at the back of the north wind-第53节

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



〃Then　I　do　think　you　must　be　a　real　North　Wind；　and　no　dream；〃

said　Diamond。



〃But　I'm　looking　for　something　to　say　all　the　time。〃



〃But　I　don't　want　you　to　say　what's　hard　to　find。　　If　you　were

to　say　one　word　to　comfort　me　that　wasn't　true；　then　I　should　know

you　must　be　a　dream；　for　a　great　beautiful　lady　like　you　could

never　tell　a　lie。〃



〃But　she　mightn't　know　how　to　say　what　she　had　to　say；　so　that

a　little　boy　like　you　would　understand　it；〃　said　North　Wind。　

〃Here；　let　us　get　down　again；　and　I　will　try　to　tell　you　what　I　think。　

You　musn't　suppose　I　am　able　to　answer　all　your　questions；　though。　

There　are　a　great　many　things　I　don't　understand　more　than　you　do。〃



She　descended　on　a　grassy　hillock；　in　the　midst　of　a　wild　furzy　common。　

There　was　a　rabbit…warren　underneath；　and　some　of　the　rabbits　came

out　of　their　holes；　in　the　moonlight；　looking　very　sober　and　wise；

just　like　patriarchs　standing　in　their　tent…doors；　and　looking

about　them　before　going　to　bed。　　When　they　saw　North　Wind；

instead　of　turning　round　and　vanishing　again　with　a　thump　of

their　heels；　they　cantered　slowly　up　to　her　and　snuffled　all　about

her　with　their　long　upper　lips；　which　moved　every　way　at　once。　

That　was　their　way　of　kissing　her；　and；　as　she　talked　to　Diamond；

she　would　every　now　and　then　stroke　down　their　furry　backs；

or　lift　and　play　with　their　long　ears。　　They　would；　Diamond　thought；

have　leaped　upon　her　lap；　but　that　he　was　there　already。



〃I　think；〃　said　she；　after　they　had　been　sitting　silent　for　a　while；

〃that　if　I　were　only　a　dream；　you　would　not　have　been　able　to　love

me　so。　　You　love　me　when　you　are　not　with　me；　don't　you？〃



〃Indeed　I　do；〃　answered　Diamond；　stroking　her　hand。　　〃I　see！　　I　see！　

How　could　I　be　able　to　love　you　as　I　do　if　you　weren't　there　at　all；

you　know？　　Besides；　I　couldn't　be　able　to　dream　anything　half

so　beautiful　all　out　of　my　own　head；　or　if　I　did；　I　couldn't　love

a　fancy　of　my　own　like　that；　could　I？〃



〃I　think　not。　　You　might　have　loved　me　in　a　dream；　dreamily；　and　forgotten

me　when　you　woke；　I　daresay；　but　not　loved　me　like　a　real　being

as　you　love　me。　　Even　then；　I　don't　think　you　could　dream　anything

that　hadn't　something　real　like　it　somewhere。　　But　you've　seen

me　in　many　shapes；　Diamond：　　you　remember　I　was　a　wolf　oncedon't　you？〃



〃Oh　yesa　good　wolf　that　frightened　a　naughty　drunken　nurse。〃



〃Well；　suppose　I　were　to　turn　ugly；　would　you　rather　I　weren't

a　dream　then？〃



〃Yes；　for　I　should　know　that　you　were　beautiful　inside　all　the　same。　

You　would　love　me；　and　I　should　love　you　all　the　same。　　I　shouldn't

like　you　to　look　ugly；　you　know。　　But　I　shouldn't　believe　it　a　bit。〃



〃Not　if　you　saw　it？〃



〃No；　not　if　I　saw　it　ever　so　plain。〃



〃There's　my　Diamond！　　I　will　tell　you　all　I　know　about　it　then。　

I　don't　think　I　am　just　what　you　fancy　me　to　be。　　I　have　to　shape

myself　various　ways　to　various　people。　　But　the　heart　of　me　is　true。　

People　call　me　by　dreadful　names；　and　think　they　know　all　about　me。　

But　they　don't。　Sometimes　they　call　me　Bad　Fortune；　sometimes　Evil　Chance；

sometimes　Ruin；　and　they　have　another　name　for　me　which　they　think

the　most　dreadful　of　all。〃



〃What　is　that？〃　asked　Diamond；　smiling　up　in　her　face。



〃I　won't　tell　you　that　name。　　Do　you　remember　having　to　go　through

me　to　get　into　the　country　at　my　back？〃



〃Oh　yes；　I　do。　　How　cold　you　were；　North　Wind！　and　so　white；

all　but　your　lovely　eyes！　　My　heart　grew　like　a　lump　of　ice；

and　then　I　forgot　for　a　while。〃



〃You　were　very　near　knowing　what　they　call　me　then。　　Would　you

be　afraid　of　me　if　you　had　to　go　through　me　again？〃



〃No。　Why　should　I？　　Indeed　I　should　be　glad　enough；　if　it　was　only

to　get　another　peep　of　the　country　at　your　back。〃



〃You've　never　seen　it　yet。〃



〃Haven't　I；　North　Wind？　　Oh！　　I'm　so　sorry！　　I　thought　I　had。　

What　did　I　see　then？〃



〃Only　a　picture　of　it。　　The　real　country　at　my　real　back　is　ever

so　much　more　beautiful　than　that。　　You　shall　see　it　one　day

perhaps　before　very　long。〃



〃Do　they　sing　songs　there？〃



〃Don't　you　remember　the　dream　you　had　about　the　little　boys　that　dug

for　the　stars？〃



〃Yes；　that　I　do。　　I　thought　you　must　have　had　something　to　do

with　that　dream；　it　was　so　beautiful。〃



〃Yes；　I　gave　you　that　dream。〃



〃Oh！　thank　you。　　Did　you　give　Nanny　her　dream　tooabout　the　moon

and　the　bees？〃



〃Yes。　　I　was　the　lady　that　sat　at　the　window　of　the　moon。〃



〃Oh；　thank　you。　　I　was　almost　sure　you　had　something　to　do　with　that　too。　

And　did　you　tell　Mr。　Raymond　the　story　about　the　Princess　Daylight？〃



〃I　believe　I　had　something　to　do　with　it。　　At　all　events　he　thought

about　it　one　night　when　he　couldn't　sleep。　　But　I　want　to　ask　you

whether　you　remember　the　song　the　boy…angels　sang　in　that　dream

of　yours。〃



〃No。　I　couldn't　keep　it；　do　what　I　would；　and　I　did　try。〃



〃That　was　my　fault。〃



〃How　could　that　be；　North　Wind？〃



〃Because　I　didn't　know　it　properly　myself；　and　so　I　couldn't　teach　it

to　you。　　I　could　only　make　a　rough　guess　at　something　like　what　it

would　be；　and　so　I　wasn't　able　to　make　you　dream　it　hard　enough

to　remember　it。　　Nor　would　I　have　done　so　if　I　could；　for　it　was

not　correct。　　I　made　you　dream　pictures　of　it；　though。　　But　you

will　hear　the　very　song　itself　when　you　do　get　to　the　back　of〃



〃My　own　dear　North　Wind；〃　said　Diamond；　finishing　the　sentence

for　her；　and　kissing　the　arm　that　held　him　leaning　against　her。



〃And　now　we've　settled　all　thisfor　the　time；　at　least；〃

said　North　Wind。



〃But　I　can't　feel　quite　sure　yet；〃　said　Diamond。



〃You　must　wait　a　while　for　that。　　Meantime　you　may　be　hopeful；

and　content　not　to　be　quite　sure。　　Come　now；　I　will　take　you　home　again；

for　it　won't　do　to　tire　you　too　much。〃



〃Oh；　no；　no。　　I'm　not　the　least　tired；〃　pleaded　Diamond。



〃It　is　better；　though。〃



〃Very　well；　if　you　wish　it；〃　yielded　Diamond　with　a　sigh。



〃You　are　a　dear　good；　boy〃　said　North　Wind。　　〃I　will　come　for　you

again　to…morrow　night　and　take　you　out　for　a　longer　time。　　We　shall

make　a　little　journey　together；　in　fact。　　We　shall　start　earlier。　

and　as　the　moon　will　be；　later；　we　shall　have　a　little　moonlight　all

the　way。〃



She　rose；　and　swept　over　the　meadow　and　the　trees。　　In　a　few　moments

the　Mound　appeared　below　them。　　She　sank　a　little；　and　floated

in　at　the　window　of　Diamond's　room。　　There　she　laid　him　on　his　bed；

covered　him　over；　and　in　a　moment　he　was　lapt　in　a　dreamless　sleep。







CHAPTER　XXXVII



ONCE　MORE





THE　next　night　Diamond　was　seated　by　his　open　window；　with　his　head

on　his　hand；　rather　tired；　but　so　eagerly　waiting　for　the　promised

visit　that　he　was　afraid　he　could　not　sleep。　　But　he　started　suddenly；

and　found　that　he　had　been　already　asleep。　　He　rose；　and　looking

out　of　the　window　saw　something　white　against　his　beech…tree。　It

was　North　Wind。　　She　was　holding　by　one　hand　to　a　top　branch。　

Her　hair　and　her　garments　went　floating　away　behind　her　over　the　tree；

whose　top　was　swaying　about　while　the　others　were　still。



〃Are　you　ready；　Diamond？〃　she　asked。



〃Yes；〃　answered　Diamond；　〃quite　ready。〃



In　a　moment　she　was　at　the　window；　and　her　arms　came　in　and　took　him。　

She　sailed　away　so　swiftly　that　he　could　at　first　mark　nothing　but

the　speed　with　which　the　clouds　above　and　the　dim　earth　below　went

rushing　past。　　But　soon　he　began　to　see　that　the　sky　was　very　lovely；

with　mottled　clouds　all　about　the　moon；　on　which　she　threw　faint

colours　like　those　of　mother…of…pearl；　or　an　opal。　　The　night　was　warm；

and　in　the　lady's　arms　he　did　not　feel　the　wind　which　down　below　was

making　waves　in　the　ripe　corn；　and　ripples　on　the　rivers　and　lakes。　

At　length　they　descended　on　the　side　of　an　open　earthy　hill；

just　where；　from　beneath　a　stone；　a　spring　came　bubbling　out。



〃I　am　going　to　take　you　along　this　little　brook；〃　said　North　Wind。　

〃I　am　not　wanted　for　anything　else　to…night；　so　I　can　give　you

a　treat。〃



She　stooped　over　the　stream　and　holding　Diamond　down　close　to　the

surface　of　it；　glided　along　level　with　its　flow　as　it　ran　down

the　hill。　　And　the　song　of　the　brook　came　up　into　Diamond's　ears；

and　grew　and　grew　and　changed　with　every　turn。　　It　seemed　to　Diamond

to　be　singing　the　story　of　its　life　to　him。　　And　so　it　was。　

It　began　with　a　musical　tinkle　which　changed　to　a　babble　and　then

to　a　gentle　rushing。　　Sometimes　its　song　would　almost　cease；　and　then

break　out　again；　tinkle；　babble；　and　rush；　all　at　once。　　At　the　bottom

of　the　hill　they　came　to　a　small　river；　into　which　the　brook　flowed

with　a　muffled　but　merry　sound。　　Along　the　surface　of　the　river；

darkly　clear　below　them　in　the　moonlight；　they　floated；　now；　where　it

widened　out　into　a　little　lake；　they　would　hover　for　a　moment　over

a　bed　of　water…lilies；　and　watch　them　swing　abo