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other and peep through the hole; but they always stood back to give

Diamond the first look。  All that diamond could report; however; was;

that through the star…holes he saw a great many things and places

and people he knew quite well; only somehow they were different

there was something marvellous about themhe could not tell what。 

Every time he rose from looking through a star…hole; he felt as if his

heart would break for; joy; and he said that if he had not cried;

he did not know what would have become of him。



As soon as all had looked; the star was carefully fitted in again;

a little mould was strewn over it; and the rest of the heap left

as a sign that the star had been discovered。



At length one dug up a small star of a most lovely coloura colour

Diamond had never seen before。  The moment the angel saw what it was;

instead of showing it about; he handed it to one of his neighbours;

and seated himself on the edge of the hole; saying:



〃This will do for me。  Good…bye。 I'm off。〃



They crowded about him; hugging and kissing him; then stood back

with a solemn stillness; their wings lying close to their shoulders。 

The little fellow looked round on them once with a smile; and then

shot himself headlong through the star…hole。 Diamond; as privileged;

threw himself on the ground to peep after him; but he saw nothing。 

〃It's no use;〃 said the captain。  〃I never saw anything more of one

that went that way。〃



〃His wings can't be much use;〃 said Diamond; concerned and fearful;

yet comforted by the calm looks of the rest。



〃That's true;〃 said the captain。  〃He's lost them by this time。 

They all do that go that way。  You haven't got any; you see。〃



〃No;〃 said Diamond。  〃I never did have any。〃



〃Oh! didn't you?〃 said the captain。



〃Some people say;〃 he added; after a pause; 〃that they come again。 

I don't know。  I've never found the colour I care about myself。 

I suppose I shall some day。〃



Then they looked again at the star; put it carefully into its hole;

danced around it and over itbut solemnly; and called it by the name

of the finder。



〃Will you know it again?〃 asked Diamond。



〃Oh; yes。  We never forget a star that's been made a door of。〃



Then they went on with their searching and digging。



Diamond having neither pickaxe nor spade; had the more time to think。



〃I don't see any little girls;〃 he said at last。



The captain stopped his shovelling; leaned on his spade; rubbed his

forehead thoughtfully with his left handthe little angels were

all left…handedrepeated the words 〃little girls;〃 and then;

as if a thought had struck him; resumed his work; saying



〃I think I know what you mean。  I've never seen any of them; of course;

but I suppose that's the sort you mean。  I'm toldbut mind I don't

say it is so; for I don't knowthat when we fall asleep; a troop

of angels very like ourselves; only quite different; goes round

to all the stars we have discovered; and discovers them after us。 

I suppose with our shovelling and handling we spoil them a bit;

and I daresay the clouds that come up from below make them smoky

and dull sometimes。  They saymind; I say they saythese other

angels take them out one by one; and pass each round as we do;

and breathe over it; and rub it with their white hands; which are

softer than ours; because they don't do any pick…and…spade work;

and smile at it; and put it in again:  and that is what keeps them from

growing dark。〃



〃How jolly!〃 thought Diamond。  〃I should like to see them at their

work too。When do you go to sleep?〃 he asked the captain。



〃When we grow sleepy;〃 answered the captain。  〃They do saybut mind

I say they saythat it is when those otherswhat do you call them? 

I don't know if that is their name; I am only guessing that may be

the sort you meanwhen they are on their rounds and come near any

troop of us we fall asleep。  They live on the west side of the hill。 

None of us have ever been to the top of it yet。〃



Even as he spoke; he dropped his spade。  He tumbled down beside it;

and lay fast asleep。  One after the other each of the troop dropped

his pickaxe or shovel from his listless hands; and lay fast asleep

by his work。



〃Ah!〃 thought Diamond to himself; with delight; 〃now the girl…angels

are coming; and I; not being an angel; shall not fall asleep

like the rest; and I shall see the girl…angels。〃



But the same moment he felt himself growing sleepy。  He struggled

hard with the invading power。  He put up his fingers to his eyelids

and pulled them open。  But it was of no use。  He thought he saw

a glimmer of pale rosy light far up the green hill; and ceased

to know。



When he awoke; all the angels were starting up wide awake too。 

He expected to see them lift their tools; but no; the time for play

had come。  They looked happier than ever; and each began to sing

where he stood。  He had not heard them sing before。



〃Now;〃 he thought; 〃I shall know what kind of nonsense the angels

sing when they are merry。  They don't drive cabs; I see; but they

dig for stars; and they work hard enough to be merry after it。〃



And he did hear some of the angels' nonsense; for if it was all

sense to them; it had only just as much sense to Diamond as made

good nonsense of it。  He tried hard to set it down in his mind;

listening as closely as he could; now to one; now to another;

and now to all together。  But while they were yet singing he began;

to his dismay; to find that he was coming awakefaster and faster。 

And as he came awake; he found that; for all the goodness of his memory;

verse after verse of the angels' nonsense vanished from it。 

He always thought he could keep the last; but as the next began he

lost the one before it; and at length awoke; struggling to keep hold

of the last verse of all。  He felt as if the effort to keep from

forgetting that one verse of the vanishing song nearly killed him。 

And yet by the time he was wide awake he could not be sure of that even。 

It was something like this:





         White hands of whiteness

           Wash the stars' faces;

         Till glitter; glitter; glit; goes their brightness

           Down to poor places。





This; however; was so near sense that he thought it could not be

really what they did sing。







CHAPTER XXVI



DIAMOND TAKES A FARE THE WRONG WAY RIGHT





THE next morning Diamond was up almost as early as before。  He had nothing

to fear from his mother now; and made no secret of what he was about。 

By the time he reached the stable; several of the men were there。 

They asked him a good many questions as to his luck the day before;

and he told them all they wanted to know。  But when he proceeded

to harness the old horse; they pushed him aside with rough kindness;

called him a baby; and began to do it all for him。  So Diamond

ran in and had another mouthful of tea and bread and butter;

and although he had never been so tired as he was the night before;

he started quite fresh this morning。  It was a cloudy day;

and the wind blew hard from the northso hard sometimes that;

perched on the box with just his toes touching the ground;

Diamond wished that he had some kind of strap to fasten himself

down with lest he should be blown away。  But he did not really

mind it。



His head was full of the dream he had dreamed; but it did not make

him neglect his work; for his work was not to dig stars but to drive

old Diamond and pick up fares。  There are not many people who can

think about beautiful things and do common work at the same time。 

But then there are not many people who have been to the back of the

north wind。



There was not much business doing。  And Diamond felt rather cold;

notwithstanding his mother had herself put on his comforter

and helped him with his greatcoat。  But he was too well aware

of his dignity to get inside his cab as some do。  A cabman ought

to be above minding the weatherat least so Diamond thought。 

At length he was called to a neighbouring house; where a young woman

with a heavy box had to be taken to Wapping for a coast…steamer。



He did not find it at all pleasant; so far east and so near the river;

for the roughs were in great force。  However; there being no block;

not even in Nightingale Lane; he reached the entrance of the wharf;

and set down his passenger without annoyance。  But as he turned

to go back; some idlers; not content with chaffing him; showed a

mind to the fare the young woman had given him。  They were just

pulling him off the box; and Diamond was shouting for the police;

when a pale…faced man; in very shabby clothes; but with the look

of a gentleman somewhere about him; came up; and making good use of

his stick; drove them off。



〃Now; my little man;〃 he said; 〃get on while you can。  Don't lose

any time。  This is not a place for you。〃



But Diamond was not in the habit of thinking only of himself。 

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