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第40节

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they liked the employment so much that they stood and looked for seven years more; and neither spoke nor stirred。

At last they heard the fairy say:  〃Attention; children。  Are you never going to look at me again?〃

〃We have been looking at you all this while;〃 they said。  And so they thought they had been。

〃Then look at me once more;〃 said she。

They looked … and both of them cried out at once; 〃Oh; who are you; after all?〃

〃You are our dear Mrs。 Doasyouwouldbedoneby。〃

〃No; you are good Mrs。 Bedonebyasyoudid; but you are grown quite beautiful now!〃

〃To you;〃 said the fairy。  〃But look again。〃

〃You are Mother Carey;〃 said Tom; in a very low; solemn voice; for he had found out something which made him very happy; and yet frightened him more than all that he had ever seen。

〃But you are grown quite young again。〃

〃To you;〃 said the fairy。  〃Look again。〃

〃You are the Irishwoman who met me the day I went to Harthover!〃

And when they looked she was neither of them; and yet all of them at once。

〃My name is written in my eyes; if you have eyes to see it there。〃

And they looked into her great; deep; soft eyes; and they changed again and again into every hue; as the light changes in a diamond。

〃Now read my name;〃 said she; at last。

And her eyes flashed; for one moment; clear; white; blazing light: but the children could not read her name; for they were dazzled; and hid their faces in their hands。

〃Not yet; young things; not yet;〃 said she; smiling; and then she turned to Ellie。

〃You may take him home with you now on Sundays; Ellie。  He has won his spurs in the great battle; and become fit to go with you and be a man; because he has done the thing he did not like。〃

So Tom went home with Ellie on Sundays; and sometimes on week…days; too; and he is now a great man of science; and can plan railroads; and steam…engines; and electric telegraphs; and rifled guns; and so forth; and knows everything about everything; except why a hen's egg don't turn into a crocodile; and two or three other little things which no one will know till the coming of the Cocqcigrues。 And all this from what he learnt when he was a water…baby; underneath the sea。

〃And of course Tom married Ellie?〃

My dear child; what a silly notion!  Don't you know that no one ever marries in a fairy tale; under the rank of a prince or a princess?

〃And Tom's dog?〃

Oh; you may see him any clear night in July; for the old dog…star was so worn out by the last three hot summers that there have been no dog…days since; so that they had to take him down and put Tom's dog up in his place。  Therefore; as new brooms sweep clean; we may hope for some warm weather this year。  And that is the end of my story。



MORAL。



And now; my dear little man; what should we learn from this parable?

We should learn thirty…seven or thirty…nine things; I am not exactly sure which:  but one thing; at least; we may learn; and that is this … when we see efts in the pond; never to throw stones at them; or catch them with crooked pins; or put them into vivariums with sticklebacks; that the sticklebacks may prick them in their poor little stomachs; and make them jump out of the glass into somebody's work…box; and so come to a bad end。  For these efts are nothing else but the water…babies who are stupid and dirty; and will not learn their lessons and keep themselves clean; and; therefore (as comparative anatomists will tell you fifty years hence; though they are not learned enough to tell you now); their skulls grow flat; their jaws grow out; and their brains grow small; and their tails grow long; and they lose all their ribs (which I am sure you would not like to do); and their skins grow dirty and spotted; and they never get into the clear rivers; much less into the great wide sea; but hang about in dirty ponds; and live in the mud; and eat worms; as they deserve to do。

But that is no reason why you should ill…use them:  but only why you should pity them; and be kind to them; and hope that some day they will wake up; and be ashamed of their nasty; dirty; lazy; stupid life; and try to amend; and become something better once more。  For; perhaps; if they do so; then after 379;423 years; nine months; thirteen days; two hours; and twenty…one minutes (for aught that appears to the contrary); if they work very hard and wash very hard all that time; their brains may grow bigger; and their jaws grow smaller; and their ribs come back; and their tails wither off; and they will turn into water…babies again; and perhaps after that into land…babies; and after that perhaps into grown men。

You know they won't?  Very well; I daresay you know best。  But you see; some folks have a great liking for those poor little efts。 They never did anybody any harm; or could if they tried; and their only fault is; that they do no good … any more than some thousands of their betters。  But what with ducks; and what with pike; and what with sticklebacks; and what with water…beetles; and what with naughty boys; they are 〃sae sair hadden doun;〃 as the Scotsmen say; that it is a wonder how they live; and some folks can't help hoping; with good Bishop Butler; that they may have another chance; to make things fair and even; somewhere; somewhen; somehow。

Meanwhile; do you learn your lessons; and thank God that you have plenty of cold water to wash in; and wash in it too; like a true Englishman。  And then; if my story is not true; something better is; and if I am not quite right; still you will be; as long as you stick to hard work and cold water。

But remember always; as I told you at first; that this is all a fairy tale; and only fun and pretence:  and; therefore; you are not to believe a word of it; even if it is true。





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