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〃Oh； never mind your clothes。 You will not be cold。 I shall take
care of that。 Nobody is cold with the north wind。〃
〃I thought everybody was；〃 said Diamond。
〃That is a great mistake。 Most people make it； however。 They are
cold because they are not with the north wind； but without it。〃
If Diamond had been a little older； and had supposed himself
a good deal wiser； he would have thought the lady was joking。
But he was not older； and did not fancy himself wiser； and therefore
understood her well enough。 Again he stretched out his arms。
The lady's face drew back a little。
〃Follow me； Diamond；〃 she said。
〃Yes；〃 said Diamond； only a little ruefully。
〃You're not afraid？〃 said the North Wind。
〃No； ma'am； but mother never would let me go without shoes：
she never said anything about clothes； so I dare say she wouldn't
mind that。〃
〃I know your mother very well；〃 said the lady。 〃She is a good woman。
I have visited her often。 I was with her when you were born。
I saw her laugh and cry both at once。 I love your mother； Diamond。〃
〃How was it you did not know my name； then； ma'am？ Please am I
to say ma'am to you； ma'am？〃
〃One question at a time； dear boy。 I knew your name quite well；
but I wanted to hear what you would say for it。 Don't you remember
that day when the man was finding fault with your namehow I blew
the window in？〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 answered Diamond； eagerly。 〃Our window opens like a door；
right over the coach…house door。 And the windyou； ma'amcame in；
and blew the Bible out of the man's hands； and the leaves went
all flutter； flutter on the floor； and my mother picked it up
and gave it back to him open； and there〃
〃Was your name in the Biblethe sixth stone in the high
priest's breastplate。〃
〃Oh！a stone； was it？〃 said Diamond。 〃I thought it had been a horse
I did。〃
〃Never mind。 A horse is better than a stone any day。 Well； you see；
I know all about you and your mother。〃
〃Yes。 I will go with you。〃
〃Now for the next question： you're not to call me ma'am。 You must
call me just my own namerespectfully； you knowjust North Wind。〃
〃Well； please； North Wind； you are so beautiful； I am quite ready
to go with you。〃
〃You must not be ready to go with everything beautiful all
at once； Diamond。〃
〃But what's beautiful can't be bad。 You're not bad； North Wind？〃
〃No； I'm not bad。 But sometimes beautiful things grow bad by doing bad；
and it takes some time for their badness to spoil their beauty。
So little boys may be mistaken if they go after things because they
are beautiful。〃
〃Well； I will go with you because you are beautiful and good； too。〃
〃Ah； but there's another thing； Diamond：What if I should look
ugly without being badlook ugly myself because I am making ugly
things beautiful？What then？〃
〃I don't quite understand you； North Wind。 You tell me what then。〃
〃Well； I will tell you。 If you see me with my face all black；
don't be frightened。 If you see me flapping wings like a bat's； as big
as the whole sky； don't be frightened。 If you hear me raging ten times
worse than Mrs。 Bill； the blacksmith's wifeeven if you see me looking
in at people's windows like Mrs。 Eve Dropper； the gardener's wife
you must believe that I am doing my work。 Nay； Diamond； if I change
into a serpent or a tiger； you must not let go your hold of me；
for my hand will never change in yours if you keep a good hold。
If you keep a hold； you will know who I am all the time； even when
you look at me and can't see me the least like the North Wind。
I may look something very awful。 Do you understand？〃
〃Quite well；〃 said little Diamond。
〃Come along； then；〃 said North Wind； and disappeared behind
the mountain of hay。
Diamond crept out of bed and followed her。
CHAPTER II
THE LAWN
WHEN Diamond got round the corner of the hay； for a moment he hesitated。
The stair by which he would naturally have gone down to the door
was at the other side of the loft； and looked very black indeed；
for it was full of North Wind's hair； as she descended before him。
And just beside him was the ladder going straight down into the stable；
up which his father always came to fetch the hay for Diamond's dinner。
Through the opening in the floor the faint gleam of the…stable lantern
was enticing； and Diamond thought he would run down that way。
The stair went close past the loose…box in which Diamond the horse lived。
When Diamond the boy was half…way down； he remembered that it
was of no use to go this way； for the stable…door was locked。
But at the same moment there was horse Diamond's great head
poked out of his box on to the ladder； for he knew boy Diamond
although he was in his night…gown； and wanted him to pull his
ears for him。 This Diamond did very gently for a minute or so；
and patted and stroked his neck too； and kissed the big horse；
and had begun to take the bits of straw and hay out of his mane；
when all at once he recollected that the Lady North Wind was waiting
for him in the yard。
〃Good night； Diamond；〃 he said； and darted up the ladder；
across the loft； and down the stair to the door。 But when he
got out into the yard； there was no lady。
Now it is always a dreadful thing to think there is somebody and
find nobody。 Children in particular have not made up their minds to it；
they generally cry at nobody； especially when they wake up at night。
But it was an especial disappointment to Diamond； for his little heart
had been beating with joy： the face of the North Wind was so grand！
To have a lady like that for a friendwith such long hair； too！
Why； it was longer than twenty Diamonds' tails！ She was gone。
And there he stood； with his bare feet on the stones of the paved yard。
It was a clear night overhead； and the stars were shining。
Orion in particular was making the most of his bright belt
and golden sword。 But the moon was only a poor thin crescent。
There was just one great； jagged； black and gray cloud in the sky；
with a steep side to it like a precipice； and the moon was against
this side； and looked as if she had tumbled off the top of the
cloud…hill； and broken herself in rolling down the precipice。
She did not seem comfortable； for she was looking down into the
deep pit waiting for her。 At least that was what Diamond thought
as he stood for a moment staring at her。 But he was quite wrong；
for the moon was not afraid； and there was no pit she was going
down into； for there were no sides to it； and a pit without sides
to it is not a pit at all。 Diamond； however； had not been out so late
before in all his life； and things looked so strange about him！
just as if he had got into Fairyland； of which he knew quite as much
as anybody； for his mother had no money to buy books to set him
wrong on the subject。 I have seen this worldonly sometimes；
just now and then；