at the back of the north wind-第41章
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and fair hair came out like the loveliest blossom； and took up his
abode in the house。
〃Would you be afraid to sleep alone； Diamond？〃 asked his mistress。
〃I don't know what you mean； ma'am；〃 said Diamond。 〃I never was
afraid of anything that I can recollectnot much； at least。〃
〃There's a little room at the top of the houseall alone；〃
she returned； 〃perhaps you would not mind sleeping there？〃
〃I can sleep anywhere； and I like best to be high up。 Should I
be able to see out？〃
〃I will show you the place；〃 she answered； and taking him by the hand；
she led him up and up the oval…winding stair in one of the two towers。
Near the top they entered a tiny little room； with two windows
from which you could see over the whole country。 Diamond clapped
his hands with delight。
〃You would like this room； then； Diamond？〃 said his mistress。
〃It's the grandest room in the house；〃 he answered。 〃I shall
be near the stars； and yet not far from the tops of the trees。
That's just what I like。〃
I daresay he thought； also； that it would be a nice place for North
Wind to call at in passing； but he said nothing of that sort。
Below him spread a lake of green leaves； with glimpses of grass
here and there at the bottom of it。 As he looked down； he saw
a squirrel appear suddenly； and as suddenly vanish amongst the
topmost branches。
〃Aha！ little squirrel；〃 he cried； 〃my nest is built higher than yours。〃
〃You can be up here with your books as much as you like；〃
said his mistress。 〃I will have a little bell hung at the door；
which I can ring when I want you。 Half…way down the stair is
the drawing…room。〃
So Diamond was installed as page； and his new room got ready for him。
It was very soon after this that I came to know Diamond。
I was then a tutor in a family whose estate adjoined the little
property belonging to The Mound。 I had made the acquaintance
of Mr。 Raymond in London some time before； and was walking up
the drive towards the house to call upon him one fine warm evening；
when I saw Diamond for the first time。 He was sitting at the foot
of a great beech…tree； a few yards from the road； with a book
on his knees。 He did not see me。 I walked up behind the tree；
and peeping over his shoulder； saw that he was reading a fairy…book。
〃What are you reading？〃 I said； and spoke suddenly； with the hope
of seeing a startled little face look round at me。 Diamond turned
his head as quietly as if he were only obeying his mother's voice；
and the calmness of his face rebuked my unkind desire and made me
ashamed of it。
〃I am reading the story of the Little Lady and the Goblin Prince；〃
said Diamond。
〃I am sorry I don't know the story；〃 I returned。 〃Who is it by？〃
〃Mr。 Raymond made it。〃
〃Is he your uncle？〃 I asked at a guess。
〃No。 He's my master。〃
〃What do you do for him？〃 I asked respectfully。
〃Anything he wishes me to do；〃 he answered。 〃I am busy for him now。
He gave me this story to read。 He wants my opinion upon it。〃
〃Don't you find it rather hard to make up your mind？〃
〃Oh dear no！ Any story always tells me itself what I'm to think
about it。 Mr。 Raymond doesn't want me to say whether it is a
clever story or not； but whether I like it； and why I like it。
I never can tell what they call clever from what they call silly；
but I always know whether I like a story or not。〃
〃And can you always tell why you like it or not？〃
〃No。 Very often I can't at all。 Sometimes I can。 I always know；
but I can't always tell why。 Mr。 Raymond writes the stories；
and then tries them on me。 Mother does the same when she makes jam。
She's made such a lot of jam since we came here！ And she always makes
me taste it to see if it'll do。 Mother knows by the face I make
whether it will or not。〃
At this moment I caught sight of two more children approaching。
One was a handsome girl； the other a pale…faced； awkward…looking boy；
who limped much on one leg。 I withdrew a little； to see what
would follow； for they seemed in some consternation。 After a few
hurried words； they went off together； and I pursued my way to
the house； where I was as kindly received by Mr。 and Mrs。 Raymond
as I could have desired。 From them I learned something of Diamond；
and was in consequence the more glad to find him； when I returned；
seated in the same place as before。
〃What did the boy and girl want with you； Diamond？〃 I asked。
〃They had seen a creature that frightened them。〃
〃And they came to tell you about it？〃
〃They couldn't get water out of the well for it。 So they wanted
me to go with them。〃
〃They're both bigger than you。〃
〃Yes； but they were frightened at it。〃
〃And weren't you frightened at it？〃
〃No。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because I'm silly。 I'm never frightened at things。〃
I could not help thinking of the old meaning of the word silly。
〃And what was it？〃 I asked。
〃I think it was a kind of an angela very little one。 It had a long
body and great wings； which it drove about it so fast that they grew
a thin cloud all round it。 It flew backwards and forwards over
the well； or hung right in the middle； making a mist of its wings；
as if its business was to take care of the water。〃
〃And what did you do to drive it away？〃
〃I didn't drive it away。 I knew； whatever the creature was；
the well was to get water out of。 So I took the jug； dipped it in；
and drew the water。〃
〃And what did the creature do？〃
〃Flew about。〃
〃And it didn't hurt you？〃
〃No。 Why should it？ I wasn't doing anything wrong。〃
〃What did your companions say then？〃
〃They said‘Thank you； Diamond。 What a dear silly you are！'〃
〃And weren't you angry with them？〃
〃No！ Why should I？ I should like if they would play with me a little；
but they always like better to go away together when their work
is over。 They never heed me。 I don't mind it much； though。
The other creatures are friendly。 They don't run away from me。
Only they're all so busy with their own work； they don't mind
me much。〃
〃Do you feel lonely； then？〃
〃Oh； no！ When nobody minds me； I get into my nest； and look up。
And then the sky does mind me； and thinks about me。〃
〃Where is your nest？〃
He rose； saying； 〃I will show you；〃 and led me to the other side
of the tree。
There hung a little rope…ladder from one of the lower boughs。
The boy climbed up the ladder and got upon the bough。 Then he climbed
farther into the leafy branches； and went out of sight。
After a little while； I heard his voice coming down out of the tree。
〃I am in my nest now；〃 said the voice。
〃I can't see you；〃 I returned。
〃I can't see you either； but I can see the first star peeping
out of the sky。 I should like to get up into the sky。 Don't you
think I shall； some day？〃
〃Yes； I do。 Tell me what more you see up there。〃
〃I don't see anything more； except a few leaves； and the big sky
over me。 It goes swinging about。 The earth is all behind my back。
There comes another star！ The wind is like kisses from a big lady。
When I get up here I feel as if I were in North Wind's arms。〃
This was the first I heard of North Wind。
The whole ways and look of the child； so full of quiet wisdom；
yet so ready to accept the judgment of others in his own dispraise；
took hold of my heart； and I felt myself wonderfully drawn towards him。
It seemed to me； somehow； as if little Diamond possessed the secret
of life； and was himself what he was so ready to think the lowest
living thingan angel of God with something special to say or do。
A gush of reverence came over me； and with a single goodnight；
I turned and left him in his nest。
I saw him often after this； and gained so much of his confidence
that he told me all I have told you。 I cannot pretend to account
for it。 I leave that for each philosophical reader to do after
his own fashion。 The easiest way is that of Nanny and Jim；
who said often to each other that Diamond had a tile loose。
But Mr。 Raymond was much of my opinion concerning the boy；
while Mrs。 Raymond confessed that she often rang her bell just
to have once more the pleasure of seeing the lovely stillness
of the boy's face； with those blue eyes which seemed rather made
for other people to look into than for himself to look out of。
It was plainer to others than to himself that he felt the desertion
of Nanny and Jim。 They appeared to regard him as a mere toy；
except when they found he could minister to the scruple of using him
generally with success。 They were； however； well…behaved to a
wonderful degree； while I have little doubt that much of their
good behaviour was owing to the unconscious influence of the boy
they called God's baby。
One very strange thing is that I could never find out where
he got some of his many songs。 At times they would be but
bubbles blown out of a nursery rhyme； as was the following；
which I heard him sing one evening to his little Dulcimer。
There were about a score of sheep feeding in a paddock near him；
their white wool dyed a pale rose in the light of the setting sun。
Those in the long shadows from the trees were dead white；
those in the sunlight were half glorified with pale rose。
Little Bo Peep； she lost her sheep；
And didn't know where to find them；
They were over the height and out of sight；
Trailing their tails behind them。
Little Bo Peep woke out of her sleep；
Jump'd up and set out to find them：
〃The silly things； they've got no wings；
And they've left their trails behind them：
〃They've taken their tails； but they've left their trails；
And so I shall follow and find them；〃
For wherever a tail had dragged a trail；
The long grass grew behind them。
And day's eyes and butter…cups； cow's lips and crow's feet
Were glittering in the sun。
She threw down her book； and caught up her crook；
And after her sheep did run。
She ran； and she ran； and ever as she ran；
The grass grew higher and higher；
Till over the hill the sun began
To set in a flame of fire。
She ran on still up the grassy hill；
And the grass grew higher and higher；
When she reached its crown； the sun was down；
And had left a trail of fire。
The sheep and their tails were gone； all gone
And no more trail behind them！
Yes； yes！ they were there long…tailed and fair；
But； alas！ she could not find them。
Purple and gold； and rosy and blue；
With their tails all white behind them；
Her sheep they did run in the trail of the sun；
She saw them； but could not find them。
After the sun； like clouds they did run；
But
