at the back of the north wind-第16章

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〃Then　I　suppose　they　don't　stop　in　it　any　longer。　　Theythey

what　you　calldiedon't　they？〃



〃Yes；　they　do。　　How　would　you　like　that？〃



〃I　don't　know。　　I　never　tried。　　But　I　suppose　they　go　where　they

get　something　to　eat。〃



〃Like　enough　they　don't　want　it；〃　said　his　mother；　petulantly。



〃That's　all　right　then；〃　said　Diamond；　thinking　I　daresay　more

than　he　chose　to　put　in　words。



〃Is　it　though？　　Poor　boy！　how　little　you　know　about　things！　

Mr。　Coleman's　lost　all　his　money；　and　your　father　has　nothing　to　do；

and　we　shall　have　nothing　to　eat　by　and　by。〃



〃Are　you　sure；　mother？〃



〃Sure　of　what？〃



〃Sure　that　we　shall　have　nothing　to　eat。〃



〃No；　thank　Heaven！　　I'm　not　sure　of　it。　　I　hope　not。〃



〃Then　I　can't　understand　it；　mother。　　There's　a　piece　of　gingerbread

in　the　basket；　I　know。〃



〃O　you　little　bird！　　You　have　no　more　sense　than　a　sparrow　that　picks

what　it　wants；　and　never　thinks　of　the　winter　and　the　frost　and；

the　snow。〃



〃AhyesI　see。　　But　the　birds　get　through　the　winter；　don't　they？〃



〃Some　of　them　fall　dead　on　the　ground。〃



〃They　must　die　some　time。　　They　wouldn't　like　to　be　birds　always。　

Would　you；　mother？〃



〃What　a　child　it　is！〃　thought　his　mother；　but　she　said　nothing。



〃Oh！　now　I　remember；〃　Diamond　went　on。　　〃Father　told　me　that　day　I　went

to　Epping　Forest　with　him；　that　the　rose…bushes；　and　the　may…bushes；

and　the　holly…bushes　were　the　bird's　barns；　for　there　were　the　hips；

and　the　haws；　and　the　holly…berries；　all　ready　for　the　winter。〃



〃Yes；　that's　all　very　true。　　So　you　see　the　birds　are　provided　for。　

But　there　are　no　such　barns　for　you　and　me；　Diamond。〃



〃Ain't　there？〃



〃No。　We've　got　to　work　for　our　bread。〃



〃Then　let's　go　and　work；〃　said　Diamond；　getting　up。



〃It's　no　use。　　We've　not　got　anything　to　do。〃



〃Then　let's　wait。〃



〃Then　we　shall　starve。〃



〃No。　There's　the　basket。　　Do　you　know；　mother；　I　think　I　shall　call

that　basket　the　barn。〃



〃It's　not　a　very　big　one。　　And　when　it's　emptywhere　are　we　then？〃



〃At　auntie's　cupboard；〃　returned　Diamond　promptly。



〃But　we　can't　eat　auntie's　things　all　up　and　leave　her　to　starve。〃



〃No；　no。　　We'll　go　back　to　father　before　that。　　He'll　have　found

a　cupboard　somewhere　by　that　time。〃



〃How　do　you　know　that？〃



〃I　don't　know　it。　　But　I　haven't　got　even　a　cupboard；　and　I've　always

had　plenty　to　eat。　　I've　heard　you　say　I　had　too　much；　sometimes。〃



〃But　I　tell　you　that's　because　I've　had　a　cupboard　for　you；　child。〃



〃And　when　yours　was　empty；　auntie　opened　hers。〃



〃But　that　can't　go　on。〃



〃How　do　you　know？　　I　think　there　must　be　a　big　cupboard　somewhere；

out　of　which　the　little　cupboards　are　filled；　you　know；　mother。〃



〃Well；　I　wish　I　could　find　the　door　of　that　cupboard；〃　said　his　mother。　

But　the　same　moment　she　stopped；　and　was　silent　for　a　good　while。　

I　cannot　tell　whether　Diamond　knew　what　she　was　thinking；　but　I

think　I　know。　　She　had　heard　something　at　church　the　day　before；

which　came　back　upon　hersomething　like　this；　that　she　hadn't

to　eat　for　tomorrow　as　well　as　for　to…day；　and　that　what　was　not

wanted　couldn't　be　missed。　　So；　instead　of　saying　anything　more；

she　stretched　out　her　hand　for　the　basket；　and　she　and　Diamond　had

their　dinner。



And　Diamond　did　enjoy　it。　　For　the　drive　and　the　fresh　air　had　made

him　quite　hungry；　and　he　did　not；　like　his　mother；　trouble　himself

about　what　they　should　dine　off　that　day　week。　　The　fact　was　he　had

lived　so　long　without　any　food　at　all　at　the　back　of　the　north　wind；

that　he　knew　quite　well　that　food　was　not　essential　to　existence；

that　in　fact；　under　certain　circumstances；　people　could　live　without

it　well　enough。



His　mother　did　not　speak　much　during　their　dinner。　　After　it　was

over　she　helped　him　to　walk　about　a　little；　but　he　was　not　able

for　much　and　soon　got　tired。　　He　did　not　get　fretful；　though。　

He　was　too　glad　of　having　the　sun　and　the　wind　again；　to　fret

because　he　could　not　run　about。　　He　lay　down　on　the　dry　sand；

and　his　mother　covered　him　with　a　shawl。　　She　then　sat　by　his　side；

and　took　a　bit　of　work　from　her　pocket。　　But　Diamond　felt　rather

sleepy；　and　turned　on　his　side　and　gazed　sleepily　over　the　sand。　

A　few　yards　off　he　saw　something　fluttering。



〃What　is　that；　mother？〃　he　said。



〃Only　a　bit　of　paper；〃　she　answered。



〃It　flutters　more　than　a　bit　of　paper　would；　I　think；〃　said　Diamond。



〃I'll　go　and　see　if　you　like；〃　said　his　mother。　　〃My　eyes　are　none

of　the　best。〃



So　she　rose　and　went　and　found　that　they　were　both　right；　for　it

was　a　little　book；　partly　buried　in　the　sand。　　But　several　of　its

leaves　were　clear　of　the　sand；　and　these　the　wind　kept　blowing　about

in　a　very　flutterful　manner。　　She　took　it　up　and　brought　it　to　Diamond。



〃What　is　it；　mother？〃　he　asked。



〃Some　nursery　rhymes；　I　think；〃　she　answered。



〃I'm　too　sleepy；〃　said　Diamond。　　〃Do　read　some　of　them　to　me。〃



〃Yes；　I　will；〃　she　said；　and　began　one。〃But　this　is　such　nonsense！〃

she　said　again。　　〃I　will　try　to　find　a　better　one。〃



She　turned　the　leaves　searching；　but　three　times；　with　sudden　puffs；

the　wind　blew　the　leaves　rustling　back　to　the　same　verses。



〃Do　read　that　one；〃　said　Diamond；　who　seemed　to　be　of　the　same　mind

as　the　wind。　　〃It　sounded　very　nice。　　I　am　sure　it　is　a　good　one。〃



So　his　mother　thought　it　might　amuse　him；　though　she　couldn't

find　any　sense　in　it。　　She　never　thought　he　might　understand　it；

although　she　could　not。



Now　I　do　not　exactly　know　what　the　mother　read；　but　this　is

what　Diamond　heard；　or　thought　afterwards　that　he　had　heard。　

He　was；　however；　as　I　have　said；　very　sleepy。　　And　when　he　thought　he

understood　the　verses　he　may　have　been　only　dreaming　better　ones。　

This　is　how　they　went



I　know　a　river　whose　waters　run　asleep　run　run　ever　singing　in　the

shallows　dumb　in　the　hollows　sleeping　so　deep　and　all　the　swallows

that　dip　their　feathers　in　the　hollows　or　in　the　shallows　are　the

merriest　swallows　of　all　for　the　nests　they　bake　with　the　clay　they

cake　with　the　water　they　shake　from　their　wings　that　rake　the　water

out　of　the　shallows　or　the　hollows　will　hold　together　in　any　weather

and　so　the　swallows　are　the　merriest　fellows　and　have　the　merriest

children　and　are　built　so　narrow　like　the　head　of　an　arrow　to　cut

the　air　and　go　just　where　the　nicest　water　is　flowing　and　the　nicest

dust　is　blowing　for　each　so　narrow　like　head　of　an　arrow　is　only

a　barrow　to　carry　the　mud　he　makes　from　the　nicest　water　flowing

and　the　nicest　dust　that　is　blowing　to　build　his　nest　for　her　he

loves　best　with　the　nicest　cakes　which　the　sunshine　bakes　all　for

their　merry　children　all　so　callow　with　beaks　that　follow　gaping

and　hollow　wider　and　wider　after　their　father　or　after　their　mother

the　food…provider　who　brings　them　a　spider　or　a　worm　the　poor　hider

down　in　the　earth　so　there's　no　dearth　for　their　beaks　as　yellow

as　the　buttercups　growing　beside　the　flowing　of　the　singing　river

always　and　ever　growing　and　blowing　for　fast　as　the　sheep　awake

or　asleep　crop　them　and　crop　them　they　cannot　stop　them　but　up　they

creep　and　on　they　go　blowing　and　so　with　the　daisies　the　little

white　praises　they　grow　and　they　blow　and　they　spread　out　their

crown　and　they　praise　the　sun　and　when　he　goes　down　their　praising

is　done　and　they　fold　up　their　crown　and　they　sleep　every　one　till

over　the　plain　he's　shining　amain　and　they're　at　it　again　praising

and　praising　such　low　songs　raising　that　no　one　hears　them　but　the　sun

who　rears　them　and　the　sheep　that　bite　them　are　the　quietest　sheep

awake　or　asleep　with　the　merriest　bleat　and　the　little　lambs　are

the　merriest　lambs　they　forget　to　eat　for　the　frolic　in　their　feet

and　the　lambs　and　their　dams　are　the　whitest　sheep　with　the　woolliest

wool　and　the　longest　wool　and　the　trailingest　tails　and　they　shine

like　snow　in　the　grasses　that　grow　by　the　singing　river　that　sings

for　ever　and　the　sheep　and　the　lambs　are　merry　for　ever　because　the

river　sings　and　they　drink　it　and　the　lambs　and　their　dams　are　quiet

and　white　because　of　their　diet　for　what　they　bite　is　buttercups

yellow　and　daisies　white　and　grass　as　green　as　the　river　can　make

it　with　wind　as　mellow　to　kiss　it　and　shake　it　as　never　was　seen

but　here　in　the　hollows　beside　the　river　where　all　the　swallows

are　merriest　of　fellows　for　the　nests　they　make　with　the　clay　they

cake　in　the　sunshine　bake　till　they　are　like　bone　as　dry　in　the　wind

as　a　marble　stone　so　firm　they　bind　the　grass　in　the　clay　that　dries

in　the　wind　the　sweetest　wind　that　blows　by　the　river　flowing

for　ever　but　never　you　find　whence　comes　the　wind　that　blows　on

the　hollows　and　over　the　shallows　where　dip　the　swallows　alive　it

blows　the　life　as　it　goes　awake　or　asleep　into　the　river　that　sings

as　it　flows　and　the　life　it　blows　into　the　sheep　awake　or　asleep

with　the　woolliest　wool　and　the　trailingest　tails　and　it　never　fails

gentle　and　cool　to　wave　the　wool　and　to　toss　the　grass　as　the　lambs

and　the　sheep　over　it　pass　and　tug　and　bite　with　their　teeth

so　white　and　then　with　the　sweep　of　their　trailing　tails　smooth

it　again　and　it　grows　amain　and　amain　it　grows　and　the　wind　as　it

blows　tosses　the　swallows　over　the　hollows　and　down　on　the　shallows

till　every　feather　doth　shake　and　quiver　and　all　their　feathers　go

all　together　blowing　the　life　and　the　joy　so　rife　into　the　swallows

that　skim　the　shallows　and　have　the　yellowest　children　for　the　wind

that　blows　is　the　life　of　the　river　flowing　for　ever　that　washes

the　grasses　still　as　it　passes　and　feeds　the　daisies　the　little

white　praises　and　buttercups　bonny　so　golden　and　sunny　with　butter

and　honey　that　whiten　the　sheep　awake　or　asleep　that　nibble　and　bite

and　grow　whiter　than　white　and　merry　and　quiet　on　the　sweet　diet　fed

by　the　river　and　tossed　for　ever　by　the　wind　that　tosses　the　swallow

that　crosses　over　the　shallows　dipping　his　wings　to　gather　the　water

and　bake　the　cake　that　the　wind　shall　make　as　hard　as　a　bone　as　dry

as　a　stone　it's　all　in　the　wind　that　blows　from　behind　and　all　in

the　river　that　flows　for　ever　and　all　in　the　grasses　and　the　white

daisies　and　the　merry　sheep　awake　or　asleep　and　the　happy　swallows

skimming　the　shallows　and　it's　all　in　the　wind　that　blows　from　behind





Here　Diamond　became　aware　that　his　mother　had　stopped　reading。



〃Why　don't　you　go　on；　mother　dear？〃　he　asked。



〃It's　such　nonsense！〃　said　his　mother。　　〃I　believe　it　would　go

on　for　ever。〃



〃That's　just　what　it　did；〃　said　Diamond。



〃What　did？〃　she　asked。



〃Why；　the　river。　　That's　almost　the　very　tune　it　used　to　sing。〃



His　mother　was　frightened；　for　she　thought　the　fever　was　coming

on　again。　　So　she　did　not　contradict　him。



〃Who　made　that　poem？〃　asked　Diamond。



〃I　don't　know；〃　she　answered。　　〃Some　silly　woman　for　her　children；

I　supposeand　then　tho