at the back of the north wind-第53章
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〃And after all I don't know。 I don't see why he shouldn't get on
as well as the rest of us。 There I'm nursing baby all this time;
and I get along pretty well。 I'm sure; to hear the little man singing;
you wouldn't think there was much amiss with him。〃
For at that moment Diamond was singing like a lark in the clouds。
He had the new baby in his arms; while his mother was dressing herself。
Joseph was sitting at his breakfasta little weak tea; dry bread;
and very dubious butterwhich Nanny had set for him; and which he
was enjoying because he was hungry。 He had groomed both horses;
and had got old Diamond harnessed ready to put to。
〃Think of a fat angel; Dulcimer!〃 said Diamond。
The baby had not been christened yet; but Diamond; in reading
his Bible; had come upon the word dulcimer; and thought it so pretty
that ever after he called his sister Dulcimer!
〃Think of a red; fat angel; Dulcimer!〃 he repeated; 〃for Ruby's
an angel of a horse; Dulcimer。 He sprained his ankle and got fat
on purpose。〃
〃What purpose; Diamond?〃 asked his father。
〃Ah! that I can't tell。 I suppose to look handsome when his
master comes;〃 answered Diamond。〃What do you think; Dulcimer?
It must be for some good; for Ruby's an angel。〃
〃I wish I were rid of him; anyhow;〃 said his father; 〃for he weighs
heavy on my mind。〃
〃No wonder; father: he's so fat;〃 said Diamond。 〃But you needn't
be afraid; for everybody says he's in better condition than when you
had him。〃
〃Yes; but he may be as thin as a tin horse before his owner comes。
It was too bad to leave him on my hands this way。〃
〃Perhaps he couldn't help it;〃 suggested Diamond。 〃I daresay he
has some good reason for it。〃
〃So I should have said;〃 returned his father; 〃if he had not driven
such a hard bargain with me at first。〃
〃But we don't know what may come of it yet; husband;〃 said his wife。
〃Mr。 Raymond may give a little to boot; seeing you've had more of
the bargain than you wanted or reckoned upon。〃
〃I'm afraid not: he's a hard man;〃 said Joseph; as he rose and went
to get his cab out。
Diamond resumed his singing。 For some time he carolled snatches
of everything or anything; but at last it settled down into something
like what follows。 I cannot tell where or how he got it。
Where did you come from; baby dear?
Out of the everywhere into here。
Where did you get your eyes so blue?
Out of the sky as I came through。
What makes the light in them sparkle and spin?
Some of the starry spikes left in。
Where did you get that little tear?
I found it waiting when I got here。
What makes your forehead so smooth and high?
A soft hand stroked it as I went by。
What makes your cheek like a warm white rose?
I saw something better than any one knows。
Whence that three…cornered smile of bliss?
Three angels gave me at once a kiss。
Where did you get this pearly ear?
God spoke; and it came out to hear。
Where did you get those arms and hands?
Love made itself into hooks and bands。
Feet; whence did you come; you darling things?
From the same box as the cherubs' wings。
How did they all just come to be you?
God thought about me; and so I grew。
But how did you come to us; you dear?
God thought about you; and so I am here。
〃You never made that song; Diamond;〃 said his mother。
〃No; mother。 I wish I had。 No; I don't。 That would be to take it
from somebody else。 But it's mine for all that。〃
〃What makes it yours?〃
〃I love it so。〃
〃Does loving a thing make it yours?〃
〃I think so; motherat least more than anything else can。 If I didn't
love baby (which couldn't be; you know) she wouldn't be mine a bit。
But I do love baby; and baby is my very own Dulcimer。〃
〃The baby's mine; Diamond。〃
〃That makes her the more mine; mother。〃
〃How do you make that out?〃
〃Because you're mine; mother。〃
〃Is that because you love me?〃
〃Yes; just because。 Love makes the only myness;〃 said Diamond。
When his father came home to have his dinner; and change Diamond
for Ruby; they saw him look very sad; and he told them he had not
had a fare worth mentioning the whole morning。
〃We shall all have to go to the workhouse; wife;〃 he said。
〃It would be better to go to the back of the north wind;〃
said Diamond; dreamily; not intending to say it aloud。
〃So
it would;〃 answered his father。 〃But how are we to get there; Diamond?〃
〃We must wait till we're taken;〃 returned Diamond。
Before his father could speak again; a knock came to the door;
and in walked Mr。 Raymond with a smile on his face。 Joseph got up
and received him respectfully; but not very cordially。 Martha set
a chair for him; but he would not sit down。
〃You are not very glad to see me;〃 he said to Joseph。 〃You don't
want to part with the old horse。〃
〃Indeed; sir; you are mistaken there。 What with anxiety about him;
and bad luck; I've wished I were rid of him a thousand times。
It was only to be for three months; and here it's eight or nine。〃
〃I'm sorry to hear such a statement;〃 said Mr。 Raymond。 〃Hasn't he
been of service to you?〃
〃Not much; not with his lameness〃
〃Ah!〃 said Mr。 Raymond; hastily〃you've been laming himhave you?
That accounts for it。 I see; I see。〃
〃It wasn't my fault; and he's all right now。 I don't know
how it happened; but〃
〃He did it on purpose;〃 said Diamond。 〃He put his foot on a stone
just to twist his ankle。〃
〃How do you know that; Diamond?〃 said his father; turning to him。
〃I never said so; for I could not think how it came。〃
〃I heard itin the stable;〃 answered Diamond。
〃Let's have a look at him;〃 said Mr。 Raymond。
〃If you'll step into the yard;〃 said Joseph; 〃I'll bring him out。〃
They went; and Joseph; having first taken off his harness;
walked Ruby into the middle of the yard。
〃Why;〃 said Mr。 Raymond; 〃you've not been using him well。〃
〃I don't know what you mean by that; sir。 I didn't expect to hear
that from you。 He's sound in wind and limbas sound as a barrel。〃
〃And as big; you might add。 Why; he's as fat as a pig! You don't
call that good usage!〃
Joseph was too angry to make any answer。
〃You've not worked him enough; I say。 That's not making good use
of him。 That's not doing as you'd be done by。〃
〃I shouldn't be sorry if I was served the same; sir。〃
〃He's too fat; I say。〃
〃There was a whole month I couldn't work him at all; and he did
nothing but eat his head off。 He's an awful eater。 I've taken
the best part of six hours a day out of him since; but I'm always
afraid of his coming to grief again; and so I couldn't make the most
even of that。 I declare to you; sir; when he's between the shafts;
I sit on the box as miserable as if I'd stolen him。 He looks all
the time as if he was a bottling up of complaints to make of me
the minute he set eyes on you again。 There! look at him now;
squinting round at me with one eye! I declare to you; on my word;
I haven't laid the whip on him more than three times。〃
〃I'm glad to hear it。 He never did want the whip。〃
〃I didn't say that; sir。 If ever a horse wanted the whip; he do。
He's brought me to beggary almost with his snail's pace。 I'm very
glad you've come to rid me of him。〃
〃I don't know that;〃 said Mr。 Raymond。 〃Suppose I were to ask you
to buy him of mecheap。〃
〃I wouldn't have him in a present; sir。 I don't like him。
And I wouldn't drive a horse that I didn't likeno; not for gold。
It can't come to good where there's no love between 'em。〃