the water-babies-第7章

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y　tired；　and　down　he　went；　by　stock　and　stone；　sedge　and　ledge；　bush　and　rush；　as　if　he　had　been　born　a　jolly　little　black　ape；　with　four　hands　instead　of　two。

And　all　the　while　he　never　saw　the　Irishwoman　coming　down　behind　him。

But　he　was　getting　terribly　tired　now。　　The　burning　sun　on　the　fells　had　sucked　him　up；　but　the　damp　heat　of　the　woody　crag　sucked　him　up　still　more；　and　the　perspiration　ran　out　of　the　ends　of　his　fingers　and　toes；　and　washed　him　cleaner　than　he　had　been　for　a　whole　year。　　But；　of　course；　he　dirtied　everything；　terribly　as　he　went。　　There　has　been　a　great　black　smudge　all　down　the　crag　ever　since。　　And　there　have　been　more　black　beetles　in　Vendale　since　than　ever　were　known　before；　all；　of　course；　owing　to　Tom's　having　blacked　the　original　papa　of　them　all；　just　as　he　was　setting　off　to　be　married；　with　a　sky…blue　coat　and　scarlet　leggins；　as　smart　as　a　gardener's　dog　with　a　polyanthus　in　his　mouth。

At　last　he　got　to　the　bottom。　　But；　behold；　it　was　not　the　bottom　…　as　people　usually　find　when　they　are　coming　down　a　mountain。　　For　at　the　foot　of　the　crag　were　heaps　and　heaps　of　fallen　limestone　of　every　size　from　that　of　your　head　to　that　of　a　stage…waggon；　with　holes　between　them　full　of　sweet　heath…fern；　and　before　Tom　got　through　them；　he　was　out　in　the　bright　sunshine　again；　and　then　he　felt；　once　for　all　and　suddenly；　as　people　generally　do；　that　he　was　b…e…a…t；　beat。

You　must　expect　to　be　beat　a　few　times　in　your　life；　little　man；　if　you　live　such　a　life　as　a　man　ought　to　live；　let　you　be　as　strong　and　healthy　as　you　may：　　and　when　you　are；　you　will　find　it　a　very　ugly　feeling。　　I　hope　that　that　day　you　may　have　a　stout　staunch　friend　by　you　who　is　not　beat；　for；　if　you　have　not；　you　had　best　lie　where　you　are；　and　wait　for　better　times；　as　poor　Tom　did。

He　could　not　get　on。　　The　sun　was　burning；　and　yet　he　felt　chill　all　over。　　He　was　quite　empty；　and　yet　he　felt　quite　sick。　　There　was　but　two　hundred　yards　of　smooth　pasture　between　him　and　the　cottage；　and　yet　he　could　not　walk　down　it。　　He　could　hear　the　stream　murmuring　only　one　field　beyond　it；　and　yet　it　seemed　to　him　as　if　it　was　a　hundred　miles　off。

He　lay　down　on　the　grass　till　the　beetles　ran　over　him；　and　the　flies　settled　on　his　nose。　　I　don't　know　when　he　would　have　got　up　again；　if　the　gnats　and　the　midges　had　not　taken　compassion　on　him。　But　the　gnats　blew　their　trumpets　so　loud　in　his　ear；　and　the　midges　nibbled　so　at　his　hands　and　face　wherever　they　could　find　a　place　free　from　soot；　that　at　last　he　woke　up；　and　stumbled　away；　down　over　a　low　wall；　and　into　a　narrow　road；　and　up　to　the　cottage…door。

And　a　neat　pretty　cottage　it　was；　with　clipped　yew　hedges　all　round　the　garden；　and　yews　inside　too；　cut　into　peacocks　and　trumpets　and　teapots　and　all　kinds　of　queer　shapes。　　And　out　of　the　open　door　came　a　noise　like　that　of　the　frogs　on　the　Great…A；　when　they　know　that　it　is　going　to　be　scorching　hot　to…morrow　…　and　how　they　know　that　I　don't　know；　and　you　don't　know；　and　nobody　knows。

He　came　slowly　up　to　the　open　door；　which　was　all　hung　round　with　clematis　and　roses；　and　then　peeped　in；　half　afraid。

And　there　sat　by　the　empty　fireplace；　which　was　filled　with　a　pot　of　sweet　herbs；　the　nicest　old　woman　that　ever　was　seen；　in　her　red　petticoat；　and　short　dimity　bedgown；　and　clean　white　cap；　with　a　black　silk　handkerchief　over　it；　tied　under　her　chin。　　At　her　feet　sat　the　grandfather　of　all　the　cats；　and　opposite　her　sat；　on　two　benches；　twelve　or　fourteen　neat；　rosy；　chubby　little　children；　learning　their　Chris…cross…row；　and　gabble　enough　they　made　about　it。

Such　a　pleasant　cottage　it　was；　with　a　shiny　clean　stone　floor；　and　curious　old　prints　on　the　walls；　and　an　old　black　oak　sideboard　full　of　bright　pewter　and　brass　dishes；　and　a　cuckoo　clock　in　the　corner；　which　began　shouting　as　soon　as　Tom　appeared：　　not　that　it　was　frightened　at　Tom；　but　that　it　was　just　eleven　o'clock。

All　the　children　started　at　Tom's　dirty　black　figure；　…　the　girls　began　to　cry；　and　the　boys　began　to　laugh；　and　all　pointed　at　him　rudely　enough；　but　Tom　was　too　tired　to　care　for　that。

〃What　art　thou；　and　what　dost　want？〃　cried　the　old　dame。　　〃A　chimney…sweep！　　Away　with　thee！　　I'll　have　no　sweeps　here。〃

〃Water；〃　said　poor　little　Tom；　quite　faint。

〃Water？　　There's　plenty　i'　the　beck；〃　she　said；　quite　sharply。

〃But　I　can't　get　there；　I'm　most　clemmed　with　hunger　and　drought。〃　And　Tom　sank　down　upon　the　door…step；　and　laid　his　head　against　the　post。

And　the　old　dame　looked　at　him　through　her　spectacles　one　minute；　and　two；　and　three；　and　then　she　said；　〃He's　sick；　and　a　bairn's　a　bairn；　sweep　or　none。〃

〃Water；〃　said　Tom。

〃God　forgive　me！〃　and　she　put　by　her　spectacles；　and　rose；　and　came　to　Tom。　　〃Water's　bad　for　thee；　I'll　give　thee　milk。〃　　And　she　toddled　off　into　the　next　room；　and　brought　a　cup　of　milk　and　a　bit　of　bread。

Tom　drank　the　milk　off　at　one　draught；　and　then　looked　up；　revived。

〃Where　didst　come　from？〃　said　the　dame。

〃Over　Fell；　there；〃　said　Tom；　and　pointed　up　into　the　sky。

〃Over　Harthover？　and　down　Lewthwaite　Crag？　　Art　sure　thou　art　not　lying？〃

〃Why　should　I？〃　said　Tom；　and　leant　his　head　against　the　post。

〃And　how　got　ye　up　there？〃

〃I　came　over　from　the　Place；〃　and　Tom　was　so　tired　and　desperate　he　had　no　heart　or　time　to　think　of　a　story；　so　he　told　all　the　truth　in　a　few　words。

〃Bless　thy　little　heart！　　And　thou　hast　not　been　stealing；　then？〃

〃No。〃

〃Bless　thy　little　heart！　and　I'll　warrant　not。　　Why；　God's　guided　the　bairn；　because　he　was　innocent！　　Away　from　the　Place；　and　over　Harthover　Fell；　and　down　Lewthwaite　Crag！　　Who　ever　heard　the　like；　if　God　hadn't　led　him？　　Why　dost　not　eat　thy　bread？〃

〃I　can't。〃

〃It's　good　enough；　for　I　made　it　myself。〃

〃I　can't；〃　said　Tom；　and　he　laid　his　head　on　his　knees；　and　then　asked　…

〃Is　it　Sunday？〃

〃No；　then；　why　should　it　be？〃

〃Because　I　hear　the　church…bells　ringing　so。〃

〃Bless　thy　pretty　heart！　　The　bairn's　sick。　　Come　wi'　me；　and　I'll　hap　thee　up　somewhere。　　If　thou　wert　a　bit　cleaner　I'd　put　thee　in　my　own　bed；　for　the　Lord's　sake。　　But　come　along　here。〃

But　when　Tom　tried　to　get　up；　he　was　so　tired　and　giddy　that　she　had　to　help　him　and　lead　him。

She　put　him　in　an　outhouse　upon　soft　sweet　hay　and　an　old　rug；　and　bade　him　sleep　off　his　walk；　and　she　would　come　to　him　when　school　was　over；　in　an　hour's　time。

And　so　she　went　in　again；　expecting　Tom　to　fall　fast　asleep　at　once。

But　Tom　did　not　fall　asleep。

Instead　of　it　he　turned　and　tossed　and　kicked　about　in　the　strangest　way；　and　felt　so　hot　all　over　that　he　longed　to　get　into　the　river　and　cool　himself；　and　then　he　fell　half　asleep；　and　dreamt　that　he　heard　the　little　white　lady　crying　to　him；　〃Oh；　you're　so　dirty；　go　and　be　washed；〃　and　then　that　he　heard　the　Irishwoman　saying；　〃Those　that　wish　to　be　clean；　clean　they　will　be。〃　　And　then　he　heard　the　church…bells　ring　so　loud；　close　to　him　too；　that　he　was　sure　it　must　be　Sunday；　in　spite　of　what　the　old　dame　had　said；　and　he　would　go　to　church；　and　see　what　a　church　was　like　inside；　for　he　had　never　been　in　one；　poor　little　fellow；　in　all　his　life。　　But　the　people　would　never　let　him　come　in；　all　over　soot　and　dirt　like　that。　　He　must　go　to　the　river　and　wash　first。　And　he　said　out　loud　again　and　again；　though　being　half　asleep　he　did　not　know　it；　〃I　must　be　clean；　I　must　be　clean。〃

And　all　of　a　sudden　he　found　himself；　not　in　the　outhouse　on　the　hay；　but　in　the　middle　of　a　meadow；　over　the　road；　with　the　stream　just　before　him；　saying　continually；　〃I　must　be　clean；　I　must　be　clean。〃　　He　had　got　there　on　his　own　legs；　between　sleep　and　awake；　as　children　will　often　get　out　of　bed；　and　go　about　the　room；　when　they　are　not　quite　well。　　But　he　was　not　a　bit　surprised；　and　went　on　to　the　bank　of　the　brook；　and　lay　down　on　the　grass；　and　looked　into　the　clear；　clear　limestone　water；　with　every　pebble　at　the　bottom　bright　and　clean；　while　the　little　silver　trout　dashed　about　in　fright　at　the　sight　of　his　black　face；　and　he　dipped　his　hand　in　and　found　it　so　cool；　cool；　cool；　and　he　said；　〃I　will　be　a　fish；　I　will　swim　in　the　water；　I　must　be　clean；　I　must　be　clean。〃

So　he　pulled