at the back of the north wind- 第41部分

CHAPTER　XXIX



RUBY





THE　children　were　delighted　with　the　story；　and　made　many　amusing

remarks　upon　it。　　Mr。　Raymond　promised　to　search　his　brain　for　another；

and　when　he　had　found　one　to　bring　it　to　them。　　Diamond　having

taken　leave　of　Nanny；　and　promised　to　go　and　see　her　again　soon；

went　away　with　him。



Now　Mr。　Raymond　had　been　turning　over　in　his　mind　what　he　could　do　both

for　Diamond　and　for　Nanny。　　He　had　therefore　made　some　acquaintance

with　Diamond's　father；　and　had　been　greatly　pleased　with　him。　

But　he　had　come　to　the　resolution；　before　he　did　anything　so　good

as　he　would　like　to　do　for　them；　to　put　them　all　to　a　certain　test。　

So　as　they　walked　away　together；　he　began　to　talk　with　Diamond

as　follows：



〃Nanny　must　leave　the　hospital　soon；　Diamond。〃



〃I'm　glad　of　that；　sir。〃



〃Why？　　Don't　you　think　it's　a　nice　place？〃



〃Yes；　very。　　But　it's　better　to　be　well　and　doing　something；　you　know；

even　if　it's　not　quite　so　comfortable。〃



〃But　they　can't　keep　Nanny　so　long　as　they　would　like。　　They　can't

keep　her　till　she's　quite　strong。　　There　are　always　so　many　sick

children　they　want　to　take　in　and　make　better。　　And　the　question　is；

What　will　she　do　when　they　send　her　out　again？〃



〃That's　just　what　I　can't　tell；　though　I've　been　thinking　of　it

over　and　over；　sir。　　Her　crossing　was　taken　long　ago；　and　I　couldn't

bear　to　see　Nanny　fighting　for　it；　especially　with　such　a　poor

fellow　as　has　taken　it。　　He's　quite　lame；　sir。〃



〃She　doesn't　look　much　like　fighting；　now；　does　she；　Diamond？〃



〃No；　sir。　　She　looks　too　like　an　angel。　　Angels　don't　fight

do　they；　sir？〃



〃Not　to　get　things　for　themselves；　at　least；〃　said　Mr。　Raymond。



〃Besides；〃　added　Diamond；　〃I　don't　quite　see　that　she　would　have

any　better　right　to　the　crossing　than　the　boy　who　has　got　it。　

Nobody　gave　it　to　her；　she　only　took　it。　　And　now　he　has　taken　it。〃



〃If　she　were　to　sweep　a　crossingsoon　at　leastafter　the　illness

she　has　had；　she　would　be　laid　up　again　the　very　first　wet　day；〃

said　Mr。　Raymond。



〃And　there's　hardly　any　money　to　be　got　except　on　the　wet　days；〃

remarked　Diamond　reflectively。　　〃Is　there　nothing　else　she

could　do；　sir？〃



〃Not　without　being　taught；　I'm　afraid。〃



〃Well；　couldn't　somebody　teach　her　something？〃



〃Couldn't　you　teach　her；　Diamond？〃



〃I　don't　know　anything　myself；　sir。　　I　could　teach　her　to　dress　the；

baby；　but　nobody　would　give　her　anything　for　doing　things　like　that：　

they　are　so　easy。　　There　wouldn't　be　much　good　in　teaching

her　to　drive　a　cab；　for　where　would　she　get　the　cab　to　drive？　

There　ain't　fathers　and　old　Diamonds　everywhere。　　At　least　poor

Nanny　can't　find　any　of　them；　I　doubt。〃



〃Perhaps　if　she　were　taught　to　be　nice　and　clean；　and　only　speak

gentle　words〃



〃Mother　could　teach　her　that；〃　interrupted　Diamond。



〃And　to　dress　babies；　and　feed　them；　and　take　care　of　them；〃

Mr。　Raymond　proceeded；　〃she　might　get　a　place　as　a　nurse　somewhere；

you　know。　　People　do　give　money　for　that。〃



〃Then　I'll　ask　mother；〃　said　Diamond。



〃But　you'll　have　to　give　her　her　food　then；　and　your　father；

not　being　strong；　has　enough　to　do　already　without　that。〃



〃But　here's　me；〃　said　Diamond：　　〃I　help　him　out　with　it。　　When　he's　tired

of　driving；　up　I　get。　　It　don't　make　any　difference　to　old　Diamond。　

I　don't　mean　he　likes　me　as　well　as　my　fatherof　course　he　can't；

you　knownobody　could；　but　he　does　his　duty　all　the　same。　

It's　got　to　be　done；　you　know；　sir；　and　Diamond's　a　good　horse

isn't　he；　sir？〃



〃From　your　description　I　should　say　certainly；　but　I　have　not

the　pleasure　of　his　acquaintance　myself。〃



〃Don't　you　think　he　will　go　to　heaven；　sir？〃



〃That　I　don't　know　anything　about；〃　said　Mr。　Raymond。　　〃I　confess

I　should　be　glad　to　think　so；〃　he　added；　smiling　thoughtfully。



〃I'm　sure　he'll　get　to　the　back　of　the　north　wind；　anyhow；〃

said　Diamond　to　himself；　but　he　had　learned　to　be　very　careful

of　saying　such　things　aloud。



〃Isn't　it　rather　too　much　for　him　to　go　in　the　cab　all　day

and　every　day？〃　resumed　Mr。　Raymond。



〃So　father　says；　when　he　feels　his　ribs　of　a　morning。　　But　then　he

says　the　old　horse　do　eat　well；　and　the　moment　he's　had　his　supper；

down　he　goes；　and　never　gets　up　till　he's　called；　and；　for　the　legs

of　him；　father　says　that　makes　no　end　of　a　differ。　　Some　horses；　sir！　they

won't　lie　down　all　night　long；　but　go　to　sleep　on　their　four　pins；

like　a　haystack；　father　says。　　I　think　it's　very　stupid　of　them；

and　so　does　old　Diamond。　　But　then　I　suppose　they　don't　know　better；

and　so　they　can't　help　it。　　We　mustn't　be　too　hard　upon　them；

father　says。〃



〃Your　father　must　be　a　good　man；　Diamond。〃　　Diamond　looked　up

in　Mr。　Raymond's　face；　wondering　what　he　could　mean。



〃I　said　your　father　must　be　a　good　man；　Diamond。〃



〃Of　course；〃　said　Diamond。　　〃How　could　he　drive　a　cab　if　he　wasn't？〃



〃There　are　some　men　who　drive　cabs　who　are　not　very　good；〃

objected　Mr。　Raymond。



Diamond　remembered　the　drunken　cabman；　and　saw　that　his　friend

was　right。



〃Ah；　but；〃　he　returned；　〃he　must　be；　you　know；　with　such　a　horse

as　old　Diamond。〃



〃That　does　make　a　difference；〃　said　Mr。　Raymond。　　〃But　it　is　quite

enough　that　he　is　a　good　man　without　our　trying　to　account　for　it。　

Now；　if　you　like；　I　will　give　you　a　proof　that　I　think　him　a　good　man。　

I　am　going　away　on　the　Continent　for　a　whilefor　three　months；

I　believeand　I　am　going　to　let　my　house　to　a　gentleman　who　does

not　want　the　use　of　my　brougham。　　My　horse　is　nearly　as　old；　I　fancy；

as　your　Diamond；　but　I　don't　want　to　part　with　him；　and　I　don't

want　him　to　be　idle；　for　nobody；　as　you　say；　ought　to　be　idle；

but　neither　do　I　want　him　to　be　worked　very　hard。　　Now；　it　has　come

into　my　head　that　perhaps　your　father　would　take　charge　of　him；

and　work　him　under　certain　conditions。〃



〃My　father　will　do　what's　right；〃　said　Diamond。　　〃I'm　sure　of　that。〃



〃Well；　so　I　think。　　Will　you　ask　him　when　he　comes　home　to　call

and　have　a　little　chat　with　meto…day；　some　time？〃



〃He　must　have　his　dinner　first；〃　said　Diamond。　　〃No；　he's　got

his　dinner　with　him　to…day。　It　must　be　after　he's　had　his　tea。〃



〃Of　course；　of　course。　　Any　time　will　do。　　I　shall　be　at　home

all　day。〃



〃Very　well；　sir。　　I　will　tell　him。　　You　may　be　sure　he　will　come。　

My　father　thinks　you　a　very　kind　gentleman；　and　I　know　he　is　right；

for　I　know　your　very　own　self；　sir。〃



Mr。　Raymond　smiled；　and　as　they　had　now　reached　his　door；

they　parted；　and　Diamond　went　home。　　As　soon　as　his　father　entered

the　house；　Diamond　gave　him　Mr。　Raymond's　message；　and　recounted

the　conversation　that　had　preceded　it。　　His　father　said　little；

but　took　thought…sauce　to　his　bread　and　butter；　and　as　soon　as　he

had　finished　his　meal；　rose；　saying：



〃I　will　go　to　your　friend　directly；　Diamond。　　It　would　be　a　grand　thing

to　get　a　little　more　money。　　We　do　want　it。〃　　Diamond　accompanied

his　father　to　Mr。　Raymond's　door；　and　there　left　him。



He　was　shown　at　once　into　Mr。　Raymond's　study；　where　he　gazed　with

some　wonder　at　the　multitude　of　books　on　the　walls；　and　thought

what　a　learned　man　Mr。　Raymond　must　be。



Presently　Mr。　Raymond　entered；　and　after　saying　much　the　same

about　his　old　horse；　made　the　following　distinct　proposal

one　not　over…advantageous　to　Diamond's　father；　but　for　which　he

had　reasonsnamely；　that　Joseph　should　have　the　use　of　Mr。　Raymond's

horse　while　he　was　away；　on　condition　that　he　never　worked　him

more　than　six　hours　a　day；　and　fed　him　well；　and　that；　besides；

he　should　take　Nanny　home　as　soon　as　she　was　able　to　leave

the　hospital；　and　provide　for　her　as　one　of　his　own　children；

neither　better　nor　worseso　long；　that　is；　as　he　had　the　horse。



Diamond's　father　could　not　help　thinking　it　a　pretty　close　bargain。　

He　should　have　both　the　girl　and　the　horse　to　feed；　and　only　six　hours'

work　out　of　the　horse。



〃It　will　save　your　own　horse；〃　said　Mr。　Raymond。



〃That　is　true；〃　answered　Joseph；　〃but　all　I　can　get　by　my　own　horse

is　only　enough　to　keep　us；　and　if　I　save　him　and　feed　your　horse

and　the　girldon't　you　see；　sir？〃



〃Well；　you　can　go　home　and　think　about　it；　and　let　me　know

by　the　end　of　the　week。　　I　am　in　no　hurry　before　then。〃



So　Joseph　went　home　and　recounted　the　proposal　to　his　wife；

adding　that　he　did　not　think　there　was　much　advantage　to　be　got

out　of　it。



〃Not　much　that　way；　husband；〃　said　Diamond's　mother；　〃but　there

would　be　an　advantage；　and　what　matter　who　gets　it！〃



〃I　don't　see　it；〃　answered　her　husband。　　〃Mr。　Raymond　is　a　gentleman

of　property；　and　I　don't　discover　any　much　good　in　helping　him　to　save

a　little　more。　　He　won't　easily　get　one　to　make　such　a　bargain；　and　I

don't　mean　he　shall　get　me。　　It　would　be　a　loss　rather　than　a　gain

I　do　thinkat　least　if　I　took　less　work　out　of　our　own　horse。〃



〃One　hour　would　make　a　differ