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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

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