at the back of the north wind-第5部分

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in　and　see　whether　things　looked　at　all　now　as　they　did　then。　

He　opened　the　door；　and　passed　through　the　little　belt　of　shrubbery。　

Not　a　flower　was　to　be　seen　in　the　beds　on　the　lawn。　　Even　the

brave　old　chrysanthemums　and　Christmas　roses　had　passed　away

before　the　frost。　　What？　　Yes！　　There　was　one！　　He　ran　and　knelt

down　to　look　at　it。



It　was　a　primrosea　dwarfish　thing；　but　perfect　in　shape

a　baby…wonder。　As　he　stooped　his　face　to　see　it　close；　a　little

wind　began　to　blow；　and　two　or　three　long　leaves　that　stood　up

behind　the　flower　shook　and　waved　and　quivered；　but　the　primrose　lay

still　in　the　green　hollow；　looking　up　at　the　sky；　and　not　seeming

to　know　that　the　wind　was　blowing　at　all。　　It　was　just　a　one　eye

that　the　dull　black　wintry　earth　had　opened　to　look　at　the　sky　with。　

All　at　once　Diamond　thought　it　was　saying　its　prayers；　and　he

ought　not　to　be　staring　at　it　so。　　He　ran　to　the　stable　to　see　his

father　make　Diamond's　bed。　　Then　his　father　took　him　in　his　arms；

carried　him　up　the　ladder；　and　set　him　down　at　the　table　where　they

were　going　to　have　their　tea。



〃Miss　is　very　poorly；〃　said　Diamond's　father。　　〃Mis'ess　has　been

to　the　doctor　with　her　to…day；　and　she　looked　very　glum　when　she　came

out　again。　　I　was　a…watching　of　them　to　see　what　doctor　had　said。〃



〃And　didn't　Miss　look　glum　too？〃　asked　his　mother。



〃Not　half　as　glum　as　Mis'ess；〃　returned　the　coachman。　　〃You　see〃



But　he　lowered　his　voice；　and　Diamond　could　not　make　out　more　than

a　word　here　and　there。　　For　Diamond's　father　was　not　only　one　of

the　finest　of　coachmen　to　look　at；　and　one　of　the　best　of　drivers；

but　one　of　the　most　discreet　of　servants　as　well。　　Therefore　he　did　not

talk　about　family　affairs　to　any　one　but　his　wife；　whom　he　had　proved

better　than　himself　long　ago；　and　was　careful　that　even　Diamond　should

hear　nothing　he　could　repeat　again　concerning　master　and　his　family。



It　was　bed…time　soon；　and　Diamond　went　to　bed　and　fell　fast　asleep。



He　awoke　all　at　once；　in　the　dark。



〃Open　the　window；　Diamond；〃　said　a　voice。



Now　Diamond's　mother　had　once　more　pasted　up　North　Wind's　window。



〃Are　you　North　Wind？〃　said　Diamond：　　〃I　don't　hear　you　blowing。〃



〃No；　but　you　hear　me　talking。　　Open　the　window；　for　I　haven't

overmuch　time。〃



〃Yes；〃　returned　Diamond。　　〃But；　please；　North　Wind；　where's　the　use？　

You　left　me　all　alone　last　time。〃



He　had　got　up　on　his　knees；　and　was　busy　with　his　nails　once

more　at　the　paper　over　the　hole　in　the　wall。　　For　now　that　North

Wind　spoke　again；　he　remembered　all　that　had　taken　place　before

as　distinctly　as　if　it　had　happened　only　last　night。



〃Yes；　but　that　was　your　fault；〃　returned　North　Wind。　　〃I　had　work

to　do；　and；　besides；　a　gentleman　should　never　keep　a　lady　waiting。〃



〃But　I'm　not　a　gentleman；〃　said　Diamond；　scratching　away　at　the　paper。



〃I　hope　you　won't　say　so　ten　years　after　this。〃



〃I'm　going　to　be　a　coachman；　and　a　coachman　is　not　a　gentleman；〃

persisted　Diamond。



〃We　call　your　father　a　gentleman　in　our　house；〃　said　North　Wind。



〃He　doesn't　call　himself　one；〃　said　Diamond。



〃That's　of　no　consequence：　　every　man　ought　to　be　a　gentleman；

and　your　father　is　one。〃



Diamond　was　so　pleased　to　hear　this　that　he　scratched　at　the　paper

like　ten　mice；　and　getting　hold　of　the　edge　of　it；　tore　it　off。　

The　next　instant　a　young　girl　glided　across　the　bed；　and　stood　upon

the　floor。



〃Oh　dear！〃　said　Diamond；　quite　dismayed；　〃I　didn't　know

who　are　you；　please？〃



〃I'm　North　Wind。〃



〃Are　you　really？〃



〃Yes。　　Make　haste。〃



〃But　you're　no　bigger　than　me。〃



〃Do　you　think　I　care　about　how　big　or　how　little　I　am？　　Didn't　you

see　me　this　evening？　　I　was　less　then。〃



〃No。　Where　was　you？〃



〃Behind　the　leaves　of　the　primrose。　　Didn't　you　see　them　blowing？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Make　haste；　then；　if　you　want　to　go　with　me。〃



〃But　you　are　not　big　enough　to　take　care　of　me。　　I　think　you　are

only　Miss　North　Wind。〃



〃I　am　big　enough　to　show　you　the　way；　anyhow。　　But　if　you

won't　come；　why；　you　must　stay。〃



〃I　must　dress　myself。　　I　didn't　mind　with　a　grown　lady；　but　I

couldn't　go　with　a　little　girl　in　my　night…gown。〃



〃Very　well。　　I'm　not　in　such　a　hurry　as　I　was　the　other　night。　

Dress　as　fast　as　you　can；　and　I'll　go　and　shake　the　primrose　leaves

till　you　come。〃



〃Don't　hurt　it；〃　said　Diamond。



North　Wind　broke　out　in　a　little　laugh　like　the　breaking

of　silver　bubbles；　and　was　gone　in　a　moment。　　Diamond　saw

for　it　was　a　starlit　night；　and　the　mass　of　hay　was　at　a　low

ebb　nowthe　gleam　of　something　vanishing　down　the　stair；　and；

springing　out　of　bed；　dressed　himself　as　fast　as　ever　he　could。　

Then　he　crept　out　into　the　yard；　through　the　door　in　the　wall；

and　away　to　the　primrose。　　Behind　it　stood　North　Wind；

leaning　over　it；　and　looking　at　the　flower　as　if　she　had　been　its　mother。



〃Come　along；〃　she　said；　jumping　up　and　holding　out　her　hand。



Diamond　took　her　hand。　　It　was　cold；　but　so　pleasant　and　full

of　life；　it　was　better　than　warm。　　She　led　him　across　the　garden。　

With　one　bound　she　was　on　the　top　of　the　wall。　　Diamond　was　left　at

the　foot。



〃Stop；　stop！〃　he　cried。　　〃Please；　I　can't　jump　like　that。〃



〃You　don't　try〃　said　North　Wind；　who　from　the　top　looked　down　a　foot

taller　than　before。



〃Give　me　your　hand　again；　and　I　will；　try〃　said　Diamond。



She　reached　down；　Diamond　laid　hold　of　her　hand；　gave　a　great　spring；

and　stood　beside　her。



〃This　is　nice！〃　he　said。



Another　bound；　and　they　stood　in　the　road　by　the　river。　

It　was　full　tide；　and　the　stars　were　shining　clear　in　its　depths；

for　it　lay　still；　waiting　for　the　turn　to　run　down　again　to　the　sea。　

They　walked　along　its　side。　　But　they　had　not　walked　far　before　its

surface　was　covered　with　ripples；　and　the　stars　had　vanished　from

its　bosom。



And　North　Wind　was　now　tall　as　a　full…grown　girl。　　Her　hair　was　flying

about　her　head；　and　the　wind　was　blowing　a　breeze　down　the　river。　

But　she　turned　aside　and　went　up　a　narrow　lane；　and　as　she　went　her

hair　fell　down　around　her。



〃I　have　some　rather　disagreeable　work　to　do　to…night；〃　she　said；

〃before　I　get　out　to　sea；　and　I　must　set　about　it　at　once。　

The　disagreeable　work　must　be　looked　after　first。〃



So　saying；　she　laid　hold　of　Diamond　and　began　to　run；　gliding　along

faster　and　faster。　　Diamond　kept　up　with　her　as　well　as　he　could。　

She　made　many　turnings　and　windings；　apparently　because　it　was　not

quite　easy　to　get　him　over　walls　and　houses。　　Once　they　ran　through

a　hall　where　they　found　back　and　front　doors　open。　　At　the　foot　of

the　stair　North　Wind　stood　still；　and　Diamond；　hearing　a　great　growl；

started　in　terror；　and　there；　instead　of　North　Wind；　was　a　huge　wolf

by　his　side。　　He　let　go　his　hold　in　dismay；　and　the　wolf　bounded

up　the　stair。　　The　windows　of　the　house　rattled　and　shook　as　if

guns　were　firing；　and　the　sound　of　a　great　fall　came　from　above。　

Diamond　stood　with　white　face　staring　up　at　the　landing。



〃Surely；〃　he　thought；　〃North　Wind　can't　be　eating　one　of　the　children！〃　

Coming　to　himself　all　at　once；　he　rushed　after　her　with　his　little

fist　clenched。　　There　were　ladies　in　long　trains　going　up　and　down

the　stairs；　and　gentlemen　in　white　neckties　attending　on　them；

who　stared　at　him；　but　none　of　them　were　of　the　people　of　the　house；

and　they　said　nothing。　　Before　he　reached　the　head　of　the　stair；

however；　North　Wind　met　him；　took　him　by　the　hand；　and　hurried

down　and　out　of　the　house。



〃I　hope　you　haven't　eaten　a　baby；　North　Wind！〃　said　Diamond；

very　solemnly。



North　Wind　laughed　merrily；　and　went　tripping　on　faster。　　Her　grassy

robe　swept　and　swirled　about　her　steps；　and　wherever　it　passed

over　withered　leaves；　they　went　fleeing　and　whirling　in　spirals；

and　running　on　their　edges　like　wheels；　all　about　her　feet。



〃No；〃　she　said　at　last；　〃I　did　not　eat　a　baby。　　You　would　not　have　had

to　ask　that　foolish　question　if　you　had　not　let　go　your　hold　of　me。　

You　would　have　seen　how　I　served　a　nurse　that　was　calling　a　child

bad　names；　and　telling　her　she　was　wicked。　　She　had　been　drinking。　

I　saw　an　ugly　gin　bottle　in　a　cupboard。〃



〃And　you　frightened　her？〃　said　Diamond。



〃I　believe　so！〃　answered　North　Wind　laughing　merrily。　　〃I　flew

at　her　throat；　and　she　tumbled　over　on　the　floor　with　such　a　crash

that　they　ran　in。　　She'll　be　turned　away　to…morrowand　quite　time；

if　they　knew　as　much　as　I　do。〃



〃But　didn't　you　frighten　the　little　one？〃



〃She　never　saw　me。　　The　woman　would　not　have　seen　me　either　if　she

had　not　been　wicked。〃



〃Oh！〃　said　Diamond；　dubiously。



〃Why　should　you　see　things；〃　returned　North　Wind；　〃that　you　wouldn't

understand　or　know　what　to　do　with？　　Good　people　see　good　things；

bad　people；　bad　things。〃



〃Then　are　you　a　bad　thing？〃



〃No。　For　you　see　me；　Diamond；　dear；〃　said　the　girl；　and　she　looked

do