at the back of the north wind-第60章

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What　did　I　see　then？〃



〃Only　a　picture　of　it。　　The　real　country　at　my　real　back　is　ever

so　much　more　beautiful　than　that。　　You　shall　see　it　one　day

perhaps　before　very　long。〃



〃Do　they　sing　songs　there？〃



〃Don't　you　remember　the　dream　you　had　about　the　little　boys　that　dug

for　the　stars？〃



〃Yes；　that　I　do。　　I　thought　you　must　have　had　something　to　do

with　that　dream；　it　was　so　beautiful。〃



〃Yes；　I　gave　you　that　dream。〃



〃Oh！　thank　you。　　Did　you　give　Nanny　her　dream　tooabout　the　moon

and　the　bees？〃



〃Yes。　　I　was　the　lady　that　sat　at　the　window　of　the　moon。〃



〃Oh；　thank　you。　　I　was　almost　sure　you　had　something　to　do　with　that　too。　

And　did　you　tell　Mr。　Raymond　the　story　about　the　Princess　Daylight？〃



〃I　believe　I　had　something　to　do　with　it。　　At　all　events　he　thought

about　it　one　night　when　he　couldn't　sleep。　　But　I　want　to　ask　you

whether　you　remember　the　song　the　boy…angels　sang　in　that　dream

of　yours。〃



〃No。　I　couldn't　keep　it；　do　what　I　would；　and　I　did　try。〃



〃That　was　my　fault。〃



〃How　could　that　be；　North　Wind？〃



〃Because　I　didn't　know　it　properly　myself；　and　so　I　couldn't　teach　it

to　you。　　I　could　only　make　a　rough　guess　at　something　like　what　it

would　be；　and　so　I　wasn't　able　to　make　you　dream　it　hard　enough

to　remember　it。　　Nor　would　I　have　done　so　if　I　could；　for　it　was

not　correct。　　I　made　you　dream　pictures　of　it；　though。　　But　you

will　hear　the　very　song　itself　when　you　do　get　to　the　back　of〃



〃My　own　dear　North　Wind；〃　said　Diamond；　finishing　the　sentence

for　her；　and　kissing　the　arm　that　held　him　leaning　against　her。



〃And　now　we've　settled　all　thisfor　the　time；　at　least；〃

said　North　Wind。



〃But　I　can't　feel　quite　sure　yet；〃　said　Diamond。



〃You　must　wait　a　while　for　that。　　Meantime　you　may　be　hopeful；

and　content　not　to　be　quite　sure。　　Come　now；　I　will　take　you　home　again；

for　it　won't　do　to　tire　you　too　much。〃



〃Oh；　no；　no。　　I'm　not　the　least　tired；〃　pleaded　Diamond。



〃It　is　better；　though。〃



〃Very　well；　if　you　wish　it；〃　yielded　Diamond　with　a　sigh。



〃You　are　a　dear　good；　boy〃　said　North　Wind。　　〃I　will　come　for　you

again　to…morrow　night　and　take　you　out　for　a　longer　time。　　We　shall

make　a　little　journey　together；　in　fact。　　We　shall　start　earlier。　

and　as　the　moon　will　be；　later；　we　shall　have　a　little　moonlight　all

the　way。〃



She　rose；　and　swept　over　the　meadow　and　the　trees。　　In　a　few　moments

the　Mound　appeared　below　them。　　She　sank　a　little；　and　floated

in　at　the　window　of　Diamond's　room。　　There　she　laid　him　on　his　bed；

covered　him　over；　and　in　a　moment　he　was　lapt　in　a　dreamless　sleep。







CHAPTER　XXXVII



ONCE　MORE





THE　next　night　Diamond　was　seated　by　his　open　window；　with　his　head

on　his　hand；　rather　tired；　but　so　eagerly　waiting　for　the　promised

visit　that　he　was　afraid　he　could　not　sleep。　　But　he　started　suddenly；

and　found　that　he　had　been　already　asleep。　　He　rose；　and　looking

out　of　the　window　saw　something　white　against　his　beech…tree。　It

was　North　Wind。　　She　was　holding　by　one　hand　to　a　top　branch。　

Her　hair　and　her　garments　went　floating　away　behind　her　over　the　tree；

whose　top　was　swaying　about　while　the　others　were　still。



〃Are　you　ready；　Diamond？〃　she　asked。



〃Yes；〃　answered　Diamond；　〃quite　ready。〃



In　a　moment　she　was　at　the　window；　and　her　arms　came　in　and　took　him。　

She　sailed　away　so　swiftly　that　he　could　at　first　mark　nothing　but

the　speed　with　which　the　clouds　above　and　the　dim　earth　below　went

rushing　past。　　But　soon　he　began　to　see　that　the　sky　was　very　lovely；

with　mottled　clouds　all　about　the　moon；　on　which　she　threw　faint

colours　like　those　of　mother…of…pearl；　or　an　opal。　　The　night　was　warm；

and　in　the　lady's　arms　he　did　not　feel　the　wind　which　down　below　was

making　waves　in　the　ripe　corn；　and　ripples　on　the　rivers　and　lakes。　

At　length　they　descended　on　the　side　of　an　open　earthy　hill；

just　where；　from　beneath　a　stone；　a　spring　came　bubbling　out。



〃I　am　going　to　take　you　along　this　little　brook；〃　said　North　Wind。　

〃I　am　not　wanted　for　anything　else　to…night；　so　I　can　give　you

a　treat。〃



She　stooped　over　the　stream　and　holding　Diamond　down　close　to　the

surface　of　it；　glided　along　level　with　its　flow　as　it　ran　down

the　hill。　　And　the　song　of　the　brook　came　up　into　Diamond's　ears；

and　grew　and　grew　and　changed　with　every　turn。　　It　seemed　to　Diamond

to　be　singing　the　story　of　its　life　to　him。　　And　so　it　was。　

It　began　with　a　musical　tinkle　which　changed　to　a　babble　and　then

to　a　gentle　rushing。　　Sometimes　its　song　would　almost　cease；　and　then

break　out　again；　tinkle；　babble；　and　rush；　all　at　once。　　At　the　bottom

of　the　hill　they　came　to　a　small　river；　into　which　the　brook　flowed

with　a　muffled　but　merry　sound。　　Along　the　surface　of　the　river；

darkly　clear　below　them　in　the　moonlight；　they　floated；　now；　where　it

widened　out　into　a　little　lake；　they　would　hover　for　a　moment　over

a　bed　of　water…lilies；　and　watch　them　swing　about；　folded　in　sleep；

as　the　water　on　which　they　leaned　swayed　in　the　presence　of　North　Wind；

and　now　they　would　watch　the　fishes　asleep　among　their　roots　below。　

Sometimes　she　would　hold　Diamond　over　a　deep　hollow　curving

into　the　bank；　that　he　might　look　far　into　the　cool　stillness。　

Sometimes　she　would　leave　the　river　and　sweep　across　a　clover…field。

The　bees　were　all　at　home；　and　the　clover　was　asleep。　　Then　she　would

return　and　follow　the　river。　　It　grew　wider　and　wider　as　it　went。　

Now　the　armies　of　wheat　and　of　oats　would　hang　over　its　rush

from　the　opposite　banks；　now　the　willows　would　dip　low　branches

in　its　still　waters；　and　now　it　would　lead　them　through　stately

trees　and　grassy　banks　into　a　lovely　garden；　where　the　roses

and　lilies　were　asleep；　the　tender　flowers　quite　folded　up；

and　only　a　few　wide…awake　and　sending　out　their　life　in　sweet；

strong　odours。　　Wider　and　wider　grew　the　stream；　until　they　came

upon　boats　lying　along　its　banks；　which　rocked　a　little　in　the

flutter　of　North　Wind's　garments。　　Then　came　houses　on　the　banks；

each　standing　in　a　lovely　lawn；　with　grand　trees；　and　in　parts

the　river　was　so　high　that　some　of　the　grass　and　the　roots　of　some

of　the　trees　were　under　water；　and　Diamond；　as　they　glided　through

between　the　stems；　could　see　the　grass　at　the　bottom　of　the　water。　

Then　they　would　leave　the　river　and　float　about　and　over　the　houses；

one　after　anotherbeautiful　rich　houses；　which；　like　fine　trees；

had　taken　centuries　to　grow。　　There　was　scarcely　a　light　to　be　seen；

and　not　a　movement　to　be　heard：　　all　the　people　in　them　lay

fast　asleep。



〃What　a　lot　of　dreams　they　must　be　dreaming！〃　said　Diamond。



〃Yes；〃　returned　North　Wind。　　〃They　can't　surely　be　all　lies

can　they？〃



〃I　should　think　it　depends　a　little　on　who　dreams　them；〃

suggested　Diamond。



〃Yes；〃　said　North　Wind。　　〃The　people　who　think　lies；　and　do　lies；

are　very　likely　to　dream　lies。　　But　the　people　who　love　what　is　true

will　surely　now　and　then　dream　true　things。　　But　then　something

depends　on　whether　the　dreams　are　home…grown；　or　whether　the　seed

of　them　is　blown　over　somebody　else's　garden…wall。　Ah！　there's

some　one　awake　in　this　house！〃



They　were　floating　past　a　window　in　which　a　light　was　burning。　

Diamond　heard　a　moan；　and　looked　up　anxiously　in　North　Wind's　face。



〃It's　a　lady；〃　said　North　Wind。　　〃She　can't　sleep　for　pain。〃



〃Couldn't　you　do　something　for　her？〃　said　Diamond。



〃No；　I　can't。　But　you　could。〃



〃What　could　I　do？〃



〃Sing　a　little　song　to　her。〃



〃She　wouldn't　hear　me。〃



〃I　will　take　you　in；　and　then　she　will　hear　you。〃



〃But　that　would　be　rude；　wouldn't　it？　　You　can　go　where　you　please；

of　course；　but　I　should　have　no　business　in　her　room。〃



〃You　may　trust　me；　Diamond。　　I　shall　take　as　good　care　of　the　lady

as　of　you。　　The　window　is　open。　　Come。〃



By　a　shaded　lamp；　a　lady　was　seated　in　a　white　wrapper；

trying　to　read；　but　moanin