the water-babies-第23部分

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I　found　my　poor　little　doll；　dears；　As　I　played　in　the　heath　one　day：　Folks　say　she　is　terribly　changed；　dears；　For　her　paint　is　all　washed　away；　And　her　arm　trodden　off　by　the　cows；　dears；　And　her　hair　not　the　least　bit　curled：　Yet；　for　old　sakes'　sake　she　is　still；　dears；　The　prettiest　doll　in　the　world。


What　a　silly　song　for　a　fairy　to　sing！

And　what　silly　water…babies　to　be　quite　delighted　at　it！

Well；　but　you　see　they　have　not　the　advantage　of　Aunt　Agitate's　Arguments　in　the　sea…land　down　below。

〃Now；〃　said　the　fairy　to　Tom；　〃will　you　be　a　good　boy　for　my　sake；　and　torment　no　more　sea…beasts　till　I　come　back？〃

〃And　you　will　cuddle　me　again？〃　said　poor　little　Tom。

〃Of　course　I　will；　you　little　duck。　　I　should　like　to　take　you　with　me　and　cuddle　you　all　the　way；　only　I　must　not；〃　and　away　she　went。

So　Tom　really　tried　to　be　a　good　boy；　and　tormented　no　sea…beasts　after　that　as　long　as　he　lived；　and　he　is　quite　alive；　I　assure　you；　still。

Oh；　how　good　little　boys　ought　to　be　who　have　kind　pussy　mammas　to　cuddle　them　and　tell　them　stories；　and　how　afraid　they　ought　to　be　of　growing　naughty；　and　bringing　tears　into　their　mammas'　pretty　eyes！



CHAPTER　VI



〃Thou　little　child；　yet　glorious　in　the　night　Of　heaven…born　freedom　on　thy　Being's　height；　Why　with　such　earnest　pains　dost　thou　provoke　The　Years　to　bring　the　inevitable　yoke　…　Thus　blindly　with　thy　blessedness　at　strife？　Full　soon　thy　soul　shall　have　her　earthly　freight；　And　custom　lie　upon　thee　with　a　weight　Heavy　as　frost；　and　deep　almost　as　life。〃

WORDSWORTH。


I　come　to　the　very　saddest　part　of　all　my　story。　　I　know　some　people　will　only　laugh　at　it；　and　call　it　much　ado　about　nothing。　But　I　know　one　man　who　would　not；　and　he　was　an　officer　with　a　pair　of　gray　moustaches　as　long　as　your　arm；　who　said　once　in　company　that　two　of　the　most　heart…rending　sights　in　the　world；　which　moved　him　most　to　tears；　which　he　would　do　anything　to　prevent　or　remedy；　were　a　child　over　a　broken　toy　and　a　child　stealing　sweets。

The　company　did　not　laugh　at　him；　his　moustaches　were　too　long　and　too　gray　for　that：　　but；　after　he　was　gone；　they　called　him　sentimental　and　so　forth；　all　but　one　dear　little　old　Quaker　lady　with　a　soul　as　white　as　her　cap；　who　was　not；　of　course；　generally　partial　to　soldiers；　and　she　said　very　quietly；　like　a　Quaker：

〃Friends；　it　is　borne　upon　my　mind　that　that　is　a　truly　brave　man。〃

Now　you　may　fancy　that　Tom　was　quite　good；　when　he　had　everything　that　he　could　want　or　wish：　　but　you　would　be　very　much　mistaken。　Being　quite　comfortable　is　a　very　good　thing；　but　it　does　not　make　people　good。　　Indeed；　it　sometimes　makes　them　naughty；　as　it　has　made　the　people　in　America；　and　as　it　made　the　people　in　the　Bible；　who　waxed　fat　and　kicked；　like　horses　overfed　and　underworked。　　And　I　am　very　sorry　to　say　that　this　happened　to　little　Tom。　　For　he　grew　so　fond　of　the　sea…bullseyes　and　sea…lollipops　that　his　foolish　little　head　could　think　of　nothing　else：　　and　he　was　always　longing　for　more；　and　wondering　when　the　strange　lady　would　come　again　and　give　him　some；　and　what　she　would　give　him；　and　how　much；　and　whether　she　would　give　him　more　than　the　others。　　And　he　thought　of　nothing　but　lollipops　by　day；　and　dreamt　of　nothing　else　by　night　…　and　what　happened　then？

That　he　began　to　watch　the　lady　to　see　where　she　kept　the　sweet　things：　　and　began　hiding；　and　sneaking；　and　following　her　about；　and　pretending　to　be　looking　the　other　way；　or　going　after　something　else；　till　he　found　out　that　she　kept　them　in　a　beautiful　mother…of…pearl　cabinet　away　in　a　deep　crack　of　the　rocks。

And　he　longed　to　go　to　the　cabinet；　and　yet　he　was　afraid；　and　then　he　longed　again；　and　was　less　afraid；　and　at　last；　by　continual　thinking　about　it；　he　longed　so　violently　that　he　was　not　afraid　at　all。　　And　one　night；　when　all　the　other　children　were　asleep；　and　he　could　not　sleep　for　thinking　of　lollipops；　he　crept　away　among　the　rocks；　and　got　to　the　cabinet；　and　behold！　it　was　open。

But；　when　he　saw　all　the　nice　things　inside；　instead　of　being　delighted；　he　was　quite　frightened；　and　wished　he　had　never　come　there。　　And　then　he　would　only　touch　them；　and　he　did；　and　then　he　would　only　taste　one；　and　he　did；　and　then　he　would　only　eat　one；　and　he　did；　and　then　he　would　only　eat　two；　and　then　three；　and　so　on；　and　then　he　was　terrified　lest　she　should　come　and　catch　him；　and　began　gobbling　them　down　so　fast　that　he　did　not　taste　them；　or　have　any　pleasure　in　them；　and　then　he　felt　sick；　and　would　have　only　one　more；　and　then　only　one　more　again；　and　so　on　till　he　had　eaten　them　all　up。

And　all　the　while；　close　behind　him；　stood　Mrs。　Bedonebyasyoudid。

Some　people　may　say；　But　why　did　she　not　keep　her　cupboard　locked？　Well；　I　know。　…　It　may　seem　a　very　strange　thing；　but　she　never　does　keep　her　cupboard　locked；　every　one　may　go　and　taste　for　themselves；　and　fare　accordingly。　　It　is　very　odd；　but　so　it　is；　and　I　am　quite　sure　that　she　knows　best。　　Perhaps　she　wishes　people　to　keep　their　fingers　out　of　the　fire；　by　having　them　burned。

She　took　off　her　spectacles；　because　she　did　not　like　to　see　too　much；　and　in　her　pity　she　arched　up　her　eyebrows　into　her　very　hair；　and　her　eyes　grew　so　wide　that　they　would　have　taken　in　all　the　sorrows　of　the　world；　and　filled　with　great　big　tears；　as　they　too　often　do。

But　all　she　said　was：

〃Ah；　you　poor　little　dear！　you　are　just　like　all　the　rest。〃

But　she　said　it　to　herself；　and　Tom　neither　heard　nor　saw　her。　Now；　you　must　not　fancy　that　she　was　sentimental　at　all。　　If　you　do；　and　think　that　she　is　going　to　let　off　you；　or　me；　or　any　human　being　when　we　do　wrong；　because　she　is　too　tender…hearted　to　punish　us；　then　you　will　find　yourself　very　much　mistaken；　as　many　a　man　does　every　year　and　every　day。

But　what　did　the　strange　fairy　do　when　she　saw　all　her　lollipops　eaten？

Did　she　fly　at　Tom；　catch　him　by　the　scruff　of　the　neck；　hold　him；　howk　him；　hump　him；　hurry　him；　hit　him；　poke　him；　pull　him；　pinch　him；　pound　him；　put　him　in　the　corner；　shake　him；　slap　him；　set　him　on　a　cold　stone　to　reconsider　himself；　and　so　forth？

Not　a　bit。　　You　may　watch　her　at　work　if　you　know　where　to　find　her。　　But　you　will　never　see　her　do　that。　　For；　if　she　had；　she　knew　quite　well　Tom　would　have　fought；　and　kicked；　and　bit；　and　said　bad　words；　and　turned　again　that　moment　into　a　naughty　little　heathen　chimney…sweep；　with　his　hand；　like　Ishmael's　of　old；　against　every　man；　and　every　man's　hand　against　him。

Did　she　question　him；　hurry　him；　frighten　him；　threaten　him；　to　make　him　confess？　　Not　a　bit。　　You　may　see　her；　as　I　said；　at　her　work　often　enough　if　you　know　where　to　look　for　her：　　but　you　will　never　see　her　do　that。　　For；　if　she　had；　she　would　have　tempted　him　to　tell　lies　in　his　fright；　and　that　would　have　been　worse　for　him；　if　possible；　than　even　becoming　a　heathen　chimney…sweep　again。

No。　　She　leaves　that　for　anxious　parents　and　teachers　（lazy　ones；　some　call　them）；　who；　instead　of　giving　children　a　fair　trial；　such　as　they　would　expect　and　demand　for　themselves；　force　them　by　fright　to　confess　their　own　faults　…　which　is　so　cruel　and　unfair　that　no　judge　on　the　bench　dare　do　it　to　the　wickedest　thief　or　murderer；　for　the　good　British　law　forbids　it　…　ay；　and　even　punish　them　to　make　them　confess；　which　is　so　detestable　a　crime　that　it　is　never　committed　now；　save　by　Inquisitors；　and　Kings　of　Naples；　and　a　few　other　wretched　people　of　whom　the　world　is　weary。　　And　then　they　say；　〃We　have　trained　up　the　child　in　the　way　he　should　go；　and　when　he　grew　up　he　has　departed　from　it。　　Why　then　did　Solomon　say　that　he　would　not　depart　from　it？〃　　But　perhaps　the　way　of　beating；　and　hurrying　and　frightening；　and　questioning；　was　not　the　way　that　the　child　should　go；　for　it　is　not　even　the　way　in　which　a　colt　should　go　if　you　want　to　break　it　in　and　make　it　a　quiet　serviceable　horse。

Some　folks　may　say；　〃Ah！　but　the　Fairy　does　not　need　to　do　that　if　she　knows　everything　already。〃　　True。　　But；　if　she　did　not　know；　she　would　not　surely　behave　worse　than　a　British　judge　and　jury；　and　no　more　should　parents　and　teachers　either。

So　she　just　said　nothing　at　all　about　the　matter；　not　even　when　Tom　came　next　day　with　the　rest　for　sweet　things。　　He　was　horribly　afraid　of　coming：　　but　he　was　still　more　afraid　of　staying　away；　lest　any　one　should　suspect　him。　　He　was　dreadfully　afraid；　too；　lest　there　should　be　no　sweets　…　as　was　to　be　expected；　he　having　eaten　them　all　…　and　lest　then　the　fairy　should　inquire　who　had　taken　them。　　But；　behold！　she　pulled　out　just　as　many　as　ever；　which　astonished　Tom；　and　frightened　him　still　more。

And；　when　the　fairy　looked　him　full　in　the　face；　he　shook　from　head　to　foot：　　however　she　gave　him　his　share　like　the　rest；　and　he　thought　within　himself　that　she　could　not　have　found　him　out。

But；　when　he　put　the　sweets　into　his　mouth；　he　hated　the　taste　of　them；　and　they　made　him　so　sick　that　he　had　to　get　away　as　fast　as　he　could；　and　terribly　sick　he　was；　and　very　cross　and　unhappy；　all　the　week　after。

Then；　when　next　week　came；　he　had　his　share　again；　and　again　the　fairy　looked　him　full　in　the　face；　but　more　sadly　than　she　had　ever　looked。　　And　he　could　not　bear　the　sweets：　　but　took　them　again　in　spite　of　himself。

And　when　Mrs。　Doasyouwouldbedoneby　came；　he　wanted　to　be　cuddled　like　the　rest；　but　she　said　very　seriously：

〃I　should　like　to　cuddle　you；　but　I　cannot；　you　are　so　horny　and　prickly。〃

And　Tom　looked　at　himself：　　and　he　was　all　over　prickles；　just　like　a　sea…egg。

Which　was　quite　natural；　for　you　must　know　and　believe　that　people's　souls　make　their　bodies　just　as　a　snail　makes　its　shell　（I　am　not　joking；　my　little　man；　I　am　in　serious；　solemn　earnest）。　And　therefore；　when　Tom's　soul　grew　all　prickly　with　naughty　tempers；　his　body　could　not　help　growing　prickly；　too；　so　that　nobody　would　cuddle　him；　or　play　with　him；　or　even　like　to　look　at　him。

What　could　Tom　do　now　but　go　away　and　hide　in　a　corner　and　cry？　For　nobody　would　play　with　him；　and　he　knew　full　well　why。

And　he　was　so　miserable　all　that　week　that　when　the　ugly　fairy　came　and　looked　at　him　once　more　full　in　the　face；　more　seriously　and　sadly　than　ever；　he　could　stand　it　no　longer；