madam how and lady why(豪夫人和怀女士)-第34章
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the far west。 The water which washes the bottom of the lawn was but a
few months ago pouring out of the Gulf of Mexico； between the Bahamas
and Florida； and swept away here as the great ocean river of warm water
which we call the Gulf Stream； bringing with it out of the open ocean the
shoals of mackerel； and the porpoises and whales which feed upon them。
Some fine afternoon we will run down the bay and catch strange fishes；
such as you never saw before； and very likely see a living whale。
What？ such a whale as they get whalebone from； and which eats sea…
moths？
No； they live far north； in the Arctic circle； these are grampuses； and
bottle…noses； which feed on fish； not so big as the right whales； but quite
big enough to astonish you； if one comes up and blows close to the boat。
Get yourself dressed and come down； and then we will go out； we shall
have plenty to see and talk of at every step。
Now； you have finished your breakfast at last； so come along； and we
shall see what we shall see。 First run out across the gravel； and scramble
up that bank of lawn； and you will see what you fancied was an empty
flower…bed。
Why； it is all hard rock。
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
Ah； you are come into the land of rocks now： out of the land of sand
and gravel； out of a soft young corner of the world into a very hard； old；
weather…beaten corner； and you will see rocks enough； and too many for
the poor farmers； before you go home again。
But how beautifully smooth and flat the rock is： and yet it is all
rounded。
What is it like？
Likelike the half of a shell。
Not badly said； but think again。
LikelikeI know what it is like。 Like the back of some great
monster peeping up through the turf。
You have got it。 Such rocks as these are called in Switzerland
〃roches moutonnees；〃 because they are； people fancy； like sheep's backs。
Now look at the cracks and layers in it。 They run across the stone； they
have nothing to do with the shape of it。 You see that？
Yes： but here are cracks running across them； all along the stone； till
the turf hides them。
Look at them again； they are no cracks； they do not go into the stone。
I see。 They are scratched； something like those on the elder…stem at
home； where the cats sharpen their claws。 But it would take a big cat to
make them。
Do you recollect what I told you of Madam How's hand； more flexible
than any hand of man； and yet strong enough to grind the mountains into
paste？
I know。 Ice！ ice！ ice！ But are these really ice…marks？
Child； on the place where we now stand； over rich lawns； and warm
woods； and shining lochs； lay once on a time hundreds； it may be
thousands； of feet of solid ice； crawling off yonder mountain…tops into the
ocean there outside； and this is one of its tracks。 See how the scratches
all point straight down the valley； and straight out to sea。 Those
mountains are 2000 feet high： but they were much higher once； for the
ice has planed the tops off them。 Then； it seems to me； the ice sank； and
left the mountains standing out of it about half their height； and at that
level it stayed； till it had planed down all those lower moors of smooth
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
bare rock between us and the Western ocean； and then it sank again； and
dwindled back； leaving moraines （that is； heaps of dirt and stones） all up
these valleys here and there； till at the last it melted all away； and poor old
Ireland became fit to live in again。 We will go down the bay some day and
look at those moraines； some of them quite hills of earth； and then you will
see for yourself how mighty a chisel the ice…chisel was； and what vast
heaps of chips it has left behind。 Now then； down over the lawn towards
the bridge。 Listen to the river； louder and louder every step we take。
What a roar！ Is there a waterfall there？
No。 It is only the flood。 And underneath the roar of that flood； do
you not hear a deeper notea dull rumbling； as if from underground？
Yes。 What is it？
The rolling of great stones under water； which are being polished
against each other； as they hurry toward the sea。 Now； up on the parapet
of the bridge。 I will hold you tight。 Look and see Madam How's rain…
spade at work。 Look at the terrible yellow torrent below us； almost
filling up the arches of the bridge； and leaping high in waves and crests of
foam。
Oh； the bridge is falling into the water！
Not a bit。 You are not accustomed to see water running below you at
ten miles an hour。 Never mind that feeling。 It will go off in a few
seconds。 Look； the water is full six feet up the trunks of the trees； over
the grass and the king fern； and the tall purple loose…strife …
Oh！ Here comes a tree dancing down！
And there are some turfs which have been cut on the mountain。 And
there is a really sad sight。 Look what comes now。
Onetwothree。
Why； they are sheep。
Yes。 And a sad loss they will be to some poor fellow in the glen
above。
And oh！ Look at the pig turning round and round solemnly in the
corner under the rock。 Poor piggy！ He ought to have been at home safe
in his stye； and not wandering about the hills。 And what are these
coming now？
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
Butter firkins； I think。 Yes。 This is a great flood。 It is well if there
are no lives lost。
But is it not cruel of Madam How to make such floods？
Welllet us ask one of these men who are looking over the bridge。
Why； what does he say？ I cannot understand one word。 Is he
talking Irish？
Irish…English at least： but what he said was； that it was a mighty fine
flood entirely； praised be God； and would help on the potatoes and oats
after the drought； and set the grass growing again on the mountains。
And what is he saying now？
That the river will be full of salmon and white trout after this。
What does he mean？
That under our feet now； if we could see through the muddy water；
dozens of salmon and sea…trout are running up from the sea。
What！ up this furious stream？
Yes。 What would be death to you is pleasure and play to them。 Up
they are going； to spawn in the little brooks among the mountains； and all
of them are the best of food； fattened on the herrings and sprats in the sea
outside； Madam How's free gift； which does not cost man a farthing； save
the expense of nets and rods to catch them。
How can that be？
I will give you a bit of political economy。 Suppose a pound of
salmon is worth a shilling； and a pound of beef is worth a shilling likewise。
Before we can eat the beef； it has cost perhaps tenpence to make that
pound of beef out of turnips and grass and oil…cake； and so the country is
only twopence a pound richer for it。 But Mr。 Salmon has made himself
out of what he eats in the sea； and so has cost nothing； and the shilling a
pound is all clear gain。 Thereyou don't quite understand that piece of
political economy。 Indeed； it is only in the last two or three years that
older heads than yours have got to understand it； and have passed the wise
new salmon laws； by which the rivers will be once more as rich with food
as the land is； just as they were hundreds of years ago。 But now； look
again at the river。 What do you think makes it so yellow and muddy？
Dirt； of course。
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
And where does that come from？
Off the mountains？
Yes。 Tons on tons of white mud are being carried down past us now；
and where will they go？
Into the sea？
Yes； and sink there in the still water； to make new strata at the bottom；
and perhaps in them； ages hence； some one will find the bones of those
sheep； and of poor Mr。 Pig too； fossil …
And the butter firkins too。 What fun to find a fossil butter firkin！
But now lift up your eyes to the jagged mountain crests； and their dark
sides all laced with silver streams。 Out of every crack and cranny there
aloft； the rain is bringing down dirt； and stones too； which have been split
off by the winter's frosts； deepening every little hollow； and sharpening
every peak； and making the hills more jagged and steep year by year。
When the ice went away； the hills were all scraped smooth and round
by the glaciers； like the flat rock upon the lawn； and ugly enough they
must have looked； most like great brown buns。 But ever since then；
Madam How has been scooping them out again by her water…chisel into
deep glens； mighty cliffs； sharp peaks； such as you see aloft； and making
the old hills beautiful once more。 Why； even the Alps in Switzerland
have been carved out by frost and rain； out of some great flat。 The very
peak of the Matterhorn； of which you have so often seen a picture； is but
one single point left of some enormous bun of rock。 All the rest has been
carved away by rain and frost； and some day the Matterhorn itself will be
carved away； and its last stone topple into the glacier at its foot。 See； as
we have been talking； we have got into the woods。
Oh； what beautiful woods； just like our own。
Not quite。 There are some things growing here which do not grow at
home； as you will soon see。 And there are no rocks at home； either； as
there are here。
How strange； to see trees growing out of rocks！ How do their roots
get into the stone？
There is plenty of rich mould in the cracks for th
