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you will say you don't believe it could。〃
〃No； no； dear North Wind。 I know you too well not to believe you。〃
〃Well； I blew in his face； and that woke him up。〃
〃But what was the good of it？〃
〃Why！ don't you see？ Look at himhow he is pulling。 I blew
the mist out of him。〃
〃How was that？〃
〃That is just what I cannot tell you。〃
〃But you did it。〃
〃Yes。 I have to do ten thousand things without being able to tell how。〃
〃I don't like that；〃 said Diamond。
He was staring after the boat。 Hearing no answer； he looked down
to the wall。
North Wind was gone。 Away across the river went a long ripple
what sailors call a cat's paw。 The man in the boat was putting up
a sail。 The moon was coming to herself on the edge of a great cloud；
and the sail began to shine white。 Diamond rubbed his eyes；
and wondered what it was all about。 Things seemed going on around him；
and all to understand each other； but he could make nothing of it。
So he put his hands in his pockets； and went in to have his tea。
The night was very hot； for the wind had fallen again。
〃You don't seem very well to…night； Diamond；〃 said his mother。
〃I am quite well； mother；〃 returned Diamond； who was only puzzled。
〃I think you had better go to bed；〃 she added。
〃Very well； mother；〃 he answered。
He stopped for one moment to look out of the window。 Above the
moon the clouds were going different ways。 Somehow or other this
troubled him； but； notwithstanding； he was soon fast asleep。
He woke in the middle of the night and the darkness。 A terrible
noise was rumbling overhead； like the rolling beat of great drums
echoing through a brazen vault。 The roof of the loft in which he
lay had no ceiling； only the tiles were between him and the sky。
For a while he could not come quite awake； for the noise kept beating
him down； so that his heart was troubled and fluttered painfully。
A second peal of thunder burst over his head； and almost choked him
with fear。 Nor did he recover until the great blast that followed；
having torn some tiles off the roof； sent a spout of wind down
into his bed and over his face； which brought him wide awake；
and gave him back his courage。 The same moment he heard a mighty
yet musical voice calling him。
〃Come up； Diamond；〃 it said。 〃It's all ready。 I'm waiting for you。〃
He looked out of the bed； and saw a gigantic； powerful； but most
lovely armwith a hand whose fingers were nothing the less ladylike
that they could have strangled a boa…constrictor； or choked a tigress
off its preystretched down through a big hole in the roof。
Without a moment's hesitation he reached out his tiny one； and laid
it in the grand palm before him。
CHAPTER VI
OUT IN THE STORM
THE hand felt its way up his arm； and； grasping it gently and
strongly above the elbow； lifted Diamond from the bed。 The moment
he was through the hole in the roof； all the winds of heaven
seemed to lay hold upon him； and buffet him hither and thither。
His hair blew one way； his night…gown another； his legs threatened
to float from under him； and his head to grow dizzy with the swiftness
of the invisible assailant。 Cowering； he clung with the other
hand to the huge hand which held his arm； and fear invaded his heart。
〃Oh； North Wind！〃 he murmured； but the words vanished from his lips
as he had seen the soap…bubbles that burst too soon vanish from the
mouth of his pipe。 The wind caught them； and they were nowhere。
They couldn't get out at all； but were torn away and strangled。
And yet North Wind heard them； and in her answer it seemed to Diamond
that just because she was so big and could not help it； and just
because her ear and her mouth must seem to him so dreadfully far away；
she spoke to him more tenderly and graciously than ever before。
Her voice was like the bass of a deep organ； without the groan in it；
like the most delicate of violin tones without the wail in it；
like the most glorious of trumpet…ejaculations without the defiance
in it； like the sound of falling water without the clatter and clash
in it： it was like all of them and neither of themall of them
without their faults； each of them without its peculiarity：
after all； it was more like his mother's voice than anything else in
the world。
〃Diamond； dear；〃 she said； 〃be a man。 What is fearful to you
is not the least fearful to me。〃
〃But it can't hurt you；〃 murmured Diamond； 〃for you're it。〃
〃Then if I'm it； and have you in my arms； how can it hurt you？〃
〃Oh yes！ I see；〃 whispered Diamond。 〃But it looks so dreadful；
and it pushes me about so。〃
〃Yes； it does； my dear。 That is what it was sent for。〃
At the same moment； a peal of thunder which shook Diamond's heart
against the sides of his bosom hurtled out of the heavens：
I cannot say out of the sky； for there was no sky。 Diamond had
not seen the lightning； for he had been intent on finding the face
of North Wind。 Every moment the folds of her garment would sweep
across his eyes and blind him； but between； he could just persuade
himself that he saw great glories of woman's eyes looking down
through rifts in the mountainous clouds over his head。
He trembled so at the thunder； that his knees failed him； and he sunk
down at North Wind's feet； and clasped her round the column of her ankle。
She instantly stooped； lifted him from the roofupup into her bosom；
and held him there； saying； as if to an inconsolable child
〃Diamond； dear； this will never do。〃
〃Oh yes； it will；〃 answered Diamond。 〃I am all right now
quite comfortable； I assure you； dear North Wind。 If you will
only let me stay here； I shall be all right indeed。〃
〃But you will feel the wind here； Diamond。〃
〃I don't mind that a bit； so long as I feel your arms through it；〃
answered Diamond； nestling closer to her grand bosom。
〃Brave boy！〃 returned North Wind； pressing him closer。
〃No；〃 said Diamond； 〃I don't see that。 It's not courage at all；
so long as I feel you there。〃
〃But hadn't you better get into my hair？ Then you would not feel
the wind； you will here。〃
〃Ah； but； dear North Wind； you don't know how nice it is to feel
your arms about me。 It is a thousand times better to have them
and the wind together； than to have only your hair and the back
of your neck and no wind at all。〃
〃But it is surely more comfortable there？〃
〃Well； perhaps； but I begin to think there are better things than
being comfortable。〃
〃Yes； indeed there are。 Well； I will keep you in front of me。
You will feel the wind； but not too much。 I shall only want one
arm to take care of you； the other will be quite enough to sink
the ship。〃
〃Oh； dear North Wind！ how can you talk so？〃
〃My dear boy； I never talk； I always mean what I say。〃
〃Then you do mean to sink the ship with the other hand？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃It's