at the back of the north wind-第27节
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ever likely to get。〃
〃Haven't you got friends enough； father？〃 asked Diamond。
〃Well； I have no right to complain； but the more the better；
you know。〃
〃Just let me count；〃 said Diamond。
And he took his hands from his pockets； and spreading out the fingers
of his left hand； began to count； beginning at the thumb。
〃There's mother； first； and then baby； and then me。 Next there's
old Diamondand the cabno； I won't count the cab； for it never
looks at you； and when Diamond's out of the shafts； it's nobody。
Then there's the man that drinks next door； and his wife；
and his baby。〃
〃They're no friends of mine；〃 said his father。
〃Well； they're friends of mine；〃 said Diamond。
His father laughed。
〃Much good they'll do you！〃 he said。
〃How do you know they won't？〃 returned Diamond。
〃Well； go on；〃 said his father。
〃Then there's Jack and Mr。 Stonecrop； and； deary me！ not to
have mentioned Mr。 Coleman and Mrs。 Coleman； and Miss Coleman；
and Mrs。 Crump。 And then there's the clergyman that spoke
to me in the garden that day the tree was blown down。〃
〃What's his name！〃
〃I don't know his name。〃
〃Where does he live？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃How can you count him； then？〃
〃He did talk to me； and very kindlike too。〃
His father laughed again。
〃Why； child； you're just counting everybody you know。 That don't
make 'em friends。〃
〃Don't it？ I thought it did。 Well； but they shall be my friends。
I shall make 'em。〃
〃How will you do that？〃
〃They can't help themselves then； if they would。 If I choose
to be their friend； you know； they can't prevent me。 Then there's
that girl at the crossing。〃
〃A fine set of friends you do have； to be sure； Diamond！〃
〃Surely she's a friend anyhow； father。 If it hadn't been for her；
you would never have got Mrs。 Coleman and Miss Coleman to carry home。〃
His father was silent； for he saw that Diamond was right； and was
ashamed to find himself more ungrateful than he had thought。
〃Then there's the new gentleman；〃 Diamond went on。
〃If he do as he say；〃 interposed his father。
〃And why shouldn't he？ I daresay sixpence ain't too much for him
to spare。 But I don't quite understand； father： is nobody your
friend but the one that does something for you？〃
〃No； I won't say that； my boy。 You would have to leave out baby then。〃
〃Oh no； I shouldn't。 Baby can laugh in your face； and crow in your ears；
and make you feel so happy。 Call you that nothing； father？〃
The father's heart was fairly touched now。 He made no answer
to this last appeal； and Diamond ended off with saying：
〃And there's the best of mine to come yetand that's you； daddy
except it be mother； you know。 You're my friend； daddy； ain't you？
And I'm your friend； ain't I？〃
〃And God for us all；〃 said his father； and then they were both
silent for that was very solemn。
CHAPTER XX
DIAMOND LEARNS TO READ
THE question of the tall gentleman as to whether Diamond could
read or not set his father thinking it was high time he could；
and as soon as old Diamond was suppered and bedded； he began the
task that very night。 But it was not much of a task to Diamond；
for his father took for his lesson…book those very rhymes his mother
had picked up on the sea…shore； and as Diamond was not beginning
too soon； he learned very fast indeed。 Within a month he was able
to spell out most of the verses for himself。
But he had never come upon the poem he thought he had heard his
mother read from it that day。 He had looked through and through
the book several times after he knew the letters and a few words；
fancying he could tell the look of it； but had always failed to find
one more like it than another。 So he wisely gave up the search till
he could really read。 Then he resolved to begin at the beginning；
and read them all straight through。 This took him nearly a fortnight。
When he had almost reached the end； he came upon the following verses；
which took his fancy much； although they were certainly not very
like those he was in search of。
LITTLE BOY BLUE
Little Boy Blue lost his way in a wood。
Sing apples and cherries； roses and honey；
He said； 〃I would not go back if I could；
It's all so jolly and funny。〃
He sang； 〃This wood is all my own；
Apples and cherries； roses and honey；
So here I'll sit； like a king on my throne；
All so jolly and funny。〃
A little snake crept out of the tree；
Apples and cherries； roses and honey；
〃Lie down at my feet； little snake；〃 said he；
All so jolly and funny。
A little bird sang in the tree overhead；
Apples and cherries； roses and honey；
〃Come and sing your song on my finger instead；
All so jolly and funny。〃
The snake coiled up； and the bird flew down；
And sang him the song of Birdie Brown。
Little Boy Blue found it tiresome to sit；
And he thought he had better walk on a bit。
So up he got； his way to take；
And he said； 〃Come along； little bird and snake。〃
And waves of snake o'er the damp leaves passed；
And the snake went first and Birdie Brown last；
By Boy Blue's head； with flutter and dart；
Flew Birdie Brown with its song in its heart。
He came where the apples grew red and sweet：
〃Tree； drop me an apple down at my feet。〃
He came where the cherries hung plump and red：
〃Come to my mouth； sweet kisses；〃 he said。
And the boughs bow down； and the apples they dapple
The grass； too many for him to grapple。
And the cheeriest cherries； with never a miss；
Fall to his mouth； each a full…grown kiss。
He met a little brook singing a song。
He said； 〃Little brook； you are going wrong。
〃You must follow me； follow me； follow； I say
Do as I tell you； and come this way。〃
And the song…singing； sing…songing forest brook
Leaped from its bed and after him took；
Followed him； followed。 And pale and wan；
The dead leaves rustled as the water ran。
And every bird high up on the bough；
And every creature low down below；
He called； and the creatures obeyed the call；
Took their legs and their wings and followed him all；
Squirrels that carried their tails like a sack；
Each on his own little humpy brown back；
Householder snails； and slugs all tails；
And butterflies； flutterbies； ships all sails；
And weasels； and ousels； and mice； and larks；
And owls； and rere…mice； and harkydarks；
All went running； and creeping； and flowing；
After the merry boy fluttering and going；
The dappled fawns fawning； the fallow…deer following；
The swallows and flies； flying and swallowing；
Cockchafers； henchafers； cockioli…birds；
Cockroaches； henroaches； cuckoos in herds。
The spider forgot and followed him spinning；
And lost all his thread from end to beginning。
The gay wasp forgot his rings and his waist；
He never had made such undignified haste。
The dragon…flies melted to mist with their hurrying。
The mole in his moleskins left his barrowing burrowing。
The bees went buzzing； so busy and beesy；
And the midges in columns so upright and easy。
But Little Boy Blue was not content；
Calling for followers still as he went；
Blowing his horn； and beating his drum；
And crying aloud； 〃Come all of you； come！〃
He said to the shadows； 〃Come after me；〃
And the shadows began to flicker and flee；
And they flew through the wood all flattering and fluttering；
Over the dead leaves flickering and muttering。
And he said to the wind； 〃Come； follow； come； follow；
With whistle and pipe； and rustle and hollo。〃
And the wind wound round at his desire；
As if he had been the gold cock on the spire。
And the cock itself flew down from the church；
And left the farmers all in the lurch。
They run and they fly； they creep and they come；
Everything； everything； all and some。
The very trees they tugged at their roots；
Only their feet were too fast in their boots；
After him leaning and straining and bending；
As on through their boles he kept walking and wending；
Till out of the wood he burst on a lea；
Shouting and calling； 〃Come after me！〃
And then they rose up with a leafy hiss；
And stood as if nothing had been amiss。
Little Boy Blue sat down on a stone；
And the creatures came round him every one。
And he said to the clouds； 〃I want you there。〃
And down they sank through the thin blue air。
And he said to the sunset far in the West；
〃Come here； I want you； I know best。〃
And the sunset came and stood up on t
