madam how and lady why(豪夫人和怀女士)-第43节
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means of sending word to its brothers and sisters in the Pyrenees how it
was getting on。
What do you mean？ Are you making fun of me？
Not the least。 I am only telling you a very strange story； which is
literally true。 Come； and sit down on this bench。 You can't catch that
great butterfly； he is too strong on the wing for you。
But oh； what a beautiful one！
Yes； orange and black； silver and green； a glorious creature。 But you
may see him at home sometimes： that plant close to you； you cannot see
at home。
Why； it is only great spurge； such as grows in the woods at home。
No。 It is Irish spurge which grows here； and sometimes in
Devonshire； and then again in the west of Europe； down to the Pyrenees。
Don't touch it。 Our wood spurge is poisonous enough； but this is worse
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still； if you get a drop of its milk on your lip or eye； you will be in agonies
for half a day。 That is the evil plant with which the poachers kill the
salmon。
How do they do that？
When the salmon are spawning up in the little brooks； and the water is
low； they take that spurge； and grind it between two stones under water；
and let the milk run down into the pool； and at that all the poor salmon
turn up dead。 Then comes the water… bailiff； and catches the poachers。
Then comes the policeman； with his sword at his side and his truncheon
under his arm： and then comes a 〃cheap journey〃 to Tralee Gaol； in
which those foolish poachers sit and reconsider themselves； and determine
not to break the salmon lawsat least till next time。
But why is it that this spurge； and St。 Patrick's cabbage； grow only here
in the west？ If they got here of themselves； where did they come from？
All outside there is sea； and they could not float over that。
Come； I say； and sit down on this bench； and I will tell you a tale；the
story of the Old Atlantis； the sunken land in the far West。 Old Plato； the
Greek； told legends of it； which you will read some day； and now it seems
as if those old legends had some truth in them； after all。 We are standing
now on one of the last remaining scraps of the old Atlantic land。 Look
down the bay。 Do you see far away； under； the mountains； little islands；
long and low？
Oh； yes。
Some of these are old slate； like the mountains； others are limestone；
bits of the old coral…reef to the west of Ireland which became dry land。
I know。 You told me about it。
Then that land； which is all eaten up by the waves now； once joined
Ireland to Cornwall； and to Spain； and to the Azores； and I suspect to the
Cape of Good Hope； and what is stranger； to Labrador； on the coast of
North America。
Oh！ How can you know that？
Listen； and I will give you your first lesson in what I call Bio… geology。
What a long word！
If you can find a shorter one I shall be very much obliged to you； for I
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hate long words。 But what it means is；Telling how the land has
changed in shape； by the plants and animals upon it。 And if you ever
read （as you will） Mr。 Wallace's new book on the Indian Archipelago； you
will see what wonderful discoveries men may make about such questions
if they will but use their common sense。 You know the common pink
heatherling； as we call it？
Of course。
Then that ling grows； not only here and in the north and west of
Europe； but in the Azores too； and； what is more strange； in Labrador。
Now； as ling can neither swim nor fly； does not common sense tell you
that all those countries were probably joined together in old times？
Well： but it seems so strange。
So it is； my child； and so is everything。 But； as the fool says in
Shakespeare …
〃A long time ago the world began； With heigh ho； the wind and the
rain。〃
And the wind and the rain have made strange work with the poor old
world ever since。 And that is about all that we； who are not very much
wiser than Shakespeare's fool； can say about the matter。 But againthe
London Pride grows here； and so does another saxifrage very like it； which
we call Saxifraga Geum。 Now； when I saw those two plants growing in
the Western Pyrenees； between France and Spain； and with them the
beautiful blue butterwort； which grows in these Kerry bogswe will go
and find somewhat could I say but that Spain and Ireland must have been
joined once？
I suppose it must be so。
Again。 There is a little pink butterwort here in the bogs； which grows；
too； in dear old Devonshire and Cornwall； and also in the south…west of
Scotland。 Now； when I found that too； in the bogs near Biarritz； close to
the Pyrenees； and knew that it stretched away along the Spanish coast； and
into Portugal； what could my common sense lead me to say but that
Scotland； and Ireland； and Cornwall； and Spain were all joined once？
Those are only a few examples。 I could give you a dozen more。 For
instance； on an island away there to the west； and only in one spot； there
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grows a little sort of lily； which is found I believe in Brittany； and on the
Spanish and Portuguese heaths； and even in North…west Africa。 And that
Africa and Spain were joined not so very long ago at the Straits of
Gibraltar there is no doubt at all。
But where did the Mediterranean Sea run out then？
Perhaps it did not run out at all； but was a salt…water lake； like the
Caspian； or the Dead Sea。 Perhaps it ran out over what is now the Sahara；
the great desert of sand； for； that was a sea…bottom not long ago。
But then； how was this land of Atlantis joined to the Cape of Good
Hope？
I cannot say how； or when either。 But this is plain： the place in the
world where the most beautiful heaths grow is the Cape of Good Hope？
You know I showed you Cape heaths once at the nursery gardener's at
home。
Oh yes； pink； and yellow； and white； so much larger than ours。
Then it seems （I only say it seems） as if there must have been some
land once to the westward； from which the different sorts of heath spread
south…eastward to the Cape； and north…eastward into Europe。 And that
they came north…eastward into Europe seems certain； for there are no
heaths in America or Asia。
But how north…eastward？
Think。 Stand with your face to the south and think。 If a thing
comes from the south…westfrom there； it must go to the north… east…
towards there。 Must it not？
Oh yes； I see。
Now thenThe farther you go south…west； towards Spain； the more
kinds of heath there are； and the handsomer； as if their original home；
from which they started； was somewhere down there。
More sorts！ What sorts？
How many sorts of heath have we at home？
Three； of course： ling； and purple heath； and bottle heath。
And there are no more in all England； or Wales； or Scotland； except
Now； listen。 In the very farthest end of Cornwall there are two more
sorts； the Cornish heath and the Orange…bell； and they say （though I never
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saw it） that the Orange…bell grows near Bournemouth。
Well。 That is south and west too。
So it is： but that makes five heaths。 Now in the south and west of
Ireland all these five heaths grow； and two more： the great Irish heath；
with purple bells； and the Mediterranean heath； which flowers in spring。
Oh； I know them。 They grow in the Rhododendron beds at home。
Of course。 Now again。 If you went down to Spain； you would find
all those seven h
