at the back of the north wind-第1部分

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At　the　Back　of　the　North　Wind

by　George　MacDonald










CHAPTER　I



THE　HAY…LOFT





I　HAVE　been　asked　to　tell　you　about　the　back　of　the　north　wind。　

An　old　Greek　writer　mentions　a　people　who　lived　there；

and　were　so　comfortable　that　they　could　not　bear　it　any　longer；

and　drowned　themselves。　　My　story　is　not　the　same　as　his。　

I　do　not　think　Herodotus　had　got　the　right　account　of　the　place。　

I　am　going　to　tell　you　how　it　fared　with　a　boy　who　went　there。



He　lived　in　a　low　room　over　a　coach…house；　and　that　was　not　by　any

means　at　the　back　of　the　north　wind；　as　his　mother　very　well　knew。　

For　one　side　of　the　room　was　built　only　of　boards；　and　the　boards　were

so　old　that　you　might　run　a　penknife　through　into　the　north　wind。　

And　then　let　them　settle　between　them　which　was　the　sharper！　

I　know　that　when　you　pulled　it　out　again　the　wind　would　be　after　it

like　a　cat　after　a　mouse；　and　you　would　know　soon　enough　you　were　not

at　the　back　of　the　north　wind。　　Still；　this　room　was　not　very　cold；

except　when　the　north　wind　blew　stronger　than　usual：　　the　room　I

have　to　do　with　now　was　always　cold；　except　in　summer；　when　the　sun

took　the　matter　into　his　own　hands。　　Indeed；　I　am　not　sure　whether

I　ought　to　call　it　a　room　at　all；　for　it　was　just　a　loft　where　they

kept　hay　and　straw　and　oats　for　the　horses。



And　when　little　Diamondbut　stop：　　I　must　tell　you　that　his　father；

who　was　a　coachman；　had　named　him　after　a　favourite　horse；

and　his　mother　had　had　no　objection：when　little　Diamond；　then；

lay　there　in　bed；　he　could　hear　the　horses　under　him　munching　away

in　the　dark；　or　moving　sleepily　in　their　dreams。　　For　Diamond's

father　had　built　him　a　bed　in　the　loft　with　boards　all　round　it；

because　they　had　so　little　room　in　their　own　end　over　the　coach…house；

and　Diamond's　father　put　old　Diamond　in　the　stall　under　the　bed；

because　he　was　a　quiet　horse；　and　did　not　go　to　sleep　standing；

but　lay　down　like　a　reasonable　creature。　　But；　although　he　was

a　surprisingly　reasonable　creature；　yet；　when　young　Diamond　woke

in　the　middle　of　the　night；　and　felt　the　bed　shaking　in　the　blasts

of　the　north　wind；　he　could　not　help　wondering　whether；　if　the　wind

should　blow　the　house　down；　and　he　were　to　fall　through　into　the　manger；

old　Diamond　mightn't　eat　him　up　before　he　knew　him　in　his　night…gown。

And　although　old　Diamond　was　very　quiet　all　night　long；　yet　when　he

woke　he　got　up　like　an　earthquake；　and　then　young　Diamond　knew　what

o'clock　it　was；　or　at　least　what　was　to　be　done　next；　which　was

to　go　to　sleep　again　as　fast　as　he　could。



There　was　hay　at　his　feet　and　hay　at　his　head；　piled　up　in　great

trusses　to　the　very　roof。　　Indeed　it　was　sometimes　only　through

a　little　lane　with　several　turnings；　which　looked　as　if　it

had　been　sawn　out　for　him；　that　he　could　reach　his　bed　at　all。　

For　the　stock　of　hay　was；　of　course；　always　in　a　state　either　of　slow

ebb　or　of　sudden　flow。　　Sometimes　the　whole　space　of　the　loft；

with　the　little　panes　in　the　roof　for　the　stars　to　look　in；　would　lie

open　before　his　open　eyes　as　he　lay　in　bed；　sometimes　a　yellow

wall　of　sweet…smelling　fibres　closed　up　his　view　at　the　distance

of　half　a　yard。　　Sometimes；　when　his　mother　had　undressed　him

in　her　room；　and　told　him　to　trot　to　bed　by　himself；　he　would　creep

into　the　heart　of　the　hay；　and　lie　there　thinking　how　cold　it　was

outside　in　the　wind；　and　how　warm　it　was　inside　there　in　his　bed；

and　how　he　could　go　to　it　when　he　pleased；　only　he　wouldn't　just　yet；

he　would　get　a　little　colder　first。　　And　ever　as　he　grew　colder；

his　bed　would　grow　warmer；　till　at　last　he　would　scramble　out

of　the　hay；　shoot　like　an　arrow　into　his　bed；　cover　himself　up；

and　snuggle　down；　thinking　what　a　happy　boy　he　was。　　He　had　not

the　least　idea　that　the　wind　got　in　at　a　chink　in　the　wall；　and　blew

about　him　all　night。　　For　the　back　of　his　bed　was　only　of　boards

an　inch　thick；　and　on　the　other　side　of　them　was　the　north　wind。



Now；　as　I　have　already　said；　these　boards　were　soft　and　crumbly。　

To　be　sure；　they　were　tarred　on　the　outside；　yet　in　many　places　they

were　more　like　tinder　than　timber。　　Hence　it　happened　that　the　soft

part　having　worn　away　from　about　it；　little　Diamond　found　one　night；

after　he　lay　down；　that　a　knot　had　come　out　of　one　of　them；　and　that　the

wind　was　blowing　in　upon　him　in　a　cold　and　rather　imperious　fashion。　

Now　he　had　no　fancy　for　leaving　things　wrong　that　might　be　set　right；

so　he　jumped　out　of　bed　again；　got　a　little　strike　of　hay；　twisted　it　up；

folded　it　in　the　middle；　and；　having　thus　made　it　into　a　cork；

stuck　it　into　the　hole　in　the　wall。　　But　the　wind　began　to　blow　loud

and　angrily；　and；　as　Diamond　was　falling　asleep；　out　blew　his　cork

and　hit　him　on　the　nose；　just　hard　enough　to　wake　him　up　quite；

and　let　him　hear　the　wind　whistling　shrill　in　the　hole。　　He　searched

for　his　hay…cork；　found　it；　stuck　it　in　harder；　and　was　just　dropping

off　once　more；　when；　pop！　with　an　angry　whistle　behind　it；　the　cork

struck　him　again；　this　time　on　the　cheek。　　Up　he　rose　once　more；

made　a　fresh　stopple　of　hay；　and　corked　the　hole　severely。　

But　he　was　hardly　down　again　beforepop！　it　came　on　his　forehead。　

He　gave　it　up；　drew　the　clothes　above　his　head；　and　was　soon

fast　asleep。



Although　the　next　day　was　very　stormy；　Diamond　forgot　all　about

the　hole；　for　he　was　busy　making　a　cave　by　the　side　of　his　mother's

fire　with　a　broken　chair；　a　three…legged　stool；　and　a　blanket；

and　then　sitting　in　it。　　His　mother；　however；　discovered　it；

and　pasted　a　bit　of　brown　paper　over　it；　so　that；　when　Diamond　had

snuggled　down　the　next　night；　he　had　no　occasion　to　think　of　it。



Presently；　however；　he　lifted　his　head　and　listened。　　Who　could　that

be　talking　to　him？　　The　wind　was　rising　again；　and　getting　very　loud；

and　full　of　rushes　and　whistles。　　He　was　sure　some　one　was　talking

and　very　near　him；　too；　it　was。　　But　he　was　not　frightened；

for　he　had　not　yet　learned　how　to　be；　so　he　sat　up　and　hearkened。　

At　last　the　voice；　which；　though　quite　gentle；　sounded　a　little　angry；

appeared　to　come　from　the　back　of　the　bed。　　He　crept　nearer　to　it；

and　laid　his　ear　against　the　wall。　　Then　he　heard　nothing　but　the　wind；

which　sounded　very　loud　indeed。　　The　moment；　however；　that　he　moved

his　head　from　the　wall；　he　heard　the　voice　again；　close　to　his　ear。　

He　felt　about　with　his　hand；　and　came　upon　the　piece　of　paper　his

mother　had　pasted　over　the　hole。　　Against　this　he　laid　his　ear；

and　then　he　heard　the　voice　quite　distinctly。　　There　was；　in　fact；

a　little　corner　of　the　paper　loose；　and　through　that；　as　from　a　mouth

in　the　wall；　the　voice　came。



〃What　do　you　mean；　little　boyclosing　up　my　window？〃



〃What　window？〃　asked　Diamond。



〃You　stuffed　hay　into　it　three　times　last　night。　　I　had　to　blow　it

out　again　three　times。〃



〃You　can't　mean　this　little　hole！　　It　isn't　a　window；　it's　a　hole

in　my　bed。〃



〃I　did　not　say　it　was　a　window：　　I　said　it　was　my　window。〃



〃But　it　can't　be　a　window；　because　windows　are　holes　to　see　out　of。〃



〃Well；　that's　just　what　I　made　this　window　for。〃



〃But　you　are　outside：　　you　can't　want　a　window。〃



〃You　are　quite　mistaken。　　Windows　are　to　see　out　of；　you　say。　

Well；　I'm　in　my　house；　and　I　want　windows　to　see　out　of　it。〃



〃But　you've　made　a　window　into　my　bed。〃



〃Well；　your　mother　has　got　three　windows　into　my　dancing　room；

and　you　have　three　into　my　garret。〃



〃But　I　heard　father　say；　when　my　mother　wanted　him　to　make　a　window

through　the　wall；　that　it　was　against　the　law；　for　it　would　look

into　Mr。　Dyves's　garden。〃



The　voice　laughed。



〃The　law　would　have　some　trouble　to　catch　me！〃　it　said。



〃But　if　it's　not　right；　you　know；〃　said　Diamond；　〃that's　no　matter。　

You　shouldn't　do　it。〃



〃I　am　so　tall　I　am　above　that　law；〃　said　the　voice。



〃You　must　have　a　tall　house；　then；〃　said　Diamond。



〃Yes；　a　tall　house：　　the　clouds　are　inside　it。〃



〃Dear　me！〃　said　Diamond；　and　thought　a　minute。　　〃I　think；　then；

you　can　hardly　expect　me　to　keep　a　window　in　my　bed　for　you。　

Why　don't　you　make　a　window　into　Mr。　Dyves's　bed？〃



〃Nobody　makes　a　window　into　an　ash…pit；〃　said　the　voice；　rather　sadly。　

〃I　like　to　see　nice　things　out　of　my　windows。〃



〃But　he　must　have　a　nicer　bed　than　I　have；　though　mine　is　very　nice

so　nice　that　I　couldn't　wish　a　better。〃



〃It's　not　the　bed　I　care　about：　　it's　what　is　in　it。But　you

just　open　that　window。〃



〃Well；　mother　says　I　shouldn't　be　disobliging；　but　it's　rather　hard。　

You　see　the　north　wind　will　blow　right　in　my　face　if　I　do。〃



〃I　am　the　North　Wind。〃



〃O…o…oh！〃　said　Diamond；　thoughtfully。　　〃Then　will　you　promise

not　to　blow　on　my　face　if　I　open　your　window？〃



〃I　can't　promise　that。〃



〃But　you'll　give　me　the　toothache。　　Mother's　got　it　already。〃



〃But　what's　to　become　of　me　without　a　window？〃



〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know。　　All　I　say　is；