at the back of the north wind-第26节

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At　length　he　found　himself　nodding；　and　he　knew　then　it　was　time

to　put　the　baby　down；　lest　he　should　let　him　fall。　　So　he　rose　from

the　little　three…legged　stool；　and　laid　the　baby　in　the　cradle；

and　covered　him　upit　was　well　it　was　a　warm　night；　and　he　did　not

want　much　coveringand　then　he　all　but　staggered　out　of　the　door；

he　was　so　tipsy　himself　with　sleep。



〃Wife；〃　said　the　cabman；　turning　towards　the　bed；　〃I　do　somehow　believe

that　wur　a　angel　just　gone。　　Did　you　see　him；　wife？　　He　warn't　wery　big；

and　he　hadn't　got　none　o'　them　wingses；　you　know。　　It　wur　one　o'

them　baby…angels　you　sees　on　the　gravestones；　you　know。〃



〃Nonsense；　hubby！〃　said　his　wife；　〃but　it's　just　as　good。　

I　might　say　better；　for　you　can　ketch　hold　of　him　when　you　like。　

That's　little　Diamond　as　everybody　knows；　and　a　duck　o'　diamonds　he　is！　

No　woman　could　wish　for　a　better　child　than　he　be。〃



〃I　ha'　heerd　on　him　in　the　stable；　but　I　never　see　the　brat　afore。　

Come；　old　girl；　let　bygones　be　bygones；　and　gie　us　a　kiss；

and　we'll　go　to　bed。〃



The　cabman　kept　his　cab　in　another　yard；　although　he　had　his　room

in　this。　　He　was　often　late　in　coming　home；　and　was　not　one　to　take

notice　of　children；　especially　when　he　was　tipsy；　which　was　oftener

than　not。　　Hence；　if　he　had　ever　seen　Diamond；　he　did　not　know　him。　

But　his　wife　knew　him　well　enough；　as　did　every　one　else　who　lived

all　day　in　the　yard。　　She　was　a　good…natured　woman。　　It　was　she

who　had　got　the　fire　lighted　and　the　tea　ready　for　them　when　Diamond

and　his　mother　came　home　from　Sandwich。　　And　her　husband　was　not

an　ill…natured　man　either；　and　when　in　the　morning　he　recalled　not

only　Diamond's　visit；　but　how　he　himself　had　behaved　to　his　wife；

he　was　very　vexed　with　himself；　and　gladdened　his　poor　wife's　heart

by　telling　her　how　sorry　he　was。　　And　for　a　whole　week　after；

he　did　not　go　near　the　public…house；　hard　as　it　was　to　avoid　it；

seeing　a　certain　rich　brewer　had　built　one；　like　a　trap　to　catch

souls　and　bodies　in；　at　almost　every　corner　he　had　to　pass　on　his

way　home。　　Indeed；　he　was　never　quite　so　bad　after　that；　though　it

was　some　time　before　he　began　really　to　reform。







CHAPTER　XIX



DIAMOND'S　FRIENDS





ONE　day　when　old　Diamond　was　standing　with　his　nose　in　his　bag

between　Pall　Mall　and　Cockspur　Street；　and　his　master　was　reading

the　newspaper　on　the　box　of　his　cab；　which　was　the　last　of　a　good

many　in　the　row；　little　Diamond　got　down　for　a　run；　for　his　legs

were　getting　cramped　with　sitting。　　And　first　of　all　he　strolled

with　his　hands　in　his　pockets　up　to　the　crossing；　where　the　girl

and　her　broom　were　to　be　found　in　all　weathers。　　Just　as　he　was

going　to　speak　to　her；　a　tall　gentleman　stepped　upon　the　crossing。　

He　was　pleased　to　find　it　so　clean；　for　the　streets　were　muddy；

and　he　had　nice　boots　on；　so　he　put　his　hand　in　his　pocket；

and　gave　the　girl　a　penny。　　But　when　she　gave　him　a　sweet　smile

in　return；　and　made　him　a　pretty　courtesy；　he　looked　at　her　again；

and　said：



〃Where　do　you　live；　my　child？〃



〃Paradise　Row；〃　she　answered；　〃next　door　to　the　Adam　and　Eve

down　the　area。〃



〃Whom　do　you　live　with？〃　he　asked。



〃My　wicked　old　grannie；〃　she　replied。



〃You　shouldn't　call　your　grannie　wicked；〃　said　the　gentleman。



〃But　she　is；〃　said　the　girl；　looking　up　confidently　in　his　face。　

〃If　you　don't　believe　me；　you　can　come　and　take　a　look　at　her。〃



The　words　sounded　rude；　but　the　girl's　face　looked　so　simple

that　the　gentleman　saw　she　did　not　mean　to　be　rude；　and　became

still　more　interested　in　her。



〃Still　you　shouldn't　say　so；〃　he　insisted。



〃Shouldn't　I？　　Everybody　calls　her　wicked　old　grannieeven　them

that's　as　wicked　as　her。　　You　should　hear　her　swear。　　There's　nothing

like　it　in　the　Row。　　Indeed；　I　assure　you；　sir；　there's　ne'er

a　one　of　them　can　shut　my　grannie　up　once　she　begins　and　gets

right　a…going。　You　must　put　her　in　a　passion　first；　you　know。　

It's　no　good　till　you　do　thatshe's　so　old　now。　　How　she　do　make

them　laugh；　to　be　sure！〃



Although　she　called　her　wicked；　the　child　spoke　so　as　plainly

to　indicate　pride　in　her　grannie's　pre…eminence　in　swearing。



The　gentleman　looked　very　grave　to　hear　her；　for　he　was　sorry

that　such　a　nice　little　girl　should　be　in　such　bad　keeping。　

But　he　did　not　know　what　to　say　next；　and　stood　for　a　moment

with　his　eyes　on　the　ground。　　When　he　lifted　them；　he　saw　the　face

of　Diamond　looking　up　in　his。



〃Please；　sir；〃　said　Diamond；　〃her　grannie's　very　cruel　to　her　sometimes；

and　shuts　her　out　in　the　streets　at　night；　if　she　happens　to　be　late。〃



〃Is　this　your　brother？〃　asked　the　gentleman　of　the　girl。



〃No；　sir。〃



〃How　does　he　know　your　grandmother；　then？　　He　does　not　look

like　one　of　her　sort。〃



〃Oh　no；　sir！　　He's　a　good　boyquite。〃



Here　she　tapped　her　forehead　with　her　finger　in　a　significant　manner。



〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　asked　the　gentleman；　while　Diamond

looked　on　smiling。



〃The　cabbies　call　him　God's　baby；〃　she　whispered。　　〃He's　not　right

in　the　head；　you　know。　　A　tile　loose。〃



Still　Diamond；　though　he　heard　every　word；　and　understood　it　too；

kept　on　smiling。　　What　could　it　matter　what　people　called　him；

so　long　as　he　did　nothing　he　ought　not　to　do？　　And；　besides；　God's　baby

was　surely　the　best　of　names！



〃Well；　my　little　man；　and　what　can　you　do？〃　asked　the　gentleman；

turning　towards　himjust　for　the　sake　of　saying　something。



〃Drive　a　cab；〃　said　Diamond。



〃Good；　and　what　else？〃　he　continued；　for；　accepting　what　the　girl

had　said；　he　regarded　the　still　sweetness　of　Diamond's　face　as　a

sign　of　silliness；　and　wished　to　be　kind　to　the　poor　little　fellow。



〃Nurse　a　baby；〃　said　Diamond。



〃Welland　what　else？〃



〃Clean　father's　boots；　and　make　him　a　bit　of　toast　for　his　tea。〃



〃You're　a　useful　little　man；〃　said　the　gentleman。　　〃What　else　can

you　do？〃



〃Not　much　that　I　know　of；〃　said　Diamond。　　〃I　can't　curry　a　horse；

except　somebody　puts　me　on　his　back。　　So　I　don't　count　that。〃



〃Can　you　read？〃



〃No。　But　mother　can　and　father　can；　and　they're　going　to　teach　me

some　day　soon。〃



〃Well；　here's　a　penny　for　you。〃



〃Thank　you；　sir。〃



〃And　when　you　have　learned　to　read；　come　to　me；　and　I'll　give　you

sixpence　and　a　book　with　fine　pictures　in　it。〃



〃Please；　sir；　where　am　I　to　come？〃　asked　Diamond；　who　was　too　much

a　man　of　the　world　not　to　know　that　he　must　have　the　gentleman's

address　before　he　could　go　and　see　him。



〃You're　no　such　silly！〃　thought　he；　as　he　put　his　hand　in　his　pocket；

and　brought　out　a　card。　　〃There；〃　he　said；　〃your　father　will　be　able

to　read　that；　and　tell　you　where　to　go。〃



〃Yes；　sir。　　Thank　you；　sir；〃　said　Diamond；　and　put　the　card

in　his　pocket。



The　gentleman　walked　away；　but　turning　round　a　few　paces　off；

saw　Diamond　give　his　penny　to　the　girl；　and；　walking　slower　heard

him　say：



〃I've　got　a　father；　and　mother；　and　little　brother；　and　you've　got

nothing　but　a　wicked　old　grannie。　　You　may　have　my　penny。〃



The　girl　put　it　beside　the　other　in　her　pocket；　the　only　trustworthy

article　of　dress　she　wore。　　Her　grandmother　always　took　care

that　she　had　a　stout　pocket。



〃Is　she　as　cruel　as　ever？〃　asked　Diamond。



〃Much　the　same。　　But　I　gets　more　coppers　now　than　I　used　to；　and　I

can　get　summats　to　eat；　and　take　browns　enough　home　besides　to　keep

her　from　grumbling。　　It's　a　good　thing　she's　so　blind；　though。〃



〃Why？〃　asked　Diamond。



〃'Cause　if　she　was　as　sharp　in　the　eyes　as　she　used　to　be；　she　would

find　out　I　never　eats　her　broken　wittles；　and　then　she'd　know　as　I

must　get　something　somewheres。〃



〃Doesn't　she　watch　you；　then？〃



〃O'　course　she　do。　　Don't　she　just！　　But　I　make　believe　and　drop

it　in　my　lap；　and　then　hitch　it　into　my　pocket。〃



〃What　would　she　do　if　she　found　you　out？〃



〃She　never　give　me　no　more。〃



〃But　you　don't　want　it！〃



〃Yes；　I　do　want　it。〃



〃What　do　you　do　with　it；　then？〃



〃Give　it　to　cripple　Jim。〃



〃Who's　cripple　Jim？〃



〃A　boy　in　the　Row。　　His　mother　broke　his　leg　when　he　wur　a　kid；

so　he's　never　come　to　much；　but　he's　a　good　boy；　is　Jim；　and　I　love

Jim　dearly。　　I　always　keeps　off　a　penny　for　Jimleastways　as　often

as　I　can。But　there　I　must　sweep　again；　for　them　busses　makes　no

end　o'　dirt。〃



〃Diamond！　　Diamond！〃　cried　his　father；　who　was　afraid　he　might

get　no　good　by　talking　to　the　girl；　and　Diamond　obeyed；　and　got

up　again　upon　the　box。　　He　told　his　father　about　the　gentleman；

and　what　he　had　promised　him　if　he　would　learn　to　read；　and　showed

him　the　gentleman's　card。



〃Why；　it's　not　many　doors　from　the　Mews！〃　said　his　father；　giving　him

back　the　card。　　〃Take　care　of　it；　my　boy；　for　it　may　lead　to　something。　

God　knows；　in　these　hard　times　a　man　wants　as　many　friends　as　he's

ever　likely　to　get。〃



〃Haven't　you　got　friends　enough；　father？〃　asked　Diamond。



〃Well