madam how and lady why(豪夫人和怀女士)-第31节
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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； and as fishes'
backbones are too。 Is it a petrified plant or flower？
No； though I do not deny that it looks like one。 The creature most
akin to it which you ever saw is a star…fish。
What！ one of the red star…fishes which one finds on the beach？ Its arms
are not branched。
No。 But there are star…fishes with branched arms still in the sea。
You know that pretty book （and learned book； too）； Forbes's British Star…
fishes？ You like to look it through for the sake of the vignettes；the
mermaid and her child playing in the sea。
Oh yes； and the kind bogie who is piping while the sandstars dance；
and the other who is trying to pull out the star…fish which the oyster has
caught。
Yes。 But do you recollect the drawing of the Medusa's head； with its
curling arms； branched again and again without end？ Here it is。 No；
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
you shall not look at the vignettes now。 We must mind business。 Now
look at this one； the Feather…star； with arms almost like fern…fronds。 And
in foreign seas there are many other branched star…fish beside。
But they have no stalks？
Do not be too sure of that。 This very feather…star； soon after it is born；
grows a tiny stalk； by which it holds on to corallines and sea…weeds； and it
is not till afterwards that it breaks loose from that stalk； and swims away
freely into the wide water。 And in foreign seas there are several star…fish
still who grow on stalks all their lives； as this fossil one did。
How strange that a live animal should grow on a stalk； like a flower！
Not quite like a flower。 A flower has roots； by which it feeds in the
soil。 These things grow more like sea…weeds； which have no roots； but
only hold on to the rock by the foot of the stalk； as a ship holds on by her
anchor。 But as for its being strange that live animals should grow on
stalks； if it be strange it is common enough； like many far stranger things。
For under the water are millions on millions of creatures； spreading for
miles on miles； building up at last great reefs of rocks； and whole islands；
which all grow rooted first to the rock； like sea…weeds； and what is more；
they grow； most of them； from one common root； branching again and
again； and every branchlet bearing hundreds of living creatures； so that the
whole creation is at once one creature and many creatures。 Do you not
understand me？
No。
Then fancy to yourself a bush like that hawthorn bush； with
numberless blossoms； and every blossom on that bush a separate living
thing； with its own mouth； and arms； and stomach； budding and growing
fresh live branches and fresh live flowers； as fast as the old ones die： and
then you will see better what I mean。
How wonderful！
Yes； but not more wonderful than your finger； for it； too； is made up of
numberless living things。
My finger made of living things？
What else can it be？ When you cut your finger； does not the place
heal？
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
Of course。
And what is healing but growing again？ And how could the atoms of
your fingers grow； and make fresh skin； if they were not each of them
alive？ There； I will not puzzle you with too much at once； you will know
more about all that some day。 Only remember now； that there is nothing
wonderful in the world outside you but has its counterpart of something
just as wonderful； and perhaps more wonderful； inside you。 Man is the
microcosm； the little world； said the philosophers of old； and philosophers
nowadays are beginning to see that their old guess is actual fact and true。
But what are these curious sea…creatures called； which are animals； yet
grow like plants？
They have more names than I can tell you； or you remember。 Those
which helped to make this bit of stone are called coral…insects： but they are
not really insects； and are no more like insects than you are。 Coral…
polypes is the best name for them； because they have arms round their
mouths； something like a cuttle…fish； which the ancients called Polypus。
But the animal which you have seen likest to most of them is a sea…
anemone。
Look now at this piece of fresh coralfor coral it is； though not like
the coral which your sister wears in her necklace。 You see it is full of
pipes； in each of those pipes has lived what we will call； for the time being；
a tiny sea…anemone； joined on to his brothers by some sort of flesh and
skin； and all of them together have built up； out of the lime in the sea…
water； this common house； or rather town； of lime。
But is it not strange and wonderful？
Of course it is： but so is everything when you begin to look into it；
and if I were to go on； and tell you what sort of young ones these coral…
polypes have； and what becomes of them； you would hear such wonders；
that you would be ready to suspect that I was inventing nonsense； or
talking in my dreams。 But all that belongs to Madam How's deepest
book of all； which is called the BOOK OF KIND： the book which
children cannot understand； and in which only the very wisest men are
able to spell out a few words； not knowing； and of course not daring to
guess； what wonder may come next。
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
Now we will go back to our stone； and talk about how it was made；
and how the stalked star…fish； which you mistook for a flower； ever got
into the stone。
Then do you think me silly for fancying that a fossil star…fish was a
flower？
I should be silly if I did。 There is no silliness in not knowing what
you cannot know。 You can only guess about new things； which you have
never seen before； by comparing them with old things； which you have
seen before； and you had seen flowers； and snakes； and fishes' backbones；
and made a very fair guess from them。 After all； some of these stalked
star…fish are so like flowers； lilies especially； that they are called Encrinites；
and the whole family is called Crinoids； or lily…like creatures； from the
Greek work KRINON； a lily； and as for corals and corallines； learned men；
in spite of all their care and shrewdness； made mistake after mistake about
them； which they had to correct again and again； till now； I trust； they have
got at something very like the truth。 No； I shall only call you silly if you
do what some little boys are apt to docall other boys； and； still worse；
servants or poor people； silly for not knowing what they cannot know。
But are not poor people often very silly about animals and plants？ The
boys at the village school say that slowworms are poisonous； is not that
silly？
Not at all。 They know that adders bite； and so they think that
slowworms bite too。 They are wrong； and they must be told that they are
wrong； and scolded if they kill a slowworm。 But silly they are not。
But is it not silly to fancy that swallows sleep all the winter at the
bottom of the pond？
I do not think so。 The boys cannot know where the swallows go； and
if you told themwhat is truethat the swallows find their way every
autumn through France； through Spain； over the Straits of Gibraltar； into
Morocco； and some； I believe； over the great desert of Zahara into
Negroland： and if you told themwhat is true alsothat the young
swallows actually find their way into Africa without having been along the
road before； because the old swallows go south a week or two first； and
leave the young ones to guess out the way for themselves：
