at the back of the north wind-第58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！





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　only　composed　himself

and　let　the　sleep　come。　　This　time　he　went　fast　asleep　as　usual。



But　he　woke　in　the　dim　blue　night。　　The　moon　had　vanished。　

He　thought　he　heard　a　knocking　at　his　door。　　〃Somebody　wants　me；〃

he　said　to　himself；　and　jumping　out　of　bed；　ran　to　open　it。



But　there　was　no　one　there。　　He　closed　it　again；　and；　the　noise

still　continuing；　found　that　another　door　in　the　room　was　rattling。　

It　belonged　to　a　closet；　he　thought；　but　he　had　never　been　able

to　open　it。　　The　wind　blowing　in　at　the　window　must　be　shaking　it。　

He　would　go　and　see　if　it　was　so。



The　door　now　opened　quite　easily；　but　to　his　surprise；　instead　of

a　closet　he　found　a　long　narrow　room。　　The　moon；　which　was　sinking

in　the　west；　shone　in　at　an　open　window　at　the　further　end。　

The　room　was　low　with　a　coved　ceiling；　and　occupied　the　whole　top

of　the　house；　immediately　under　the　roof。　　It　was　quite　empty。　

The　yellow　light　of　the　half…moon　streamed　over　the　dark　floor。　

He　was　so　delighted　at　the　discovery　of　the　strange；　desolate；

moonlit　place　close　to　his　own　snug　little　room；　that　he　began

to　dance　and　skip　about　the　floor。　　The　wind　came　in　through

the　door　he　had　left　open；　and　blew　about　him　as　he　danced；

and　he　kept　turning　towards　it　that　it　might　blow　in　his　face。　

He　kept　picturing　to　himself　the　many　places；　lovely　and　desolate；

the　hill…sides　and　farm…yards　and　tree…tops　and　meadows；

over　which　it　had　blown　on　its　way　to　The　Mound。　　And　as　he　danced；

he　grew　more　and　more　delighted　with　the　motion　and　the　wind；

his　feet　grew　stronger；　and　his　body　lighter；　until　at　length　it

seemed　as　if　he　were　borne　up　on　the　air；　and　could　almost　fly。　

So　strong　did　his　feeling　become；　that　at　last　he　began　to　doubt

whether　he　was　not　in　one　of　those　precious　dreams　he　had

so　often　had；　in　which　he　floated　about　on　the　air　at　will。　

But　something　made　him　look　up；　and　to　his　unspeakable　delight；

he　found　his　uplifted　hands　lying　in　those　of　North　Wind；

who　was　dancing　w