at the back of the north wind-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



It　did　Diamond　good；　for　as　soon　as　it　was　over　he　was　a　brave

boy　again。



〃She　shan't　say　it　was　my　fault；　anyhow！〃　said　Diamond。　　〃I　daresay

she　is　hiding　somewhere　to　see　what　I　will　do。　　I　will　look　for　her。〃



So　he　went　round　the　end　of　the　stable　towards　the　kitchen…garden。

But　the　moment　he　was　clear　of　the　shelter　of　the　stable；　sharp　as

a　knife　came　the　wind　against　his　little　chest　and　his　bare　legs。　

Still　he　would　look　in　the　kitchen…garden；　and　went　on。　

But　when　he　got　round　the　weeping…ash　that　stood　in　the　corner；

the　wind　blew　much　stronger；　and　it　grew　stronger　and　stronger

till　he　could　hardly　fight　against　it。　　And　it　was　so　cold！　

All　the　flashy　spikes　of　the　stars　seemed　to　have　got　somehow

into　the　wind。　　Then　he　thought　of　what　the　lady　had　said　about

people　being　cold　because　they　were　not　with　the　North　Wind。　

How　it　was　that　he　should　have　guessed　what　she　meant　at　that　very

moment　I　cannot　tell；　but　I　have　observed　that　the　most　wonderful

thing　in　the　world　is　how　people　come　to　understand　anything。　

He　turned　his　back　to　the　wind；　and　trotted　again　towards　the　yard；

whereupon；　strange　to　say；　it　blew　so　much　more　gently　against　his

calves　than　it　had　blown　against　his　shins　that　he　began　to　feel

almost　warm　by　contrast。



You　must　not　think　it　was　cowardly　of　Diamond　to　turn　his　back

to　the　wind：　　he　did　so　only　because　he　thought　Lady　North　Wind

had　said　something　like　telling　him　to　do　so。　　If　she　had　said

to　him　that　he　must　hold　his　face　to　it；　Diamond　would　have　held

his　face　to　it。　　But　the　most　foolish　thing　is　to　fight　for　no　good；

and　to　please　nobody。



Well；　it　was　just　as　if　the　wind　was　pushing　Diamond　along。　

If　he　turned　round；　it　grew　very　sharp　on　his　legs　especially；

and　so　he　thought　the　wind　might　really　be　Lady　North　Wind；　though　he

could　not　see　her；　and　he　had　better　let　her　blow　him　wherever

she　pleased。　　So　she　blew　and　blew；　and　he　went　and　went；　until　he

found　himself　standing　at　a　door　in　a　wall；　which　door　led　from　the

yard　into　a　little　belt　of　shrubbery；　flanking　Mr。　Coleman's　house。　

Mr。　Coleman　was　his　father's　master；　and　the　owner　of　Diamond。　

He　opened　the　door；　and　went　through　the　shrubbery；　and　out

into　the　middle　of　the　lawn；　still　hoping　to　find　North　Wind。　

The　soft　grass　was　very　pleasant　to　his　bare　feet；　and　felt　warm

after　the　stones　of　the　yard；　but　the　lady　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　

Then　he　began　to　think　that　after　all　he　must　have　done　wrong；

and　she　was　offended　with　him　for　not　following　close　after　her；

but　staying　to　talk　to　the　horse；　which　certainly　was　neither　wise

nor　polite。



There　he　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　lawn；　the　wind　blowing　his

night…gown　till　it　flapped　like　a　loose　sail。　　The　stars　were　very

shiny　over　his　head；　but　they　did　not　give　light　enough　to　show　that

the　grass　was　green；　and　Diamond　stood　alone　in　the　strange　night；

which　looked　half　solid　all　about　him。　　He　began　to　wonder　whether

he　was　in　a　dream　or　not。　　It　was　important　to　determine　this；

〃for；〃　thought　Diamond；　〃if　I　am　in　a　dream；　I　am　safe　in　my　bed；

and　I　needn't　cry。　　But　if　I'm　not　in　a　dream；　I'm　out　here；　and　perhaps

I　had　better　cry；　or；　at　least；　I'm　not　sure　whether　I　can　help　it。〃　

He　came　to　the　conclusion；　however；　that；　whether　he　was　in　a　dream

or　not；　there　could　be　no　harm　in　not　crying　for　a　little　while　longer：　

he　could　begin　whenever　he　liked。



The　back　of　Mr。　Coleman's　house　was　to　the　lawn；　and　one　of　the

drawing…room　windows　looked　out　upon　it。　　The　ladies　had　not

gone　to　bed；　for　the　light　was　still　shining　in　that　window。　

But　they　had　no　idea　that　a　little　boy　was　standing　on　the　lawn

in　his　night…gown；　or　they　would　have　run　out　in　a　moment。　　And　as

long　as　he　saw　that　light；　Diamond　could　not　feel　quite　lonely。　

He　stood　staring；　not　at　the　great　warrior　Orion　in　the　sky；

nor　yet　at　the　disconsolate；　neglected　moon　going　down　in　the　west；

but　at　the　drawing…room　window　with　the　light　shining　through　its

green　curtains。　　He　had　been　in　that　room　once　or　twice　that　he　could

remember　at　Christmas　times；　for　the　Colemans　were　kind　people；

though　they　did　not　care　much　about　children。



All　at　once　the　light　went　nearly　out：　　he　could　only　see　a　glimmer

of　the　shape　of　the　window。　　Then；　indeed；　he　felt　that　he　was

left　alone。　　It　was　so　dreadful　to　be　out　in　the　night　after

everybody　was　gone　to　bed！　　That　was　more　than　he　could　bear。　

He　burst　out　crying　in　good　earnest；　beginning　with　a　wail

like　that　of　the　wind　when　it　is　waking　up。



Perhaps　you　think　this　was　very　foolish；　for　could　he　not　go　home

to　his　own　bed　again　when　he　liked？　　Yes；　but　it　looked　dreadful

to　him　to　creep　up　that　stair　again　and　lie　down　in　his　bed　again；

and　know　that　North　Wind's　window　was　open　beside　him；　and　she　gone；

and　he　might　never　see　her　again。　　He　would　be　just　as　lonely　there

as　here。　　Nay；　it　would　be　much　worse　if　he　had　to　think　that　the

window　was　nothing　but　a　hole　in　the　wall。



At　the　very　moment　when　he　burst　out　crying；　the　old　nurse　who　had

grown　to　be　one　of　the　family；　for　she　had　not　gone　away　when　Miss

Coleman　did　not　want　any　more　nursing；　came　to　the　back　door；

which　was　of　glass；　to　close　the　shutters。　　She　thought　she　heard

a　cry；　and；　peering　out　with　a　hand　on　each　side　of　her　eyes

like　Diamond's　blinkers；　she　saw　something　white　on　the　lawn。　

Too　old　and　too　wise　to　be　frightened；　she　opened　the　door；

and　went　straight　towards　the　white　thing　to　see　what　it　was。　

And　when　Diamond　saw　her　coming　he　was　not　frightened　either；

though　Mrs。　Crump　was　a　little　cross　sometimes；　for　there　is

a　good　kind　of　crossness　that　is　only　disagreeable；　and　there　is

a　bad　kind　of　crossness　that　is　very　nasty　indeed。　　So　she　came

up　with　her　neck　stretched　out；　and　her　head　at　the　end　of　it；

and　her　eyes　foremost　of　all；　like　a　snail's；　peering　into　the　night

to　see　what　it　could　be　that　went　on　glimmering　white　before　her。　

When　she　did　see；　she　made　a　great　exclamation；　and　threw　up

her　hands。　　Then　without　a　word；　for　she　thought　Diamond　was　walking

in　his　sleep；　she　caught　hold　of　him；　and　led　him　towards　the　house。　

He　made　no　objection；　for　he　was　just　in　the　mood　to　be　grateful

for　notice　of　any　sort；　and　Mrs。　Crump　led　him　straight　into　the

drawing…room。



Now；　from　the　neglect　of　the　new　housemaid；　the　fire　in　Miss

Coleman's　bedroom　had　gone　out；　and　her　mother　had　told　her　to　brush

her　hair　by　the　drawing…room　firea　disorderly　proceeding　which

a　mother's　wish　could　justify。　　The　young　lady　was　very　lovely；

though　not　nearly　so　beautiful　as　North　Wind；　and　her　hair　was

extremely　long；　for　it　came　down　to　her　kneesthough　that　was

nothing　at　all　to　North　Wind's　hair。　　Yet　when　she　looked　round；

with　her　hair　all　about　her；　as　Diamond　entered；　he　thought

for　one　moment　that　it　was　North　Wind；　and；　pulling　his　hand　from

Mrs。　Crump's；　he　stretched　out　his　arms　and　ran　towards　Miss　Coleman。　

She　was　so　pleased　that　she　threw　down　her　brush；　and　almost　knelt

on　the　floor　to　receive　him　in　her　arms。　　He　saw　the　next　moment

that　she　was　not　Lady　North　Wind；　but　she　looked　so　like　her　he　could

not　help　running　into　her　arms　and　bursting　into　tears　afresh。　

Mrs。　Crump　said　the　poor　child　had　walked　out　in　his　sleep；　and　Diamond

thought　she　ought　to　know；　and　did　not　contradict　her　for　anything

he　knew；　it　might　be　so　indeed。　　He　let　them　talk　on　about　him；

and　said　nothing；　and　when；　after　their　astonishment　was　over；

and　Miss　Coleman　had　given　him　a　sponge…cake；　it　was　decreed

that　Mrs。　Crump　should　take　him　to　his　mother；　he　was　quite　satisfied。



His　mother　had　to　get　out　of　bed　to　open　the　door　when　Mrs。　Crump

knocked。　　She　was　indeed　surprised　to　see　her；　boy；　and　having

taken　him　in　her　arms　and　carried　him　to　his　bed；　returned　and

had　a　long　confabulation　with　Mrs。　Crump；　for　they　were　still

talking　when　Diamond　fell　fast　asleep；　and　could　hear　them　no　longer。







CHAPTER　III



OLD　DIAMOND





DIAMOND　woke　very　early　in　the　morning；　and　thought　what　a　curious

dream　he　had　had。　　But　the　memory　grew　brighter　and　brighter

in　his　head；　until　it　did　not　look　altogether　like　a　dream；　and　he

began　to　doubt　whether　he　had　not　really　been　abroad　in　the　wind

last　night。　　He　came　to　the　conclusion　that；　if　he　had　really　been

brought　home　to　his　mother　by　Mrs。　Crump；　she　would　say　something

to　him　about　it；　and　that　would　settle　the　matter。　　Then　he　got

up　and　dressed　himself；　but；　finding　that　his　father　and　mother

were　not　yet　stirring；　he　went　down　the　ladder　to　the　stable。　

There　he　found　that　even　old　Diamond　was　not　awake　yet；　for　he；

as　well　as　young　Diamond；　always　got　up　the　moment　he　woke；　and　now

he　was　lying　as　flat　as　a　horse　could　lie　upon　his　nice　trim　bed

of　straw。



〃I'll　give　old　Diamond　a　surprise；〃　thought　the；　boy；　and　creeping

up　very　softly；　before　the　horse　knew；　he　was　astride　of　his　back。　

Then　it　was　young　Diamond's　turn　to　have　more　of　a　surprise　than　he

had　expected；　for　as　with　an　earthquake；　with　a　rumbling　and　a　rocking

hither　and　thither；　a　sprawling　of　legs　and　heaving　as　of　many　backs；

young　Diamond　found　himself　hoisted　up　in　the　air；　with　both　hands

twisted　in　the　horse's　mane。　　The　next　instant　old　Diamond　lashed

out　with　both　his　hind　legs；　and　giving　one　cry　of　terror　young

Diamond　found　himself　lying　on　his　neck；　with　his　arms　as　far　round

it　as　they　would　go。　　But　then　the　horse　stood　as　still　as　a　stone；

except　that　he　lifted　his　head　gently　up　to　let　the　boy　slip　down

to　his　back。　　For　when　he　heard　young　Diamond's　cry　he　knew　that

there　was　nothing　to　kick　about；　for　young　Diamond　was　a　good　boy；

and　old　Diamond　was　a　good　horse；　and　the　one　was　all　right　on　the

back　of　the　other。



As　soon　as　Diamond　had　got　himself　comfortable　on　the　saddle　place；

the　horse　began　pulling　at　the　hay；　and　the　boy　began　thinking。　

He　had　never　mounted　Diamond　himself　before；　and　he　had　never　got

off　him　without　being　lifted　down。　　So　he　sat；　while　the　horse　ate；

wondering　how　he　was　to　reach　the　ground。



But　while　he　meditated；　his　mother　woke；　and　her　first　thought

was　to　see　her　boy。　　She　had　visited　him　twice　during　the　night；

and　found　him　sleeping　quietly。　　Now　his　bed　was　empty；　and　she

was　frightened。



〃Diamond！　　Diamond！　　Where　are　you；　Diamond？〃　she　called　out。



Diamond　turned　his　head　where　he　sat　like　a　knight　on　his　steed

in　enchanted　stall；　and　cried　aloud；



〃Here；　mother！〃



〃Where；　Diamond？〃　she　returned。



〃Here；　mother；　on　Diamond's　back。〃



She　came　running　to　the　ladder；　and　peeping　down；　saw　him　aloft

on　the　great　horse。



〃Come　down；　Diamond；〃　she　said。



〃I　can't；〃　answered　Diamond。



〃How　did　you　get　up？〃　asked　his　mother。



〃Quite　easily；〃　answered　he；　〃but　when　I　got　up；　Diamond　would　get

up　too；　and　so　here　I　am。〃



His　mother