at the back of the north wind-第17节

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〃No。　Nobody　talks　there。　　They　only　look　at　each　other；

and　understand　everything。〃



〃Is　it　cold　there？〃



〃No。〃



〃Is　it　hot？〃



〃No。〃



〃What　is　it　then？〃



〃You　never　think　about　such　things　there。〃



〃What　a　queer　place　it　must　be！〃



〃It's　a　very　good　place。〃



〃Do　you　want　to　go　back　again？〃



〃No；　I　don't　think　I　have　left　it；　I　feel　it　here；　somewhere。〃



〃Did　the　people　there　look　pleased？〃



〃Yesquite　pleased；　only　a　little　sad。〃



〃Then　they　didn't　look　glad？〃



〃They　looked　as　if　they　were　waiting　to　be　gladder　some　day。〃



This　was　how　Diamond　used　to　answer　questions　about　that　country。　

And　now　I　will　take　up　the　story　again；　and　tell　you　how　he　got　back

to　this　country。







CHAPTER　XI



HOW　DIAMOND　GOT　HOME　AGAIN





WHEN　one　at　the　back　of　the　north　wind　wanted　to　know　how　things

were　going　with　any　one　he　loved；　he　had　to　go　to　a　certain　tree；

climb　the　stem；　and　sit　down　in　the　branches。　　In　a　few　minutes；

if　he　kept　very　still；　he　would　see　something　at　least　of　what　was

going　on　with　the　people　he　loved。



One　day　when　Diamond　was　sitting　in　this　tree；　he　began　to　long　very

much　to　get　home　again；　and　no　wonder；　for　he　saw　his　mother　crying。　

Durante　says　that　the　people　there　may　always　follow　their　wishes；

because　they　never　wish　but　what　is　good。　　Diamond's　wish　was　to

get　home；　and　he　would　fain　follow　his　wish。



But　how　was　he　to　set　about　it？　　If　he　could　only　see　North　Wind！　

But　the　moment　he　had　got　to　her　back；　she　was　gone　altogether　from

his　sight。　　He　had　never　seen　her　back。　　She　might　be　sitting　on

her　doorstep　still；　looking　southwards；　and　waiting；　white　and　thin

and　blue…eyed；　until　she　was　wanted。　　Or　she　might　have　again　become

a　mighty　creature；　with　power　to　do　that　which　was　demanded　of　her；

and　gone　far　away　upon　many　missions。　　She　must　be　somewhere；　however。　

He　could　not　go　home　without　her；　and　therefore　he　must　find　her。　

She　could　never　have　intended　to　leave　him　always　away　from　his　mother。　

If　there　had　been　any　danger　of　that；　she　would　have　told　him；

and　given　him　his　choice　about　going。　　For　North　Wind　was　right　honest。　

How　to　find　North　Wind；　therefore；　occupied　all　his　thoughts。



In　his　anxiety　about　his　mother；　he　used　to　climb　the　tree　every　day；

and　sit　in　its　branches。　　However　many　of　the　dwellers　there　did　so；

they　never　incommoded　one　another；　for　the　moment　one　got　into

the　tree；　he　became　invisible　to　every　one　else；　and　it　was　such

a　wide…spreading　tree　that　there　was　room　for　every　one　of　the

people　of　the　country　in　it；　without　the　least　interference　with

each　other。　　Sometimes；　on　getting　down；　two　of　them　would　meet

at　the　root；　and　then　they　would　smile　to　each　other　more　sweetly

than　at　any　other　time；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃Ah；　you've　been　up　there　too！〃



One　day　he　was　sitting　on　one　of　the　outer　branches　of　the　tree；

looking　southwards　after　his　home。　　Far　away　was　a　blue　shining　sea；

dotted　with　gleaming　and　sparkling　specks　of　white。　　Those　were

the　icebergs。　　Nearer　he　saw　a　great　range　of　snow…capped　mountains；

and　down　below　him　the　lovely　meadow…grass　of　the　country；　with　the

stream　flowing　and　flowing　through　it；　away　towards　the　sea。　

As　he　looked　he　began　to　wonder；　for　the　whole　country　lay　beneath　him

like　a　map；　and　that　which　was　near　him　looked　just　as　small　as　that

which　he　knew　to　be　miles　away。　　The　ridge　of　ice　which　encircled　it

appeared　but　a　few　yards　off；　and　no　larger　than　the　row　of　pebbles

with　which　a　child　will　mark　out　the　boundaries　of　the　kingdom　he

has　appropriated　on　the　sea…shore。　He　thought　he　could　distinguish

the　vapoury　form　of　North　Wind；　seated　as　he　had　left　her；　on　the

other　side。　　Hastily　he　descended　the　tree；　and　to　his　amazement

found　that　the　map　or　model　of　the　country　still　lay　at　his　feet。　

He　stood　in　it。　　With　one　stride　he　had　crossed　the　river；

with　another　he　had　reached　the　ridge　of　ice；　with　the　third　he

stepped　over　its　peaks；　and　sank　wearily　down　at　North　Wind's　knees。　

For　there　she　sat　on　her　doorstep。　　The　peaks　of　the　great　ridge

of　ice　were　as　lofty　as　ever　behind　her；　and　the　country　at　her　back

had　vanished　from　Diamond's　view。



North　Wind　was　as　still　as　Diamond　had　left　her。　　Her　pale　face

was　white　as　the　snow；　and　her　motionless　eyes　were　as　blue

as　the　caverns　in　the　ice。　　But　the　instant　Diamond　touched　her；

her　face　began　to　change　like　that　of　one　waking　from　sleep。　

Light　began　to　glimmer　from　the　blue　of　her　eyes。



A　moment　more；　and　she　laid　her　hand　on　Diamond's　head；　and　began

playing　with　his　hair。　　Diamond　took　hold　of　her　hand；　and　laid

his　face　to　it。　　She　gave　a　little　start。



〃How　very　alive　you　are；　child！〃　she　murmured。　　〃Come　nearer　to　me。〃



By　the　help　of　the　stones　all　around　he　clambered　up　beside　her；

and　laid　himself　against　her　bosom。　　She　gave　a　great　sigh；

slowly　lifted　her　arms；　and　slowly　folded　them　about　him；

until　she　clasped　him　close。　　Yet　a　moment；　and　she　roused　herself；

and　came　quite　awake；　and　the　cold　of　her　bosom；　which　had　pierced

Diamond's　bones；　vanished。



〃Have　you　been　sitting　here　ever　since　I　went　through　you；

dear　North　Wind？〃　asked　Diamond；　stroking　her　hand。



〃Yes；〃　she　answered；　looking　at　him　with　her　old　kindness。



〃Ain't　you　very　tired？〃



〃No；　I've　often　had　to　sit　longer。　　Do　you　know　how　long　you

have　been？〃



〃Oh！　years　and　years；〃　answered　Diamond。



〃You　have　just　been　seven　days；〃　returned　North　Wind。



〃I　thought　I　had　been　a　hundred　years！〃　exclaimed　Diamond。



〃Yes；　I　daresay；〃　replied　North　Wind。　　〃You've　been　away

from　here　seven　days；　but　how　long　you　may　have　been　in

there　is　quite　another　thing。　　Behind　my　back　and　before

my　face　things　are　so　different！　　They　don't　go　at　all　by　the　same　rule。〃



〃I'm　very　glad；〃　said　Diamond；　after　thinking　a　while。



〃Why？〃　asked　North　Wind。



〃Because　I've　been　such　a　long　time　there；　and　such　a　little　while　away

from　mother。　　Why；　she　won't　be　expecting　me　home　from　Sandwich　yet！〃



〃No。　But　we　mustn't　talk　any　longer。　　I've　got　my　orders　now；

and　we　must　be　off　in　a　few　minutes。〃



Next　moment　Diamond　found　himself　sitting　alone　on　the　rock。　

North　Wind　had　vanished。　　A　creature　like　a　great　humble…bee　or

cockchafer　flew　past　his　face；　but　it　could　be　neither；　for　there

were　no　insects　amongst　the　ice。　　It　passed　him　again　and　again；

flying　in　circles　around　him；　and　he　concluded　that　it　must　be

North　Wind　herself；　no　bigger　than　Tom　Thumb　when　his　mother　put

him　in　the　nutshell　lined　with　flannel。　　But　she　was　no　longer

vapoury　and　thin。　　She　was　solid；　although　tiny。　　A　moment　more；

and　she　perched　on　his　shoulder。



〃Come　along；　Diamond；〃　she　said　in　his　ear；　in　the　smallest　and　highest

of　treble　voices；　〃it　is　time　we　were　setting　out　for　Sandwich。〃



Diamond　could　just　see　her；　by　turning　his　head　towards

his　shoulder　as　far　as　he　could；　but　only　with　one　eye；

for　his　nose　came　between　her　and　the　other。



〃Won't　you　take　me　in　your　arms　and　carry　me？〃　he　said　in　a　whisper；

for　he　knew　she　did　not　like　a　loud　voice　when　she　was　small。



〃Ah！　you　ungrateful　boy；〃　returned　North　Wind；　smiling　〃how　dare

you　make　game　of　me？　　Yes；　I　will　carry　you；　but　you　shall　walk

a　bit　for　your　impertinence　first。　　Come　along。〃



She　jumped　from　his　shoulder；　but　when　Diamond　looked　for　her　upon

the　ground；　he　could　see　nothing　but　a　little　spider　with　long　legs

that　made　its　way　over　the　ice　towards　the　south。　　It　ran　very　fast

indeed　for　a　spider；　but　Diamond　ran　a　long　way　before　it；　and　then

waited　for　it。　　It　was　up　with　him　sooner　than　he　had　expected；

however；　and　it　had　grown　a　good　deal。　　And　the　spider　grew　and　grew

and　went　faster　and　faster；　till　all　at　once　Diamond　discovered

that　it　was　not　a　spider；　but　a　weasel；　and　away　glided　the　weasel；

and　away　went　Diamond　after　it；　and　it　took　all　the　run　there　was

in　him　to　keep　up　with　the　weasel。　　And　the　weasel　grew；　and　grew；

and　grew；　till　all　at　once　Diamond　saw　that　the　weasel　was　not

a　weasel　but　a　cat。　　And　away　went　the　cat；　and　Diamond　after　it。　

And　when　he　had　run　half　a　mile；　he　found　the　cat　waiting　for　him；

sitting　up　and　washing　her　face　not　to　lose　time。　　And　away　went

the　cat　again；　and　Diamond　after　it。　　But　the　next　time　he　came

up　with　the　cat；　the　cat　was　not　a　cat；　but　a　hunting…leopard。

And　the　hunting…leopard　grew　to　a　jaguar；　all　covered　with　spots

like　eyes。　　And　the　jaguar　grew　to　a　Bengal　tiger。　　And　at　none

of　them　was　Diamond　afraid；　for　he　had　been　at　North　Wind's　back；

and　he　could　be　afraid　of　her　no　longer　whatever　she　did　or　grew。　

And　the　tiger　flew　over　the　snow　in　a　straight　line　for　the　south；

growing　less　and　less　to　Diamond's　eyes　till　it　was　only　a　black

speck　upon　the　whiteness；　and　then　it　vanished　altogether。　

And　now　Diamond　felt　that　he　would　rather