at the back of the north wind-第21章

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from　the　sun　itself；　and　the　baby　knew　that；　and　smiled　to　it；

and　although　it　was　indeed　a　wretched　room　which　that　lamp　lighted

so　dreary；　and　dirty；　and　empty；　and　hopeless！there　in　the　middle

of　it　sat　Diamond　on　a　stool；　smiling　to　the　baby；　and　the　baby　on　his

knees　smiling　to　the　lamp。　　The　father　of　him　sat　staring　at　nothing；

neither　asleep　nor　awake；　not　quite　lost　in　stupidity　either；

for　through　it　all　he　was　dimly　angry　with　himself；　he　did　not

know　why。　　It　was　that　he　had　struck　his　wife。　　He　had　forgotten　it；

but　was　miserable　about　it；　notwithstanding。　　And　this　misery　was　the

voice　of　the　great　Love　that　had　made　him　and　his　wife　and　the　baby

and　Diamond；　speaking　in　his　heart；　and　telling　him　to　be　good。　

For　that　great　Love　speaks　in　the　most　wretched　and　dirty　hearts；

only　the　tone　of　its　voice　depends　on　the　echoes　of　the　place　in　which

it　sounds。　　On　Mount　Sinai；　it　was　thunder；　in　the　cabman's　heart

it　was　misery；　in　the　soul　of　St。　John　it　was　perfect　blessedness。



By　and　by　he　became　aware　that　there　was　a　voice　of　singing　in　the　room。　

This；　of　course；　was　the　voice　of　Diamond　singing　to　the　baby

song　after　song；　every　one　as　foolish　as　another　to　the　cabman；

for　he　was　too　tipsy　to　part　one　word　from　another：　　all　the　words

mixed　up　in　his　ear　in　a　gurgle　without　division　or　stop；　for　such

was　the　way　he　spoke　himself；　when　he　was　in　this　horrid　condition。　

But　the　baby　was　more　than　content　with　Diamond's　songs；　and　Diamond

himself　was　so　contented　with　what　the　songs　were　all　about；　that　he　did

not　care　a　bit　about　the　songs　themselves；　if　only　baby　liked　them。　

But　they　did　the　cabman　good　as　well　as　the　baby　and　Diamond；

for　they　put　him　to　sleep；　and　the　sleep　was　busy　all　the　time

it　lasted；　smoothing　the　wrinkles　out　of　his　temper。



At　length　Diamond　grew　tired　of　singing；　and　began　to　talk

to　the　baby　instead。　　And　as　soon　as　he　stopped　singing；

the　cabman　began　to　wake　up。　　His　brain　was　a　little　clearer　now；

his　temper　a　little　smoother；　and　his　heart　not　quite　so　dirty。　

He　began　to　listen　and　he　went　on　listening；　and　heard　Diamond

saying　to　the　baby　something　like　this；　for　he　thought　the　cabman

was　asleep：



〃Poor　daddy！　　Baby's　daddy　takes　too　much　beer　and　gin；　and　that

makes　him　somebody　else；　and　not　his　own　self　at　all。　　Baby's　daddy

would　never　hit　baby's　mammy　if　he　didn't　take　too　much　beer。　

He's　very　fond　of　baby's　mammy；　and　works　from　morning　to　night

to　get　her　breakfast　and　dinner　and　supper；　only　at　night　he　forgets；

and　pays　the　money　away　for　beer。　　And　they　put　nasty　stuff　in　beer；

I've　heard　my　daddy　say；　that　drives　all　the　good　out；　and　lets　all

the　bad　in。　　Daddy　says　when　a　man　takes　a　drink；　there's　a　thirsty

devil　creeps　into　his　inside；　because　he　knows　he　will　always　get

enough　there。　　And　the　devil　is　always　crying　out　for　more　drink；

and　that　makes　the　man　thirsty；　and　so　he　drinks　more　and　more；

till　he　kills　himself　with　it。　　And　then　the　ugly　devil　creeps

out　of　him；　and　crawls　about　on　his　belly；　looking　for　some　other

cabman　to　get　into；　that　he　may　drink；　drink；　drink。　　That's　what　my

daddy　says；　baby。　　And　he　says；　too；　the　only　way　to　make　the　devil

come　out　is　to　give　him　plenty　of　cold　water　and　tea　and　coffee；

and　nothing　at　all　that　comes　from　the　public…house；　for　the　devil

can't　abide　that　kind　of　stuff；　and　creeps　out　pretty　soon；　for　fear

of　being　drowned　in　it。　　But　your　daddy　will　drink　the　nasty　stuff；

poor　man！　　I　wish　he　wouldn't；　for　it　makes　mammy　cross　with　him；

and　no　wonder！　and　then　when　mammy's　cross；　he's　crosser；

and　there's　nobody　in　the　house　to　take　care　of　them　but　baby；

and　you　do　take　care　of　them；　babydon't　you；　baby？　　I　know　you　do。　

Babies　always　take　care　of　their　fathers　and　mothersdon't　they；　baby？　

That's　what　they　come　forisn't　it；　baby？　　And　when　daddy　stops

drinking　beer　and　nasty　gin　with　turpentine　in　it；　father　says；

then　mammy　will　be　so　happy；　and　look　so　pretty！　and　daddy　will

be　so　good　to　baby！　and　baby　will　be　as　happy　as　a　swallow；

which　is　the　merriest　fellow！　　And　Diamond　will　be　so　happy　too！　

And　when　Diamond's　a　man；　he'll　take　baby　out　with　him　on　the　box；

and　teach　him　to　drive　a　cab。〃



He　went　on　with　chatter　like　this　till　baby　was　asleep；　by　which

time　he　was　tired；　and　father　and　mother　were　both　wide　awake

only　rather　confusedthe　one　from　the　beer；　the　other　from　the　blow

and　staring；　the　one　from　his　chair；　the　other　from　her　bed；

at　Diamond。　　But　he　was　quite　unaware　of　their　notice；　for　he

sat　half…asleep；　with　his　eyes　wide　open；　staring　in　his　turn；

though　without　knowing　it；　at　the　cabman；　while　the　cabman　could

not　withdraw　his　gaze　from　Diamond's　white　face　and　big　eyes。　

For　Diamond's　face　was　always　rather　pale；　and　now　it　was　paler　than

usual　with　sleeplessness；　and　the　light　of　the　street…lamp　upon　it。　

At　length　he　found　himself　nodding；　and　he　knew　then　it　was　time

to　put　the　baby　down；　lest　he　should　let　him　fall。　　So　he　rose　from

the　little　three…legged　stool；　and　laid　the　baby　in　the　cradle；

and　covered　him　upit　was　well　it　was　a　warm　night；　and　he　did　not

want　much　coveringand　then　he　all　but　staggered　out　of　the　door；

he　was　so　tipsy　himself　with　sleep。



〃Wife；〃　said　the　cabman；　turning　towards　the　bed；　〃I　do　somehow　believe

that　wur　a　angel　just　gone。　　Did　you　see　him；　wife？　　He　warn't　wery　big；

and　he　hadn't　got　none　o'　them　wingses；　you　know。　　It　wur　one　o'

them　baby…angels　you　sees　on　the　gravestones；　you　know。〃



〃Nonsense；　hubby！〃　said　his　wife；　〃but　it's　just　as　good。　

I　might　say　better；　for　you　can　ketch　hold　of　him　when　you　like。　

That's　little　Diamond　as　everybody　knows；　and　a　duck　o'　diamonds　he　is！　

No　woman　could　wish　for　a　better　child　than　he　be。〃



〃I　ha'　heerd　on　him　in　the　stable；　but　I　never　see　the　brat　afore。　

Come；　old　girl；　let　bygones　be　bygones；　and　gie　us　a　kiss；

and　we'll　go　to　bed。〃



The　cabman　kept　his　cab　in　another　yard；　although　he　had　his　room

in　this。　　He　was　often　late　in　coming　home；　and　was　not　one　to　take

notice　of　children；　especially　when　he　was　tipsy；　which　was　oftener

than　not。　　Hence；　if　he　had　ever　seen　Diamond；　he　did　not　know　him。　

But　his　wife　knew　him　well　enough；　as　did　every　one　else　who　lived

all　day　in　the　yard。　　She　was　a　good…natured　woman。　　It　was　she

who　had　got　the　fire　lighted　and　the　tea　ready　for　them　when　Diamond

and　his　mother　came　home　from　Sandwich。　　And　her　husband　was　not

an　ill…natured　man　either；　and　when　in　the　morning　he　recalled　not

only　Diamond's　visit；　but　how　he　himself　had　behaved　to　his　wife；

he　was　very　vexed　with　himself；　and　gladdened　his　poor　wife's　heart

by　telling　her　how　sorry　he　was。　　And　for　a　whole　week　after；

he　did　not　go　near　the　public…house；　hard　as　it　was　to　avoid　it；

seeing　a　certain　rich　brewer　had　built　one；　like　a　trap　to　catch

souls　and　bodies　in；　at　almost　every　corner　he　had　to　pass　on　his

way　home。　　Indeed；　he　was　never　quite　so　bad　after　that；　though　it

was　some　time　before　he　began　really　to　reform。







CHAPTER　XIX



DIAMOND'S　FRIENDS





ONE　day　when　old　Diamond　was　standing　with　his　nose　in　his　bag

between　Pall　Mall　and　Cockspur　Street；　and　his　master　was　reading

the　newspaper　on　the　box　of　his　cab；　which　was　the　last　of　a　good

many　in　the　row；　little　Diamond　got　down　for　a　run；　for　his　legs

were　getting　cramped　with　sitting。　　And　first　of　all　he　strolled

with　his　hands　in　his　pockets　up　to　the　crossing；　where　the　girl

and　her　broom　were　to　be　found　in　all　weathers。　　Just　as　he　was

going　to　speak　to　her；　a　tall　gentleman　stepped　upon　the　crossing。　

He　was　pleased　to　find　it　so　clean；　for　the　streets　were　muddy；

and　he　had　nice　boots　on；　so　he　put　his　hand　in　his　pocket；

and　gave　the　girl　a　penny。　　But　when　she　gave　him　a　sweet　smile

in　return；　and　made　him　a　pretty　courtesy；　he　looked　at　her　again；

and　said：



〃Where　do　you　live；　my　child？〃



〃Paradise　Row；〃　she　answered；　〃next　door　to　the　Adam　and　Eve

down　the　area。〃



〃Whom　do　you　live　with？〃　he　asked。



〃My　wicked　old　grannie；〃　she　replied。



〃You　shouldn't　call　your　grannie　wicked；〃　said　the　gentleman。



〃But　she　is；〃　said　the　girl；　looking　up　confidently　in　his　face。　

〃If　you　don't　believe　me；　you　can　come　and　take　a　look　at　her。〃



The　words　sounded　rude；　but　the　girl's　face　looked　so　simple

that　the　gentleman　saw　she　did　not　mean　to　be　rude；　and　became

still　more　interested　in　her。



〃Still　you　shouldn't　say　so；〃　he　insisted。



〃Shouldn't　I？　　Everybody　calls　her　wicked　old　grannieeven　them

that's　as　wicked　as　her。　　You　should　hear　her　swear。　　There's　nothing

like　it　in　the　Row。　　Indeed；　I　assure　you；　sir；　there's　ne'er

a　one　of　them　can　shut　my　grannie　up　once　she　begins　and　gets

right　a…going。　You　must　put　her　in　a　passion　first；　you　know。　

It's　no　good　till　you　do　thatshe's　so　old　now。　　How　she　do　make

them　laugh；　to　be　sure！〃



Although　she　called　her　wicked；　the　child　spoke　so　as　plainly

to　indicate　pride　in　her　grannie's　pre…eminence　in　swearing。



The　gentleman　looked　very　grave　to　hear　her；　for　he　was　sorry

that　such　a　nice　little　girl　should　be　in　such　bad　keeping。　

But　he　did　not　know　what　to　say　next；　and　stood　for　a　moment

with　his　eyes　on　the　ground。　　When　he　lifted　them；　he　saw　the　face

of　Diamond　looking　up　in　his。



〃Please；　sir；〃　said　Diamond；　〃her　grannie's　very　cruel　to　her　sometimes；

and　shuts　her　out　in　the　streets　at　night；　if　she　happens　to　be　late。〃



〃Is　this　your　brother？〃　asked　the　gentleman　of　the　girl。



〃No；　sir。〃



〃How　does　he　know　your　grandmother；　then？　　He　does　not　look

like　one　of　her　sort。〃



〃Oh　no；　sir！　　He's　a　good　boyquite。〃



Here　she　tapped　her　forehead　with　her　finger　in　a　significant　manner。



〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　asked　the　gentleman；　while　Diamond

looked　on　smiling。



〃The　cabbies　call　him　God's　baby；〃　she　whispered。　　〃He's　not　right

in　the　head；　you　know。　　A　tile　loose。〃



Still　Diamond；　though　he　heard　every　word；　and　understood　it　too；

kept　on　smiling。　　What　could　it　matter　what　people　called　him；

so　long　as　he　did　nothing　he　ought　not　to　do？　　And；　besides；　God's　baby

was　surely　the　best　of　names！



〃Well；　my　little　man；　and　what　can　you　do？〃　asked　the　gentleman；

turning　towards　himjust　for　the　sake　of　saying　something。



〃Drive　a　cab；〃　said　Diamond。



〃Good；　and　what　else？〃　he　continued；　for；　accepting　what　the　girl

had　said；　he　regarded　the　still　sweetness　of　Diamond's　face　as　a

sign　of　silliness；　and　wished　to　be　kind　to　the　poor　little　fellow。



〃Nurse　a　baby；〃　said　Diamond。



〃Welland　what　else？〃



〃Clean　father's　boots；　and　make　him　a　bit　of　toast　for　his　tea。〃



〃You're　a　useful　little　man；〃　said　the　gentleman。　　〃What　else　can

you　do？〃



〃Not　much　that　I　know　of；〃　said　Diamond。　　〃I　can't　curry　a　horse；

except　somebody　puts　me　on　his　back。　　So　I　don't　count