madam how and lady why(豪夫人和怀女士)-第11章
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more。 The rains wash them down； the wind blows them down。 They
roll to the middle； and meet each other； and stop。 And so gradually the
steep funnel becomes a round cup。 You may prove for yourself that it
must be so； if you will try。 Do you not know that if you dig a round hole
in the ground； and leave it to crumble in； it is sure to become cup… shaped
at last； though at first its sides may have been quite upright； like those of a
bucket？ If you do not know； get a trowel and make your little
experiment。
And now you ought to understand what 〃cone〃 and 〃crater〃 mean。 And
more； if you will think for yourself； you may guess what would come out
of a volcano when it broke out 〃in an eruption；〃 as it is usually called。
First； clouds of steam and dust （what you would call smoke）； then volleys
of stones； some cool； some burning hot； and at the last； because it lies
lowest of all； the melted rock itself； which is called lava。
And where would that come out？ At the top of the chimney？ At the
top of the cone？
No。 Madam How； as I told you； usually makes things make
themselves。 She has made the chimney of the furnace make itself； and
next she will make the furnace…door make itself。
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The melted lava rises in the craterthe funnel inside the cone but it
never gets to the top。 It is so enormously heavy that the sides of the cone
cannot bear its weight； and give way low down。 And then； through ashes
and cinders； the melted lava burrows out； twisting and twirling like an
enormous fiery earth…worm； till it gets to the air outside； and runs off
down the mountain in a stream of fire。 And so you may see （as are to be
seen on Vesuvius now） two eruptions at onceone of burning stones above；
and one of melted lava below。
And what is lava？
That； I think； I must tell you another time。 For when I speak of it I
shall have to tell you more about Madam How； and her ways of making
the ground on which you stand； than I can say just now。 But if you want to
know （as I dare say you do） what the eruption of a volcano is like； you
may read what follows。 I did not see it happen； for I never had the good
fortune of seeing a mountain burning； though I have seen many and many
a one which has been burntextinct volcanos； as they are called。
The man who saw ita very good friend of mine； and a very good man
of science alsowent last year to see an eruption on Vesuvius； not from the
main crater； but from a small one which had risen up suddenly on the
outside of it； and he gave me leave （when I told him that I was writing for
children） to tell them what he saw。
This new cone； he said； was about 200 feet high； and perhaps 80 or
100 feet across at the top。 And as he stood below it （it was not safe to go
up it） smoke rolled up from its top； 〃rosy pink below；〃 from the glare of
the caldron； and above 〃faint greenish or blueish silver of indescribable
beauty； from the light of the moon。〃 But moreBy good chance； the
cone began to send out； not smoke only； but brilliant burning stones。
〃Each explosion；〃 he says； 〃was like a vast girandole of rockets； with a
noise （such as rockets would make） like the waves on a beach； or the wind
blowing through shrouds。 The mountain was trembling the whole time。
So it went on for two hours and more； sometimes eight or ten explosions
in a minute； and more than 1000 stones in each； some as large as two
bricks end to end。 The largest ones mostly fell back into the crater； but
the smaller ones being thrown higher； and more acted on by the wind； fell
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in immense numbers on the leeward slope of the cone〃 （of course； making
it bigger and bigger； as I have explained already to you）； and of course； as
they were intensely hot and bright； making the cone look as if it too was
red…hot。 But it was not so； he says； really。 The colour of the stones was
rather 〃golden； and they spotted the black cone over with their golden
showers； the smaller ones stopping still； the bigger ones rolling down； and
jumping along just like hares。〃 〃A wonderful pedestal；〃 he says； 〃for the
explosion which surmounted it。〃 How high the stones flew up he could
not tell。 〃There was generally one which went much higher than the rest；
and pierced upwards towards the moon； who looked calmly down；
mocking such vain attempts to reach her。〃 The large stones； of course；
did not rise so high； and some； he says； 〃only just appeared over the rim of
the cone； above which they came floating leisurely up； to show their
brilliant forms and intense white light for an instant； and then subside
again。〃
Try and picture that to yourselves； remembering that this was only a
little side eruption； of no more importance to the whole mountain than the
fall of a slate off the roof is of importance to the whole house。 And then
think how mean and weak man's fireworks； and even man's heaviest
artillery； are compared with the terrible beauty and terrible strength of
Madam How's artillery underneath our feet。
C / ｜ / ｜
A /…＋… E / ｜ /…
＋… E Ground / ｜ B Ground …/
｜ ｜ D ｜ ｜ D ｜ D ｜ ＋…＋＋
…＋…＋ ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜ ｜
Now look at this figure。 It represents a section of a volcano； that is；
one cut in half to show you the inside。 A is the cone of cinders。 B； the
black line up through the middle； is the funnel； or crack； through which
steam； ashes； lava； and everything else rises。 C is the crater mouth。 D
D D； which looks broken； are the old rocks which the steam heaved up and
burst before it could get out。 And what are the black lines across； marked
E E E？ They are the streams of lava which have burrowed out； some
covered up again in cinders； some lying bare in the open air； some still
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inside the cone； bracing it together； holding it up。 Something like this is
the inside of a volcano。
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
CHAPTER IV
THE TRANSFORMATIONS OF A GRAIN OF SOIL
Why； you ask； are there such terrible things as volcanos？ Of what
use can they be？
They are of use enough； my child； and of many more uses； doubt not；
than we know as yet； or ever shall know。 But of one of their uses I can
tell you。
They make； or help to make； divers and sundry curious things； from
gunpowder to your body and mine。
What？ I can understand their helping to make gunpowder； because
the sulphur in it is often found round volcanos； and I know the story of the
brave Spaniard who； when his fellows wanted materials for gunpowder；
had himself lowered in a basket down the crater of a South American
volcano； and gathered sulphur for them off the burning cliffs： but how
can volcanos help to make me？ Am I made of lava？ Or is there lava in
me？
My child； I did not say that volcanos helped to make you。 I said that
they helped to make your body； which is a very different matter； as I beg
you to remember； now and always。 Your body is no more you yourself
than the hoop which you trundle； or the pony which you ride。 It is； like
them； your servant； your tool； your instrument； your organ； with which
you work： and a very useful； trusty； cunningly…contrived organ it is； and
therefore I advise you to make good use of it； for you are responsible for it。
But you yourself are not your body； or your brain； but something else；
which we call your soul； your spirit； your life。 And that 〃you yourself〃
would remain just the same if it were taken out of your body； and put into
the body of a bee； or of a lion； or any other body； or into no body at all。
At least so I believe； and so； I am happy to say； nine hundred and ninety…
nine thousand nine hundred and ninety…nine people out of every million
have always believed； because they have used their human instincts and
their common sense； and have obeyed （without knowing it） the warning of
a great and good philosopher called Herder； that 〃The organ is in no case
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the power which works by it；〃 which is as much as to say； that the engine
is not the engine…driver； nor the spade the gardener。
There have always been； and always will be； a few people who cannot
see that。 They think that a man's soul is part of his body； and that he
himself is not one thing； but a great number of things。 They think that
his mind and character are only made up of all the thoughts； and feelings；
and recollections which have passed through his brain； and that as his
brain changes； he himself must change； and become another person； and
then another person again； continually。 But do you not agree with them：
but keep in mind wise Herder's warning that you are not to 〃confound the
organ with the power；〃 or the engine with the driver； or your body with
yourself： and then we will go on and consider how a volcano； and the
lava which flows from it； helps to make your
