the water-babies-第21节

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y　fine　clean　fresh…run　fish　did　begin　to　rise　in　his　brains；　and　he　caught　two　or　three　of　them　（which　is　exceedingly　fine　sport；　for　brain　rivers）；　and　anatomised　them　carefully；　and　never　mentioned　what　he　found　out　from　them；　except　to　little　children；　and　became　ever　after　a　sadder　and　a　wiser　man；　which　is　a　very　good　thing　to　become；　my　dear　little　boy；　even　though　one　has　to　pay　a　heavy　price　for　the　blessing。



CHAPTER　V



〃Stern　Lawgiver！　yet　thou　dost　wear　The　Godhead's　most　benignant　grace；　Nor　know　we　anything　so　fair　As　is　the　smile　upon　thy　face：　Flowers　laugh　before　thee　on　their　beds　And　fragrance　in　thy　footing　treads；　Thou　dost　preserve　the　stars　from　wrong；　And　the　most　ancient　heavens；　through　Thee；　are　fresh　and　strong。〃

WORDSWORTH；　Ode　to　Duty。


What　became　of　little　Tom？

He　slipped　away　off　the　rocks　into　the　water；　as　I　said　before。　But　he　could　not　help　thinking　of　little　Ellie。　　He　did　not　remember　who　she　was；　but　he　knew　that　she　was　a　little　girl；　though　she　was　a　hundred　times　as　big　as　he。　　That　is　not　surprising：　　size　has　nothing　to　do　with　kindred。　　A　tiny　weed　may　be　first　cousin　to　a　great　tree；　and　a　little　dog　like　Vick　knows　that　Lioness　is　a　dog　too；　though　she　is　twenty　times　larger　than　herself。　　So　Tom　knew　that　Ellie　was　a　little　girl；　and　thought　about　her　all　that　day；　and　longed　to　have　had　her　to　play　with；　but　he　had　very　soon　to　think　of　something　else。　　And　here　is　the　account　of　what　happened　to　him；　as　it　was　published　next　morning；　in　the　Water…proof　Gazette；　on　the　finest　watered　paper；　for　the　use　of　the　great　fairy；　Mrs。　Bedonebyasyoudid；　who　reads　the　news　very　carefully　every　morning；　and　especially　the　police　cases；　as　you　will　hear　very　soon。

He　was　going　along　the　rocks　in　three…fathom　water；　watching　the　pollock　catch　prawns；　and　the　wrasses　nibble　barnacles　off　the　rocks；　shells　and　all；　when　he　saw　a　round　cage　of　green　withes；　and　inside　it；　looking　very　much　ashamed　of　himself；　sat　his　friend　the　lobster；　twiddling　his　horns；　instead　of　thumbs。

〃What；　have　you　been　naughty；　and　have　they　put　you　in　the　lock…　up？〃　asked　Tom。

The　lobster　felt　a　little　indignant　at　such　a　notion；　but　he　was　too　much　depressed　in　spirits　to　argue；　so　he　only　said；　〃I　can't　get　out。〃

〃Why　did　you　get　in？〃

〃After　that　nasty　piece　of　dead　fish。〃　　He　had　thought　it　looked　and　smelt　very　nice　when　he　was　outside；　and　so　it　did；　for　a　lobster：　　but　now　he　turned　round　and　abused　it　because　he　was　angry　with　himself。

〃Where　did　you　get　in？〃

〃Through　that　round　hole　at　the　top。〃

〃Then　why　don't　you　get　out　through　it？〃

〃Because　I　can't：〃　and　the　lobster　twiddled　his　horns　more　fiercely　than　ever；　but　he　was　forced　to　confess。

〃I　have　jumped　upwards；　downwards；　backwards；　and　sideways；　at　least　four　thousand　times；　and　I　can't　get　out：　　I　always　get　up　underneath　there；　and　can't　find　the　hole。〃

Tom　looked　at　the　trap；　and　having　more　wit　than　the　lobster；　he　saw　plainly　enough　what　was　the　matter；　as　you　may　if　you　will　look　at　a　lobster…pot。

〃Stop　a　bit；〃　said　Tom。　　〃Turn　your　tail　up　to　me；　and　I'll　pull　you　through　hindforemost；　and　then　you　won't　stick　in　the　spikes。〃

But　the　lobster　was　so　stupid　and　clumsy　that　he　couldn't　hit　the　hole。　　Like　a　great　many　fox…hunters；　he　was　very　sharp　as　long　as　he　was　in　his　own　country；　but　as　soon　as　they　get　out　of　it　they　lose　their　heads；　and　so　the　lobster；　so　to　speak；　lost　his　tail。

Tom　reached　and　clawed　down　the　hole　after　him；　till　he　caught　hold　of　him；　and　then；　as　was　to　be　expected；　the　clumsy　lobster　pulled　him　in　head　foremost。

〃Hullo！　here　is　a　pretty　business；〃　said　Tom。　　〃Now　take　your　great　claws；　and　break　the　points　off　those　spikes；　and　then　we　shall　both　get　out　easily。〃

〃Dear　me；　I　never　thought　of　that；〃　said　the　lobster；　〃and　after　all　the　experience　of　life　that　I　have　had！〃

You　see；　experience　is　of　very　little　good　unless　a　man；　or　a　lobster；　has　wit　enough　to　make　use　of　it。　　For　a　good　many　people；　like　old　Polonius；　have　seen　all　the　world；　and　yet　remain　little　better　than　children　after　all。

But　they　had　not　got　half　the　spikes　away　when　they　saw　a　great　dark　cloud　over　them：　　and　lo；　and　behold；　it　was　the　otter。

How　she　did　grin　and　grin　when　she　saw　Tom。　　〃Yar！〃　said　she；　〃you　little　meddlesome　wretch；　I　have　you　now！　　I　will　serve　you　out　for　telling　the　salmon　where　I　was！〃　　And　she　crawled　all　over　the　pot　to　get　in。

Tom　was　horribly　frightened；　and　still　more　frightened　when　she　found　the　hole　in　the　top；　and　squeezed　herself　right　down　through　it；　all　eyes　and　teeth。　　But　no　sooner　was　her　head　inside　than　valiant　Mr。　Lobster　caught　her　by　the　nose　and　held　on。

And　there　they　were　all　three　in　the　pot；　rolling　over　and　over；　and　very　tight　packing　it　was。　　And　the　lobster　tore　at　the　otter；　and　the　otter　tore　at　the　lobster；　and　both　squeezed　and　thumped　poor　Tom　till　he　had　no　breath　left　in　his　body；　and　I　don't　know　what　would　have　happened　to　him　if　he　had　not　at　last　got　on　the　otter's　back；　and　safe　out　of　the　hole。

He　was　right　glad　when　he　got　out：　　but　he　would　not　desert　his　friend　who　had　saved　him；　and　the　first　time　he　saw　his　tail　uppermost　he　caught　hold　of　it；　and　pulled　with　all　his　might。

But　the　lobster　would　not　let　go。

〃Come　along；〃　said　Tom；　〃don't　you　see　she　is　dead？〃　　And　so　she　was；　quite　drowned　and　dead。

And　that　was　the　end　of　the　wicked　otter。

But　the　lobster　would　not　let　go。

〃Come　along；　you　stupid　old　stick…in…the…mud；〃　cried　Tom；　〃or　the　fisherman　will　catch　you！〃　　And　that　was　true；　for　Tom　felt　some　one　above　beginning　to　haul　up　the　pot。

But　the　lobster　would　not　let　go。　　Tom　saw　the　fisherman　haul　him　up　to　the　boat…side；　and　thought　it　was　all　up　with　him。　　But　when　Mr。　Lobster　saw　the　fisherman；　he　gave　such　a　furious　and　tremendous　snap；　that　he　snapped　out　of　his　hand；　and　out　of　the　pot；　and　safe　into　the　sea。　　But　he　left　his　knobbed　claw　behind　him；　for　it　never　came　into　his　stupid　head　to　let　go　after　all；　so　he　just　shook　his　claw　off　as　the　easier　method。　　It　was　something　of　a　bull；　that；　but　you　must　know　the　lobster　was　an　Irish　lobster；　and　was　hatched　off　Island　Magee　at　the　mouth　of　Belfast　Lough。

Tom　asked　the　lobster　why　he　never　thought　of　letting　go。　　He　said　very　determinedly　that　it　was　a　point　of　honour　among　lobsters。　And　so　it　is；　as　the　Mayor　of　Plymouth　found　out　once　to　his　cost　…　eight　or　nine　hundred　years　ago；　of　course；　for　if　it　had　happened　lately　it　would　be　personal　to　mention　it。

For　one　day　he　was　so　tired　with　sitting　on　a　hard　chair；　in　a　grand　furred　gown；　with　a　gold　chain　round　his　neck；　hearing　one　policeman　after　another　come　in　and　sing；　〃What　shall　we　do　with　the　drunken　sailor；　so　early　in　the　morning？〃　and　answering　them　each　exactly　alike：

〃Put　him　in　the　round　house　till　he　gets　sober；　so　early　in　the　morning〃　…

That；　when　it　was　over；　he　jumped　up；　and　played　leap…frog　with　the　town…clerk　till　he　burst　his　buttons；　and　then　had　his　luncheon；　and　burst　some　more　buttons；　and　then　said：　　〃It　is　a　low　spring…　tide；　I　shall　go　out　this　afternoon　and　cut　my　capers。〃

Now　he　did　not　mean　to　cut　such　capers　as　you　eat　with　boiled　mutton。　　It　was　the　commandant　of　artillery　at　Valetta　who　used　to　amuse　himself　with　cutting　them；　and　who　stuck　upon　one　of　the　bastions　a　notice；　〃No　one　allowed　to　cut　capers　here　but　me；〃　which　greatly　edified　the　midshipmen　in　port；　and　the　Maltese　on　the　Nix　Mangiare　stairs。　　But　all　that　the　mayor　meant　was　that　he　would　go　and　have　an　afternoon's　fun；　like　any　schoolboy；　and　catch　lobsters　with　an　iron　hook。

So　to　the　Mewstone　he　went；　and　for　lobsters　he　looked。　　And　when　he　came　to　a　certain　crack　in　the　rocks　he　was　so　excited　that；　instead　of　putting　in　his　hook；　he　put　in　his　hand；　and　Mr。　Lobster　was　at　home；　and　caught　him　by　the　finger；　and　held　on。

〃Yah！〃　said　the　mayor；　and　pulled　as　hard　as　he　dared：　　but　the　more　he　pulled；　the　more　the　lobster　pinched；　till　he　was　forced　to　be　quiet。

Then　he　tried　to　get　his　hook　in　with　his　other　hand；　but　the　hole　was　too　narrow。

Then　he　pulled　again；　but　he　could　not　stand　the　pain。

Then　he　shouted　and　bawled　for　help：　　but　there　was　no　one　nearer　him　than　the　men…of…war　inside　the　breakwater。

Then　he　began　to　turn　a　little　pale；　for　the　tide　flowed；　and　still　the　lobster　held　on。

Then　he　turned　quite　white；　for　the　tide　was　up　to　his　knees；　and　still　the　lobster　held　on。

Then　he　thought　of　cutting　off　his　finger；　but　he　wanted　two　things　to　do　it　with　…　courage　and　a　knife；　and　he　had　got　neither。

Then　he　turned　quite　yellow；　for　the　tide　was　up　to　his　waist；　and　still　the　lobster　held　on。

Then　he　thought　over　all　the　naughty　things　he　ever　had　done；　all　the　sand　which　he　had　put　in　the　sugar；　and　the　sloe…leaves　in　the　tea；　and　the　water　in　the　treacle；　and　the　salt　in　the　tobacco　（because　his　brother　was　a　brewer；　and　a　man　must　help　his　own　kin）。

Then　he　turned　quite　blue；　for　the　tide　was　up　to　his　breast；　and　still　the　lobster　held　on。

Then；　I　have　no　doubt；　he　repented　fully　of　all　the　said　naughty　things　which　he　had　done；　and　promised　to　mend　his　life；　as　too　many　do　when　they　think　they　hav