the hunting of the snark-第5章
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And with senseless grimaces endeavored to say
What his tongue could no longer express。
Down he sank in a chairran his hands through his hair
And chanted in mimsiest tones
Words whose utter inanity proved his insanity;
While he rattled a couple of bones。
〃Leave him here to his fateit is getting so late!〃
The Bellman exclaimed in a fright。
〃We have lost half the day。 Any further delay;
And we sha'nt catch a Snark before night!〃
Fit the Eighth
THE VANISHING
They sought it with thimbles; they sought it with care;
They pursued it with forks and hope;
They threatened its life with a railway…share;
They charmed it with smiles and soap。
They shuddered to think that the chase might fail;
And the Beaver; excited at last;
Went bounding along on the tip of its tail;
For the daylight was nearly past。
〃There is Thingumbob shouting!〃 the Bellman said;
〃He is shouting like mad; only hark!
He is waving his hands; he is wagging his head;
He has certainly found a Snark!〃
They gazed in delight; while the Butcher exclaimed
〃He was always a desperate wag!〃
They beheld himtheir Bakertheir hero unnamed
On the top of a neighboring crag。
Erect and sublime; for one moment of time。
In the next; that wild figure they saw
(As if stung by a spasm) plunge into a chasm;
While they waited and listened in awe。
〃It's a Snark!〃 was the sound that first came to their ears;
And seemed almost too good to be true。
Then followed a torrent of laughter and cheers:
Then the ominous words 〃It's a Boo…〃
Then; silence。 Some fancied they heard in the air
A weary and wandering sigh
Then sounded like 〃…jum!〃 but the others declare
It was only a breeze that went by。
They hunted till darkness came on; but they found
Not a button; or feather; or mark;
By which they could tell that they stood on the ground
Where the Baker had met with the Snark。
In the midst of the word he was trying to say;
In the midst of his laughter and glee;
He had softly and suddenly vanished away…
For the Snark *was* a Boojum; you see。
THE END