at the back of the north wind-第31节

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He　would　not　ask　any　one　to　help　him；　fearing　his　project　might　meet

with　disapproval　and　opposition。　　With　great　difficulty；　but　with　the

help　of　a　broken　chair　he　brought　down　from　his　bedroom；　he　managed

to　put　the　harness　on　Diamond。　　If　the　old　horse　had　had　the　least

objection　to　the　proceeding；　of　course　he　could　not　have　done　it；

but　even　when　it　came　to　the　bridle；　he　opened　his　mouth　for　the　bit；

just　as　if　he　had　been　taking　the　apple　which　Diamond　sometimes　gave　him。　

He　fastened　the　cheek…strap　very　carefully；　just　in　the　usual　hole；

for　fear　of　choking　his　friend；　or　else　letting　the　bit　get　amongst

his　teeth。　　It　was　a　job　to　get　the　saddle　on；　but　with　the　chair

he　managed　it。　　If　old　Diamond　had　had　an　education　in　physics

to　equal　that　of　the　camel；　he　would　have　knelt　down　to　let　him　put

it　on　his　back；　but　that　was　more　than　could　be　expected　of　him；

and　then　Diamond　had　to　creep　quite　under　him　to　get　hold　of

the　girth。　　The　collar　was　almost　the　worst　part　of　the　business；

but　there　Diamond　could　help　Diamond。　　He　held　his　head　very　low

till　his　little　master　had　got　it　over　and　turned　it　round；

and　then　he　lifted　his　head；　and　shook　it　on　to　his　shoulders。　

The　yoke　was　rather　difficult；　but　when　he　had　laid　the　traces

over　the　horse's　neck；　the　weight　was　not　too　much　for　him。　

He　got　him　right　at　last；　and　led　him　out　of　the　stable。



By　this　time　there　were　several　of　the　men　watching　him；　but　they

would　not　interfere；　they　were　so　anxious　to　see　how　he　would　get

over　the　various　difficulties。　　They　followed　him　as　far　as　the

stable…door；　and　there　stood　watching　him　again　as　he　put　the　horse

between　the　shafts；　got　them　up　one　after　the　other　into　the　loops；

fastened　the　traces；　the　belly…band；　the　breeching；　and　the　reins。



Then　he　got　his　whip。　　The　moment　he　mounted　the　box；　the　men

broke　into　a　hearty　cheer　of　delight　at　his　success。　　But　they

would　not　let　him　go　without　a　general　inspection　of　the　harness；

and　although　they　found　it　right；　for　not　a　buckle　had　to　be　shifted；

they　never　allowed　him　to　do　it　for　himself　again　all　the　time　his

father　was　ill。



The　cheer　brought　his　mother　to　the　window；　and　there　she　saw　her

little　boy　setting　out　alone　with　the　cab　in　the　gray　of　morning。　

She　tugged　at　the　window；　but　it　was　stiff；　and　before　she　could

open　it；　Diamond；　who　was　in　a　great　hurry；　was　out　of　the　mews；

and　almost　out　of　the　street。　　She　called　〃Diamond！　　Diamond！〃　but　there

was　no　answer　except　from　Jack。



〃Never　fear　for　him；　ma'am；〃　said　Jack。　　〃It　'ud　be　only　a　devil

as　would　hurt　him；　and　there　ain't　so　many　o'　them　as　some　folk

'ud　have　you　believe。　　A　boy　o'　Diamond's　size　as　can　'arness

a　'oss　t'other　Diamond's　size；　and　put　him　to；　right　as　a　trivet

if　he　do　upset　the　keb'll　fall　on　his　feet；　ma'am。〃



〃But　he　won't　upset　the　cab；　will　he；　Jack？〃



〃Not　he；　ma'am。　Leastways　he　won't　go　for　to　do　it。〃



〃I　know　as　much　as　that　myself。　　What　do　you　mean？〃



〃I　mean　he's　a　little　likely　to　do　it　as　the　oldest　man　in　the　stable。　

How's　the　gov'nor　to…day；　ma'am？〃



〃A　good　deal　better；　thank　you；〃　she　answered；　closing　the　window

in　some　fear　lest　her　husband　should　have　been　made　anxious　by

the　news　of　Diamond's　expedition。　　He　knew　pretty　well；　however；

what　his　boy　was　capable　of；　and　although　not　quite　easy　was　less

anxious　than　his　mother。　　But　as　the　evening　drew　on；　the　anxiety

of　both　of　them　increased；　and　every　sound　of　wheels　made　his

father　raise　himself　in　his　bed；　and　his　mother　peep　out　of　the　window。



Diamond　had　resolved　to　go　straight　to　the　cab…stand　where　he　was

best　known；　and　never　to　crawl　for　fear　of　getting　annoyed　by　idlers。　

Before　he　got　across　Oxford　Street；　however；　he　was　hailed　by　a　man

who　wanted　to　catch　a　train；　and　was　in　too　great　a　hurry　to　think

about　the　driver。　　Having　carried　him　to　King's　Cross　in　good　time；

and　got　a　good　fare　in　return；　he　set　off　again　in　great　spirits；

and　reached　the　stand　in　safety。　　He　was　the　first　there　after　all。



As　the　men　arrived　they　all　greeted　him　kindly；　and　inquired　after

his　father。



〃Ain't　you　afraid　of　the　old　'oss　running　away　with　you？〃　asked　one。



〃No；　he　wouldn't　run　away　with　me；〃　answered　Diamond。　　〃He　knows

I'm　getting　the　shillings　for　father。　　Or　if　he　did　he　would　only

run　home。〃



〃Well；　you're　a　plucky　one；　for　all　your　girl's　looks！〃　said　the　man；

〃and　I　wish　ye　luck。〃



〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　said　Diamond。　　〃I'll　do　what　I　can。　　I　came

to　the　old　place；　you　see；　because　I　knew　you　would　let　me　have

my　turn　here。〃



In　the　course　of　the　day　one　man　did　try　to　cut　him　out；　but　he

was　a　stranger；　and　the　shout　the　rest　of　them　raised　let　him　see

it　would　not　do；　and　made　him　so　far　ashamed　besides；　that　he　went

away　crawling。



Once；　in　a　block；　a　policeman　came　up　to　him；　and　asked　him　for

his　number。　　Diamond　showed　him　his　father's　badge；　saying　with　a　smile：



〃Father's　ill　at　home；　and　so　I　came　out　with　the　cab。　　There's　no

fear　of　me。　　I　can　drive。　　Besides；　the　old　horse　could　go　alone。〃



〃Just　as　well；　I　daresay。　　You're　a　pair　of　'em。　　But　you　are

a　rum　'un　for　a　cabbyain't　you　now？〃　said　the　policeman。　

〃I　don't　know　as　I　ought　to　let　you　go。〃



〃I　ain't　done　nothing；〃　said　Diamond。　　〃It's　not　my　fault　I'm

no　bigger。　　I'm　big　enough　for　my　age。〃



〃That's　where　it　is；〃　said　the　man。　　〃You　ain't　fit。〃



〃How　do　you　know　that？〃　asked　Diamond；　with　his　usual　smile；

and　turning　his　head　like　a　little　bird。



〃Why；　how　are　you　to　get　out　of　this　ruck　now；　when　it　begins

to　move？〃



〃Just　you　get　up　on　the　box；〃　said　Diamond；　〃and　I'll　show　you。　

There；　that　van's　a…moving　now。　　Jump　up。〃



The　policeman　did　as　Diamond　told　him；　and　was　soon　satisfied

that　the　little　fellow　could　drive。



〃Well；〃　he　said；　as　he　got　down　again；　〃I　don't　know　as　I　should

be　right　to　interfere。　　Good　luck　to　you；　my　little　man！〃



〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　said　Diamond；　and　drove　away。



In　a　few　minutes　a　gentleman　hailed　him。



〃Are　you　the　driver　of　this　cab？〃　he　asked。



〃Yes；　sir〃　said　Diamond；　showing　his　badge；　of　which；　he　was　proud。



〃You're　the　youngest　cabman　I　ever　saw。　　How　am　I　to　know　you　won't

break　all　my　bones？〃



〃I　would　rather　break　all　my　own；〃　said　Diamond。　　〃But　if　you're　afraid；

never　mind　me；　I　shall　soon　get　another　fare。〃



〃I'll　risk　it；〃　said　the　gentleman；　and；　opening　the　door　himself；

he　jumped　in。



He　was　going　a　good　distance；　and　soon　found　that　Diamond　got　him

over　the　ground　well。　　Now　when　Diamond　had　only　to　go　straight　ahead；

and　had　not　to　mind　so　much　what　he　was　about；　his　thoughts　always

turned　to　the　riddle　Mr。　Raymond　had　set　him；　and　this　gentleman

looked　so　clever　that　he　fancied　he　must　be　able　to　read　it　for　him。　

He　had　given　up　all　hope　of　finding　it　out　for　himself；　and　he　could

not　plague　his　father　about　it　when　he　was　ill。　　He　had　thought

of　the　answer　himself；　but　fancied　it　could　not　be　the　right　one；

for　to　see　how　it　all　fitted　required　some　knowledge　of　physiology。　

So；　when　he　reached　the　end　of　his　journey；　he　got　down　very　quickly；

and　with　his　head　just　looking　in　at　the　window；　said；　as　the　gentleman

gathered　his　gloves　and　newspapers：



〃Please；　sir；　can　you　tell　me　the　meaning　of　a　riddle？〃



〃You　must　tell　me　the　riddle　first；〃　answered　the　gentleman；　amused。



Diamond　repeated　the　riddle。



〃Oh！　that's　easy　enough；〃　he　returned。　　〃It's　a　tree。〃



〃Well；　it　ain't　got　no　mouth；　sure　enough；　but　how　then　does　it

eat　all　day　long？〃



〃It　sucks　in　its　food　through　the　tiniest　holes　in　its　leaves；〃

he　answered。　　〃Its　breath　is　its　food。　　And　it　can't　do　it　except

in　the　daylight。〃



〃Thank　you；　sir；　thank　you；〃　returned　Diamond。　　〃I'm　sorry　I

couldn't　find　it　out　myself；　Mr。　Raymond　would　have　been　better

pleased　with　me。〃



〃But　you　needn't　tell　him　any　one　told　you。〃



Diamond　gave　him　a　stare　which　came　from　the　very　back　of　the

north　wind；　where　that　kind　of　thing　is　unknown。



〃That　would　be　cheating；〃　he　said　at　last。



〃Ain't　you　a　cabby；　then？〃



〃Cabbies　don't　cheat。〃



〃Don't　they？　　I　am　of　a　different　opinion。〃



〃I'm　sure　my　father　don't。〃



〃What's　your　fare；　young　innocent？〃



〃Well；　I　think　the　distance　is　a　good　deal　over　three　miles

that's　two　shillings。　　Only　father　says　sixpence　a　mile　is　too　little；

though　we　can't　ask　for　more。〃



〃You're　a　deep　one。　　But　I　think　you're　wrong。　　It's　over　four　miles

not　much；　but　it　is。〃



〃Then　that's　half…a…crown；〃　said　Diamond。



〃Well；　here's　three　shillings。　　Will　that　do？〃



〃Thank　you　kindly；　sir。　　I'll　tell　my　father　how　good　you　were　to　me

first　to　tell　me　my　riddle；　then　to　put　me　right　about　the　distance；

and　then　to　give　me　sixpence　over。　　It'll　help　father　to　get　well　again；

it　will。〃



〃I　hope　it　may；　my　man。　　I　shouldn't　won