at the back of the north wind-第39章
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the bargain than you wanted or reckoned upon。〃
〃I'm afraid not： he's a hard man；〃 said Joseph； as he rose and went
to get his cab out。
Diamond resumed his singing。 For some time he carolled snatches
of everything or anything； but at last it settled down into something
like what follows。 I cannot tell where or how he got it。
Where did you come from； baby dear？
Out of the everywhere into here。
Where did you get your eyes so blue？
Out of the sky as I came through。
What makes the light in them sparkle and spin？
Some of the starry spikes left in。
Where did you get that little tear？
I found it waiting when I got here。
What makes your forehead so smooth and high？
A soft hand stroked it as I went by。
What makes your cheek like a warm white rose？
I saw something better than any one knows。
Whence that three…cornered smile of bliss？
Three angels gave me at once a kiss。
Where did you get this pearly ear？
God spoke； and it came out to hear。
Where did you get those arms and hands？
Love made itself into hooks and bands。
Feet； whence did you come； you darling things？
From the same box as the cherubs' wings。
How did they all just come to be you？
God thought about me； and so I grew。
But how did you come to us； you dear？
God thought about you； and so I am here。
〃You never made that song； Diamond；〃 said his mother。
〃No； mother。 I wish I had。 No； I don't。 That would be to take it
from somebody else。 But it's mine for all that。〃
〃What makes it yours？〃
〃I love it so。〃
〃Does loving a thing make it yours？〃
〃I think so； motherat least more than anything else can。 If I didn't
love baby （which couldn't be； you know） she wouldn't be mine a bit。
But I do love baby； and baby is my very own Dulcimer。〃
〃The baby's mine； Diamond。〃
〃That makes her the more mine； mother。〃
〃How do you make that out？〃
〃Because you're mine； mother。〃
〃Is that because you love me？〃
〃Yes； just because。 Love makes the only myness；〃 said Diamond。
When his father came home to have his dinner； and change Diamond
for Ruby； they saw him look very sad； and he told them he had not
had a fare worth mentioning the whole morning。
〃We shall all have to go to the workhouse； wife；〃 he said。
〃It would be better to go to the back of the north wind；〃
said Diamond； dreamily； not intending to say it aloud。
〃So
it would；〃 answered his father。 〃But how are we to get there； Diamond？〃
〃We must wait till we're taken；〃 returned Diamond。
Before his father could speak again； a knock came to the door；
and in walked Mr。 Raymond with a smile on his face。 Joseph got up
and received him respectfully； but not very cordially。 Martha set
a chair for him； but he would not sit down。
〃You are not very glad to see me；〃 he said to Joseph。 〃You don't
want to part with the old horse。〃
〃Indeed； sir； you are mistaken there。 What with anxiety about him；
and bad luck； I've wished I were rid of him a thousand times。
It was only to be for three months； and here it's eight or nine。〃
〃I'm sorry to hear such a statement；〃 said Mr。 Raymond。 〃Hasn't he
been of service to you？〃
〃Not much； not with his lameness〃
〃Ah！〃 said Mr。 Raymond； hastily〃you've been laming himhave you？
That accounts for it。 I see； I see。〃
〃It wasn't my fault； and he's all right now。 I don't know
how it happened； but〃
〃He did it on purpose；〃 said Diamond。 〃He put his foot on a stone
just to twist his ankle。〃
〃How do you know that； Diamond？〃 said his father； turning to him。
〃I never said so； for I could not think how it came。〃
〃I heard itin the stable；〃 answered Diamond。
〃Let's have a look at him；〃 said Mr。 Raymond。
〃If you'll step into the yard；〃 said Joseph； 〃I'll bring him out。〃
They went； and Joseph； having first taken off his harness；
walked Ruby into the middle of the yard。
〃Why；〃 said Mr。 Raymond； 〃you've not been using him well。〃
〃I don't know what you mean by that； sir。 I didn't expect to hear
that from you。 He's sound in wind and limbas sound as a barrel。〃
〃And as big； you might add。 Why； he's as fat as a pig！ You don't
call that good usage！〃
Joseph was too angry to make any answer。
〃You've not worked him enough； I say。 That's not making good use
of him。 That's not doing as you'd be done by。〃
〃I shouldn't be sorry if I was served the same； sir。〃
〃He's too fat； I say。〃
〃There was a whole month I couldn't work him at all； and he did
nothing but eat his head off。 He's an awful eater。 I've taken
the best part of six hours a day out of him since； but I'm always
afraid of his coming to grief again； and so I couldn't make the most
even of that。 I declare to you； sir； when he's between the shafts；
I sit on the box as miserable as if I'd stolen him。 He looks all
the time as if he was a bottling up of complaints to make of me
the minute he set eyes on you again。 There！ look at him now；
squinting round at me with one eye！ I declare to you； on my word；
I haven't laid the whip on him more than three times。〃
〃I'm glad to hear it。 He never did want the whip。〃
〃I didn't say that； sir。 If ever a horse wanted the whip； he do。
He's brought me to beggary almost with his snail's pace。 I'm very
glad you've come to rid me of him。〃
〃I don't know that；〃 said Mr。 Raymond。 〃Suppose I were to ask you
to buy him of mecheap。〃
〃I wouldn't have him in a present； sir。 I don't like him。
And I wouldn't drive a horse that I didn't likeno； not for gold。
It can't come to good where there's no love between 'em。〃
〃Just bring out your own horse； and let me see what sort of a pair
they'd make。〃
Joseph laughed rather bitterly as he went to fetch Diamond。
When the two were placed side by side； Mr。 Raymond could
hardly keep his countenance； but from a mingling of feelings。
Beside the great； red； round barrel； Ruby； all body and no legs；
Diamond looked like a clothes…horse with a skin thrown over it。
There was hardly a spot of him where you could not descry some
sign of a bone underneath。 Gaunt and grim and weary he stood；
kissing his master； and heeding no one else。
〃You haven't been using him well；〃 said Mr。 Raymond。
〃I must say；〃 returned Joseph； throwing an arm round his horse's neck；
〃that the remark had better have been spared； sir。 The horse
is worth three of the other now。〃
〃I don't think so。 I think they make a very nice pair。
If the one's too fat； the other's too leanso that's all right。
And if you won't buy my Ruby； I must buy your Diamond。〃
〃Thank you； sir；〃 said Joseph； in a tone implying anything but thanks。
〃You don't seem to like the proposal；〃 said Mr。 Raymond。
〃I don't；〃 returned Joseph。 〃I wouldn't part with my old Diamond
for his skin as full of nuggets as it is of bones。〃
〃Who said anything about parting with him？〃
〃You did now； sir。〃
〃No； I didn't。 I only spoke of buying him to make a pair with Ruby。
We could pare Ruby and patch Diamond a bit。 And for height； they are
as near a match as I care about。 Of course you would be the coachman
if only you would consent to be reconciled to Ruby。〃
Joseph stood bewildered； unable to answer。
〃I've bought a small place in Kent；〃 continued Mr。 Raymond； 〃and I
must have a pair to my carriage； for the roads are hilly thereabouts。
I don't want to make a show with a pair of high…steppers。 I think
these will just do。 Suppose； for a week or two； you set yourself
to take Ruby down and bring Diamond up。 If we could only lay a pipe
from Ruby's sides into Diamond's； it would be the work of a moment。
But I fear that wouldn't answer。〃
A strong inclination to laugh intruded upon Joseph's inclination
to cry； and made speech still harder than before。
〃I beg your pardon； sir；〃 he said at length。 〃I've been so miserable；
and for so long； that I never thought you was only a chaffing of me
when you said I hadn't used the horses well。 I did grumble at you；
sir； many's the time in my trouble； but whenever I said anything；
my little Diamond would look at me with a smile； as much as to say：
〃I know him better than you； father；〃 and upon my word； I always
thought the boy must be right。〃
〃Will you sell me old Diamond； then？〃
〃I will； sir； on one conditionthat if ever you want to part
with him or me； you give me the option of buying him。 I could
not part with him； sir。 As to who calls him his； that's nothing；
for； as Diamond says； it's only loving a thing that can make it yours
and I do love old Diamond； sir； dearly。〃
〃Well； there's a cheque for twenty pounds； which I wrote to offer
you for him； in case I should find you had done the handsome thing
by Ruby。 Will that be enough？〃
〃It's too much； sir。 His body ain't worth itshoes and all。
It's only his heart； sirthat's worth millionsbut his heart'll be
mine all the sameso it's too much； sir。〃
〃I don't think so。 It won't be； at least； by the time we've got him
fed up again。 You take it and welcome。 Just go on with your cabbing
for another month； only take it out of Ruby and let Diamond rest；
and by that time I shall be ready for you to go down into the country。〃
〃Thank you； sir。 thank you。 Diamond set you down for a friend；
sir； the moment he saw you。 I do believe that child of mine
knows more than other people。〃
〃I think so； too；〃 said Mr。 Raymond as he walked away。
He had meant to test Joseph when he made the bargain about Ruby；
but had no intention of so greatly prolonging the trial。 He had been
taken ill in Switzerland； and had been quite unable to return sooner。
He went away now highly gratified at finding that he had stood the test；
and was a true man。
Joseph rushed in to his wife who had been standing at the window
anxiously waiting the result of the long colloquy。 When she
heard that the horses were to go together in double harness；
she burst forth into an immoderate fit of laughter。 Diamond came
up with the baby in his arms and made big anxious eyes at her； saying
〃What is the matter with you； mother dear？ Do cry a little。
It will do you good。 When father takes ever so small a drop of spirits；
he puts water to it。〃
〃You silly darling！〃 said his mother； 〃how could I but laugh at
the notion of that great fat Ruby going side by side with our poor
old Diamond？〃
〃But why not； mother？ With a month's oats； and nothing to do；
Diamond'll be nearer Ruby's size than you will father's。 I think
