章节正文
upon old Diamond's coat. He used them so deftly, so gently,
and yet so thoroughly, as far as he could reach, that the man could
not help admiring him.
"You must make haste and, grow" he said. "It won't do to have
a horse's belly clean and his back dirty, you know."
"Give me a leg," said Diamond, and in a moment he was on the old
horse's back with the comb and brush. He sat on his withers,
and reaching forward as he ate his hay, he curried and he brushed,
first at one side of his neck, and then at the other.
When that was done he asked for a dressing-comb, and combed
his mane thoroughly. Then he pushed himself on to his back,
and did his shoulders as far down as he could reach. Then he sat
on his croup, and did his back and sides; then he turned around
like a monkey, and attacked his hind-quarters, and combed his tail.
This last was not so easy to manage, for he had to lift it up,
and every now and then old Diamond would whisk it out of his hands,
and once he sent the comb flying out of the stable door, to the
great amusement of the men. But Jack fetched it again, and Diamond
began once more, and did not leave off until he had done the whole
business fairly well, if not in a first-rate, experienced fashion.
All the time the old horse went on eating his hay, and, but with an
occasional whisk of his tail when Diamond tickled or scratched him,
took no notice of the proceeding. But that was all a pretence,
for he knew very well who it was that was perched on his back,
and rubbing away at him with the comb and the brush. So he was
quite pleased and proud, and perhaps said to himself something
like this--
"I'm a stupid old horse, who can't brush his own coat; but there's
my young godson on my back, cleaning me like an angel."
I won't vouch for what the old horse was thinking, for it
is very difficult to find out what any old horse is thinking.
"Oh dear!" said Diamond when he had done, "I'm so tired!"
And he laid himself down at full length on old Diamond's back.
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 Monday--upon which consequently Diamond
could be spared from the baby--his 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 father--with 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 girl--could 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 curbstone--who 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 partingsalute 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 since--there 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 children--and 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 great disgrace to be poor?" asked Diamond, because of
the tone in which his mother had spoken.
But his mother, whether conscience-stricken I do not know hurried
him away to bed, where after various attempts to understand her,
resumed and resumed again in spite of invading sleep, he was
conquered at last, and gave in, murmuring over and over to himself,
"Why is why?" but getting no answer to the question.
CHAPTER XVIII
THE DRUNKEN CABMAN
A FEW nights after this, Diamond woke up suddenly, believing he heard
North Wind thundering along. But it was something quite different.
South Wind was moaning round the chimneys, to be sure, for she
was not very happy that night, but it was not her voice that had
wakened Diamond. Her voice would only have lulled him the deeper asleep.
It was a loud, angry voice, now growling like that of a beast,
now raving like that of a madman; and when Diamond came a little
wider awake, he knew that it was the voice of the drunken cabman,
and yet so thoroughly, as far as he could reach, that the man could
not help admiring him.
"You must make haste and, grow" he said. "It won't do to have
a horse's belly clean and his back dirty, you know."
"Give me a leg," said Diamond, and in a moment he was on the old
horse's back with the comb and brush. He sat on his withers,
and reaching forward as he ate his hay, he curried and he brushed,
first at one side of his neck, and then at the other.
When that was done he asked for a dressing-comb, and combed
his mane thoroughly. Then he pushed himself on to his back,
and did his shoulders as far down as he could reach. Then he sat
on his croup, and did his back and sides; then he turned around
like a monkey, and attacked his hind-quarters, and combed his tail.
This last was not so easy to manage, for he had to lift it up,
and every now and then old Diamond would whisk it out of his hands,
and once he sent the comb flying out of the stable door, to the
great amusement of the men. But Jack fetched it again, and Diamond
began once more, and did not leave off until he had done the whole
business fairly well, if not in a first-rate, experienced fashion.
All the time the old horse went on eating his hay, and, but with an
occasional whisk of his tail when Diamond tickled or scratched him,
took no notice of the proceeding. But that was all a pretence,
for he knew very well who it was that was perched on his back,
and rubbing away at him with the comb and the brush. So he was
quite pleased and proud, and perhaps said to himself something
like this--
"I'm a stupid old horse, who can't brush his own coat; but there's
my young godson on my back, cleaning me like an angel."
I won't vouch for what the old horse was thinking, for it
is very difficult to find out what any old horse is thinking.
"Oh dear!" said Diamond when he had done, "I'm so tired!"
And he laid himself down at full length on old Diamond's back.
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 Monday--upon which consequently Diamond
could be spared from the baby--his 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 father--with 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 girl--could 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 curbstone--who 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 partingsalute 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 since--there 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 children--and 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 great disgrace to be poor?" asked Diamond, because of
the tone in which his mother had spoken.
But his mother, whether conscience-stricken I do not know hurried
him away to bed, where after various attempts to understand her,
resumed and resumed again in spite of invading sleep, he was
conquered at last, and gave in, murmuring over and over to himself,
"Why is why?" but getting no answer to the question.
CHAPTER XVIII
THE DRUNKEN CABMAN
A FEW nights after this, Diamond woke up suddenly, believing he heard
North Wind thundering along. But it was something quite different.
South Wind was moaning round the chimneys, to be sure, for she
was not very happy that night, but it was not her voice that had
wakened Diamond. Her voice would only have lulled him the deeper asleep.
It was a loud, angry voice, now growling like that of a beast,
now raving like that of a madman; and when Diamond came a little
wider awake, he knew that it was the voice of the drunken cabman,
- thoroughly [´θʌrəli]
ad.完全地，彻底地 (初中英语单词) - monkey [´mʌŋki] n.猴子 v.乱弄；胡闹 (初中英语单词)
- stable [´steibəl] n.马棚 a.稳固的 (初中英语单词)
- amusement [ə´mju:zmənt] n.娱乐；文娱设施 (初中英语单词)
- stupid [´stju:pid] a.愚蠢的；糊涂的 (初中英语单词)
- remind [ri´maind] vt.提醒；使记(想)起 (初中英语单词)
- academy [ə´kædəmi] n.专科学校；学会；协会 (初中英语单词)
- running [´rʌniŋ] a.奔跑的；流动的 (初中英语单词)
- dreadful [´dredful] a.可怕的；讨厌的 (初中英语单词)
- presently [´prezəntli] ad.不久；目前 (初中英语单词)
- missing [´misiŋ] a.缺掉的；失踪的 (初中英语单词)
- account [ə´kaunt] vi.说明 vt.认为 n.帐目 (初中英语单词)
- behave [bi´heiv] v.举止；表现；举止端正 (初中英语单词)
- instantly [´instəntli] ad.立即，立刻 (初中英语单词)
- waiting [´weitiŋ] n.等候；伺候 (初中英语单词)
- resist [ri´zist] v.抵抗；对抗；抵制 (初中英语单词)
- salute [sə´lu:t] n.&v.招呼；行礼；敬礼 (初中英语单词)
- inquiry [in´kwaiəri] n.询问；质询；调查 (初中英语单词)
- grown-up [´grəun-ʌp] n.成年人 a.成熟的 (初中英语单词)
- disgrace [dis´greis] n.耻辱 vt.玷辱；贬黜 (初中英语单词)
- drunken [´drʌŋkən] a.喝醉的；常醉的 (初中英语单词)
- proceeding [prə´si:diŋ] n.程序；进程；行动 (高中英语单词)
- strife [straif] n.竞争；吵架；冲突 (高中英语单词)
- crowded [´kraudid] a.充(拥)满了的 (高中英语单词)
- consequently [´kɔnsikwəntli] ad.因此，所以 (高中英语单词)
- tumult [´tju:mʌlt, ´tu:-] n.喧哗；激昂；烦乱 (高中英语单词)
- sweeping [´swi:piŋ] a.掠过的 n.扫除；清除 (高中英语单词)
- foremost [´fɔ:məust] a.最重要的；最先的 (高中英语单词)
- motion [´məuʃən] n.手势 vt.打手势 (高中英语单词)
- thoughtfully [´θɔ:tfuli] ad.深思地；体贴地 (高中英语单词)
- experienced [ik´spiəriənst] a.有经验的；熟练的 (英语四级单词)
- sixpence [´sikspəns] n.六便士(硬币) (英语四级单词)
- touching [´tʌtʃiŋ] a.动人的 prep.提到 (英语四级单词)
- parting [´pɑ:tiŋ] a.&n.分离(的) (英语四级单词)
- clearing [´kliəriŋ] n.(森林中的)空旷地 (英语四级单词)
- rubbish [´rʌbiʃ] n.垃圾；碎屑；废话 (英语四级单词)
- deftly [´deftli] ad.灵巧地，敏捷地 (英语六级单词)
- holding [´həuldiŋ] n.保持，固定，存储 (英语六级单词)
- decency [´di:sənsi] n.正派；体面 (英语六级单词)
- calling [´kɔ:liŋ] n.点名；职业；欲望 (英语六级单词)
- madman [´mædmən] n.疯子；狂人 (英语六级单词)
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章节正文
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