at the back of the north wind-第6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！





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

only　Miss　North　Wind。〃



〃I　am　big　enough　to　show　you　the　way；　anyhow。　　But　if　you

won't　come；　why；　you　must　stay。〃



〃I　must　dress　myself。　　I　didn't　mind　with　a　grown　lady；　but　I

couldn't　go　with　a　little　girl　in　my　night…gown。〃



〃Very　well。　　I'm　not　in　such　a　hurry　as　I　was　the　other　night。　

Dress　as　fast　as　you　can；　and　I'll　go　and　shake　the　primrose　leaves

till　you　come。〃



〃Don't　hurt　it；〃　said　Diamond。



North　Wind　broke　out　in　a　little　laugh　like　the　breaking

of　silver　bubbles；　and　was　gone　in　a　moment。　　Diamond　saw

for　it　was　a　starlit　night；　and　the　mass　of　hay　was　at　a　low

ebb　nowthe　gleam　of　something　vanishing　down　the　stair；　and；

springing　out　of　bed；　dressed　himself　as　fast　as　ever　he　could。　

Then　he　crept　out　into　the　yard；　through　the　door　in　the　wall；

and　away　to　the　primrose。　　Behind　it　stood　North　Wind；

leaning　over　it；　and　looking　at　the　flower　as　if　she　had　been　its　mother。



〃Come　along；〃　she　said；　jumping　up　and　holding　out　her　hand。



Diamond　took　her　hand。　　It　was　cold；　but　so　pleasant　and　full

of　life；　it　was　better　than　warm。　　She　led　him　across　the　garden。　

With　one　bound　she　was　on　the　top　of　the　wall。　　Diamond　was　left　at

the　foot。



〃Stop；　stop！〃　he　cried。　　〃Please；　I　can't　jump　like　that。〃



〃You　don't　try〃　said　North　Wind；　who　from　the　top　looked　down　a　foot

taller　than　before。



〃Give　me　your　hand　again；　and　I　will；　try〃　said　Diamond。



She　reached　down；　Diamond　laid　hold　of　her　hand；　gave　a　great　spring；

and　stood　beside　her。



〃This　is　nice！〃　he　said。



Another　bound；　and　they　stood　in　the　road　by　the　river。　

It　was　full　tide；　and　the　stars　were　shining　clear　in　its　depths；

for　it　lay　still；　waiting　for　the　turn　to　run　down　again　to　the　sea。　

They　walked　along　its　side。　　But　they　had　not　walked　far　before　its

surface　was　covered　with　ripples；　and　the　stars　had　vanished　from

its　bosom。



And　North　Wind　was　now　tall　as　a　full…grown　girl。　　Her　hair　was　flying

about　her　head；　and　the　wind　was　blowing　a　breeze　down　the　river。　

But　she　turned　aside　and　went　up　a　narrow　lane；　and　as　she　went　her

hair　fell　down　around　her。



〃I　have　some　rather　disagreeable　work　to　do　to…night；〃　she　said；

〃before　I　get　out　to　sea；　and　I　must　set　about　it　at　once。　

The　disagreeable　work　must　be　looked　after　first。〃



So　saying；　she　laid　hold　of　Diamond　and　began　to　run；　gliding　along

faster　and　faster。　　Diamond　kept　up　with　her　as　well　as　he　could。　

She　made　many　turnings　and　windings；　apparently　because　it　was　not

quite　easy　to　get　him　over　walls　and　houses。　　Once　they　ran　through

a　hall　where　they　found　back　and　front　doors　open。　　At　the　foot　of

the　stair　North　Wind　stood　still；　and　Diamond；　hearing　a　great　growl；

started　in　terror；　and　there；　instead　of　North　Wind；　was　a　huge　wolf

by　his　side。　　He　let　go　his　hold　in　dismay；　and　the　wolf　bounded

up　the　stair。　　The　windows　of　the　house　rattled　and　shook　as　if

guns　were　firing；　and　the　sound　of　a　great　fall　came　from　above。　

Diamond　stood　with　white　face　staring　up　at　the　landing。



〃Surely；〃　he　thought；　〃North　Wind　can't　be　eating　one　of　the　children！〃　

Coming　to　himself　all　at　once；　he　rushed　after　her　with　his　little

fist　clenched。　　There　were　ladies　in　long　trains　going　up　and　down

the　stairs；　and　gentlemen　in　white　neckties　attending　on　them；

who　stared　at　him；　but　none　of　them　were　of　the　people　of　the　house；

and　they　said　nothing。　　Before　he　reached　the　head　of　the　stair；

however；　North　Wind　met　him；　took　him　by　the　hand；　and　hurried

down　and　out　of　the　house。



〃I　hope　you　haven't　eaten　a　baby；　North　Wind！〃　said　Diamond；

very　solemnly。



North　Wind　laughed　merrily；　and　went　tripping　on　faster。　　Her　grassy

robe　swept　and　swirled　about　her　steps；　and　wherever　it　passed

over　withered　leaves；　they　went　fleeing　and　whirling　in　spirals；

and　running　on　their　edges　like　wheels；　all　about　her　feet。



〃No；〃　she　said　at　last；　〃I　did　not　eat　a　baby。　　You　would　not　have　had

to　ask　that　foolish　question　if　you　had　not　let　go　your　hold　of　me。　

You　would　have　seen　how　I　served　a　nurse　that　was　calling　a　child

bad　names；　and　telling　her　she　was　wicked。　　She　had　been　drinking。　

I　saw　an　ugly　gin　bottle　in　a　cupboard。〃



〃And　you　frightened　her？〃　said　Diamond。



〃I　believe　so！〃　answered　North　Wind　laughing　merrily。　　〃I　flew

at　her　throat；　and　she　tumbled　over　on　the　floor　with　such　a　crash

that　they　ran　in。　　She'll　be　turned　away　to…morrowand　quite　time；

if　they　knew　as　much　as　I　do。〃



〃But　didn't　you　frighten　the　little　one？〃



〃She　never　saw　me。　　The　woman　would　not　have　seen　me　either　if　she

had　not　been　wicked。〃



〃Oh！〃　said　Diamond；　dubiously。



〃Why　should　you　see　things；〃　returned　North　Wind；　〃that　you　wouldn't

understand　or　know　what　to　do　with？　　Good　people　see　good　things；

bad　people；　bad　things。〃



〃Then　are　you　a　bad　thing？〃



〃No。　For　you　see　me；　Diamond；　dear；〃　said　the　girl；　and　she　looked

down　at　him；　and　Diamond　saw　the　loving　eyes　of　the　great　lady

beaming　from　the　depths　of　her　falling　hair。



〃I　had　to　make　myself　look　like　a　bad　thing　before　she　could　see　me。　

If　I　had　put　on　any　other　shape　than　a　wolf's　she　would　not　have

seen　me；　for　that　is　what　is　growing　to　be　her　own　shape　inside

of　her。〃



〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean；〃　said　Diamond；　〃but　I　suppose　it's

all　right。〃



They　were　now　climbing　the　slope　of　a　grassy　ascent。　　It　was

Primrose　Hill；　in　fact；　although　Diamond　had　never　heard　of　it。　

The　moment　they　reached　the　top；　North　Wind　stood　and　turned　her　face

towards　London　The　stars　were　still　shining　clear　and　cold　overhead。　

There　was　not　a　cloud　to　be　seen。　　The　air　was　sharp；　but　Diamond　did

not　find　it　cold。



〃Now；〃　said　the　lady；　〃whatever　you　do；　do　not　let　my　hand　go。　

I　might　have　lost　you　the　last　time；　only　I　was　not　in　a　hurry　then：　

now　I　am　in　a　hurry。〃



Yet　she　stood　still　for　a　moment。









CHAPTER　IV



NORTH　WIND





AND　as　she　stood　looking　towards　London；　Diamond　saw　that　she

was　trembling。



〃Are　you　cold；　North　Wind？〃　he　asked。



〃No；　Diamond；〃　she　answered；　looking　down　upon　him　with　a　smile；

〃I　am　only　getting　ready　to　sweep　one　of　my　rooms。　　Those　careless；

greedy；　untidy　children　make　it　in　such　a　mess。〃



As　she　spoke　he　could　have　told　by　her　voice；　if　he　had　not　seen

with　his　eyes；　that　she　was　growing　larger　and　larger。　　Her　head

went　up　and　up　towards　the　stars；　and　as　she　grew；　still　trembling

through　all　her　body；　her　hair　also　grewlonger　and　longer；

and　lifted　itself　from　her　head；　and　went　out　in　black　waves。　

The　next　moment；　however；　it　fell　back　around　her；　and　she　grew　less

and　less　till　she　was　only　a　tall　woman。　　Then　she　put　her　hands

behind　her　head；　and　gathered　some　of　her　hair；　and　began　weaving

and　knotting　it　together。　　When　she　had　done；　she　bent　down　her

beautiful　face　close　to　his；　and　said



〃Diamond；　I　am　afraid　you　would　not　keep　hold　of　me；　and　if　I

were　to　drop　you；　I　don't　know　what　might　happen；　so　I　have　been

making　a　place　for　you　in　my　hair。　　Come。〃



Diamond　held　out　his　arms；　for　with　that　grand　face　looking　at　him；

he　believed　like　a　baby。　　She　took　him　in　her　hands；　threw　him　over

her　shoulder；　and　said；　〃Get　in；　Diamond。〃



And　Diamond　parted　her　hair　with　his　hands；　crept　between；　and　feeling

about　soon　found　the　woven　nest。　　It　was　just　like　a　pocket；

or　like　the　shawl　in　which　gipsy　women　carry　their　children。　

North　Wind　put　her　hands　to　her　back；　felt　all　about　the　nest；

and　finding　it　safe；　said



〃Are　you　comfortable；　Diamond？〃



〃Yes；　indeed；〃　answered　Diamond。



The　next　moment　he　was　rising　in　the　air。　　North　Wind　grew　towering

up　to　the　place　of　the　clouds。　　Her　hair　went　streaming　out　from　her；

till　it　spread　like　a　mist　over　the　stars。　　She　flung　herself　abroad

in　space。



Diamond　held　on　by　tw