the water-babies-第8章

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id；　〃I　will　be　a　fish；　I　will　swim　in　the　water；　I　must　be　clean；　I　must　be　clean。〃

So　he　pulled　off　all　his　clothes　in　such　haste　that　he　tore　some　of　them；　which　was　easy　enough　with　such　ragged　old　things。　　And　he　put　his　poor　hot　sore　feet　into　the　water；　and　then　his　legs；　and　the　farther　he　went　in；　the　more　the　church…bells　rang　in　his　head。

〃Ah；〃　said　Tom；　〃I　must　be　quick　and　wash　myself；　the　bells　are　ringing　quite　loud　now；　and　they　will　stop　soon；　and　then　the　door　will　be　shut；　and　I　shall　never　be　able　to　get　in　at　all。〃

Tom　was　mistaken：　　for　in　England　the　church　doors　are　left　open　all　service　time；　for　everybody　who　likes　to　come　in；　Churchman　or　Dissenter；　ay；　even　if　he　were　a　Turk　or　a　Heathen；　and　if　any　man　dared　to　turn　him　out；　as　long　as　he　behaved　quietly；　the　good　old　English　law　would　punish　that　man；　as　he　deserved；　for　ordering　any　peaceable　person　out　of　God's　house；　which　belongs　to　all　alike。　But　Tom　did　not　know　that；　any　more　than　he　knew　a　great　deal　more　which　people　ought　to　know。

And　all　the　while　he　never　saw　the　Irishwoman；　not　behind　him　this　time；　but　before。

For　just　before　he　came　to　the　river　side；　she　had　stept　down　into　the　cool　clear　water；　and　her　shawl　and　her　petticoat　floated　off　her；　and　the　green　water…weeds　floated　round　her　sides；　and　the　white　water…lilies　floated　round　her　head；　and　the　fairies　of　the　stream　came　up　from　the　bottom　and　bore　her　away　and　down　upon　their　arms；　for　she　was　the　Queen　of　them　all；　and　perhaps　of　more　besides。

〃Where　have　you　been？〃　they　asked　her。

〃I　have　been　smoothing　sick　folks'　pillows；　and　whispering　sweet　dreams　into　their　ears；　opening　cottage　casements；　to　let　out　the　stifling　air；　coaxing　little　children　away　from　gutters；　and　foul　pools　where　fever　breeds；　turning　women　from　the　gin…shop　door；　and　staying　men's　hands　as　they　were　going　to　strike　their　wives；　doing　all　I　can　to　help　those　who　will　not　help　themselves：　　and　little　enough　that　is；　and　weary　work　for　me。　　But　I　have　brought　you　a　new　little　brother；　and　watched　him　safe　all　the　way　here。〃

Then　all　the　fairies　laughed　for　joy　at　the　thought　that　they　had　a　little　brother　coming。

〃But　mind；　maidens；　he　must　not　see　you；　or　know　that　you　are　here。　He　is　but　a　savage　now；　and　like　the　beasts　which　perish；　and　from　the　beasts　which　perish　he　must　learn。　　So　you　must　not　play　with　him；　or　speak　to　him；　or　let　him　see　you：　　but　only　keep　him　from　being　harmed。〃

Then　the　fairies　were　sad；　because　they　could　not　play　with　their　new　brother；　but　they　always　did　what　they　were　told。

And　their　Queen　floated　away　down　the　river；　and　whither　she　went；　thither　she　came。　　But　all　this　Tom；　of　course；　never　saw　or　heard：　and　perhaps　if　he　had　it　would　have　made　little　difference　in　the　story；　for　was　so　hot　and　thirsty；　and　longed　so　to　be　clean　for　once；　that　he　tumbled　himself　as　quick　as　he　could　into　the　clear　cool　stream。

And　he　had　not　been　in　it　two　minutes　before　he　fell　fast　asleep；　into　the　quietest；　sunniest；　cosiest　sleep　that　ever　he　had　in　his　life；　and　he　dreamt　about　the　green　meadows　by　which　he　had　walked　that　morning；　and　the　tall　elm…trees；　and　the　sleeping　cows；　and　after　that　he　dreamt　of　nothing　at　all。

The　reason　of　his　falling　into　such　a　delightful　sleep　is　very　simple；　and　yet　hardly　any　one　has　found　it　out。　　It　was　merely　that　the　fairies　took　him。

Some　people　think　that　there　are　no　fairies。　　Cousin　Cramchild　tells　little　folks　so　in　his　Conversations。　　Well；　perhaps　there　are　none　…　in　Boston；　U。S。；　where　he　was　raised。　　There　are　only　a　clumsy　lot　of　spirits　there；　who　can't　make　people　hear　without　thumping　on　the　table：　　but　they　get　their　living　thereby；　and　I　suppose　that　is　all　they　want。　　And　Aunt　Agitate；　in　her　Arguments　on　political　economy；　says　there　are　none。　　Well；　perhaps　there　are　none　…　in　her　political　economy。　　But　it　is　a　wide　world；　my　little　man　…　and　thank　Heaven　for　it；　for　else；　between　crinolines　and　theories；　some　of　us　would　get　squashed　…　and　plenty　of　room　in　it　for　fairies；　without　people　seeing　them；　unless；　of　course；　they　look　in　the　right　place。　　The　most　wonderful　and　the　strongest　things　in　the　world；　you　know；　are　just　the　things　which　no　one　can　see。　　There　is　life　in　you；　and　it　is　the　life　in　you　which　makes　you　grow；　and　move；　and　think：　　and　yet　you　can't　see　it。　　And　there　is　steam　in　a　steam…engine；　and　that　is　what　makes　it　move：　and　yet　you　can't　see　it；　and　so　there　may　be　fairies　in　the　world；　and　they　may　be　just　what　makes　the　world　go　round　to　the　old　tune　of


〃C'est　l'amour；　l'amour；　l'amour　Qui　fait　la　monde　e　la　ronde：〃


and　yet　no　one　may　be　able　to　see　them　except　those　whose　hearts　are　going　round　to　that　same　tune。　　At　all　events；　we　will　make　believe　that　there　are　fairies　in　the　world。　　It　will　not　be　the　last　time　by　many　a　one　that　we　shall　have　to　make　believe。　　And　yet；　after　all；　there　is　no　need　for　that。　　There　must　be　fairies；　for　this　is　a　fairy　tale：　　and　how　can　one　have　a　fairy　tale　if　there　are　no　fairies？

You　don't　see　the　logic　of　that？　　Perhaps　not。　　Then　please　not　to　see　the　logic　of　a　great　many　arguments　exactly　like　it；　which　you　will　hear　before　your　beard　is　gray。

The　kind　old　dame　came　back　at　twelve；　when　school　was　over；　to　look　at　Tom：　　but　there　was　no　Tom　there。　　She　looked　about　for　his　footprints；　but　the　ground　was　so　hard　that　there　was　no　slot；　as　they　say　in　dear　old　North　Devon。　　And　if　you　grow　up　to　be　a　brave　healthy　man；　you　may　know　some　day　what　no　slot　means；　and　know　too；　I　hope；　what　a　slot　does　mean　…　a　broad　slot；　with　blunt　claws；　which　makes　a　man　put　out　his　cigar；　and　set　his　teeth；　and　tighten　his　girths；　when　he　sees　it；　and　what　his　rights　mean；　if　he　has　them；　brow；　bay；　tray；　and　points；　and　see　something　worth　seeing　between　Haddon　Wood　and　Countisbury　Cliff；　with　good　Mr。　Palk　Collyns　to　show　you　the　way；　and　mend　your　bones　as　fast　as　you　smash　them。　　Only　when　that　jolly　day　comes；　please　don't　break　your　neck；　stogged　in　a　mire　you　never　will　be；　I　trust；　for　you　are　a　heath…cropper　bred　and　born。

So　the　old　dame　went　in　again　quite　sulky；　thinking　that　little　Tom　had　tricked　her　with　a　false　story；　and　shammed　ill；　and　then　run　away　again。

But　she　altered　her　mind　the　next　day。　　For；　when　Sir　John　and　the　rest　of　them　had　run　themselves　out　of　breath；　and　lost　Tom；　they　went　back　again；　looking　very　foolish。

And　they　looked　more　foolish　still　when　Sir　John　heard　more　of　the　story　from　the　nurse；　and　more　foolish　still；　again；　when　they　heard　the　whole　story　from　Miss　Ellie；　the　little　lady　in　white。　All　she　had　seen　was　a　poor　little　black　chimney…sweep；　crying　and　sobbing；　and　going　to　get　up　the　chimney　again。　　Of　course；　she　was　very　much　frightened：　　and　no　wonder。　　But　that　was　all。　　The　boy　had　taken　nothing　in　the　room；　by　the　mark　of　his　little　sooty　feet；　they　could　see　that　he　had　never　been　off　the　hearthrug　till　the　nurse　caught　hold　of　him。　　It　was　all　a　mistake。

So　Sir　John　told　Grimes　to　go　home；　and　promised　him　five　shillings　if　he　would　bring　the　boy　quietly　up　to　him；　without　beating　him；　that　he　might　be　sure　of　the　truth。　　For　he　took　for　granted；　and　Grimes　too；　that　Tom　had　made　his　way　home。

But　no　Tom　came　back　to　Mr。　Grimes　that　evening；　and　he　went　to　the　police…office；　to　tell　them　to　look　out　for　the　boy。　　But　no　Tom　was　heard　of。　　As　for　his　having　gone　over　those　great　fells　to　Vendale；　they　no　more　dreamed　of　that　than　of　his　having　gone　to　the　moon。

So　Mr。　Grimes　came　up　to　Harthover　next　day　with　a　very　sour　face；　but　when　he　got　there；　Sir　John　was　over　the　hills　and　far　away；　and　Mr。　Grimes　had　to　sit　in　the　outer　servants'　hall　all　day；　and　drink　strong　ale　to　wash　away　his　sorrows；　and　they　were　washed　away　long　before　Sir　John　came　back。

For　good　Sir　John　had　slept　very　badly　that　night；　and　he　said　to　his　lady；　〃My　dear；　the　boy　must　have　got　over　into　the　grouse…　moors；　and　lost　himself；　and　he　lies　very　heavily　on　my　conscience；　poor　little　lad。　　But　I　know　what　I　will　do。〃

So；　at　five　the　next　morning　up　he　got；　and　into　his　bath；　and　into　his　shooting…jacket　and　gaiters；　and　into　the　stableyard；　like　a　fine　old　English