the water-babies-第13节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


nearer；　unless；　perhaps；　you　get　up　at　five　in　the　morning；　and　go　down　to　Cordery's　Moor；　and　watch　by　the　great　withy　pollard　which　hangs　over　the　backwater；　where　the　otters　breed　sometimes）；　and　then　say；　if　otters　at　play　in　the　water　are　not　the　merriest；　lithest；　gracefullest　creatures　you　ever　saw。

But；　when　the　biggest　of　them　saw　Tom；　she　darted　out　from　the　rest；　and　cried　in　the　water…language　sharply　enough；　〃Quick；　children；　here　is　something　to　eat；　indeed！〃　and　came　at　poor　Tom；　showing　such　a　wicked　pair　of　eyes；　and　such　a　set　of　sharp　teeth　in　a　grinning　mouth；　that　Tom；　who　had　thought　her　very　handsome；　said　to　himself；　HANDSOME　IS　THAT　HANDSOME　DOES；　and　slipped　in　between　the　water…lily　roots　as　fast　as　he　could；　and　then　turned　round　and　made　faces　at　her。

〃Come　out；〃　said　the　wicked　old　otter；　〃or　it　will　be　worse　for　you。〃

But　Tom　looked　at　her　from　between　two　thick　roots；　and　shook　them　with　all　his　might；　making　horrible　faces　all　the　while；　just　as　he　used　to　grin　through　the　railings　at　the　old　women；　when　he　lived　before。　　It　was　not　quite　well　bred；　no　doubt；　but　you　know；　Tom　had　not　finished　his　education　yet。

〃Come；　away；　children；〃　said　the　otter　in　disgust；　〃it　is　not　worth　eating；　after　all。　　It　is　only　a　nasty　eft；　which　nothing　eats；　not　even　those　vulgar　pike　in　the　pond。〃

〃I　am　not　an　eft！〃　said　Tom；　〃efts　have　tails。〃

〃You　are　an　eft；〃　said　the　otter；　very　positively；　〃I　see　your　two　hands　quite　plain；　and　I　know　you　have　a　tail。〃

〃I　tell　you　I　have　not；〃　said　Tom。　　〃Look　here！〃　and　he　turned　his　pretty　little　self　quite　round；　and；　sure　enough；　he　had　no　more　tail　than　you。

The　otter　might　have　got　out　of　it　by　saying　that　Tom　was　a　frog：　but；　like　a　great　many　other　people；　when　she　had　once　said　a　thing；　she　stood　to　it；　right　or　wrong；　so　she　answered：

〃I　say　you　are　an　eft；　and　therefore　you　are；　and　not　fit　food　for　gentlefolk　like　me　and　my　children。　　You　may　stay　there　till　the　salmon　eat　you　（she　knew　the　salmon　would　not；　but　she　wanted　to　frighten　poor　Tom）。　　Ha！　ha！　they　will　eat　you；　and　we　will　eat　them；〃　and　the　otter　laughed　such　a　wicked　cruel　laugh　…　as　you　may　hear　them　do　sometimes；　and　the　first　time　that　you　hear　it　you　will　probably　think　it　is　bogies。

〃What　are　salmon？〃　asked　Tom。

〃Fish；　you　eft；　great　fish；　nice　fish　to　eat。　　They　are　the　lords　of　the　fish；　and　we　are　lords　of　the　salmon；〃　and　she　laughed　again。　　〃We　hunt　them　up　and　down　the　pools；　and　drive　them　up　into　a　corner；　the　silly　things；　they　are　so　proud；　and　bully　the　little　trout；　and　the　minnows；　till　they　see　us　coming；　and　then　they　are　so　meek　all　at　once；　and　we　catch　them；　but　we　disdain　to　eat　them　all；　we　just　bite　out　their　soft　throats　and　suck　their　sweet　juice　…　Oh；　so　good！〃　…　（and　she　licked　her　wicked　lips）　…　〃and　then　throw　them　away；　and　go　and　catch　another。　　They　are　coming　soon；　children；　coming　soon；　I　can　smell　the　rain　coming　up　off　the　sea；　and　then　hurrah　for　a　fresh；　and　salmon；　and　plenty　of　eating　all　day　long。〃

And　the　otter　grew　so　proud　that　she　turned　head　over　heels　twice；　and　then　stood　upright　half　out　of　the　water；　grinning　like　a　Cheshire　cat。

〃And　where　do　they　come　from？〃　asked　Tom；　who　kept　himself　very　close；　for　he　was　considerably　frightened。

〃Out　of　the　sea；　eft；　the　great　wide　sea；　where　they　might　stay　and　be　safe　if　they　liked。　　But　out　of　the　sea　the　silly　things　come；　into　the　great　river　down　below；　and　we　come　up　to　watch　for　them；　and　when　they　go　down　again　we　go　down　and　follow　them。　　And　there　we　fish　for　the　bass　and　the　pollock；　and　have　jolly　days　along　the　shore；　and　toss　and　roll　in　the　breakers；　and　sleep　snug　in　the　warm　dry　crags。　　Ah；　that　is　a　merry　life　too；　children；　if　it　were　not　for　those　horrid　men。〃

〃What　are　men？〃　asked　Tom；　but　somehow　he　seemed　to　know　before　he　asked。

〃Two…legged　things；　eft：　　and；　now　I　come　to　look　at　you；　they　are　actually　something　like　you；　if　you　had　not　a　tail〃　（she　was　determined　that　Tom　should　have　a　tail）；　〃only　a　great　deal　bigger；　worse　luck　for　us；　and　they　catch　the　fish　with　hooks　and　lines；　which　get　into　our　feet　sometimes；　and　set　pots　along　the　rocks　to　catch　lobsters。　　They　speared　my　poor　dear　husband　as　he　went　out　to　find　something　for　me　to　eat。　　I　was　laid　up　among　the　crags　then；　and　we　were　very　low　in　the　world；　for　the　sea　was　so　rough　that　no　fish　would　come　in　shore。　　But　they　speared　him；　poor　fellow；　and　I　saw　them　carrying　him　away　upon　a　pole。　　All；　he　lost　his　life　for　your　sakes；　my　children；　poor　dear　obedient　creature　that　he　was。〃

And　the　otter　grew　so　sentimental　（for　otters　can　be　very　sentimental　when　they　choose；　like　a　good　many　people　who　are　both　cruel　and　greedy；　and　no　good　to　anybody　at　all）　that　she　sailed　solemnly　away　down　the　burn；　and　Tom　saw　her　no　more　for　that　time。　And　lucky　it　was　for　her　that　she　did　so；　for　no　sooner　was　she　gone；　than　down　the　bank　came　seven　little　rough　terrier　doors；　snuffing　and　yapping；　and　grubbing　and　splashing；　in　full　cry　after　the　otter。　　Tom　hid　among　the　water…lilies　till　they　were　gone；　for　he　could　not　guess　that　they　were　the　water…fairies　come　to　help　him。

But　he　could　not　help　thinking　of　what　the　otter　had　said　about　the　great　river　and　the　broad　sea。　　And；　as　he　thought；　he　longed　to　go　and　see　them。　　He　could　not　tell　why；　but　the　more　he　thought；　the　more　he　grew　discontented　with　the　narrow　little　stream　in　which　he　lived；　and　all　his　companions　there；　and　wanted　to　get　out　into　the　wide　wide　world；　and　enjoy　all　the　wonderful　sights　of　which　he　was　sure　it　was　full。

And　once　he　set　off　to　go　down　the　stream。　　But　the　stream　was　very　low；　and　when　he　came　to　the　shallows　he　could　not　keep　under　water；　for　there　was　no　water　left　to　keep　under。　　So　the　sun　burned　his　back　and　made　him　sick；　and　he　went　back　again　and　lay　quiet　in　the　pool　for　a　whole　week　more。

And　then；　on　the　evening　of　a　very　hot　day；　he　saw　a　sight。

He　had　been　very　stupid　all　day；　and　so　had　the　trout；　for　they　would　not　move　an　inch　to　take　a　fly；　though　there　were　thousands　on　the　water；　but　lay　dozing　at　the　bottom　under　the　shade　of　the　stones；　and　Tom　lay　dozing　too；　and　was　glad　to　cuddle　their　smooth　cool　sides；　for　the　water　was　quite　warm　and　unpleasant。

But　toward　evening　it　grew　suddenly　dark；　and　Tom　looked　up　and　saw　a　blanket　of　black　clouds　lying　right　across　the　valley　above　his　head；　resting　on　the　crags　right　and　left。　　He　felt　not　quite　frightened；　but　very　still；　for　everything　was　still。　　There　was　not　a　whisper　of　wind；　nor　a　chirp　of　a　bird　to　be　heard；　and　next　a　few　great　drops　of　rain　fell　plop　into　the　water；　and　one　hit　Tom　on　the　nose；　and　made　him　pop　his　head　down　quickly　enough。

And　then　the　thunder　roared；　and　the　lightning　flashed；　and　leapt　across　Vendale　and　back　again；　from　cloud　to　cloud；　and　cliff　to　cliff；　till　the　very　rocks　in　the　stream　seemed　to　shake：　　and　Tom　looked　up　at　it　through　the　water；　and　thought　it　the　finest　thing　he　ever　saw　in　his　life。

But　out　of　the　water　he　dared　not　put　his　head；　for　the　rain　came　down　by　bucketsful；　and　the　hail　hammered　like　shot　on　the　stream；　and　churned　it　into　foam；　and　soon　the　stream　rose；　and　rushed　down；　higher　and　higher；　and　fouler　and　fouler；　full　of　beetles；　and　sticks；　and　straws；　and　worms；　and　addle…eggs；　and　wood…lice；　and　leeches；　and　odds　and　ends；　and　omnium…gatherums；　and　this；　that；　and　the　other；　enough　to　fill　nine　museums。

Tom　could　hardly　stand　against　the　stream；　and　hid　behind　a　rock。　But　the　trout　did　not；　for　out　they　rushed　from　among　the　stones；　and　began　gobbling　the　beetles　and　leeches　in　the　most　greedy　and　quarrelsome　way；　and　swimming　about　with　great　worms　hanging　out　of　their　mouths；　tugging　and　kicking　to　get　them　away　from　each　other。

And　now；　by　the　flashes　of　the　lightning；　Tom　saw　a　new　sight　…　all　the　bottom　of　the　stream　alive　with　great　eels；　turning　and　twisting　along；　all　down　stream　and　away。　　They　had　been　hiding　for　weeks　past　in　the　cracks　of　the　rocks；　and　in　burrows　in　the　mud；　and　Tom　had　hardly　ever　seen　them；　except　now　and　then　at　night：　but　now　they　were　all　out；　and　went　hurrying　past　him　so　fiercely　and　wildly　that　he　was　quite　frightened。　　And　as　they　hurried　past　he　could　hear　them　say　to　each　other；　〃We　must　run；　we　must　run。　What　a　jolly　thunderstorm！　　Down　to　the　sea；　down　to　the　sea！〃

And　then　the　otter　came　by　with　all　her　brood；　twining　and　sweeping　along　as　fast　as　the　eels　themselves；　and　she　spied　Tom　as　she　came　by；　and　said　〃Now　is　your　time；　eft；　if　you　want　to　see　the　world。　Come　along；　children；　never　mind　those　nasty　eels：　　we　shall　breakfast　on　salmon　to…morrow。　　Down　to　the　sea；　down　to　the　sea！〃

Then　came　a　flash　brighter　than　all　the　rest；　and　by　the　light　of　it　…　in　the　thousandth　part　of　a　second　they　were　gone　again　…　but　he　had　seen　them；　he　was　certain　of　it　…　Three　beautiful　little　white　girls；　with　their　arms　twined　round　each　other's　necks；　floating　down　the　torrent；　as　they　sang；　〃Down　to　the　sea；　down　to　the　sea！〃

〃Oh　stay！　　Wait　for　me！〃　cried　Tom；　but　they　were　gone：　　yet　he　could　hear　their　voices　clear　and　sweet　through　the　roar　of　thunder　and　water　and　wind；　singing　as　they　died　awa