the water-babies-第4节

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　and　dashed　at　him；　as　he　lay　over　the　fender；　so　fast　that　she　caught　him　by　the　jacket。

But　she　did　not　hold　him。　　Tom　had　been　in　a　policeman's　hands　many　a　time；　and　out　of　them　too；　what　is　more；　and　he　would　have　been　ashamed　to　face　his　friends　for　ever　if　he　had　been　stupid　enough　to　be　caught　by　an　old　woman；　so　he　doubled　under　the　good　lady's　arm；　across　the　room；　and　out　of　the　window　in　a　moment。

He　did　not　need　to　drop　out；　though　he　would　have　done　so　bravely　enough。　　Nor　even　to　let　himself　down　a　spout；　which　would　have　been　an　old　game　to　him；　for　once　he　got　up　by　a　spout　to　the　church　roof；　he　said　to　take　jackdaws'　eggs；　but　the　policeman　said　to　steal　lead；　and；　when　he　was　seen　on　high；　sat　there　till　the　sun　got　too　hot；　and　came　down　by　another　spout；　leaving　the　policemen　to　go　back　to　the　stationhouse　and　eat　their　dinners。

But　all　under　the　window　spread　a　tree；　with　great　leaves　and　sweet　white　flowers；　almost　as　big　as　his　head。　　It　was　magnolia；　I　suppose；　but　Tom　knew　nothing　about　that；　and　cared　less；　for　down　the　tree　he　went；　like　a　cat；　and　across　the　garden　lawn；　and　over　the　iron　railings　and　up　the　park　towards　the　wood；　leaving　the　old　nurse　to　scream　murder　and　fire　at　the　window。

The　under　gardener；　mowing；　saw　Tom；　and　threw　down　his　scythe；　caught　his　leg　in　it；　and　cut　his　shin　open；　whereby　he　kept　his　bed　for　a　week；　but　in　his　hurry　he　never　knew　it；　and　gave　chase　to　poor　Tom。　　The　dairymaid　heard　the　noise；　got　the　churn　between　her　knees；　and　tumbled　over　it；　spilling　all　the　cream；　and　yet　she　jumped　up；　and　gave　chase　to　Tom。　　A　groom　cleaning　Sir　John's　hack　at　the　stables　let　him　go　loose；　whereby　he　kicked　himself　lame　in　five　minutes；　but　he　ran　out　and　gave　chase　to　Tom。　　Grimes　upset　the　soot…sack　in　the　new…gravelled　yard；　and　spoilt　it　all　utterly；　but　he　ran　out　and　gave　chase　to　Tom。　　The　old　steward　opened　the　park…gate　in　such　a　hurry；　that　he　hung　up　his　pony's　chin　upon　the　spikes；　and；　for　aught　I　know；　it　hangs　there　still；　but　he　jumped　off；　and　gave　chase　to　Tom。　　The　ploughman　left　his　horses　at　the　headland；　and　one　jumped　over　the　fence；　and　pulled　the　other　into　the　ditch；　plough　and　all；　but　he　ran　on；　and　gave　chase　to　Tom。　The　keeper；　who　was　taking　a　stoat　out　of　a　trap；　let　the　stoat　go；　and　caught　his　own　finger；　but　he　jumped　up；　and　ran　after　Tom；　and　considering　what　he　said；　and　how　he　looked；　I　should　have　been　sorry　for　Tom　if　he　had　caught　him。　　Sir　John　looked　out　of　his　study　window　（for　he　was　an　early　old　gentleman）　and　up　at　the　nurse；　and　a　marten　dropped　mud　in　his　eye；　so　that　he　had　at　last　to　send　for　the　doctor；　and　yet　he　ran　out；　and　gave　chase　to　Tom。　The　Irishwoman；　too；　was　walking　up　to　the　house　to　beg；　…　she　must　have　got　round　by　some　byway　…　but　she　threw　away　her　bundle；　and　gave　chase　to　Tom　likewise。　　Only　my　Lady　did　not　give　chase；　for　when　she　had　put　her　head　out　of　the　window；　her　night…wig　fell　into　the　garden；　and　she　had　to　ring　up　her　lady's…maid；　and　send　her　down　for　it　privately；　which　quite　put　her　out　of　the　running；　so　that　she　came　in　nowhere；　and　is　consequently　not　placed。

In　a　word；　never　was　there　heard　at　Hall　Place　…　not　even　when　the　fox　was　killed　in　the　conservatory；　among　acres　of　broken　glass；　and　tons　of　smashed　flower…pots　…　such　a　noise；　row；　hubbub；　babel；　shindy；　hullabaloo；　stramash；　charivari；　and　total　contempt　of　dignity；　repose；　and　order；　as　that　day；　when　Grimes；　gardener；　the　groom；　the　dairymaid；　Sir　John；　the　steward；　the　ploughman；　the　keeper；　and　the　Irishwoman；　all　ran　up　the　park；　shouting；　〃Stop　thief；〃　in　the　belief　that　Tom　had　at　least　a　thousand　pounds'　worth　of　jewels　in　his　empty　pockets；　and　the　very　magpies　and　jays　followed　Tom　up；　screaking　and　screaming；　as　if　he　were　a　hunted　fox；　beginning　to　droop　his　brush。

And　all　the　while　poor　Tom　paddled　up　the　park　with　his　little　bare　feet；　like　a　small　black　gorilla　fleeing　to　the　forest。　　Alas　for　him！　there　was　no　big　father　gorilla　therein　to　take　his　part　…　to　scratch　out　the　gardener's　inside　with　one　paw；　toss　the　dairymaid　into　a　tree　with　another；　and　wrench　off　Sir　John's　head　with　a　third；　while　he　cracked　the　keeper's　skull　with　his　teeth　as　easily　as　if　it　had　been　a　cocoa…nut　or　a　paving…stone。

However；　Tom　did　not　remember　ever　having　had　a　father；　so　he　did　not　look　for　one；　and　expected　to　have　to　take　care　of　himself；　while　as　for　running；　he　could　keep　up　for　a　couple　of　miles　with　any　stage…coach；　if　there　was　the　chance　of　a　copper　or　a　cigar…　end；　and　turn　coach…wheels　on　his　hands　and　feet　ten　times　following；　which　is　more　than　you　can　do。　　Wherefore　his　pursuers　found　it　very　difficult　to　catch　him；　and　we　will　hope　that　they　did　not　catch　him　at　all。

Tom；　of　course；　made　for　the　woods。　　He　had　never　been　in　a　wood　in　his　life；　but　he　was　sharp　enough　to　know　that　he　might　hide　in　a　bush；　or　swarm　up　a　tree；　and；　altogether；　had　more　chance　there　than　in　the　open。　　If　he　had　not　known　that；　he　would　have　been　foolisher　than　a　mouse　or　a　minnow。

But　when　he　got　into　the　wood；　he　found　it　a　very　different　sort　of　place　from　what　he　had　fancied。　　He　pushed　into　a　thick　cover　of　rhododendrons；　and　found　himself　at　once　caught　in　a　trap。　　The　boughs　laid　hold　of　his　legs　and　arms；　poked　him　in　his　face　and　his　stomach；　made　him　shut　his　eyes　tight　（though　that　was　no　great　loss；　for　he　could　not　see　at　best　a　yard　before　his　nose）；　and　when　he　got　through　the　rhododendrons；　the　hassock…grass　and　sedges　tumbled　him　over；　and　cut　his　poor　little　fingers　afterwards　most　spitefully；　the　birches　birched　him　as　soundly　as　if　he　had　been　a　nobleman　at　Eton；　and　over　the　face　too　（which　is　not　fair　swishing　as　all　brave　boys　will　agree）；　and　the　lawyers　tripped　him　up；　and　tore　his　shins　as　if　they　had　sharks'　teeth　…　which　lawyers　are　likely　enough　to　have。

〃I　must　get　out　of　this；〃　thought　Tom；　〃or　I　shall　stay　here　till　somebody　comes　to　help　me　…　which　is　just　what　I　don't　want。〃

But　how　to　get　out　was　the　difficult　matter。　　And　indeed　I　don't　think　he　would　ever　have　got　out　at　all；　but　have　stayed　there　till　the　cock…robins　covered　him　with　leaves；　if　he　had　not　suddenly　run　his　head　against　a　wall。

Now　running　your　head　against　a　wall　is　not　pleasant；　especially　if　it　is　a　loose　wall；　with　the　stones　all　set　on　edge；　and　a　sharp　cornered　one　hits　you　between　the　eyes　and　makes　you　see　all　manner　of　beautiful　stars。　　The　stars　are　very　beautiful；　certainly；　but　unfortunately　they　go　in　the　twenty…thousandth　part　of　a　split　second；　and　the　pain　which　comes　after　them　does　not。　　And　so　Tom　hurt　his　head；　but　he　was　a　brave　boy；　and　did　not　mind　that　a　penny。　　He　guessed　that　over　the　wall　the　cover　would　end；　and　up　it　he　went；　and　over　like　a　squirrel。

And　there　he　was；　out　on　the　great　grouse…moors；　which　the　country　folk　called　Harthover　Fell　…　heather　and　bog　and　rock；　stretching　away　and　up；　up　to　the　very　sky。

Now；　Tom　was　a　cunning　little　fellow　…　as　cunning　as　an　old　Exmoor　stag。　　Why　not？　　Though　he　was　but　ten　years　old；　he　had　lived　longer　than　most　stags；　and　had　more　wits　to　start　with　into　the　bargain。

He　knew　as　well　as　a　stag；　that　if　he　backed　he　might　throw　the　hounds　out。　　So　the　first　thing　he　did　when　he　was　over　the　wall　was　to　make　the　neatest　double　sharp　to　his　right；　and　run　along　under　the　wall　for　nearly　half　a　mile。

Whereby　Sir　John；　and　the　keeper；　and　the　steward；　and　the　gardener；　and　the　ploughman；　and　the　dairymaid；　and　all　the　hue…　and…cry　together；　went　on　ahead　half　a　mile　in　the　very　opposite　direction；　and　inside　the　wall；　leaving　him　a　mile　off　on　the　outside；　while　Tom　heard　their　shouts　die　away　in　the　woods　and　chuckled　to　himself　merrily。

At　last　he　came　to　a　dip　in　the　land；　and　went　to　the　bottom　of　it；　and　then　he　turned　bravely　away　from　the　wall　and　up　the　moor；　for　he　knew　that　he　had　put　a　hill　between　him　and　his　enemies；　and　could　go　on　without　their　seeing　him。

But　the　Irishwoman；　alone　of　them　all；　had　seen　which　way　Tom　went。　She　had　kept　ahead　of　every　one　the　whole　time；　and　yet　she　neither　walked　nor　ran。　　She　went　along　quite　smoothly　and　gracefully；　while　her　feet　twinkled　past　each　other　so　fast　that　you　could　not　see　which　was　foremost；　till　every　one　asked　the　other　who　the　strange　woman　was；　and　all　agreed；　for　want　of　anything　better　to　say；　that　she　must　be　in　league　with　Tom。

But　when　she　came　to　the　plantation；　they　lost　sight　of　her；　and　they　could　do　no　less。　　For　she　went　quietly　over　the　wall　after　Tom；　and　followed　him　wherever　he　went。　　Sir　John　and　the　rest　saw　no　more　of　her；　and　out　of　sight　was　out　of　mind。

And　now　Tom　was　right　away　into　the　heather；　over　just　such　a　moor　as　those　in　which　you　have　been　bred；　except　that　there　were　rocks　and　stones　lying　about　everywhere；　and　that；　instead　of　the　moor　growing　flat　as　he　went　upwards；　it　grew　more　and　more　broken　and　hilly；　but　not　so　rough　but　that　little　Tom　could　jog　along　well　enough；　and　find　time；　too；　to　stare　about　at　the　strange　place；　which　was　like　a　new　world　to　him。

He　saw　great　spiders　there；　with　crowns　and　crosses　marked　on　their　backs；　who　sat　in　the　middle　of　their　webs；　and　when　they　saw　Tom　coming；　shoo