the water-babies-第16节

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　and　foul　words　on　their　lips；　but　he　dared　not　stir　out　of　his　hole：　　while　the　rock　shook　over　his　head　with　the　trampling　and　struggling　of　the　keepers　and　the　poachers。

All　of　a　sudden　there　was　a　tremendous　splash；　and　a　frightful　flash；　and　a　hissing；　and　all　was　still。

For　into　the　water；　close　to　Tom；　fell　one　of　the　men；　he　who　held　the　light　in　his　hand。　　Into　the　swift　river　he　sank；　and　rolled　over　and　over　in　the　current。　　Tom　heard　the　men　above　run　along　seemingly　looking　for　him；　but　he　drifted　down　into　the　deep　hole　below；　and　there　lay　quite　still；　and　they　could　not　find　him。

Tom　waited　a　long　time；　till　all　was　quiet；　and　then　he　peeped　out；　and　saw　the　man　lying。　　At　last　he　screwed　up　his　courage　and　swam　down　to　him。　　〃Perhaps；〃　he　thought；　〃the　water　has　made　him　fall　asleep；　as　it　did　me。〃

Then　he　went　nearer。　　He　grew　more　and　more　curious；　he　could　not　tell　why。　　He　must　go　and　look　at　him。　　He　would　go　very　quietly；　of　course；　so　he　swam　round　and　round　him；　closer　and　closer；　and；　as　he　did　not　stir；　at　last　he　came　quite　close　and　looked　him　in　the　face。

The　moon　shone　so　bright　that　Tom　could　see　every　feature；　and；　as　he　saw；　he　recollected；　bit　by　bit；　it　was　his　old　master；　Grimes。

Tom　turned　tail；　and　swam　away　as　fast　as　he　could。

〃Oh　dear　me！〃　he　thought；　〃now　he　will　turn　into　a　water…baby。　What　a　nasty　troublesome　one　he　will　be！　　And　perhaps　he　will　find　me　out；　and　beat　me　again。〃

So　he　went　up　the　river　again　a　little　way；　and　lay　there　the　rest　of　the　night　under　an　alder　root；　but；　when　morning　came；　he　longed　to　go　down　again　to　the　big　pool；　and　see　whether　Mr。　Grimes　had　turned　into　a　water…baby　yet。

So　he　went　very　carefully；　peeping　round　all　the　rocks；　and　hiding　under　all　the　roots。　　Mr。　Grimes　lay　there　still；　he　had　not　turned　into　a　water…baby。　　In　the　afternoon　Tom　went　back　again。　　He　could　not　rest　till　he　had　found　out　what　had　become　of　Mr。　Grimes。　　But　this　time　Mr。　Grimes　was　gone；　and　Tom　made　up　his　mind　that　he　was　turned　into　a　water…baby。

He　might　have　made　himself　easy；　poor　little　man；　Mr。　Grimes　did　not　turn　into　a　water…baby；　or　anything　like　one　at　all。　　But　he　did　not　make　himself　easy；　and　a　long　time　he　was　fearful　lest　he　should　meet　Grimes　suddenly　in　some　deep　pool。　　He　could　not　know　that　the　fairies　had　carried　him　away；　and　put　him；　where　they　put　everything　which　falls　into　the　water；　exactly　where　it　ought　to　be。　　But；　do　you　know；　what　had　happened　to　Mr。　Grimes　had　such　an　effect　on　him　that　he　never　poached　salmon　any　more。　　And　it　is　quite　certain　that；　when　a　man　becomes　a　confirmed　poacher；　the　only　way　to　cure　him　is　to　put　him　under　water　for　twenty…four　hours；　like　Grimes。　　So　when　you　grow　to　be　a　big　man；　do　you　behave　as　all　honest　fellows　should；　and　never　touch　a　fish　or　a　head　of　game　which　belongs　to　another　man　without　his　express　leave；　and　then　people　will　call　you　a　gentleman；　and　treat　you　like　one；　and　perhaps　give　you　good　sport：　　instead　of　hitting　you　into　the　river；　or　calling　you　a　poaching　snob。

Then　Tom　went　on　down；　for　he　was　afraid　of　staying　near　Grimes：　and　as　he　went；　all　the　vale　looked　sad。　　The　red　and　yellow　leaves　showered　down　into　the　river；　the　flies　and　beetles　were　all　dead　and　gone；　the　chill　autumn　fog　lay　low　upon　the　hills；　and　sometimes　spread　itself　so　thickly　on　the　river　that　he　could　not　see　his　way。　　But　he　felt　his　way　instead；　following　the　flow　of　the　stream；　day　after　day；　past　great　bridges；　past　boats　and　barges；　past　the　great　town；　with　its　wharfs；　and　mills；　and　tall　smoking　chimneys；　and　ships　which　rode　at　anchor　in　the　stream；　and　now　and　then　he　ran　against　their　hawsers；　and　wondered　what　they　were；　and　peeped　out；　and　saw　the　sailors　lounging　on　board　smoking　their　pipes；　and　ducked　under　again；　for　he　was　terribly　afraid　of　being　caught　by　man　and　turned　into　a　chimney…sweep　once　more。　　He　did　not　know　that　the　fairies　were　close　to　him　always；　shutting　the　sailors'　eyes　lest　they　should　see　him；　and　turning　him　aside　from　millraces；　and　sewer…mouths；　and　all　foul　and　dangerous　things。　　Poor　little　fellow；　it　was　a　dreary　journey　for　him；　and　more　than　once　he　longed　to　be　back　in　Vendale；　playing　with　the　trout　in　the　bright　summer　sun。　　But　it　could　not　be。　　What　has　been　once　can　never　come　over　again。　　And　people　can　be　little　babies；　even　water…babies；　only　once　in　their　lives。

Besides；　people　who　make　up　their　minds　to　go　and　see　the　world；　as　Tom　did；　must　needs　find　it　a　weary　journey。　　Lucky　for　them　if　they　do　not　lose　heart　and　stop　half…way；　instead　of　going　on　bravely　to　the　end　as　Tom　did。　　For　then　they　will　remain　neither　boys　nor　men；　neither　fish；　flesh；　nor　good　red…herring：　　having　learnt　a　great　deal　too　much；　and　yet　not　enough；　and　sown　their　wild　oats；　without　having　the　advantage　of　reaping　them。

But　Tom　was　always　a　brave；　determined；　little　English　bull…dog；　who　never　knew　when　he　was　beaten；　and　on　and　on　he　held；　till　he　saw　a　long　way　off　the　red　buoy　through　the　fog。　　And　then　he　found　to　his　surprise；　the　stream　turned　round；　and　running　up　inland。

It　was　the　tide；　of　course：　　but　Tom　knew　nothing　of　the　tide。　　He　only　knew　that　in　a　minute　more　the　water；　which　had　been　fresh；　turned　salt　all　round　him。　　And　then　there　came　a　change　over　him。　He　felt　as　strong；　and　light；　and　fresh；　as　if　his　veins　had　run　champagne；　and　gave；　he　did　not　know　why；　three　skips　out　of　the　water；　a　yard　high；　and　head　over　heels；　just　as　the　salmon　do　when　they　first　touch　the　noble　rich　salt　water；　which；　as　some　wise　men　tell　us；　is　the　mother　of　all　living　things。

He　did　not　care　now　for　the　tide　being　against　him。　　The　red　buoy　was　in　sight；　dancing　in　the　open　sea；　and　to　the　buoy　he　would　go；　and　to　it　he　went。　　He　passed　great　shoals　of　bass　and　mullet；　leaping　and　rushing　in　after　the　shrimps；　but　he　never　heeded　them；　or　they　him；　and　once　he　passed　a　great　black　shining　seal；　who　was　coming　in　after　the　mullet。　　The　seal　put　his　head　and　shoulders　out　of　water；　and　stared　at　him；　looking　exactly　like　a　fat　old　greasy　negro　with　a　gray　pate。　　And　Tom；　instead　of　being　frightened；　said；　〃How　d'ye　do；　sir；　what　a　beautiful　place　the　sea　is！〃　　And　the　old　seal；　instead　of　trying　to　bite　him；　looked　at　him　with　his　soft　sleepy　winking　eyes；　and　said；　〃Good　tide　to　you；　my　little　man；　are　you　looking　for　your　brothers　and　sisters？　　I　passed　them　all　at　play　outside。〃

〃Oh；　then；〃　said　Tom；　〃I　shall　have　playfellows　at　last；〃　and　he　swam　on　to　the　buoy；　and　got　upon　it　（for　he　was　quite　out　of　breath）　and　sat　there；　and　looked　round　for　water…babies：　　but　there　were　none　to　be　seen。

The　sea…breeze　came　in　freshly　with　the　tide　and　blew　the　fog　away；　and　the　little　waves　danced　for　joy　around　the　buoy；　and　the　old　buoy　danced　with　them。　　The　shadows　of　the　clouds　ran　races　over　the　bright　blue　bay；　and　yet　never　caught　each　other　up；　and　the　breakers　plunged　merrily　upon　the　wide　white　sands；　and　jumped　up　over　the　rocks；　to　see　what　the　green　fields　inside　were　like；　and　tumbled　down　and　broke　themselves　all　to　pieces；　and　never　minded　it　a　bit；　but　mended　themselves　and　jumped　up　again。　　And　the　terns　hovered　over　Tom　like　huge　white　dragon…flies　with　black　heads；　and　the　gulls　laughed　like　girls　at　play；　and　the　sea…pies；　with　their　red　bills　and　legs；　flew　to　and　fro　from　shore　to　shore；　and　whistled　sweet　and　wild。　　And　Tom　looked　and　looked；　and　listened；　and　he　would　have　been　very　happy；　if　he　could　only　have　seen　the　water…babies。　　Then　when　the　tide　turned；　he　left　the　buoy；　and　swam　round　and　round　in　search　of　them：　　but　in　vain。　　Sometimes　he　thought　he　heard　them　laughing：　　but　it　was　only　the　laughter　of　the　ripples。　　And　sometimes　he　thought　he　saw　them　at　the　bottom：　but　it　was　only　white　and　pink　shells。　　And　once　he　was　sure　he　had　found　one；　for　he　saw　two　bright　eyes　peeping　out　of　the　sand。　　So　he　dived　down；　and　began　scraping　the　sand　away；　and　cried；　〃Don't　hide；　I　do　want　some　one　to　play　with　so　much！〃　　And　out　jumped　a　great　turbot　with　his　ugly　eyes　and　mouth　all　awry；　and　flopped　away　along　the　bottom；　knocking　poor　Tom　over。　　And　he　sat　down　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea；　and　cried　salt　tears　from　sheer　disappointment。

To　have　come　all　this　way；　and　faced　so　many　dangers；　and　yet　to　find　no　water…babies！　　How　hard！　　Well；　it　did　seem　hard：　　but　people；　even　little　babies；　cannot　have　all　they　want　without　waiting　for　it；　and　working　for　it　too；　my　little　man；　as　you　will　find　out　some　day。

And　Tom　sat　upon　the　buoy　long　days；　long　weeks；　looking　out　to　sea；　and　wondering　when　the　water…babies　would　come　back；　and　yet　they　never　came。

Then　he　began　to　ask　all　the　strange　things　which　came　in　out　of　the　sea　if　they　had　seen　any；　and　some　said　〃Yes；〃　and　some　said　nothing　at　all。

He　asked　the　bass　and　the　pollock；　but　they　were　so　greedy　after　the　shrimps　that　they　did　not　care　to　answer　him　a　word。

Then　there　came　in　a　whole　fleet　of　purple　sea…snails；　floating　along；　each　on　a　sponge　full　of　foam；　and　Tom　said；　〃Where　do　you　come　from；　you　pretty　creatures？　and　have　you　seen　the　water…　babies？〃

And　the　sea…snails　answered；　〃Whence　we　come　we　know　not；　and　whither　we　are　going；　who