按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
wrong on the subject。 I have seen this worldonly sometimes；
just now and then； you knowlook as strange as ever I saw Fairyland。
But I confess that I have not yet seen Fairyland at its best。
I am always going to see it so some time。 But if you had been out
in the face and not at the back of the North Wind； on a cold rather
frosty night； and in your night…gown； you would have felt it all
quite as strange as Diamond did。 He cried a little； just a little；
he was so disappointed to lose the lady： of course； you； little man；
wouldn't have done that！ But for my part； I don't mind people
crying so much as I mind what they cry about； and how they cry
whether they cry quietly like ladies and gentlemen； or go shrieking
like vulgar emperors； or ill…natured cooks； for all emperors are
not gentlemen； and all cooks are not ladiesnor all queens and
princesses for that matter； either。
But it can't be denied that a little gentle crying does one good。
It did Diamond good； for as soon as it was over he was a brave
boy again。
〃She shan't say it was my fault； anyhow！〃 said Diamond。 〃I daresay
she is hiding somewhere to see what I will do。 I will look for her。〃
So he went round the end of the stable towards the kitchen…garden。
But the moment he was clear of the shelter of the stable； sharp as
a knife came the wind against his little chest and his bare legs。
Still he would look in the kitchen…garden； and went on。
But when he got round the weeping…ash that stood in the corner；
the wind blew much stronger； and it grew stronger and stronger
till he could hardly fight against it。 And it was so cold！
All the flashy spikes of the stars seemed to have got somehow
into the wind。 Then he thought of what the lady had said about
people being cold because they were not with the North Wind。
How it was that he should have guessed what she meant at that very
moment I cannot tell； but I have observed that the most wonderful
thing in the world is how people come to understand anything。
He turned his back to the wind； and trotted again towards the yard；
whereupon； strange to say； it blew so much more gently against his
calves than it had blown against his shins that he began to feel
almost warm by contrast。
You must not think it was cowardly of Diamond to turn his back
to the wind： he did so only because he thought Lady North Wind
had said something like telling him to do so。 If she had said
to him that he must hold his face to it； Diamond would have held
his face to it。 But the most foolish thing is to fight for no good；
and to please nobody。
Well； it was just as if the wind was pushing Diamond along。
If he turned round； it grew very sharp on his legs especially；
and so he thought the wind might really be Lady North Wind； though he
could not see her； and he had better let her blow him wherever
she pleased。 So she blew and blew； and he went and went； until he
found himself standing at a door in a wall； which door led from the
yard into a little belt of shrubbery； flanking Mr。 Coleman's house。
Mr。 Coleman was his father's master； and the owner of Diamond。
He opened the door； and went through the shrubbery； and out
into the middle of the lawn； still hoping to find North Wind。
The soft grass was very pleasant to his bare feet； and felt warm
after the stones of the yard； but the lady was nowhere to be seen。
Then he began to think that after all he must have done wrong；
and she was offended with him for not following close after her；
but staying to talk to the horse； which certainly was neither wise
nor polite。
There he stood in the middle of the lawn； the wind blowing his
night…gown till it flapped like a loose sail。 The stars were very
shiny over his head； but they did not give light enough to show that
the grass was green； and Diamond stood alone in the strange night；
which looked half solid all about him。 He began to wonder whether
he was in a dream or not。 It was important to determine this；
〃for；〃 thought Diamond； 〃if I am in a dream； I am safe in my bed；
and I needn't cry。 But if I'm not in a dream； I'm out here； and perhaps
I had better cry； or； at least； I'm not sure whether I can help it。〃
He came to the conclusion； however； that； whether he was in a dream
or not； there could be no harm in not crying for a little while longer：
he could begin whenever he liked。
The back of Mr。 Coleman's house was to the lawn； and one of the
drawing…room windows looked out upon it。 The ladies had not
gone to bed； for the light was still shining in that window。
But they had no idea that a little boy was standing on the lawn
in his night…gown； or they would have run out in a moment。 And as
long as he saw that light； Diamond could not feel quite lonely。
He stood staring； not at the great warrior Orion in the sky；
nor yet at the disconsolate； neglected moon going down in the west；
but at the drawing…room window with the light shining through its
green curtains。 He had been in that room once or twice that he could
remember at Christmas times； for the Colemans were kind people；
though they did not care much about children。
All at once the light went nearly out： he could only see a glimmer
of the shape of the window。 Then； indeed； he felt that he was
left alone。 It was so dreadful to be out in the night after
everybody was gone to bed！ That was more than he could bear。
He burst out crying in good earnest； beginning with a wail
like that of the wind when it is waking up。
Perhaps you think this was very foolish； for could he not go home
to his own bed again when he liked？ Yes； but it looked dreadful
to him to creep up that stair again and lie down in his bed again；
and know that North Wind's window was open beside him； and she gone；
and he might never see her again。 He would be just as lonely there
as here。 Nay； it would be much worse if he had to think that the
window was nothing but a hole in the wall。
At the very moment when he burst out crying； the old nurse who had
grown to be one of the family； for she had not gone away when Miss
Coleman did not want any more nursing； came to the back door；
which was of glass； to close the shutters。 She thought she heard
a cry； and； peering out with a hand on each side of her eyes
like Diamond's blinkers； she saw something white on the lawn。
Too old and too wise to be frightened； she opened the door；
and went straight towards the white thing to see what it was。
And when Diamond saw her coming he was not frightened either；
though Mrs。 Crump was a little cross sometimes； for there is
a good kind of crossness that is only disagreeable； and there is
a bad kind of crossness that is very nasty indeed。 So she came
up with her neck stretched out； and her head at the end of it；
and her eyes foremost of all； like a snail's； peering into the night
to see what it could be that went on glimmering white before her。
When she did see； she made a great exc