at the back of the north wind-第19章

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〃Good　evening；　ma'am；〃　said　he。　　〃Is　the　little　master　in？〃



〃Yes；　to　be　sure　he　isat　your　service；　I'm　sure；　Mr。　Stonecrop；〃

said　his　mother。



〃No；　no；　ma'am；　it's　I'm　at　his　service。　　I'm　just　a…going　out

with　my　own　cab；　and　if　he　likes　to　come　with　me；　he　shall　drive

my　old　horse　till　he's　tired。〃



〃It's　getting　rather　late　for　him；〃　said　his　mother　thoughtfully。　

〃You　see　he's　been　an　invalid。〃



Diamond　thought；　what　a　funny　thing！　　How　could　he　have　been　an　invalid

when　he　did　not　even　know　what　the　word　meant？　　But；　of　course；

his　mother　was　right。



〃Oh；　well；〃　said　Mr。　Stonecrop；　〃I　can　just　let　him　drive　through

Bloomsbury　Square；　and　then　he　shall　run　home　again。〃



〃Very　good；　sir。　　And　I'm　much　obliged　to　you；〃　said　his　mother。　

And　Diamond；　dancing　with　delight；　got　his　cap；　put　his　hand　in

Mr。　Stonecrop's；　and　went　with　him　to　the　yard　where　the　cab　was　waiting。　

He　did　not　think　the　horse　looked　nearly　so　nice　as　Diamond；

nor　Mr。　Stonecrop　nearly　so　grand　as　his　father；　but　he　was　none；

the　less　pleased。　　He　got　up　on　the　box；　and　his　new　friend　got　up

beside　him。



〃What's　the　horse's　name？〃　whispered　Diamond；　as　he　took　the　reins

from　the　man。



〃It's　not　a　nice　name；〃　said　Mr。　Stonecrop。　　〃You　needn't　call　him

by　it。　　I　didn't　give　it　him。　　He'll　go　well　enough　without　it。　

Give　the　boy　a　whip；　Jack。　　I　never　carries　one　when　I　drive　old〃



He　didn't　finish　the　sentence。　　Jack　handed　Diamond　a　whip；

with　which；　by　holding　it　half　down　the　stick；　he　managed　just

to　flack　the　haunches　of　the　horse；　and　away　he　went。



〃Mind　the　gate；〃　said　Mr。　Stonecrop；　and　Diamond　did　mind　the　gate；

and　guided　the　nameless　horse　through　it　in　safety；　pulling　him　this

way　and　that　according　as　was　necessary。　　Diamond　learned　to　drive

all　the　sooner　that　he　had　been　accustomed　to　do　what　he　was　told；

and　could　obey　the　smallest　hint　in　a　moment。　　Nothing　helps　one　to　get

on　like　that。　　Some　people　don't　know　how　to　do　what　they　are　told；

they　have　not　been　used　to　it；　and　they　neither　understand　quickly

nor　are　able　to　turn　what　they　do　understand　into　action　quickly。　

With　an　obedient　mind　one　learns　the　rights　of　things　fast　enough；

for　it　is　the　law　of　the　universe；　and　to　obey　is　to　understand。



〃Look　out！〃　cried　Mr。　Stonecrop；　as　they　were　turning　the　corner

into　Bloomsbury　Square。



It　was　getting　dusky　now。　　A　cab　was　approaching　rather　rapidly

from　the　opposite　direction；　and　Diamond　pulling　aside；　and　the

other　driver　pulling　up；　they　only　just　escaped　a　collision。　

Then　they　knew　each　other。



〃Why；　Diamond；　it's　a　bad　beginning　to　run　into　your　own　father；〃

cried　the　driver。



〃But；　father；　wouldn't　it　have　been　a　bad　ending　to　run　into　your

own　son？〃　said　Diamond　in　return；　and　the　two　men　laughed　heartily。



〃This　is　very　kind　of　you；　I'm　sure；　Stonecrop；〃　said　his　father。



〃Not　a　bit。　　He's　a　brave　fellow；　and'll　be　fit　to　drive　on　his　own

hook　in　a　week　or　two。　　But　I　think　you'd　better　let　him　drive　you

home　now；　for　his　mother　don't　like　his　having　over　much　of　the

night　air；　and　I　promised　not　to　take　him　farther　than　the　square。〃



〃Come　along　then；　Diamond；〃　said　his　father；　as　he　brought　his　cab

up　to　the　other；　and　moved　off　the　box　to　the　seat　beside　it。　

Diamond　jumped　across；　caught　at　the　reins；　said　〃Good…night；　and

thank　you；　Mr。　Stonecrop；〃　and　drove　away　home；　feeling　more　of　a

man　than　he　had　ever　yet　had　a　chance　of　feeling　in　all　his　life。　

Nor　did　his　father　find　it　necessary　to　give　him　a　single　hint

as　to　his　driving。　　Only　I　suspect　the　fact　that　it　was　old　Diamond；

and　old　Diamond　on　his　way　to　his　stable；　may　have　had　something

to　do　with　young　Diamond's　success。



〃Well；　child；〃　said　his　mother；　when　he　entered　the　room；

〃you've　not　been　long　gone。〃



〃No；　mother；　here　I　am。　　Give　me　the　baby。〃



〃The　baby's　asleep；〃　said　his　mother。



〃Then　give　him　to　me；　and　I'll　lay　him　down。〃



But　as　Diamond　took　him；　he　woke　up　and　began　to　laugh。　

For　he　was　indeed　one　of　the　merriest　children。　　And　no　wonder；

for　he　was　as　plump　as　a　plum…pudding；　and　had　never　had　an

ache　or　a　pain　that　lasted　more　than　five　minutes　at　a　time。　

Diamond　sat　down　with　him　and　began　to　sing　to　him。



baby　baby　babbing　your　father's　gone　a…cabbing　to　catch　a　shilling

for　its　pence　to　make　the　baby　babbing　dance　for　old　Diamond's

a　duck　they　say　he　can　swim　but　the　duck　of　diamonds　is　baby　that's

him　and　of　all　the　swallows　the　merriest　fellows　that　bake　their

cake　with　the　water　they　shake　out　of　the　river　flowing　for　ever

and　make　dust　into　clay　on　the　shiniest　day　to　build　their　nest

father's　the　best　and　mother's　the　whitest　and　her　eyes　are　the

brightest　of　all　the　dams　that　watch　their　lambs　cropping　the　grass

where　the　waters　pass　singing　for　ever　and　of　all　the　lambs　with

the　shakingest　tails　and　the　jumpingest　feet　baby's　the　funniest

baby's　the　bonniest　and　he　never　wails　and　he's　always　sweet

and　Diamond's　his　nurse　and　Diamond's　his　nurse　and　Diamond's　his　nurse





When　Diamond's　rhymes　grew　scarce；　he　always　began　dancing　the　baby。　

Some　people　wondered　that　such　a　child　could　rhyme　as　he　did；

but　his　rhymes　were　not　very　good；　for　he　was　only　trying　to　remember

what　he　had　heard　the　river　sing　at　the　back　of　the　north　wind。







CHAPTER　XVII



DIAMOND　GOES　ON





DIAMOND　became　a　great　favourite　with　all　the　men　about　the　mews。　

Some　may　think　it　was　not　the　best　place　in　the　world　for　him

to　be　brought　up　in；　but　it　must　have　been；　for　there　he　was。　

At　first；　he　heard　a　good　many　rough　and　bad　words；　but　he　did

not　like　them；　and　so　they　did　him　little　harm。　　He　did　not　know

in　the　least　what　they　meant；　but　there　was　something　in　the　very

sound　of　them；　and　in　the　tone　of　voice　in　which　they　were　said；

which　Diamond　felt　to　be　ugly。　　So　they　did　not　even　stick　to　him；

not　to　say　get　inside　him。　　He　never　took　any　notice　of　them；

and　his　face　shone　pure　and　good　in　the　middle　of　them；　like　a

primrose　in　a　hailstorm。　　At　first；　because　his　face　was　so　quiet

and　sweet；　with　a　smile　always　either　awake　or　asleep　in　his　eyes；

and　because　he　never　heeded　their　ugly　words　and　rough　jokes；

they　said　he　wasn't　all　there；　meaning　that　he　was　half　an　idiot；

whereas　he　was　a　great　deal　more　there　than　they　had　the　sense　to　see。　

And　before　long　the　bad　words　found　themselves　ashamed　to　come

out　of　the　men's　mouths　when　Diamond　was　near。　　The　one　would

nudge　the　other　to　remind　him　that　the　boy　was　within　hearing；

and　the　words　choked　themselves　before　they　got　any　farther。　

When　they　talked　to　him　nicely　he　had　always　a　good　answer；　sometimes　a

smart　one；　ready；　and　that　helped　much　to　make　them　change　their　minds

about　him。



One　day　Jack　gave　him　a　curry…comb　and　a　brush　to　try　his　hand

upon　old　Diamond's　coat。　　He　used　them　so　deftly；　so　gently；

and　yet　so　thoroughly；　as　far　as　he　could　reach；　that　the　man　could

not　help　admiring　him。



〃You　must　make　haste　and；　grow〃　he　said。　　〃It　won't　do　to　have

a　horse's　belly　clean　and　his　back　dirty；　you　know。〃



〃Give　me　a　leg；〃　said　Diamond；　and　in　a　moment　he　was　on　the　old

horse's　back　with　the　comb　and　brush。　　He　sat　on　his　withers；

and　reaching　forward　as　he　ate　his　hay；　he　curried　and　he　brushed；

first　at　one　side　of　his　neck；　and　then　at　the　other。　

When　that　was　done　he　asked　for　a　dressing…comb；　and　combed

his　mane　thoroughly。　　Then　he　pushed　himself　on　to　his　back；

and　did　his　shoulders　as　far　down　as　he　could　reach。　　Then　he　sat

on　his　croup；　and　did　his　back　and　sides；　then　he　turned　around

like　a　monkey；　and　attacked　his　hind…quarters；　and　combed　his　tail。　

This　last　was　not　so　easy　to　manage；　for　he　had　to　lift　it　up；

and　every　now　and　then　old　Diamond　would　whisk　it　out　of　his　hands；

and　once　he　sent　the　comb　flying　out　of　the　stable　door；　to　the

great　amusement　of　the　men。　　But　Jack　fetched　it　again；　and　Diamond

began　once　more；　and　did　not　leave　off　until　he　had　done　the　whole

business　fairly　well；　if　not　in　a　first…rate；　experienced　fashion。　

All　the　time　the　old　horse　went　on　eating　his　hay；　and；　but　with　an

occasional　whisk　of　his　tail　when　Diamond　tickled　or　scratched　him；

took　no　notice　of　the　proceeding。　　But　that　was　all　a　pretence；

for　he　knew　very　well　who　it　was　that　was　perched　on　his　back；

and　rubbing　away　at　him　with　the　comb　and　the　brush。　　So　he　was

quite　pleased　and　proud；　and　perhaps　said　to　himself　something

like　this



〃I'm　a　stupid　old　horse；　who　can't　brush　his　own　coat；　but　there's

my　young　godson　on　my　back；　cleaning　me　like　an　angel。〃



I　won't　vouch　for　what　the　old　horse　was　thinking；　for　it

is　very　difficult　to　find　out　what　any　old　horse　is　thinking。



〃Oh　dear！〃　said　Diamond　when　he　had　done；　〃I'm　so　tired！〃



And　he　laid　himself　down　at　full　length　on　old　Diamond's　back。



By　this　time　all　the　men　in　the　stable　were　gathered　about　the

two　Diamonds；　and　all　much　amused。　　One　of　them　lifted　him　down；

and　from　that　time　he　was　a　greater　favourite　than　before。　

And　if　ever　there　was　a　boy　who　had　a　chance　of　being　a　prodigy

at　cab…driving；　Diamond　was　that　boy；　for　the　strife　came　to　be

who　should　have　him　out　with　him　on　the　box。



His　mother；　however；　was　a　little　shy　of　the　company　for　him；

and　besides　she　could　not　always　spare　him。　　Also　his　father　liked

to　have　him　himself　when　he　could；　so　that　he　was　more　desired

than　enjoyed　among　the　cabmen。



But　one　way　and　another　he　did　learn　to　drive　all　sorts　of　horses；

and　to　drive　them　well；　and　that　through　the　most　crowded　streets

in　London　City。　　Of　course　there　was　the　man　always　on　the　box…seat

beside　him；　but　before　long　there　was　seldom　the　least　occasion

to　take　the　reins　from　out　of　his　hands。　　For　one　thing　he　never

got　frightened；　and　consequently　was　never　in　too　great　a　hurry。　

Yet　when　the　moment　came　for　doing　something　sharp；　he　was　always

ready　for　it。　　I　must　once　more　remind　my　readers　that　he　had　been

to　the　back　of　the　north　wind。



One　day；　which　was　neither　washing…day；　nor　cleaning…day　nor

marketing…day；　nor　Saturday；　nor　Mondayupon　which　consequently　Diamond

could　be　spared　from　the　babyhis　father　took　him　on　his　own　cab。　

After　a　stray　job　or　two　by　the　way；　they　drew　up　in　the　row　upon

the　stand　between　Cockspur　Street　and　Pall　Mall。　　They　waited

a　long　time；　but　nobody　seemed　to　want　to　be　carried　anywhere。　

By　and　by　ladies　would　be　going　home　from　the　Academy　exhibition；

and　then　there　would　be　a　chance　of　a　job。



〃Though；　to　be　sure；〃　said　Diamond's　fatherwith　what　truth　I

cannot　say；　but　he　believed　what　he　said〃some　ladies　is　very　hard；

and　keeps　you　to　the　bare　sixpence　a　mile；　when　every　one　knows

that　ain't　enough　to　keep　a　family　and　a　cab　upon。　　To　be　sure

it's　the　law；　but　mayhap　they　may　get　more　law　than　they　like　some

day　themselv