madam how and lady why(豪夫人和怀女士)-第12节
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or more than half of the side of the old crater had been blown away； and
what was left； which is now called the Monte Somma； stands in a half
circle round the new cone and new crater which is burning at this very day。
True； after that eruption which killed Pliny； Vesuvius fell asleep again； and
did not awake for 134 years； and then again for 269 years but it has been
growing more and more restless as the ages have passed on； and now
hardly a year passes without its sending out smoke and stones from its
crater； and streams of lava from its sides。
And now； I suppose； you will want to know what a volcano is like； and
what a cone； and a crater； and lava are？
What a volcano is like； it is easy enough to show you； for they are the
most simply and beautifully shaped of all mountains； and they are alike all
over the world； whether they be large or small。 Almost every volcano in
the world； I believe； is； or has been once； of the shape which you see in the
drawing opposite； even those volcanos in the Sandwich Islands； of which
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you have often heard； which are now great lakes of boiling fire upon flat
downs； without any cone to them at all。 They； I believe； are volcanos
which have fallen in ages ago： just as in Java a whole burning mountain
fell in on the night of the 11th of August； in the year 1772。 Then； after a
short and terrible earthquake； a bright cloud suddenly covered the whole
mountain。 The people who dwelt around it tried to escape； but before the
poor souls could get away the earth sunk beneath their feet； and the whole
mountain fell in and was swallowed up with a noise as if great cannon
were being fired。 Forty villages and nearly 3000 people were destroyed；
and where the mountain had been was only a plain of red…hot stones。 In
the same way； in the year 1698； the top of a mountain in Quito fell in in a
single night； leaving only two immense peaks of rock behind； and pouring
out great floods of mud mixed with dead fish； for there are underground
lakes among those volcanos which swarm with little fish which never see
the light。
But most volcanos as I say； are； or have been； the shape of the one
which you see here。 This is Cotopaxi； in Quito； more than 19；000 feet in
height。 All those sloping sides are made of cinders and ashes； braced
together； I suppose； by bars of solid lava…stone inside； which prevent the
whole from crumbling down。 The upper part； you see； is white with snow；
as far down as a line which is 15；000 feet above the sea； for the mountain
is in the tropics； close to the equator； and the snow will not lie in that hot
climate any lower down。 But now and then the snow melts off and
rushes down the mountain side in floods of water and of mud； and the
cindery cone of Cotopaxi stands out black and dreadful against the clear
blue sky； and then the people of that country know what is coming。 The
mountain is growing so hot inside that it melts off its snowy covering； and
soon it will burst forth with smoke and steam； and red…hot stones and
earthquakes； which will shake the ground； and roars that will be heard； it
may be； hundreds of miles away。
And now for the words cone； crater； lava。 If I can make you
understand those words； you will see why volcanos must be in general of
the shape of Cotopaxi。
Cone； crater； lava： those words make up the alphabet of volcano
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
learning。 The cone is the outside of a huge chimney； the crater is the
mouth of it。 The lava is the ore which is being melted in the furnace
below； that it may flow out over the surface of the old land； and make new
land instead。
And where is the furnace itself？ Who can tell that？ Under the roots
of the mountains； under the depths of the sea； down 〃the path which no
fowl knoweth； and which the vulture's eye hath not seen： the lion's
whelp hath not trodden it； nor the fierce lion passed by it。 There He
putteth forth His hand upon the rock； He overturneth the mountain by the
roots； He cutteth out rivers among the rocks； and His eye seeth every
precious thing〃while we； like little ants； run up and down outside the
earth； scratching； like ants； a few feet down； and calling that a deep ravine；
or peeping a few feet down into the crater of a volcano； unable to guess
what precious things may lie belowbelow even the fire which blazes and
roars up through the thin crust of the earth。 For of the inside of this earth
we know nothing whatsoever： we only know that it is； on an average；
several times as heavy as solid rock； but how that can be； we know not。
So let us look at the chimney； and what comes out of it； for we can see
very little more。
Why is a volcano like a cone？
For the same cause for which a molehill is like a cone； though a very
rough one； and that the little heaps which the burrowing beetles make on
the moor； or which the ant…lions in France make in the sand； are all
something in the shape of a cone； with a hole like a crater in the middle。
What the beetle and the ant…lion do on a very little scale； the steam inside
the earth does on a great scale。 When once it has forced a vent into the
outside air； it tears out the rocks underground； grinds them small against
each other； often into the finest dust； and blasts them out of the hole which
it has made。 Some of them fall back into the hole； and are shot out again：
but most of them fall round the hole； most of them close to it； and fewer of
them farther off； till they are piled up in a ring round it； just as the sand is
piled up round a beetle's burrow。 For days； and weeks； and months this
goes on； even it may be for hundreds of years： till a great cone is formed
round the steam vent； hundreds or thousands of feet in height； of dust and
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stones； and of cinders likewise。 For recollect； that when the steam has
blown away the cold earth and rock near the surface of the ground； it
begins blowing out the hot rocks down below； red…hot； white…hot； and at
last actually melted。 But these； as they are hurled into the cool air above；
become ashes； cinders； and blocks of stone again； making the hill on
which they fall bigger and bigger continually。 And thus does wise
Madam How stand in no need of bricklayers； but makes her chimneys
build themselves。
And why is the mouth of the chimney called a crater？
Crater； as you know； is Greek for a cup。 And the mouth of these
chimneys； when they have become choked and stopped working； are often
just the shape of a cup； or （as the Germans call them） kessels； which
means kettles； or caldrons。 I have seen some of them as beautifully and
exactly rounded as if a cunning engineer had planned them； and had them
dug out with the spade。 At first； of course； their sides and bottom are
nothing but loose stones； cinders； slag； ashes； such as would be thrown out
of a furnace。 But Madam How； who； whenever she makes an ugly desolate
place； always tries to cover over its ugliness； and set something green to
grow over it； and make it pretty once more； does so often and often by her
worn…out craters。 I have seen them covered with short sweet turf； like so
many chalk downs。 I have seen them； too； filled with bushes； which held
woodcocks and wild boars。 Once I came on a beautiful round crater on the
top of a mountain； which was filled at the bottom with a splendid crop of
potatoes。 Though Madam How had not put them there herself； she had at
least taught the honest Germans to put them there。 And often Madam
How turns her worn…out craters into beautiful lakes。 There are many
such crater…lakes in Italy； as you will
