at the back of the north wind-第14部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


That's　when　they're　fairly　at　it。　　However；　the　boat　got　to　a　desert

island　before　noon　next　day。〃



〃And　what　good　will　come　of　that？〃



〃I　don't　know。　　I　obeyed　orders。　　Good　bye。〃



〃Oh！　stay；　North　Wind；　do　stay！〃　cried　Diamond；　dismayed　to　see

the　windmill　get　slower　and　slower。



〃What　is　it；　my　dear　child？〃　said　North　Wind；　and　the　windmill

began　turning　again　so　swiftly　that　Diamond　could　scarcely　see　it。　

〃What　a　big　voice　you've　got！　and　what　a　noise　you　do　make　with　it？　

What　is　it　you　want？　　I　have　little　to　do；　but　that　little　must

be　done。〃



〃I　want　you　to　take　me　to　the　country　at　the　back　of　the　north　wind。〃



〃That's　not　so　easy；〃　said　North　Wind；　and　was　silent　for　so　long

that　Diamond　thought　she　was　gone　indeed。　　But　after　he　had　quite

given　her　up；　the　voice　began　again。



〃I　almost　wish　old　Herodotus　had　held　his　tongue　about　it。　

Much　he　knew　of　it！〃



〃Why　do　you　wish　that；　North　Wind？〃



〃Because　then　that　clergyman　would　never　have　heard　of　it；　and　set

you　wanting　to　go。　　But　we　shall　see。　　We　shall　see。　　You　must　go

home　now；　my　dear；　for　you　don't　seem　very　well；　and　I'll　see　what

can　be　done　for　you。　　Don't　wait　for　me。　　I've　got　to　break　a　few

of　old　Goody's　toys；　she's　thinking　too　much　of　her　new　stock。　

Two　or　three　will　do。　　There！　go　now。〃



Diamond　rose；　quite　sorry；　and　without　a　word　left　the　shop；

and　went　home。



It　soon　appeared　that　his　mother　had　been　right　about　him；

for　that　same　afternoon　his　head　began　to　ache　very　much；　and　he

had　to　go　to　bed。



He　awoke　in　the　middle　of　the　night。　　The　lattice　window　of　his　room

had　blown　open；　and　the　curtains　of　his　little　bed　were　swinging

about　in　the　wind。



〃If　that　should　be　North　Wind　now！〃　thought　Diamond。



But　the　next　moment　he　heard　some　one　closing　the　window；

and　his　aunt　came　to　his　bedside。　　She　put　her　hand　on　his　face；

and　said



〃How's　your　head；　dear？〃



〃Better；　auntie；　I　think。〃



〃Would　you　like　something　to　drink？〃



〃Oh；　yes！　　I　should；　please。〃



So　his　aunt　gave　him　some　lemonade；　for　she　had　been　used

to　nursing　sick　people；　and　Diamond　felt　very　much　refreshed；

and　laid　his　head　down　again　to　go　very　fast　asleep；　as　he　thought。　

And　so　he　did；　but　only　to　come　awake　again；　as　a　fresh　burst　of　wind

blew　the　lattice　open　a　second　time。　　The　same　moment　he　found

himself　in　a　cloud　of　North　Wind's　hair；　with　her　beautiful　face；

set　in　it　like　a　moon；　bending　over　him。



〃Quick；　Diamond！〃　she　said。　　〃I　have　found　such　a　chance！〃



〃But　I'm　not　well；〃　said　Diamond。



〃I　know　that；　but　you　will　be　better　for　a　little　fresh　air。　

You　shall　have　plenty　of　that。〃



〃You　want　me　to　go；　then？〃



〃Yes；　I　do。　　It　won't　hurt　you。〃



〃Very　well；〃　said　Diamond；　and　getting　out　of　the　bed…clothes；　he

jumped　into　North　Wind's　arms。



〃We　must　make　haste　before　your　aunt　comes；〃　said　she；　as　she

glided　out　of　the　open　lattice　and　left　it　swinging。



The　moment　Diamond　felt　her　arms　fold　around　him　he　began　to

feel　better。　　It　was　a　moonless　night；　and　very　dark；　with　glimpses

of　stars　when　the　clouds　parted。



〃I　used　to　dash　the　waves　about　here；〃　said　North　Wind；　〃where　cows

and　sheep　are　feeding　now；　but　we　shall　soon　get　to　them。　

There　they　are。〃



And　Diamond；　looking　down；　saw　the　white　glimmer　of　breaking　water

far　below　him。



〃You　see；　Diamond；〃　said　North　Wind；　〃it　is　very　difficult　for　me

to　get　you　to　the　back　of　the　north　wind；　for　that　country　lies

in　the　very　north　itself；　and　of　course　I　can't　blow　northwards。〃



〃Why　not？〃　asked　Diamond。



〃You　little　silly！〃　said　North　Wind。　　〃Don't　you　see　that　if　I

were　to　blow　northwards　I　should　be　South　Wind；　and　that　is　as　much

as　to　say　that　one　person　could　be　two　persons？〃



〃But　how　can　you　ever　get　home　at　all；　then？〃



〃You　are　quite　rightthat　is　my　home；　though　I　never　get　farther　than

the　outer　door。　　I　sit　on　the　doorstep；　and　hear　the　voices　inside。　

I　am　nobody　there；　Diamond。〃



〃I'm　very　sorry。〃



〃Why？〃



〃That　you　should　be　nobody。〃



〃Oh；　I　don't　mind　it。　　Dear　little　man！　you　will　be　very　glad　some

day　to　be　nobody　yourself。　　But　you　can't　understand　that　now；

and　you　had　better　not　try；　for　if　you　do；　you　will　be　certain　to　go

fancying　some　egregious　nonsense；　and　making　yourself　miserable

about　it。〃



〃Then　I　won't；〃　said　Diamond。



〃There's　a　good　boy。　　It　will　all　come　in　good　time。〃



〃But　you　haven't　told　me　how　you　get　to　the　doorstep；　you　know。〃



〃It　is　easy　enough　for　me。　　I　have　only　to　consent　to　be　nobody；

and　there　I　am。　　I　draw　into　myself　and　there　I　am　on　the　doorstep。　

But　you　can　easily　see；　or　you　have　less　sense　than　I　think；

that　to　drag　you；　you　heavy　thing；　along　with　me；　would　take　centuries；

and　I　could　not　give　the　time　to　it。〃



〃Oh；　I'm　so　sorry！〃　said　Diamond。



〃What　for　now；　pet？〃



〃That　I'm　so　heavy　for　you。　　I　would　be　lighter　if　I　could；　but　I

don't　know　how。〃



〃You　silly　darling！　　Why；　I　could　toss　you　a　hundred　miles　from　me

if　I　liked。　　It　is　only　when　I　am　going　home　that　I　shall　find

you　heavy。〃



〃Then　you　are　going　home　with　me？〃



〃Of　course。　　Did　I　not　come　to　fetch　you　just　for　that？〃



〃But　all　this　time　you　must　be　going　southwards。〃



〃Yes。　　Of　course　I　am。〃



〃How　can　you　be　taking　me　northwards；　then？〃



〃A　very　sensible　question。　　But　you　shall　see。　　I　will　get

rid　of　a　few　of　these　cloudsonly　they　do　come　up　so　fast！　

It's　like　trying　to　blow　a　brook　dry。　　There！　　What　do　you　see　now？〃



〃I　think　I　see　a　little　boat；　away　there；　down　below。〃



〃A　little　boat；　indeed！　　Well！　　She's　a　yacht　of　two　hundred　tons；

and　the　captain　of　it　is　a　friend　of　mine；　for　he　is　a　man　of

good　sense；　and　can　sail　his　craft　well。　　I've　helped　him　many

a　time　when　he　little　thought　it。　　I've　heard　him　grumbling　at　me；

when　I　was　doing　the　very　best　I　could　for　him。　　Why；　I've　carried

him　eighty　miles　a　day；　again　and　again；　right　north。〃



〃He　must　have　dodged　for　that；〃　said　Diamond；　who　had　been　watching

the　vessels；　and　had　seen　that　they　went　other　ways　than　the　wind　blew。



〃Of　course　he　must。　　But　don't　you　see；　it　was　the　best　I　could　do？　

I　couldn't　be　South　Wind。　　And　besides　it　gave　him　a　share　in

the　business。　　It　is　not　good　at　allmind　that；　Diamondto　do

everything　for　those　you　love；　and　not　give　them　a　share　in　the　doing。　


It's　not　kind。　　It's　making　too　much　of　yourself；　my　child。　

If　I　had　been　South　Wind；　he　would　only　have　smoked　his　pipe　all　day；

and　made　himself　stupid。〃



〃But　how　could　he　be　a　man　of　sense　and　grumble　at　you　when　you

were　doing　your　best　for　him？〃



〃Oh！　you　must　make　allowances；〃　said　North　Wind；　〃or　you　will　never

do　justice　to　anybody。You　do　understand；　then；　that　a　captain

may　sail　north〃



〃In　spite　of　a　north　windyes；〃　supplemented　Diamond。



〃Now；　I　do　think　you　must　be　stupid；　my；　dear〃　said　North　Wind。　

〃Suppose　the　north　wind　did　not　blow　where　would　he　be　then？〃



〃Why　then　the　south　wind　would　carry　him。〃



〃So　you　think　that　when　the　north　wind　stops　the　south　wind　blows。　

Nonsense。　　If　I　didn't　blow；　the　captain　couldn't　sail　his　eighty

miles　a　day。　　No　doubt　South　Wind　would　carry　him　faster；　but　South

Wind　is　sitting　on　her　doorstep　then；　and　if　I　stopped　there　would

be　a　dead　calm。　　So　you　are　all　wrong　to　say　he　can　sail　north

in　spite　of　me；　he　sails　north　by　my　help；　and　my　help　alone。　

You　see　that；　Diamond？〃



〃Yes；　I　do；　North　Wind。　　I　am　stupid；　but　I　don't　want　to　be　stupid。〃



〃Good　boy！　　I　am　going　to　blow　you　north　in　that　little　craft；　one　of

the　finest　that　ever　sailed　the　sea。　　Here　we　are；　right　over　it。　

I　shall　be　blowing　against　you；　you　will　be　sailing　against　me；

and　all　will　be　just　as　we　want　it。　　The　captain　won't　get　on

so　fast　as　he　would　like；　but　he　will　get　on；　and　so　shall　we。　

I'm　just　going　to　put　you　on　board。　　Do　you　see　in　front　of　the　tiller

that　thing　the　man　is　working；　now　to　one　side；　now　to　the　other

a　round　thing　like　the　top　of　a　drum？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Diamond。



〃Below　that　is　where　they　keep　their　spare　sails；　and　some　stores

of　that　sort。　　I　am　going　to　blow　that　cover　off。　　The　same　moment

I　will　drop　you　on　deck；　and　you　must　tumble　in。　　Don't　be　afraid；

it　is　of　no　depth；　and　you　will　fall　on　sail…cloth。　You　will　find　it

nice　and　warm　and　dry…only　dark；　and　you　will　know　I　am　near　you　by

every　roll　and　pitch　of　the　vessel。　　Coil　yourself　up　and　go　to　sleep。　

The　yacht　shall　be　my　cradle　and　you　shall　be　my　baby。〃



〃Thank　you；　dear　North　Wind。　　I　am　not　a　bit　afraid；〃　said　Diamond。



In　a　moment　they　were　on　a　level　with　the　bulwarks；　and　North　Wind

sent　the　hatch　of　the　after…store　rattling　away　over　the　deck

to　leeward。　　The　next；　Diamond　found　himself　in　the　dark；　for　he

had　tumbled　through　the　hole　as　North　Wind　had　told　him；