the water-babies-第6部分

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could　not　walk　down　it。　　He　could　hear　the　stream　murmuring　only　one　field　beyond　it；　and　yet　it　seemed　to　him　as　if　it　was　a　hundred　miles　off。

He　lay　down　on　the　grass　till　the　beetles　ran　over　him；　and　the　flies　settled　on　his　nose。　　I　don't　know　when　he　would　have　got　up　again；　if　the　gnats　and　the　midges　had　not　taken　compassion　on　him。　But　the　gnats　blew　their　trumpets　so　loud　in　his　ear；　and　the　midges　nibbled　so　at　his　hands　and　face　wherever　they　could　find　a　place　free　from　soot；　that　at　last　he　woke　up；　and　stumbled　away；　down　over　a　low　wall；　and　into　a　narrow　road；　and　up　to　the　cottage…door。

And　a　neat　pretty　cottage　it　was；　with　clipped　yew　hedges　all　round　the　garden；　and　yews　inside　too；　cut　into　peacocks　and　trumpets　and　teapots　and　all　kinds　of　queer　shapes。　　And　out　of　the　open　door　came　a　noise　like　that　of　the　frogs　on　the　Great…A；　when　they　know　that　it　is　going　to　be　scorching　hot　to…morrow　…　and　how　they　know　that　I　don't　know；　and　you　don't　know；　and　nobody　knows。

He　came　slowly　up　to　the　open　door；　which　was　all　hung　round　with　clematis　and　roses；　and　then　peeped　in；　half　afraid。

And　there　sat　by　the　empty　fireplace；　which　was　filled　with　a　pot　of　sweet　herbs；　the　nicest　old　woman　that　ever　was　seen；　in　her　red　petticoat；　and　short　dimity　bedgown；　and　clean　white　cap；　with　a　black　silk　handkerchief　over　it；　tied　under　her　chin。　　At　her　feet　sat　the　grandfather　of　all　the　cats；　and　opposite　her　sat；　on　two　benches；　twelve　or　fourteen　neat；　rosy；　chubby　little　children；　learning　their　Chris…cross…row；　and　gabble　enough　they　made　about　it。

Such　a　pleasant　cottage　it　was；　with　a　shiny　clean　stone　floor；　and　curious　old　prints　on　the　walls；　and　an　old　black　oak　sideboard　full　of　bright　pewter　and　brass　dishes；　and　a　cuckoo　clock　in　the　corner；　which　began　shouting　as　soon　as　Tom　appeared：　　not　that　it　was　frightened　at　Tom；　but　that　it　was　just　eleven　o'clock。

All　the　children　started　at　Tom's　dirty　black　figure；　…　the　girls　began　to　cry；　and　the　boys　began　to　laugh；　and　all　pointed　at　him　rudely　enough；　but　Tom　was　too　tired　to　care　for　that。

〃What　art　thou；　and　what　dost　want？〃　cried　the　old　dame。　　〃A　chimney…sweep！　　Away　with　thee！　　I'll　have　no　sweeps　here。〃

〃Water；〃　said　poor　little　Tom；　quite　faint。

〃Water？　　There's　plenty　i'　the　beck；〃　she　said；　quite　sharply。

〃But　I　can't　get　there；　I'm　most　clemmed　with　hunger　and　drought。〃　And　Tom　sank　down　upon　the　door…step；　and　laid　his　head　against　the　post。

And　the　old　dame　looked　at　him　through　her　spectacles　one　minute；　and　two；　and　three；　and　then　she　said；　〃He's　sick；　and　a　bairn's　a　bairn；　sweep　or　none。〃

〃Water；〃　said　Tom。

〃God　forgive　me！〃　and　she　put　by　her　spectacles；　and　rose；　and　came　to　Tom。　　〃Water's　bad　for　thee；　I'll　give　thee　milk。〃　　And　she　toddled　off　into　the　next　room；　and　brought　a　cup　of　milk　and　a　bit　of　bread。

Tom　drank　the　milk　off　at　one　draught；　and　then　looked　up；　revived。

〃Where　didst　come　from？〃　said　the　dame。

〃Over　Fell；　there；〃　said　Tom；　and　pointed　up　into　the　sky。

〃Over　Harthover？　and　down　Lewthwaite　Crag？　　Art　sure　thou　art　not　lying？〃

〃Why　should　I？〃　said　Tom；　and　leant　his　head　against　the　post。

〃And　how　got　ye　up　there？〃

〃I　came　over　from　the　Place；〃　and　Tom　was　so　tired　and　desperate　he　had　no　heart　or　time　to　think　of　a　story；　so　he　told　all　the　truth　in　a　few　words。

〃Bless　thy　little　heart！　　And　thou　hast　not　been　stealing；　then？〃

〃No。〃

〃Bless　thy　little　heart！　and　I'll　warrant　not。　　Why；　God's　guided　the　bairn；　because　he　was　innocent！　　Away　from　the　Place；　and　over　Harthover　Fell；　and　down　Lewthwaite　Crag！　　Who　ever　heard　the　like；　if　God　hadn't　led　him？　　Why　dost　not　eat　thy　bread？〃

〃I　can't。〃

〃It's　good　enough；　for　I　made　it　myself。〃

〃I　can't；〃　said　Tom；　and　he　laid　his　head　on　his　knees；　and　then　asked　…

〃Is　it　Sunday？〃

〃No；　then；　why　should　it　be？〃

〃Because　I　hear　the　church…bells　ringing　so。〃

〃Bless　thy　pretty　heart！　　The　bairn's　sick。　　Come　wi'　me；　and　I'll　hap　thee　up　somewhere。　　If　thou　wert　a　bit　cleaner　I'd　put　thee　in　my　own　bed；　for　the　Lord's　sake。　　But　come　along　here。〃

But　when　Tom　tried　to　get　up；　he　was　so　tired　and　giddy　that　she　had　to　help　him　and　lead　him。

She　put　him　in　an　outhouse　upon　soft　sweet　hay　and　an　old　rug；　and　bade　him　sleep　off　his　walk；　and　she　would　come　to　him　when　school　was　over；　in　an　hour's　time。

And　so　she　went　in　again；　expecting　Tom　to　fall　fast　asleep　at　once。

But　Tom　did　not　fall　asleep。

Instead　of　it　he　turned　and　tossed　and　kicked　about　in　the　strangest　way；　and　felt　so　hot　all　over　that　he　longed　to　get　into　the　river　and　cool　himself；　and　then　he　fell　half　asleep；　and　dreamt　that　he　heard　the　little　white　lady　crying　to　him；　〃Oh；　you're　so　dirty；　go　and　be　washed；〃　and　then　that　he　heard　the　Irishwoman　saying；　〃Those　that　wish　to　be　clean；　clean　they　will　be。〃　　And　then　he　heard　the　church…bells　ring　so　loud；　close　to　him　too；　that　he　was　sure　it　must　be　Sunday；　in　spite　of　what　the　old　dame　had　said；　and　he　would　go　to　church；　and　see　what　a　church　was　like　inside；　for　he　had　never　been　in　one；　poor　little　fellow；　in　all　his　life。　　But　the　people　would　never　let　him　come　in；　all　over　soot　and　dirt　like　that。　　He　must　go　to　the　river　and　wash　first。　And　he　said　out　loud　again　and　again；　though　being　half　asleep　he　did　not　know　it；　〃I　must　be　clean；　I　must　be　clean。〃

And　all　of　a　sudden　he　found　himself；　not　in　the　outhouse　on　the　hay；　but　in　the　middle　of　a　meadow；　over　the　road；　with　the　stream　just　before　him；　saying　continually；　〃I　must　be　clean；　I　must　be　clean。〃　　He　had　got　there　on　his　own　legs；　between　sleep　and　awake；　as　children　will　often　get　out　of　bed；　and　go　about　the　room；　when　they　are　not　quite　well。　　But　he　was　not　a　bit　surprised；　and　went　on　to　the　bank　of　the　brook；　and　lay　down　on　the　grass；　and　looked　into　the　clear；　clear　limestone　water；　with　every　pebble　at　the　bottom　bright　and　clean；　while　the　little　silver　trout　dashed　about　in　fright　at　the　sight　of　his　black　face；　and　he　dipped　his　hand　in　and　found　it　so　cool；　cool；　cool；　and　he　said；　〃I　will　be　a　fish；　I　will　swim　in　the　water；　I　must　be　clean；　I　must　be　clean。〃

So　he　pulled　off　all　his　clothes　in　such　haste　that　he　tore　some　of　them；　which　was　easy　enough　with　such　ragged　old　things。　　And　he　put　his　poor　hot　sore　feet　into　the　water；　and　then　his　legs；　and　the　farther　he　went　in；　the　more　the　church…bells　rang　in　his　head。

〃Ah；〃　said　Tom；　〃I　must　be　quick　and　wash　myself；　the　bells　are　ringing　quite　loud　now；　and　they　will　stop　soon；　and　then　the　door　will　be　shut；　and　I　shall　never　be　able　to　get　in　at　all。〃

Tom　was　mistaken：　　for　in　England　the　church　doors　are　left　open　all　service　time；　for　everybody　who　likes　to　come　in；　Churchman　or　Dissenter；　ay；　even　if　he　were　a　Turk　or　a　Heathen；　and　if　any　man　dared　to　turn　him　out；　as　long　as　he　behaved　quietly；　the　good　old　English　law　would　punish　that　man；　as　he　deserved；　for　ordering　any　peaceable　person　out　of　God's　house；　which　belongs　to　all　alike。　But　Tom　did　not　know　that；　any　more　than　he　knew　a　great　deal　more　which　people　ought　to　know。

And　all　the　while　he　never　saw　the　Irishwoman；　not　behind　him　this　time；　but　before。

For　just　before　he　came　to　the　river　side；　she　had　stept　down　into　the　cool　clear　water；　and　her　shawl　and　her　petticoat　floated　off　her；　and　the　green　water…weeds　floated　round　her　sides；　and　the　white　water…lilies　floated　round　her　head；　and　the　fairies　of　the　stream　came　up　from　the　bottom　and　bore　her　away　and　down　upon　their　arms；　for　she　was　the　Queen　of　them　all；　and　perhaps　of　more　besides。

〃Where　have　you　been？〃　they　asked　her。

〃I　have　been　smoothing　sick　folks'　pillows；　and　whispering　sweet　dreams　into　their　ears；　opening　cottage　casements；　to　let　out　the　stifling　air；　coaxing　little　children　away　from　gutters；　and　foul　pools　where　fever　breeds；　turning　women　from　the　gin…shop　door；　and　staying　men's　hands　as　they　were　going　to　strike　their　wives；　doing　all　I　can　to　help　those　who　will　not　help　themselves：　　and　little　enough　that　is；　and　weary　work　for　me。　　But　I　have　brought　you　a　new　little　brother；　and　watched　him　safe　all　the　way　here。〃

Then　all　the　fairies　laughed　for　joy　at　the　thought　that　they　had　a　little　brother　coming。

〃But　mind；　maidens；　he　must　not　see　you；　or　know　that　you　are　here。　He　is　but　a　savage　now；　and　like　the　beasts　which　perish；　and　from　the　beasts　which　perish　he　must　learn。　　So　you　must　not　play　with　him；　or　speak　to　him；　or　let　him　see　you：　　but　only　keep　him　from　being　harmed。〃

Then　the　fairies　were　sad；　because　they　could　not　play　with　their　new　brother；　but　they　always　did　what　they　were　told。

And　their　Queen　floated　away　down　the　river；　and　whither　she　went；　thither　she　came。　　But　all　this　Tom；　of　course；　never　saw　or　heard：　and　perhaps　if　he　had　it　would　have　made　little　difference　in　the　story；　for　was　so　hot　and　thirsty；　and　longed　so　to　be　clean　for　once；　that　he　tumbled　himself　as　quick　as　he　could　into　the　clear　cool　stream。

And　he　had　not　been　in　it　two　minutes　before　he　fell　fast　asleep；　into　the　quietest；　sunniest；　cosiest　sleep　that　ever　he　had　in　his　life；　and　he　dreamt　about　the　green　meadows　by　which　he　had　walked　that　morning；　and　the　tall　elm…trees；　and　the　sleeping　cows；　and　after　that　he　dreamt　of　nothing　at　all。

The　reason　of　his　falling　into　such　a　delightful　sleep　is　very　simple；　and　yet　hardly　any　one　has　found　it　out。　　It　was　merely　that　the　fairies　took　him。

Some　people　think　that　there　are　no　fairies。　　Cousin　Cramchild　tells　little　folks　so　in　his　Conversations。　　Well；　perhaps　there　are　none　…　in　Boston；　U。S。；　where　he　was　raised。　　There　are　only　a　clumsy　lot　of　spirits　there；　who　can't　make　people　hear　without　thumping　on　the　table：　　but　they　get　their　living　thereby；　and　I　suppose　that　is　all　they　want。　　And　Aunt　Agitate；　in　her　Arguments　on　political　economy；　says　there　are　none。　　Well；　perhaps　there　are　none　…　in　her　political　economy。　　But　it　is　a　wide　world；　my　little　man　…　and　thank　Heaven　for　it；　for　else；　between　crinolines　and　theories；　some　of　us　would　get　squashed　…　and　plenty　of　room　in　it　for　fairies；　without　people　seeing　them；　unless；　of　course；　they　look　in　the　right　place。　　The　most　wonderful　and