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At the Back of the North Wind

by George MacDonald










CHAPTER I



THE HAY…LOFT





I HAVE been asked to tell you about the back of the north wind。 

An old Greek writer mentions a people who lived there;

and were so comfortable that they could not bear it any longer;

and drowned themselves。  My story is not the same as his。 

I do not think Herodotus had got the right account of the place。 

I am going to tell you how it fared with a boy who went there。



He lived in a low room over a coach…house; and that was not by any

means at the back of the north wind; as his mother very well knew。 

For one side of the room was built only of boards; and the boards were

so old that you might run a penknife through into the north wind。 

And then let them settle between them which was the sharper! 

I know that when you pulled it out again the wind would be after it

like a cat after a mouse; and you would know soon enough you were not

at the back of the north wind。  Still; this room was not very cold;

except when the north wind blew stronger than usual:  the room I

have to do with now was always cold; except in summer; when the sun

took the matter into his own hands。  Indeed; I am not sure whether

I ought to call it a room at all; for it was just a loft where they

kept hay and straw and oats for the horses。



And when little Diamondbut stop:  I must tell you that his father;

who was a coachman; had named him after a favourite horse;

and his mother had had no objection:when little Diamond; then;

lay there in bed; he could hear the horses under him munching away

in the dark; or moving sleepily in their dreams。  For Diamond's

father had built him a bed in the loft with boards all round it;

because they had so little room in their own end over the coach…house;

and Diamond's father put old Diamond in the stall under the bed;

because he was a quiet horse; and did not go to sleep standing;

but lay down like a reasonable creature。  But; although he was

a surprisingly reasonable creature; yet; when young Diamond woke

in the middle of the night; and felt the bed shaking in the blasts

of the north wind; he could not help wondering whether; if the wind

should blow the house down; and he were to fall through into the manger;

old Diamond mightn't eat him up before he knew him in his night…gown。

And although old Diamond was very quiet all night long; yet when he

woke he got up like an earthquake; and then young Diamond knew what

o'clock it was; or at least what was to be done next; which was

to go to sleep again as fast as he could。



There was hay at his feet and hay at his head; piled up in great

trusses to the very roof。  Indeed it was sometimes only through

a little lane with several turnings; which looked as if it

had been sawn out for him; that he could reach his bed at all。 

For the stock of hay was; of course; always in a state either of slow

ebb or of sudden flow。  Sometimes the whole space of the loft;

with the little panes in the roof for the stars to look in; would lie

open before his open eyes as he lay in bed; sometimes a yellow

wall of sweet…smelling fibres closed up his view at the distance

of half a yard。  Sometimes; when his mother had undressed him

in her room; and told him to trot to bed by himself; he would creep

into the heart of the hay; and lie there thinking how cold it was

outside in the wind; and how warm it was inside there in his bed;

and how he could go to it when he pleased; only he wouldn't just yet;

he would get a little colder first。  And ever as he grew colder;

his bed would grow warmer; till at last he would scramble out

of the hay; shoot like an arrow into his bed; cover himself up;

and snuggle down; thinking what a happy boy he was。  He had not

the least idea that the wind got in at a chink in the wall; and blew

about him all night。  For the back of his bed was only of boards

an inch thick; and on the other side of them was the north wind。



Now; as I have already said; these boards were soft and crumbly。 

To be sure; they were tarred on the outside; yet in many places they

were more like tinder than timber。  Hence it happened that the soft

part having worn away from about it; little Diamond found one night;

after he lay down; that a knot had come out of one of them; and that the

wind was blowing in upon him in a cold and rather imperious fashion。 

Now he had no fancy for leaving things wrong that might be set right;

so he jumped out of bed again; got a little strike of hay; twisted it up;

folded it in the middle; and; having thus made it into a cork;

stuck it into the hole in the wall。  But the wind began to blow loud

and angrily; and; as Diamond was falling asleep; out blew his cork

and hit him on the nose; just hard enough to wake him up quite;

and let him hear the wind whistling shrill in the hole。  He searched

for his hay…cork; found it; stuck it in harder; and was just dropping

off once more; when; pop! with an angry whistle behind it; the cork

struck him again; this time on the cheek。  Up he rose once more;

made a fresh stopple of hay; and corked the hole severely。 

But he was hardly down again beforepop! it came on his forehead。 

He gave it up; drew the clothes above his head; and was soon

fast asleep。



Although the next day was very stormy; Diamond forgot all about

the hole; for he was busy making a cave by the side of his mother's

fire with a broken chair; a three…legged stool; and a blanket;

and then sitting in it。  His mother; however; discovered it;

and pasted a bit of brown paper over it; so that; when Diamond had

snuggled down the next night; he had no occasion to think of it。



Presently; however; he lifted his head and listened。  Who could that

be talking to him?  The wind was rising again; and getting very loud;

and full of rushes and whistles。  He was sure some one was talking

and very near him; too; it was。  But he was not frightened;

for he had not yet learned how to be; so he sat up and hearkened。 

At last the voice; which; though quite gentle; sounded a little angry;

appeared to come from the back of the bed。  He crept nearer to it;

and laid his ear against the wall。  Then he heard nothing but the wind;

which sounded very loud indeed。  The moment; however; that he moved

his head from the wall; he heard the voice again; close to his ear。 

He felt about with his hand; and came upon the piece of paper his

mother had pasted over the hole。  Against this he laid his ear;

and then he heard the voice quite distinctly。  There was; in fact;

a little corner of the paper loose; and through that; as from a mouth

in the wall; the voice came。



〃What do you mean; little boyclosing up my window?〃



〃What window?〃 asked Diamond。



〃You stuffed hay into it three times last night。  I had to blow it

out again three times。〃



〃You can't mean this little hole!  It isn't a window; it's a hole

in my bed。〃



〃I did not say it was a window:  I said it was my window。〃



〃But it can't be a window; because windows are holes to see out of。〃



〃Well; that's just what I made this window for。〃



〃But you are outside:  you can't want a window。〃



〃You are quite mistaken。  Windows are to see out of; you say。 

Well; I'm in my house; and I want windows to see out of it。〃



〃But you've made a window into my bed。〃



〃Well; your mother has got three windows into my dancing room;

and you have three into my garret。〃



〃But I heard father say; when my mother wanted him to make a window

through the wall; that it was against the law; for it would look

into Mr。 Dyves's garden。〃



The voice laughed。



〃The law would have some trouble to catch me!〃 it said。



〃But if it's not right; you know;〃 said Diamond; 〃that's no matter。 

You shouldn't do it。〃



〃I am so tall I am above that law;〃 said the voice。



〃You must have a tall house; then;〃 said Diamond。



〃Yes; a tall house:  the clouds are inside it。〃



〃Dear me!〃 said Diamond; and thought a minute。  〃I think; then;

you can hardly expect me to keep a window in my bed for you。 

Why don't you make a window into Mr。 Dyves's bed?〃



〃Nobody makes a window into an ash…pit;〃 said the voice; rather sadly。 

〃I like to see nice things out of my windows。〃



〃But he must have a nicer bed than I have; though mine is very nice

so nice that I couldn't wish a better。〃



〃It's not the bed I care about:  it's what is in it。But you

just open that window。〃



〃Well; mother says I shouldn't be disobliging; but it's rather hard。 

You see the north wind will blow right in my face if I do。〃



〃I am the North Wind。〃



〃O…o…oh!〃 said Diamond; thoughtfully。  〃Then will you promise

not to blow on my face if I open your window?〃



〃I can't promise that。〃



〃But you'll give me the toothache。  Mother's got it already。〃



〃But what's to become of me without a window?〃



〃I'm sure I don't know。  All I say is; 

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