the water-babies-第44章

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Up　jumped　the　truncheon；　and　was　going　to　hit　him　on　the　crown　a　tremendous　thump；　and　drive　him　down　again　like　a　cork　into　a　bottle。　　But　the　strange　lady　put　it　aside。

〃Will　you　obey　me　if　I　give　you　a　chance？〃

〃As　you　please；　ma'am。　　You're　stronger　than　me　…　that　I　know　too　well；　and　wiser　than　me；　I　know　too　well　also。　　And；　as　for　being　my　own　master；　I've　fared　ill　enough　with　that　as　yet。　　So　whatever　your　ladyship　pleases　to　order　me；　for　I'm　beat；　and　that's　the　truth。〃

〃Be　it　so　then　…　you　may　come　out。　　But　remember；　disobey　me　again；　and　into　a　worse　place　still　you　go。〃

〃I　beg　pardon　ma'am；　but　I　never　disobeyed　you　that　I　know　of。　　I　never　had　the　honour　of　setting　eyes　upon　you　till　I　came　to　these　ugly　quarters。〃

〃Never　saw　me？　　Who　said　to　you；　Those　that　will　be　foul；　foul　they　will　be？〃

Grimes　looked　up；　and　Tom　looked　up　too；　for　the　voice　was　that　of　the　Irishwoman　who　met　them　the　day　that　they　went　out　together　to　Harthover。　　〃I　gave　you　your　warning　then：　　but　you　gave　it　yourself　a　thousand　times　before　and　since。　　Every　bad　word　that　you　said　…　every　cruel　and　mean　thing　that　you　did　…　every　time　that　you　got　tipsy　…　every　day　that　you　went　dirty　…　you　were　disobeying　me；　whether　you　knew　it　or　not。〃

〃If　I'd　only　known；　ma'am　…　〃

〃You　knew　well　enough　that　you　were　disobeying　something；　though　you　did　not　know　it　was　me。　　But　come　out　and　take　your　chance。　Perhaps　it　may　be　your　last。〃

So　Grimes　stepped　out　of　the　chimney；　and　really；　if　it　had　not　been　for　the　scars　on　his　face；　he　looked　as　clean　and　respectable　as　a　master…sweep　need　look。

〃Take　him　away；〃　said　she　to　the　truncheon；　〃and　give　him　his　ticket…of…leave。〃

〃And　what　is　he　to　do；　ma'am？〃

〃Get　him　to　sweep　out　the　crater　of　Etna；　he　will　find　some　very　steady　men　working　out　their　time　there；　who　will　teach　him　his　business：　　but　mind；　if　that　crater　gets　choked　again；　and　there　is　an　earthquake　in　consequence；　bring　them　all　to　me；　and　I　shall　investigate　the　case　very　severely。〃

So　the　truncheon　marched　off　Mr。　Grimes；　looking　as　meek　as　a　drowned　worm。

And　for　aught　I　know；　or　do　not　know；　he　is　sweeping　the　crater　of　Etna　to　this　very　day。

〃And　now；〃　said　the　fairy　to　Tom；　〃your　work　here　is　done。　　You　may　as　well　go　back　again。〃

〃I　should　be　glad　enough　to　go；〃　said　Tom；　〃but　how　am　I　to　get　up　that　great　hole　again；　now　the　steam　has　stopped　blowing？〃

〃I　will　take　you　up　the　backstairs：　　but　I　must　bandage　your　eyes　first；　for　I　never　allow　anybody　to　see　those　backstairs　of　mine。〃

〃I　am　sure　I　shall　not　tell　anybody　about　them；　ma'am；　if　you　bid　me　not。〃

〃Aha！　　So　you　think；　my　little　man。　　But　you　would　soon　forget　your　promise　if　you　got　back　into　the　land…world。　　For；　if　people　only　once　found　out　that　you　had　been　up　my　backstairs；　you　would　have　all　the　fine　ladies　kneeling　to　you；　and　the　rich　men　emptying　their　purses　before　you；　and　statesmen　offering　you　place　and　power；　and　young　and　old；　rich　and　poor；　crying　to　you；　'Only　tell　us　the　great　backstairs　secret；　and　we　will　be　your　slaves；　we　will　make　you　lord；　king；　emperor；　bishop；　archbishop；　pope；　if　you　like　…　only　tell　us　the　secret　of　the　backstairs。　　For　thousands　of　years　we　have　been　paying；　and　petting；　and　obeying；　and　worshipping　quacks　who　told　us　they　had　the　key　of　the　backstairs；　and　could　smuggle　us　up　them；　and　in　spite　of　all　our　disappointments；　we　will　honour；　and　glorify；　and　adore；　and　beatify；　and　translate；　and　apotheotise　you　likewise；　on　the　chance　of　your　knowing　something　about　the　backstairs；　that　we　may　all　go　on　pilgrimage　to　it；　and；　even　if　we　cannot　get　up　it；　lie　at　the　foot　of　it；　and　cry　…


'Oh；　backstairs；　precious　backstairs；　invaluable　backstairs；　requisite　backstairs；　necessary　backstairs；　good…natured　backstairs；　cosmopolitan　backstairs；　comprehensive　backstairs；　accommodating　backstairs；　well…bred　backstairs；　commercial　backstairs；　economical　backstairs；　practical　backstairs；　logical　backstairs；　deductive　backstairs；　comfortable　backstairs；　humane　backstairs；　reasonable　backstairs；　long…sought　backstairs；　coveted　backstairs；　aristocratic　backstairs；　respectable　backstairs；　gentlenmanlike　backstairs；　ladylike　backstairs；　orthodox　backstairs；　probable　backstairs；　credible　backstairs；　demonstrable　backstairs；　irrefragable　backstairs；　potent　backstairs；　all…but…omnipotent　backstairs；　&c。


Save　us　from　the　consequences　of　our　own　actions；　and　from　the　cruel　fairy；　Mrs。　Bedonebyasyoudid！'　　Do　not　you　think　that　you　would　be　a　little　tempted　then　to　tell　what　you　know；　laddie？〃

Tom　thought　so　certainly。　　〃But　why　do　they　want　so　to　know　about　the　backstairs？〃　asked　he；　being　a　little　frightened　at　the　long　words；　and　not　understanding　them　the　least；　as；　indeed；　he　was　not　meant　to　do；　or　you　either。

〃That　I　shall　not　tell　you。　　I　never　put　things　into　little　folks'　heads　which　are　but　too　likely　to　come　there　of　themselves。　　So　come　…　now　I　must　bandage　your　eyes。〃　　So　she　tied　the　bandage　on　his　eyes　with　one　hand；　and　with　the　other　she　took　it　off。

〃Now；〃　she　said；　〃you　are　safe　up　the　stairs。〃　　Tom　opened　his　eyes　very　wide；　and　his　mouth　too；　for　he　had　not；　as　he　thought；　moved　a　single　step。　　But；　when　he　looked　round　him；　there　could　be　no　doubt　that　he　was　safe　up　the　backstairs；　whatsoever　they　may　be；　which　no　man　is　going　to　tell　you；　for　the　plain　reason　that　no　man　knows。

The　first　thing　which　Tom　saw　was　the　black　cedars；　high　and　sharp　against　the　rosy　dawn；　and　St。　Brandan's　Isle　reflected　double　in　the　still　broad　silver　sea。　　The　wind　sang　softly　in　the　cedars；　and　the　water　sang　among　the　eaves：　　the　sea…birds　sang　as　they　streamed　out　into　the　ocean；　and　the　land…birds　as　they　built　among　the　boughs；　and　the　air　was　so　full　of　song　that　it　stirred　St。　Brandan　and　his　hermits；　as　they　slumbered　in　the　shade；　and　they　moved　their　good　old　lips；　and　sang　their　morning　hymn　amid　their　dreams。　　But　among　all　the　songs　one　came　across　the　water　more　sweet　and　clear　than　all；　for　it　was　the　song　of　a　young　girl's　voice。

And　what　was　the　song　which　she　sang？　　Ah；　my　little　man；　I　am　too　old　to　sing　that　song；　and　you　too　young　to　understand　it。　　But　have　patience；　and　keep　your　eye　single；　and　your　hands　clean；　and　you　will　learn　some　day　to　sing　it　yourself；　without　needing　any　man　to　teach　you。

And　as　Tom　neared　the　island；　there　sat　upon　a　rock　the　most　graceful　creature　that　ever　was　seen；　looking　down；　with　her　chin　upon　her　hand；　and　paddling　with　her　feet　in　the　water。　　And　when　they　came　to　her　she　looked　up；　and　behold　it　was　Ellie。

〃Oh；　Miss　Ellie；〃　said　he；　〃how　you　are　grown！〃

〃Oh；　Tom；〃　said　she；　〃how　you　are　grown　too！〃

And　no　wonder；　they　were　both　quite　grown　up　…　he　into　a　tall　man；　and　she　into　a　beautiful　woman。

〃Perhaps　I　may　be　grown；〃　she　said。　　〃I　have　had　time　enough；　for　I　have　been　sitting　here　waiting　for　you　many　a　hundred　years；　till　I　thought　you　were　never　coming。〃

〃Many　a　hundred　years？〃　thought　Tom；　but　he　had　seen　so　much　in　his　travels　that　he　had　quite　given　up　being　astonished；　and；　indeed；　he　could　think　of　nothing　but　Ellie。　　So　he　stood　and　looked　at　Ellie；　and　Ellie　looked　at　him；　and　they　liked　the　employment　so　much　that　they　stood　and　looked　for　seven　years　more；　and　neither　spoke　nor　stirred。

At　last　they　heard　the　fairy　say：　　〃Attention；　children。　　Are　you　never　going　to　look　at　me　again？〃

〃We　have　been　looking　at　you　all　this　while；〃　they　said。　　And　so　they　thought　they　had　been。

〃Then　look　at　me　once　more；〃　said　she。

They　looked　…　and　both　of　them　cried　out　at　once；　〃Oh；　who　are　you；　after　all？〃

〃You　are　our　dear　Mrs。　Doasyouwouldbedoneby。〃

〃No；　you　are　good　Mrs。　Bedonebyasyoudid；　but　you　are　grown　quite　beautiful　now！〃

〃To　you；〃　said　the　fairy。　　〃But　look　again。〃

〃You　are　Mother　Carey；〃　said　Tom；　in　a　very　low；　solemn　voice；　for　he　had　found　out　something　which　made　him　very　happy；　and　yet　frightened　him　more　than　all　that　he　had　ever　seen。

〃But　you　are　grown　quite　young　again。〃

〃To　you；〃　said　the　fairy。　　〃Look　again。〃

〃You　are　the　Irishwoman　who　met　me　the　day　I　went　to　Harthover！〃

And　when　they　looked　she　was　neither　of　them；　and　yet　all　of　them