madam how and lady why(豪夫人和怀女士)-第25节
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while you are sleeping （for I never sleep）； I carry； delicate and soft as I am；
a burden which giants could not bear： and yet I am never tired。 Every
drop of rain which the south…west wind brings from the West Indian seas
gives me fresh life and strength to bear my burden； and it has need to do
so； for every drop of rain lays a fresh burden on me。 Every root and
weed which grows in every field； every dead leaf which falls in the
highwoods of many a parish； from the Grange and Woodmancote round to
Farleigh and Preston； and so to Brighton and the Alresford downs；… …ay；
every atom of manure which the farmers put on the landfoul enough then；
but pure enough before it touches meeach of these； giving off a tiny atom
of what men call carbonic acid； melts a tiny grain of chalk； and helps to
send it down through the solid hill by one of the million pores and veins
which at once feed and burden my springs。 Ages on ages I have worked
on thus； carrying the chalk into the sea。 And ages on ages； it may be； I
shall work on yet； till I have done my work at last； and levelled the high
downs into a flat sea…shore； with beds of flint gravel rattling in the shallow
waves。
She might tell you that； and when she had told you； you would surely
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think of the clumsy chalk…cart rumbling down the hill； and then of the
graceful stream； bearing silently its invisible load of chalk； and see how
much more delicate and beautiful； as well as vast and wonderful； Madam
How's work is than that of man。
But if you asked the nymph why she worked on for ever； she could not
tell you。 For like the Nymphs of old； and the Hamadryads who lived； in
trees； and Undine； and the little Sea…maiden； she would have no soul； no
reason； no power to say why。
It is for you； who are a reasonable being； to guess why： or at least
listen to me if I guess for you； and say； perhapsI can only say perhaps
that chalk may be going to make layers of rich marl in the sea between
England and France； and those marl…beds may be upheaved and grow into
dry land； and be ploughed； and sowed； and reaped by a wiser race of men；
in a better…ordered world than this： or the chalk may have even a nobler
destiny before it。 That may happen to it； which has happened already to
many a grain of lime。 It may be carried thousands of miles away to help
in building up a coral reef （what that is I must tell you afterwards）。 That
coral reef may harden into limestone beds。 Those beds may be covered up；
pressed； and； it may be； heated； till they crystallise into white marble：
and out of it fairer statues be carved； and grander temples built； than the
world has ever yet seen。
And if that is not the reason why the chalk is being sent into the sea；
then there is another reason； and probably a far better one。 For； as I told
you at first； Lady Why's intentions are far wiser and better than our fancies；
and shelike Him whom she obeysis able to do exceeding abundantly；
beyond all that we can ask or think。
But you will say now that we have followed the chalk…cart a long way；
without coming to the cave。
You are wrong。 We have come to the very mouth of the cave。 All
we have to do is to saynot 〃Open Sesame；〃 like Ali Baba in the tale of
the Forty Thievesbut some word or two which Madam Why will teach us；
and forthwith a hill will open； and we shall walk in； and behold rivers and
cascades underground； stalactite pillars and stalagmite statues； and all the
wonders of the grottoes of Adelsberg； Antiparos； or Kentucky。
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
Am I joking？ Yes； and yet no； for you know that when I joke I am
usually most in earnest。 At least； I am now。
But there are no caves in chalk？
No； not that I ever heard of。 There are； though； in limestone； which is
only a harder kind of chalk。 Madam How could turn this chalk into hard
limestone； I believe； even now； and in more ways than one： but in ways
which would not be very comfortable or profitable for us Southern folk
who live on it。 I am afraid that… …what between squeezing and heating
she would flatten us all out into phosphatic fossils； about an inch thick；
and turn Winchester city into a 〃breccia〃 which would puzzle geologists a
hundred thousand years hence。 So we will hope that she will leave our
chalk downs for the Itchen to wash gently away； while we talk about caves；
and how Madam How scoops them out by water underground； just in the
same way； only more roughly； as she melts the chalk。
Suppose； then； that these hills； instead of being soft； spongy chalk；
were all hard limestone marble； like that of which the font in the church is
made。 Then the rainwater； instead of sinking through the chalk as now；
would run over the ground down…hill； and if it came to a crack （a fault； as
it is called） it would run down between the rock； and as it ran it would eat
that hole wider and wider year by year； and make a swallow…holesuch as
you may see in plenty if you ever go up Whernside； or any of the high
hills in Yorkshireunfathomable pits in the green turf； in which you may
hear the water tinkling and trickling far； far underground。
And now； before we go a step farther； you may understand； why the
bones of animals are so often found in limestone caves。 Down such
swallow…holes how many beasts must fall： either in hurry and fright；
when hunted by lions and bears and such cruel beasts； or more often still
in time of snow； when the holes are covered with drift； or； again； if they
died on the open hill…sides； their bones might be washed in； in floods；
along with mud and stones； and buried with them in the cave below； and
beside that； lions and bears and hyaenas might live in the caves below； as
we know they did in some caves； and drag in bones through the caves'
mouths； or； again； savages might live in that cave； and bring in animals to
eat； like the wild beasts； and so those bones might be mixed up； as we
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know they were； with things which the savages had left behindlike flint
tools or beads； and then the whole would be hardened； by the dripping of
the limestone water； into a paste of breccia just like this in my drawer。
But the bones of the savages themselves you would seldom or never find
mixed in itunless some one had fallen in by accident from above。 And
why？ （For there is a Why？ to that question： and not merely a How？）
Simply because they were men； and because God has put into the hearts of
all men； even of the lowest savages； some sort of reverence for those who
are gone； and has taught them to bury； or in some other way take care of；
their bones。
But how is the swallow…hole sure to end in a cave？
Because it cannot help making a cave for itself if it has time。
Think： and you will see that it must be so。 For that water must run
somewhere； and so it eats its way out between the beds of the rock；
making underground galleries； and at last caves and lofty halls。 For it
always eats； remember； at the bottom of its channel； leaving the roof alone。
So it eats； and eats； more in some places and less in others； according as
the stone is harder or softer； and according to the different direction of the
rock… beds （what we call their dip and strike）； till at last it makes one of
those wonderful caverns about which you are so fond of readingsuch a
cave as there actually is in the rocks of the mountain of Whernside； fed by
the swallow…holes around the mountain…top； a cave hundreds of yards long；
with halls； and lakes； and waterfalls； and curtains and festoons of stalactite
which have dripped from the roof； and pillars of stalagmite which have
been built up on the floor below。 These stalactites （those tell me who
have seen them） are among the most beautiful of all Madam How's work；
sometimes like branches of roses or of grapes； sometimes like statues；
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