at the back of the north wind-第52节

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both　in　one。〃



〃But　what's　the　good　of　talking　about　it　that　way；　when　you　know

it　was　only　a　dream？　　Dreams　ain't　true。〃



〃That　one　was　true；　Nanny。　　You　know　it　was。　　Didn't　you　come　to

grief　for　doing　what　you　were　told　not　to　do？　　And　isn't　that　true？〃



〃I　can't　get　any　sense　into　him；〃　exclaimed　Nanny；　with　an　expression

of　mild　despair。　　〃Do　you　really　believe；　Diamond；　that　there's

a　house　in　the　moon；　with　a　beautiful　lady　and　a　crooked　old　man

and　dusters　in　it？〃



〃If　there　isn't；　there's　something　better；〃　he　answered；　and　vanished

in　the　leaves　over　our　heads。



I　went　into　the　house；　where　I　visited　often　in　the　evenings。　

When　I　came　out；　there　was　a　little　wind　blowing；　very　pleasant

after　the　heat　of　the　day；　for　although　it　was　late　summer　now；

it　was　still　hot。　　The　tree…tops　were　swinging　about　in　it。　

I　took　my　way　past　the　beech；　and　called　up　to　see　if　Diamond　were

still　in　his　nest　in　its　rocking　head。



〃Are　you　there；　Diamond？〃　　I　said。



〃Yes；　sir；〃　came　his　clear　voice　in　reply。



〃Isn't　it　growing　too　dark　for　you　to　get　down　safely？〃



〃Oh；　no；　sirif　I　take　time　to　it。　　I　know　my　way　so　well；

and　never　let　go　with　one　hand　till　I've　a　good　hold　with　the　other。〃



〃Do　be　careful；〃　I　insistedfoolishly；　seeing　the　boy　was　as　careful

as　he　could　be　already。



〃I'm　coming；〃　he　returned。　　〃I've　got　all　the　moon　I　want　to…night。〃





I　heard　a　rustling　and　a　rustling　drawing　nearer　and　nearer。　

Three　or　four　minutes　elapsed；　and　he　appeared　at　length　creeping

down　his　little　ladder。　　I　took　him　in　my　arms；　and　set　him　on

the　ground。



〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　he　said。　　〃That's　the　north　wind　blowing；

isn't　it；　sir？〃



〃I　can't　tell；〃　I　answered。　　〃It　feels　cool　and　kind；　and　I　think

it　may　be。　　But　I　couldn't　be　sure　except　it　were　stronger；　for　a

gentle　wind　might　turn　any　way　amongst　the　trunks　of　the　trees。〃



〃I　shall　know　when　I　get　up　to　my　own　room；〃　said　Diamond。　

〃I　think　I　hear　my　mistress's　bell。　　Good…night；　sir。〃



He　ran　to　the　house；　and　I　went　home。



His　mistress　had　rung　for　him　only　to　send　him　to　bed；　for　she　was

very　careful　over　him　and　I　daresay　thought　he　was　not　looking　well。　

When　he　reached　his　own　room；　he　opened　both　his　windows；

one　of　which　looked　to　the　north　and　the　other　to　the　east；　to　find

how　the　wind　blew。　　It　blew　right　in　at　the　northern　window。　

Diamond　was　very　glad；　for　he　thought　perhaps　North　Wind　herself

would　come　now：　　a　real　north　wind　had　never　blown　all　the　time

since　he　left　London。　　But；　as　she　always　came　of　herself；

and　never　when　he　was　looking　for　her；　and　indeed　almost　never　when

he　was　thinking　of　her；　he　shut　the　east　window；　and　went　to　bed。　

Perhaps　some　of　my　readers　may　wonder　that　he　could　go　to　sleep　with

such　an　expectation；　and；　indeed；　if　I　had　not　known　him；　I　should

have　wondered　at　it　myself；　but　it　was　one　of　his　peculiarities；

and　seemed　nothing　strange　in　him。　　He　was　so　full　of　quietness　that

he　could　go　to　sleep　almost　any　time；　if　he　only　composed　himself

and　let　the　sleep　come。　　This　time　he　went　fast　asleep　as　usual。



But　he　woke　in　the　dim　blue　night。　　The　moon　had　vanished。　

He　thought　he　heard　a　knocking　at　his　door。　　〃Somebody　wants　me；〃

he　said　to　himself；　and　jumping　out　of　bed；　ran　to　open　it。



But　there　was　no　one　there。　　He　closed　it　again；　and；　the　noise

still　continuing；　found　that　another　door　in　the　room　was　rattling。　

It　belonged　to　a　closet；　he　thought；　but　he　had　never　been　able

to　open　it。　　The　wind　blowing　in　at　the　window　must　be　shaking　it。　

He　would　go　and　see　if　it　was　so。



The　door　now　opened　quite　easily；　but　to　his　surprise；　instead　of

a　closet　he　found　a　long　narrow　room。　　The　moon；　which　was　sinking

in　the　west；　shone　in　at　an　open　window　at　the　further　end。　

The　room　was　low　with　a　coved　ceiling；　and　occupied　the　whole　top

of　the　house；　immediately　under　the　roof。　　It　was　quite　empty。　

The　yellow　light　of　the　half…moon　streamed　over　the　dark　floor。　

He　was　so　delighted　at　the　discovery　of　the　strange；　desolate；

moonlit　place　close　to　his　own　snug　little　room；　that　he　began

to　dance　and　skip　about　the　floor。　　The　wind　came　in　through

the　door　he　had　left　open；　and　blew　about　him　as　he　danced；

and　he　kept　turning　towards　it　that　it　might　blow　in　his　face。　

He　kept　picturing　to　himself　the　many　places；　lovely　and　desolate；

the　hill…sides　and　farm…yards　and　tree…tops　and　meadows；

over　which　it　had　blown　on　its　way　to　The　Mound。　　And　as　he　danced；

he　grew　more　and　more　delighted　with　the　motion　and　the　wind；

his　feet　grew　stronger；　and　his　body　lighter；　until　at　length　it

seemed　as　if　he　were　borne　up　on　the　air；　and　could　almost　fly。　

So　strong　did　his　feeling　become；　that　at　last　he　began　to　doubt

whether　he　was　not　in　one　of　those　precious　dreams　he　had

so　often　had；　in　which　he　floated　about　on　the　air　at　will。　

But　something　made　him　look　up；　and　to　his　unspeakable　delight；

he　found　his　uplifted　hands　lying　in　those　of　North　Wind；

who　was　dancing　with　him；　round　and　round　the　long　bare　room；

her　hair　now　falling　to　the　floor；　now　filling　the　arched　ceiling；

her　eyes　shining　on　him　like　thinking　stars；　and　the　sweetest　of

grand　smiles　playing　breezily　about　her　beautiful　mouth。　　She　was；

as　so　often　before；　of　the　height　of　a　rather　tall　lady。　　She　did　not

stoop　in　order　to　dance　with　him；　but　held　his　hands　high　in　hers。　

When　he　saw　her；　he　gave　one　spring；　and　his　arms　were　about　her　neck；

and　her　arms　holding　him　to　her　bosom。　　The　same　moment　she　swept

with　him　through　the　open　window　in　at　which　the　moon　was　shining；

made　a　circuit　like　a　bird　about　to　alight；　and　settled　with　him

in　his　nest　on　the　top　of　the　great　beech…tree。　There　she　placed

him　on　her　lap　and　began　to　hush　him　as　if　he　were　her　own　baby；

and　Diamond　was　so　entirely　happy　that　he　did　not　care　to　speak

a　word。　　At　length；　however；　he　found　that　he　was　going　to　sleep；

and　that　would　be　to　lose　so　much；　that；　pleasant　as　it　was；　he　could

not　consent。



〃Please；　dear　North　Wind；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　so　happy　that　I'm　afraid

it's　a　dream。　　How　am　I　to　know　that　it's　not　a　dream？〃



〃What　does　it　matter？〃　returned　North　Wind。



〃I　should；　cry〃　said　Diamond。



〃But　why　should　you　cry？　　The　dream；　if　it　is　a　dream；　is　a　pleasant　one

is　it　not？〃



〃That's　just　why　I　want　it　to　be　true。〃



〃Have　you　forgotten　what　you　said　to　Nanny　about　her　dream？〃



〃It's　not　for　the　dream　itselfI　mean；　it's　not　for　the　pleasure

of　it；〃　answered　Diamond；　〃for　I　have　that；　whether　it　be　a　dream

or　not；　it's　for　you；　North　Wind；　I　can't　bear　to　find　it　a　dream；

because　then　I　should　lose　you。　　You　would　be　nobody　then；　and　I

could　not　bear　that。　　You　ain't　a　dream；　are　you；　dear　North　Wind？　

Do　say　No；　else　I　shall　cry；　and　come　awake；　and　you'll　be　gone　for　ever。　

I　daren't　dream　about　you　once　again　if　you　ain't　anybody。〃



〃I'm　either　not　a　dream；　or　there's　something　better　that's　not

a　dream；　Diamond；〃　said　North　Wind；　in　a　rather　sorrowful　tone；

he　thought。



〃But　it's　not　something　betterit's　you　I　want；　North　Wind；〃

he　persisted；　already　beginning　to　cry　a　little。



She　made　no　answer；　but　rose　with　him　in　her　arms　and　sailed　away

over　the　tree…tops　till　they　came　to　a　meadow；　where　a　flock

of　sheep　was　feeding。



〃Do　you　remember　what　the　song　you　were　singing　a　week　ago　says

about　Bo…Peephow　she　lost　her　sheep；　but　got　twice　as　many　lambs？〃

asked　North　Wind；　sitting　down　on　the　grass；　and　placing　him　in　her

lap　as　before。



〃Oh　yes；　I　do；　well　enough；〃　answered　Diamond；　〃but　I　never　just

quite　liked　that　rhyme。〃



〃Why　not；　child？〃



〃Because　it　seems　to　say　one's　as　good　as　another；　or　two　new　ones

are　better　than　one　that's　lost。　　I've　been　thinking　about　it

a　great　deal；　and　it　seems　to　me　that　although　any　one　sixpence

is　as　good　as　any　other　sixpence；　not　twenty　lambs　would　do　instead

of　one　sheep　whose　face　you　knew。　　Somehow；　when　once　you've

looked　into　anybody's　eyes；　right　deep　down　into　them；　I　mean；

nobody　will　do　for　that　one　any　more。　　Nobody；　ever　so　beautiful

or　so　good；　will　make　up　for　that　one　going　out　of　sight。　

So　you　see；　North　Wind；　I　can't　help　being　frightened　to　think

that　perhaps　I　am　only　dreaming；　and　you　are　nowhere　at　all。　

Do　tell　me　that　you　are　my　own；　real；　beautiful　North　Wind。〃



Again　she　rose；　and　shot　herself　into　the　air；　as　if　uneasy

because　she　could　not　answer　him；　and　Diamond　lay　quiet　in　her　arms；

waiting　for　what　she　would　say。　　He　tried　to　see　up　into　her　face；

for　he　was　dreadfully　afraid　she　was　not　answering　him　because　she

could　not　say　that　she　was　not　a　dream；　but　she　had　let　her　hair

fall　all　over　her　face　so　that　he　could　not　see　it。　　This　frightened

him　still　more。



〃Do　speak；　North　Wind；〃　he　said　at　last。



〃I　never　speak　when　I　have　nothing　to　say；〃　she　replied。



〃Then　I　do　think　y