at the back of the north wind-第23章
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With whistle and pipe； and rustle and hollo。〃
And the wind wound round at his desire；
As if he had been the gold cock on the spire。
And the cock itself flew down from the church；
And left the farmers all in the lurch。
They run and they fly； they creep and they come；
Everything； everything； all and some。
The very trees they tugged at their roots；
Only their feet were too fast in their boots；
After him leaning and straining and bending；
As on through their boles he kept walking and wending；
Till out of the wood he burst on a lea；
Shouting and calling； 〃Come after me！〃
And then they rose up with a leafy hiss；
And stood as if nothing had been amiss。
Little Boy Blue sat down on a stone；
And the creatures came round him every one。
And he said to the clouds； 〃I want you there。〃
And down they sank through the thin blue air。
And he said to the sunset far in the West；
〃Come here； I want you； I know best。〃
And the sunset came and stood up on the wold；
And burned and glowed in purple and gold。
Then Little Boy Blue began to ponder：
〃What's to be done with them all； I wonder。〃
Then Little Boy Blue； he said； quite low；
〃What to do with you all I am sure I don't know。〃
Then the clouds clodded down till dismal it grew；
The snake sneaked close； round Birdie Brown flew；
The brook sat up like a snake on its tail；
And the wind came up with a what…will…you wail；
And all the creatures sat and stared；
The mole opened his very eyes and glared；
And for rats and bats and the world and his wife；
Little Boy Blue was afraid of his life。
Then Birdie Brown began to sing；
And what he sang was the very thing：
〃You have brought us all hither； Little Boy Blue；
Pray what do you want us all to do？〃
〃Go away！ go away！〃 said Little Boy Blue；
〃I'm sure I don't want you get away do。〃
〃No； no； no； no； no； yes； and no； no；〃
Sang Birdie Brown； 〃it mustn't be so。
〃We cannot for nothing come here； and away。
Give us some work； or else we stay。〃
〃Oh dear！ and oh dear！〃 with sob and with sigh；
Said Little Boy Blue； and began to cry。
But before he got far； he thought of a thing；
And up he stood； and spoke like a king。
〃Why do you hustle and jostle and bother？
Off with you all！ Take me back to my mother。〃
The sunset stood at the gates of the west。
〃Follow me； follow me〃 came from Birdie Brown's breast。
〃I am going that way as fast as I can；〃
Said the brook； as it sank and turned and ran。
Back to the woods fled the shadows like ghosts：
〃If we stay； we shall all be missed from our posts。〃
Said the wind with a voice that had changed its cheer；
〃I was just going there； when you brought me here。〃
〃That's where I live；〃 said the sack…backed squirrel；
And he turned his sack with a swing and a swirl。
Said the cock of the spire； 〃His father's churchwarden。〃
Said the brook running faster； 〃I run through his garden。〃
Said the mole； 〃Two hundred worms there I caught 'em
Last year； and I'm going again next autumn。〃
Said they all； 〃If that's where you want us to steer for；
What in earth or in water did you bring us here for？〃
〃Never you mind；〃 said Little Boy Blue；
〃That's what I tell you。 If that you won't do；
〃I'll get up at once； and go home without you。
I think I will； I begin to doubt you。〃
He rose； and up rose the snake on its tail；
And hissed three times； half a hiss； half a wail。
Little Boy Blue he tried to go past him；
But wherever he turned； sat the snake and faced him。
〃If you don't get out of my way；〃 he said；
〃I tell you； snake； I will break your head。〃
The snake he neither would go nor come；
So he hit him hard with the stick of his drum。
The snake fell down as if he were dead；
And Little Boy Blue set his foot on his head。
And all the creatures they marched before him；
And marshalled him home with a high cockolorum。
And Birdie Brown sang Twirrrr twitter twirrrr twee
Apples and cherries； roses and honey；
Little Boy Blue has listened to me
All so jolly and funny。
CHAPTER XXI
SAL'S NANNY
DIAMOND managed with many blunders to read this rhyme to his mother。
〃Isn't it nice； mother？〃 he said。
〃Yes； it's pretty；〃 she answered。
〃I think it means something；〃 returned Diamond。
〃I'm sure I don't know what；〃 she said。
〃I wonder if it's the same boyyes； it must be the same
Little Boy Blue； you know。 Let me seehow does that rhyme go？
Little Boy Blue； come blow me your horn
Yes； of course it isfor this one went ‘blowing his horn and beating
his drum。' He had a drum too。
Little Boy Blue； come blow me your horn；
The sheep's in the meadow； the cow's in the corn；
He had to keep them out； you know。 But he wasn't minding his work。
It goes
Where's the little boy that looks after the sheep？
He's under the haystack； fast asleep。
There； you see； mother！ And then； let me see
Who'll go and wake him？ No； not I；
For if I do； he'll be sure to cry。
So I suppose nobody did wake him。 He was a rather cross little boy；
I daresay； when woke up。 And when he did wake of himself； and saw
the mischief the cow had done to the corn； instead of running
home to his mother； he ran away into the wood and lost himself。
Don't you think that's very likely； mother？〃
〃I shouldn't wonder；〃 she answered。
〃So you see he was naughty； for even when he lost himself he
did not want to go home。 Any of the creatures would have shown
him the way if he had asked itall but the snake。 He followed
the snake； you know； and he took him farther away。 I suppose it
was a young one of the same serpent that tempted Adam and Eve。
Father was telling us about it last Sunday； you remember。〃
〃Bless the child！〃 said his mother to herself； and then added aloud；
finding that Diamond did not go on； 〃Well； what next？〃
〃I don't know； mother。 I'm sure there's a great deal more；
but what it is I can't say。 I only know that he killed the snake。
I suppose that's what he had a drumstick for。 He couldn't do it
with his horn。〃
〃But surely you're not such a silly as to take it all for true； Diamond？〃
〃I think it must be。 It looks true。 That killing of the snake
looks true。 It's what I've got to do so often。〃
His mother looked uneasy。 Diamond smiled full in her face；
and added
〃When baby cries and won't be happy； and when father and you talk
about your troubles； I mean。〃
This did little to reassure his mother； and lest my reader should
have his qualms about it too； I venture to remind him once more
that Diamond had been to the back of the north wind。
Finding she made no reply； Diamond went on
〃In a week or so； I shall be able to go to the tall gentleman
and tell him I can read。 And I'll ask him if he can help
me to understand the rhyme。〃
But before the week was out； he had another reason for going
to Mr。 Raymond。
For three days； on each of which； at one time or other； Diamond's
father was on the same stand near the National Gallery； the girl
was not at her crossing； and Diamond got quite anxious about her；
fearing she must be ill。 On the fourth day； not seeing her yet；
he said to his father； who had that moment shut the door of his cab
upon a fare
〃Father； I want to go and look after the girl； She can't be well。〃
〃All right；〃 said his father。 〃Only take care of yourself； Diamond。〃
So saying he climbed on his box and drove off。
He had great confidence in his boy； you see； and would trust
him anywhere。 But if he had known the kind of place in which
the girl lived； he would perhaps have thought twice before he
allowed him to go alone。 Diamond； who did know something of it；
had not； however； any fear。 From talking to the girl he had
a good notion of where about it was； and he remembered the
address well enough； so by asking his way some twenty times；
mostly of policemen； he came at length pretty near the place。
The last policeman he questioned looked down upon him from the summit
of six feet two inches； and replied with another question； but kindly：
〃What do you want there； my small kid？ It ain't where you was bred；
I guess。〃
〃No sir〃 answered Diamond。 〃I live in Bloomsbury。〃
〃That's a long way off；〃 said the policeman。
〃Yes； it's a good distance；〃 answered Diamond； 〃but I find my way
about pretty well。 Policemen are always kind to me。〃
〃But what on earth do you want here？〃
Diamond told him plainly what he was about； and of course the man
believed him； for nobody ever disbelieved Diamond。 People might
think he was mistaken； but they never thought he was telling a story。
〃It's an ugly place；〃 said the policeman。
〃Is it far off？〃 asked Diamond。
〃No。 It's next door almost。 But it's not safe。〃
〃Nobody hurts me；〃 said Diamond。
〃I must go with you； I suppose。〃
〃Oh； no！ please not；〃 said Diamond。 〃They might think I was going
to meddle with them； and I ain't； you know。〃
〃Well； do as you please；〃 said the man； and gave him full directions。
Diamond set off； never suspecting that the policeman； who was a
kind…hearted man； with children of his own； was following him close；
and watching him round every corner。 As he went on； all at once
he thought he remembered the place； and whether it really was so；
or only that he had laid up the policeman's instructions well in
his mind； he went straight for the cellar of old Sal。
〃He's a sharp little kid； anyhow； for as simple as he looks；〃
said the man to himself。 〃Not a wrong turn does he take！
But old Sal's a rum un for such a child to pay a morning visit to。
She's worse when she's sober than when she's half drunk。 I've seen
her when she'd have torn him in pieces。〃
Happily then for Diamond； old Sal had gone out to get some gin。
When he came to her door at the bottom of the area…stair and knocked；
he received no answer。 He laid his ear to the door； and thought he heard
a moaning within。 So he tried the door； and found it was not locked！
It was a dreary place indeed；and very dark； for the window was below
the level of the street； and covered with mud； while over the grating
which kept people from falling into the area； stood a chest of drawers；
placed there by a dealer in second…hand furniture； which shut out
almost all the light。 And the smell in the place was dreadful。
Diamond stood still for a while； for he co
