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and play monkey…tricks for people's amusement better than you can； or a
more swinish man； who can get at more of the pig's…wash than you can； or
a more wolfish man； who will eat you up if you do not get out of his way；
and so she will disappoint and disgust you； my child； with that greedy；
selfish； vain animal life； till you turn round and see your mistake； and try
to live the true human life； which also is divine；to be just and honourable；
gentle and forgiving； generous and usefulin one word； to fear God； and
keep His commandments： and as you live that life； you will find that； by
the eternal laws of Lady Why； all other things will be added to you； that
people will be glad to know you； glad to help you； glad to employ you；
because they see that you will be of use to them； and will do them no harm。
And if you meet （as you will meet） with people better and wiser than
yourself； then so much the better for you； for they will love you； and be
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glad to teach you when they see that you are living the unselfish and
harmless life； and that you come to them； not as foolish Critias came to
Socrates； to learn political cunning； and become a selfish and ambitious
tyrant； but as wise Plato came； that he might learn the laws of Lady Why；
and love them for her sake； and teach them to all mankind。 And so you；
like the plants and animals； will get your deserts exactly； without
competing and struggling for existence as they do。
And all this has come out of looking at the hay…field and the wild
moor。
Why not？ There is an animal in you； and there is a man in you。 If the
animal gets the upper hand； all your character will fall back into wild
useless moor； if the man gets the upper hand； all your character will be
cultivated into rich and fertile field。 Choose。
Now come down home。 The haymakers are resting under the hedge。
The horses are dawdling home to the farm。 The sun is getting low； and
the shadows long。 Come home； and go to bed while the house is fragrant
with the smell of hay； and dream that you are still playing among the
haycocks。 When you grow old； you will have other and sadder dreams。
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
CHAPTER XI
…THE WORLD'S END
Hullo！ hi！ wake up。 Jump out of bed； and come to the window； and
see where you are。
What a wonderful place！
So it is： though it is only poor old Ireland。 Don't you recollect that
when we started I told you we were going to Ireland； and through it to the
World's End； and here we are now safe at the end of the old world； and
beyond us the great Atlantic； and beyond that again； thousands of miles
away； the new world； which will be rich and prosperous； civilised and
noble； thousands of years hence； when this old world； it may be； will be
dead； and little children there will be reading in their history books of
Ancient England and of Ancient France； as you now read of Greece and
Rome。
But what a wonderful place it is！ What are those great green things
standing up in the sky； all over purple ribs and bars； with their tops hid in
the clouds？
Those are mountains； the bones of some old world； whose poor bare
sides Madam How is trying to cover with rich green grass。
And how far off are they？
How I should like to walk up to the top of that one which looks quite
close。
You will find it a long walk up there； three miles； I dare say； over black
bogs and banks of rock； and up corries and cliffs which you could not
climb。 There are plenty of cows on that mountain： and yet they look so
small； you could not see them； nor I either； without a glass。 That long
white streak； zigzagging down the mountain side； is a roaring cataract of
foam five hundred feet high； full now with last night's rain； but by this
afternoon it will have dwindled to a little thread； and to…morrow； when you
get up； if no more rain has come down； it will be gone。 Madam How
works here among the mountains swiftly and hugely； and sometimes
terribly enough； as you shall see when you have had your breakfast； and
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
come down to the bridge with me。
But what a beautiful place it is！ Flowers and woods and a lawn； and
what is that great smooth patch in the lawn just under the window？
Is it an empty flower…bed？
Ah； thereby hangs a strange tale。 We will go and look at it after
breakfast； and then you shall see with your own eyes one of the wonders
which I have been telling you of。
And what is that shining between the trees？
Water。
Is it a lake？
Not a lake； though there are plenty round here； that is salt water； not
fresh。 Look away to the right； and you see it through the opening of the
woods again and again： and now look above the woods。 You see a faint
blue line； and gray and purple lumps like clouds； which rest upon it far
away。 That； child； is the great Atlantic Ocean； and those are islands in
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； a