at the back of the north wind-第8章

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you　will　say　you　don't　believe　it　could。〃



〃No；　no；　dear　North　Wind。　　I　know　you　too　well　not　to　believe　you。〃



〃Well；　I　blew　in　his　face；　and　that　woke　him　up。〃



〃But　what　was　the　good　of　it？〃



〃Why！　don't　you　see？　　Look　at　himhow　he　is　pulling。　　I　blew

the　mist　out　of　him。〃



〃How　was　that？〃



〃That　is　just　what　I　cannot　tell　you。〃



〃But　you　did　it。〃



〃Yes。　　I　have　to　do　ten　thousand　things　without　being　able　to　tell　how。〃



〃I　don't　like　that；〃　said　Diamond。



He　was　staring　after　the　boat。　　Hearing　no　answer；　he　looked　down

to　the　wall。



North　Wind　was　gone。　　Away　across　the　river　went　a　long　ripple

what　sailors　call　a　cat's　paw。　　The　man　in　the　boat　was　putting　up

a　sail。　　The　moon　was　coming　to　herself　on　the　edge　of　a　great　cloud；

and　the　sail　began　to　shine　white。　　Diamond　rubbed　his　eyes；

and　wondered　what　it　was　all　about。　　Things　seemed　going　on　around　him；

and　all　to　understand　each　other；　but　he　could　make　nothing　of　it。　

So　he　put　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　and　went　in　to　have　his　tea。　

The　night　was　very　hot；　for　the　wind　had　fallen　again。



〃You　don't　seem　very　well　to…night；　Diamond；〃　said　his　mother。



〃I　am　quite　well；　mother；〃　returned　Diamond；　who　was　only　puzzled。



〃I　think　you　had　better　go　to　bed；〃　she　added。



〃Very　well；　mother；〃　he　answered。



He　stopped　for　one　moment　to　look　out　of　the　window。　　Above　the

moon　the　clouds　were　going　different　ways。　　Somehow　or　other　this

troubled　him；　but；　notwithstanding；　he　was　soon　fast　asleep。



He　woke　in　the　middle　of　the　night　and　the　darkness。　　A　terrible

noise　was　rumbling　overhead；　like　the　rolling　beat　of　great　drums

echoing　through　a　brazen　vault。　　The　roof　of　the　loft　in　which　he

lay　had　no　ceiling；　only　the　tiles　were　between　him　and　the　sky。　

For　a　while　he　could　not　come　quite　awake；　for　the　noise　kept　beating

him　down；　so　that　his　heart　was　troubled　and　fluttered　painfully。　

A　second　peal　of　thunder　burst　over　his　head；　and　almost　choked　him

with　fear。　　Nor　did　he　recover　until　the　great　blast　that　followed；

having　torn　some　tiles　off　the　roof；　sent　a　spout　of　wind　down

into　his　bed　and　over　his　face；　which　brought　him　wide　awake；

and　gave　him　back　his　courage。　　The　same　moment　he　heard　a　mighty

yet　musical　voice　calling　him。



〃Come　up；　Diamond；〃　it　said。　　〃It's　all　ready。　　I'm　waiting　for　you。〃



He　looked　out　of　the　bed；　and　saw　a　gigantic；　powerful；　but　most

lovely　armwith　a　hand　whose　fingers　were　nothing　the　less　ladylike

that　they　could　have　strangled　a　boa…constrictor；　or　choked　a　tigress

off　its　preystretched　down　through　a　big　hole　in　the　roof。　

Without　a　moment's　hesitation　he　reached　out　his　tiny　one；　and　laid

it　in　the　grand　palm　before　him。









CHAPTER　VI



OUT　IN　THE　STORM





THE　hand　felt　its　way　up　his　arm；　and；　grasping　it　gently　and

strongly　above　the　elbow；　lifted　Diamond　from　the　bed。　　The　moment

he　was　through　the　hole　in　the　roof；　all　the　winds　of　heaven

seemed　to　lay　hold　upon　him；　and　buffet　him　hither　and　thither。　

His　hair　blew　one　way；　his　night…gown　another；　his　legs　threatened

to　float　from　under　him；　and　his　head　to　grow　dizzy　with　the　swiftness

of　the　invisible　assailant。　　Cowering；　he　clung　with　the　other

hand　to　the　huge　hand　which　held　his　arm；　and　fear　invaded　his　heart。



〃Oh；　North　Wind！〃　he　murmured；　but　the　words　vanished　from　his　lips

as　he　had　seen　the　soap…bubbles　that　burst　too　soon　vanish　from　the

mouth　of　his　pipe。　　The　wind　caught　them；　and　they　were　nowhere。　

They　couldn't　get　out　at　all；　but　were　torn　away　and　strangled。　

And　yet　North　Wind　heard　them；　and　in　her　answer　it　seemed　to　Diamond

that　just　because　she　was　so　big　and　could　not　help　it；　and　just

because　her　ear　and　her　mouth　must　seem　to　him　so　dreadfully　far　away；

she　spoke　to　him　more　tenderly　and　graciously　than　ever　before。　

Her　voice　was　like　the　bass　of　a　deep　organ；　without　the　groan　in　it；

like　the　most　delicate　of　violin　tones　without　the　wail　in　it；

like　the　most　glorious　of　trumpet…ejaculations　without　the　defiance

in　it；　like　the　sound　of　falling　water　without　the　clatter　and　clash

in　it：　　it　was　like　all　of　them　and　neither　of　themall　of　them

without　their　faults；　each　of　them　without　its　peculiarity：　

after　all；　it　was　more　like　his　mother's　voice　than　anything　else　in

the　world。



〃Diamond；　dear；〃　she　said；　〃be　a　man。　　What　is　fearful　to　you

is　not　the　least　fearful　to　me。〃



〃But　it　can't　hurt　you；〃　murmured　Diamond；　〃for　you're　it。〃



〃Then　if　I'm　it；　and　have　you　in　my　arms；　how　can　it　hurt　you？〃



〃Oh　yes！　　I　see；〃　whispered　Diamond。　　〃But　it　looks　so　dreadful；

and　it　pushes　me　about　so。〃



〃Yes；　it　does；　my　dear。　　That　is　what　it　was　sent　for。〃



At　the　same　moment；　a　peal　of　thunder　which　shook　Diamond's　heart

against　the　sides　of　his　bosom　hurtled　out　of　the　heavens：　

I　cannot　say　out　of　the　sky；　for　there　was　no　sky。　　Diamond　had

not　seen　the　lightning；　for　he　had　been　intent　on　finding　the　face

of　North　Wind。　　Every　moment　the　folds　of　her　garment　would　sweep

across　his　eyes　and　blind　him；　but　between；　he　could　just　persuade

himself　that　he　saw　great　glories　of　woman's　eyes　looking　down

through　rifts　in　the　mountainous　clouds　over　his　head。



He　trembled　so　at　the　thunder；　that　his　knees　failed　him；　and　he　sunk

down　at　North　Wind's　feet；　and　clasped　her　round　the　column　of　her　ankle。　

She　instantly　stooped；　lifted　him　from　the　roofupup　into　her　bosom；

and　held　him　there；　saying；　as　if　to　an　inconsolable　child



〃Diamond；　dear；　this　will　never　do。〃



〃Oh　yes；　it　will；〃　answered　Diamond。　　〃I　am　all　right　now

quite　comfortable；　I　assure　you；　dear　North　Wind。　　If　you　will

only　let　me　stay　here；　I　shall　be　all　right　indeed。〃



〃But　you　will　feel　the　wind　here；　Diamond。〃



〃I　don't　mind　that　a　bit；　so　long　as　I　feel　your　arms　through　it；〃

answered　Diamond；　nestling　closer　to　her　grand　bosom。



〃Brave　boy！〃　returned　North　Wind；　pressing　him　closer。



〃No；〃　said　Diamond；　〃I　don't　see　that。　　It's　not　courage　at　all；

so　long　as　I　feel　you　there。〃



〃But　hadn't　you　better　get　into　my　hair？　　Then　you　would　not　feel

the　wind；　you　will　here。〃



〃Ah；　but；　dear　North　Wind；　you　don't　know　how　nice　it　is　to　feel

your　arms　about　me。　　It　is　a　thousand　times　better　to　have　them

and　the　wind　together；　than　to　have　only　your　hair　and　the　back

of　your　neck　and　no　wind　at　all。〃



〃But　it　is　surely　more　comfortable　there？〃



〃Well；　perhaps；　but　I　begin　to　think　there　are　better　things　than

being　comfortable。〃



〃Yes；　indeed　there　are。　　Well；　I　will　keep　you　in　front　of　me。　

You　will　feel　the　wind；　but　not　too　much。　　I　shall　only　want　one

arm　to　take　care　of　you；　the　other　will　be　quite　enough　to　sink

the　ship。〃



〃Oh；　dear　North　Wind！　how　can　you　talk　so？〃



〃My　dear　boy；　I　never　talk；　I　always　mean　what　I　say。〃



〃Then　you　do　mean　to　sink　the　ship　with　the　other　hand？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃It's　not　like　you。〃



〃How　do　you　know　that？〃



〃Quite　easily。　　Here　you　are　taking　care　of　a　poor　little　boy

with　one　arm；　and　there　you　are　sinking　a　ship　with　the　other。　

It　can't　be　like　you。〃



〃Ah！　but　which　is　me？　　I　can't　be　two　mes；　you　know。〃



〃No。　Nobody　can　be　two　mes。〃



〃Well；　which　me　is　me？〃



〃Now　I　must　think。　　There　looks　to　be　two。〃



〃Yes。　　That's　the　very　point。You　can't　be　knowing　the　thing　you

don't　know；　can　you？〃



〃No。〃



〃Which　me　do　you　know？〃



〃The　kindest；　goodest；　best　me　in　the　world；〃　answered　Diamond；

clinging　to　North　Wind。



〃Why　am　I　good　to　you？〃



〃I　don't　know。〃



〃Have　you　ever　done　anything　for　me？〃



〃No。〃



〃Then　I　must　be　good　to　you　because　I　choose　to　be　good　to　you。〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Why　should　I　choose？〃



〃Becausebecausebecause　you　like。〃



〃Why　should　I　like　to　be　good　to　you？〃



〃I　don't　know；　except　it　be　because　it's　good　to　be　good　to　me。〃



〃That's　just　it；　I　am　good　to　you　because　I　like　to　be　good。〃



〃Then　why　shouldn't　you　be　good　to　other　people　as　well　as　to　me？〃



〃That's　just　what　I　don't　know。　　Why　shouldn't　I？〃



〃I　don't　know　either。　　Then　why　shouldn't　you？〃



〃Because　I　am。〃



〃There　it　is　again；〃　said　Diamond。　　〃I　don't　see　that　you　are。　

It　looks　quite　the　other　thing。〃



〃Well；　but　listen　to　me；　Diamond。　　You　know　the　one　me；　you　say；

and　that　is　good。〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Do　you　know　the　other　me　as　well？〃



〃No。　I　can't。　I　shouldn't　like　to。〃



〃There　it　is。　　You　don't　know　the　other　me。　　You　are　sure　of　one

of　them？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃And　you　are　sure　there　can't　be　two　mes？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Then　the　me　you　don't　know　must　be　the　same　as　the　me　you　do　know；

else　there　would　be　two　mes？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Then　the　other　me　you　don't　know　must　be　as　kind　as　the　me　you

do　know？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Besides；　I　tell　you　that　it　is　so；　only　it　doesn't　look　like　it。　

That　I　confess　freely。　　Have　you　anything　more　to　object？〃



〃No；　no；　dear　North　Wind；　I　am　quite　satisfied。〃



〃Then　I　will　tell　you　something　you　might　object。　　You　might　say

that　the　me　you　know　is　like　the　other　me；　and　that　I　am　cruel

all　through。〃



〃I　know　that　can't　be；　because　you　are　so　kind。〃



〃But　that　kindness　might　be　only　a　pretence　for　the　sake　of　being

more　cruel　afterwards。〃



Diamond　clung　to　her　tighter　than　ever；　crying



〃No；　no；　dear　North　Wind；　I　can't　believe　that。　　I　don't　believe　it。　

I　won't　believe　it。　　That　would　kill　me。　　I　love　you；　and　you

must　love　me；　else　how　did　I　come　to　love　you？　　How　could　you

know　how　to　put　on　such　a　beautiful　face　if　you　did　not　love

me　and　the　rest？　　No。　You　may　sink　as　many　ships　as　you　like；

and　I　won't　say　another　word。　　I　can't　say　I　shall　like　to　see　it；

you　know。〃



〃That's　quite　another　thing；〃　said　North　Wind；　and　as　she　spoke

she　gave　one　spring　from　the　roof　of　the　hay…loft；　and　rushed　up

into　the　clouds；　with　Diamond　on　her　left　arm　close　to　her　heart。　

And　as　if　the　clouds　knew　she　had　come；　they　burst　into　a　fresh

jubilation　of　thunderous　light。　　For　a　few　moments；　Diamond　seemed

to　be　borne　up　through　the　depths　of　an　ocean　of　dazzling　flame；

the　next；　the　winds　were　writhing　around　him　like　a　storm　of　serpents。　

For　they　were　in　the　midst　of　the　clouds　and　mists；　and　they

of　course　took　the　shapes　of　the　wind；　eddying　and　wreathing　and

whirling　and　shooting　and　dashing　about　like　grey　and　black　water；

so　that　it　was　as　if　the　wind　itself　had　taken　shape；　and　he　saw

the　grey　and　black　wind　tossing　and　raving　most　madly　all　about　him。　

Now　it　blinded　him　by　smiting　him　upon　the　eyes；　now　it　deafened

him　by　bellowing　in　his　ears；　for　even　when　the　thunder　came　he

knew　now　that　it　was　the　billows　of　the　great　ocean　of　the　air

dashing　against　each　other　in　their　haste　to　fill　the　hollow

scooped　out　by　the　lightning；　now　it　took　hi