at the back of the north wind-第27章

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for　Old　Sal's　gin；　would　have　gone　for　father's　beef…tea。　I　wonder

what　Nanny　will　do　when　she　gets　well　again。　　Somebody　else

will　be　sure　to　have　taken　the　crossing　by　that　time。　　I　wonder

if　she　will　fight　for　it；　and　whether　I　shall　have　to　help　her。　

I　won't　bother　my　head　about　that。　　Time　enough　yet！　　Hey　diddle！

hey　diddle！　hey　diddle　diddle！　　I　wonder　whether　Mr。　Raymond　would

take　me　to　see　Nanny。　　Hey　diddle！　hey　diddle！　hey　diddle　diddle！　

The　baby　and　fiddle！　　O；　mother；　I'm　such　a　silly！　　But　I　can't　help　it。　

I　wish　I　could　think　of　something　else；　but　there's　nothing　will

come　into　my　head　but　hey　diddle　diddle！　the　cat　and　the　fiddle！　

I　wonder　what　the　angels　dowhen　they're　extra　happy；　you　know

when　they've　been　driving　cabs　all　day　and　taking　home　the　money　to

their　mothers。　　Do　you　think　they　ever　sing　nonsense；　mother？〃



〃I　daresay　they've　got　their　own　sort　of　it；〃　answered　his　mother；

〃else　they　wouldn't　be　like　other　people。〃　　She　was　thinking　more

of　her　twenty…one　shillings　and　sixpence；　and　of　the　nice　dinner

she　would　get　for　her　sick　husband　next　day；　than　of　the　angels

and　their　nonsense；　when　she　said　it。　　But　Diamond　found　her　answer

all　right。



〃Yes；　to　be　sure；〃　he　replied。　　〃They　wouldn't　be　like　other　people

if　they　hadn't　their　nonsense　sometimes。　　But　it　must　be　very

pretty　nonsense；　and　not　like　that　silly　hey　diddle　diddle！　the　cat

and　the　fiddle！　　I　wish　I　could　get　it　out　of　my　head。　　I　wonder

what　the　angels'　nonsense　is　like。　　Nonsense　is　a　very　good　thing；

ain't　it；　mother？a　little　of　it　now　and　then；　more　of　it　for　baby；

and　not　so　much　for　grown　people　like　cabmen　and　their　mothers？　

It's　like　the　pepper　and　salt　that　goes　in　the　soupthat's　it

isn't　it；　mother？　　There's　baby　fast　asleep！　　Oh；　what　a　nonsense　baby

it　isto　sleep　so　much！　　Shall　I　put　him　down；　mother？〃



Diamond　chattered　away。　　What　rose　in　his　happy　little　heart　ran

out　of　his　mouth；　and　did　his　father　and　mother　good。　　When　he　went

to　bed；　which　he　did　early；　being　more　tired；　as　you　may　suppose；

than　usual；　he　was　still　thinking　what　the　nonsense　could　be　like

which　the　angels　sang　when　they　were　too　happy　to　sing　sense。　

But　before　coming　to　any　conclusion　he　fell　fast　asleep。　　And　no　wonder；

for　it　must　be　acknowledged　a　difficult　question。



That　night　he　had　a　very　curious　dream　which　I　think　my　readers　would

like　to　have　told　them。　　They　would；　at　least；　if　they　are　as　fond

of　nice　dreams　as　I　am；　and　don't　have　enough　of　them　of　their　own。



He　dreamed　that　he　was　running　about　in　the　twilight　in　the　old　garden。　

He　thought　he　was　waiting　for　North　Wind；　but　she　did　not　come。　

So　he　would　run　down　to　the　back　gate；　and　see　if　she　were　there。　

He　ran　and　ran。　　It　was　a　good　long　garden　out　of　his　dream；

but　in　his　dream　it　had　grown　so　long　and　spread　out　so　wide　that　the

gate　he　wanted　was　nowhere。　　He　ran　and　ran；　but　instead　of　coming

to　the　gate　found　himself　in　a　beautiful　country；　not　like　any

country　he　had　ever　been　in　before。　　There　were　no　trees　of　any　size；

nothing　bigger　in　fact　than　hawthorns；　which　were　full　of　may…blossom。

The　place　in　which　they　grew　was　wild　and　dry；　mostly　covered

with　grass；　but　having　patches　of　heath。　　It　extended　on　every　side

as　far　as　he　could　see。　　But　although　it　was　so　wild；　yet　wherever

in　an　ordinary　heath　you　might　have　expected　furze　bushes；　or　holly；

or　broom；　there　grew　roseswild　and　rareall　kinds。　　On　every　side；

far　and　near；　roses　were　glowing。　　There　too　was　the　gum…cistus；

whose　flowers　fall　every　night　and　come　again　the　next　morning；

lilacs　and　syringas　and　laburnums；　and　many　shrubs　besides；

of　which　he　did　not　know　the　names；　but　the　roses　were　everywhere。　

He　wandered　on　and　on；　wondering　when　it　would　come　to　an　end。　

It　was　of　no　use　going　back；　for　there　was　no　house　to　be　seen　anywhere。　

But　he　was　not　frightened；　for　you　know　Diamond　was　used　to　things　that

were　rather　out　of　the　way。　　He　threw　himself　down　under　a　rose…bush；

and　fell　asleep。



He　woke；　not　out　of　his　dream；　but　into　it；　thinking　he　heard　a　child's

voice；　calling　〃Diamond；　Diamond！〃　　He　jumped　up；　but　all　was　still

about　him。　　The　rose…bushes　were　pouring　out　their　odours　in　clouds。　

He　could　see　the　scent　like　mists　of　the　same　colour　as　the　rose；

issuing　like　a　slow　fountain　and　spreading　in　the　air　till　it

joined　the　thin　rosy　vapour　which　hung　over　all　the　wilderness。　

But　again　came　the　voice　calling　him；　and　it　seemed　to　come　from

over　his　head。　　He　looked　up；　but　saw　only　the　deep　blue　sky　full

of　starsmore　brilliant；　however；　than　he　had　seen　them　before；

and　both　sky　and　stars　looked　nearer　to　the　earth。



While　he　gazed　up；　again　he　heard　the　cry。　　At　the　same　moment　he

saw　one　of　the　biggest　stars　over　his　head　give　a　kind　of　twinkle

and　jump；　as　if　it　went　out　and　came　in　again。　　He　threw　himself

on　his　back；　and　fixed　his　eyes　upon　it。　　Nor　had　he　gazed　long

before　it　went　out；　leaving　something　like　a　scar　in　the　blue。　

But　as　he　went　on　gazing　he　saw　a　face　where　the　star　had　been

a　merry　face；　with　bright　eyes。　　The　eyes　appeared　not　only　to

see　Diamond；　but　to　know　that　Diamond　had　caught　sight　of　them；

for　the　face　withdrew　the　same　moment。　　Again　came　the　voice；

calling　〃Diamond；　Diamond；〃　and　in　jumped　the　star　to　its　place。



Diamond　called　as　loud　as　he　could；　right　up　into　the　sky：



〃Here's　Diamond；　down　below　you。　　What　do　you　want　him　to　do？〃



The　next　instant　many　of　the　stars　round　about　that　one　went　out；

and　many　voices　shouted　from　the　sky；



〃Come　up；　come　up。　　We're　so　jolly！　　Diamond！　　Diamond！〃



This　was　followed　by　a　peal　of　the　merriest；　kindliest　laughter；

and　all　the　stars　jumped　into　their　places　again。



〃How　am　I　to　come　up？〃　shouted　Diamond。



〃Go　round　the　rose…bush。　It's　got　its　foot　in　it；〃　said　the　first　voice。



Diamond　got　up　at　once；　and　walked　to　the　other　side　of　the　rose…bush。



There　he　found　what　seemed　the　very　opposite　of　what　he　wanted

a　stair　down　into　the　earth。　　It　was　of　turf　and　moss。　　It　did　not　seem

to　promise　well　for　getting　into　the　sky；　but　Diamond　had　learned

to　look　through　the　look　of　things。　　The　voice　must　have　meant

that　he　was　to　go　down　this　stair；　and　down　this　stair　Diamond　went；

without　waiting　to　think　more　about　it。



It　was　such　a　nice　stair；　so　cool　and　softall　the　sides　as　well

as　the　steps　grown　with　moss　and　grass　and　ferns！　　Down　and　down

Diamond　wenta　long　way；　until　at　last　he　heard　the　gurgling

and　splashing　of　a　little　stream；　nor　had　he　gone　much　farther

before　he　met　ityes；　met　it　coming　up　the　stairs　to　meet　him；

running　up　just　as　naturally　as　if　it　had　been　doing　the　other　thing。　

Neither　was　Diamond　in　the　least　surprised　to　see　it　pitching　itself

from　one　step　to　another　as　it　climbed　towards　him：　　he　never

thought　it　was　oddand　no　more　it　was；　there。　　It　would　have　been

odd　here。　　It　made　a　merry　tune　as　it　came；　and　its　voice　was　like

the　laughter　he　had　heard　from　the　sky。　　This　appeared　promising；

and　he　went　on；　down　and　down　the　stair；　and　up　and　up　the　stream；

till　at　last　he　came　where　it　hurried　out　from　under　a　stone；

and　the　stair　stopped　altogether。　　And　as　the　stream　bubbled　up；

the　stone　shook　and　swayed　with　its　force；　and　Diamond　thought　he

would　try　to　lift　it。　　Lightly　it　rose　to　his　hand；　forced　up　by　the

stream　from　below；　and；　by　what　would　have　seemed　an　unaccountable

perversion　of　things　had　he　been　awake；　threatened　to　come　tumbling

upon　his　head。　　But　he　avoided　it；　and　when　it　fell；　got　upon　it。　

He　now　saw　that　the　opening　through　which　the　water　came　pouring

in　was　over　his　head；　and　with　the　help　of　the　stone　he　scrambled

out　by　it；　and　found　himself　on　the　side　of　a　grassy　hill　which

rounded　away　from　him　in　every　direction；　and　down　which　came

the　brook　which　vanished　in　the　hole。　　But　scarcely　had　he　noticed

so　much　as　this　before　a　merry　shouting　and　laughter　burst　upon　him；

and　a　number　of　naked　little　boys　came　running；　every　one　eager　to　get

to　him　first。　　At　the　shoulders　of　each　fluttered　two　little　wings；

which　were　of　no　use　for　flying；　as　they　were　mere　buds；　only　being

made　for　it　they　could　not　help　fluttering　as　if　they　were　flying。　

Just　as　the　foremost　of　the　troop　reached　him；　one　or　two　of

them　fell；　and　the　rest　with　shouts　of　laughter　came　tumbling

over　them　till　they　heaped　up　a　mound　of　struggling　merriment。　

One　after　another　they　extricated　themselves；　and　each　as　he　got

free　threw　his　arms　round　Diamond　and　kissed　him。　　Diamond's　heart

was　ready　to　melt　within　him　from　clear　delight。　　When　they　had　all

embraced　him；



〃Now　let　us　have　some　fun；〃　cried　one；　and　with　a　shout　they　all　scampered

hither　and　thither；　and　played　the　wildest　gambols　on　the　grassy　slopes。　

They　kept　constantly　coming　back　to　Diamond；　however；　as　the　centre　of

their　enjoyment；　rejoicing　over　him　as　if　they　had　found　a　lost　playmate。



There　was　a　wind　on　the　hillside　which　blew　like　the　very　embodiment

of　living　gladness。　　It　blew　into　Diamond's　heart；　and　made　him

so　happy　that　he　was　forced　to　sit　down　and　cry。



〃Now　let's　go　and　dig　for　stars；〃　said　one　who　seemed　to　be

the　captain　of　the　troop。



They　all　scurried　away；　but　soon　returned；　one　after　another；

each　with　a　pickaxe　on　his　shoulder　and　a　spade　in　his　hand。　

As　soon　as　they　were　gathered；　the　captain　led　them　in　a　straight

line　to　another　part　of　the　hill。　　Diamond　rose　and　followed。



〃Here　is　where　we　begin　our　lesson　for　to…night；〃　he　said。　

〃Scatter　and　dig。〃



There　was　no　more　fun。　　Each　went　by　himself；　walking　slowly　with　bent

shoulders　and　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　ground。　　Every　now　and　then

one　would　stop；　kneel　down；　and　look　intently；　feeling　with　his

hands　and　parting　the　grass。　　One　would　get　up　and　walk　on　again；

another　spring　to　his　feet；　catch　eagerly　at　his　pickaxe　and

strike　it　into　the　ground　once　and　again；　then　throw　it　aside；

snatch　up　his　spade；　and　commence　digging　at　the　loosened　earth。　

Now　one　would　sorrowfully　shovel　the　earth　into　the　hole　again；

trample　it　down　with　his　little　bare　white　feet；　and　walk　on。　

But　another　would　give　a　joyful　shout；　and　after　much　tugging

and　loosening　would　draw　from　the　hole　a　lump　as　big　as　his　head；

or　no　bigger　than　his　fist；　when　the　under　side　of　it　would　pour

such　a　blaze　of　golden　or　bluish　light　into　Diamond's　eyes　that　he

was　quite　dazzled。　　Gold　and　blue　were　the　commoner　colours：　

the　jubilation　was　greater　over　red　or　green　or　purple。　　And　every

time　a　star　was　dug　up　all　the　little　angels　dropped　their　tools

and　crowded　about　it；　shouting　and　dancing　and　fluttering　their

wing…buds。



When　they　had　examined　it　well；　they　would　kneel　down　one　after　the

other　and　peep　through　the　hole；　but　they　always　stood　back　to　give

Diamond　the　first　look。　　All　that　diamond　could　report；　however；　wa