at the back of the north wind-第6部分

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〃Then　are　you　a　bad　thing？〃



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

down　at　him；　and　Diamond　saw　the　loving　eyes　of　the　great　lady

beaming　from　the　depths　of　her　falling　hair。



〃I　had　to　make　myself　look　like　a　bad　thing　before　she　could　see　me。　

If　I　had　put　on　any　other　shape　than　a　wolf's　she　would　not　have

seen　me；　for　that　is　what　is　growing　to　be　her　own　shape　inside

of　her。〃



〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean；〃　said　Diamond；　〃but　I　suppose　it's

all　right。〃



They　were　now　climbing　the　slope　of　a　grassy　ascent。　　It　was

Primrose　Hill；　in　fact；　although　Diamond　had　never　heard　of　it。　

The　moment　they　reached　the　top；　North　Wind　stood　and　turned　her　face

towards　London　The　stars　were　still　shining　clear　and　cold　overhead。　

There　was　not　a　cloud　to　be　seen。　　The　air　was　sharp；　but　Diamond　did

not　find　it　cold。



〃Now；〃　said　the　lady；　〃whatever　you　do；　do　not　let　my　hand　go。　

I　might　have　lost　you　the　last　time；　only　I　was　not　in　a　hurry　then：　

now　I　am　in　a　hurry。〃



Yet　she　stood　still　for　a　moment。









CHAPTER　IV



NORTH　WIND





AND　as　she　stood　looking　towards　London；　Diamond　saw　that　she

was　trembling。



〃Are　you　cold；　North　Wind？〃　he　asked。



〃No；　Diamond；〃　she　answered；　looking　down　upon　him　with　a　smile；

〃I　am　only　getting　ready　to　sweep　one　of　my　rooms。　　Those　careless；

greedy；　untidy　children　make　it　in　such　a　mess。〃



As　she　spoke　he　could　have　told　by　her　voice；　if　he　had　not　seen

with　his　eyes；　that　she　was　growing　larger　and　larger。　　Her　head

went　up　and　up　towards　the　stars；　and　as　she　grew；　still　trembling

through　all　her　body；　her　hair　also　grewlonger　and　longer；

and　lifted　itself　from　her　head；　and　went　out　in　black　waves。　

The　next　moment；　however；　it　fell　back　around　her；　and　she　grew　less

and　less　till　she　was　only　a　tall　woman。　　Then　she　put　her　hands

behind　her　head；　and　gathered　some　of　her　hair；　and　began　weaving

and　knotting　it　together。　　When　she　had　done；　she　bent　down　her

beautiful　face　close　to　his；　and　said



〃Diamond；　I　am　afraid　you　would　not　keep　hold　of　me；　and　if　I

were　to　drop　you；　I　don't　know　what　might　happen；　so　I　have　been

making　a　place　for　you　in　my　hair。　　Come。〃



Diamond　held　out　his　arms；　for　with　that　grand　face　looking　at　him；

he　believed　like　a　baby。　　She　took　him　in　her　hands；　threw　him　over

her　shoulder；　and　said；　〃Get　in；　Diamond。〃



And　Diamond　parted　her　hair　with　his　hands；　crept　between；　and　feeling

about　soon　found　the　woven　nest。　　It　was　just　like　a　pocket；

or　like　the　shawl　in　which　gipsy　women　carry　their　children。　

North　Wind　put　her　hands　to　her　back；　felt　all　about　the　nest；

and　finding　it　safe；　said



〃Are　you　comfortable；　Diamond？〃



〃Yes；　indeed；〃　answered　Diamond。



The　next　moment　he　was　rising　in　the　air。　　North　Wind　grew　towering

up　to　the　place　of　the　clouds。　　Her　hair　went　streaming　out　from　her；

till　it　spread　like　a　mist　over　the　stars。　　She　flung　herself　abroad

in　space。



Diamond　held　on　by　two　of　the　twisted　ropes　which；　parted　and　interwoven；

formed　his　shelter；　for　he　could　not　help　being　a　little　afraid。　

As　soon　as　he　had　come　to　himself；　he　peeped　through　the　woven　meshes；

for　he　did　not　dare　to　look　over　the　top　of　the　nest。　　The　earth

was　rushing　past　like　a　river　or　a　sea　below　him。　　Trees　and　water

and　green　grass　hurried　away　beneath。　　A　great　roar　of　wild　animals

rose　as　they　rushed　over　the　Zoological　Gardens；　mixed　with　a

chattering　of　monkeys　and　a　screaming　of　birds；　but　it　died　away

in　a　moment　behind　them。　　And　now　there　was　nothing　but　the　roofs

of　houses；　sweeping　along　like　a　great　torrent　of　stones　and　rocks。　

Chimney…pots　fell；　and　tiles　flew　from　the　roofs；　but　it　looked

to　him　as　if　they　were　left　behind　by　the　roofs　and　the　chimneys

as　they　scudded　away。　　There　was　a　great　roaring；　for　the　wind　was

dashing　against　London　like　a　sea；　but　at　North　Wind's　back　Diamond；

of　course；　felt　nothing　of　it　all。　　He　was　in　a　perfect　calm。　

He　could　hear　the　sound　of　it；　that　was　all。



By　and　by　he　raised　himself　and　looked　over　the　edge　of　his　nest。　

There　were　the　houses　rushing　up　and　shooting　away　below　him；

like　a　fierce　torrent　of　rocks　instead　of　water。　　Then　he

looked　up　to　the　sky；　but　could　see　no　stars；　they　were　hidden

by　the　blinding　masses　of　the　lady's　hair　which　swept　between。　

He　began　to　wonder　whether　she　would　hear　him　if　he　spoke。　

He　would　try。



〃Please；　North　Wind；〃　he　said；　〃what　is　that　noise？〃



From　high　over　his　head　came　the　voice　of　North　Wind；

answering　him；　gently



〃The　noise　of　my　besom。　　I　am　the　old　woman　that　sweeps　the　cobwebs

from　the；　sky；　only　I'm　busy　with　the　floor　now。〃



〃What　makes　the　houses　look　as　if　they　were　running　away？〃



〃I　am　sweeping　so　fast　over　them。〃



〃But；　please；　North　Wind；　I　knew　London　was　very　big；　but　I　didn't

know　it　was　so　big　as　this。　　It　seems　as　if　we　should　never　get

away　from　it。〃



〃We　are　going　round　and　round；　else　we　should　have　left　it　long　ago。〃



〃Is　this　the　way　you　sweep；　North　Wind？〃



〃Yes；　I　go　round　and　round　with　my　great　besom。〃



〃Please；　would　you　mind　going　a　little　slower；　for　I　want　to　see

the　streets？〃



〃You　won't　see　much　now。〃



〃Why？〃



〃Because　I　have　nearly　swept　all　the　people　home。〃



〃Oh！　　I　forgot；〃　said　Diamond；　and　was　quiet　after　that；　for　he

did　not　want　to　be　troublesome。



But　she　dropped　a　little　towards　the　roofs　of　the　houses；

and　Diamond　could　see　down　into　the　streets。　　There　were　very　few

people　about；　though。　　The　lamps　flickered　and　flared　again；

but　nobody　seemed　to　want　them。



Suddenly　Diamond　espied　a　little　girl　coming　along　a　street。　　She　was

dreadfully　blown　by　the　wind；　and　a　broom　she　was　trailing　behind　her

was　very　troublesome。　　It　seemed　as　if　the　wind　had　a　spite　at　her

it　kept　worrying　her　like　a　wild　beast；　and　tearing　at　her　rags。　

She　was　so　lonely　there！



〃Oh！　please；　North　Wind；〃　he　cried；　〃won't　you　help　that　little　girl？〃



〃No；　Diamond；　I　mustn't　leave　my　work。〃



〃But　why　shouldn't　you　be　kind　to　her？〃



〃I　am　kind　to　her。　　I　am　sweeping　the　wicked　smells　away。〃



〃But　you're　kinder　to　me；　dear　North　Wind。　　Why　shouldn't　you

be　as　kind　to　her　as　you　are　to　me？〃



〃There　are　reasons；　Diamond。　　Everybody　can't　be　done　to　all　the　same。　

Everybody　is　not　ready　for　the　same　thing。〃



〃But　I　don't　see　why　I　should　be　kinder　used　than　she。〃



〃Do　you　think　nothing's　to　be　done　but　what　you　can　see；　Diamond；

you　silly！　　It's　all　right。　　Of　course　you　can　help　her　if　you　like。　

You've　got　nothing　particular　to　do　at　this　moment；　I　have。〃



〃Oh！　do　let　me　help　her；　then。　　But　you　won't　be　able　to　wait；　perhaps？〃



〃No；　I　can't　wait；　you　must　do　it　yourself。　　And；　mind；　the　wind

will　get　a　hold　of　you；　too。〃



〃Don't　you　want　me　to　help　her；　North　Wind？〃



〃Not　without　having　some　idea　what　will　happen。　　If　you　break

down　and　cry；　that　won't　be　much　of　a　help　to　her；　and　it　will

make　a　goose　of　little　Diamond。〃



〃I　want　to　go；〃　said　Diamond。　　〃Only　there's　just　one　thing

how　am　I　to　get　home？〃



〃If　you're　anxious　about　that；　perhaps　you　had　better　go　with　me。　

I　am　bound　to　take　you　home　again；　if　you　do。〃



〃There！〃　cried　Diamond；　who　was　still　looking　after　the　little　girl。　

〃I'm　sure　the　wind　will　blow　her　over；　and　perhaps　kill　her。　

Do　let　me　go。〃



They　had　been　sweeping　more　slowly　along　the　line　of　the　street。　

There　was　a　lull　in　the　roaring。



〃Well；　though　I　cannot　promise　to　take　you　home；〃　said　North　Wind；

as　she　sank　nearer　and　nearer　to　the　tops　of　the　houses；　〃I　can　promise

you　it　will　be　all　right　in　the　end。　　You　will　get　home　somehow。　

Have　you　made　up　your　mind　what　to　do？〃



〃Yes；　to　help　the　little　girl；〃　said　Diamond　firmly。



The　same　moment　North　Wind　dropt　into　the　street　and　stood；

only　a　tall　lady；　but　with　her　hair　flying　up　over　the　housetops。　

She　put　her　hands　to　her　back；　took　Diamond；　and　set　him　down　in

the　street。　　The　same　moment　he　was　caught　in　the　fierce　coils　of

the　blast；　and　all　but　blown　away。　　North　Wind　stepped　back　a　step；

and　at　once　towered　in　stature　to　the　height　of　the　houses。　

A　chimney…pot　clashed　at　Diamond's　feet。　　He　turned　in　terror；

but　it　was　to　look　for　the　little　girl；　and　when　he　turned　again

the　lady　had　vanished；　and　the　wind　was　roaring　along　the　street

as　if　it　had　been　the　bed　of　an　invisible　torrent。　　The　little　girl

was　scudding　before　the　blast；　her　hair　flying　too；　and　behind　her

she　dragged　her　broom。　　Her　little　legs　were　going　as　fast　as　ever

they　could　to　keep　her　from　falling。　　Diamond　crept　into　the　shelter

of　a　doorway；　thinking　to　stop　her；　but　she　passed　him　like　a　bird；

crying　gently　and　pitifully。



〃Stop！　stop！　little　girl；〃　shouted　Diamond；　starting　in　pursuit。



〃I　can't；〃　wailed　the　girl；　〃the　wind　won't　leave　go　of