madam how and lady why(豪夫人和怀女士)-第8章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
brilliant and so near that one fancied at the first moment that one could
have touched them with one's hand。 Snow… white they stood； the
glorious things； seven thousand feet into the air； and I watched their
beautiful white sides turn rose… colour in the evening sun； and when he set；
fade into dull cold gray； till the bright moon came out to light them up
once more。 When I was tired of wondering and admiring； I went into bed；
and there I had a dreamsuch a dream as Alice had when she went into
Wonderlandsuch a dream as I dare say you may have had ere now。 Some
noise or stir puts into your fancy as you sleep a whole long dream to
account for it； and yet that dream； which seems to you to be hours long；
has not taken up a second of time； for the very same noise which begins
the dream； wakes you at the end of it： and so it was with me。 I dreamed
that some English people had come into the hotel where I was； and were
sleeping in the room underneath me； and that they had quarrelled and
fought； and broke their bed down with a tremendous crash； and that I must
get up； and stop the fight； and at that moment I woke and heard coming up
the valley from the north such a roar as I never heard before or since； as if
a hundred railway trains were rolling underground； and just as it passed
under my bed there was a tremendous thump； and I jumped out of bed
quicker than I ever did in my life； and heard the roaring sound die away as
it rolled up the valley towards the peaks of snow。 Still I had in my head
this notion of the Englishmen fighting in the room below。 But then I
recollected that no Englishmen had come in the night before； and that I
had been in the room below； and that there was no bed in it。 Then I
opened my windowa woman screamed； a dog barked； some cocks and
hens cackled in a very disturbed humour； and then I could hear nothing but
the roaring of the torrent a hundred feet below。 And then it flashed
across me what all the noise was about； and I burst out laughing and said
〃It is only an earthquake；〃 and went to bed
Next morning I inquired whether any one had heard a noise。 No；
nobody had heard anything。 And the driver who had brought me up the
valley only winked； but did not choose to speak。 At last at breakfast I
asked the pretty little maid who waited what was the meaning of the noise
I heard in the night； and she answered； to my intense amusement； 〃Ah！
22
… Page 23…
MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
bah！ ce n'etait qu'un tremblement de terre； il y en a ici toutes les six
semaines。〃 Now the secret was out。 The little maid； I found； came from
the lowland far away； and did not mind telling the truth： but the good
people of the place were afraid to let out that they had earthquakes every
six weeks； for fear of frightening visitors away： and because they were
really very good people； and very kind to me； I shall not tell you what the
name of the place is。
Of course after that I could do no less than ask Madam How； very
civilly； how she made earthquakes in that particular place； hundreds of
miles away from any burning mountain？ And this was the answer I
THOUGHT she gave； though I am not so conceited as to say I am sure。
As I had come up the valley I had seen that the cliffs were all beautiful
gray limestone marble； but just at this place they were replaced by granite；
such as you may see in London Bridge or at Aberdeen。 I do not mean
that the limestone changed to granite； but that the granite had risen up out
of the bottom of the valley； and had carried the limestone （I suppose） up
on its back hundreds of feet into the air。 Those caves with the waterfalls
pouring from their mouths were all on one level； at the top of the granite；
and the bottom of the limestone。 That was to be expected； for； as I will
explain to you some day； water can make caves easily in limestone： but
never； I think； in granite。 But I knew that besides these cold springs
which came out of the caves； there were hot springs also； full of curious
chemical salts； just below the very house where I was in。 And when I
went to look at them； I found that they came out of the rock just where the
limestone and the granite joined。 〃Ah；〃 I said； 〃now I think I have
Madam How's answer。 The lid of one of her great steam boilers is rather
shaky and cracked just here； because the granite has broken and torn the
limestone as it lifted it up； and here is the hot water out of the boiler
actually oozing out of the crack； and the earthquake I heard last night was
simply the steam rumbling and thumping inside； and trying to get out。〃
And then； my dear child； I fell into a more serious mood。 I said to
myself； 〃If that stream had been a little； only a little stronger； or if the rock
above it had been only a little weaker； it would have been no laughing
matter then； the village might have been shaken to the ground； the rocks
23
… Page 24…
MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
hurled into the torrent； jets of steam and of hot water； mixed； it may be；
with deadly gases； have roared out of the riven ground； that might have
happened here； in short； which has happened and happens still in a
hundred places in the world； whenever the rocks are too weak to stand the
pressure of the steam below； and the solid earth bursts as an engine boiler
bursts when the steam within it is too strong。〃 And when those thoughts
came into my mind； I was in no humour to jest any more about 〃young
earthquakes；〃 or 〃Madam How's boilers；〃 but rather to say with the wise
man of old； 〃It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed。〃
Most strange； most terrible also； are the tricks which this underground
steam plays。 It will make the ground； which seems to us so hard and firm；
roll and rock in waves； till people are sea… sick； as on board a ship； and
that rocking motion （which is the most common） will often； when it is but
slight； set the bells ringing in the steeples； or make the furniture； and
things on shelves； jump about quaintly enough。 It will make trees bend
to and fro； as if a wind was blowing through them； open doors suddenly；
and shut them again with a slam； make the timbers of the floors and roofs
creak； as they do in a ship at sea； or give men such frights as one of the
dock…keepers at Liverpool got in the earthquake in 1863； when his
watchbox rocked so； that he thought some one was going to pitch him over
into the dock。 But these are only little hints and warnings of what it can
do。 When it is strong enough； it will rock down houses and churches into
heaps of ruins； or； if it leaves them standing； crack them from top to
bottom； so that they must be pulled down and rebuilt。
You saw those pictures of the ruins of Arica； about which our talk
began； and from them you can guess
