 At the back of the north wind, by George Macdonald, Chapter 30, Nanny's Dream, Nanny was not fit to be moved for some time yet, and Diamond went to see her as often as he could, but being more regularly engaged now, seeing as he went out every day for a few hours with old Diamond, and had his baby to mind, and one of the horses to attend to, he could not go so often as he would have liked. One evening, as he sat by her bedside, she said to him, I've had such a beautiful dream, Diamond. I should like to tell it to you. Oh, do, said Diamond, I'm so fond of dreams. She must have been to the back of the north wind, he said to himself. It was a very foolish dream, you know, but somehow it was so pleasant, what a good thing it is that you believe the dream all the time you are in it. My readers must not suppose that poor Nanny was able to say what she meant so well as I put it down here. She had never been to school, and had heard very little else than vulgar speech until she came to the hospital. But I have been to school, and although that could never make me able to dream so well as Nanny, it has made me able to tell her dream better than she could herself. And I am the more desirous of doing this for her than I have already done the best I could for Diamond's dream, and it would be a shame to give the boy all the advantage. I will tell you all I know about it, said Nanny. The day before yesterday a lady came to see us, a very beautiful lady, and very beautifully dressed. I heard the matron say to her that it was very kind of her to come in blue and gold, and she answered that she knew we didn't like dull colors. She had such a lovely shawl on, just like redness dipped in milk, and all worked over with flowers of the same color. It didn't shine much, it was silk, but it kept in the shine. When she came to my bedside, she sat down, just where you are sitting, Diamond, and laid her hand on the counterpane. I was sitting up with my table before me ready for my tea. Her hand looked so pretty in its blue glove that I was tempted to stroke it. I thought she wouldn't be angry, for everybody that comes to the hospital is kind. It's only in the streets they ain't kind. But she drew her hand away, and I almost cried for I thought I had been rude. Of that, however, it was only that she didn't like giving me her glove to stroke, for she drew it off and then laid her hand where it was before. I wasn't sure, but I ventured to put out my ugly hand. Your hand ain't ugly, Nanny, said Diamond, but Nanny went on. And I stroked it again, and then she stroked mine, think of that, and there was a ring on her finger, and I looked down to see what it was like, and she drew it off and put it upon one of my fingers. It was a red stone, and she told me they called it a ruby. Oh, that is funny, said Diamond. Our new horse is called ruby. We've got another horse, a red one, such a beauty." But Nanny went on with her story. I looked at the ruby all the time the lady was talking to me. It was so beautiful, and as she talked I kept seeing deeper and deeper into the stone. At last she rose to go away, and I began to pull the ring off my finger, and what do you think she said? Wear it all night, if you like, only you must take care of it. I can't give it to you, for someone gave it to me, but you may keep it till tomorrow. Wasn't it kind of her? I could hardly take my tea. I was so delighted to hear it, and I do think it was the ring that set me dreaming, for after I had taken my tea I leaned back, half lying and half sitting, and looked at the ring on my finger. By degrees I began to dream. The ring grew larger and larger, until at last I found that I was not looking at a red stone, but a red sunset, which shone in at the end of a long street near where Granny lives. I was dressed in rags as I used to be, and I had great holes in my shoes, at which the nasty mud came through to my feet. I didn't used to mind it before, but now I thought it horrid, and there was the great red sunset with streaks of green and gold in between, standing looking at me. Why couldn't I live in the sunset instead of in that dirt? Why was it so far away, always? Why did it never come into our wretched street? It faded away as the sunsets always do, and at last went out altogether. Then a cold wind began to blow, and flutter all my rags about. That was North Wind herself, said Diamond. Eh! said Granny, and went on with her story. I turned my back to it, and wandered away. I did not know where I was going, only it was warmer to go that way. I don't think it was a North Wind, for I found myself in the West End at last, but it doesn't matter in a dream what wind it was. I don't know that, said Diamond. I believe North Wind can get into our dreams, yes, and blow in them. Sometimes she has blown me out of a dream altogether. I don't know what you mean, Diamond, said Granny. Never mind, answered Diamond. Two people can't always understand each other. They'd both be at the back of the North Wind directly, and what would become of the other places without them? You do talk so oddly, said Granny. I sometimes think they must have been right about you. What did they say about me? asked Diamond. They called you God's baby. How kind of them! But I knew that. Did you know what it meant, though? It meant that you were not right in the head. I feel all right, said Diamond, putting both hands to his head as if it had been a globe he could take off and set on again. Well, as long as you are pleased, I am pleased, said Granny. Thank you, Granny. Do go on with your story. I think I like dreams even better than fairy tales, but they must be nice ones like yours, you know. Well, I went on, keeping my back to the wind, until I came to a fine street on the top of a hill. How it happened, I don't know, but the front door of one of the houses was open, and not only the front door, but the back door as well, so that I could see right through the house. And what do you think I saw? A garden place, with green grass, and the moon shining upon it. Think of that. There was no moon in the street, but through the house there was the moon. I looked, and there was nobody near. I would not do any harm, and the grass was so much nicer than the mud. But I couldn't think of going on the grass with such dirty shoes. I picked them off in the gutter, and ran in on my bare feet, up the steps, and through the house, and on to the grass, and the moment I came into the moonlight I began to feel better. "'That's why North Wind blew you there,' said Diamond. "'It came of Mr. Raymond's story about Princess Daylight,' returned Nanny. "'While I lay down upon the grass in the moonlight without thinking how I was to get out again, somehow the moon suited me exactly. There was not a breath of the North Wind you talk about. It was quite gone. You didn't want her any more right then. She never goes where she's not wanted,' said Diamond. But she blew you into the moonlight anyhow. "'Well, we won't dispute about it,' said Nanny. "'You've got a tile loose, you know.' "'Suppose I have,' returned Diamond. "'Don't you see it may let in the moonlight, or the sunlight for that matter?' "'Perhaps yes, perhaps no,' said Nanny. "'And you've got your dreams, too, Nanny.' "'Yes, but I know their dreams. So do I. But I know besides there's something more as well.' "'Oh, do you?' rejoined Nanny. "'I don't.' "'All right,' said Diamond, perhaps you will some day. "'Perhaps I won't,' said Nanny. Diamond held his peace, and Nanny resumed her story. "'I lay a long time, and the moonlight got in at every tear in my clothes, and made me feel so happy. "'There, I tell you,' said Diamond. "'What do you tell me?' returned Nanny. "'North Wind! It was the moonlight, I tell you,' persisted Nanny. And again Diamond held his peace. All at once I felt that the moon was not shining so strong. I looked up, and there was a cloud, all crepey and fluffy, trying to drown the beautiful creature. But the moon was so round, just like a whole plate, that the cloud couldn't stick to her. She shook it off, and stayed there and shone out clearer and brighter than ever. When up came a thicker cloud, and, you shan't, said the moon, and I will, said the cloud, but it couldn't. Out shone the moon, quite laughing at its impudence. I knew her ways, for I've always been used to watch her. She's the only thing worth looking at in our street at night. "'Don't call it your street,' said Diamond. "'You're not going back to it. You're coming to us, you know.' "'That's too good to be true,' said Nanny. "'There are very few things good enough to be true,' said Diamond. "'But I hope this is. Too good to be true, it can't be. Isn't true good? And isn't good good? And how, then, can anything be too good to be true? That's like old Sal to say that.' "'But don't abuse Granny, Diamond. She's a horrid old thing. She and her gin-bottle. But she'll repent some day, and then you'll be glad not to have said anything against her.' "'Why?' said Diamond. "'Because you'll be sorry for her.' "'I'm sorry for her right now.' "'Very well, that's right. She'll be sorry, too, and there'll be an end of it.' "'All right. You come to us,' said Diamond. "'Where was I?' said Nanny, telling me how the moon served the clouds. "'Yes, but it wouldn't do all of it. Up came the clouds and the clouds faster and faster until the moon was covered up. You couldn't expect her to throw off a hundred of them at once, could you?' "'Certainly not,' said Diamond. So it grew very dark, and a dog began to yelp in the house. I looked and saw that the door to the garden was shut. Presently it was opened, not to let me out, but to let the dog in, yelping and bounding. I thought if he caught sight of me I was in for a biting first and the police after. So I jumped up and ran for a little summer-house in the corner of the garden. The dog came after me, but I shut the door in his face. It was well it had a door, wasn't it?' "'You dreamed of the door because you wanted it,' said Diamond. "'No, I didn't. It came of itself. It was there in the true dream.' "'There, I've caught you,' said Diamond. I knew you believed in the dream as much as I do.' "'Oh, well, if you will lay traps for a body,' said Nanny. "'Anyhow, I was safe inside the summer-house. And what do you think? There was the moon beginning to shine again, but only through one of the panes, and that one was just the color of the ruby. Wasn't it funny?' "'No, not a bit funny,' said Diamond. "'If you will be contrary,' said Nanny. "'No, no, no,' said Diamond. I only meant that that was the very pain I should have expected her to shine through.' "'Oh, very well,' said Nanny. What Diamond meant I do not pretend to say. He had curious notions about things.' "'And now,' said Nanny, I didn't know what to do, for the dog kept barking at the door, and I couldn't get out. But the moon was so beautiful that I couldn't keep from looking at it through the red pane. And as I looked it got larger and larger till it filled the whole pane and outgrew it, so that I could see it through the other panes. And it grew till it filled them too, and the whole window, so that the summer-house was nearly as bright as day. The dog stopped barking, and I heard a gentle tapping at the door, like the wind blowing a little branch against it.' "'Just like her,' said Diamond, who thought everything strange and beautiful must be done by the North Wind. So I turned from the window and opened the door. And what do you think I saw?' "'A beautiful lady,' said Diamond. "'No, the moon itself, as big as a little house, and as round as a ball shining like yellow silver. It stood on the grass, down on the very grass. I could see nothing else for the brightness of it. And as I stared and wondered, a door opened in the side of it, near the ground, and a curious little old man with a crooked thing over his shoulder looked out and said, Come along, nanny, my lady wants you, or come to fetch you.' I wasn't a bit frightened. I went up to the beautiful bright thing, and the old man held down his hand, and I took hold of it, and gave a jump, and he gave me a lift, and I was inside the moon. And what do you think it was like? It was such a pretty little house, with blue windows and white curtains, and one of the windows said a beautiful lady, with her head leaning on her hand looking out. She seemed rather sad, and I was sorry for her, and stood staring at her. You didn't think I had such a beautiful mistress as that, said the queer little old man. No, indeed I answered. Who would have thought it?' Ah, who indeed! But you see you don't know everything. The little man closed the door, and began to pull at a rope which hung behind it with a weight at the end. After he had pulled a while he said, There, that will do. We're all right now. Then he led me by the hand, and opened a little trap in the floor, and led me down two or three steps, and I saw like a great hole below me. Don't be frightened, said the little man. It's not a hole. It's only a window. Close your face down and look through. I did as he told me, and there was the garden and the summer-house far away, lying at the bottom of the moonlight. There, said the little man, we've brought you off. Do you see the little dog barking at us down there in the garden? I told him I couldn't see anything so far. Can you see anything so small and so far off, I said? Bless you, child, said the little man. I could pick up a needle out of the grass if I had only a long enough arm. There's one lying by the door of the summer-house right now. I looked at his eyes. They were very small, but so bright that I think he saw by the light that went out of them. Then he took me up, and up again by a little stair in a corner of the room, and through another trap-door, and there was one great round window above us, and I saw the blue sky and the clouds, and such lots of stars, all so big and shining as hard as ever they could. The little girl-angels had been polishing them, said Diamond. What nonsense you do talk, said Nanny. But my nonsense is just as good as yours, Nanny. When you've done, I will tell you my dream. The stars are in it. Not the moon, though. She was away somewhere. Perhaps she was gone to fetch you, then. I don't think that, though, for my dream was longer ago than yours. She might have been to fetch someone else, though, for we can't fancy it's only us that gets such fine things done for them. But do tell me what came next. Perhaps one of my child-readers may remember whether the moon came down to fetch him or her on the same night that Diamond had his dream. I cannot tell, of course. I know she did not come to fetch me, though I did think I could make her follow me when I was a boy. Not a very tiny one, either. The little man took me all round the house, and made me look out of every window. Oh, it was beautiful! There we were, all up in the air, in such a nice, clean little house. "'Your work will be to keep the windows bright,' said the little man. "'You won't find it very difficult, for there ain't much dust up here. Only the frost settles in on them sometimes, and the drops of rain leave marks on them.' "'I can easily clean them inside,' I said. "'But how am I to get the frost and rain on the outside of them?' "'Oh,' he said, it's quite easy. There are ladders all about. You've only got to go out at the door and climb about. There are a great many windows you haven't seen yet, and some of them look into places you don't know anything about. I used to clean them myself, but I'm getting rather old, you see. Ain't I now?' "'I can't tell,' I answered. "'You see, I never saw you when you were younger.' "'Never saw the man in the moon,' said he. "'Not very near,' I answered. "'Not to tell how young or how old he looked. I've seen the bundles of sticks on his back.' Poor Jim had pointed that out to me. Jim was very fond of looking at the man in the moon. Poor Jim. I wonder he hasn't been to see me. I'm afraid he's ill, too.' "'I'll try to find out,' said Diamond, and let you know.' "'Thank you,' said Nanny. You and Jim ought to be friends.' "'But what did the man in the moon say when you told him you had seen him with the bundle of sticks on his back?' He laughed. But I thought he looked offended, too. His little nose turned up sharper, and he drew the corners of his mouth down from the tips of his ears into his neck. But he didn't look cross, you know.' "'Didn't he say anything?' "'Oh, yes,' he said. "'Ah, it's all nonsense. What you saw was my bundle of dusters. I was going to clean the windows. It takes a good many, you know. Really, what do they say of their superiors down there?' "'It's only because they don't know better,' I ventured to say. "'Of course, of course,' said the little man. Nobody ever does know better. Well, I forgive them, and that sets it all right, I hope.' "'It's very good of you,' I said. "'Oh,' said he, it's not in the least good of me. I couldn't be comfortable otherwise.' After this he said nothing for a while, and I laid myself on the floor of his garret, and stared up and around at the great blue beautifulness. I had forgotten him almost, when at last he said, "'Ain't you done yet?' "'Done what?' I asked. "'Done saying your prayers,' says he. "'I wasn't saying my prayers,' I answered. "'Oh, yes you were,' said he, though you didn't know it. And now I must show you something else.' He took my hand and led me down the stair again, and through a narrow passage, and through another, and another, and another. I don't know how there could be room for so many passages in such a little house. The heart of it must be ever so much further from the sides than they are from each other. How could it have an inside that was so independent of its outside? There's the point. It was funny, wasn't it, Diamond?' "'No,' said Diamond. He was going to say that that was very much the sort of thing at the back of the north wind. But he checked himself, and only added, "'All right. I don't see it. I don't see why the inside should depend on the outside. It ain't so with crabs. They creep out of their outsides and make new ones. Mr. Raymond told me so.' "'I don't see what that's got to do with it,' said Nanny. "'Then go on with your story, please,' said Diamond. "'What did you come to after going through all those winding passages into the heart of the moon?' "'I didn't say they were winding passages. I said they were long and narrow. They didn't wind. They went by corners.' "'That's worth knowing,' remarked Diamond. "'For who knows how soon he may have to go there? But the main thing is, what did you come to at last?' We came to a small box, against the wall of a tiny room. The little man told me to put my ear against it. I did so, and heard a noise, something like the purring of a cat, only not so loud, and much sweeter. "'What is it?' I asked. "'Don't you know the sound?' returns the little man. "'No,' I answered. "'Don't you know the sound of bees?' he said. I had never heard bees, and could not know the sound of them. Those are my ladies' bees,' he went on. I had heard that bees gather honey from the flowers. But where are the flowers for them?' I asked. "'My ladies' bees gather their honey from the sun and the stars,' said the little man. "'Do let me see them,' I said. "'No, I dare not do that,' he answered. "'I have no business with them. I don't understand them. Besides, they are so bright that if one were to fly into your eye, it would blind you altogether.' "'Then you have seen them?' "'Oh yes, once or twice, I think. But I don't quite know. They are so very bright, like buttons of lightning. Now I've showed you all I can to-night, and we'll go back to the room.' I followed him, and he made me sit down under a lamp that hung from the roof, and gave me some bread and honey.' The lady had never moved. She sat with her forehead leaning on her hand, gazing out of the little window, hung like the rest with white cloudy curtains. From where I was sitting I looked out of it too, but I could see nothing. Her face was very beautiful, and very white, and very still, and her hand was as white as the forehead that leaned on it. I did not see her whole face, only the side of it, for she never moved to turn it full upon me, or even to look at me. How long I sat after I had eaten my bread and honey, I don't know. The little man was busy about the room, pulling a string here and a string there, but chiefly the string at the back of the door. I was thinking with some uneasiness that he would soon be wanting me to go out and clean the windows, and I didn't fancy the job. At last he came up to me with a great armful of dusters. "'It's time you said about the windows,' he said, for there is rain coming, and if they're quite clean before then the rain can't spoil them.' I got up at once. "'You needn't be afraid,' he said. "'You won't tumble off. Only you must be careful. Please hold on with one hand while you rub with the other.' As he spoke he opened the door. I started back with a terrible fright, for there was nothing but blue air to be seen under me, like a great water without a bottom at all. But what must be must, and to live up here was so much nicer than down in the mud with holes in my shoes that I never thought of not doing as I was told. The little man showed me how and where to lay hold while I put my foot round the edge of the door onto the first round of a ladder. "'Once you're up,' he said, you'll see how you have to go well enough.' I did as he told me, and crept out very carefully. Then the little man handed me a bundle of dusters, saying, "'I always carry them on my reaping-hook, but I don't think you could manage it properly. You shall have it if you like.' I wouldn't take it, however, for it looked dangerous.' I did the best I could with the dusters, and crawled up to the top of the moon. But what a grand sight it was! The stars were all over my head so bright and so near that I could almost have laid hold of them. The round ball to which I clung went bobbing and floating away through the dark blue above and below and on every side. It was so beautiful that all fear left me, and I set to work diligently. I cleaned window after window. At length I came to a very little one, in at which I peeped. There is the room with the box of beads in it. I laid my ear to the window, and heard the musical hum quite distinctly. A great longing to see them came upon me, and I opened the window and crept in. The little box had a door like a closet. I opened it, the tiniest crack, when out came the light with such a sting that I closed it again in terror, not, however, for three bees had shot out into the room where they darted about like flashes of lightning. Terribly frightened I tried to get out of the window again, but I could not. There was no way to the outside of the moon but through the door, and that was in the room where the lady sat. No sooner had I reached the room than the three bees, which had followed me, flew at once to the lady, and settled upon her hair. Then first I saw her move. She started, put up her hand, and caught them. Then rose, and, having held them in the flame of the lamp one after the other, turned to me. Her face was not so sad now as stern. It frightened me much. "'Nanny, you have got me into trouble,' she said. "'You have been letting out my bees, which it is all I can do to manage. You have forced me to burn them. It is a great loss, and there will be a storm.' As she spoke, the clouds had gathered all about us. I could see them come crowding up white about the windows. "'I am sorry to find,' said the lady, that you are not to be trusted. You must go home again. You won't do for us.' Then came a great clap of thunder, and the moon rocked and swayed. All grew dark about me, and I fell on the floor and lay half stunned. I could hear everything but see nothing. Shall I throw her out of the door, my lady?' said the little man. "'No,' she answered. She's not quite bad enough for that. I don't think there's much harm in her. Only she'll never do for us. She would make dreadful mischief up here. She's only fit for the mud. It's a great pity. I am sorry for her. Just take that ring off her finger. I am sadly afraid she has stolen it.' The little man caught hold of my hand, and I felt him tugging at the ring. I tried to speak what was true about it, but after a terrible effort only gave a groan. Other things began to come into my head. Somebody else had a hold of me. The little man wasn't there. I opened my eyes at last, and saw the nurse. I had cried out in my sleep, and she had come and waked me. But Diamond, for all it was only a dream, I cannot help being ashamed of myself yet for opening the lady's box of bees. You wouldn't do it again, would you, if she were to take you back, said Diamond? No. I don't think anything would ever make me do it again. But where's the good? I never shall have the chance. I don't know that, said Diamond. Are you silly, baby? It was only a dream, said Nanny. I know that, Nanny, dear. But how can you tell you may not dream it again? That's not a bit likely. I don't know that, said Diamond. You're always saying that, said Nanny. I don't like it. Then I won't say it again, if I don't forget, said Diamond. But it was such a beautiful dream, wasn't it, Nanny? What a pity you opened that door and let the bees out. You might have had such a long dream, and such nice talks with the moon-lady. Do try to go again, Nanny. I do so want to hear more. But now the nurse came, and told him it was time to go. And Diamond went, saying to himself, I can't help thinking that North Wind had something to do with that dream. It would be tiresome to lie there all day and all night too without dreaming. Perhaps if she hadn't done that, the moon might have carried her to the back of the North Wind. Who knows? End of Chapter 30. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. At the back of the North Wind by George Macdonald. Chapter 31. The North Wind Doth Blow. It was a great delight to Diamond when at length, Nanny was well enough to leave the hospital and go home to their house. She was not very strong yet, but Diamond's mother was very considerate of her and took care that she should have nothing to do she was not quite fit for. If Nanny had been taken straight from the street, it is very probable she would not have been so pleasant in a decent household or so easy to teach. But after the refining influences of her illness and the kind treatment she had had in the hospital, she moved about the house just like some rather sad pleasure haunting the mind. As she got better and the color came back to her cheeks, her step grew lighter and quicker, her smile shone out more readily and it became certain that she would soon be a treasure of help. It was great fun to see Diamond teaching her how to hold the baby and wash and dress him and often they laughed together over her awkwardness. But she had not many such lessons before she was able to perform those duties quite as well as Diamond himself. Things, however, did not go well with Joseph from the very arrival of Ruby. It almost seemed as if the red beast had brought ill luck with him. The fares were fewer and the pay less. Ruby's services did indeed make the week's income at first a little beyond what it used to be, but then there were two more to feed. After the first month he fell lame and for the whole of the next Joseph dared not attempt to work him. I cannot say that he never grumbled for his own health was far from what it had been but I can say that he tried to do his best. During all that month they lived on very short commons indeed, seldom tasting meat except on Sundays and poor old Diamond who worked hardest of all, not even then, so that at the end of it he was as thin as a clothes horse while Ruby was as plump and sleek as a bishop's cob. Nor was it much better after Ruby was able to work again for it was a season of great depression and business and that is very soon felt amongst the cabin. City men look more after their shillings and their wives and daughters have less to spend. It was besides a wet autumn and bread rose greatly in price. When I add to this that Diamond's mother was but poorly for a new baby was coming you will see that these were not very jolly times for our friends and the muse. Notwithstanding the depressing influences around him Joseph was able to keep a little hope alive in his heart and when he came home at night would get Diamond to read to him and would also make Nanny produce her book that he might see how she was getting on for Diamond had taken her education in hand and as she was a clever child she was very soon able to put letters and words together. Thus the three months passed away but Mr. Raymond did not return. Joseph had been looking anxiously for him chiefly with the desire of getting rid of Ruby not that he was absolutely of no use to him but that he was a constant weight upon his mind. Indeed as far as provision went he was rather worse off with Ruby and Nanny than he had been before but on the other hand Nanny was a great help in the house and it was a comfort to him to think that when the new baby did come Nanny would be with his wife. Of God's gifts a baby is of the greatest therefore it is no wonder that when this one came she was heartily welcomed by the little household as if she had brought plenty with her. Of course she made a great difference in the work to be done far more different than her size warranted but Nanny was no end of help and Diamond was as much of a sunbeam as ever and began to sing to the new baby the first moment he got her in his arms. But he did not sing the same songs to her that he had sung to his brother for he said she was a new baby and must have new songs and besides she was a sister baby and not a brother baby and of course would not like the same kind of songs. Where the difference in his songs lay however I do not pretend to be able to point out. One thing I am sure of that they not only had no small share in the education of the little girl but helped the whole family a great deal more than they were aware. How they managed to get through the long dreary expensive winter I can hardly say. Sometimes things were better sometimes worse but at last the spring came and the winter was over and gone and that was much. Still Mr. Raymond did not return and although the mother would have been able to manage without Nanny now they could not look for a place for her so long as they had Ruby and they were not altogether sorry for this. One week at last was worse than they had yet had. They were almost without bread before it was over but the sadder he saw his father and mother looking the more Diamond set himself to sing to the two babies. One thing which had increased their expenses was that they had been forced to hire another little room for Nanny. When the second baby came Diamond gave up his room that Nanny might be at hand to help his mother and went to hers which although a fine place to what she had been accustomed to was not very nice in his eyes. He did not mind the change though for was not his mother the more comfortable for it and was not Nanny more comfortable too. And indeed was not Diamond himself more comfortable that other people were more comfortable and if there was more comfort every way the change was a happy one. End of chapter 31. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by The Bookworm. At the back of the North Wind by George MacDonald. Chapter 32. Diamond and Ruby. It was Friday night and Diamond like the rest of the household had had very little to eat that day. The mother would always pay the week's rent before she laid out anything even on food. His father had been very gloomy so gloomy that he had actually been crossed to his wife. This is a strange thing how pain of seeing the suffering of those we love will sometimes make us add to their suffering by being crossed with them. This comes of not having faith enough in God and shows how necessary this faith is. For when we lose it we lose even the kindness which alone can soothe the suffering. Diamond in consequence had gone to bed very quiet and thoughtful. A little troubled indeed. It had been a very stormy winter and even now the spring had come. The North Wind often blew. When Diamond went to his bed which was in a tiny room in the roof he heard it like the sea moaning and when he fell asleep he still heard the moaning. All at once he said to himself am I awake or am I asleep? But he had no time to answer the question for there was North Wind calling him. His heart beat very fast. It was such a long time since he had heard that voice. He jumped out of bed and looked everywhere but could not see her. Diamond come here. She said again and again but where the here was he could not tell. To be sure the room was all but quite dark and she might be close beside him. Dear North Wind said Diamond I want so much to go to you but I can't tell where. Come here Diamond was all her answer. Diamond opened the door and went out of the room and down the stair and into the yard. His little heart was in a flutter for he had long given up all thought of seeing her again. Neither now was he to see her. When he got out a great puff of wind came against him and in obedience to it he turned his back and went as it blew. It blew him right up to the stable door and went unblowing. She wants me to go into the stable. Said Diamond to himself. But the door is locked. He knew where the key was in a certain hole in the wall far too high for him to get it. He ran to the place. However, just as he reached it there came a wild blast and down fell the key clanging on the stones in his feet. He picked it up and ran back and opened the stable door and went in. And what do you think he saw? A little light came through the dusty window from a gas lamp sufficient to show him Diamond and Ruby with her two heads up looking at each other across the partition, other stalls. The light showed the white mark on Diamond's forehead but Ruby's eyes shunned so bright that he thought more light came out of it than went in. This is what he saw. But what do you think he heard? He heard the two horses talking to each other in a strange language which yet somehow or other he could understand and turn over in his mind in English. The first words he heard were from Diamond who apparently had been already quarreling with Ruby. Look how fat you are, Ruby. Said old Diamond. You're so plump and your skin shines so you ought to be ashamed of yourself. There's no harm in being fat, said Ruby in a deprecating tone. No, nor I'm being sleek. I may as well shine as not. No harm, retorted Diamond. Is it no harm to go eating up all poor master's oats and taking up so much of his time grooming you when you only work six hours? No, not six hours a day. And as I hear, get along no faster than a big Dre horse with two tons behind him. So they tell me. Your master's not mine, said Ruby. I must attend to my own master's interests and eat all that is given me and be sleek and fat as I can and go no faster than I need. Now really if the rest of the horses weren't all asleep poor things they work till they're tired. I do believe they would get up and kick you out of the stable. You make me ashamed of being a horse. You dare to say my master ain't your master. That's your gratitude for the way he feeds you and spares you. Pray, where would your carcass be if it weren't for him? He doesn't do it for my sake. If I were his own horse he would work me as hard as he does you. And I'm proud to be so worked. I wouldn't be as fat as you, not for all your work. You're just great to the stable. Look at the horse next to you. He's something like a horse, all skin and bone. And his master ain't over kind to him either. He put a stinging lash on his whip last week. But that old horse knows he's got the wife and children to keep as well as his drunken master. And he works like a horse. I dare say he grudges his master the beer he drinks. But I don't believe he grudges anything else. Well, I don't grudge yours what he gets by me. Said Ruby. Gets, retorted diamond. What he gets isn't worth grudging. It comes to next to nothing. What with your fat and shine? Well, at least you ought to be thankful you're the better for it. You'll get a two hours rest a day out of it. I thank my master for that, not you, you lazy fellow. You go along like a buttock of beef upon casters you do. Ain't you afraid I'll kick if you go on like that, diamond? Kick, you can kick if you tried. You might heave your rump up half a foot but for lashing out. Oh ho, if you did you'd be down your belly before you could get your legs under you again. It's my belief, once out they'd stick out forever. Talk of kicking, why don't you put one foot before the other now? And then when you're in the cab, the abuse master gets for your sake is quite shameful. No decent horse would bring it on him. Depend upon it Ruby, no cabman likes to be abused any more than his fare. But his fares, at least when you are between the shafts are very much to be excused. Indeed they are. Well, you see diamond, I don't want to go lame again. I don't believe you are so very lame after all, there. Oh, but I was. Then I believe it was all your own fault. I'm not lame, I never was lame in my life. You don't take care of your legs, you never lay them down at night. There you are with your huge carcass crushing down your poor legs all night long. You don't even care for your own legs so long as you can eat, eat, and sleep, sleep. You a horse indeed. But I tell you, I was lame. I'm not denying there was a puffy look about your off-postern, but my belief is it wasn't even grease, it was fat. I tell you, I put my foot on one of those hard stones they make the roads with and they gave my ankle such a twist. Ankle indeed, why should you ape your bitters? Horses ain't got any ankles, leave only pasterns, and so long as you don't lift your feet better, but fall asleep between every step you'll run a good chance of blaming all your ankles as you call them one after another. It's not your lively horse that comes to grief in that way. I tell you, I believe it wasn't much and if it was, it was your own fault. There, I've done, I'm going to sleep. I'll try to think as well of you as I can. If you would step out a bit and run off a little of your fat. Here Diamond began to double up his knees, but Ruby spoke again and as young Diamond thought in a rather different tone. I say Diamond, I can't bear to have an honest old horse like you think of me like that. I will tell you the truth, it was my own fault that I fell lame. I told you so, we turned the other, tumbling against a practitioner as he rolled over on his side to give his legs every possible privilege in their narrow circumstances. I meant to do it Diamond. At the words, the old horse arose with a scramble like thunder, shot his angry head in glaring eye over into Ruby's stall and said, keep out of my way, you unworthy wretch or I'll bite you, you horse, why do you do that? Because I wanted to grow fat. You greased up all my teeth and tail, I thought you were a humbug. Why did you want to get fat? There's no truth to be got out of you, but by cross questioning, you ain't fit to be a horse. Because once I am fat, my nature is to keep fat for a long time and I didn't know when master might come home and want to see me. You conceited good for nothing brute, you're only fit for the knackers yard. You wanted to look handsome, did you? Hold your tongue or I'll break my halter and be at you with your handsome fat. Never mind diamond, you're a good horse, you can't hurt me. Can't hurt you, just let me once try. No, you can't. Why then? Because I'm an angel. What's that? Of course you don't know. Indeed I don't. I know you don't, an ignorant, rude old human horse like you couldn't know it, but there's young diamond listening to all we're saying and he knows well enough there are horses in heaven for angels to ride upon as well as other animals, lions and eagles and bulls and more important situations. The horses the angels ride must be angel horses else angels couldn't ride upon them. Well, I'm one of them. You ain't. Did you ever know a horse tell a lie? Never before, but you've confessed to shaming lame. Nothing of this sort, it was necessary that I should grow fat and necessary that good Joseph your master should grow lean. I could have pretended to be lame, but that no horse least of all an angel horse would do. So I must be lame and so I sprained my ankle. For the angel horses have ankles, they don't talk horse slang up there and it hurt me very much I assure you diamond, though you may be good enough to be able to believe it. Old diamond may no reply. He had lain down again and a sleepy snort, very like a snore revealed that if he was not already asleep, he was past understanding a word that Ruby was saying. When young diamond found this, he thought he might venture to take up the drop shuttlecock of the conversation. I'm good enough to believe it Ruby, he said, but Ruby never turned his head or took any notice of him. I suppose he did not understand more of English than just what the coachmen and stalemen were in the habit of addressing him with. Finding however that his companion may no reply, he shot his head over the partition and looking down at him said, you just wait till tomorrow and you'll see whether I'm speaking the truth or not. I declare the old horse is fast asleep, diamond. No, I won't. Ruby turned away and began pulling at his hayrack in silence. Diamond gave a shiver and looking around saw that the door of the stable was open. He began to feel as if he had been dreaming and after a glance about the stable to see if North Wind was anywhere visible, he thought he had better go back to bed. End of chapter 32. At the back of the North Wind by George MacDonald. Chapter 33. The Prospect Brightens. The next morning, Diamond's mother said to his father, I'm not quite comfortable about that child again. Which child, Martha, asked Joseph, you've got a choice now. Well, Diamond, I mean, I'm afraid he's getting into his queer ways again. He's been at his old trick of walking in his sleep. I saw him run up the stair in the middle of the night. Didn't you go after him, wife? Of course I did, and found him fast asleep in his bed. It's because he's had so little meat for the last six weeks, I'm afraid. It may be that. I'm very sorry. But if it don't please God to send us enough, what am I to do, wife? You can't help it. I know, my dear good man, returned Martha. And after all, I don't know. I don't see why he shouldn't get on as well as the rest of us. There, I'm nursing baby all this time, and I get along pretty well. I'm sure, to hear the little man singing, you wouldn't think there was much a miss with him. For at that moment, Diamond was singing like a lark in the clouds. He had the new baby in his arms while his mother was dressing herself. Joseph was sitting at his breakfast, a little weak tea, dry bread, and very dubious butter, which Nanny had set for him, and which he was enjoying because he was hungry. He had groomed both horses, and had got old Diamond harnessed ready to put to. Think of a fat angel, dulcimer, said Diamond. The baby had not been christened yet, but Diamond, in reading his Bible, had come upon the word dulcimer, and thought it so pretty that, ever after, he called his sister dulcimer. Think of a red, fat angel, dulcimer, he repeated. For Ruby's an angel of a horse, dulcimer. He sprained his ankle and got fat on purpose. What purpose, Diamond, asked his father. Ah, that I can't tell. I supposed to look handsome when his master comes, answered Diamond. What do you think, dulcimer? It must be for some good, for Ruby's an angel. I wish I were rid of him anyhow, said his father, for he weighs heavy on my mind. No wonder, Father, he's so fat, said Diamond, but you needn't be afraid, for everybody says he's in better condition than when you had him. Yes, but he may be as thin as a tin horse before his owner comes. It was too bad to leave him on my hands this way. Perhaps he couldn't help it, suggested Diamond. I dare say he has some good reason for it. So I should have said, returned his father, if he had not driven such a hard bargain with me at first. But we don't know what may come of it yet, husband, said his wife. Mr. Raymond may give a little to boot, seeing you've had more of the bargain than you wanted or reckoned upon. I'm afraid not, he's a hard man, said Joseph, as he rose and went to get his cab out. Diamond resumed his singing. For some time he caroled snatches of everything or anything, but at last it settled down into something like what follows. I cannot tell where or how he got it. Where do you come from, baby dear, out of the everywhere, into here? Where did you get your eyes so blue, out of the sky as I came through? What makes the light in them sparkle and spin? Some of the starry spikes left in. Where did you get that little tear? I found it waiting when I got here. What makes your forehead so smooth and high? A soft hand stroked it as I went by. What makes your cheek like a warm, white rose? I saw something better than anyone knows. Whence that three-cornered smile of bliss? Three angels gave me at once a kiss. Where did you get this pearly ear? God spoke and it came out to hear. Where did you get those arms and hands? Love made itself into hooks and bands. Feet, whence did you come, you darling things? From the same box as the cherub's wings. How did they all just come to be you? God thought about me and so I grew. But how did you come to us, you dear? God thought about you and so I am here. You never made that song, Diamond, said his mother. No, mother, I wish I had. No, I don't. That would be to take it from somebody else. But it's mine for all that. What makes it yours? I love it so. Does loving a thing make it yours? I think so, mother. At least more than anything else can. If I didn't love baby, which couldn't be, you know, she wouldn't be mine a bit. But I do love baby and baby is my very own dulcimer. The baby's mine, Diamond. That makes her the more mine, mother. How do you make that out? Because you're mine, mother. Is that because you love me? Yes, just because. Love makes the only minus, said Diamond. When his father came home to have his dinner and change Diamond for Ruby, they saw him look very sad and he told them he had not had a fair worth mentioning the whole morning. We shall all have to go to the workhouse wife, he said. It would be better to go to the back of the North Wind, said Diamond, dreamily, not intending to say it aloud. So it would, answered his father. But how are we to get there, Diamond? We must wait till we're taken, returned Diamond. Before his father could speak again, a knock came to the door. And in walked Mr. Raymond with a smile on his face. Joseph got up and received him respectfully, but not very cordially. Martha said a chair for him, but he would not sit down. You're not very glad to see me, he said to Joseph. You don't want to part with the old horse. Indeed, sir, you are mistaken there. What with anxiety about him and bad luck, I've wished I were rid of him a thousand times. It was only to be for three months, and here it's been eight or nine. I'm sorry to hear such a statement, said Mr. Raymond. Hasn't he been of service to you? Not much, not with his lameness. Ah, said Mr. Raymond hastily, you've been blaming him, have you? That accounts for it, I see, I see. It wasn't my fault, and he's all right now. I don't know how it happened, but. He did it on purpose, said Diamond. He put his foot on a stone just to twist his ankle. How do you know that, Diamond? said his father, turning to him. I never said so, for I could not think how it came. I heard it, in the stable, answered Diamond. Let's have a look at him, said Mr. Raymond. If you'll step into the yard, said Joseph, I'll bring him out. They went, and Joseph, having first taken off his harness, walked Ruby into the middle of the yard. Why, said Mr. Raymond, you've not been using him well. I don't know what you mean by that, sir. I didn't expect to hear that from you. He sounded wind and limb, as sound as a barrel. And as big, you might add, why he's as fat as a pig. You don't call that good usage. Joseph was too angry to make any answer. You've not worked him enough, I say. That's not making good use of him. That's not doing as you'd be done by. I shouldn't be sorry if I was served the same, sir. He's too fat, I say. There was a whole month I couldn't work him at all, and he did nothing but eat his head off. He's an awful eater. I've taken the best part of six hours a day out of him since, but I'm always afraid of his coming to grief again, and so I couldn't make the most even of that. I declare to you, sir, when he's between the shafts, I sit on the box as miserable as if I'd stolen him. He looks all the time as if he was a bottling up of complaints to make of me the minute he set eyes upon you again. There, look at him now, squinting round at me with one eye. I declare to you, on my word, I haven't laid the whip on him more than three times. I'm glad to hear it. He never did want the whip. I didn't say that, sir. If ever a horse wanted the whip, he do. He's brought me to beggary almost with his snail's pace. I'm very glad you've come to rid me of him. I don't know that, said Mr. Raymond. Suppose I were to ask you to buy him of me, cheap. I wouldn't have him in a present, sir. I don't like him. And I wouldn't drive a horse that I didn't like. No, not for gold. It can't come to good where there's no love between them. Just bring out your own horse and let me see what sort of a pair they'd make. Joseph laughed rather bitterly as he went to fetch diamond. When the two were placed side by side, Mr. Raymond could hardly keep his countenance but from a mingling of feelings. Beside the great red round barrel, ruby, all body and no legs, diamond looked like a clothes source with a skin thrown over it. There was hardly a spot of him where you could not describe some sign of bone underneath. Gaunt and grim and weary he stood, kissing his master and heeding no one else. You haven't been using him well, said Mr. Raymond. I must say, returned Joseph, throwing an arm round his horse's neck that the remark had better have been spared, sir. The horse is worth three of the other now. I don't think so. I think they make a very nice pair. If the one's too fat, the other's too lean, so that's all right. And if you won't buy my ruby, I must buy your diamond. Thank you, sir, said Joseph in a tone implying anything but thanks. You don't seem to like the proposal, said Mr. Raymond. I don't, returned Joseph. I wouldn't part with my old diamond for his skin as full of nuggets as it is of bones. Who said anything about parting with him? You did now, sir. No, I didn't. I only spoke of buying him to make a pair with ruby. We could pair ruby and patch diamond a bit. And for height, they're as near match as I care about. Of course, you would be the coachman if only you would consent to be reconciled to ruby. Joseph stood bewildered, unable to answer. I've bought a small place in Kent, continued Mr. Raymond. And I must have a pair to my carriage for the roads are hilly thereabouts. I don't want to make a show with a pair of high steppers. I think these will just do. Suppose for a week or two, you set yourself to take ruby down and bring diamond up. If we could only lay a pipe from ruby's sides into diamonds, it would be the work of a moment. But I fear that wouldn't answer. A strong inclination to laugh intruded upon Joseph's inclination to cry and made speech still harder than before. I beg your pardon, sir, he said at length. I've been so miserable and for so long that I never thought you was only a chaffing of me when you said I hadn't used the horse as well. I did grumble at you, sir, many's the time in my trouble. But whenever I said anything, my little diamond would look at me with a smile as much as to say, I know him better than you, father. And upon my word, I always thought the boy must be right. Will you sell me old diamond then? I will, sir, on one condition, that if you ever want to part with him or me, you give me the option of buying him. I could not part with him, sir. As to who calls him his, that's nothing. For, as Diamond says, it's only loving a thing that can make it yours. And I do love old diamond, sir, dearly. Well, there's a check for 20 pounds, which I wrote to offer you for him. In case I should find you had done the handsome thing by ruby. Will that be enough? It's too much, sir. His body ain't worth it, shoes and all. It's only his heart, sir, that's worth millions. But his heart'll be mine all the same. So it's too much, sir. I don't think so. It won't be, at least, by the time we've got him fed up again. You take it and welcome. Just go on with your cabing for another month. Only take it out of ruby and let Diamond rest. And by that time, I shall be ready for you to go down into the country. Thank you, sir, thank you. Diamond set you down for a friend, sir, the moment he saw you. I do believe that child of mine knows more than other people. I think so too, said Mr. Raymond as he walked away. He had meant to test Joseph when he made the bargain about ruby, but had no intention of so greatly prolonging the trial. He had been taken ill in Switzerland and had been quite unable to return sooner. He went away now, highly gratified at finding that he had stood the test and was a true man. Joseph rushed into his wife, who had been standing at the window anxiously waiting the result of the long colloquy. When she heard that the horses were to go together in double harness, she burst forth into an immoderate fit of laughter. Diamond came up with the baby in his arms and made big, anxious eyes at her, saying, what's the matter with you, mother deer? Do cry a little, it will do you good. When father takes ever so small a drop of spirits, he puts water to it. You silly darling, said his mother, how could I but laugh at the notion of that great, fat ruby side by side with our poor old diamond? But why not, mother? With a month's oats, nothing to do. Diamond will be nearer ruby size than you will, fathers. I think it'll be very good for different sorts to go together. Now ruby will have a chance of teaching diamond better matters. How dare you say such a thing, Diamond? Said his father, angrily. To compare the two for manners, there's no comparison possible. Our diamond's a gentleman. I don't mean to say he isn't, father, for I dare say some gentlemen judge their neighbors unjustly. That's all I mean. Diamond shouldn't have thought such bad things about ruby. He didn't try to make the best of him. How do you know that, pray? I heard them talking about it one night. Who? Why diamond and ruby? Ruby's an angel. Joseph stared and said no more. For all his new gladness, he was very gloomy as he re-harnessed the angel, for he thought his darling diamond was going out of his mind. He could not help thinking rather differently, however, when he found the change that had come over ruby. Considering his fat, he exerted himself amazingly and got over the ground with incredible speed, so willing, even anxious, was he to go now that Joseph had to hold him quite tight. Then as he laughed at his own fancies, a new fear came upon him, lest the horse should break his wind, and Mr. Raymond have good cause to think he had not been using him well. He might even suppose that he had taken advantage of his new instructions to let out upon the horse some of his pent-up dislike, whereas in truth it had so utterly vanished that he felt as if ruby, too, had been his friend all the time. End of chapter 33. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by The Bookworm. At the back of the North Wind by George MacDonald. Chapter 34, In the Country. Before the end of the month, ruby had got respectively thin and diamond-respectably stout. They really began to look fit for double-harness. Joseph and his wife got their affairs in order, and everything ready for migrating at the shortest notice, and they felt so peaceful and happy that they judged all the trouble they had gone through well worth enduring. As for Nanny, she had been so happy ever since she left the hospital, that she expected nothing better and saw nothing attractive in the notion of the country. At the same time, she had not the least idea of what the word country meant, for she had never seen anything about her but streets and gas lamps. Besides, she was more attached to Jim than to Diamond. Jim was a reasonable being. Diamond in her eyes, at best only an amable, overgrown baby, whom no amount of expostulation would ever bring to talk sense, not to say think it. Now that she could manage the baby as well as he, she judged herself altogether his superior. Towards his father and mother, she was all they could wish. Diamond had taken a great deal of pains and trouble to find Jim and had at last succeeded through the help of the tall policeman who was glad to renew his acquaintance with a strange child. Jim had moved his quarters and had not heard of Nanny's illness till some time after she was taken to the hospital, where he was too shy to go and inquire about her. But when at length she went to live with Diamond's family, Jim was willing enough to go and see her. It was after one of his visits during which they had been talking of her new prospects that Nanny expressed to Diamond, her opinion of the country. There ain't nothing in it but the sun and moon Diamond. There's trees and flowers, said Diamond. Well, they ain't no count, returned Nanny. Ain't they? They're so beautiful. They make you happy to look at them. That's because you're such a silly. Diamond smiled with a faraway look as if he were gazing through clouds of green leaves and the visions contented him. But he was thinking with himself what more he could do for Nanny. And that same evening he went to find Mr. Raymond, for he had heard that he had returned to town. Ah, how do you do, Diamond? said Mr. Raymond. I am glad to see you. And he was indeed, for he had grown very fond of him. His opinion of him was very different from Nanny's. What do you want now, my child? He asked. I'm always wanting something, sir, answered Diamond. Well, that's quite right, so long as what you want is right. Everybody is always wanting something, only we don't mention it in the right places, often enough. What is it now? There's a friend of Nanny's, a lame boy, called Jim. I've heard of him, said Mr. Raymond. Well, Nanny doesn't care much about going to the country, sir. Well, what does that to do with Jim? You couldn't find a corner for Jim to work in, could you, sir? I don't know that I couldn't. That is, if he can show good reason for it. He's a good boy, sir. Well, so much the better for him. I know he can shine boots, sir. So much the better for us. You want your boots shine in the country, don't you, sir? Yes, to be sure. It wouldn't be nice to walk over the flowers with dirty boots, would it, sir? No, indeed. The Nanny would be better pleased to go, sir. If the flowers didn't like dirty boots to walk over them, Nanny wouldn't mind going to the country, is that it? I don't quite see it. No, sir, I didn't mean that. I meant, if you would take Jim with you to clean your boots and do odd jobs, you know, sir, the Nanny would like it better, she's so fond of Jim. Now you come to the point, Diamond. I see what you mean, exactly. I will turn it over in my mind. Could you bring Jim to see me? I'll try, sir, but they don't mind me much. They think I'm silly, added Diamond, with one of his sweetest smiles. But Mr. Raymond thought I dare hardly attempt to put down here. But one part of it was the highest wisdom must ever appear folly to those who do not possess it. I think he would come, though, after dark, you know, Diamond continued. He does well at shining boots. People's kind to lame boys, you know, sir. But after dark, there ain't so much doing. Diamond succeeded in bringing Jim to Mr. Raymond, and the consequence was that he resolved to give the boy a chance. He provided new clothes for both him and Nanny, and upon a certain day Joseph took his wife and three children and Nanny and Jim by train to a certain station in the country of Kent, where they found a cart waiting to carry them in their luggage to the mound, which was the name of Mr. Raymond's new residence. I will not describe the varied feelings of the party as they went, or when they arrived. All I will say is that Diamond, who is my only care, was full of quiet delight, a gladness too deep to talk about. Joseph returned to town the same night, and the next morning drove Ruby and Diamond down with a carriage behind them, and Mr. Raymond and the lady in the carriage. For Mr. Raymond was an old bachelor no longer. He was bringing his wife with him to live at the mound. The moment Nanny saw her, she recognized her as the lady who had lent her the Ruby ring. The ring had been given her by Mr. Raymond. The weather was very hot and the woods very shadowy. There were not a great many wildflowers, for it was getting well towards autumn, and the most of the wildflowers rise early to be before the leaves, because if they did not, they would never get a glimpse of the sun for them. So they have their fun over, and are ready to go to bed again by the time the trees are dressed. But there was plenty of the loveliest grass and daisies around the house, and Diamond's chief pleasure seemed to be to lie amongst them and breathe the pure air. But all the time he was dreaming of the country at the back of the north wind, and trying to recall the songs the river used to sing. For this was more like being at the back of the north wind than anything he had known since he left it. Sometimes he would have his little brother, sometimes his little sister, and sometimes both of them in the grass with him, and then he felt just like a cat with their first kittens, he said, only he couldn't purr. All he could do was to sing. These were very different times from those when he used to drive the cab, but you must not suppose that Diamond was idle. He did not do so much for his mother now, because nanny occupied his former place. But he helped his father still, both in the stable and the harness room, and generally went with him on the box that he might learn to drive a pair and be ready to open the carriage door. Mr. Raymond advised his father to give him plenty of liberty. A boy like that, he said, ought not to be pushed. Joseph assented heartily, smiling to himself with the idea of pushing Diamond. After doing everything that fell to his share, the boy had a wealth of time at his disposal, and a happy, sometimes a merry time it was. Only for two months or so, he neither saw nor heard anything of North Wind. End of Chapter 34. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by the Bookworm. At the back of the North Wind, by George MacDonald. Chapter 35, I make Diamonds acquaintance. Mr. Raymond's house was called the Mound because it stood upon a little steep knoll, so smooth and symmetrical that it showed itself at once to be artificial. It had, beyond doubt, been built for Queen Elizabeth as a hunting tower, a place namely from the top of which you could see the country for miles on all sides, and so be able to follow with your eyes the flying deer and the pursuing hounds and horsemen. The mound had been cast up to give a good basement advantage over the neighboring heights and woods. There was a great quarry-hole, not far off, brim full of water, from which, as a current legend stated, the materials forming the heart of the mound, a kind of stone unfit for building, have been dug. The house itself was a brick, and they said the foundations were first laid in the natural level, and then the stones and earth of the mound were heaped about and between them so that its great height should be well buttressed. Joseph and his wife lived in a little cottage a short way from the house. It was a real cottage with a roof of thick thatch which, in June and July, the wind sprinkled with the red and white petals that shook from the loose, topmost sprays of the rose-trees climbing the walls. At first, Diamond had a nest under this thatch, a pretty little room with white muslin curtains. But afterwards, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond wanted to have him for a page in the house, and his father and mother were quite pleased to have him employed without his leaving them. So he was dressed in a suit of blue from which his pale face and fair hair came out like the loveliest blossom and took up his abode in the house. Would he be afraid to sleep alone, Diamond? Asked his mistress. I don't know what you mean, ma'am, said Diamond. I never was afraid of anything that I can recollect, not much at least. There's a little room at the top of the house all alone, she returned. Perhaps you would not mind sleeping there? I can sleep anywhere, and I'd like best to be high up. Should I be able to see out? I will show you the place, she answered, and taking him by the hand, she led him up and up the oval winding stair in one of the two towers. Near the top, they entered a tiny little room with two windows from which you could see over the whole country. Diamond clapped his hands with delight. You would like this room, then, Diamond? Said his mistress. It's the grandest room in the house, he answered. I shall be near the stairs, and yet not far from the tops of the trees. That's just what I like. I daresay he thought also that it would be a nice place for North Wind to call it in passing, but he said nothing of that sort. Below him spread a lake of green leaves with glimpses of grass here and there at the bottom of it. As he looked down, he saw a squirrel appear suddenly, and a suddenly vanish amongst the topmost branches. Aha, little squirrel, he cried. My nest is built higher than yours. You can be up here with your books as much as you like, said his mistress. I will have a little bell hung at the door, which I can ring when I want you. Halfway down the stair is a drawing room. So Diamond was installed as page, and his new room got ready for him. It was very soon after this that I came to know Diamond. I was in a tutor and a family whose estate would join the little property belonging to the mound. I had made the acquaintance of Mr. Raymond in London some time before, and was walking up the drive towards the house to call upon him one fine warm evening when I saw Diamond for the first time. He was sitting at the foot of a great beech tree, a few yards from the road, with a book on his knees. He did not see me. I walked up behind the tree, and peeping over his shoulder saw that he was reading a fairy book. What are you reading? I said, and spoke suddenly, with the hope of seeing a startled little face look round at me. Diamond turned his head as quietly as if he were only obeying his mother's voice, and the calmness of his face rebuked my unkind desire and made me ashamed of it. I am reading the story of the little lady and the goblin prince, said Diamond. I am sorry I don't know the story, I returned. Who is it by? Mr. Raymond made it. Is he your uncle? I asked it to guess. No, he's my master. What do you do for him? I asked respectfully. Anything he wishes me to do, he answered. I am busy for him now. He gave me the story to read. He wants my opinion upon it. Don't you find it rather hard to make up your mind? Oh, dear, no. Any story always tells me itself what I'm to think about it. Mr. Raymond doesn't want me to say whether it is a clever story or not, but whether I like it and why I like it. I never can tell what they call clever from what they call silly, but I always know whether I like a story or not. And can you always tell why you like it or not? No, very often I can't at all. Sometimes I can. I always know, but I can't always tell why. Mr. Raymond writes the stories and then tries them on me. Mother does the same when she makes jam. She's made such a lot of jam since we came here and she always makes me taste it to see if it'll do. Mother knows by the face I make whether it will or not. At this moment I caught sight of two more children approaching. One was a handsome girl, the other a pale-faced, awkward-looking boy who limped much on one leg. I withdrew a little to see what would follow for they seemed in some consternation. After a few hurried words, they went off together and I pursued my way to the house where I was as kindly received by Mr. and Mrs. Raymond as I could have desired. From then I learned something of diamond and was in consequence the more glad to find him when I returned seated in the same place as before. What did the boy and girl want with you diamond? I asked. They had seen a creature that frightened them and they came to tell you about it. They couldn't get water out of the well for it so they wanted me to go with them. They're both bigger than you. Yes, but they were frightened at it. And weren't you frightened at it? No. Why? Because I'm silly. I've never frightened at things. I couldn't help thinking of the old meaning of the word silly. And what was it? I asked. I think it was a kind of an angel. A very little one. It had a long body and great wings which it drove about so fast that they grew a thin cloud all around it. It flew backwards and forwards over the well or hung right in the middle making a mist of its wings as if its business was to take care of the water. And what did you do to drive it away? I didn't drive it away. I knew whatever the creature was. The well was to get water out of. So I took the jug, dipped it in and drew the water. And what did the creature do? Flew about. And it didn't hurt you? No, why should it? I wasn't doing anything wrong. What did your companion say then? They said, thank you, Diamond. What a dear silly you are. And weren't you angry with them? No, why should I? I should like if they would play with me a little but they always like better to go away together when their work is over. They never heed me. I don't mind it much though. The other creatures are friendly. They don't run away from me. Only, they're all so busy with their own work they don't mind me much. Do you feel lonely then? Oh no, when nobody minds me I get into my nest and look up and then the sky does mind me and thinks about me. Where is your nest? He rose saying, I will show you and let me to the other side of the tree. There hung a little rope ladder from one of the lower boughs. The boy climbed up the ladder and got upon the bow. Then he climbed farther into the leafy branches and went out of sight. After a little while, I heard his voice coming down out of the tree. I'm in my nest now to the voice. I can't see you, I returned. I can't see you either but I can see the first star peeping out of the sky. I should like to get up into the sky. Do you think I shall someday? Yes, I do. Tell me what more you see up there. I don't see anything more except a few leaves in the big sky over me. He goes swinging about. The earth is all behind my back. There comes another star. The wind is like kisses from a big lady. When I get up here, I feel as if I were in Northwind's arms. This is the first I heard of Northwind. The whole ways and look of the child so full of quiet wisdom yet so ready to accept the judgment of others in his own dispraise took hold of my heart and I felt myself wonderfully drawn towards him. It seemed to me somehow as if little Diamond possessed a secret of life and was himself what he was so ready to think the lowest living thing, an angel of God with something special to say or do. A gush of reverence came over me and with a single good night I turned and left him in his nest. I saw him often after this and gained so much of his confidence that he told me all I have told you. I cannot pretend to account for it. I leave that for each philosophical reader to do after his own fashion. The easiest way is that of Nanny and Jim who sit often to each other that Diamond hit a tile loose. But Mr. Raymond was much of my opinion concerning the boy. While Mrs. Raymond confessed that she often rang her bell just to have once more the pleasure of seeing the lovely stillness of the boy's face with his blue eyes which seemed rather made for other people to look into than from self to look out of. It was plainer to others than to himself that he felt the desertion of Nanny and Jim. They appeared to regard him as a mere toy except when they found he could minister to the scruple of using him, generally with success. They were, however, well behaved to a wonderful degree. While I have little doubt that much of their good behavior was owing to the unconscious influence of the boy, they called God's baby. One very strange thing is that I could never find out where he got some of his many songs. At times they would be but bubbles blown out of a nursery rhyme, as was the following, which I heard him sing one evening to his little dulcimer. There was about a score of sheep feeding in a paddock near him. Their white wool died a pale rose in the light of the setting sun. Those in the long shadows from the trees were dead white. Those in the sunlight were half glorified with pale rose. Little Bo Peep, she lost her sheep and didn't know where to find them. They were over the height and out of sight, trailing their tails behind them. Little Bo Peep woke out of her sleep, jumped up and set out to find them. The sleet things, they've got no wings and they've left their tails behind them. They've taken their tails but they've left their trails and so I shall follow and find them. For wherever a tail has dragged a trail, a long grass grew behind them. The day's eyes and butter, cups, cows, lips and crows, feet were glittering in the sun. She threw down her book and caught up her crook and after her sheep did run. She ran and she ran and ever as she ran, the grass grew higher and higher. Till over the hill the sun began to set in a flame of fire. She ran on still up the grassy hill and the grass grew higher and higher. When she reached its crown the sun was down and left a trail of fire. The sheep and the tails were gone, all gone and no more tail behind them. Yes, yes, they were their long tailed and fair but alas she could not find them. Purple and gold and rosy and blue were their tails all white behind them. Her sheep they did run in the trail of the sun. She saw them but could not find them. After the sun, like clouds, they did run and she knew they were her sheep. She sat down to cry and look up at the sky and she cried her soul for sleep. And as she slept the dew fell fast and the wind blew from the sky and strange things took place that shunned the day's face because they are sweet and shy. Nibble, nibble, cropped, she heard as she woke a hundred little lambs. Did pluck and eat the grass so sweet that it grew in the trills of their dams. Little though peep caught up her crook and wiped the tears that had blinded her. And nibble, nibble, cropped without a stop the lambs came eating behind her. Home, home, she came both tired and lame with three times as many sheep. In a month or more they'll be as big as before and then she'll laugh in her sleep. But what would you say if one fine day when you've got their busiest tails their grown up game should be just the same and she have to follow their trails. Never weep, oh peep, though you lose your sheep and do not know where to find them. Just after the sun the mothers have run and there's all their lambs behind them. I confess again to having touched up a little but it loses far more on Diamond's sweet voice singing it and it gains by a rhyme here and there. Some of them were out of books Mr. Raymond had given him. These he always knew but about the others he could seldom tell. Sometimes he would say I made that one but generally he would say I don't know I found it somewhere or I got it at the back of the north wind. One evening I found him sitting on the grassy slope under the house with his dulcimer in his arms and his little brother rolling on the grass beside them. He was chanting in his usual way more like the sound of a brook than anything else I can think of. When I went up to them he seized his chant. Do go on Diamond don't mind me I said. He began again at once while he's saying Nanny and Jim sat a little way off one hemming a pocket handkerchief and the other reading a story to her but they never heeded Diamond. This is as near what he's saying as I can recollect or reproduce rather. What would you see if I took you up to my little nest in the air you would see the sky like a clear blue cup turn upside down with them What would you do if I took you there to my little nest in the tree my child with cries would trouble the air to get what she could but see What would you get in the top of the tree for all your crying and grief not a star would you clutch of all you see you could only gather a leaf but when you had lost your greedy grief content to see from afar you would find in your hand a withering leaf in your heart a shining star As Diamond went on singing it grew very dark and just as he seized there came a great flash of lightning that blinded us all for a moment dull some more crowed with pleasure but when the roar of thunder came after it the little boy gave a loud cry of terror Nanny and Jim came running up to us pale with fear Diamond's face too was paler than usual both delight some of the glory seemed to have clung to it and remained shining You are not frightened are you Diamond? I said No, why should I be? he answered with his usual question looking up in my face with calm shining eyes He ain't got sense to be frightened said Nanny going up to him and giving him a pitting hug Perhaps there's more sense in not being frightened Nanny I returned Do you think the lightning can do as it likes? It might kill you said Jim Oh no it mightn't it's a Diamond As he spoke there came another great flash and a tearing crack There's a tree stuck I said and when we looked around after the blinding of the flash it left our eyes we saw a huge bow with a beech tree in which was Diamond's nest hanging to the ground like the broken wing of a bird There cried Nanny I told you so if you had been up there you see what would have happened you little silly No I don't said Diamond All I could hear of the song for the other children were going on with their chatter was The clock struck one and the mouse came down Dickery Dickery Dock Then there came a blast of wind and the rain followed in straight pouring lines as if out of a watering pot Diamond jumped up with his little dulcimar in his arms and Nanny caught up the little boy and they ran for the cottage Jim vanished with a double shuffle and I went into the house When I came out again to return home the clouds were gone and the evening sky glimmered through the trees blue and pale green towards the west I turned my steps a little aside to look at the stricken beach I saw the bow torn from the stem and that was all the twilight would allow me to see While I stood gazing down from the sky came a sound of singing But the voice was neither of lark nor of nightingale It was sweeter than either It was the voice of Diamond up in his airy nest The lightning and thunder they go when they come But the stars and the stillness are always at home And then the voice ceased Good night Diamond I said Good night sir, answered Diamond As I walked away pondering I saw the gray black top of the beach swaying about against the sky in an upper wind and heard the murmur as of many dim half-articulate voices filling the solitude around Diamond's nest End of chapter 35 At the back of the North Wind by George MacDowald Chapter 36 My readers will not wonder that after this I did my very best to gain the friendship with Diamond Nor did I find this at all difficult The child was so ready to trust Upon one subject alone was he reticent The story of his relations with North Wind I fancy he could not quite make up his mind What to think of him At all events it was some little time Before he trusted me with this Only then he told me everything If I could not regard it all in exactly the same light as he did I was, while guiltless of the least pretense, fully sympathetic And he was satisfied with that demanding of me Any theory of difficult points involved I let him see plainly enough That whatever might be the explanation of the marvelous experience I would have given much for a similar one myself On an evening, soon after the thunderstorm In a late twilight, with a half moon high in the heavens I came upon Diamond in the act of climbing By his little ladder into the beach tree What are you always going up there for, Diamond? I heard Nanny ask, rather rudely I thought Sometimes for one thing, sometimes for another, Nanny Answered Diamond, looking skyward as he climbed You'll break your neck someday, she said I'm going up to look at the moon tonight, he added Without heeding her a mark You'll see the moon just as well from down here, she returned I don't think so You'll be no nearer to her up there Oh yes, I shall I must be nearer to her, you know I wish I could dream as pretty dreams about her as you can, Nanny You silly, you never have done about their dream I'll never dream but that one And it was nonsense enough on share It wasn't nonsense, it was a beautiful dream And a funny one too, both in one But what's the good of talking about it in that way When you know it was only a dream? Dreams ain't true That one was true, Nanny You know it was true Didn't you come to grief for doing what you were told not to do And isn't that true Or can't get any sense into them? Exclaimed Nanny, with an expression of mild despair Do you really believe, Diamond, that there's a house in the moon With a beautiful lady and a crooked old man and dusters in it? If there isn't, there's something better, he answered And vanished in the leaves over our heads I went into the house where I visited often in the evenings When I came out, there was a little wind blowing Very pleasant after the heat of the day For although it was late summer now, it was still hot The treetops were swinging about in it I took my way past the beach And called up to see if Diamond was still in his nest in its rocking head Are you there, Diamond? I said Yes, sir, came his clear voice and reply Isn't it growing too dark for you to get down safely? Oh no, sir, if I take time to it I know my way so well and never let go with one hand Till I have a good hold with the other Do be careful, I insisted Foolishly, seeing the boy was as careful as he could be already I'm coming, he returned I've got all the moon I want tonight I heard a rustling and a rustling drawing nearer and nearer Three or four minutes elapsed And he appeared at length creeping down his little ladder I took him in my arms and set him on the ground Thank you, sir, he said That's a north wind blowing, isn't it, sir? I can't tell, I answered It feels cool and kind and I think it may be But I couldn't be sure except it was stronger For a gentle wind might turn any way amongst the trunks of the trees I shall know when I get up to my own room, said Diamond I think I hear my mistress' bell Good night, sir He ran to the house and I went home His mistress had wronged for him only to send him to bed For she was very careful over him And I dare say thought he was not looking well When he reached his own room he opened both his windows One of which looked to the north and the other to the east To find how the wind blew It blew right in at the northern window Diamond was very glad For he thought perhaps north wind herself would come now A real north wind had never blown all the time since he left London But if she always came of herself and never when he was looking for her And indeed almost never when he was thinking of her He shut the east window and went to bed Perhaps some of my readers may wonder that he could go to sleep With such an expectation And indeed if I had not known him I should have wondered at it myself But it was one of his peculiarities and seemed nothing strange in him He was so full of quietness that he could go to sleep almost any time If only he composed himself and let the sleep come This time he went fast to sleep as usual But when he woke in the dim blue night The moon had vanished He thought he heard a knocking at his door Somebody wants me, he said to himself And jumping out of bed ran to open it But there was no one there He closed it again and the noise still continuing Found that another door in the room was rattling It belonged to a closet, he thought But he had never been able to open it The wind blowing in at the window must be shaking it He will go and see if it was so The door now opened quite easily but to a surprise Instead of a closet he found a long narrow room The moon which was sinking in the west Shown in in an open window at the farther end The room was low with a coved ceiling And occupied the whole top of the house Immediately under the roof It was quite empty The yellow light of the half moon streamed over the dark floor He was so delighted at the discovery of the strange Desolate moonlit place close to his own snuff little room That he began to dance and skip about the floor The wind came in through the door he had left open And blew about him as he danced And he kept turning towards it that it might blow in his face He kept picturing to himself the many places Lovely and desolate The hillsides and farmyards and treetops and meadows Over which it had flown on its way to the mount As he danced he grew more and more delighted with the motion and the wind His feet grew stronger, his body lighter Until it linked that seemed as if he were born up on the air And could almost fly So strong did this feeling become That at last he began to doubt whether he was not in one of those Precious dreams he had so often had In which he floated about on the air at will But something made him look up And to his unspeakable delight He found his uplifted hands lying in those of North Wind Who was dancing with him round and round the long bare room Her hair now falling to the floor now filling the arch ceiling Her eyes shining on him like thinking stars And the sweetest of grand smiles playing Breezily about her beautiful mouth She was, as so often before, of the height of a rather tall lady She did not stoop in order to dance with him But held his hands high in hers When he saw her he gave one spring And his arms were about her neck And her arms holding him to her bosom The same moment she swept with him through the open window In at which the moon was shining Making a circuit like a bird about to alight And settled with him in the nest on the top of the great beach tree There she placed him on her lap And began to hush him as if he were her own baby And Diamond was so entirely happy That he did not care to speak a word At length, however, he found that he was going to sleep And that would be to lose so much The pleasant as it was he could not consent Please, dear North Wind, he said I'm so happy that I'm afraid it's a dream How am I to know that it's not a dream? What does it matter? Returned North Wind I should cry, said Diamond But why should you cry? The dream, if it is a dream, is a pleasant one, is it not? That's just why I want it to be true Have you forgotten what you said to Nanny about her dream? It's not for the dream itself, I mean It's not for the pleasure of it, answered Diamond For I have that whether it be a dream or not It's for you, North Wind I can't bear to find it a dream Because then I should lose you You'd be nobody then, and I could not bear that You ain't a dream, are you, dear North Wind? Do say no else I shall cry Come awake, and you'll be gone forever I dare and dream about you once again If you ain't nobody It may be a dream, and there's something better That's not a dream, Diamond, said North Wind And a rather sorrowful tone, he thought But it's not something better It's you I want, North Wind, he persisted Already beginning to cry a little She made no answer, but rose with him in her arms And sailed away over the treetops Till they came to a meadow Where a flock of sheep was feeding Do you remember what the song you were singing a week ago Says about Bo Peep? How she lost her sheep, but got twice as many lands Asked North Wind, sitting down on the grass And placing him in the lap as before Oh yes I do, well enough, answered Diamond But I never just quite liked that rhyme Why not, child? Because it seems to me to say that Wands as good as another Are two new ones are better than one that's lost I've been thinking about it a great deal And it seems to me that although Any one's six pence is as good as any other six pence Now twenty lambs are due Instead of one sheep whose face you knew Somehow, when once you've looked into anybody's eyes Right deep down into them, I mean Nobody will do for that one anymore Nobody ever so beautiful is so good Will make up for that one thing going out of sight So you see North Wind, I can't help being frightened To think that perhaps I am only dreaming And you are nowhere at all Do tell me that you are my own real beautiful North Wind Again she rose and shot herself into the air As if uneasy because she could not answer him And Diamond lay quiet in her arms Waiting for what she would say He tried to see up into her face For he was dreadfully afraid she was not answering him Because she could not say that she was not a dream But she had let her hair fall all over her face So that he could not see it This frightened him still more Do speak North Wind, he said at last And never speak when I have nothing to say, she replied Then I do think you must be a real North Wind and no dream Said Diamond But I'm looking for something to say all the time But I don't want you to say what's hard to find If you were to say one word to comfort me that wasn't true Then I should know you must be a dream For a great beautiful lady like you could never tell a lie But she might not know what to say what she had to say So that a little boy like you would understand it Said North Wind Here, let us get down again And I will try to tell you what I think You mustn't suppose I'm able to answer all your questions so There are a great many things I did not understand more than you do She descended on a grassy hillock In the midst of a wild fursy common There was a rabbit warren underneath And some of the rabbits came out of their holes In the moonlight looking very sober and wise Just like patriarchs standing in their tint doors And looking about them before going to bed When they saw North Wind Instead of turning around and vanishing again With the thump of their heels They cantered slowly up to her And stuffled all about her with their long upper lips Which moved every way at once That was their way of kissing her And as she talked to Diamond She would every now and then stroke down their furry backs Or lift and play with their long ears They would, Diamond thought Have leaped upon her lap, but that he was there already I think, said she After they had been sitting silent for a while That if I were only a dream You would not have been able to love me so You love me when you are not with me, don't you? Indeed I do, answered Diamond Stroking her hand I see, I see How could I be able to love you as I do If you weren't there at all, you know Besides, I couldn't be able to dream anything Half so beautiful, howled out of my own head Or if I did, I couldn't love a fancy of my own head like that Could I? I think not You might have loved me in a dream Dreamily and forgotten me when you walk I dare say But not love me like a real thing as you love me Even then, I don't think you could dream anything That hadn't something that you like it somewhere But you've seen me in many shapes, Diamond You remember I was a wolf once, don't you? Oh yes, a good wolf that frontered a naughty drunken nurse Well, suppose I weren't a town ugly Would you rather I weren't a dream then? Yes, for I should know that you were beautiful inside all the same You would love me and I should love you all the same I shouldn't like you to look ugly, you know But I shouldn't believe it a bit Not if you saw it Not if I saw it ever so plain There's me, Diamond I will tell you all I know about it then I don't think I am just what you fancy me to be I have to shape myself various ways to various people But the heart of me is true People call me by dreadful names I think they know all about me But they don't Sometimes they call me bad fortune Sometimes evil chance Sometimes ruin And they have another name for me Which they think the most dreadful of all What is that? That's Diamond Smiling up in her face I will not tell you that name Do you remember having to go through me To get into the country at my back? Oh yes, I do How cold you were, North Wind And so white All but your lovely eyes My heart grew like a lump of ice And then I forgot for a while You were very near knowing what they call me then Would you be afraid of me If you had to go through me again? No, why should I? Indeed, I should be glad enough If it was only to get another peep Of the country at your back You've never seen it yet Haven't I, North Wind? Oh, I'm so sorry I thought I had What did I see then? Only a picture of it The real country at my real back Is ever so much more beautiful than that You should see it one day Perhaps before very long Do they sing songs there? Do you not remember the dream you had About the little boys that dug for stars? Yes, I do I thought you must have had something to do with that dream It was so beautiful Yes, I gave you that dream Oh, thank you Did you give Nanny her dream too About the moon and the bees? Yes, I was a lady that sat at the window of the moon Oh, thank you I was almost sure you had something to do with that too And did you tell Mr. Raymond the story about the Princess Daylight? I believe I had something to do with it At all events, he thought about it one night when he couldn't sleep But I want to ask you whether you remember the song The boy angels sang in that dream of yours No, I couldn't keep it Do what I would and I did try That was my fault How could that be, North Wind? Because I didn't know it properly myself And so I couldn't teach it to you I could only make a rough guess at something like what it would be And so I wasn't able to make you dream it hard enough to remember it No would I have done so if I could For it was not correct I made you dream pictures of it though But you will hear the very song itself when you do get to the back of My own dear North Wind Said Diamond, finishing the sentence for her And kissing the arm that held him leaning against her And now we've settled all this, for the time at least Said North Wind But I can't quite feel sure yet, said Diamond You must wait a while for that Meantime you may be hopeful And content not to be quite sure Come now, I will take you home again For it won't do to tire you too much Oh, no, no I'm not the least tired, pleaded Diamond It is better though Very well, if you wish it Yield a diamond with a sigh You are a very dear boy, said North Wind I will come for you again tomorrow night And take you out for a longer time We shall make a little journey together, in fact We shall start earlier, and as the moon will be later We shall have a little moonlight all the way She rose and swept over the meadow and trees In a few moments the mound appeared below them She sank a little and floated in at the window of Diamond's room There she laid him on his bed, covered him over And in a moment he was left in a dreamless sleep End of Chapter 36 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information of the volunteer Please visit LibriVox.org At the back of the North Wind by George MacDowald Chapter 37 Once More The next diamond was seated by his open window With his head on his hand rather tired But so eagerly waiting for the promised visit That he was afraid he could not sleep He started suddenly and found that he had been already asleep He rose and looking out the window Saw something white against his beech tree It was North Wind She was holding by one hand a top branch Her hair and her garments went floating away behind her Over the tree, whose top was swaying about While the others were still Are you ready Diamond? She asked Yes, answered Diamond, quite ready In a moment she was out the window And her arms came in and took him She sailed away so swiftly That he could at first mark nothing but the speed With which the clouds above and the dim earth below Went rushing past But soon he began to see that the sky was very lovely With mottled clouds all about the moon On which she threw faint colors Like those of mother of pearl or an opal The night was warm And in the lady's arms he did not feel the wind Which down below was making waves in the right corner And ripples on the rivers and lakes At a link, they descended on the side of an open earthy hill Just where from beneath a stone A spring came bubbling out I'm going to take you along this little brook, said North Wind I'm not wanted for anything else tonight So I can give you a cheat She stooped over the stream And holding Diamond down close to the surface of it Glided along level with its flow as it ran down the hill And the song of the brook came up into Diamond's ears And grew and grew and changed with every turn It seemed to Diamond to be singing the story of its life to him And so it was It began with a musical tinkle which changed to a babble Then into a gentle rushing Sometimes its song would almost cease And then break out again Tinkle, babble and rush all at once At the bottom of the hill, they came to a small river Into which the brook flowed with a muffled but merry sound Along the surface of the river Darkly clear below them in the moonlight, they floated Now, when it widened out into a little lake They would hover for a moment over a bed of water lilies And watch them swing about, folded and sleep As the water on which they leaned Swayed in the presence of North Wind And now they would watch the fishes To sleep among their roots below Sometimes she would hold Diamond over a deep hollow Curving into the bank That he might look far into the cool stillness Sometimes she would leave the river And sweep across a clover field The bees were all at home And the clover was asleep Then she would return and follow the river It grew wider and wider as it went Now the armies of wheat and oats Would hang over its rush from the opposite banks Now the willows would dip below branches in its still waters And now it would lead them through stately trees In grassy banks Into a lovely garden Where the roses and lilies were asleep The tender flowers quite folded up And only a few wide awake And sending out their life in sweet strong odours Wider and wider grew the stream Until they came upon boats lying along its banks Which wracked a little in the flutter of North Wind's garments Then came houses on the banks Each standing in a lovely lawn with grand trees And in parts the river was so high That some of the grass and roots of some of the trees Were under water And Diamond As they glided through between the stems Could see the grass at the bottom of the water Then they would leave the river and float about And over the houses one after another Beautiful rich houses Which like fine trees had taken centuries to grow They were scarcely alike to be seen And not a movement to be heard All the people in them lay fast asleep What a lot of dreams they must be dreaming Said Diamond Yes, said North Wind They can't surely be our lives, can they? I should think it depends a little on who dreams them Suggested Diamond Yes, said North Wind The people who think lies and do lies are very likely to dream lies But the people who love what is true Will sure now and then dream true things But then something depends on whether the dreams are homegrown Or whether the seed of them is blown over As somebody else's garden wall Ah, there's someone awake in this house They were floating past a window in which a light was burning Diamond heard a moan and looked up anxiously in North Wind's face It's a lady, said North Wind She can't sleep for pain Could you do something for her? Said Diamond No, I cannot, but you could What could I do? Sing a little song to her She wouldn't hear me I would take you in and then she will hear you But that would be rude, wouldn't it? You can go while you please, of course But I shall have no business in her room You may trust me, Diamond I shall take as good care of the lady as you The window was open camp By a shade of lamp, a lady was seated in a white wrapper Trying to read but moaning every minute North Wind floated behind her chair Said Diamond down and told him to sing something He was a little frightened, but he thought a while and then sang The sun has gone down, the moon's in the sky But the sun will come up and the moon be laid by The flowers asleep, but it is not dead When the morning shines, it will lift its head When winter comes, it will die, no, no It will only hide from the frost and the snow Sure as the summer, sure as the sun The night and the winter are shadows that run The lady never lifted her eyes from her book Or her head from her hand As soon as Diamond had finished, North Wind lifted him And carried him away Didn't the lady hear me, asked Diamond When there were once more floating down at the river Ah yes, she heard you, answered North Wind Was she frightened then? Oh no, why didn't she look to see who it was? She didn't know you were there How could she hear me then? She didn't hear you with her ears What did she hear me with? With her heart Where do you think the words came from? She thought they came out of the book she was reading She will search all through it tomorrow to find them And won't be able to understand it at all Oh what fun, said Diamond What will she do? I can tell you what she'll want to She'll never forget the meaning of them And she'll never be able to remember the words of them As she sees them in Mr. Raymond's books It will puzzle her, won't it? Yes, I will She'll never be able to understand it Until she gets to the back of the North Wind, suggested Diamond Until she gets to the back of the North Wind, said to the lady Oh, cried Diamond I know now where we are Oh, do let me go into the old garden and into Mother's room And Diamond's stall I wonder if the hole is at the back of my bed still I should like to stay there all the rest of the night It won't take you long to get home from here, will it, North Wind? No, she answered You should stay as long as you like Oh, how jolly, cried Diamond As North Wind sailed over the house with him And set him down on the lawn at the back Diamond ran about the lawn for a little while in the moonlight He found part of it cut up into flower beds And a little summer house with a colored glass And the gray deltry gone He did not like this and ran into the stable There were no horses there at all He ran upstairs The rooms were empty The only thing left that he cared about was the hole in the wall Where his little bed had stood And that was not enough to make him wish to stop He ran down the stair again and out upon the lawn There he threw himself down and began to cry It was all so dreary and lost I thought I liked the place so much said Diamond to himself But I found I don't care about it I suppose it's only the people in it that make you like a place And now when they're gone it's dead And you don't care a bit about it North Wind told me I might stop as long as I liked And I've stopped longer already North Wind, he cried aloud, turning his face towards the sky The moon was under a cloud and all was looking dull and dismal The stars shot from the sky and fell on the grass beside him The moment it lighted they stood North Wind Oh cried Diamond joyfully Were you the shooting star? Yes my child Did you hear me call then? Yes So high up as that Yes I heard you quite well Do take me home Had you had enough of your old home already? Yes more than enough It isn't a home at all now I thought that would be it said North Wind Everything dreamin' and all has got a soul in it Or else it's worth nothing And we don't care a bit about it Some of our thoughts are worth nothing Because I've got no soul in them The brain puts them in the mind And let the mind into the brain But how can you know about that North Wind? You haven't got a body If I hadn't you wouldn't know anything about me No creature can know another without the help of a body But I don't care to talk about it It's time for you to go home So saying North Wind lifted Diamond and bore him away End of chapter 37