at the back of the north wind-第42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！
She saw them； but could not find them。
After the sun； like clouds they did run；
But she knew they were her sheep：
She sat down to cry； and look up at the sky；
But she cried herself asleep。
And as she slept the dew fell fast；
And the wind blew from the sky；
And strange things took place that shun the day's face；
Because they are sweet and shy。
Nibble； nibble； crop！ she heard as she woke：
A hundred little lambs
Did pluck and eat the grass so sweet
That grew in the trails of their dams。
Little Bo Peep caught up her crook；
And wiped the tears that did blind her。
And nibble； nibble crop！ without a stop！
The lambs came eating behind her。
Home； home she came； both tired and lame；
With three times as many sheep。
In a month or more； they'll be as big as before；
And then she'll laugh in her sleep。
But what would you say； if one fine day；
When they've got their bushiest tails；
Their grown up game should be just the same；
And she have to follow their trails？
Never weep； Bo Peep； though you lose your sheep；
And do not know where to find them；
'Tis after the sun the mothers have run；
And there are their lambs behind them。
I confess again to having touched up a little； but it loses far
more in Diamond's sweet voice singing it than it gains by a rhyme
here and there。
Some of them were out of books Mr。 Raymond had given him。
These he always knew； but about the others he could seldom tell。
Sometimes he would say； 〃I made that one。〃 but generally he would say；
〃I don't know； I found it somewhere；〃 or 〃I got it at the back of
the north wind。〃
One evening I found him sitting on the grassy slope under the house；
with his Dulcimer in his arms and his little brother rolling
on the grass beside them。 He was chanting in his usual way；
more like the sound of a brook than anything else I can think of。
When I went up to them he ceased his chant。
〃Do go on； Diamond。 Don't mind me；〃 I said。
He began again at once。 While he sang； Nanny and Jim sat a little
way off； one hemming a pocket…handkerchief； and the other reading
a story to her； but they never heeded Diamond。 This is as near
what he sang as I can recollect； or reproduce rather。
What would you see if I took you up
To my little nest in the air？
You would see the sky like a clear blue cup
Turned upside downwards there。
What would you do if I took you there
To my little nest in the tree？
My child with cries would trouble the air；
To get what she could but see。
What would you get in the top of the tree
For all your crying and grief？
Not a star would you clutch of all you see
You could only gather a leaf。
But when you had lost your greedy grief；
Content to see from afar；
You would find in your hand a withering leaf；
In your heart a shining star。
As Diamond went on singing； it grew very dark； and just as he
ceased there came a great flash of lightning； that blinded us all
for a moment。 Dulcimer crowed with pleasure； but when the roar
of thunder came after it； the little brother gave a loud cry
of terror。 Nanny and Jim came running up to us； pale with fear。
Diamond's face； too； was paler than usual； but with delight。
Some of the glory seemed to have clung to it； and remained shining。
〃You're not frightenedare you； Diamond？〃 I said。
〃No。 Why should I be？〃 he answered with his usual question；
looking up in my face with calm shining eyes。
〃He ain't got sense to be frightened；〃 said Nanny； going up to him
and giving him a pitying hug。
〃Perhaps there's more sense in not being frightened； Nanny；〃 I returned。
〃Do you think the lightning can do as it likes？〃
〃It might kill you；〃 said Jim。
〃Oh； no； it mightn't！〃 said Diamond。
As he spoke there came another great flash； and a tearing crack。
〃There's a tree struck！〃 I said； and when we looked round；
after the blinding of the flash had left our eyes； we saw a huge
bough of the beech…tree in which was Diamond's nest hanging
to the ground like the broken wing of a bird。
〃There！〃 cried Nanny； 〃I told you so。 If you had been up there
you see what would have happened； you little silly！〃
〃No； I don't；〃 said Diamond； and began to sing to Dulcimer。
All I could hear of the song； for the other children were going on
with their chatter； was
The clock struck one；
And the mouse came down。
Dickery； dickery； dock！
Then there came a blast of wind； and the rain followed in
straight…pouring lines； as if out of a watering…pot。 Diamond
jumped up with his little Dulcimer in his arms； and Nanny
caught up the little boy； and they ran for the cottage。
Jim vanished with a double shuffle； and I went into the house。
When I came out again to return home； the clouds were gone；
and the evening sky glimmered through the trees； blue； and pale…green
towards the west； I turned my steps a little aside to look at the
stricken beech。 I saw the bough torn from the stem； and that was
all the twilight would allow me to see。 While I stood gazing；
down from the sky came a sound of singing； but the voice was
neither of lark nor of nightingale： it was sweeter than either：
it was the voice of Diamond； up in his airy nest：
The lightning and thunder；
They go and they come；
But the stars and the stillness
Are always at home。
And then the voice ceased。
〃Good…night； Diamond；〃 I said。
〃Good…night； sir；〃 answered Diamond。
As I walked away pondering； I saw the great black top of the beech
swaying about against the sky in an upper wind； and heard the murmur
as of many dim half…articulate voices filling the solitude around
Diamond's nest。
CHAPTER XXXVI
DIAMOND QUESTIONS NORTH WIND
MY READERS will not wonder that； after this； I did my very best
to gain the friendship of Diamond。 Nor did I find this at
all difficult； the child was so ready to trust。 Upon one subject
alone was he reticentthe story of his relations with North Wind。
I fancy he could not quite make up his mind what to think of them。
At all events it was some little time before he trusted me with this；
only then he told me everything。 If I could not regard it
all in exactly the same light as he did； I was； while guiltless
of the least pretence； fully sympathetic； and he was satisfied
without demanding of me any theory of difficult points involved。
I let him see plainly enough； that whatever might be the explanation
of the marvellous experience； I would have given much for a similar
one myself。
On an evening soon after the thunderstorm； in a late twilight；
with a half…moon high in the heavens； I came upon Diamond in the act
of climbing by his little ladder into the beech…tree。
〃What are you always going up there for； Diamond？〃 I heard Nanny ask；
rather rudely； I thought。
〃Sometimes for one thing； sometimes for another； Nanny；〃
answered Diamond； looking skywards as he climbed。
〃You'll break your neck some day；〃 she said。
〃I'm going up to look at the moon to…night；〃 he added； without heeding
her remark。
〃You'll see the moon just as well down here；〃 she returned。
〃I don't think so。〃
〃You'll be no nearer to her up there。〃
〃Oh； yes！ I shall。 I must be nearer her； you know。 I wish I
could dream as pretty dreams about her as you can； Nanny。〃
〃You silly！ you never have done about that dream。 I never dreamed
but that one； and it was nonsense enough； I'm sure。〃
〃It wasn't nonsense。 It was a beautiful dreamand a funny one too；
both in one。〃
〃But what's the good of talking about it that way； when you know
it was only a dream？ Dreams ain't true。〃
〃That one was true； Nanny。 You know it was。 Didn't you come to
grief for doing what you were told not to do？ And isn't that true？〃
〃I can't get any sense into him；〃 exclaimed Nanny； with an expression
of mild despair。 〃Do you really believe； Diamond； that there's
a house in the moon； with a beautiful lady and a crooked old man
and dusters in it？〃
〃If there isn't； there's something better；〃 he answered； and vanished
in the leaves over our heads。
I went into the house； where I visited often in the evenings。
When I came out； there was a little wind blowing； very pleasant
after the heat of the day； for although it was late summer now；
it was still hot。 The tree…tops were swinging about in it。
I took my way past the beech； and called up to see if Diamond were
still in his nest in its rocking head。
〃Are you there； Diamond？〃 I said。
〃Yes； sir；〃 came his clear voice in reply。
〃Isn't it growing too dark for you to get down safely？〃
〃Oh； no； sirif I take time to it。 I know my way so well；
and never let go with one hand till I've a good hold with the other。〃
〃Do be careful；〃 I insistedfoolishly； seeing the boy was as careful
as he could be already。
〃I'm coming；〃 he returned。 〃I've got all the moon I want to…night。〃
I heard a rustling and a rustling drawing nearer and nearer。
Three or four minutes elapsed； and he appeared at length creeping
down his little ladder。 I took him in my arms； and set him on
the ground。
〃Thank you； sir；〃 he said。 〃That's the north wind blowing；
isn't it； sir？〃
〃I can't tell；〃 I answered。 〃It feels cool and kind； and I think
it may be。 But I couldn't be sure except it were stronger； for a
gentle wind might turn any way amongst the trunks of the trees。〃
〃I shall know when I get up to my own room；〃 said Diamond。
〃I think I hear my mistress's bell。 Good…night； sir。〃
He ran to the house； and I went home。
His mistress had rung for him only to send him to bed； for she was
very careful over him and I daresay thought he was not looking well。
When he reached his own room； he opened both his windows；
one of which looked to the north and the other to the east； to find
how the wind blew。 It blew right in at the northern window。
Diamond was very glad； for he thought perhaps North Wind herself
would come now： a real north wind had never blown all the time
since he left London。 But； as she always came of herself；
and never when he was looking for her； and indeed almost never when
he was thinking of her； he shut the east window； and went to bed。
Perhaps some of my readers may wonder that he could go to sleep with
such an expectation； and； indeed； if I had not known him； I should
have wondered at it myself； but it was one of his peculiarities；
and seemed nothing strange in him。 He was so full of quietness that
he could go to sleep almost any time； if he onl
