按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
out of the sea…water all day long。
He expected； of course … like some grown people who ought to know better … to find her snipping； piecing； fitting； stitching； cobbling； basting； filing； planing； hammering； turning； polishing； moulding； measuring； chiselling； clipping； and so forth； as men do when they go to work to make anything。
But； instead of that； she sat quite still with her chin upon her hand； looking down into the sea with two great grand blue eyes； as blue as the sea itself。 Her hair was as white as the snow … for she was very very old … in fact； as old as anything which you are likely to come across； except the difference between right and wrong。
And； when she saw Tom； she looked at him very kindly。
〃What do you want； my little man？ It is long since I have seen a water…baby here。〃
Tom told her his errand； and asked the way to the Other…end…of… Nowhere。
〃You ought to know yourself； for you have been there already。〃
〃Have I； ma'am？ I'm sure I forget all about it。〃
〃Then look at me。〃
And； as Tom looked into her great blue eyes； he recollected the way perfectly。
Now； was not that strange？
〃Thank you； ma'am；〃 said Tom。 〃Then I won't trouble your ladyship any more； I hear you are very busy。〃
〃I am never more busy than I am now；〃 she said； without stirring a finger。
〃I heard； ma'am； that you were always making new beasts out of old。〃
〃So people fancy。 But I am not going to trouble myself to make things； my little dear。 I sit here and make them make themselves。〃
〃You are a clever fairy； indeed；〃 thought Tom。 And he was quite right。
That is a grand trick of good old Mother Carey's； and a grand answer； which she has had occasion to make several times to impertinent people。
There was once； for instance； a fairy who was so clever that she found out how to make butterflies。 I don't mean sham ones； no： but real live ones； which would fly； and eat； and lay eggs； and do everything that they ought； and she was so proud of her skill that she went flying straight off to the North Pole； to boast to Mother Carey how she could make butterflies。
But Mother Carey laughed。
〃Know； silly child；〃 she said； 〃that any one can make things； if they will take time and trouble enough： but it is not every one who； like me； can make things make themselves。〃
But people do not yet believe that Mother Carey is as clever as all that comes to； and they will not till they； too； go the journey to the Other…end…of…Nowhere。
〃And now； my pretty little man；〃 said Mother Carey； 〃you are sure you know the way to the Other…end…of…Nowhere？〃
Tom thought； and behold； he had forgotten it utterly。
〃That is because you took your eyes off me。〃
Tom looked at her again； and recollected； and then looked away； and forgot in an instant。
〃But what am I to do； ma'am？ For I can't keep looking at you when I am somewhere else。〃
〃You must do without me； as most people have to do； for nine hundred and ninety…nine thousandths of their lives； and look at the dog instead； for he knows the way well enough； and will not forget it。 Besides； you may meet some very queer…tempered people there； who will not let you pass without this passport of mine； which you must hang round your neck and take care of； and； of course； as the dog will always go behind you； you must go the whole way backward。〃
〃Backward！〃 cried Tom。 〃Then I shall not be able to see my way。〃
〃On the contrary； if you look forward； you will not see a step before you； and be certain to go wrong； but； if you look behind you； and watch carefully whatever you have passed； and especially keep your eye on the dog； who goes by instinct； and therefore can't go wrong； then you will know what is coming next； as plainly as if you saw it in a looking…glass。〃
Tom was very much astonished： but he obeyed her； for he had learnt always to believe what the fairies told him。
〃So it is； my dear child；〃 said Mother Carey； 〃and I will tell you a story； which will show you that I am perfectly right； as it is my custom to be。
〃Once on a time； there were two brothers。 One was called Prometheus； because he always looked before him； and boasted that he was wise beforehand。 The other was called Epimetheus； because he always looked behind him； and did not boast at all； but said humbly； like the Irishman； that he had sooner prophesy after the event。
〃Well； Prometheus was a very clever fellow； of course； and invented all sorts of wonderful things。 But； unfortunately； when they were set to work； to work was just what they would not do： wherefore very little has come of them； and very little is left of them； and now nobody knows what they were； save a few archaeological old gentlemen who scratch in queer corners； and find little there save Ptinum Furem； Blaptem Mortisagam； Acarum Horridum； and Tineam Laciniarum。
〃But Epimetheus was a very slow fellow； certainly； and went among men for a clod； and a muff； and a milksop； and a slowcoach； and a bloke； and a boodle； and so forth。 And very little he did； for many years： but what he did； he never had to do over again。
〃And what happened at last？ There came to the two brothers the most beautiful creature that ever was seen； Pandora by name； which means； All the gifts of the Gods。 But because she had a strange box in her hand； this fanciful； forecasting； suspicious； prudential； theoretical； deductive； prophesying Prometheus； who was always settling what was going to happen； would have nothing to do with pretty Pandora and her box。
〃But Epimetheus took her and it； as he took everything that came； and married her for better for worse； as every man ought； whenever he has even the chance of a good wife。 And they opened the box between them； of course； to see what was inside： for； else； of what possible use could it have been to them？
〃And out flew all the ills which flesh is heir to； all the children of the four great bogies； Self…will； Ignorance； Fear； and Dirt … for instance：
Measles； Famines； Monks； Quacks； Scarlatina； Unpaid bills； Idols； Tight stays； Hooping…coughs； Potatoes； Popes； Bad Wine； Wars； Despots； Peacemongers； Demagogues； And； worst of all； Naughty Boys and Girls。
But one thing remained at the bottom of the box； and that was； Hope。
〃So Epimetheus got a great deal of trouble； as most men do in this world： but he got the three best things in the world into the bargain … a good wife； and experience； and hope： while Prometheus had just as much trouble； and a great deal more （as you will hear）； of his own making； with nothing beside； save fancies spun out of his own brain； as a spider spins her web out of her stomach。
〃And Prometheus kept on looking before him so far ahead； that as he was running about with a box of lucifers （which were the only useful things he ever invented； and do as much harm as good）； he trod on his own nose； and tumbled down （as most deductive philosophers do）； whereby he set the Thames on fire； and they have hardly put it out again yet。 So he had to be chained to the top of a mountain； with a vulture by him to give him a peck whenever he stirred； lest he should turn the whole world upside down wi