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第24章

the water-babies-第24章

小说: the water-babies 字数: 每页4000字

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; and yet remain little better than children after all。

But they had not got half the spikes away when they saw a great dark cloud over them:  and lo; and behold; it was the otter。

How she did grin and grin when she saw Tom。  〃Yar!〃 said she; 〃you little meddlesome wretch; I have you now!  I will serve you out for telling the salmon where I was!〃  And she crawled all over the pot to get in。

Tom was horribly frightened; and still more frightened when she found the hole in the top; and squeezed herself right down through it; all eyes and teeth。  But no sooner was her head inside than valiant Mr。 Lobster caught her by the nose and held on。

And there they were all three in the pot; rolling over and over; and very tight packing it was。  And the lobster tore at the otter; and the otter tore at the lobster; and both squeezed and thumped poor Tom till he had no breath left in his body; and I don't know what would have happened to him if he had not at last got on the otter's back; and safe out of the hole。

He was right glad when he got out:  but he would not desert his friend who had saved him; and the first time he saw his tail uppermost he caught hold of it; and pulled with all his might。

But the lobster would not let go。

〃Come along;〃 said Tom; 〃don't you see she is dead?〃  And so she was; quite drowned and dead。

And that was the end of the wicked otter。

But the lobster would not let go。

〃Come along; you stupid old stick…in…the…mud;〃 cried Tom; 〃or the fisherman will catch you!〃  And that was true; for Tom felt some one above beginning to haul up the pot。

But the lobster would not let go。  Tom saw the fisherman haul him up to the boat…side; and thought it was all up with him。  But when Mr。 Lobster saw the fisherman; he gave such a furious and tremendous snap; that he snapped out of his hand; and out of the pot; and safe into the sea。  But he left his knobbed claw behind him; for it never came into his stupid head to let go after all; so he just shook his claw off as the easier method。  It was something of a bull; that; but you must know the lobster was an Irish lobster; and was hatched off Island Magee at the mouth of Belfast Lough。

Tom asked the lobster why he never thought of letting go。  He said very determinedly that it was a point of honour among lobsters。 And so it is; as the Mayor of Plymouth found out once to his cost … eight or nine hundred years ago; of course; for if it had happened lately it would be personal to mention it。

For one day he was so tired with sitting on a hard chair; in a grand furred gown; with a gold chain round his neck; hearing one policeman after another come in and sing; 〃What shall we do with the drunken sailor; so early in the morning?〃 and answering them each exactly alike:

〃Put him in the round house till he gets sober; so early in the morning〃 …

That; when it was over; he jumped up; and played leap…frog with the town…clerk till he burst his buttons; and then had his luncheon; and burst some more buttons; and then said:  〃It is a low spring… tide; I shall go out this afternoon and cut my capers。〃

Now he did not mean to cut such capers as you eat with boiled mutton。  It was the commandant of artillery at Valetta who used to amuse himself with cutting them; and who stuck upon one of the bastions a notice; 〃No one allowed to cut capers here but me;〃 which greatly edified the midshipmen in port; and the Maltese on the Nix Mangiare stairs。  But all that the mayor meant was that he would go and have an afternoon's fun; like any schoolboy; and catch lobsters with an iron hook。

So to the Mewstone he went; and for lobsters he looked。  And when he came to a certain crack in the rocks he was so excited that; instead of putting in his hook; he put in his hand; and Mr。 Lobster was at home; and caught him by the finger; and held on。

〃Yah!〃 said the mayor; and pulled as hard as he dared:  but the more he pulled; the more the lobster pinched; till he was forced to be quiet。

Then he tried to get his hook in with his other hand; but the hole was too narrow。

Then he pulled again; but he could not stand the pain。

Then he shouted and bawled for help:  but there was no one nearer him than the men…of…war inside the breakwater。

Then he began to turn a little pale; for the tide flowed; and still the lobster held on。

Then he turned quite white; for the tide was up to his knees; and still the lobster held on。

Then he thought of cutting off his finger; but he wanted two things to do it with … courage and a knife; and he had got neither。

Then he turned quite yellow; for the tide was up to his waist; and still the lobster held on。

Then he thought over all the naughty things he ever had done; all the sand which he had put in the sugar; and the sloe…leaves in the tea; and the water in the treacle; and the salt in the tobacco (because his brother was a brewer; and a man must help his own kin)。

Then he turned quite blue; for the tide was up to his breast; and still the lobster held on。

Then; I have no doubt; he repented fully of all the said naughty things which he had done; and promised to mend his life; as too many do when they think they have no life left to mend。  Whereby; as they fancy; they make a very cheap bargain。  But the old fairy with the birch rod soon undeceives them。

And then he grew all colours at once; and turned up his eyes like a duck in thunder; for the water was up to his chin; and still the lobster held on。

And then came a man…of…war's boat round the Mewstone; and saw his head sticking up out of the water。  One said it was a keg of brandy; and another that it was a cocoa…nut; and another that it was a buoy loose; and another that it was a black diver; and wanted to fire at it; which would not have been pleasant for the mayor: but just then such a yell came out of a great hole in the middle of it that the midshipman in charge guessed what it was; and bade pull up to it as fast as they could。  So somehow or other the Jack…tars got the lobster out; and set the mayor free; and put him ashore at the Barbican。  He never went lobster…catching again; and we will hope he put no more salt in the tobacco; not even to sell his brother's beer。

And that is the story of the Mayor of Plymouth; which has two advantages … first; that of being quite true; and second; that of having (as folks say all good stories ought to have) no moral whatsoever:  no more; indeed; has any part of this book; because it is a fairy tale; you know。

And now happened to Tom a most wonderful thing; for he had not left the lobster five minutes before he came upon a water…baby。

A real live water…baby; sitting on the white sand; very busy about a little point of rock。  And when it saw Tom it looked up for a moment; and then cried; 〃Why; you are not one of us。  You are a new baby!  Oh; how delightful!〃

And it ran to Tom; and Tom ran to it; and they hugged and kissed each other for ever so long; they did not know why。  But they did not want any introductions there under the water。

At last Tom said; 〃Oh; where have you been all this while?  I have been looking for you so long; and I have been so lonely。〃

〃We have been here for days and days。  There are hundreds of us about the rocks。  How was it you did not see us; or hear us when we sing and romp every evening before we go home?〃

Tom looked at the baby again; and then he said:

〃Well; this is wonderful!  I have seen things just like you again and again; but I thought you were shells; or sea…creatures。  I never took you for water…babies like myself。〃

Now; was not that very odd?  So odd; indeed; that you will; no doubt; want to know how it happened; and why Tom could never find a water…baby till after he had got the lobster out of the pot。  And; if you will read this story nine times over; and then think for yourself; you will find out why。  It is not good for little boys to be told everything; and never to be forced to use their own wits。 They would learn; then; no more than they do at Dr。 Dulcimer's famous suburban establishment for the idler members of the youthful aristocracy; where the masters learn the lessons and the boys hear them … which saves a great deal of trouble … for the time being。


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