madam how and lady why(豪夫人和怀女士)-第19章
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cannibals； and cruel and brutal persons （if there were any among them）；
deserved punishmentand punishment； I do not doubt； they got。 But； of
course； again； none of them knew things which you know； but for that
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very reason they were not bound to do many things which you are bound
to do。 For those to whom little is given； of them shall little be required。
What their religion was like； or whether they had any religion at all； we
cannot tell。 But this we can tell； that known unto God are all His works
from the creation of the world； and that His mercy is over all His works；
and He hateth nothing that He has made。 These men and women；
whatever they were； were God's work； and therefore we may comfort
ourselves with the certainty that； whether or not they knew God； God
knew them。
And so ends my fairy tale。
But is it not a wonderful tale？ More wonderful； if you will think over
it； than any story invented by man。 But so it always is。 〃Truth；〃 wise
men tell us； 〃is stranger than fiction。〃 Even a child like you will see that
it must be so； if you will but recollect who makes fiction； and who makes
facts。
Man makes fiction： he invents stories； pretty enough； fantastical
enough。 But out of what does he make them up？ Out of a few things in
this great world which he has seen； and heard； and felt； just as he makes up
his dreams。 But who makes truth？ Who makes facts？ Who； but God？
Then truth is as much larger than fiction； as God is greater than man；
as much larger as the whole universe is larger than the little corner of it
that any man； even the greatest poet or philosopher； can see； and as much
grander； and as much more beautiful； and as much more strange。 For one
is the whole； and the other is one； a few tiny scraps of the whole。 The
one is the work of God； the other is the work of man。 Be sure that no
man can ever fancy anything strange； unexpected； and curious； without
finding if he had eyes to see； a hundred things around his feet more
strange； more unexpected； more curious； actually ready…made already by
God。 You are fond of fairy tales； because they are fanciful； and like your
dreams。 My dear child； as your eyes open to the true fairy tale which
Madam How can tell you all day long； nursery stories will seem to you
poor and dull。 All those feelings in you which your nursery tales call
out；imagination； wonder； awe； pity； and I trust too； hope and lovewill
be called out； I believe； by the Tale of all Tales； the true 〃Marchen allen
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Marchen；〃 so much more fully and strongly and purely； that you will feel
that novels and story…books are scarcely worth your reading； as long as
you can read the great green book； of which every bud is a letter； and
every tree a page。
Wonder if you will。 You cannot wonder too much。 That you might
wonder all your life long； God put you into this wondrous world； and gave
you that faculty of wonder which he has not given to the brutes； which is
at once the mother of sound science； and a pledge of immortality in a
world more wondrous even than this。 But wonder at the right thing； not
at the wrong； at the real miracles and prodigies； not at the sham。 Wonder
not at the world of man。 Waste not your admiration； interest； hope on it； its
pretty toys； gay fashions； fine clothes； tawdry luxuries； silly amusements。
Wonder at the works of God。 You will not； perhaps； take my advice yet。
The world of man looks so pretty； that you will needs have your peep at it；
and stare into its shop windows； and if you can； go to a few of its stage
plays； and dance at a few of its balls。 AhwellAfter a wild dream comes
an uneasy wakening； and after too many sweet things； comes a sick
headache。 And one morning you will awake； I trust and pray； from the
world of man to the world of God； and wonder where wonder is due； and
worship where worship is due。 You will awake like a child who has been
at a pantomime over night； staring at the 〃fairy halls；〃 which are all paint
and canvas； and the 〃dazzling splendours；〃 which are gas and oil； and the
〃magic transformations；〃 which are done with ropes and pulleys； and the
〃brilliant elves；〃 who are poor little children out of the next foul alley； and
the harlequin and clown； who through all their fun are thinking wearily
over the old debts which they must pay； and the hungry mouths at home
which they must feed： and so； having thought it all wondrously glorious；
and quite a fairy land； slips tired and stupid into bed； and wakes next
morning to see the pure light shining in through the delicate frost…lace on
the window…pane； and looks out over fields of virgin snow； and watches
the rosy dawn and cloudless blue； and the great sun rising to the music of
cawing rooks and piping stares； and says； 〃This is the true wonder。 This
is the true glory。 The theatre last night was the fairy land of man； but this
is the fairy land of God。〃
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CHAPTER VII
…THE CHALK…CARTS
What do you want to know about next？ More about the caves in
which the old savages lived；how they were made； and how the curious
things inside them got there； and so forth。
Well； we will talk about that in good time： but nowWhat is that
coming down the hill？
Oh； only some chalk…carts。
Only some chalk…carts？ It seems to me that these chalk…carts are the
very things we want； that if we follow them far enoughI do not mean
with our feet along the public road； but with our thoughts along a road
which； I am sorry to say； the public do not yet know much aboutwe shall
come to a cave； and understand how a cave is made。 Meanwhile； do not
be in a hurry to say； 〃Only a chalk…cart；〃 or only a mouse； or only a dead
leaf。 Chalk…carts； like mice； and dead leaves； and most other matters in
the universe are very curious and odd things in the eyes of wise and
reasonable people。 Whenever I hear young men saying 〃only〃 this and
〃only〃 that； I begin to suspect them of belonging； not to the noble army of
sagesmuch less to the most noble army of martyrs；but to the ignoble
army of noodles； who think nothing interesting or important but dinners；
and balls； and races； and back…biting their neighbours； and I should be
sorry to see you enlisting in that regiment when you grow up。 But think…
…are not chalk…carts very odd and curious things？ I think they are。 To
my mind； it is a curious question how men ever thought of inventing
wheels； and； again； when they first thought of it。 It is a curious question；
too； how men ever found out that they could make horses work for them；
and so began to tame them； instead of eating them； and a curious question
（which I think we shall never get answered） when the first horse…tamer
lived； and in what country。 And a very curious； and； to me； a beautiful
sight it is； to see those two noble horses obeying that little boy； whom they
could kill with a single kick。
But； beside all this； there is a question； which ought to be a curious one
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to you （for I suspect you cannot answer it）Why does the farmer take the
trouble to send his cart and horses eight miles and more； to draw in chalk
from Odiham chalk…pit？
Oh； he is going to put it on the land； of course。 They are chalking the
bit at the top of the next field； where the copse was grubbed。
But what good will he do by putting chalk on it？ Chalk is not rich
and fertile； like manure； it is altogether poor； barren stuff： you know that；
or ought to know it。 Recollect the chalk cuttings and banks on the
railway between Basingstoke and Winchesterhow utterly barren they are。
Though they have been open these thirty years； not a blade of grass； hardly
a bit of moss； has grown on them； or will grow； perhaps； for centuries。
Come； let us find out something about the chalk before we talk about
the caves。 The chalk is here； and the caves are not； and 〃Learn from the
thing that lies nearest you〃 is as good a rule as 〃Do the duty which lies
nearest you。〃 Let us come into the grubbed bit； and ask the farmerthere
he is in his gig。
Well； old friend； and how are you？ Here is a little boy who wants to
know why you are putting chalk on your field。
Does he then？ If he ever tries to farm round here； he will have to
learn for his first ruleNo chalk； no wheat。
But why？
Why； is more than I can tell； young squire。 But if you want to see
how it comes about； look here at this freshly…grubbed land how sour it is。
You can see that by the colour of itsome black； some red； some green；
some yellow； all full of sour iron； which will let nothing grow。 After the
chalk has been on it a year or two； those colours will have all gone out of
it； and it will turn to a nice wholesome brown； like the rest of the field；
and then you will know that the land is sweet； and fit for any crop。 Now
do you mind what I tell you； and then I'll tell you something more。 We
put on the chalk because； beside sweetening the land； it will hold water。
You see； the land about here； though it is often very wet from springs； is
sandy and hungry； and when we drain the bottom water out of it； the top
water （
