madam how and lady why(豪夫人和怀女士)-第34章
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in Egypt。
Then in 1841 a gentleman named Edward Forbes；now with God
whose name will be for ever dear to all who love science； and honour
genius and virtue； found in the AEgean Sea 〃a bed of chalk；〃 he said；
〃full of Foraminifera； and shells of Pteropods；〃 forming at the bottom of
the sea。
And what are Pteropods？
What you might call sea…moths （though they are not really moths）；
which swim about on the surface of the water； while the right… whales suck
them in tens of thousands into the great whalebone net which fringes their
jaws。 Here are drawings of them。 1。 Limacina （on which the whales
feed）； and 2。 Hyalea； a lovely little thing in a glass shell； which lives in the
Mediterranean。
But since then strange discoveries have been made； especially by the
naval officers who surveyed the bottom of the great Atlantic Ocean before
laying down the electric cable between Ireland and America。 And this is
what they found：
That at the bottom of the Atlantic were vast plains of soft mud； in
some places 2500 fathoms （15；000 feet） deep； that is； as deep as the Alps
are high。 And more： they found out； to their surprise； that the oozy
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mud of the Atlantic floor was made up almost entirely of just the same
atomies as make up our chalk； especially globigerinas； that； in fact； a vast
bed of chalk was now forming at the bottom of the Atlantic； with living
shells and sea…animals of the most brilliant colours crawling about on it in
black darkness； and beds of sponges growing out of it； just as the sponges
grew at the bottom of the old chalk ocean； and were all； generation after
generation； turned into flints。
And； for reasons which you will hardly understand； men are beginning
now to believe that the chalk has never ceased to be made； somewhere or
other； for many thousand years； ever since the Winchester Downs were at
the bottom of the sea： and that 〃the Globigerina…mud is not merely A
chalk formation； but a continuation of THE chalk formation； so THAT WE
MAY BE SAID TO BE STILL LIVING IN THE AGE OF CHALK。〃 ｛1｝
Ah； my little man； what would I not give to see you； before I die； add one
such thought as that to the sum of human knowledge！
So there the little creatures have been lying； making chalk out of the
lime in the sea…water； layer over layer； the young over the old； the dead
over the living； year after year； age after agefor how long？
Who can tell？ How deep the layer of new chalk at the bottom of the
Atlantic is； we can never know。 But the layer of live atomies on it is not
an inch thick； probably not a tenth of an inch。 And if it grew a tenth of an
inch a year； or even a whole inch； how many years must it have taken to
make the chalk of our downs； which is in some parts 1300 feet thick？
How many inches are there in 1300 feet？ Do that sum； and judge for
yourself。
One difference will be found between the chalk now forming at the
bottom of the ocean； if it ever become dry land； and the chalk on which
you tread on the downs。 The new chalk will be full of the teeth and
bones of whaleswarm…blooded creatures； who suckle their young like
cows； instead of laying eggs； like birds and fish。 For there were no
whales in the old chalk ocean； but our modern oceans are full of cachalots；
porpoises； dolphins； swimming in shoals round any ship； and their bones
and teeth； and still more their ear…bones； will drop to the bottom as they
die； and be found； ages hence； in the mud which the live atomies make；
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
along with wrecks of mighty ships
〃Great anchors； heaps of pearl；〃
and all that man has lost in the deep seas。 And sadder fossils yet；
my child； will be scattered on those white plains：…
〃To them the love of woman hath gone down； Dark roll their waves
o'er manhood's noble head。 O'er youth's bright locks； and beauty's flowing
crown； Yet shall they hear a voice； 'Restore the dead。' Earth shall reclaim
her precious things from thee。 Give back the dead； thou Sea！〃
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
CHAPTER IX
THE CORAL…REEF
Now you want to know what I meant when I talked of a bit of lime
going out to sea； and forming part of a coral island； and then of a
limestone rock； and then of a marble statue。 Very good。 Then look at
this stone。
What a curious stone！ Did it come from any place near here？
No。 It came from near Dudley； in Staffordshire； where the soils are
worlds on worlds older than they are here； though they were made in the
same way as these and all other soils。 But you are not listening to me。
Why； the stone is full of shells； and bits of coral； and what are these
wonderful things coiled and tangled together； like the snakes in Medusa's
hair in the picture？ Are they snakes？
If they are； then they must be snakes who have all one head； for see；
they are joined together at their larger ends； and snakes which are
branched； too； which no snake ever was。
Yes。 I suppose they are not snakes。 And they grow out of a flower；
too； and it has a stalk； jointed； too； as plants sometimes are； and as fishes'
backbones are too。 Is it a petrified plant or flower？
No； though I do not deny that it looks like one。 The creature most
akin to it which you ever saw is a star…fish。
What！ one of the red star…fishes which one finds on the beach？ Its arms
are not branched。
No。 But there are star…fishes with branched arms still in the sea。
You know that pretty book （and learned book； too）； Forbes's British Star…
fishes？ You like to look it through for the sake of the vignettes；the
mermaid and her child playing in the sea。
Oh yes； and the kind bogie who is piping while the sandstars dance；
and the other who is trying to pull out the star…fish which the oyster has
caught。
Yes。 But do you recollect the drawing of the Medusa's head； with its
curling arms； branched again and again without end？ Here it is。 No；
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
you shall not look at the vignettes now。 We must mind business。 Now
look at this one； the Feather…star； with arms almost like fern…fronds。 And
in foreign seas there are many other branched star…fish beside。
But they have no stalks？
Do not be too sure of that。 This very feather…star； soon after it is born；
grows a tiny stalk； by which it holds on to corallines and sea…weeds； and it
is not till afterwards that it breaks loose from that stalk； and swims away
freely into the wide water。 And in foreign seas there are several star…fish
still who grow on stalks all their lives； as this fossil one did。
How strange that a live animal should grow on a stalk； like a flower！
Not quite like a flower。 A flower has roots； by which it feeds in the
soil。 These things grow more like sea
