章节正文
"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 now--the 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-morrow--and 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
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 grassyascent. 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 grew--longer 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.
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 now--the 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-morrow--and 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
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 grassyascent. 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 grew--longer 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.
- therefore [´ðeəfɔ:]
ad.&conj.因此；所以 (初中英语单词) - distinctly [di´stiŋktli] ad.清楚地，明晰地 (初中英语单词)
- consequence [´kɔnsikwəns] n.结果；后果；推断 (初中英语单词)
- instant [´instənt] a.立即的 n.紧迫；瞬间 (初中英语单词)
- waiting [´weitiŋ] n.等候；伺候 (初中英语单词)
- breeze [bri:z] n.微风；不费力的事 (初中英语单词)
- terror [´terə] n.恐怖；惊骇 (初中英语单词)
- dismay [dis´mei] n.惊慌 vt.使惊慌 (初中英语单词)
- wherever [weər´evə] conj.无论在哪里 (初中英语单词)
- running [´rʌniŋ] a.奔跑的；流动的 (初中英语单词)
- wicked [´wikid] a.邪恶的；不道德的 (初中英语单词)
- throat [θrəut] n.咽喉；嗓子；出入口 (初中英语单词)
- frighten [´fraitn] vt.吓唬，使惊惧 (初中英语单词)
- concerning [kən´sə:niŋ] prep.关于 (高中英语单词)
- disagreeable [,disə´gri:əbl] a.令人不悦的 (高中英语单词)
- saying [´seiŋ, ´sei-iŋ] n.言语；言论；格言 (高中英语单词)
- apparently [ə´pærəntli] ad.显然，表面上地 (高中英语单词)
- hearing [´hiəriŋ] n.听力；听证会；审讯 (高中英语单词)
- merrily [´merili] ad.欢乐地；愉快地 (高中英语单词)
- loving [´lʌviŋ] a.爱的，有爱情的 (高中英语单词)
- ascent [ə´sent] n.上升；攀登；上坡路 (高中英语单词)
- finding [´faindiŋ] n.发现物；判断；结果 (高中英语单词)
- hurried [´hʌrid] a.仓促的，慌忙的 (高中英语单词)
- sweeping [´swi:piŋ] a.掠过的 n.扫除；清除 (高中英语单词)
- torrent [´tɔrənt] n.奔流，激流，洪流；迸发 (高中英语单词)
- coachman [´kəutʃmən] n.赶马车人 (英语四级单词)
- primrose [´primrəuz] n.樱草(花) a.樱草的 (英语四级单词)
- grassy [´grɑ:si] a.多草的；青草味的 (英语四级单词)
- discreet [di´skri:t] a.谨慎的，考虑周到的 (英语六级单词)
- holding [´həuldiŋ] n.保持，固定，存储 (英语六级单词)
- calling [´kɔ:liŋ] n.点名；职业；欲望 (英语六级单词)
- zoological [,zəuə´lɔdʒik(ə)l] a.动物学(上)的 (英语六级单词)
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章节正文
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