sundays；　his　prickles　had　vanished　quite　away；　and　his　skin　was　smooth　and　clean　again。

〃Dear　me！〃　said　the　little　girl；　〃why；　I　know　you　now。　　You　are　the　very　same　little　chimney…sweep　who　came　into　my　bedroom。〃

〃Dear　me！〃　cried　Tom。　　〃And　I　know　you；　too；　now。　　You　are　the　very　little　white　lady　whom　I　saw　in　bed。〃　　And　he　jumped　at　her；　and　longed　to　hug　and　kiss　her；　but　did　not；　remembering　that　she　was　a　lady　born；　so　he　only　jumped　round　and　round　her　till　he　was　quite　tired。

And　then　they　began　telling　each　other　all　their　story　…　how　he　had　got　into　the　water；　and　she　had　fallen　over　the　rock；　and　how　he　had　swum　down　to　the　sea；　and　how　she　had　flown　out　of　the　window；　and　how　this；　that；　and　the　other；　till　it　was　all　talked　out：　　and　then　they　both　began　over　again；　and　I　can't　say　which　of　the　two　talked　fastest。

And　then　they　set　to　work　at　their　lessons　again；　and　both　liked　them　so　well　that　they　went　on　well　till　seven　full　years　were　past　and　gone。

You　may　fancy　that　Tom　was　quite　content　and　happy　all　those　seven　years；　but　the　truth　is；　he　was　not。　　He　had　always　one　thing　on　his　mind；　and　that　was　…　where　little　Ellie　went；　when　she　went　home　on　Sundays。

To　a　very　beautiful　place；　she　said。

But　what　was　the　beautiful　place　like；　and　where　was　it？

Ah！　that　is　just　what　she　could　not　say。　　And　it　is　strange；　but　true；　that　no　one　can　say；　and　that　those　who　have　been　oftenest　in　it；　or　even　nearest　to　it；　can　say　least　about　it；　and　make　people　understand　least　what　it　is　like。　　There　are　a　good　many　folks　about　the　Other…end…of…Nowhere　（where　Tom　went　afterwards）；　who　pretend　to　know　it　from　north　to　south　as　well　as　if　they　had　been　penny　postmen　there；　but；　as　they　are　safe　at　the　Other…end…of…　Nowhere；　nine　hundred　and　ninety…nine　million　miles　away；　what　they　say　cannot　concern　us。

But　the　dear；　sweet；　loving；　wise；　good；　self…sacrificing　people；　who　really　go　there；　can　never　tell　you　anything　about　it；　save　that　it　is　the　most　beautiful　place　in　all　the　world；　and；　if　you　ask　them　more；　they　grow　modest；　and　hold　their　peace；　for　fear　of　being　laughed　at；　and　quite　right　they　are。

So　all　that　good　little　Ellie　could　say　was；　that　it　was　worth　all　the　rest　of　the　world　put　together。　　And　of　course　that　only　made　Tom　the　more　anxious　to　go　likewise。

〃Miss　Ellie；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃I　will　know　why　I　cannot　go　with　you　when　you　go　home　on　Sundays；　or　I　shall　have　no　peace；　and　give　you　none　either。〃

〃You　must　ask　the　fairies　that。〃

So　when　the　fairy；　Mrs。　Bedonebyasyoudid；　came　next；　Tom　asked　her。

〃Little　boys　who　are　only　fit　to　play　with　sea…beasts　cannot　go　there；〃　she　said。　　〃Those　who　go　there　must　go　first　where　they　do　not　like；　and　do　what　they　do　not　like；　and　help　somebody　they　do　not　like。〃

〃Why；　did　Ellie　do　that？〃

〃Ask　her。〃

And　Ellie　blushed；　and　said；　〃Yes；　Tom；　I　did　not　like　coming　here　at　first；　I　was　so　much　happier　at　home；　where　it　is　always　Sunday。　And　I　was　afraid　of　you；　Tom；　at　first；　because　…　because　…　〃

〃Because　I　was　all　over　prickles？　　But　I　am　not　prickly　now；　am　I；　Miss　Ellie？〃

〃No；〃　said　Ellie。　　〃I　like　you　very　much　now；　and　I　like　coming　here；　too。〃

〃And　perhaps；〃　said　the　fairy；　〃you　will　learn　to　like　going　where　you　don't　like；　and　helping　some　one　that　you　don't　like；　as　Ellie　has。〃

But　Tom　put　his　finger　in　his　mouth；　and　hung　his　head　down；　for　he　did　not　see　that　at　all。

So　when　Mrs。　Doasyouwouldbedoneby　came；　Tom　asked　her；　for　he　thought　in　his　little　head；　She　is　not　so　strict　as　her　sister；　and　perhaps　she　may　let　me　off　more　easily。

Ah；　Tom；　Tom；　silly　fellow！　and　yet　I　don't　know　why　I　should　blame　you；　while　so　many　grown　people　have　got　the　very　same　notion　in　their　heads。

But；　when　they　try　it；　they　get　just　the　same　answer　as　Tom　did。　For；　when　he　asked　the　second　fairy；　she　told　him　just　what　the　first　did；　and　in　the　very　same　words。

Tom　was　very　unhappy　at　that。　　And；　when　Ellie　went　home　on　Sunday；　he　fretted　and　cried　all　day；　and　did　not　care　to　listen　to　the　fairy's　stories　about　good　children；　though　they　were　prettier　than　ever。　　Indeed；　the　more　he　overheard　of　them；　the　less　he　liked　to　listen；　because　they　were　all　about　children　who　did　what　they　did　not　like；　and　took　trouble　for　other　people；　and　worked　to　feed　their　little　brothers　and　sisters　instead　of　caring　only　for　their　play。　　And；　when　she　began　to　tell　a　story　about　a　holy　child　in　old　times；　who　was　martyred　by　the　heathen　because　it　would　not　worship　idols；　Tom　could　bear　no　more；　and　ran　away　and　hid　among　the　rocks。

And；　when　Ellie　came　back；　he　was　shy　with　her；　because　he　fancied　she　looked　down　on　him；　and　thought　him　a　coward。　　And　then　he　grew　quite　cross　with　her；　because　she　was　superior　to　him；　and　did　what　he　could　not　do。　　And　poor　Ellie　was　quite　surprised　and　sad；　and　at　last　Tom　burst　out　crying；　but　he　would　not　tell　her　what　was　really　in　his　mind。

And　all　the　while　he　was　eaten　up　with　curiosity　to　know　where　Ellie　went　to；　so　that　he　began　not　to　care　for　his　playmates；　or　for　the　sea…palace　or　anything　else。　　But　perhaps　that　made　matters　all　the　easier　for　him；　for　he　grew　so　discontented　with　everything　round　him　that　he　did　not　care　to　stay；　and　did　not　care　where　he　went。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　at　last；　〃I　am　so　miserable　here；　I'll　go；　if　only　you　will　go　with　me？〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Ellie；　〃I　wish　I　might；　but　the　worst　of　it　is；　that　the　fairy　says　that　you　must　go　alone　if　you　go　at　all。　　Now　don't　poke　that　poor　crab　about；　Tom〃　（for　he　was　feeling　very　naughty　and　mischievous）；　〃or　the　fairy　will　have　to　punish　you。〃

Tom　was　very　nearly　saying；　〃I　don't　care　if　she　does；〃　but　he　stopped　himself　in　time。

〃I　know　what　she　wants　me　to　do；〃　he　said；　whining　most　dolefully。　〃She　wants　me　to　go　after　that　horrid　old　Grimes。　　I　don't　like　him；　that's　certain。　　And　if　I　find　him；　he　will　turn　me　into　a　chimney…sweep　again；　I　know。　　That's　what　I　have　been　afraid　of　all　along。〃

〃No；　he　won't　…　I　know　as　much　as　that。　　Nobody　can　turn　water…　babies　into　sweeps；　or　hurt　them　at　all；　as　long　as　they　are　good。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　naughty　Tom；　〃I　see　what　you　want；　you　are　persuading　me　all　along　to　go；　because　you　are　tired　of　me；　and　want　to　get　rid　of　me。〃

Little　Ellie　opened　her　eyes　very　wide　at　that；　and　they　were　all　brimming　over　with　tears。

〃Oh；　Tom；　Tom！〃　she　said；　very　mournfully　…　and　then　she　cried；　〃Oh；　Tom！　where　are　you？〃

And　Tom　cried；　〃Oh；　Ellie；　where　are　you？〃

For　neither　of　them　could　see　each　other　…　not　the　least。　　Little　Ellie　vanished　quite　away；　and　Tom　heard　her　voice　calling　him；　and　growing　smaller　and　smaller；　and　fainter　and　fainter；　till　all　was　silent。

Who　was　frightened　then　but　Tom？　　He　swam　up　and　down　among　the　rocks；　into　all　the　halls　and　chambers；　faster　than　ever　he　swam　before；　but　could　not　find　her。　　He　shouted　after　her；　but　she　did　not　answer；　he　asked　all　the　other　children；　but　they　had　not　seen　her；　and　at　last　he　went　up　to　the　top　of　the　water　and　began　crying　and　screaming　for　Mrs。　Bedonebyasyoudid　…　which　perhaps　was　the　best　thing　to　do　…　for　she　came　in　a　moment。

〃Oh！〃　said　Tom。　　〃Oh　dear；　oh　dear！　　I　have　been　naughty　to　Ellie；　and　I　have　killed　her　…　I　know　I　have　killed　her。〃

〃Not　quite　that；〃　said　the　fairy；　〃but　I　have　sent　her