at the back of the north wind-第8部分

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CHAPTER　V



THE　SUMMER…HOUSE





DIAMOND　said　nothing　to　his　mother　about　his　adventures。　　He　had

half　a　notion　that　North　Wind　was　a　friend　of　his　mother；　and　that；

if　she　did　not　know　all　about　it；　at　least　she　did　not　mind　his　going

anywhere　with　the　lady　of　the　wind。　　At　the　same　time　he　doubted

whether　he　might　not　appear　to　be　telling　stories　if　he　told　all；

especially　as　he　could　hardly　believe　it　himself　when　he　thought

about　it　in　the　middle　of　the　day；　although　when　the　twilight　was

once　half…way　on　to　night　he　had　no　doubt　about　it；　at　least　for

the　first　few　days　after　he　had　been　with　her。　　The　girl　that　swept

the　crossing　had　certainly　refused　to　believe　him。　　Besides；　he　felt

sure　that　North　Wind　would　tell　him　if　he　ought　to　speak。



It　was　some　time　before　he　saw　the　lady　of　the　wind　again。　

Indeed　nothing　remarkable　took　place　in　Diamond's　history　until

the　following　week。　　This　was　what　happened　then。　　Diamond　the　horse

wanted　new　shoes；　and　Diamond's　father　took　him　out　of　the　stable；

and　was　just　getting　on　his　back　to　ride　him　to　the　forge；　when　he　saw

his　little　boy　standing　by　the　pump；　and　looking　at　him　wistfully。　

Then　the　coachman　took　his　foot　out　of　the　stirrup；　left　his　hold

of　the　mane　and　bridle；　came　across　to　his　boy；　lifted　him　up；

and　setting　him　on　the　horse's　back；　told　him　to　sit　up　like　a　man。　

He　then　led　away　both　Diamonds　together。



The　boy　atop　felt　not　a　little　tremulous　as　the　great　muscles　that

lifted　the　legs　of　the　horse　knotted　and　relaxed　against　his　legs；

and　he　cowered　towards　the　withers；　grasping　with　his　hands　the　bit

of　mane　worn　short　by　the　collar；　but　when　his　father　looked　back　at　him；

saying　once　more；　〃Sit　up；　Diamond；〃　he　let　the　mane　go　and　sat　up；

notwithstanding　that　the　horse；　thinking；　I　suppose；　that　his

master　had　said　to　him；　〃Come　up；　Diamond；〃　stepped　out　faster。　

For　both　the　Diamonds　were　just　grandly　obedient。　　And　Diamond　soon

found　that；　as　he　was　obedient　to　his　father；　so　the　horse　was

obedient　to　him。　　For　he　had　not　ridden　far　before　he　found　courage

to　reach　forward　and　catch　hold　of　the　bridle；　and　when　his　father；

whose　hand　was　upon　it；　felt　the　boy　pull　it　towards　him；　he　looked

up　and　smiled；　and；　well　pleased；　let　go　his　hold；　and　left　Diamond

to　guide　Diamond；　and　the　boy　soon　found　that　he　could　do　so　perfectly。　

It　was　a　grand　thing　to　be　able　to　guide　a　great　beast　like　that。　

And　another　discovery　he　made　was　that；　in　order　to　guide　the　horse；

he　had　in　a　measure　to　obey　the　horse　first。　　If　he　did　not　yield

his　body　to　the　motions　of　the　horse's　body；　he　could　not　guide　him；

he　must　fall　off。



The　blacksmith　lived　at　some　distance；　deeper　into　London。　

As　they　crossed　the　angle　of　a　square；　Diamond；　who　was　now　quite

comfortable　on　his　living　throne；　was　glancing　this　way　and　that　in

a　gentle　pride；　when　he　saw　a　girl　sweeping　a　crossing　scuddingly

before　a　lady。　　The　lady　was　his　father's　mistress；　Mrs。　Coleman；

and　the　little　girl　was　she　for　whose　sake　he　had　got　off　North

Wind's　back。　　He　drew　Diamond's　bridle　in　eager　anxiety　to　see　whether

her　outstretched　hand　would　gather　a　penny　from　Mrs。　Coleman。　

But　she　had　given　one　at　the　last　crossing；　and　the　hand　returned

only　to　grasp　its　broom。　　Diamond　could　not　bear　it。　　He　had　a　penny

in　his　pocket；　a　gift　of　the　same　lady　the　day　before；　and　he　tumbled

off　his　horse　to　give　it　to　the　girl。　　He　tumbled　off；　I　say；　for　he

did　tumble　when　he　reached　the　ground。　　But　he　got　up　in　an　instant；

and　ran；　searching　his　pocket　as　he　ran。　　She　made　him　a　pretty

courtesy　when　he　offered　his　treasure；　but　with　a　bewildered　stare。　

She　thought　first：　　〃Then　he　was　on　the　back　of　the　North　Wind

after　all！〃　but；　looking　up　at　the　sound　of　the　horse's　feet

on　the　paved　crossing；　she　changed　her　idea；　saying　to　herself；

〃North　Wind　is　his　father's　horse！　　That's　the　secret　of　it！　

Why　couldn't　he　say　so？〃　　And　she　had　a　mind　to　refuse　the　penny。　

But　his　smile　put　it　all　right；　and　she　not　only　took　his　penny

but　put　it　in　her　mouth　with　a　〃Thank　you；　mister。　　Did　they　wollop

you　then？〃



〃Oh　no！〃　answered　Diamond。　　〃They　never　wollops　me。〃



〃Lor！〃　said　the　little　girl；　and　was　speechless。



Meantime　his　father；　looking　up；　and　seeing　the　horse's　back　bare；

suffered　a　pang　of　awful　dread；　but　the　next　moment　catching　sight

of　him；　took　him　up　and　put　him　on；　saying



〃Don't　get　off　again；　Diamond。　　The　horse　might　have　put　his　foot

on　you。〃



〃No；　father；〃　answered　the　boy；　and　rode　on　in　majestic　safety。



The　summer　drew　near；　warm　and　splendid。　　Miss　Coleman　was　a　little

better　in　health；　and　sat　a　good　deal　in　the　garden。　　One　day

she　saw　Diamond　peeping　through　the　shrubbery；　and　called　him。　

He　talked　to　her　so　frankly　that　she　often　sent　for　him　after　that；

and　by　degrees　it　came　about　that　he　had　leave　to　run　in　the　garden

as　he　pleased。　　He　never　touched　any　of　the　flowers　or　blossoms；

for　he　was　not　like　some　boys　who　cannot　enjoy　a　thing　without

pulling　it　to　pieces；　and　so　preventing　every　one　from　enjoying　it

after　them。



A　week　even　makes　such　a　long　time　in　a　child's　life；　that　Diamond

had　begun　once　more　to　feel　as　if　North　Wind　were　a　dream　of　some

far…off　year。



One　hot　evening；　he　had　been　sitting　with　the　young　mistress；

as　they　called　her；　in　a　little　summer…house　at　the　bottom

of　the　lawna　wonderful　thing　for　beauty；　the　boy　thought；

for　a　little　window　in　the　side　of　it　was　made　of　coloured　glass。　

It　grew　dusky；　and　the　lady　began　to　feel　chill；　and　went　in；

leaving　the　boy　in　the　summer…house。　He　sat　there　gazing　out　at

a　bed　of　tulips；　which；　although　they　had　closed　for　the　night；

could　not　go　quite　asleep　for　the　wind　that　kept　waving　them　about。　

All　at　once　he　saw　a　great　bumble…bee　fly　out　of　one　of　the　tulips。



〃There！　that　is　something　done；〃　said　a　voicea　gentle；　merry；

childish　voice；　but　so　tiny。　　〃At　last　it　was。　　I　thought

he　would　have　had　to　stay　there　all　night；　poor　fellow！　　I　did。〃



Diamond　could　not　tell　whether　the　voice　was　near　or　far　away；

it　was　so　small　and　yet　so　clear。　　He　had　never　seen　a　fairy；

but　he　had　heard　of　such；　and　he　began　to　look　all　about　for　one。　

And　there　was　the　tiniest　creature　sliding　down　the　stem　of

the　tulip！



〃Are　you　the　fairy　that　herds　the　bees？〃　he　asked；　going　out　of　the

summer…house；　and　down　on　his　knees　on　the　green　shore　of　the　tulip…bed。



〃I'm　not　a　fairy；〃　answered　the　little　creature。



〃How　do　you　know　that？〃



〃It　would　become　you　better　to　ask　how　you　are　to　know　it。〃



〃You've　just　told　me。〃



〃Yes。　　But　what's　the　use　of　knowing　a　thing　only　because　you're

told　it？〃



〃Well；　how　am　I　to　know　you　are　not　a　fairy？　　You　do　look　very

like　one。〃



〃In　the　first　place；　fairies　are　much　bigger　than　you　see　me。〃



〃Oh！〃　said　Diamond　reflectively；　〃I　thought　they　were　very　little。〃



〃But　they　might　be　tremendously　bigger　than　I　am；　and　yet　not

very　big。　　Why；　I　could　be　six　times　the　size　I　am；　and　not　be

very　huge。　　Besides；　a　fairy　can't　grow　big　and　little　at　will；

though　the　nursery…tales　do　say　so：　　they　don't　know　better。　

You　stupid　Diamond！　have　you　never　seen　me　before？〃



And；　as　she　spoke；　a　moan　of　wind　bent　the　tulips　almost　to

the　ground；　and　the　creature　laid　her　hand　on　Diamond's　shoulder。　

In　a　moment　he　knew　that　it　was　North　Wind。



〃I　am　very　stupid；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　never　saw　you　so　small　before；

not　even　when　you　were　nursing　the　primrose。〃



〃Must　you　see　me　every　size　that　can　be　measured　before　you

know　me；　Diamond？〃



〃But　how　could　I　think　it　was　you　taking　care　of　a　great

stupid　bumble…bee？〃



〃The　more　stupid　he　was　the　more　need　he　had　to　be　taken　care　of。　

What　with　sucking　honey　and　trying　to　open　the　door；　he　was　nearly　dated；

and　when　it　opened　in　the　morning　to　let　the　sun　see　the　tulip's　heart；

what　would　the　sun　have　thought　to　find　such　a　stupid　thing　lying　there

with　wings　too？〃



〃But　how　do　you　have　time　to　look　after　bees？〃



〃I　don't　look　after　bees。　　I　had　this　one　to　look　after。　

It　was　hard　work；　though。〃



〃Hard　work！　　Why；　you　could　blow　a　chimney　down；　oror　a　boy's

cap　off；〃　said　Diamond。



〃Both　are　easier　than　to　blow　a　tulip　open。　　But　I　scarcely　know

the　difference　between　hard　and　easy。　　I　am　always　able　for　what　I

have　to　do。　　When　I　see　my　work；　I　just　rush　at　itand　it　is　done。　

But　I　mustn't　chatter。　　I　have　got　to　sink　a　ship　to…night。〃



〃Sink　a　ship！　　What！　with　men　in　it？〃



〃Yes；　and　women　too。〃



〃How　dreadful！　　I　wish　you　wouldn't　talk　so。〃



〃It　is　rather　dreadful。　　But　it　is　my　work。　　I　must　do　it。〃



〃I　hope　you　won't　ask　me　to　go　with　you。〃



〃No；　I　won't　ask　you。　　But　you　must　come　for　all　that。〃



〃I　won't　then。〃



〃Won't　you？〃　　And　North　Wind　grew　a　tall　lady；　and　looked　him

in　the　eyes；　and　Diamond