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〃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 not like you。〃
〃How do you know that？〃
〃Quite easily。 Here you are taking care of a poor little boy
with one arm； and there you are sinking a ship with the other。
It can't be like you。〃
〃Ah！ but which is me？ I can't be two mes； you know。〃
〃No。 Nobody can be two mes。〃
〃Well； which me is me？〃
〃Now I must think。 There looks to be two。〃
〃Yes。 That's the very point。You can't be knowing the thing you
don't know； can you？〃
〃No。〃
〃Which me do you know？〃
〃The kindest； goodest； best me in the world；〃 answered Diamond；
clinging to North Wind。
〃Why am I good to you？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃Have you ever done anything for me？〃
〃No。〃
〃Then I must be good to you because I choose to be good to you。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Why should I choose？〃
〃Becausebecausebecause you like。〃
〃Why should I like to be good to you？〃
〃I don't know； except it be because it's good to be good to me。〃
〃That's just it； I am good to you because I like to be good。〃
〃Then why shouldn't you be good to other people as well as to me？〃
〃That's just what I don't know。 Why shouldn't I？〃
〃I don't know either。 Then why shouldn't you？〃
〃Because I am。〃
〃There it is again；〃 said Diamond。 〃I don't see that you are。
It looks quite the other thing。〃
〃Well； but listen to me； Diamond。 You know the one me； you say；
and that is good。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Do you know the other me as well？〃
〃No。 I can't。 I shouldn't like to。〃
〃There it is。 You don't know the other me。 You are sure of one
of them？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And you are sure there can't be two mes？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Then the me you don't know must be the same as the me you do know；
else there would be two mes？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Then the other me you don't know must be as kind as the me you
do know？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Besides； I tell you that it is so； only it doesn't look like it。
That I confess freely。 Have you anything more to object？〃
〃No； no； dear North Wind； I am quite satisfied。〃
〃Then I will tell you something you might object。 You might say
that the me you know is like the other me； and that I am cruel
all through。〃
〃I know that can't be； because you are so kind。〃
〃But that kindness might be only a pretence for the sake of being
more cruel afterwards。〃
Diamond clung to her tighter than ever； crying
〃No； no； dear North Wind； I can't believe that。 I don't believe it。
I won't believe it。 That would kill me。 I love you； and you
must love me； else how did I come to love you？ How could you
know how to put on such a beautiful face if you did not love
me and the rest？ No。 You may sink as many ships as you like；
and I won't say another word。 I can't say I shall like to see it；
you know。〃
〃That's quite another thing；〃 said North Wind； and as she spoke
she gave one spring from the roof of the hay…loft； and rushed up
into the clouds； with Diamond on her left arm close to her heart。
And as if the clouds knew she had come； they burst into a fresh
jubilation of thunderous light。 For a few moments； Diamond seemed
to be borne up through the depths of an ocean of dazzling flame；
the next； the winds were writhing around him like a storm of serpents。
For they were in the midst of the clouds and mists； and they
of course took the shapes of the wind； eddying and wreathing and
whirling and shooting and dashing about like grey and black water；
so that it was as if the wind itself had taken shape； and he saw
the grey and black wind tossing and raving most madly all about him。
Now it blinded him by smiting him upon the eyes； now it deafened
him by bellowing in his ears； for even when the thunder came he
knew now that it was the billows of the great ocean of the air
dashing against each other in their haste to fill the hollow
scooped out by the lightning； now it took his breath quite away
by sucking it from his body with the speed of its rush。 But he did
not mind it。 He only gasped first and then laughed； for the arm
of North Wind was about him； and he was leaning against her bosom。
It is quite impossible for me to describe what he saw。 Did you ever
watch a great wave shoot into a winding passage amongst rocks？
If you ever did； you would see that the water rushed every way
at once； some of it even turning back and opposing the rest；
greater confusion you might see nowhere except in a crowd of
frightened people。 Well； the wind was like that； except that it
went much faster； and therefore was much wilder； and twisted
and shot and curled and dodged and clashed and raved ten times
more madly than anything else in creation except human passions。
Diamond saw the threads of the lady's hair streaking it all。
In parts indeed he could not tell which was hair and which was
black storm and vapour。 It seemed sometimes that all the great
billows of mist…muddy wind were woven out of the crossing lines
of North Wind's infinite hair； sweeping in endless intertwistings。
And Diamond felt as the wind seized on his hair； which his mother
kept rather long； as if he too was a part of the storm； and some
of its life went out from him。 But so sheltered was he by North
Wind's arm and bosom that only at times； in the fiercer onslaught
of some curl…billowed eddy； did he recognise for a moment how wild
was the storm in which he was carried； nestling in its very core and
formative centre。
It seemed to Diamond likewise that they were motionless in this centre；
and that all the confusion and fighting went on around them。
Flash after flash illuminated the fierce chaos； revealing in varied
yellow and blue and grey and dusky red the vapourous contention；
peal after peal of thunder tore the infinite waste； but it seemed
to Diamond that North Wind and he were motionless； all but the hair。
It was not so。 They were sweeping with the speed of the wind itself
towards the sea。
CHAPTER VII
THE CATHEDRAL
I MUST not go on describing what cannot be described； for nothing
is more wearisome。
Before they reached the sea； Diamond felt North Wind's hair just
beginning to fall about him。
〃Is the storm over； North Wind？〃 he called out。
〃No； Diamond。 I am only waiting a moment to set you down。
You would not like to see the ship sunk； and I am going to give you
a place to stop in till I come back for you。〃
〃Oh！ thank you；〃 said Diamond。 〃I shall be sorry to leave you；
North Wind； but I would rather not see the ship go down。 And I'm
afraid the poor people will cry； and I should hear them。 Oh； dear！〃
〃There are a good many passengers on board； and to tell the truth；
Diamond； I don't care about your hearing the cry you speak of。
I am afraid you would not get it out of your li