the water-babies-第3部分

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　to　build　an　Elizabethan；　but　he　said　he　lived　under　good　Queen　Victoria；　and　not　good　Queen　Bess；　and　another　was　bold　enough　to　tell　him　that　his　house　was　ugly；　but　he　said　he　lived　inside　it；　and　not　outside；　and　another；　that　there　was　no　unity　in　it；　but　he　said　that　that　was　just　why　he　liked　the　old　place。　　For　he　liked　to　see　how　each　Sir　John；　and　Sir　Hugh；　and　Sir　Ralph；　and　Sir　Randal；　had　left　his　mark　upon　the　place；　each　after　his　own　taste；　and　he　had　no　more　notion　of　disturbing　his　ancestors'　work　than　of　disturbing　their　graves。　　For　now　the　house　looked　like　a　real　live　house；　that　had　a　history；　and　had　grown　and　grown　as　the　world　grew；　and　that　it　was　only　an　upstart　fellow　who　did　not　know　who　his　own　grandfather　was；　who　would　change　it　for　some　spick　and　span　new　Gothic　or　Elizabethan　thing；　which　looked　as　if　it　bad　been　all　spawned　in　a　night；　as　mushrooms　are。　From　which　you　may　collect　（if　you　have　wit　enough）　that　Sir　John　was　a　very　sound…headed；　sound…hearted　squire；　and　just　the　man　to　keep　the　country　side　in　order；　and　show　good　sport　with　his　hounds。

But　Tom　and　his　master　did　not　go　in　through　the　great　iron　gates；　as　if　they　had　been　Dukes　or　Bishops；　but　round　the　back　way；　and　a　very　long　way　round　it　was；　and　into　a　little　back…door；　where　the　ash…boy　let　them　in；　yawning　horribly；　and　then　in　a　passage　the　housekeeper　met　them；　in　such　a　flowered　chintz　dressing…gown；　that　Tom　mistook　her　for　My　Lady　herself；　and　she　gave　Grimes　solemn　orders　about　〃You　will　take　care　of　this；　and　take　care　of　that；〃　as　if　he　was　going　up　the　chimneys；　and　not　Tom。　　And　Grimes　listened；　and　said　every　now　and　then；　under　his　voice；　〃You'll　mind　that；　you　little　beggar？〃　and　Tom　did　mind；　all　at　least　that　he　could。　　And　then　the　housekeeper　turned　them　into　a　grand　room；　all　covered　up　in　sheets　of　brown　paper；　and　bade　them　begin；　in　a　lofty　and　tremendous　voice；　and　so　after　a　whimper　or　two；　and　a　kick　from　his　master；　into　the　grate　Tom　went；　and　up　the　chimney；　while　a　housemaid　stayed　in　the　room　to　watch　the　furniture；　to　whom　Mr。　Grimes　paid　many　playful　and　chivalrous　compliments；　but　met　with　very　slight　encouragement　in　return。

How　many　chimneys　Tom　swept　I　cannot　say；　but　he　swept　so　many　that　he　got　quite　tired；　and　puzzled　too；　for　they　were　not　like　the　town　flues　to　which　he　was　accustomed；　but　such　as　you　would　find　…　if　you　would　only　get　up　them　and　look；　which　perhaps　you　would　not　like　to　do　…　in　old　country…houses；　large　and　crooked　chimneys；　which　had　been　altered　again　and　again；　till　they　ran　one　into　another；　anastomosing　（as　Professor　Owen　would　say）　considerably。　So　Tom　fairly　lost　his　way　in　them；　not　that　he　cared　much　for　that；　though　he　was　in　pitchy　darkness；　for　he　was　as　much　at　home　in　a　chimney　as　a　mole　is　underground；　but　at　last；　coming　down　as　he　thought　the　right　chimney；　he　came　down　the　wrong　one；　and　found　himself　standing　on　the　hearthrug　in　a　room　the　like　of　which　he　had　never　seen　before。

Tom　had　never　seen　the　like。　　He　had　never　been　in　gentlefolks'　rooms　but　when　the　carpets　were　all　up；　and　the　curtains　down；　and　the　furniture　huddled　together　under　a　cloth；　and　the　pictures　covered　with　aprons　and　dusters；　and　he　had　often　enough　wondered　what　the　rooms　were　like　when　they　were　all　ready　for　the　quality　to　sit　in。　　And　now　he　saw；　and　he　thought　the　sight　very　pretty。

The　room　was　all　dressed　in　white；　…　white　window…curtains；　white　bed…curtains；　white　furniture；　and　white　walls；　with　just　a　few　lines　of　pink　here　and　there。　　The　carpet　was　all　over　gay　little　flowers；　and　the　walls　were　hung　with　pictures　in　gilt　frames；　which　amused　Tom　very　much。　　There　were　pictures　of　ladies　and　gentlemen；　and　pictures　of　horses　and　dogs。　　The　horses　he　liked；　but　the　dogs　he　did　not　care　for　much；　for　there　were　no　bull…dogs　among　them；　not　even　a　terrier。　　But　the　two　pictures　which　took　his　fancy　most　were；　one　a　man　in　long　garments；　with　little　children　and　their　mothers　round　him；　who　was　laying　his　hand　upon　the　children's　heads。　　That　was　a　very　pretty　picture；　Tom　thought；　to　hang　in　a　lady's　room。　　For　he　could　see　that　it　was　a　lady's　room　by　the　dresses　which　lay　about。

The　other　picture　was　that　of　a　man　nailed　to　a　cross；　which　surprised　Tom　much。　　He　fancied　that　he　had　seen　something　like　it　in　a　shop…window。　　But　why　was　it　there？　　〃Poor　man；〃　thought　Tom；　〃and　he　looks　so　kind　and　quiet。　　But　why　should　the　lady　have　such　a　sad　picture　as　that　in　her　room？　　Perhaps　it　was　some　kinsman　of　hers；　who　had　been　murdered　by　the　savages　in　foreign　parts；　and　she　kept　it　there　for　a　remembrance。〃　　And　Tom　felt　sad；　and　awed；　and　turned　to　look　at　something　else。

The　next　thing　he　saw；　and　that　too　puzzled　him；　was　a　washing…　stand；　with　ewers　and　basins；　and　soap　and　brushes；　and　towels；　and　a　large　bath　full　of　clean　water　…　what　a　heap　of　things　all　for　washing！　　〃She　must　be　a　very　dirty　lady；〃　thought　Tom；　〃by　my　master's　rule；　to　want　as　much　scrubbing　as　all　that。　　But　she　must　be　very　cunning　to　put　the　dirt　out　of　the　way　so　well　afterwards；　for　I　don't　see　a　speck　about　the　room；　not　even　on　the　very　towels。〃

And　then；　looking　toward　the　bed；　he　saw　that　dirty　lady；　and　held　his　breath　with　astonishment。

Under　the　snow…white　coverlet；　upon　the　snow…white　pillow；　lay　the　most　beautiful　little　girl　that　Tom　had　ever　seen。　　Her　cheeks　were　almost　as　white　as　the　pillow；　and　her　hair　was　like　threads　of　gold　spread　all　about　over　the　bed。　　She　might　have　been　as　old　as　Tom；　or　maybe　a　year　or　two　older；　but　Tom　did　not　think　of　that。　He　thought　only　of　her　delicate　skin　and　golden　hair；　and　wondered　whether　she　was　a　real　live　person；　or　one　of　the　wax　dolls　he　had　seen　in　the　shops。　　But　when　he　saw　her　breathe；　he　made　up　his　mind　that　she　was　alive；　and　stood　staring　at　her；　as　if　she　had　been　an　angel　out　of　heaven。

No。　　She　cannot　be　dirty。　　She　never　could　have　been　dirty；　thought　Tom　to　himself。　　And　then　he　thought；　〃And　are　all　people　like　that　when　they　are　washed？〃　　And　he　looked　at　his　own　wrist；　and　tried　to　rub　the　soot　off；　and　wondered　whether　it　ever　would　come　off。　〃Certainly　I　should　look　much　prettier　then；　if　I　grew　at　all　like　her。〃

And　looking　round；　he　suddenly　saw；　standing　close　to　him；　a　little　ugly；　black；　ragged　figure；　with　bleared　eyes　and　grinning　white　teeth。　　He　turned　on　it　angrily。　　What　did　such　a　little　black　ape　want　in　that　sweet　young　lady's　room？　　And　behold；　it　was　himself；　reflected　in　a　great　mirror；　the　like　of　which　Tom　had　never　seen　before。

And　Tom；　for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　found　out　that　he　was　dirty；　and　burst　into　tears　with　shame　and　anger；　and　turned　to　sneak　up　the　chimney　again　and　hide；　and　upset　the　fender　and　threw　the　fire…irons　down；　with　a　noise　as　of　ten　thousand　tin　kettles　tied　to　ten　thousand　mad　dogs'　tails。

Up　jumped　the　little　white　lady　in　her　bed；　and；　seeing　Tom；　screamed　as　shrill　as　any　peacock。　　In　rushed　a　stout　old　nurse　from　the　next　room；　and　seeing　Tom　likewise；　made　up　her　mind　that　he　had　come　to　rob；　plunder；　destroy；　and　burn；　and　dashed　at　him；　as　he　lay　over　the　fender；　so　fast　that　she　caught　him　by　the　jacket。

But　she　did　not　hold　him。　　Tom　had　been　in　a　policeman's　hands　many　a　time；　and　out　of　them　too；　what　is　more；　and　he　would　have　been　ashamed　to　face　his　friends　for　ever　if　he　had　been　stupid　enough　to　be　caught　by　an　old　woman；　so　he　doubled　under　the　good　lady's　arm；　across　the　room；　and　out　of　the　window　in　a　moment。

He　did　not　need　to　drop　out；　though　he　would　have　done　so　bravely　enough。　　Nor　even　to　let　himself　down　a　spout；　which　would　have　been　an　old　game　to　him；　for　once　he　got　up　by　a　spout　to　the　church　roof；　he　said　to　take　jackdaws'　eggs；　but　the　policeman　said　to　steal　lead；　and；　when　he　was　seen　on　high；　sat　there　till　the　sun　got　too　hot；　and　came　down　by　another　spout；　leaving　the　policemen　to　go　back　to　the　stationhouse　and　eat　their　dinners。

But　all　under　the　window　spread　a　tree；　with　great　leaves　and　sweet　white　flowers；　almost　as　big　as　his　head。　　It　was　magnolia；　I　suppose；　but　Tom　knew　nothing　about　that；　and　cared　less；　for　down　the　tree　he　went；　like　a　cat；　and　across　the　garden　lawn；　and　over　the　iron　railings　and　up　the　park　towards　the　wood；　leaving　the　old　nurse　to　scream　murder　and　fire　at　the　window。

The　under　gardener；　mowing；　saw　Tom；　and　threw　down　his　scythe；　caught　his　leg　in　it；　and　cut　his　shin　open；　whereby　he　kept　his　bed　for　a　week；　but　in　his　hurry　he　never　knew　it；　and　gave　chase　to　poor　Tom。　　The　dairymaid　heard　the　noise；　got　the　churn　between　her　knees；　and　tumbled　over　it；　spilling　all　the　cream；　and　yet　she　jumped　up；　and　gave　chase　to　Tom。　　A　groom　cleaning　Sir　John's　hack　at　the　stables　let　him　go　loose；　whereby　he　kicked　himself　lame　in　five　minutes；　but　he　ran　out　and　gave　chase　to　Tom。　　Grimes　upset　the　soot…sack　in　the　new…gravelled　yard；　and　spoilt　it　all　utterly；　but　he　ran　out　and　gave　chase　to　Tom。　　The　old　steward　opened　the　park…gate　in　such　a　hurry；　that　he　hung　up　his　pony's　chin　upon　the　spikes；　and；　for　aught　I　know；　it　hangs　there　still；　but　he　jumped　off；　and　gave　chase　to　Tom。　　The　ploughman　left　his　horses　at　the　headland；　and　one　jumped　over　the　fence；　and　pulled　the　other　into　the　ditch；　plough　and　all；　but　he　ran　on；　and　gave　chase　to　Tom。　The　keeper；　who　was　taking　a　stoat　out　of　a　trap；　let　the　stoat　go；　and　caught　his　own　finger；　but　he　jumped　up；　and　ran　after　Tom；　and　considering　what　he　said；　and　how　he　looked；　I　should　have　been　sorry　for　Tom　if　he　had　caught　him。　　Sir　John　looked　out　of　his　study　window　（for　he　was　an　early　old　gentleman）　and　up　at　the　nurse；　and　a　marten　dropped　mud　in　his　eye；　so　that　he　had　at　last　to　send　for　the　doctor；　and　yet　he　ran　out；　and　gave　chase　to　Tom。　The　Irishwoman；　too；　was　walking　up　to　the　house　to　beg；　…　she　must　have　got　round　by　some　byway　…　but　she　threw　away　her　bundle；　and　gave　chase　to　Tom　likewise。　　Only　my　Lady　did　not　give　chase；　for　when　she　had　put　her　head　out　of　the　window；　her　night…wig　fell　into　the　garden；　and　she　had　to　ring　up　her　lady's…maid；　and　send　her　down　for　it　privately；　which　quite　put　her　out　of　the　running；　so　that　she　came　in　nowhere；　and　is　consequently　not　placed。