madam how and lady why(豪夫人和怀女士)-第13章
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Admiral in time； he would never have been able to get out of the house。
The earthquake shocks grew stronger and fiercer； till the house was ready
to fall； and Pliny and his friend； and the sailors and the slaves； all fled into
the open fields； amid a shower of stones and cinders； tying pillows over
their heads to prevent their being beaten down。 The day had come by
this time； but not the dawnfor it was still pitch dark as night。 They
went down to their boats upon the shore； but the sea raged so horribly that
there was no getting on board of them。 Then Pliny grew tired； and made
his men spread a sail for him； and lay down on it； but there came down
upon them a rush of flames； and a horrible smell of sulphur； and all ran for
their lives。 Some of the slaves tried to help the Admiral upon his legs；
but he sank down again overpowered with the brimstone fumes； and so
was left behind。 When they came back again； there he lay dead； but with
his clothes in order and his face as quiet as if he had been only sleeping。
And that was the end of a brave and learned mana martyr to duty and to
the love of science。
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But what was going on in the meantime？ Under clouds of ashes；
cinders； mud； lava； three of those happy cities were buried at once
Herculaneum； Pompeii； Stabiae。 They were buried just as the people had
fled from them； leaving the furniture and the earthenware； often even
jewels and gold； behind； and here and there among them a human being
who had not had time to escape from the dreadful deluge of dust。 The
ruins of Herculaneum and Pompeii have been dug into since； and the
paintings； especially in Pompeii； are found upon the walls still fresh；
preserved from the air by the ashes which have covered them in。 When
you are older you perhaps will go to Naples； and see in its famous
museum the curiosities which have been dug out of the ruined cities； and
you will walk； I suppose； along the streets of Pompeii and see the wheel…
tracks in the pavement； along which carts and chariots rumbled 2000 years
ago。 Meanwhile； if you go nearer home； to the Crystal Palace and to the
Pompeian Court； as it is called； you will see an exact model of one of
these old buried houses； copied even to the very paintings on the wells；
and judge for yourself； as far as a little boy can judge； what sort of life
these thoughtless； luckless people lived 2000 years ago。
And what had become of Vesuvius； the treacherous mountain？ Half
or more than half of the side of the old crater had been blown away； and
what was left； which is now called the Monte Somma； stands in a half
circle round the new cone and new crater which is burning at this very day。
True； after that eruption which killed Pliny； Vesuvius fell asleep again； and
did not awake for 134 years； and then again for 269 years but it has been
growing more and more restless as the ages have passed on； and now
hardly a year passes without its sending out smoke and stones from its
crater； and streams of lava from its sides。
And now； I suppose； you will want to know what a volcano is like； and
what a cone； and a crater； and lava are？
What a volcano is like； it is easy enough to show you； for they are the
most simply and beautifully shaped of all mountains； and they are alike all
over the world； whether they be large or small。 Almost every volcano in
the world； I believe； is； or has been once； of the shape which you see in the
drawing opposite； even those volcanos in the Sandwich Islands； of which
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
you have often heard； which are now great lakes of boiling fire upon flat
downs； without any cone to them at all。 They； I believe； are volcanos
which have fallen in ages ago： just as in Java a whole burning mountain
fell in on the night of the 11th of August； in the year 1772。 Then； after a
short and terrible earthquake； a bright cloud suddenly covered the whole
mountain。 The people who dwelt around it tried to escape； but before the
poor souls could get away the earth sunk beneath their feet； and the whole
mountain fell in and was swallowed up with a noise as if great cannon
were being fired。 Forty villages and nearly 3000 people were destroyed；
and where the mountain had been was only a plain of red…hot stones。 In
the same way； in the year 1698； the top of a mountain in Quito fell in in a
single night； leaving only two immense peaks of rock behind； and pouring
out great floods of mud mixed with dead fish； for there are underground
lakes among those volcanos which swarm with little fish which never see
the light。
But most volcanos as I say； are； or have been； the shape of the one
which you see here。 This is Cotopaxi； in Quito； more than 19；000 feet in
height。 All those sloping sides are made of cinders and ashes； braced
together； I suppose； by bars of solid lava…stone inside； which prevent the
whole from crumbling down。 The upper part； you see； is white with snow；
as far down as a line which is 15；000 feet above the sea； for the mountain
is in the tropics； close to the equator； and the snow will not lie in that hot
climate any lower down。 But now and then the snow melts off and
rushes down the mountain side in floods of water and of mud； and the
cindery cone of Cotopaxi stands out black and dreadful against the clear
blue sky； and then the people of that country know what is coming。 The
mountain is growing so hot inside that it melts off its snowy covering； and
soon it will burst forth with smoke and steam； and red…hot stones and
earthquakes； which will shake the ground； and roars that will be heard； it
may be； hundreds of miles away。
And now for the words cone； crater； lava。 If I can make you
understand those words； you will see why volcanos must be in general of
the shape of Cotopaxi。
Cone； crater； lava： those words make up the alphabet of volcano
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learning。 The cone is the outside of a huge chimney； the crater is the
mouth of it。 The lava is the ore which is being melted in the furnace
below； that it may flow out over the surface of the old land； and make new
land instead。
And where is the furnace itself？ Who can tell that？ Under the roots
of the mountains； under the depths of the sea； down 〃the path which no
fowl knoweth； and which the vulture's eye hath not seen： the lion's
whelp hath not trodden it； nor the fierce lion passed by it。 There He
putteth forth His hand upon the rock； He overturneth the mountain by the
roots； He cutteth out rivers among the rocks； and His eye seeth every
precious thing〃while we； like little ants； run up and down outside the
earth； scratching； like ants； a few feet down
