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shadow of the trees； and neither sun nor moon could shine upon it。
He seems to imply that it is always the month of May in that country。
It would be out of place to describe here the wonderful sights he saw；
for the music of them is in another key from that of this story；
and I shall therefore only add from the account of this traveller；
that the people there are so free and so just and so healthy；
that every one of them has a crown like a king and a mitre like
a priest。
The peasant girlKilmeny was her namecould not report such grand
things as Durante； for； as the shepherd says； telling her story
as I tell Diamond's
〃Kilmeny had been she knew not where；
And Kilmeny had seen what she could not declare；
Kilmeny had been where the cock never crew；
Where the rain never fell； and the wind never blew。
But it seemed as the harp of the sky had rung；
And the airs of heaven played round her tongue；
When she spoke of the lovely forms she had seen；
And a land where sin had never been；
A land of love and a land of light；
Withouten sun； or moon； or night；
Where the river swayed a living stream；
And the light a pure and cloudless beam：
The land of vision it would seem；
And still an everlasting dream。〃
The last two lines are the shepherd's own remark； and a matter
of opinion。 But it is clear； I think； that Kilmeny must have described
the same country as Durante saw； though； not having his experience；
she could neither understand nor describe it so well。
Now I must give you such fragments of recollection as Diamond
was able to bring back with him。
When he came to himself after he fell； he found himself at the back
of the north wind。 North Wind herself was nowhere to be seen。
Neither was there a vestige of snow or of ice within sight。
The sun too had vanished； but that was no matter； for there was
plenty of a certain still rayless light。 Where it came from he
never found out； but he thought it belonged to the country itself。
Sometimes he thought it came out of the flowers； which were very bright；
but had no strong colour。 He said the riverfor all agree that there
is a river thereflowed not only through； but over grass： its channel；
instead of being rock； stones； pebbles； sand； or anything else；
was of pure meadow grass； not over long。 He insisted that if it
did not sing tunes in people's ears； it sung tunes in their heads；
in proof of which I may mention that； in the troubles which followed；
Diamond was often heard singing； and when asked what he was singing；
would answer； 〃One of the tunes the river at the back of the north
wind sung。〃 And I may as well say at once that Diamond never told
these things to any one butno； I had better not say who it was；
but whoever it was told me； and I thought it would be well to write them
for my child…readers。
He could not say he was very happy there； for he had neither
his father nor mother with him； but he felt so still and quiet
and patient and contented； that； as far as the mere feeling went；
it was something better than mere happiness。 Nothing went wrong
at the back of the north wind。 Neither was anything quite right；
he thought。 Only everything was going to be right some day。
His account disagreed with that of Durante； and agreed with that
of Kilmeny； in this； that he protested there was no wind there at all。
I fancy he missed it。 At all events we could not do without wind。
It all depends on how big our lungs are whether the wind is too strong
for us or not。
When the person he told about it asked him whether he saw anybody he
knew there； he answered； 〃Only a little girl belonging to the gardener；
who thought he had lost her； but was quite mistaken； for there she
was safe enough； and was to come back some day； as I came back；
if they would only wait。〃
〃Did you talk to her； Diamond？〃
〃No。 Nobody talks there。 They only look at each other；
and understand everything。〃
〃Is it cold there？〃
〃No。〃
〃Is it hot？〃
〃No。〃
〃What is it then？〃
〃You never think about such things there。〃
〃What a queer place it must be！〃
〃It's a very good place。〃
〃Do you want to go back again？〃
〃No； I don't think I have left it； I feel it here； somewhere。〃
〃Did the people there look pleased？〃
〃Yesquite pleased； only a little sad。〃
〃Then they didn't look glad？〃
〃They looked as if they were waiting to be gladder some day。〃
This was how Diamond used to answer questions about that country。
And now I will take up the story again； and tell you how he got back
to this country。
CHAPTER XI
HOW DIAMOND GOT HOME AGAIN
WHEN one at the back of the north wind wanted to know how things
were going with any one he loved； he had to go to a certain tree；
climb the stem； and sit down in the branches。 In a few minutes；
if he kept very still； he would see something at least of what was
going on with the people he loved。
One day when Diamond was sitting in this tree； he began to long very
much to get home again； and no wonder； for he saw his mother crying。
Durante says that the people there may always follow their wishes；
because they never wish but what is good。 Diamond's wish was to
get home； and he would fain follow his wish。
But how was he to set about it？ If he could only see North Wind！
But the moment he had got to her back； she was gone altogether from
his sight。 He had never seen her back。 She might be sitting on
her doorstep still； looking southwards； and waiting； white and thin
and blue…eyed； until she was wanted。 Or she might have again become
a mighty creature； with power to do that which was demanded of her；
and gone far away upon many missions。 She must be somewhere； however。
He could not go home without her； and therefore he must find her。
She could never have intended to leave him always away from his mother。
If there had been any danger of that； she would have told him；
and given him his choice about going。 For North Wind was right honest。
How to find North Wind； therefore； occupied all his thoughts。
In his anxiety about his mother； he used to climb the tree every day；
and sit in its branches。 However many of the dwellers there did so；
they never incommoded one another； for the moment one got into
the tree； he became invisible to every one else； and it was such
a wide…spreading tree that there was room for every one of the
people of the country in it； without the least interference with
each other。 Sometimes； on getting down； two of them would meet
at the root； and then they would smile to each other more sweetly
than at any other time； as much as to say； 〃Ah； you've been up there too！〃
One day he was sitting on one of the outer branches of the tree；
looking southwards after his home。 Far away was a blue shining sea；
dotted with gleaming and sparkling specks of white。 Those w