at the back of the north wind-第6部分

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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　me。〃



Diamond　could　run　faster　than　she；　and　he　had　no　broom。　　In　a　few

moments　he　had　caught　her　by　the　frock；　but　it　tore　in　his　hand；

and　away　went　the　little　girl。　　So　he　had　to　run　again；　and　this

time　he　ran　so　fast　that　he　got　before　her；　and　turning　round　caught

her　in　his　arms；　when　down　they　went　both　together；　which　made

the　little　girl　laugh　in　the　midst　of　her　crying。



〃Where　are　you　going？〃　asked　Diamond；　rubbing　the　elbow　that　had

stuck　farthest　out。　　The　arm　it　belonged　to　was　twined　round

a　lamp…post　as　he　stood　between　the　little　girl　and　the　wind。



〃Home；〃　she　said；　gasping　for　breath。



〃Then　I　will　go　with　you；〃　said　Diamond。



And　then　they　were　silent　for　a　while；　for　the　wind　blew　worse

than　ever；　and　they　had　both　to　hold　on　to　the　lamp…post。



〃Where　is　your　crossing？〃　asked　the　girl　at　length。



〃I　don't　sweep；〃　answered　Diamond。



〃What　do　you　do；　then？〃　asked　she。　　〃You　ain't　big　enough

for　most　things。〃



〃I　don't　know　what　I　do　do；〃　answered　he；　feeling　rather　ashamed。　

〃Nothing；　I　suppose。　　My　father's　Mr。　Coleman's　coachman。〃



〃Have　you　a　father？〃　she　said；　staring　at　him　as　if　a　boy　with

a　father　was　a　natural　curiosity。



〃Yes。　　Haven't　you？〃　returned　Diamond。



〃No；　nor　mother　neither。　　Old　Sal's　all　I've　got。〃　　And　she　began

to　cry　again。



〃I　wouldn't　go　to　her　if　she　wasn't　good　to　me；〃　said　Diamond。



〃But　you　must　go　somewheres。〃



〃Move　on；〃　said　the　voice　of　a　policeman　behind　them。



〃I　told　you　so；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃You　must　go　somewheres。　

They're　always　at　it。〃



〃But　old　Sal　doesn't　beat　you；　does　she？〃



〃I　wish　she　would。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Diamond；　quite　bewildered。



〃She　would　if　she　was　my　mother。　　But　she　wouldn't　lie　abed　a…cuddlin'

of　her　ugly　old　bones；　and　laugh　to　hear　me　crying　at　the　door。〃



〃You　don't　mean　she　won't　let　you　in　to…night？〃



〃It'll　be　a　good　chance　if　she　does。〃



〃Why　are　you　out　so　late；　then？〃　asked　Diamond。



〃My　crossing's　a　long　way　off　at　the　West　End；　and　I　had　been　indulgin'

in　door…steps　and　mewses。〃



〃We'd　better　have　a　try　anyhow；〃　said　Diamond。　　〃Come　along。〃



As　he　spoke　Diamond　thought　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　North　Wind　turning

a　corner　in　front　of　them；　and　when　they　turned　the　corner　too；

they　found　it　quiet　there；　but　he　saw　nothing　of　the　lady。



〃Now　you　lead　me；〃　he　said；　taking　her　hand；　〃and　I'll　take　care

of　you。〃



The　girl　withdrew　her　hand；　but　only　to　dry　her　eyes　with　her　frock；

for　the　other　had　enough　to　do　with　her　broom。　　She　put　it　in

his　again；　and　led　him；　turning　after　turning；　until　they　stopped

at　a　cellar…door　in　a　very　dirty　lane。　　There　she　knocked。



〃I　shouldn't　like　to　live　here；〃　said　Diamond。



〃Oh；　yes；　you　would；　if　you　had　nowhere　else　to　go　to；〃

answered　the　girl。　　〃I　only　wish　we　may　get　in。〃



〃I　don't　want　to　go　in；〃　said　Diamond。



〃Where　do　you　mean　to　go；　then？〃



〃Home　to　my　home。〃



〃Where's　that？〃



〃I　don't　exactly　know。〃



〃Then　you're　worse　off　than　I　am。〃



〃Oh　no；　for　North　Wind〃　began　Diamond；　and　stopped；　he　hardly

knew　why。



〃What？〃　said　the　girl；　as　she　held　her　ear　to　the　door　listening。



But　Diamond　did　not　reply。　　Neither　did　old　Sal。



〃I　told　you　so；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃She　is　wide　awake　hearkening。　

But　we　don't　get　in。〃



〃What　will　you　do；　then？〃　asked　Diamond。



〃Move　on；〃　she　answered。



〃Where？〃



〃Oh；　anywheres。　　Bless　you；　I'm　used　to　it。〃



〃Hadn't　you　better　come　home　with　me；　then？〃



〃That's　a　good　joke；　when　you　don't　know　where　it　is。　　Come　on。〃



〃But　where？〃



〃Oh；　nowheres　in　particular。　　Come　on。〃



Diamond　obeyed。　　The　wind　had　now　fallen　considerably。　　They　wandered

on　and　on；　turning　in　this　direction　and　that；　without　any　reason

for　one　way　more　than　another；　until　they　had　got　out　of　the　thick

of　the　houses　into　a　waste　kind　of　place。　　By　this　time　they　were　both

very　tired。　　Diamond　felt　a　good　deal　inclined　to　cry；　and　thought

he　had　been　very　silly　to　get　down　from　the　back　of　North　Wind；

not　that　he　would　have　minded　it　if　he　had　done　the　girl　any　good；

but　he　thought　he　had　been　of　no　use　to　her。　　He　was　mistaken　there；

for　she　was　far　happier　for　having　Diamond　with　her　than　if　she　had

been　wandering　about　alone。　　She　did　not　seem　so　tired　as　he　was。



〃Do　let　us　rest　a　bit；〃　said　Diamond。



〃Let's　see；〃　she　answered。　　〃There's　something　like　a　railway　there。　

Perhaps　there's　an　open　arch。〃



They　went　towards　it　and　found　one；　and；　better　still；　there　was

an　empty　barrel　lying　under　the　arch。



〃Hallo！　here　we　are！〃　said　the　girl。　　〃A　barrel's　the　jolliest

bed　goingon　the　tramp；　I　mean。　　We'll　have　forty　winks；　and　then

go　on　again。〃



She　crept　in；　and　Diamond　crept　in　beside　her。　　They　put　their　arms

round　each　other；　and　when　he　began　to　grow　warm；　Diamond's　courage

began　to　come　back。



〃This　is　jolly！〃　he　said。　　〃I'm　so　glad！〃



〃I　don't　think　so　much　of　it；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃I'm　used　to　it；

I　suppose。　　But　I　can't　think　how　a　kid　like　you　comes　to　be　out

all　alone　this　time　o'　night。〃



She　called　him　a　kid；　but　she　was　not　really　a　month　older　than　he　was；

only　she　had　had　to　work　for　her　bread；　and　that　so　soon　makes

people　older。



〃But　I　shouldn't　have　been　out　so　late　if　I　hadn't　got　down

to　help　you；〃　said　Diamond。　　〃North　Wind　is　gone　home　long　ago。〃



〃I　think　you　must　ha'　got　out　o'　one　o'　them　Hidget　Asylms；〃

said　the　girl。　　〃You　said　something　about　the　north　wind　afore

that　I　couldn't　get　the　rights　of。〃



So　now；　for　the　sake　of　his　character；　Diamond　had　to　tell　her

the　whole　story。



She　did　not　believe　a　word　of　it。　　She　said　he　wasn't　such　a　flat

as　to　believe　all　that　bosh。　　But　as　she　spoke　there　came　a　great

blast　of　wind　through　the　arch；　and　set　the　ba