at the back of the north wind-第30部分

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were　rather　out　of　the　way。　　He　threw　himself　down　under　a　rose…bush；

and　fell　asleep。



He　woke；　not　out　of　his　dream；　but　into　it；　thinking　he　heard　a　child's

voice；　calling　〃Diamond；　Diamond！〃　　He　jumped　up；　but　all　was　still

about　him。　　The　rose…bushes　were　pouring　out　their　odours　in　clouds。　

He　could　see　the　scent　like　mists　of　the　same　colour　as　the　rose；

issuing　like　a　slow　fountain　and　spreading　in　the　air　till　it

joined　the　thin　rosy　vapour　which　hung　over　all　the　wilderness。　

But　again　came　the　voice　calling　him；　and　it　seemed　to　come　from

over　his　head。　　He　looked　up；　but　saw　only　the　deep　blue　sky　full

of　starsmore　brilliant；　however；　than　he　had　seen　them　before；

and　both　sky　and　stars　looked　nearer　to　the　earth。



While　he　gazed　up；　again　he　heard　the　cry。　　At　the　same　moment　he

saw　one　of　the　biggest　stars　over　his　head　give　a　kind　of　twinkle

and　jump；　as　if　it　went　out　and　came　in　again。　　He　threw　himself

on　his　back；　and　fixed　his　eyes　upon　it。　　Nor　had　he　gazed　long

before　it　went　out；　leaving　something　like　a　scar　in　the　blue。　

But　as　he　went　on　gazing　he　saw　a　face　where　the　star　had　been

a　merry　face；　with　bright　eyes。　　The　eyes　appeared　not　only　to

see　Diamond；　but　to　know　that　Diamond　had　caught　sight　of　them；

for　the　face　withdrew　the　same　moment。　　Again　came　the　voice；

calling　〃Diamond；　Diamond；〃　and　in　jumped　the　star　to　its　place。



Diamond　called　as　loud　as　he　could；　right　up　into　the　sky：



〃Here's　Diamond；　down　below　you。　　What　do　you　want　him　to　do？〃



The　next　instant　many　of　the　stars　round　about　that　one　went　out；

and　many　voices　shouted　from　the　sky；



〃Come　up；　come　up。　　We're　so　jolly！　　Diamond！　　Diamond！〃



This　was　followed　by　a　peal　of　the　merriest；　kindliest　laughter；

and　all　the　stars　jumped　into　their　places　again。



〃How　am　I　to　come　up？〃　shouted　Diamond。



〃Go　round　the　rose…bush。　It's　got　its　foot　in　it；〃　said　the　first　voice。



Diamond　got　up　at　once；　and　walked　to　the　other　side　of　the　rose…bush。



There　he　found　what　seemed　the　very　opposite　of　what　he　wanted

a　stair　down　into　the　earth。　　It　was　of　turf　and　moss。　　It　did　not　seem

to　promise　well　for　getting　into　the　sky；　but　Diamond　had　learned

to　look　through　the　look　of　things。　　The　voice　must　have　meant

that　he　was　to　go　down　this　stair；　and　down　this　stair　Diamond　went；

without　waiting　to　think　more　about　it。



It　was　such　a　nice　stair；　so　cool　and　softall　the　sides　as　well

as　the　steps　grown　with　moss　and　grass　and　ferns！　　Down　and　down

Diamond　wenta　long　way；　until　at　last　he　heard　the　gurgling

and　splashing　of　a　little　stream；　nor　had　he　gone　much　farther

before　he　met　ityes；　met　it　coming　up　the　stairs　to　meet　him；

running　up　just　as　naturally　as　if　it　had　been　doing　the　other　thing。　

Neither　was　Diamond　in　the　least　surprised　to　see　it　pitching　itself

from　one　step　to　another　as　it　climbed　towards　him：　　he　never

thought　it　was　oddand　no　more　it　was；　there。　　It　would　have　been

odd　here。　　It　made　a　merry　tune　as　it　came；　and　its　voice　was　like

the　laughter　he　had　heard　from　the　sky。　　This　appeared　promising；

and　he　went　on；　down　and　down　the　stair；　and　up　and　up　the　stream；

till　at　last　he　came　where　it　hurried　out　from　under　a　stone；

and　the　stair　stopped　altogether。　　And　as　the　stream　bubbled　up；

the　stone　shook　and　swayed　with　its　force；　and　Diamond　thought　he

would　try　to　lift　it。　　Lightly　it　rose　to　his　hand；　forced　up　by　the

stream　from　below；　and；　by　what　would　have　seemed　an　unaccountable

perversion　of　things　had　he　been　awake；　threatened　to　come　tumbling

upon　his　head。　　But　he　avoided　it；　and　when　it　fell；　got　upon　it。　

He　now　saw　that　the　opening　through　which　the　water　came　pouring

in　was　over　his　head；　and　with　the　help　of　the　stone　he　scrambled

out　by　it；　and　found　himself　on　the　side　of　a　grassy　hill　which

rounded　away　from　him　in　every　direction；　and　down　which　came

the　brook　which　vanished　in　the　hole。　　But　scarcely　had　he　noticed

so　much　as　this　before　a　merry　shouting　and　laughter　burst　upon　him；

and　a　number　of　naked　little　boys　came　running；　every　one　eager　to　get

to　him　first。　　At　the　shoulders　of　each　fluttered　two　little　wings；

which　were　of　no　use　for　flying；　as　they　were　mere　buds；　only　being

made　for　it　they　could　not　help　fluttering　as　if　they　were　flying。　

Just　as　the　foremost　of　the　troop　reached　him；　one　or　two　of

them　fell；　and　the　rest　with　shouts　of　laughter　came　tumbling

over　them　till　they　heaped　up　a　mound　of　struggling　merriment。　

One　after　another　they　extricated　themselves；　and　each　as　he　got

free　threw　his　arms　round　Diamond　and　kissed　him。　　Diamond's　heart

was　ready　to　melt　within　him　from　clear　delight。　　When　they　had　all

embraced　him；



〃Now　let　us　have　some　fun；〃　cried　one；　and　with　a　shout　they　all　scampered

hither　and　thither；　and　played　the　wildest　gambols　on　the　grassy　slopes。　

They　kept　constantly　coming　back　to　Diamond；　however；　as　the　centre　of

their　enjoyment；　rejoicing　over　him　as　if　they　had　found　a　lost　playmate。



There　was　a　wind　on　the　hillside　which　blew　like　the　very　embodiment

of　living　gladness。　　It　blew　into　Diamond's　heart；　and　made　him

so　happy　that　he　was　forced　to　sit　down　and　cry。



〃Now　let's　go　and　dig　for　stars；〃　said　one　who　seemed　to　be

the　captain　of　the　troop。



They　all　scurried　away；　but　soon　returned；　one　after　another；

each　with　a　pickaxe　on　his　shoulder　and　a　spade　in　his　hand。　

As　soon　as　they　were　gathered；　the　captain　led　them　in　a　straight

line　to　another　part　of　the　hill。　　Diamond　rose　and　followed。



〃Here　is　where　we　begin　our　lesson　for　to…night；〃　he　said。　

〃Scatter　and　dig。〃



There　was　no　more　fun。　　Each　went　by　himself；　walking　slowly　with　bent

shoulders　and　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　ground。　　Every　now　and　then

one　would　stop；　kneel　down；　and　look　intently；　feeling　with　his

hands　and　parting　the　grass。　　One　would　get　up　and　walk　on　again；

another　spring　to　his　feet；　catch　eagerly　at　his　pickaxe　and

strike　it　into　the　ground　once　and　again；　then　throw　it　aside；

snatch　up　his　spade；　and　commence　digging　at　the　loosened　earth。　

Now　one　would　sorrowfully　shovel　the　earth　into　the　hole　again；

trample　it　down　with　his　little　bare　white　feet；　and　walk　on。　

But　another　would　give　a　joyful　shout；　and　after　much　tugging

and　loosening　would　draw　from　the　hole　a　lump　as　big　as　his　head；

or　no　bigger　than　his　fist；　when　the　under　side　of　it　would　pour

such　a　blaze　of　golden　or　bluish　light　into　Diamond's　eyes　that　he

was　quite　dazzled。　　Gold　and　blue　were　the　commoner　colours：　

the　jubilation　was　greater　over　red　or　green　or　purple。　　And　every

time　a　star　was　dug　up　all　the　little　angels　dropped　their　tools

and　crowded　about　it；　shouting　and　dancing　and　fluttering　their

wing…buds。



When　they　had　examined　it　well；　they　would　kneel　down　one　after　the

other　and　peep　through　the　hole；　but　they　always　stood　back　to　give

Diamond　the　first　look。　　All　that　diamond　could　report；　however；　was；

that　through　the　star…holes　he　saw　a　great　many　things　and　places

and　people　he　knew　quite　well；　only　somehow　they　were　different

there　was　something　marvellous　about　themhe　could　not　tell　what。　

Every　time　he　rose　from　looking　through　a　star…hole；　he　felt　as　if　his

heart　would　break　for；　joy；　and　he　said　that　if　he　had　not　cried；

he　did　not　know　what　would　have　become　of　him。



As　soon　as　all　had　looked；　the　star　was　carefully　fitted　in　again；

a　little　mould　was　strewn　over　it；　and　the　rest　of　the　heap　left

as　a　sign　that　the　star　had　been　discovered。



At　length　one　dug　up　a　small　star　of　a　most　lovely　coloura　colour

Diamond　had　never　seen　before。　　The　moment　the　angel　saw　what　it　was；

instead　of　showing　it　about；　he　handed　it　to　one　of　his　neighbours；

and　seated　himself　on　the　edge　of　the　hole；　saying：



〃This　will　do　for　me。　　Good…bye。　I'm　off。〃



They　crowded　about　him；　hugging　and　kissing　him；　then　stood　back

with　a　solemn　stillness；　their　wings　lying　close　to　their　shoulders。　

The　little　fellow　looked　round　on　them　once　with　a　smile；　and　then

shot　himself　headlong　through　the　star…hole。　Diamond；　as　privileged；

threw　himself　on　the　ground　to　peep　after　him；　but　he　saw　nothing。　

〃It's　no　use；〃　said　the　captain。　　〃I　never　saw　anything　more　of　one

that　went　that　way。〃



〃His　wings　can't　be　much　use；〃　said　Diamond；　concerned　and　fearful；

yet　comforted　by　the　calm　looks　of　the　rest。



〃That's　true；〃　said　the　captain。　　〃He's　lost　them　by　this　time。　

They　all　do　that　go　that　way。　　You　haven't　got　any；　you　see。〃



〃No；〃　said　Diamond。　　〃I　never　did　have　any。〃



〃Oh！　didn't　you？〃　said　the　captain。



〃Some　people　say；〃　he　added；　after　a　pause；　〃that　they　come　again。　

I　don't　know。　　I've　never　found　the　colour　I　care　about　myself。　

I　suppose　I　shall　some　day。〃



Then　they　looked　again　at　the　star；　put　it　carefully　into　its　hole；

danced　around　it　and　over　itbut　solemnly；　and　called　it　by　the　name

of　the　finder。



〃Will　you　know　it　again？〃　asked　Diamond。



〃Oh；　yes。　　We　never　forget　a　star　that's　been　made　a　door　of。〃



Then　they　went　on　with　their　searching　and　digging。



Diamond　having　neither　pickaxe　nor　spade；　had　the　more　time　to　think。



〃I　don't　see　any　little　girls；〃　he　said　at　last。



The　captain　stopped　his　shovelling；　leaned　on　his　spade；　rubbed　his

forehead　thoughtfully　with　his　left　handthe　little　angels　were

all　left…handedrepeated　the　words　〃little　girls；〃　and　then；

as　if　a　thought　had　struck　him；　resumed　his　work；　saying



〃I　think　I　know　what　you　mean。　　I've　never　seen　any　of　them；　of　course；

but　I　suppose　that's　the　sort　you　mean。　　I'm　toldbut　mind　I　don't

say　it　is　so；　for　I　don't　knowthat　when　we　fall　asleep；　a　troop

of　angels　very　like　ourselves；　only　quite　different；　goes　round

to　all　the　stars　we　have　discovered；　and　discovers　them　after　us。　

I　suppose　with　our　shovelling　and　handling　we　spoil　them　a　bit；

and　I　daresay　the　clouds　t