at the back of the north wind-第29章

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I　have　said　that　he　had　not　behaved　very　well　to　Miss　Coleman。　

He　had　put　off　their　marriage　more　than　once　in　a　cowardly　fashion；

merely　because　he　was　ashamed　to　marry　upon　a　small　income；

and　live　in　a　humble　way。　　When　a　man　thinks　of　what　people　will　say

in　such　a　case；　he　may　love；　but　his　love　is　but　a　poor　affair。　

Mr。　Coleman　took　him　into　the　firm　as　a　junior　partner；　and　it

was　in　a　measure　through　his　influence　that　he　entered　upon　those

speculations　which　ruined　him。　　So　his　love　had　not　been　a　blessing。　

The　ship　which　North　Wind　had　sunk　was　their　last　venture；

and　Mr。　Evans　had　gone　out　with　it　in　the　hope　of　turning　its

cargo　to　the　best　advantage。　　He　was　one　of　the　single　boat…load

which　managed　to　reach　a　desert　island；　and　he　had　gone　through

a　great　many　hardships　and　sufferings　since　then。　　But　he　was　not

past　being　taught；　and　his　troubles　had　done　him　no　end　of　good；

for　they　had　made　him　doubt　himself；　and　begin　to　think；　so　that

he　had　come　to　see　that　he　had　been　foolish　as　well　as　wicked。　

For；　if　he　had　had　Miss　Coleman　with　him　in　the　desert　island；

to　build　her　a　hut；　and　hunt　for　her　food；　and　make　clothes　for　her；

he　would　have　thought　himself　the　most　fortunate　of　men；　and　when　he

was　at　home；　he　would　not　marry　till　he　could　afford　a　man…servant。

Before　he　got　home　again；　he　had　even　begun　to　understand　that　no　man

can　make　haste　to　be　rich　without　going　against　the　will　of　God；

in　which　case　it　is　the　one　frightful　thing　to　be　successful。　

So　he　had　come　back　a　more　humble　man；　and　longing　to　ask　Miss　Coleman

to　forgive　him。　　But　he　had　no　idea　what　ruin　had　fallen　upon　them；

for　he　had　never　made　himself　thoroughly　acquainted　with　the

firm's　affairs。　　Few　speculative　people　do　know　their　own　affairs。　

Hence　he　never　doubted　he　should　find　matters　much　as　he　left　them；

and　expected　to　see　them　all　at　The　Wilderness　as　before。　　But　if　he

had　not　fallen　in　with　Diamond；　he　would　not　have　thought　of　going

there　first。



What　was　Diamond　to　do？　　He　had　heard　his　father　and　mother　drop

some　remarks　concerning　Mr。　Evans　which　made　him　doubtful　of　him。　

He　understood　that　he　had　not　been　so　considerate　as　he　might　have　been。　

So　he　went　rather　slowly　till　he　should　make　up　his　mind。　　It　was；

of　course；　of　no　use　to　drive　Mr。　Evans　to　Chiswick。　　But　if　he

should　tell　him　what　had　befallen　them；　and　where　they　lived　now；

he　might　put　off　going　to　see　them；　and　he　was　certain　that　Miss　Coleman；

at　least；　must　want　very　much　to　see　Mr。　Evans。　　He　was　pretty　sure

also　that　the　best　thing　in　any　case　was　to　bring　them　together；

and　let　them　set　matters　right　for　themselves。



The　moment　he　came　to　this　conclusion；　he　changed　his　course　from

westward　to　northward；　and　went　straight　for　Mr。　Coleman's　poor

little　house　in　Hoxton。　　Mr。　Evans　was　too　tired　and　too　much

occupied　with　his　thoughts　to　take　the　least　notice　of　the　streets

they　passed　through；　and　had　no　suspicion；　therefore；　of　the　change

of　direction。



By　this　time　the　wind　had　increased　almost　to　a　hurricane；　and　as　they

had　often　to　head　it；　it　was　no　joke　for　either　of　the　Diamonds。　

The　distance；　however；　was　not　great。　　Before　they　reached　the　street

where　Mr。　Coleman　lived　it　blew　so　tremendously；　that　when　Miss　Coleman；

who　was　going　out　a　little　way；　opened　the　door；　it　dashed　against

the　wall　with　such　a　bang；　that　she　was　afraid　to　venture；　and　went

in　again。　　In　five　minutes　after；　Diamond　drew　up　at　the　door。　

As　soon　as　he　had　entered　the　street；　however；　the　wind　blew

right　behind　them；　and　when　he　pulled　up；　old　Diamond　had　so　much

ado　to　stop　the　cab　against　it；　that　the　breeching　broke。　

Young　Diamond　jumped　off　his　box；　knocked　loudly　at　the　door；

then　turned　to　the　cab　and　saidbefore　Mr。　Evans　had　quite　begun

to　think　something　must　be　amiss：



〃Please；　sir；　my　harness　has　given　away。　　Would　you　mind　stepping

in　here　for　a　few　minutes？　　They're　friends　of　mine。　　I'll　take　you

where　you　like　after　I've　got　it　mended。　　I　shan't　be　many　minutes；

but　you　can't　stand　in　this　wind。〃



Half　stupid　with　fatigue　and　want　of　food；　Mr。　Evans　yielded

to　the　boy's　suggestion；　and　walked　in　at　the　door　which　the　maid

held　with　difficulty　against　the　wind。　　She　took　Mr。　Evans

for　a　visitor；　as　indeed　he　was；　and　showed　him　into　the　room

on　the　ground…floor。　Diamond；　who　had　followed　into　the　hall；

whispered　to　her　as　she　closed　the　door



〃Tell　Miss　Coleman。　　It's　Miss　Coleman　he　wants　to　see。〃



〃I　don't　know〃　said　the　maid。　　〃He　don't　look　much　like　a　gentleman。〃



〃He　is；　though；　and　I　know　him；　and　so　does　Miss　Coleman。〃



The　maid　could　not　but　remember　Diamond；　having　seen　him　when　he

and　his　father　brought　the　ladies　home。　　So　she　believed　him；

and　went　to　do　what　he　told　her。



What　passed　in　the　little　parlour　when　Miss　Coleman　came　down

does　not　belong　to　my　story；　which　is　all　about　Diamond。　

If　he　had　known　that　Miss　Coleman　thought　Mr。　Evans　was　dead；

perhaps　he　would　have　managed　differently。　　There　was　a　cry

and　a　running　to　and　fro　in　the　house；　and　then　all　was　quiet　again。



Almost　as　soon　as　Mr。　Evans　went　in；　the　wind　began　to　cease；

and　was　now　still。　　Diamond　found　that　by　making　the　breeching

just　a　little　tighter　than　was　quite　comfortable　for　the　old

horse　he　could　do　very　well　for　the　present；　and；　thinking　it

better　to　let　him　have　his　bag　in　this　quiet　place；　he　sat

on　the　box　till　the　old　horse　should　have　eaten　his　dinner。　

In　a　little　while　Mr。　Evans　came　out；　and　asked　him　to　come　in。　

Diamond　obeyed；　and　to　his　delight　Miss　Coleman　put　her　arms　round

him　and　kissed　him；　and　there　was　payment　for　him！　　Not　to　mention

the　five　precious　shillings　she　gave　him；　which　he　could　not　refuse

because　his　mother　wanted　them　so　much　at　home　for　his　father。　

He　left　them　nearly　as　happy　as　they　were　themselves。



The　rest　of　the　day　he　did　better；　and；　although　he　had　not　so

much　to　take　home　as　the　day　before；　yet　on　the　whole　the　result

was　satisfactory。　　And　what　a　story　he　had　to　tell　his　father

and　mother　about　his　adventures；　and　how　he　had　done；　and　what　was

the　result！　　They　asked　him　such　a　multitude　of　questions！　some

of　which　he　could　answer；　and　some　of　which　he　could　not　answer；

and　his　father　seemed　ever　so　much　better　from　finding　that　his　boy

was　already　not　only　useful　to　his　family　but　useful　to　other　people；

and　quite　taking　his　place　as　a　man　who　judged　what　was　wise；

and　did　work　worth　doing。



For　a　fortnight　Diamond　went　on　driving　his　cab；　and　keeping　his　family。　

He　had　begun　to　be　known　about　some　parts　of　London；　and　people　would

prefer　taking　his　cab　because　they　liked　what　they　heard　of　him。　

One　gentleman　who　lived　near　the　mews　engaged　him　to　carry　him

to　the　City　every　morning　at　a　certain　hour；　and　Diamond　was

punctual　as　clockworkthough　to　effect　that　required　a　good　deal

of　care；　for　his　father's　watch　was　not　much　to　be　depended　on；

and　had　to　be　watched　itself　by　the　clock　of　St。　George's　church。　

Between　the　two；　however；　he　did　make　a　success　of　it。



After　that　fortnight；　his　father　was　able　to　go　out　again。　

Then　Diamond　went　to　make　inquiries　about　Nanny；　and　this　led

to　something　else。







CHAPTER　XXVII



THE　CHILDREN'S　HOSPITAL





THE　first　day　his　father　resumed　his　work；　Diamond　went　with　him

as　usual。　　In　the　afternoon；　however；　his　father；　having　taken

a　fare　to　the　neighbourhood；　went　home；　and　Diamond　drove　the　cab

the　rest　of　the　day。　　It　was　hard　for　old　Diamond　to　do　all

the　work；　but　they　could　not　afford　to　have　another　horse。　

They　contrived　to　save　him　as　much　as　possible；　and　fed　him　well；

and　he　did　bravely。



The　next　morning　his　father　was　so　much　stronger　that　Diamond

thought　he　might　go　and　ask　Mr。　Raymond　to　take　him　to　see　Nanny。　

He　found　him　at　home。　　His　servant　had　grown　friendly　by　this　time；

and　showed　him　in　without　any　cross…questioning。　Mr。　Raymond　received

him　with　his　usual　kindness；　consented　at　once；　and　walked　with　him

to　the　Hospital；　which　was　close　at　hand。　　It　was　a　comfortable

old…fashioned　house；　built　in　the　reign　of　Queen　Anne；　and　in　her　day；

no　doubt；　inhabited　by　rich　and　fashionable　people：　　now　it　was　a　home

for　poor　sick　children；　who　were　carefully　tended　for　love's　sake。　

There　are　regions　in　London　where　a　hospital　in　every　other　street

might　be　full　of　such　children；　whose　fathers　and　mothers　are　dead；

or　unable　to　take　care　of　them。



When　Diamond　followed　Mr。　Raymond　into　the　room　where　those　children

who　had　got　over　the　worst　of　their　illness　and　were　growing　better　lay；

he　saw　a　number　of　little　iron　bedsteads；　with　their　heads　to　the　walls；

and　in　every　one　of　them　a　child；　whose　face　was　a　story　in　itself。　

In　some；　health　had　begun　to　appear　in　a　tinge　upon　the　cheeks；

and　a　doubtful　brightness　in　the　eyes；　just　as　out　of　the　cold　dreary

winter　the　spring　comes　in　blushing　buds　and　bright　crocuses。　

In　others　there　were　more　of　the　signs　of　winter　left。　　Their　faces

reminded　you　of　snow　and　keen　cutting　winds；　more　than　of　sunshine

and　soft　breezes　and　butterflies；　but　even　in　them　the　signs

of　suffering　told　that　the　suffering　was　less；　and　that　if　the

spring…time　had　but　arrived；　it　had　yet　arrived。



Diamond　looked　all　round；　but　could　see　no　Nanny。　　He　turned

to　Mr。　Raymond　with　a　question　in　his　eyes。



〃Well？〃　said　Mr。　Raymond。



〃Nanny's　not　here；〃　said　Diamond。



〃Oh；　yes；　she　is。〃



〃I　don't　see　her。〃



〃I　do；　though。　　There　she　is。〃



He　pointed　to　a　bed　right　in　front　of　where　Diamond　was　standing。



〃That's　not　Nanny；〃　he　said。



〃It　is　Nanny。　　I　have　seen　her　many　times　since　you　have。　

Illness　makes　a　great　difference。〃



〃Why；　that　girl　must　have　been　to　the　back　of　the　north　wind！〃

thought　Diamond；　but　he　said　nothing；　only　stared；　and　as　he　stared；

something　of　the　old　Nanny　began　to　dawn　through　the　face　of　the

new　Nanny。　　The　old　Nanny；　though　a　good　girl；　and　a　friendly　girl；

had　been　rough；　blunt　in　her　speech；　and　dirty　in　her　person。　

Her　face　would　always　have　reminded　one　who　had　already　been　to　the　back

of　the　north　wind　of　something　he　had　seen　in　the　best　of　company；

but　it　had　been　coarse　notwithstanding；　partly　from　the　weather；

partly　from　her　living　amongst　low　people；　and　partly　from　having

to　defend　herself：　　now　it　was　so　sweet；　and　gentle；　and　refined；

that　she　might　have　had　a　lady　and　gentleman　for　a　father　and　mother。　

And　Diamond　could　not　help　thinking　of　words　which　he　had　heard

in　the　church　the　day　before：　　〃Surely　it　is　good　to　be　afflicted；〃

or　something　like　that。　　North　Wind；　somehow　or　other；　must　have

had　to　do　with　her！　　She　had　grown　from　a　rough　girl　into　a　gentle

maiden。



Mr。　Raymond；　however；　was　not　surprised；　for　he　was　used　to　see

such　lovely　changessomething　like　the　change　which　passes　up