at the back of the north wind-第24部分

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By　this　time　all　the　men　in　the　stable　were　gathered　about　the

two　Diamonds；　and　all　much　amused。　　One　of　them　lifted　him　down；

and　from　that　time　he　was　a　greater　favourite　than　before。　

And　if　ever　there　was　a　boy　who　had　a　chance　of　being　a　prodigy

at　cab…driving；　Diamond　was　that　boy；　for　the　strife　came　to　be

who　should　have　him　out　with　him　on　the　box。



His　mother；　however；　was　a　little　shy　of　the　company　for　him；

and　besides　she　could　not　always　spare　him。　　Also　his　father　liked

to　have　him　himself　when　he　could；　so　that　he　was　more　desired

than　enjoyed　among　the　cabmen。



But　one　way　and　another　he　did　learn　to　drive　all　sorts　of　horses；

and　to　drive　them　well；　and　that　through　the　most　crowded　streets

in　London　City。　　Of　course　there　was　the　man　always　on　the　box…seat

beside　him；　but　before　long　there　was　seldom　the　least　occasion

to　take　the　reins　from　out　of　his　hands。　　For　one　thing　he　never

got　frightened；　and　consequently　was　never　in　too　great　a　hurry。　

Yet　when　the　moment　came　for　doing　something　sharp；　he　was　always

ready　for　it。　　I　must　once　more　remind　my　readers　that　he　had　been

to　the　back　of　the　north　wind。



One　day；　which　was　neither　washing…day；　nor　cleaning…day　nor

marketing…day；　nor　Saturday；　nor　Mondayupon　which　consequently　Diamond

could　be　spared　from　the　babyhis　father　took　him　on　his　own　cab。　

After　a　stray　job　or　two　by　the　way；　they　drew　up　in　the　row　upon

the　stand　between　Cockspur　Street　and　Pall　Mall。　　They　waited

a　long　time；　but　nobody　seemed　to　want　to　be　carried　anywhere。　

By　and　by　ladies　would　be　going　home　from　the　Academy　exhibition；

and　then　there　would　be　a　chance　of　a　job。



〃Though；　to　be　sure；〃　said　Diamond's　fatherwith　what　truth　I

cannot　say；　but　he　believed　what　he　said〃some　ladies　is　very　hard；

and　keeps　you　to　the　bare　sixpence　a　mile；　when　every　one　knows

that　ain't　enough　to　keep　a　family　and　a　cab　upon。　　To　be　sure

it's　the　law；　but　mayhap　they　may　get　more　law　than　they　like　some

day　themselves。〃



As　it　was　very　hot；　Diamond's　father　got　down　to　have　a　glass

of　beer　himself；　and　give　another　to　the　old　waterman。　　He　left

Diamond　on　the　box。



A　sudden　noise　got　up；　and　Diamond　looked　round　to　see　what　was

the　matter。



There　was　a　crossing　near　the　cab…stand；　where　a　girl　was　sweeping。　

Some　rough　young　imps　had　picked　a　quarrel　with　her；　and　were

now　hauling　at　her　broom　to　get　it　away　from　her。　　But　as　they

did　not　pull　all　together；　she　was　holding　it　against　them；

scolding　and　entreating　alternately。



Diamond　was　off　his　box　in　a　moment；　and　running　to　the　help　of　the　girl。　

He　got　hold　of　the　broom　at　her　end　and　pulled　along　with　her。　

But　the　boys　proceeded　to　rougher　measures；　and　one　of　them　hit

Diamond　on　the　nose；　and　made　it　bleed；　and　as　he　could　not　let

go　the　broom　to　mind　his　nose；　he　was　soon　a　dreadful　figure。　

But　presently　his　father　came　back；　and　missing　Diamond；　looked　about。　

He　had　to　look　twice；　however；　before　he　could　be　sure　that　that

was　his　boy　in　the　middle　of　the　tumult。　　He　rushed　in；　and　sent

the　assailants　flying　in　all　directions。　　The　girl　thanked　Diamond；

and　began　sweeping　as　if　nothing　had　happened；　while　his　father

led　him　away。　　With　the　help　of　old　Tom；　the　waterman；　he　was　soon

washed　into　decency；　and　his　father　set　him　on　the　box　again；

perfectly　satisfied　with　the　account　he　gave　of　the　cause　of　his　being

in　a　fray。



〃I　couldn't　let　them　behave　so　to　a　poor　girlcould　I；　father？〃

he　said。



〃Certainly　not；　Diamond；〃　said　his　father；　quite　pleased；

for　Diamond's　father　was　a　gentleman。



A　moment　after；　up　came　the　girl；　running；　with　her　broom　over

her　shoulder；　and　calling；　〃Cab；　there！　cab！〃



Diamond's　father　turned　instantly；　for　he　was　the　foremost　in　the　rank；

and　followed　the　girl。　　One　or　two　other　passing　cabs　heard　the　cry；

and　made　for　the　place；　but　the　girl　had　taken　care　not　to　call

till　she　was　near　enough　to　give　her　friends　the　first　chance。　

When　they　reached　the　curbstonewho　should　it　be　waiting　for　the　cab

but　Mrs。　and　Miss　Coleman！　　They　did　not　look　at　the　cabman；　however。　

The　girl　opened　the　door　for　them；　they　gave　her　the　address；

and　a　penny；　she　told　the　cabman；　and　away　they　drove。



When　they　reached　the　house；　Diamond's　father　got　down　and　rang

the　bell。　　As　he　opened　the　door　of　the　cab；　he　touched　his　hat

as　he　had　been　wont　to　do。　　The　ladies　both　stared　for　a　moment；

and　then　exclaimed　together：



〃Why；　Joseph！　can　it　be　you？〃



〃Yes；　ma'am；　yes；　miss；〃　answered　he；　again　touching　his　hat；

with　all　the　respect　he　could　possibly　put　into　the　action。　

〃It's　a　lucky　day　which　I　see　you　once　more　upon　it。〃



〃Who　would　have　thought　it？〃　said　Mrs。　Coleman。　　〃It's　changed

times　for　both　of　us；　Joseph；　and　it's　not　very　often　we　can

have　a　cab　even；　but　you　see　my　daughter　is　still　very　poorly；

and　she　can't　bear　the　motion　of　the　omnibuses。　　Indeed　we　meant

to　walk　a　bit　first　before　we　took　a　cab；　but　just　at　the　corner；

for　as　hot　as　the　sun　was；　a　cold　wind　came　down　the　street；

and　I　saw　that　Miss　Coleman　must　not　face　it。　　But　to　think

we　should　have　fallen　upon　you；　of　all　the　cabmen　in　London！　

I　didn't　know　you　had　got　a　cab。〃



〃Well；　you　see；　ma'am；　I　had　a　chance　of　buying　the　old　horse；

and　I　couldn't　resist　him。　　There　he　is；　looking　at　you；　ma'am。　Nobody

knows　the　sense　in　that　head　of　his。〃



The　two　ladies　went　near　to　pat　the　horse；　and　then　they　noticed

Diamond　on　the　box。



〃Why；　you've　got　both　Diamonds　with　you；〃　said　Miss　Coleman。　

〃How　do　you　do；　Diamond？〃



Diamond　lifted　his　cap；　and　answered　politely。



〃He'll　be　fit　to　drive　himself　before　long；〃　said　his　father；

proudly。　　〃The　old　horse　is　a…teaching　of　him。〃



〃Well；　he　must　come　and　see　us；　now　you've　found　us　out。　

Where　do　you　live？〃



Diamond's　father　gave　the　ladies　a　ticket　with　his　name　and　address

printed　on　it；　and　then　Mrs。　Coleman　took　out　her　purse；　saying：



〃And　what's　your　fare；　Joseph？〃



〃No；　thank　you；　ma'am；〃　said　Joseph。　　〃It　was　your　own　old　horse

as　took　you；　and　me　you　paid　long　ago。〃



He　jumped　on　his　box　before　she　could　say　another　word；

and　with　a　parting　salute　drove　off；　leaving　them　on　the　pavement；

with　the　maid　holding　the　door　for　them。



It　was　a　long　time　now　since　Diamond　had　seen　North　Wind；

or　even　thought　much　about　her。　　And　as　his　father　drove　along；

he　was　thinking　not　about　her；　but　about　the　crossing…sweeper；

and　was　wondering　what　made　him　feel　as　if　he　knew　her　quite　well；

when　he　could　not　remember　anything　of　her。　　But　a　picture　arose

in　his　mind　of　a　little　girl　running　before　the　wind　and　dragging

her　broom　after　her；　and　from　that；　by　degrees；　he　recalled　the

whole　adventure　of　the　night　when　he　got　down　from　North　Wind's

back　in　a　London　street。　　But　he　could　not　quite　satisfy　himself

whether　the　whole　affair　was　not　a　dream　which　he　had　dreamed

when　he　was　a　very　little　boy。　　Only　he　had　been　to　the　back　of

the　north　wind　sincethere　could　be　no　doubt　of　that；　for　when　he

woke　every　morning；　he　always　knew　that　he　had　been　there　again。　

And　as　he　thought　and　thought；　he　recalled　another　thing　that　had

happened　that　morning；　which；　although　it　seemed　a　mere　accident；

might　have　something　to　do　with　what　had　happened　since。　　His　father

had　intended　going　on　the　stand　at　King's　Cross　that　morning；　and　had

turned　into　Gray's　Inn　Lane　to　drive　there；　when　they　found　the　way

blocked　up；　and　upon　inquiry　were　informed　that　a　stack　of　chimneys

had　been　blown　down　in　the　night；　and　had　fallen　across　the　road。　

They　were　just　clearing　the　rubbish　away。　　Diamond's　father　turned；

and　made　for　Charing　Cross。



That　night　the　father　and　mother　had　a　great　deal　to　talk　about。



〃Poor　things！〃　said　the　mother。　　〃it's　worse　for　them　than　it

is　for　us。　　You　see　they've　been　used　to　such　grand　things；

and　for　them　to　come　down　to　a　little　poky　house　like　that

it　breaks　my　heart　to　think　of　it。〃



〃I　don't　know〃　said　Diamond　thoughtfully；　〃whether　Mrs。　Coleman

had　bells　on　her　toes。〃



〃What　do　you　mean；　child？〃　said　his　mother。



〃She　had　rings　on　her　fingers；　anyhow；〃　returned　Diamond。



〃Of　course　she　had；　as　any　lady　would。　　What　has　that　to　do　with　it？〃



〃When　we　were　down　at　Sandwich；〃　said　Diamond；　〃you　said　you　would

have　to　part　with　your　mother's　ring；　now　we　were　poor。〃



〃Bless　the　child；　he　forgets　nothing；〃　said　his　mother。　

〃Really；　Diamond；　a　body　would　need　to　mind　what　they　say　to　you。〃



〃Why？〃　said　Diamond。　　〃I　only　think　about　it。〃



〃That's　just　why；〃　said　the　mother。



〃Why　is　that　why？〃　persisted　Diamond；　for　he　had　not　yet　learned

that　grown…up　people　are　not　often　so　much　grown　up　that　they

never　talk　like　childrenand　spoilt　ones　too。



〃Mrs。　Coleman　is　none　so　poor　as　all　that　yet。　　No；　thank　Heaven！

she's　not　come　to　that。〃



〃Is　it　a