madam how and lady why(豪夫人和怀女士)-第17节
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through tiny veins； and hardened the next year into a piece of solid wood。
And then how that tree was cut down； and its logs； it may be； burnt upon
the hearth； till the little atom of mineral lay among the wood…ashes； and
was shovelled out and thrown upon the field and washed into the soil
again； and taken up by the roots of a clover plant； and became an atom of
vegetable matter once more。 And then how； perhaps； a rabbit came by；
and ate the clover； and the grain of mineral became part of the rabbit； and
then how a hawk killed that rabbit； and ate it； and so the grain became part
of the hawk； and how the farmer shot the hawk； and it fell perchance into a
stream； and was carried down into the sea； and when its body decayed； the
little grain sank through the water； and was mingled with the mud at the
bottom of the sea。 But do its wanderings stop there？ Not so； my child。
Nothing upon this earth； as I told you once before； continues in one stay。
That grain of mineral might stay at the bottom of the sea a thousand or ten
thousand years； and yet the time would come when Madam How would
set to work on it again。 Slowly； perhaps； she would sink that mud so
deep； and cover it up with so many fresh beds of mud； or sand； or lime；
that under the heavy weight； and perhaps； too； under the heat of the inside
of the earth； that Mud would slowly change to hard Slate Rock； and ages
after； it may be； Madam How might melt that Slate Rock once more； and
blast it out； and then through the mouth of a volcano the little grain of
mineral might rise into the open air again to make fresh soil； as it had done
thousands of years before。 For Madam How can manufacture many
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different things out of the same materials。 She may have so wrought
with that grain of mineral； that she may have formed it into part of a
precious stone； and men may dig it out of the rock； or pick it up in the
river…bed； and polish it； and set it； and wear it。 Think of thatthat in the
jewels which your mother or your sisters wear； or in your father's signet
ring； there may be atoms which were part of a live plant； or a live animal；
millions of years ago； and may be parts of a live plant or a live animal
millions of years hence。
Think over again； and learn by heart； the links of this endless chain of
change： Fire turned into StoneStone into SoilSoil into PlantPlant
into AnimalAnimal into SoilSoil into Stone Stone into Fire again
and then Fire into Stone again； and the old thing run round once more。
So it is； and so it must be。 For all things which are born in Time must
change in Time； and die in Time； till that Last Day of this our little earth；
in which；
〃Like to the baseless fabric of a vision； The cloud…capped towers； the
gorgeous palaces； The solemn temples； the great globe itself； Yea； all
things which inherit； shall dissolve； And； like an unsubstantial pageant
faded； Leave not a rack behind。〃
So all things change and die； and so your body too must change and
diebut not yourself。 Madam How made your body； and she must
unmake it again； as she unmakes all her works in Time and Space； but you；
child； your Soul； and Life； and Self； she did not make； and over you she
has no power。 For you were not； like your body； created in Time and
Space； and you will endure though Time and Space should be no more：
because you are the child of the Living God； who gives to each thing its
own body； and can give you another body； even as seems good to Him。
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
CHAPTER V
THE ICE…PLOUGH
You want to know why I am so fond of that little bit of limestone； no
bigger than my hand； which lies upon the shelf； why I ponder over it so
often； and show it to all sensible people who come to see me？
I do so； not only for the sake of the person who gave it to me； but
because there is written on it a letter out of Madam How's alphabet； which
has taken wise men many a year to decipher。 I could not decipher that
letter when first I saw the stone。 More shame for me； for I had seen it
often before； and understood it well enough； in many another page of
Madam How's great book。 Take the stone； and see if you can find out
anything strange about it。
Well； it is only a bit of marble as big as my hand； that looks as if it had
been； and really has been； broken off by a hammer。 But when you look
again； you see there is a smooth scraped part on one edge； that seems to
have been rubbed against a stone。
Now look at that rubbed part； and tell me how it was done。
You have seen men often polish one stone on another； or scour floors
with a Bath brick； and you will guess at first that this was polished so：
but if it had been； then the rubbed place would have been flat： but if you
put your fingers over it； you will find that it is not flat。 It is rolled； fluted；
channelled； so that the thing or things which rubbed it must have been
somewhat round。 And it is covered； too； with very fine and smooth
scratches or grooves； all running over the whole in the same line。 Now
what could have done that？
Of course a man could have done it； if he had taken a large round stone
in his hand； and worked the large channellings with that； and then had
taken fine sand and gravel upon the points of his fingers； and worked the
small scratches with that。 But this stone came from a place where man
had； perhaps； never stood before；ay； which； perhaps； had never seen the
light of day before since the world was made； and as I happen to know
that no man made the marks upon that stone； we must set to work and
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think again for some tool of Madam How's which may have made them。
And now I think you must give up guessing； and I must tell you the
answer to the riddle。 Those marks were made by a hand which is strong
and yet gentle； tough and yet yielding； like the hand of a man； a hand
which handles and uses in a grip stronger than a giant's its own carving
tools； from the great boulder stone as large as this whole room to the finest
grain of sand。 And that is ICE。
That piece of stone came from the side of the Rosenlaui glacier in
Switzerland； and it was polished by the glacier ice。 The glacier melted
and shrank this last hot summer farther back than it had done for many
years； and left bare sheets of rock； which it had been scraping at for ages；
with all the marks fresh upon them。 And that bit was broken off and
brought to me； who never saw a glacier myself； to show me how the marks
which the ice makes in Switzerland are exactly the same as those which
the ice has made in Snowdon and in the Highlands； and many another
place where I have traced them； and written a little； too； about them in
years gone by。 And so I treasure this； as a sign that Madam How's ways
do not change nor her laws become broken； that； as that great philosopher
Sir Charles Lyell will tell you； when you read his books； Madam How is
making and unmaking the surface of the earth now； by exactly the same
means as she was making and unmaking ages and ages since； and that
what is going on slowly and surely in the Alps in Switzerland was going
on once here where we stand。
It is very difficult； I know； for a little boy like you to understand how
ice； and much more how soft snow； should have such strength that it can
grind this little stone； much more such strength as to grind whole
mountains into plains。 You have never seen ice and snow do harm。 You
cannot even recollect the Crimean Winter； as it was called then； and well
for
