at the back of the north wind-第50章

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with　white　cloudy　curtains。　　From　where　I　was　sitting　I　looked　out

of　it　too；　but　I　could　see　nothing。　　Her　face　was　very　beautiful；

and　very　white；　and　very　still；　and　her　hand　was　as　white　as

the　forehead　that　leaned　on　it。　　I　did　not　see　her　whole　face

only　the　side　of　it；　for　she　never　moved　to　turn　it　full　upon　me；

or　even　to　look　at　me。



〃How　long　I　sat　after　I　had　eaten　my　bread　and　honey；　I　don't　know。　

The　little　man　was　busy　about　the　room；　pulling　a　string　here；

and　a　string　there；　but　chiefly　the　string　at　the　back　of　the　door。　

I　was　thinking　with　some　uneasiness　that　he　would　soon　be　wanting

me　to　go　out　and　clean　the　windows；　and　I　didn't　fancy　the　job。　

At　last　he　came　up　to　me　with　a　great　armful　of　dusters。　　‘It's　time

you　set　about　the　windows；'　he　said；　‘for　there's　rain　coming；

and　if　they're　quite　clean　before；　then　the　rain　can't　spoil　them。'　

I　got　up　at　once。　　‘You　needn't　be　afraid；'　he　said。　　‘You　won't

tumble　off。　　Only　you　must　be　careful。　　Always　hold　on　with　one　hand

while　you　rub　with　the　other。'　　As　he　spoke；　he　opened　the　door。　

I　started　back　in　a　terrible　fright；　for　there　was　nothing　but　blue

air　to　be　seen　under　me；　like　a　great　water　without　a　bottom　at　all。　

But　what　must　be　must；　and　to　live　up　here　was　so　much　nicer

than　down　in　the　mud　with　holes　in　my　shoes；　that　I　never　thought

of　not　doing　as　I　was　told。　　The　little　man　showed　me　how　and

where　to　lay　hold　while　I　put　my　foot　round　the　edge　of　the　door

on　to　the　first　round　of　a　ladder。　　‘Once　you're　up；'　he　said；

‘you'll　see　how　you　have　to　go　well　enough。'　　I　did　as　he　told　me；

and　crept　out　very　carefully。　　Then　the　little　man　handed　me　the

bundle　of　dusters；　saying；　‘I　always　carry　them　on　my　reaping　hook；

but　I　don't　think　you　could　manage　it　properly。　　You　shall　have

it　if　you　like。'　　I　wouldn't　take　it；　however；　for　it　looked

dangerous。



〃I　did　the　best　I　could　with　the　dusters；　and　crawled　up　to　the

top　of　the　moon。　　But　what　a　grand　sight　it　was！　　The　stars

were　all　over　my　head；　so　bright　and　so　near　that　I　could　almost

have　laid　hold　of　them。　　The　round　ball　to　which　I　clung　went

bobbing　and　floating　away　through　the　dark　blue　above　and　below

and　on　every　side。　　It　was　so　beautiful　that　all　fear　left　me；

and　I　set　to　work　diligently。　　I　cleaned　window　after　window。　

At　length　I　came　to　a　very　little　one；　in　at　which　I　peeped。　

There　was　the　room　with　the　box　of　bees　in　it！　　I　laid　my　ear

to　the　window；　and　heard　the　musical　hum　quite　distinctly。　

A　great　longing　to　see　them　came　upon　me；　and　I　opened　the　window

and　crept　in。　　The　little　box　had　a　door　like　a　closet。　　I　opened　it

the　tiniest　crackwhen　out　came　the　light　with　such　a　sting　that　I

closed　it　again　in　terrornot；　however；　before　three　bees　had　shot

out　into　the　room；　where　they　darted　about　like　flashes　of　lightning。　

Terribly　frightened；　I　tried　to　get　out　of　the　window　again；　but　I

could　not：　　there　was　no　way　to　the　outside　of　the　moon　but　through

the　door；　and　that　was　in　the　room　where　the　lady　sat。　　No　sooner

had　I　reached　the　room；　than　the　three　bees；　which　had　followed　me；

flew　at　once　to　the　lady；　and　settled　upon　her　hair。　　Then　first

I　saw　her　move。　　She　started；　put　up　her　hand；　and　caught　them；

then　rose　and；　having　held　them　into　the　flame　of　the　lamp　one　after

the　other；　turned　to　me。　　Her　face　was　not　so　sad　now　as　stern。　

It　frightened　me　much。　　‘Nanny；　you　have　got　me　into　trouble；'

she　said。　　‘You　have　been　letting　out　my　bees；　which　it　is　all　I　can

do　to　manage。　　You　have　forced　me　to　burn　them。　　It　is　a　great　loss；

and　there　will　be　a　storm。'　　As　she　spoke；　the　clouds　had　gathered

all　about　us。　　I　could　see　them　come　crowding　up　white　about

the　windows。　　‘I　am　sorry　to　find；'　said　the　lady；　‘that　you　are

not　to　be　trusted。　　You　must　go　home　againyou　won't　do　for　us。'　

Then　came　a　great　clap　of　thunder；　and　the　moon　rocked　and　swayed。　

All　grew　dark　about　me；　and　I　fell　on　the　floor　and　lay　half…stunned。

I　could　hear　everything　but　could　see　nothing。　　‘Shall　I　throw　her

out　of　the　door；　my　lady？'　said　the　little　man。　　‘No；'　she　answered；

‘she's　not　quite　bad　enough　for　that。　　I　don't　think　there's　much

harm　in　her；　only　she'll　never　do　for　us。　　She　would　make　dreadful

mischief　up　here。　　She's　only　fit　for　the　mud。　　It's　a　great　pity。　

I　am　sorry　for　her。　　Just　take　that　ring　off　her　finger。　　I　am　sadly

afraid　she　has　stolen　it。'　　The　little　man　caught　hold　of　my　hand；

and　I　felt　him　tugging　at　the　ring。　　I　tried　to　speak　what　was

true　about　it；　but；　after　a　terrible　effort；　only　gave　a　groan。　

Other　things　began　to　come　into　my　head。　　Somebody　else　had　a　hold

of　me。　　The　little　man　wasn't　there。　　I　opened　my　eyes　at　last；

and　saw　the　nurse。　　I　had　cried　out　in　my　sleep；　and　she　had　come

and　waked　me。　　But；　Diamond；　for　all　it　was　only　a　dream；　I　cannot

help　being　ashamed　of　myself　yet　for　opening　the　lady's　box　of

bees。〃



〃You　woudn't　do　it　againwould　youif　she　were　to　take　you　back？〃

said　Diamond。



〃No。　I　don't　think　anything　would　ever　make　me　do　it　again。　

But　where's　the　good？　　I　shall　never　have　the　chance。〃



〃I　don't　know　that；〃　said　Diamond。



〃You　silly　baby！　　It　was　only　a　dream；〃　said　Nanny。



〃I　know　that；　Nanny；　dear。　　But　how　can　you　tell　you　mayn't　dream

it　again？〃



〃That's　not　a　bit　likely。〃



〃I　don't　know　that；〃　said　Diamond。



〃You're　always　saying　that；〃　said　Nanny。　　〃I　don't　like　it。〃



〃Then　I　won't　say　it　againif　I　don't　forget。〃　　said　Diamond。　

〃But　it　was　such　a　beautiful　dream！wasn't　it；　Nanny？　　What　a　pity

you　opened　that　door　and　let　the　bees　out！　　You　might　have　had

such　a　long　dream；　and　such　nice　talks　with　the　moon…lady。　Do　try

to　go　again；　Nanny。　　I　do　so　want　to　hear　more。〃



But　now　the　nurse　came　and　told　him　it　was　time　to　go；　and　Diamond　went；

saying　to　himself；　〃I　can't　help　thinking　that　North　Wind　had　something

to　do　with　that　dream。　　It　would　be　tiresome　to　lie　there　all　day

and　all　night　toowithout　dreaming。　　Perhaps　if　she　hadn't　done　that；

the　moon　might　have　carried　her　to　the　back　of　the　north　wind

who　knows？〃







CHAPTER　XXXI



THE　NORTH　WIND　DOTH　BLOW





IT　WAS　a　great　delight　to　Diamond　when　at　length　Nanny　was　well

enough　to　leave　the　hospital　and　go　home　to　their　house。　　She　was　not

very　strong　yet；　but　Diamond's　mother　was　very　considerate　of　her；

and　took　care　that　she　should　have　nothing　to　do　she　was　not　quite

fit　for。　　If　Nanny　had　been　taken　straight　from　the　street；　it　is　very

probable　she　would　not　have　been　so　pleasant　in　a　decent　household；

or　so　easy　to　teach；　but　after　the　refining　influences　of　her　illness

and　the　kind　treatment　she　had　had　in　the　hospital；　she　moved　about

the　house　just　like　some　rather　sad　pleasure　haunting　the　mind。　

As　she　got　better；　and　the　colour　came　back　to　her　cheeks；

her　step　grew　lighter　and　quicker；　her　smile　shone　out　more　readily；

and　it　became　certain　that　she　would　soon　be　a　treasure　of　help。　

It　was　great　fun　to　see　Diamond　teaching　her　how　to　hold　the　baby；

and　wash　and　dress　him；　and　often　they　laughed　together　over

her　awkwardness。　　But　she　had　not　many　such　lessons　before　she　was

able　to　perform　those　duties　quite　as　well　as　Diamond　himself。



Things　however　did　not　go　well　with　Joseph　from　the　very　arrival　of　Ruby。　

It　almost　seemed　as　if　the　red　beast　had　brought　ill　luck　with　him。　

The　fares　were　fewer；　and　the　pay　less。　　Ruby's　services　did　indeed

make　the　week's　income　at　first　a　little　beyond　what　it　used　to　be；

but　then　there　were　two　more　to　feed。　　After　the　first　month　he　fell　lame；

and　for　the　whole　of　the　next　Joseph　dared　not　attempt　to　work　him。　

I　cannot　say　that　he　never　grumbled；　for　his　own　health　was　far

from　what　it　had　been；　but　I　can　say　that　he　tried　to　do　his　best。　

During　all　that　month；　they　lived　on　very　short　commons　indeed；

seldom　tasting　meat　except　on　Sundays；　and　poor　old　Diamond；

who　worked　hard