at the back of the north wind-第5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！



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　thought　he　had　been　walking　in　his　sleep　again；　and　hurried

down　the　ladder。　　She　did　not　much　like　going　up　to　the　horse；

for　she　had　not　been　used　to　horses；　but　she　would　have　gone

into　a　lion's　den；　not　to　say　a　horse's　stall；　to　help　her　boy。　

So　she　went　and　lifted　him　off　Diamond's　back；　and　felt　braver

all　her　life　after。　　She　carried　him　in　her　arms　up　to　her　room；

but；　afraid　of　frightening　him　at　his　own　sleep…walking；　as　she

supposed　it；　said　nothing　about　last　night。　　Before　the　next　day

was　over；　Diamond　had　almost　concluded　the　whole　adventure　a　dream。



For　a　week　his　mother　watched　him　very　carefullygoing　into

the　loft　several　times　a　nightas　often；　in　fact；　as　she　woke。　

Every　time　she　found　him　fast　asleep。



All　that　week　it　was　hard　weather。　　The　grass　showed　white　in　the　morning

with　the　hoar…frost　which　clung　like　tiny　comfits　to　every　blade。　

And　as　Diamond's　shoes　were　not　good；　and　his　mother　had　not　quite

saved　up　enough　money　to　get　him　the　new　pair　she　so　much　wanted

for　him；　she　would　not　let　him　run　out。　　He　played　all　his　games

over　and　over　indoors；　especially　that　of　driving　two　chairs

harnessed　to　the　baby's　cradle；　and　if　they　did　not　go　very　fast；

they　went　as　fast　as　could　be　expected　of　the　best　chairs　in　the　world；

although　one　of　them　had　only　three　legs；　and　the　other　only　half

a　back。



At　length　his　mother　brought　home　his　new　shoes；　and　no　sooner

did　she　find　they　fitted　him　than　she　told　him　he　might　run

out　in　the　yard　and　amuse　himself　for　an　hour。



The　sun　was　going　down　when　he　flew　from　the　door　like　a　bird　from

its　cage。　　All　the　world　was　new　to　him。　　A　great　fire　of　sunset

burned　on　the　top　of　the　gate　that　led　from　the　stables　to　the　house；

above　the　fire　in　the　sky　lay　a　large　lake　of　green　light；　above　that

a　golden　cloud；　and　over　that　the　blue　of　the　wintry　heavens。　

And　Diamond　thought　that；　next　to　his　own　home；　he　had　never　seen

any　place　he　would　like　so　much　to　live　in　as　that　sky。　　For　it

is　not　fine　things　that　make　home　a　nice　place；　but　your　mother

and　your　father。



As　he　was　looking　at　the　lovely　colours；　the　gates　were　thrown　open；

and　there　was　old　Diamond　and　his　friend　in　the　carriage；　dancing　with

impatience　to　get　at　their　stalls　and　their　oats。　　And　in　they　came。　

Diamond　was　not　in　the　least　afraid　of　his　father　driving　over　him；

but；　careful　not　to　spoil　the　grand　show　he　made　with　his　fine

horses　and　his　multitudinous　cape；　with　a　red　edge　to　every　fold；

he　slipped　out　of　the　way　and　let　him　dash　right　on　to　the　stables。　

To　be　quite　safe　he　had　to　step　into　the　recess　of　the　door　that　led

from　the　yard　to　the　shrubbery。



As　he　stood　there　he　remembered　how　the　wind　had　driven　him

to　this　same　spot　on　the　night　of　his　dream。　　And　once　more　he

was　almost　sure　that　it　was　no　dream。　　At　all　events；　he　would　go

in　and　see　whether　things　looked　at　all　now　as　they　did　then。　

He　opened　the　door；　and　passed　through　the　little　belt　of　shrubbery。　

Not　a　flower　was　to　be　seen　in　the　beds　on　the　lawn。　　Even　the

brave　old　chrysanthemums　and　Christmas　roses　had　passed　away

before　the　frost。　　What？　　Yes！　　There　was　one！　　He　ran　and　knelt

down　to　look　at　it。



It　was　a　primrosea　dwarfish　thing；　but　perfect　in　shape

a　baby…wonder。　As　he　stooped　his　face　to　see　it　close；　a　little

wind　began　to　blow；　and　two　or　three　long　leaves　that　stood　up

behind　the　flower　shook　and　waved　and　quivered；　but　the　primrose　lay

still　in　the　green　hollow；　looking　up　at　the　sky；　and　not　seeming

to　know　that　the　wind　was　blowing　at　all。　　It　was　just　a　one　eye

that　the　dull　black　wintry　earth　had　opened　to　look　at　the　sky　with。　

All　at　once　Diamond　thought　it　was　saying　its　prayers；　and　he

ought　not　to　be　staring　at　it　so。　　He　ran　to　the　stable　to　see　his

father　make　Diamond's　bed。　　Then　his　father　took　him　in　his　arms；

carried　him　up　the　ladder；　and　set　him　down　at　the　table　where　they

were　going　to　have　their　tea。



〃Miss　is　very　poorly；〃　said　Diamond's　father。　　〃Mis'ess　has　been

to　the　doctor　with　her　to…day；　and　she　looked　very　glum　when　she　came

out　again。　　I　was　a…watching　of　them　to　see　what　doctor　had　said。〃



〃And　didn't　Miss　look　glum　too？〃　asked　his　mother。



〃Not　half　as　glum　as　Mis'ess；〃　returned　the　coachman。　　〃You　see〃



But　he　lowered　his　voice；　and　Diamond　could　not　make　out　more　than

a　word　here　and　there。　　For　Diamond's　father　was　not　only　one　of

the　finest　of　coachmen　to　look　at；　and　one　of　the　best　of　drivers；

but　one　of　the　most　discreet　of　servants　as　well。　　Therefore　he　did　not

talk　about　family　affairs　to　any　one　but　his　wife；　whom　he　had　proved

better　than　himself　long　ago；　and　was　careful　that　even　Diamond　should

hear　nothing　he　could　repeat　again　concerning　master　and　his　family。



It　was　bed…time　soon；　and　Diamond　went　to　bed　and　fell　fast　asleep。



He　awoke　all　at　once；　in　the　dark。



〃Open　the　window；　Diamond；〃　said　a　voice。



Now　Diamond's　mother　had　once　more　pasted　up　North　Wind's　window。



〃Are　you　North　Wind？〃　said　Diamond：　　〃I　don't　hear　you　blowing。〃



〃No；　but　you　hear　me　talking。　　Open　the　window；　for　I　haven't

overmuch　time。〃



〃Yes；〃　returned　Diamond。　　〃But；　please；　North　Wind；　where's　the　use？　

You　left　me　all　alone　last　time。〃



He　had　got　up　on　his　knees；　and　was　busy　with　his　nails　once

more　at　the　paper　over　the　hole　in　the　wall。　　For　now　that　North

Wind　spoke　again；　he　remembered　all　that　had　taken　place　before

as　distinctly　as　if　it　had　happened　only　last　night。



〃Yes；　but　that　was　your　fault；〃　returned　North　Wind。　　〃I　had　work

to　do；　and；　besides；　a　gentleman　should　never　keep　a　lady　waiting。〃



〃But　I'm　not　a　gentleman；〃　said　Diamond；　scratching　away　at　the　paper。



〃I　hope　you　won't　say　so　ten　years　after　this。〃



〃I'm　going　to　be　a　coachman；　and　a　coachman　is　not　a　gentleman；〃

persisted　Diamond。



〃We　call　your　father　a　gentleman　in　our　house；〃　said　North　Wind。



〃He　doesn't　call　himself　one；〃　said　Diamond。



〃That's　of　no　consequence：　　every　man　ought　to　be　a　gentleman；

and　your　father　is　one。〃



Diamond　was　so　pleased　to　hear　this　that　he　scratched　at　the　paper

like　ten　mice；　and　getting　hold　of　the　edge　of　it；　tore　it　off。　

The　next　instant　a　young　girl　glided　across　the　bed；　and　stood　upon

the　floor。



〃Oh　dear！〃　said　Diamond；　quite　dismayed；　〃I　didn't　know

who　are　you；　please？〃



〃I'm　North　Wind。〃



〃Are　you　really？〃



〃Yes。　　Make　haste。〃



〃But　you're　no　bigger　than　me。〃



〃Do　you　think　I　care　about　how　big　or　how　little　I　am？　　Didn't　you

see　me　this　evening？　　I　was　less　then。〃



〃No。　Where　was　you？〃



〃Behind　the　leaves　of　the　primrose。　　Didn't　you　see　them　blowing？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Make　haste；　then；　if　you　want　to　go　with　me。〃



〃But　you　are　not　big　enough　to　take　care　of　me。　　I　think　you　are

only　Miss　North　Wind。〃



〃I　am　big　enough　to　sho