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！
None of us have ever been to the top of it yet。〃
Even as he spoke； he dropped his spade。 He tumbled down beside it；
and lay fast asleep。 One after the other each of the troop dropped
his pickaxe or shovel from his listless hands； and lay fast asleep
by his work。
〃Ah！〃 thought Diamond to himself； with delight； 〃now the girl…angels
are coming； and I； not being an angel； shall not fall asleep
like the rest； and I shall see the girl…angels。〃
But the same moment he felt himself growing sleepy。 He struggled
hard with the invading power。 He put up his fingers to his eyelids
and pulled them open。 But it was of no use。 He thought he saw
a glimmer of pale rosy light far up the green hill； and ceased
to know。
When he awoke； all the angels were starting up wide awake too。
He expected to see them lift their tools； but no； the time for play
had come。 They looked happier than ever； and each began to sing
where he stood。 He had not heard them sing before。
〃Now；〃 he thought； 〃I shall know what kind of nonsense the angels
sing when they are merry。 They don't drive cabs； I see； but they
dig for stars； and they work hard enough to be merry after it。〃
And he did hear some of the angels' nonsense； for if it was all
sense to them； it had only just as much sense to Diamond as made
good nonsense of it。 He tried hard to set it down in his mind；
listening as closely as he could； now to one； now to another；
and now to all together。 But while they were yet singing he began；
to his dismay； to find that he was coming awakefaster and faster。
And as he came awake； he found that； for all the goodness of his memory；
verse after verse of the angels' nonsense vanished from it。
He always thought he could keep the last； but as the next began he
lost the one before it； and at length awoke； struggling to keep hold
of the last verse of all。 He felt as if the effort to keep from
forgetting that one verse of the vanishing song nearly killed him。
And yet by the time he was wide awake he could not be sure of that even。
It was something like this：
White hands of whiteness
Wash the stars' faces；
Till glitter； glitter； glit； goes their brightness
Down to poor places。
This； however； was so near sense that he thought it could not be
really what they did sing。
CHAPTER XXVI
DIAMOND TAKES A FARE THE WRONG WAY RIGHT
THE next morning Diamond was up almost as early as before。 He had nothing
to fear from his mother now； and made no secret of what he was about。
By the time he reached the stable； several of the men were there。
They asked him a good many questions as to his luck the day before；
and he told them all they wanted to know。 But when he proceeded
to harness the old horse； they pushed him aside with rough kindness；
called him a baby； and began to do it all for him。 So Diamond
ran in and had another mouthful of tea and bread and butter；
and although he had never been so tired as he was the night before；
he started quite fresh this morning。 It was a cloudy day；
and the wind blew hard from the northso hard sometimes that；
perched on the box with just his toes touching the ground；
Diamond wished that he had some kind of strap to fasten himself
down with lest he should be blown away。 But he did not really
mind it。
His head was full of the dream he had dreamed； but it did not make
him neglect his work； for his work was not to dig stars but to drive
old Diamond and pick up fares。 There are not many people who can
think about beautiful things and do common work at the same time。
But then there are not many people who have been to the back of the
north wind。
There was not much business doing。 And Diamond felt rather cold；
notwithstanding his mother had herself put on his comforter
and helped him with his greatcoat。 But he was too well aware
of his dignity to get inside his cab as some do。 A cabman ought
to be above minding the weatherat least so Diamond thought。
At length he was called to a neighbouring house； where a young woman
with a heavy box had to be taken to Wapping for a coast…steamer。
He did not find it at all pleasant； so far east and so near the river；
for the roughs were in great force。 However； there being no block；
not even in Nightingale Lane； he reached the entrance of the wharf；
and set down his passenger without annoyance。 But as he turned
to go back； some idlers； not content with chaffing him； showed a
mind to the fare the young woman had given him。 They were just
pulling him off the box； and Diamond was shouting for the police；
when a pale…faced man； in very shabby clothes； but with the look
of a gentleman somewhere about him； came up； and making good use of
his stick； drove them off。
〃Now； my little man；〃 he said； 〃get on while you can。 Don't lose
any time。 This is not a place for you。〃
But Diamond was not in the habit of thinking only of himself。
He saw that his new friend looked weary； if not ill； and very poor。
〃Won't you jump in； sir？〃 he said。 〃I will take you wherever
you like。〃
〃Thank you； my man； but I have no money； so I can't。〃
〃Oh！ I don't want any money。 I shall be much happier if you will
get in。 You have saved me all I had。 I owe you a lift； sir。〃
〃Which way are you going？〃
〃To Charing Cross； but I don't mind where I go。〃
〃Well； I am very tired。 If you will take me to Charing Cross；
I shall be greatly obliged to you。 I have walked from Gravesend；
and had hardly a penny left to get through the tunnel。〃
So saying； he opened the door and got in； and Diamond drove away。
But as he drove； he could not help fancying he had seen the gentleman
for Diamond knew he was a gentlemanbefore。 Do all he could；
however； he could not recall where or when。 Meantime his fare；
if we may call him such； seeing he was to pay nothing； whom the relief
of being carried had made less and less inclined to carry himself；
had been turning over things in his mind； and； as they passed
the Mint； called to Diamond； who stopped the horse； got down
and went to the window。
〃If you didn't mind taking me to Chiswick； I should be able
to pay you when we got there。 It's a long way； but you shall
have the whole fare from the Docksand something over。〃
〃Very well； sir〃 said Diamond。 〃I shall be most happy。〃
He was just clambering up again； when the gentleman put his head
out of the window and said
〃It's The WildernessMr。 Coleman's place； but I'll direct you
when we come into the neighbourhood。〃
It flashed upon Diamond who he was。 But he got upon his box
to arrange his thoughts before making any reply。
The gentleman was Mr。 Evans； to whom Miss Coleman was to have been
married； and Diamond had seen him several times with her in the garden。
I have said that he had not behaved very well to Miss Coleman。
He had put off their marriage mo