madam how and lady why(豪夫人和怀女士)-第42节
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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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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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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 them to feed on …
〃Health to the oak of the mountains； he trusts to the might of the
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
rock…clefts。 Deeply he mines； and in peace feeds on the wealth of the
stone。〃
How many sorts of trees there areoak； and birch and nuts； and
mountain…ash； and holly and furze； and heather。
And if you went to some of the islands in the lake up in the glen； you
would find wild arbutusstrawberry…tree； as you call it。 We will go and
get some one day or other。
How long and green the grass is； even on the rocks； and the ferns； and
the moss； too。 Everything seems richer here than at home。
Of course it is。 You are here in the land of perpetual spring； where
frost and snow seldom； or never comes。
Oh； look at the ferns under this rock！ I must pick some。
Pick away。 I will warrant you do not pick all the sorts。
Yes。 I have got them all now。
Not so hasty； child； there is plenty of a beautiful fern growing among
that moss； which you have passed over。 Look here。
What！ that little thing a fern！
Hold it up to the light； and see。
What a lovely little thing； like a transparent sea…weed； hung on black
wire。 What is it？
Film fern； Hymenophyllum。 But what are you staring at now； with
all your eyes？
Oh！ that rock covered with green stars and a cloud of little white and
pink flowers growing out of them。
Aha！ my good little dog！ I thought you would stand to that game
when you found it。
What is it； though？
You must answer that yourself。 You have seen it a hundred times
before。
Why； it is London Pride； that grows in the garden at home。
Of course it is： but the Irish call it St。 Patrick's cabbage； though it got
here a long time before St。 Patrick； and St。 Patrick must have been very
short of garden…stuff if he ever ate it。
But how did it get here from London？ No； no。 How did it get to
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London from hence？ For from this country it came。 I suppose the
English brought it home in Queen Bess's or James the First's time。
But if it is wild here； and will grow so well in England； why do we not
find it wild in England too？
For the same reason that there are no toads or snakes in Ireland。 They
had not got as far as Ireland before Ireland was parted off from England。
And St。 Patrick's cabbage； and a good many other plants； had not got as far
as England。
But why？
Why； I don't know。 But this I know： that when Madam How makes
a new sort of plant or animal； she starts it in one single place； and leaves it
to take care of itself and earn its own livingas she does you and me and
every oneand spread from that place all round as far as it can go。 So St。
Patrick's cabbage got into this south…west of Ireland； long； long ago； and
was such a brave sturdy little plant； that it clambered up to the top of the
highest mountains； and over all the rocks。 But when it got to the rich
lowlands to the eastward； in county Cork； it found all the ground taken up
already with other plants； and as they had enough to do to live themselves；
they would not let St。 Patrick's cabbage settle among them； and it had to
be content with living here in the far…westand； what was very sad； had no
means of sending word to its brothers and sisters in the Pyrenees how it
was getting on。
What do you m
