at the back of the north wind-第17章

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

I　supposeand　then　thought　it　good　enough　to　print。〃



〃She　must　have　been　at　the　back　of　the　north　wind　some　time

or　other；　anyhow；〃　said　Diamond。　　〃She　couldn't　have　got　a　hold　of　it

anywhere　else。　　That's　just　how　it　went。〃　　And　he　began　to　chant

bits　of　it　here　and　there；　but　his　mother　said　nothing　for　fear

of　making　him；　worse；　and　she　was　very　glad　indeed　when　she　saw

her　brother…in…law　jogging　along　in　his　little　cart。　　They　lifted

Diamond　in；　and　got　up　themselves；　and　away　they　went；　〃home　again；

home　again；　home　again；〃　as　Diamond　sang。　　But　he　soon　grew　quiet；

and　before　they　reached　Sandwich　he　was　fast　asleep　and　dreaming

of　the　country　at　the　back　of　the　north　wind。







CHAPTER　XIV



OLD　DIAMOND





AFTER　this　Diamond　recovered　so　fast；　that　in　a　few　days　he　was　quite

able　to　go　home　as　soon　as　his　father　had　a　place　for　them　to　go。　

Now　his　father　having　saved　a　little　money；　and　finding　that　no

situation　offered　itself；　had　been　thinking　over　a　new　plan。　

A　strange　occurrence　it　was　which　turned　his　thoughts　in　that　direction。　

He　had　a　friend　in　the　Bloomsbury　region；　who　lived　by　letting

out　cabs　and　horses　to　the　cabmen。　　This　man；　happening　to　meet

him　one　day　as　he　was　returning　from　an　unsuccessful　application；

said　to　him：



〃Why　don't　you　set　up　for　yourself　nowin　the　cab　line；　I　mean？〃



〃I　haven't　enough　for　that；〃　answered　Diamond's　father。



〃You　must　have　saved　a　goodish　bit；　I　should　think。　　Just　come　home

with　me　now　and　look　at　a　horse　I　can　let　you　have　cheap。　　I　bought　him

only　a　few　weeks　ago；　thinking　he'd　do　for　a　Hansom；　but　I　was　wrong。　

He's　got　bone　enough　for　a　waggon；　but　a　waggon　ain't　a　Hansom。　

He　ain't　got　go　enough　for　a　Hansom。　　You　see　parties　as　takes

Hansoms　wants　to　go　like　the　wind；　and　he　ain't　got　wind　enough；

for　he　ain't　so　young　as　he　once　was。　　But　for　a　four…wheeler

as　takes　families　and　their　luggages；　he's　the　very　horse。　

He'd　carry　a　small　house　any　day。　　I　bought　him　cheap；　and　I'll　sell

him　cheap。〃



〃Oh；　I　don't　want　him；〃　said　Diamond's　father。　　〃A　body　must　have

time　to　think　over　an　affair　of　so　much　importance。　　And　there's

the　cab　too。　　That　would　come　to　a　deal　of　money。〃



〃I　could　fit　you　there；　I　daresay；〃　said　his　friend。　　〃But　come

and　look　at　the　animal；　anyhow。〃



〃Since　I　lost　my　own　old　pair；　as　was　Mr。　Coleman's；〃

said　Diamond's　father；　turning　to　accompany　the　cab…master；

〃I　ain't　almost　got　the　heart　to　look　a　horse　in　the　face。　

It's　a　thousand　pities　to　part　man　and　horse。〃



〃So　it　is；〃　returned　his　friend　sympathetically。



But　what　was　the　ex…coachman's　delight；　when；　on　going　into　the

stable　where　his　friend　led　him；　he　found　the　horse　he　wanted　him

to　buy　was　no　other　than　his　own　old　Diamond；　grown　very　thin

and　bony　and　long…legged；　as　if　they；　had　been　doing　what　they

could　to　fit　him　for　Hansom　work！



〃He　ain't　a　Hansom　horse；〃　said　Diamond's　father　indignantly。



〃Well；　you're　right。　　He　ain't　handsome；　but　he's　a　good　un〃

said　his　owner。



〃Who　says　he　ain't　handsome？　　He's　one　of　the　handsomest　horses

a　gentleman's　coachman　ever　druv；〃　said　Diamond's　father；

remarking　to　himself　under　his　breath〃though　I　says　it　as　shouldn't〃

for　he　did　not　feel　inclined　all　at　once　to　confess　that　his　own

old　horse　could　have　sunk　so　low。



〃Well；〃　said　his　friend；　〃all　I　say　isThere's　a　animal　for　you；

as　strong　as　a　church；　an'll　go　like　a　train；　leastways　a　parly；〃

he　added；　correcting　himself。



But　the　coachman　had　a　lump　in　his　throat　and　tears　in　his　eyes。　

For　the　old　horse；　hearing　his　voice；　had　turned　his　long　neck；

and　when　his　old　friend　went　up　to　him　and　laid　his　hand　on　his　side；

he　whinnied　for　joy；　and　laid　his　big　head　on　his　master's　breast。　

This　settled　the　matter。　　The　coachman's　arms　were　round　the

horse's　neck　in　a　moment；　and　he　fairly　broke　down　and　cried。　

The　cab…master　had　never　been　so　fond　of　a　horse　himself　as　to　hug

him　like　that；　but　he　saw　in　a　moment　how　it　was。　　And　he　must

have　been　a　good…hearted　fellow；　for　I　never　heard　of　such　an　idea

coming　into　the　head　of　any　other　man　with　a　horse　to　sell：　

instead　of　putting　something　on　to　the　price　because　he　was　now

pretty　sure　of　selling　him；　he　actually　took　a　pound　off　what　he

had　meant　to　ask　for　him；　saying　to　himself　it　was　a　shame　to　part

old　friends。



Diamond's　father；　as　soon　as　he　came　to　himself；　turned　and　asked

how　much　he　wanted　for　the　horse。



〃I　see　you're　old　friends；〃　said　the　owner。



〃It's　my　own　old　Diamond。　　I　liked　him　far　the　best　of　the　pair；

though　the　other　was　good。　　You　ain't　got　him　too；　have　you？〃



〃No；　nothing　in　the　stable　to　match　him　there。〃



〃I　believe　you；〃　said　the　coachman。　　〃But　you'll　be　wanting　a　long

price　for　him；　I　know。〃



〃No；　not　so　much。　　I　bought　him　cheap；　and　as　I　say；　he　ain't

for　my　work。〃



The　end　of　it　was　that　Diamond's　father　bought　old　Diamond　again；

along　with　a　four…wheeled　cab。　　And　as　there　were　some　rooms　to　be

had　over　the　stable；　he　took　them；　wrote　to　his　wife　to　come　home；

and　set　up　as　a　cabman。







CHAPTER　XV



THE　MEWS





IT　WAS　late　in　the　afternoon　when　Diamond　and　his　mother　and　the　baby

reached　London。　　I　was　so　full　of　Diamond　that　I　forgot　to　tell　you

a　baby　had　arrived　in　the　meantime。　　His　father　was　waiting　for　them

with　his　own　cab；　but　they　had　not　told　Diamond　who　the　horse　was；

for　his　father　wanted　to　enjoy　the　pleasure　of　his　surprise　when　he

found　it　out。　　He　got　in　with　his　mother　without　looking　at　the　horse；

and　his　father　having　put　up　Diamond's　carpet…bag　and　his　mother's

little　trunk；　got　upon　the　box　himself　and　drove　off；　and　Diamond

was　quite　proud　of　riding　home　in　his　father's　own　carriage。　

But　when　he　got　to　the　mews；　he　could　not　help　being　a　little　dismayed

at　first；　and　if　he　had　never　been　to　the　back　of　the　north　wind；

I　am　afraid　he　would　have　cried　a　little。　　But　instead　of　that；

he　said　to　himself　it　was　a　fine　thing　all　the　old　furniture　was　there。　

And　instead　of　helping　his　mother　to　be　miserable　at　the　change；

he　began　to　find　out　all　the　advantages　of　the　place；　for　every

place　has　some　advantages；　and　they　are　always　better　worth　knowing

than　the　disadvantages。　　Certainly　the　weather　was　depressing；

for　a　thick；　dull；　persistent　rain　was　falling　by　the　time　they

reached　home。　　But　happily　the　weather　is　very　changeable；

and　besides；　there　was　a　good　fire　burning　in　the　room；　which　their

neighbour　with　the　drunken　husband　had　attended　to　for　them；　and　the

tea…things　were　put　out；　and　the　kettle　was　boiling　on　the　fire。　

And　with　a　good　fire；　and　tea　and　bread　and　butter；　things　cannot

be　said　to　be　miserable。



Diamond's　father　and　mother　were；　notwithstanding；　rather　miserable；

and　Diamond　began　to　feel　a　kind　of　darkness　beginning　to　spread

over　his　own　mind。　　But　the　same　moment　he　said　to　himself；

〃This　will　never　do。　　I　can't　give　in　to　this。　　I've　been　to　the　back

of　the　north　wind。　　Things　go　right　there；　and　so　I　must　try　to　get

things　to　go　right　here。　　I've　got　to　fight　the　miserable　things。　

They　shan't　make　me　miserable　if　I　can　help　it。〃　　I　do　not　mean

that　he　thought　these　very　words。　　They　are　perhaps　too　grown…up

for　him　to　have　thought；　but　they　represent　the　kind　of　thing　that

was　in　his　heart　and　his　head。　　And　when　heart　and　head　go　together；

nothing　can　stand　before　them。



〃What　nice　bread　and　butter　this　is！〃　said　Diamond。



〃I'm　glad　you　like　it；　my　dear〃　said　his　father。　　〃I　bought

the　butter　myself　at　the　little　shop　round　the　corner。〃



〃It's　very　nice；　thank　you；　father。　　Oh；　there's　baby　waking！　

I'll　take　him。〃



〃Sit　still；　Diamond；〃　said　his　mother。　　〃Go　on　with　your　bread

and　butter。　　You're　not　strong　enough　to　lift　him　yet。〃



So　she　took　the　baby　herself；　and　set　him　on　her　knee。　　Then　Diamond

began　to　amuse　him；　and　went　on　till　the　little　fellow　was　shrieking

with　laughter。　　For　the　baby's　world　was　his　mother's　arms；

and　the　drizzling　rain；　and　the　dreary　mews；　and　even　his　father's

troubled　face　could　not　touch　him。　　What　cared　baby　for　the　loss

of　a　hundred　situations？　　Yet　neither　father　nor　mother　thought

him　hard…hearted　because　he　crowed　and　laughed　in　the　middle

of　their　troubles。　　On　the　contrary；　his　crowing　and　laughing

were　infectious。　　His　little　heart　was　so　full　of　merriment　that　it

could　not　hold　it　all；　and　it　ran　over　into　theirs。　　Father　and

mother　began　to　laugh　too；　and　Diamond　laughed　till　he　had　a　fit

of　coughing　which　frightened　his　mother；　and　made　them　all　stop。　

His　father　took　the　baby；　and　his　mother　put　him　to　bed。



But　it　was　indeed　a　change　to　them　all；　not　only　from　Sandwich；

but　from　their　old　place；　instead　of　the　great　river　where　the　huge

barges　with　their　mighty　brown　and　yellow　sails　went　tacking

from　side　to　side　like　little　pleasure…skiffs；　and　where　the　long

thin　boats　shot　past　with　eight　and　sometimes　twelve　rowers；

their　windows　now　looked　out　upon　a　dirty　paved　yard。　　And　there

was　no　garden　more　for　Diamond　to　run　into　when　he　pleased；　with　gay

flowers　about　his　feet；　and　solemn　sun…filled　trees　over　his　head。　

Neither　was　there　a　wooden　wall　at　the　back　of　his　bed　with　a　hole

in　it　for　North　Wind　to　come　in　at　when　she　liked。　　Indeed；　there　was

such　a　high　wall；　and　there　were　so　many　houses　about　the　mews；

that　North　Wind　seldom　got　into　the　place　at　all；　except　when　something

must　be　done；　and　she　had　a　grand　cleaning　out　like　other　housewives；

while　the　partition　at　the　head　of　Diamond's　new　bed　only　divided

it　from　the　room　occupied　by　a　cabman　who　drank　too　much　beer；

and　came　home　chiefly　to　quarrel　with　his　wife　and　pinch　his　children。　

It　was　dreadful　to　Diamond　to　hear　the　scolding　and　the　crying。　

But　it　could　not　make　him　miserable；　because　he　had　been　at　the　back　of

the　north　wind。



If　my　reader　find　it　hard　to　believe　that　Diamond　should　be　so　good；

he　must　remember　that　he　had　been　to　the　back　of　the　north　wind。　

If　he　never　knew　a　boy　so　good；　did　he　ever　know　a　boy　that　had　been

to　the　back　of　the　north　wind？　　It　was　not　in　the　least　strange

of　Diamond　to　behave　as　he　did；　on　the　contrary；　it　was　thoroughly

sensible　of　him。



We　shall　see　how　he　got　on。







CHAPTER　XVI



DIAMOND　MAKES　A　BEGINNING





THE　wind　blew　loud；　but　Diamond　slept　a　deep　sleep；　and　never　heard　it。　

My　own　impression　is　that　every　time　when　Diamond　slept　well　and

remembered　nothing　about　it　in　the　morning；　he　had　been　all　that　night

at　the　back　of　the　north　wind。　　I　am　almost　sure　that　was　how　he

woke　so　refreshed；　and　felt　so　quiet　and　hopeful　all　the　day。　

Indeed　he　said　this　much；　though　not　to　methat　always　when　he

woke　from　such　a　sleep　there　was　a　something　in　his　mind；　he　could