at the back of the north wind-第19节
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Diamond's aunt was quite willing to keep them as long as she could。
And indeed Diamond was not yet well enough to be moved with safety。
When he had recovered so far as to be able to go out； one day his
mother got her sister's husband； who had a little pony…cart； to carry
them down to the sea…shore； and leave them there for a few hours。
He had some business to do further on at Ramsgate； and would pick them
up as he returned。 A whiff of the sea…air would do them both good；
she said； and she thought besides she could best tell Diamond
what had happened if she had him quite to herself。
CHAPTER XIII
THE SEASIDE
DIAMOND and his mother sat down upon the edge of the rough grass
that bordered the sand。 The sun was just far enough past its
highest not to shine in their eyes when they looked eastward。
A sweet little wind blew on their left side； and comforted the
mother without letting her know what it was that comforted her。
Away before them stretched the sparkling waters of the ocean；
every wave of which flashed out its own delight back in the face
of the great sun； which looked down from the stillness of its blue
house with glorious silent face upon its flashing children。
On each hand the shore rounded outwards； forming a little bay。
There were no white cliffs here； as further north and south； and the
place was rather dreary； but the sky got at them so much the better。
Not a house； not a creature was within sight。 Dry sand was about
their feet； and under them thin wiry grass； that just managed to grow
out of the poverty…stricken shore。
〃Oh dear！〃 said Diamond's mother； with a deep sigh； 〃it's a sad world！〃
〃Is it？〃 said Diamond。 〃I didn't know。〃
〃How should you know； child？ You've been too well taken care of；
I trust。〃
〃Oh yes； I have；〃 returned Diamond。 〃I'm sorry！ I thought you
were taken care of too。 I thought my father took care of you。
I will ask him about it。 I think he must have forgotten。〃
〃Dear boy！〃 said his mother。 〃your father's the best man in the world。〃
〃So I thought！〃 returned Diamond with triumph。 〃I was sure
of it！Well； doesn't he take very good care of you？〃
〃Yes； yes； he does；〃 answered his mother； bursting into tears。
〃But who's to take care of him？ And how is he to take care of us
if he's got nothing to eat himself？〃
〃Oh dear！〃 said Diamond with a gasp； 〃hasn't he got anything
to eat？ Oh！ I must go home to him。〃
〃No； no； child。 He's not come to that yet。 But what's to become
of us； I don't know。〃
〃Are you very hungry； mother？ There's the basket。 I thought you
put something to eat in it。〃
〃O you darling stupid！ I didn't say I was hungry；〃 returned his mother；
smiling through her tears。
〃Then I don't understand you at all；〃 said Diamond。 〃Do tell me
what's the matter。〃
〃There are people in the world who have nothing to eat； Diamond。〃
〃Then I suppose they don't stop in it any longer。 Theythey
what you calldiedon't they？〃
〃Yes； they do。 How would you like that？〃
〃I don't know。 I never tried。 But I suppose they go where they
get something to eat。〃
〃Like enough they don't want it；〃 said his mother； petulantly。
〃That's all right then；〃 said Diamond； thinking I daresay more
than he chose to put in words。
〃Is it though？ Poor boy！ how little you know about things！
Mr。 Coleman's lost all his money； and your father has nothing to do；
and we shall have nothing to eat by and by。〃
〃Are you sure； mother？〃
〃Sure of what？〃
〃Sure that we shall have nothing to eat。〃
〃No； thank Heaven！ I'm not sure of it。 I hope not。〃
〃Then I can't understand it； mother。 There's a piece of gingerbread
in the basket； I know。〃
〃O you little bird！ You have no more sense than a sparrow that picks
what it wants； and never thinks of the winter and the frost and；
the snow。〃
〃AhyesI see。 But the birds get through the winter； don't they？〃
〃Some of them fall dead on the ground。〃
〃They must die some time。 They wouldn't like to be birds always。
Would you； mother？〃
〃What a child it is！〃 thought his mother； but she said nothing。
〃Oh！ now I remember；〃 Diamond went on。 〃Father told me that day I went
to Epping Forest with him； that the rose…bushes； and the may…bushes；
and the holly…bushes were the bird's barns； for there were the hips；
and the haws； and the holly…berries； all ready for the winter。〃
〃Yes； that's all very true。 So you see the birds are provided for。
But there are no such barns for you and me； Diamond。〃
〃Ain't there？〃
〃No。 We've got to work for our bread。〃
〃Then let's go and work；〃 said Diamond； getting up。
〃It's no use。 We've not got anything to do。〃
〃Then let's wait。〃
〃Then we shall starve。〃
〃No。 There's the basket。 Do you know； mother； I think I shall call
that basket the barn。〃
〃It's not a very big one。 And when it's emptywhere are we then？〃
〃At auntie's cupboard；〃 returned Diamond promptly。
〃But we can't eat auntie's things all up and leave her to starve。〃
〃No； no。 We'll go back to father before that。 He'll have found
a cupboard somewhere by that time。〃
〃How do you know that？〃
〃I don't know it。 But I haven't got even a cupboard； and I've always
had plenty to eat。 I've heard you say I had too much； sometimes。〃
〃But I tell you that's because I've had a cupboard for you； child。〃
〃And when yours was empty； auntie opened hers。〃
〃But that can't go on。〃
〃How do you know？ I think there must be a big cupboard somewhere；
out of which the little cupboards are filled； you know； mother。〃
〃Well； I wish I could find the door of that cupboard；〃 said his mother。
But the same moment she stopped； and was silent for a good while。
I cannot tell whether Diamond knew what she was thinking； but I
think I know。 She had heard something at church the day before；
which came back upon hersomething like this； that she hadn't
to eat for tomorrow as well as for to…day； and that what was not
wanted couldn't be missed。 So； instead of saying anything more；
she stretched out her hand for the basket； and she and Diamond had
their dinner。
And Diamond did enjoy it。 For the drive and the fresh air had made
him quite hungry； and he did not； like his mother； trouble himself
about what they should dine off that day week。 The fact was he had
lived so long without any food at all at the back of the north wind；
that he knew quite well that food was not essential to existence；
that in fact； under certain circumstances； people could live without
it well enough。
His mother did not speak much during their dinner。 After it was
over she helped him to walk about a little； but he was not able
for much and soon got tired。 He did not get fretful； though。
He was too glad of having the sun and the wind again； to fret
because he could not run about。 He lay down on the dry sand；
and his mother covered him with a shawl。 She then sat by his side；
and took a bit of work from her pocket。 But Diamond felt rather
sleepy； and turned on his side and gazed sleepily over the sand。
A few yards off he saw something fluttering。
〃What is that； mother？〃 he said。
〃Only a bit of paper；〃 she answered。
〃It flutters more than a bit of paper would； I think；〃 said Diamond。
〃I'll go and see if you like；〃 said his mother。 〃My eyes are none
of the best。〃
So she rose and went and found that they were both right； for it
was a little book； partly buried in the sand。 But several of its
leaves were clear of the sand； and these the wind kept blowing about
in a very flutterful manner。 She took it up and brought it to Diamond。
〃What is it； mother？〃 he asked。
〃Some nursery rhymes； I think；〃 she answered。
〃I'm too sleepy；〃 said Diamond。 〃Do read some of them to me。〃
〃Yes； I will；〃 she said； and began one。〃But this is such nonsense！〃
she said again。 〃I will try to find a better one。〃
She turned the leaves searching； but three times； with sudden puffs；
the wind blew the leaves rustling back to the same verses。
〃Do read that one；〃 said Diamond； who seemed to be of the same mind
as the wind。 〃It sounded very nice。 I am sure it is a good one。〃
So his mother thought it might amuse him； though she couldn't
find any sense in it。 She never thought he might understand it；
although she could not。
Now I do not exactly know what the mother read； but this is
what Diamond heard； or thought afterwards that he had heard。
He was； however； as I have said； very sleepy。 And when he thought he
understood the verses he may have been only dreaming better ones。
This is how they went
I know a river whose waters run asleep run run ever singing in the
shallows dumb in the hollows sleeping so deep and all the swallows
that dip their feathers in the hollows or i
