at the back of the north wind-第12章

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the　outer　door。　　I　sit　on　the　doorstep；　and　hear　the　voices　inside。　

I　am　nobody　there；　Diamond。〃



〃I'm　very　sorry。〃



〃Why？〃



〃That　you　should　be　nobody。〃



〃Oh；　I　don't　mind　it。　　Dear　little　man！　you　will　be　very　glad　some

day　to　be　nobody　yourself。　　But　you　can't　understand　that　now；

and　you　had　better　not　try；　for　if　you　do；　you　will　be　certain　to　go

fancying　some　egregious　nonsense；　and　making　yourself　miserable

about　it。〃



〃Then　I　won't；〃　said　Diamond。



〃There's　a　good　boy。　　It　will　all　come　in　good　time。〃



〃But　you　haven't　told　me　how　you　get　to　the　doorstep；　you　know。〃



〃It　is　easy　enough　for　me。　　I　have　only　to　consent　to　be　nobody；

and　there　I　am。　　I　draw　into　myself　and　there　I　am　on　the　doorstep。　

But　you　can　easily　see；　or　you　have　less　sense　than　I　think；

that　to　drag　you；　you　heavy　thing；　along　with　me；　would　take　centuries；

and　I　could　not　give　the　time　to　it。〃



〃Oh；　I'm　so　sorry！〃　said　Diamond。



〃What　for　now；　pet？〃



〃That　I'm　so　heavy　for　you。　　I　would　be　lighter　if　I　could；　but　I

don't　know　how。〃



〃You　silly　darling！　　Why；　I　could　toss　you　a　hundred　miles　from　me

if　I　liked。　　It　is　only　when　I　am　going　home　that　I　shall　find

you　heavy。〃



〃Then　you　are　going　home　with　me？〃



〃Of　course。　　Did　I　not　come　to　fetch　you　just　for　that？〃



〃But　all　this　time　you　must　be　going　southwards。〃



〃Yes。　　Of　course　I　am。〃



〃How　can　you　be　taking　me　northwards；　then？〃



〃A　very　sensible　question。　　But　you　shall　see。　　I　will　get

rid　of　a　few　of　these　cloudsonly　they　do　come　up　so　fast！　

It's　like　trying　to　blow　a　brook　dry。　　There！　　What　do　you　see　now？〃



〃I　think　I　see　a　little　boat；　away　there；　down　below。〃



〃A　little　boat；　indeed！　　Well！　　She's　a　yacht　of　two　hundred　tons；

and　the　captain　of　it　is　a　friend　of　mine；　for　he　is　a　man　of

good　sense；　and　can　sail　his　craft　well。　　I've　helped　him　many

a　time　when　he　little　thought　it。　　I've　heard　him　grumbling　at　me；

when　I　was　doing　the　very　best　I　could　for　him。　　Why；　I've　carried

him　eighty　miles　a　day；　again　and　again；　right　north。〃



〃He　must　have　dodged　for　that；〃　said　Diamond；　who　had　been　watching

the　vessels；　and　had　seen　that　they　went　other　ways　than　the　wind　blew。



〃Of　course　he　must。　　But　don't　you　see；　it　was　the　best　I　could　do？　

I　couldn't　be　South　Wind。　　And　besides　it　gave　him　a　share　in

the　business。　　It　is　not　good　at　allmind　that；　Diamondto　do

everything　for　those　you　love；　and　not　give　them　a　share　in　the　doing。　


It's　not　kind。　　It's　making　too　much　of　yourself；　my　child。　

If　I　had　been　South　Wind；　he　would　only　have　smoked　his　pipe　all　day；

and　made　himself　stupid。〃



〃But　how　could　he　be　a　man　of　sense　and　grumble　at　you　when　you

were　doing　your　best　for　him？〃



〃Oh！　you　must　make　allowances；〃　said　North　Wind；　〃or　you　will　never

do　justice　to　anybody。You　do　understand；　then；　that　a　captain

may　sail　north〃



〃In　spite　of　a　north　windyes；〃　supplemented　Diamond。



〃Now；　I　do　think　you　must　be　stupid；　my；　dear〃　said　North　Wind。　

〃Suppose　the　north　wind　did　not　blow　where　would　he　be　then？〃



〃Why　then　the　south　wind　would　carry　him。〃



〃So　you　think　that　when　the　north　wind　stops　the　south　wind　blows。　

Nonsense。　　If　I　didn't　blow；　the　captain　couldn't　sail　his　eighty

miles　a　day。　　No　doubt　South　Wind　would　carry　him　faster；　but　South

Wind　is　sitting　on　her　doorstep　then；　and　if　I　stopped　there　would

be　a　dead　calm。　　So　you　are　all　wrong　to　say　he　can　sail　north

in　spite　of　me；　he　sails　north　by　my　help；　and　my　help　alone。　

You　see　that；　Diamond？〃



〃Yes；　I　do；　North　Wind。　　I　am　stupid；　but　I　don't　want　to　be　stupid。〃



〃Good　boy！　　I　am　going　to　blow　you　north　in　that　little　craft；　one　of

the　finest　that　ever　sailed　the　sea。　　Here　we　are；　right　over　it。　

I　shall　be　blowing　against　you；　you　will　be　sailing　against　me；

and　all　will　be　just　as　we　want　it。　　The　captain　won't　get　on

so　fast　as　he　would　like；　but　he　will　get　on；　and　so　shall　we。　

I'm　just　going　to　put　you　on　board。　　Do　you　see　in　front　of　the　tiller

that　thing　the　man　is　working；　now　to　one　side；　now　to　the　other

a　round　thing　like　the　top　of　a　drum？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Diamond。



〃Below　that　is　where　they　keep　their　spare　sails；　and　some　stores

of　that　sort。　　I　am　going　to　blow　that　cover　off。　　The　same　moment

I　will　drop　you　on　deck；　and　you　must　tumble　in。　　Don't　be　afraid；

it　is　of　no　depth；　and　you　will　fall　on　sail…cloth。　You　will　find　it

nice　and　warm　and　dry…only　dark；　and　you　will　know　I　am　near　you　by

every　roll　and　pitch　of　the　vessel。　　Coil　yourself　up　and　go　to　sleep。　

The　yacht　shall　be　my　cradle　and　you　shall　be　my　baby。〃



〃Thank　you；　dear　North　Wind。　　I　am　not　a　bit　afraid；〃　said　Diamond。



In　a　moment　they　were　on　a　level　with　the　bulwarks；　and　North　Wind

sent　the　hatch　of　the　after…store　rattling　away　over　the　deck

to　leeward。　　The　next；　Diamond　found　himself　in　the　dark；　for　he

had　tumbled　through　the　hole　as　North　Wind　had　told　him；　and　the

cover　was　replaced　over　his　head。　　Away　he　went　rolling　to　leeward；

for　the　wind　began　all　at　once　to　blow　hard。　　He　heard　the　call

of　the　captain；　and　the　loud　trampling　of　the　men　over　his　head；

as　they　hauled　at　the　main　sheet　to　get　the　boom　on　board　that　they

might　take　in　a　reef　in　the　mainsail。　　Diamond　felt　about　until

he　had　found　what　seemed　the　most　comfortable　place；　and　there　he

snuggled　down　and　lay。



Hours　after　hours；　a　great　many　of　them；　went　by；　and　still

Diamond　lay　there。　　He　never　felt　in　the　least　tired　or　impatient；

for　a　strange　pleasure　filled　his　heart。　　The　straining　of　the　masts；

the　creaking　of　the　boom；　the　singing　of　the　ropes；　the　banging

of　the　blocks　as　they　put　the　vessel　about；　all　fell　in　with　the

roaring　of　the　wind　above；　the　surge　of　the　waves　past　her　sides；

and　the　thud　with　which　every　now　and　then　one　would　strike　her；

while　through　it　all　Diamond　could　hear　the　gurgling；　rippling；

talking　flow　of　the　water　against　her　planks；　as　she　slipped　through　it；

lying　now　on　this　side；　now　on　thatlike　a　subdued　air　running

through　the　grand　music　his　North　Wind　was　making　about　him　to　keep

him　from　tiring　as　they　sped　on　towards　the　country　at　the　back

of　her　doorstep。



How　long　this　lasted　Diamond　had　no　idea。　　He　seemed　to　fall

asleep　sometimes；　only　through　the　sleep　he　heard　the　sounds　going　on。　

At　length　the　weather　seemed　to　get　worse。　　The　confusion　and

trampling　of　feet　grew　more　frequent　over　his　head；　the　vessel　lay


over　more　and　more　on　her　side；　and　went　roaring　through　the　waves；

which　banged　and　thumped　at　her　as　if　in　anger。　　All　at　once　arose

a　terrible　uproar。　　The　hatch　was　blown　off；　a　cold　fierce　wind

swept　in　upon　him；　and　a　long　arm　came　with　it　which　laid　hold

of　him　and　lifted　him　out。　　The　same　moment　he　saw　the　little　vessel

far　below　him　righting　herself。　　She　had　taken　in　all　her　sails

and　lay　now　tossing　on　the　waves　like　a　sea…bird　with　folded　wings。　

A　short　distance　to　the　south　lay　a　much　larger　vessel；　with　two

or　three　sails　set；　and　towards　it　North　Wind　was　carrying　Diamond。　

It　was　a　German　ship；　on　its　way　to　the　North　Pole。



〃That　vessel　down　there　will　give　us　a　lift　now；〃　said　North　Wind；

〃and　after　that　I　must　do　the　best　I　can。〃



She　managed　to　hide　him　amongst　the　flags　of　the　big　ship；

which　were　all　snugly　stowed　away；　and　on　and　on　they　sped

towards　the　north。　　At　length　one　night　she　whispered　in　his　ear；

〃Come　on　deck；　Diamond；〃　and　he　got　up　at　once　and　crept　on　deck。　

Everything　looked　very　strange。　　Here　and　there　on　all　sides　were

huge　masses　of　floating　ice；　looking　like　cathedrals；　and　castles；

and　crags；　while　away　beyond　was　a　blue　sea。



〃Is　the　sun　rising　or　setting？〃　asked　Diamond。



〃Neither　or　both；　which　you　please。　　I　can　hardly　tell　which　myself。　

If　he　is　setting　now；　he　will　be　rising　the　next　moment。〃



〃What　a　strange　light　it　is！〃　said　Diamond。　　〃I　have　heard

that　the　sun　doesn't　go　to　bed　all　the　summer　in　these　parts。　

Miss　Coleman　told　me　that。　　I　suppose　he　feels　very　sleepy；

and　that　is　why　the　light　he　sends　out　looks　so　like　a　dream。〃



〃That　will　account　for　it　well　enough　for　all　practical　purposes；〃

said　North　Wind。



Some　of　the　icebergs　were　drifting　northwards；　one　was　passing

very　near　the　ship。　　North　Wind　seized　Diamond；　and　with　a　single

bound　lighted　on　one　of　thema　huge　thing；　with　sharp　pinnacles　and

great　clefts。　　The　same　instant　a　wind　began　to　blow　from　the　south。　

North　Wind　hurried　Diamond　down　the　north　side　of　the　iceberg；

stepping　by　its　jags　and　splintering；　for　this　berg　had　never　got

far　enough　south　to　be　melted　and　smoothed　by　the　summer　sun。　

She　brought　him　to　a　cave　near　the　water；　where　she　entered；　and；

letting　Diamond　go；　sat　down　as　if　weary　on　a　ledge　of　ice。



Diamond　seated　himself　on　the　other　side；　and　for　a　while　was

enraptured　with　the　colour　of　the　air　inside　the　cave。　　It　was　a　deep；

dazzling；　lovely　blue；　deeper　than　the　deepest　blue　of　the　sky。　

The　blue　seemed　to　be　in　constant　motion；　like　the　blackness　when

you　press　your　eyeballs　with　your　fingers；　boiling　and　sparkling。　

But　when　he　looked　across　to　North　Wind　he　was　frightened；

her　face　was　worn　and　livid。



〃What　is　the　matter　with　you；　dear　North　Wind？〃　he　said。



〃Nothing　much。　　I　feel　very　faint。　　But　you　mustn't　mind　it；

for　I　can　bear　it　quite　well。　　South　Wind　always　blows　me　faint。　

If　it　were　not　for　the　cool　of　the　thick　ice　between　me　and　her；

I　should　faint　altogether。　　Indeed；　as　it　is；　I　fear　I　must　vanish。〃



Diamond　stared　at　her　in　terror；　for　he　saw　that　her　form　and　face

were　growing；　not　small；　but　transparent；　like　something　dissolving；

not　in　water；　but　in　light。　　He　could　see　the　side　of　the　blue　cave

through　her　very　heart。　　And　she　melted　away　till　all　that　was　left

was　a　pale　face；　like　the　moon　in　the　morning；　with　two　great　lucid

eyes　in　it。



〃I　am　going；　Diamond；〃　she　said。



〃Does　it　hurt　you？〃　asked　Diamond。



〃It's　very　uncomfortable；〃　she　answered；　〃but　I　don't　mind　it；

for　I　shall　come　all　right　again　before　long。　　I　thought　I　should

be　able　to　go　with　you　all　the　way；　but　I　cannot。　　You　must　not　be

frightened　though。　　Just　go　straight　on；　and　you　will　come　all　right。　

You'll　find　me　on　the　doorstep。〃



As　she　spoke；　her　face　too　faded　quite　away；　only　Diamond

thought　he　could　still　see　her　eyes　shining　through　the　blue。　

When　he　went　closer；　however；　he　found　that　what　he　thought　her


eyes　were　only　two　hollows　in　the　ice。　　North　Wind　was　quite　gone；

and　Diamond　would　have　cried；　if　he　had　not　trusted　her　so　thoroughly。　

So　he　sat　still　in　the　blue　air　of　the　cavern　listening　to　the　wash

and　ripple　of　the　water　all　about　the　base　of　the　iceberg；　as　it

sped　on　and　on　into　the　open　sea　northwards。　　It　was　an　excellent

craft　to　go　with　the　current；　for　there　was　t