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you do？〃
〃Not much that I know of；〃 said Diamond。 〃I can't curry a horse；
except somebody puts me on his back。 So I don't count that。〃
〃Can you read？〃
〃No。 But mother can and father can； and they're going to teach me
some day soon。〃
〃Well； here's a penny for you。〃
〃Thank you； sir。〃
〃And when you have learned to read； come to me； and I'll give you
sixpence and a book with fine pictures in it。〃
〃Please； sir； where am I to come？〃 asked Diamond； who was too much
a man of the world not to know that he must have the gentleman's
address before he could go and see him。
〃You're no such silly！〃 thought he； as he put his hand in his pocket；
and brought out a card。 〃There；〃 he said； 〃your father will be able
to read that； and tell you where to go。〃
〃Yes； sir。 Thank you； sir；〃 said Diamond； and put the card
in his pocket。
The gentleman walked away； but turning round a few paces off；
saw Diamond give his penny to the girl； and； walking slower heard
him say：
〃I've got a father； and mother； and little brother； and you've got
nothing but a wicked old grannie。 You may have my penny。〃
The girl put it beside the other in her pocket； the only trustworthy
article of dress she wore。 Her grandmother always took care
that she had a stout pocket。
〃Is she as cruel as ever？〃 asked Diamond。
〃Much the same。 But I gets more coppers now than I used to； and I
can get summats to eat； and take browns enough home besides to keep
her from grumbling。 It's a good thing she's so blind； though。〃
〃Why？〃 asked Diamond。
〃'Cause if she was as sharp in the eyes as she used to be； she would
find out I never eats her broken wittles； and then she'd know as I
must get something somewheres。〃
〃Doesn't she watch you； then？〃
〃O' course she do。 Don't she just！ But I make believe and drop
it in my lap； and then hitch it into my pocket。〃
〃What would she do if she found you out？〃
〃She never give me no more。〃
〃But you don't want it！〃
〃Yes； I do want it。〃
〃What do you do with it； then？〃
〃Give it to cripple Jim。〃
〃Who's cripple Jim？〃
〃A boy in the Row。 His mother broke his leg when he wur a kid；
so he's never come to much； but he's a good boy； is Jim； and I love
Jim dearly。 I always keeps off a penny for Jimleastways as often
as I can。But there I must sweep again； for them busses makes no
end o' dirt。〃
〃Diamond！ Diamond！〃 cried his father； who was afraid he might
get no good by talking to the girl； and Diamond obeyed； and got
up again upon the box。 He told his father about the gentleman；
and what he had promised him if he would learn to read； and showed
him the gentleman's card。
〃Why； it's not many doors from the Mews！〃 said his father； giving him
back the card。 〃Take care of it； my boy； for it may lead to something。
God knows； in these hard times a man wants as many friends as he's
ever likely to get。〃
〃Haven't you got friends enough； father？〃 asked Diamond。
〃Well； I have no right to complain； but the more the better；
you know。〃
〃Just let me count；〃 said Diamond。
And he took his hands from his pockets； and spreading out the fingers
of his left hand； began to count； beginning at the thumb。
〃There's mother； first； and then baby； and then me。 Next there's
old Diamondand the cabno； I won't count the cab； for it never
looks at you； and when Diamond's out of the shafts； it's nobody。
Then there's the man that drinks next door； and his wife；
and his baby。〃
〃They're no friends of mine；〃 said his father。
〃Well； they're friends of mine；〃 said Diamond。
His father laughed。
〃Much good they'll do you！〃 he said。
〃How do you know they won't？〃 returned Diamond。
〃Well； go on；〃 said his father。
〃Then there's Jack and Mr。 Stonecrop； and； deary me！ not to
have mentioned Mr。 Coleman and Mrs。 Coleman； and Miss Coleman；
and Mrs。 Crump。 And then there's the clergyman that spoke
to me in the garden that day the tree was blown down。〃
〃What's his name！〃
〃I don't know his name。〃
〃Where does he live？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃How can you count him； then？〃
〃He did talk to me； and very kindlike too。〃
His father laughed again。
〃Why； child； you're just counting everybody you know。 That don't
make 'em friends。〃
〃Don't it？ I thought it did。 Well； but they shall be my friends。
I shall make 'em。〃
〃How will you do that？〃
〃They can't help themselves then； if they would。 If I choose
to be their friend； you know； they can't prevent me。 Then there's
that girl at the crossing。〃
〃A fine set of friends you do have； to be sure； Diamond！〃
〃Surely she's a friend anyhow； father。 If it hadn't been for her；
you would never have got Mrs。 Coleman and Miss Coleman to carry home。〃
His father was silent； for he saw that Diamond was right； and was
ashamed to find himself more ungrateful than he had thought。
〃Then there's the new gentleman；〃 Diamond went on。
〃If he do as he say；〃 interposed his father。
〃And why shouldn't he？ I daresay sixpence ain't too much for him
to spare。 But I don't quite understand； father： is nobody your
friend but the one that does something for you？〃
〃No； I won't say that； my boy。 You would have to leave out baby then。〃
〃Oh no； I shouldn't。 Baby can laugh in your face； and crow in your ears；
and make you feel so happy。 Call you that nothing； father？〃
The father's heart was fairly touched now。 He made no answer
to this last appeal； and Diamond ended off with saying：
〃And there's the best of mine to come yetand that's you； daddy
except it be mother； you know。 You're my friend； daddy； ain't you？
And I'm your friend； ain't I？〃
〃And God for us all；〃 said his father； and then they were both
silent for that was very solemn。
CHAPTER XX
DIAMOND LEARNS TO READ
THE question of the tall gentleman as to whether Diamond could
read or not set his father thinking it was high time he could；
and as soon as old Diamond was suppered and bedded； he began the
task that very night。 But it was not much of a task to Diamond；
for his father took for his lesson…book those very rhymes his mother
had picked up on the sea…shore； and as Diamond was not beginning
too soon； he learned very fast indeed。 Within a month he was able
to spell out most of the verses for himself。
But he had never come upon the poem he thought he had heard his
mother read from it that day。 He had looked through and through
the book several times after he knew the letters and a few words；
fancying he could tell the look of it； but had always failed to find
one more like it than another。 So he wisely gave up the search till
he could really read。 Then he resolved to begin at the beginning；
and read them all straight through。 This took him nearly a fortnight。
When he had almost reached the end