madam how and lady why(豪夫人和怀女士)-第12章
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yourself： and then we will go on and consider how a volcano； and the
lava which flows from it； helps to make your body。
Now I know that the Scotch have a saying； 〃That you cannot make
broth out of whinstones〃 （which is their name for lava）。 But； though they
are very clever people； they are wrong there。 I never saw any broth in
Scotland； as far as I know； but what whinstones had gone to the making of
it； nor a Scotch boy who had not eaten many a bit of whinstone； and been
all the better for it。
Of course； if you simply put the whinstones into a kettle and boiled
them； you would not get much out of them by such rough cookery as that。
But Madam How is the best and most delicate of all cooks； and she knows
how to pound； and soak； and stew whinstones so delicately； that she can
make them sauce and seasoning for meat； vegetables； puddings； and
almost everything that you eat； and can put into your veins things which
were spouted up red…hot by volcanos； ages and ages since； perhaps at the
bottom of ancient seas which are now firm dry land。
This is very strangeas all Madam How's doings are。 And you would
think it stranger still if you had ever seen the flowing of a lava stream。
Out of a cave of slag and cinders in the black hillside rushes a golden
river； flowing like honey； and yet so tough that you cannot thrust a stick
into it； and so heavy that great stones （if you throw them on it） float on the
top； and are carried down like corks on water。 It is so hot that you cannot
stand near it more than a few seconds； hotter； perhaps； than any fire you
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ever saw： but as it flows； the outside of it cools in the cool air； and gets
covered with slag and cinders； something like those which you may see
thrown out of the furnaces in the Black Country of Staffordshire。
Sometimes these cling together above the lava stream； and make a tunnel；
through the cracks in which you may see the fiery river rushing and
roaring down below。 But mostly they are kept broken and apart； and roll
and slide over each other on the top of the lava； crashing and clanging as
they grind together with a horrid noise。 Of course that stream； like all
streams； runs towards the lower grounds。 It slides down glens； and fills
them up； down the beds of streams； driving off the water in hissing steam；
and sometimes （as it did in Iceland a few years ago） falls over some cliff；
turning what had been a water…fall into a fire…fall； and filling up the pool
below with blocks of lava suddenly cooled； with a clang and roar like that
of chains shaken or brazen vessels beaten； which is heard miles and miles
away。 Of course； woe to the crops and gardens which stand in its way。
It crawls over them all and eats them up。 It shoves down houses； it sets
woods on fire； and sends the steam and gas out of the tree…trunks hissing
into the air。 And （curiously enough） it does this often without touching
the trees themselves。 It flows round the trunks （it did so in a wood in the
Sandwich Islands a few years ago）； and of course sets them on fire by its
heat； till nothing is left of them but blackened posts。 But the moisture
which comes out of the poor tree in steam blows so hard against the lava
round that it can never touch the tree； and a round hole is left in the middle
of the lava where the tree was。 Sometimes； too； the lava will spit out
liquid fire among the branches of the trees； which hangs down afterwards
from them in tassels of slag； and yet； by the very same means； the steam in
the branches will prevent the liquid fire burning them off； or doing
anything but just scorch the bark。
But I can tell you a more curious story still。 The lava stream； you
must know； is continually sending out little jets of gas and steam： some
of it it may have brought up from the very inside of the earth； most of it； I
suspect； comes from the damp herbage and damp soil over which it runs。
Be that as it may； a lava stream out of Mount Etna； in Sicily； came once
down straight upon the town of Catania。 Everybody thought that the
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town would be swallowed up； and the poor people there （who knew no
better） began to pray to St。 Agathaa famous saint； who； they say； was
martyred there ages agoand who； they fancy； has power in heaven to
save them from the lava stream。 And really what happened was enough
to make ignorant people； such as they were； think that St。 Agatha had
saved them。 The lava stream came straight down upon the town wall。
Another foot； and it would have touched it； and have begun shoving it
down with a force compared with which all the battering…rams that you
ever read of in ancient histories would be child's toys。 But lo and behold！
when the lava stream got within a few inches of the wall it stopped； and
began to rear itself upright and build itself into a wall beside the wall。 It
rose and rose； till I believe in one place it overtopped the wall and began
to curl over in a crest。 All expected that it would fall over into the town
at last： but no； there it stopped； and cooled； and hardened； and left the
town unhurt。 All the inhabitants said； of course； that St。 Agatha had done
it： but learned men found out that； as usual Madam How had done it； by
making it do itself。 The lava was so full of gas； which was continually
blowing out in little jets； that when it reached the wall； it actually blew
itself back from the wall； and； as the wall was luckily strong enough not to
be blown down； the lava kept blowing itself back till it had time to cool。
And so； my dear child； there was no miracle at all in the matter； and the
poor people of Catania had to thank not St。 Agatha； and any interference
of hers； but simply Him who can preserve； just as He can destroy； by those
laws of nature which are the breath of His mouth and the servants of His
will。
But in many a case the lava does not stop。 It rolls on and on over the
downs and through the valleys； till it reaches the sea… shore； as it did in
Hawaii in the Sandwich Islands this very year。 And then it cools； of course；
but often not before it has killed the fish by its sulphurous gases and heat；
perhaps for miles around。 And there is good reason to believe that the
fossil fish which we so often find in rocks； perfect in every bone； lying
sometimes in heaps； and twisted （as I have seen them） as if they had died
suddenly and violently； were killed in this very way； either by heat from
lava streams； or else by the bursting up of gases poisoning the water； in
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earthquakes and eruptions in the bottom of the sea。 I could tell you many
stories of fish being killed in thousands by earthquakes and volcanos
during the last few years。 But we have not time to tell about everything
And now you will ask me； with more astonishment than ever； what
possible use can there be in these destroying streams of fire？ And certainly；
if you had ever seen a lava stream even when cool； and looked down； as I
have done； at the great river of rough black blocks streaming away far and
wide over the land； you would think it the most hideous and the most
useless thing you ever saw。 And yet； my dear child； there is One who
told men to judge not according to the appearance； but to judge righteous
judgment。 He said that about matters spiritual and human： but it is
quite as true about matters natural； which also are His work； and all obey
His will。
Now if you had seen； as I have seen； close round the edges of these
lava streams； and sometimes actually upon them； or upon the great bed of
dust and ashes which have been hurled far and wide out of ancient
volcanos； happy homesteads； rich crops； hemp and flax； and wheat；
tobacco； lucerne； roots； and vineyards laden with white and purple grapes；
you would have begun to suspect that the lava streams were not； after all；
such very bad neighbours。 And when I tell you that volcanic soils （as
they are called）； that is； soil which has at first been lava or ashes； are
generally the richest soils in the worldthat； for instance （as some one told
me the other day）； there is soil in the beautiful island of Madeira so thin
that you cannot dig more than two or three inches down without coming to
the solid rock of lava； or what is harder even； obsidian （which is the black
glass which volcanos sometimes make； and which the old Mexicans used
to chip into swords and arrows； because they had no steel）and that this
soil； thin as it is； is yet so fertile； that in it used to be grown the grapes of
which the famous Madeira wine was madewhen you remember this； and
when you remember； too； the Lothians of Scotland （about which I shall
have to say a little to you just now）； then you will perhaps agree with me；
that Lady Why has not been so very wrong in setting Madam How to pour
out lava and ashes upon the surface of the earth。
For seedown below； under the roots of the mountains； Madam How
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works continually like a chemist in his laboratory； melting together all the
rocks； which are the bones and leavings of the old worlds。 If they stayed
down below there； they would be of no use； while they will be of use up
here in the open air。 For； year by yearby the washing of rain and rivers；
and also； I am sorry to say； by the ignorant and foolish waste of mankind
thousands and millions of tons of good stuff are running into the sea every
year； which would； if
