madam how and lady why(豪夫人和怀女士)-第30节
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water in which they settled must have been quite still； or these little
delicate creatures would have been ground into powderor rather into
paste。 Therefore learned men soon made up their minds that these things
were laid down at the bottom of a deep sea； so deep that neither wind； nor
tide； nor currents could stir the everlasting calm。
Ah！ it is worth thinking over； for it shows how shrewd a giant Analysis
is； and how fast he works in these days； now that he has got free and well
fed；worth thinking over； I say； how our notions about these little atomies
have changed during the last forty years。
We used to find them sometimes washed up among the sea…sand on the
wild Atlantic coast； and we were taught； in the days when old Dr。 Turton
was writing his book on British shells at Bideford； to call them Nautili；
because their shells were like Nautilus shells。 Men did not know then
that the animal which lives in them is no more like a Nautilus animal than
it is like a cow。
For a Nautilus； you must know； is made like a cuttlefish； with eyes；
and strong jaws for biting； and arms round them； and has a heart； and gills；
and a stomach； and is altogether a very well… made beast； and； I suspect； a
terrible tyrant to little fish and sea…slugs； just as the cuttlefish is。 But the
creatures which live in these little shells are about the least finished of
Madam How's works。 They have neither mouth nor stomach； eyes nor
limbs。 They are mere live bags full of jelly； which can take almost any
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shape they like； and thrust out armsor what serve for arms through the
holes in their shells； and then contract them into themselves again； as this
Globigerina does。 What they feed on； how they grow； how they make
their exquisitely…formed shells； whether； indeed； they are； strictly speaking；
animals or vegetables； Analysis has not yet found out。 But when you
come to read about them； you will find that they； in their own way； are just
as wonderful and mysterious as a butterfly or a rose； and just as necessary；
likewise； to Madam How's work； for out of them； as I told you； she makes
whole sheets of down； whole ranges of hills。
No one knew anything； I believe； about them； save that two or three
kinds of them were found in chalk； till a famous Frenchman； called
D'Orbigny； just thirty years ago； told the world how he had found many
beautiful fresh kinds； and； more strange still； that some of these kinds were
still alive at the bottom of the Adriatic； and of the harbour of Alexandria；
in Egypt。
Then in 1841 a gentleman named Edward Forbes；now with God
whose name will be for ever dear to all who love science； and honour
genius and virtue； found in the AEgean Sea 〃a bed of chalk；〃 he said；
〃full of Foraminifera； and shells of Pteropods；〃 forming at the bottom of
the sea。
And what are Pteropods？
What you might call sea…moths （though they are not really moths）；
which swim about on the surface of the water； while the right… whales suck
them in tens of thousands into the great whalebone net which fringes their
jaws。 Here are drawings of them。 1。 Limacina （on which the whales
feed）； and 2。 Hyalea； a lovely little thing in a glass shell； which lives in the
Mediterranean。
But since then strange discoveries have been made； especially by the
naval officers who surveyed the bottom of the great Atlantic Ocean before
laying down the electric cable between Ireland and America。 And this is
what they found：
That at the bottom of the Atlantic were vast plains of soft mud； in
some places 2500 fathoms （15；000 feet） deep； that is； as deep as the Alps
are high。 And more： they found out； to their surprise； that the oozy
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mud of the Atlantic floor was made up almost entirely of just the same
atomies as make up our chalk； especially globigerinas； that； in fact； a vast
bed of chalk was now forming at the bottom of the Atlantic； with living
shells and sea…animals of the most brilliant colours crawling about on it in
black darkness； and beds of sponges growing out of it； just as the sponges
grew at the bottom of the old chalk ocean； and were all； generation after
generation； turned into flints。
And； for reasons which you will hardly understand； men are beginning
now to believe that the chalk has never ceased to be made； somewhere or
other； for many thousand years； ever since the Winchester Downs were at
the bottom of the sea： and that 〃the Globigerina…mud is not merely A
chalk formation； but a continuation of THE chalk formation； so THAT WE
MAY BE SAID TO BE STILL LIVING IN THE AGE OF CHALK。〃 ｛1｝
Ah； my little man； what would I not give to see you； before I die； add one
such thought as that to the sum of human knowledge！
So there the little creatures have been lying； making chalk out of the
lime in the sea…water； layer over layer； the young over the old； the dead
over the living； year after year； age after agefor how long？
Who can tell？ How deep the layer of new chalk at the bottom of the
Atlantic is； we can never know。 But the layer of live atomies on it is not
an inch thick； probably not a tenth of an inch。 And if it grew a tenth of an
inch a year； or even a whole inch； how many years must it have taken to
make the chalk of our downs； which is in some parts 1300 feet thick？
How many inches are there in 1300 feet？ Do that sum； and judge for
yourself。
One difference will be found between the chalk now forming at the
bottom of the ocean； if it ever become dry land； and the chalk on which
you tread on the downs。 The new chalk will be full of the teeth and
bones of whaleswarm…blooded creatures； who suckle their young like
cows； instead of laying eggs； like birds and fish。 For there were no
whales in the old chalk ocean； but our modern oceans are full of cachalots；
porpoises； dolphins； swimming in shoals round any ship； and their bones
and teeth； and still more their ear…bones； will drop to the bottom as they
die； and be found； ages hence； in the mud which the live atomies make；
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along with wrecks of mighty ships
〃Great anchors； heaps of pearl；〃
and all that man has lost in the deep seas。 And sadder fossils yet；
my child； will be scattered on those white plains：…
〃To them the love of woman hath gone down； Dark roll their waves
o'er manhood's noble head。 O'er youth's bright locks； and beauty's flowing
crown； Yet shall they hear a voice； 'Restore the dead。' Earth shall reclaim
her precious things from thee。 Give back the dead； thou Sea！〃
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CHAPTER IX
THE CORAL…REEF
Now you want to know what I meant when I talked of a bit of lime
going out to sea； and forming part of a coral island； and then of a
limestone rock； and then of a marble statue。 Very good。 Then look at
this stone。
What a curious stone！ Did it come from any place near here？
No。 It came from near Dudley； in Staffordshire； where the soils are
worlds on worlds older than they are here； though they were made in the
same way as these and all other soils。 But you are not listening to me。
Why； the stone is full of shells； and bits of coral； and what are these
wonderful things coiled and tangled together； like the snakes in Medusa's
hair in the picture？ Are they snakes？
If they are； then they must be snakes who have all one head； for see；
they are joined together at their larger ends； and snakes which are
branched； too； which no snake ever was。
Yes。 I suppose they are not snakes。 And they grow out of a flower；
too； and it has a stalk； jointed； too； as plants sometimes are；
