at the back of the north wind- 第55部分

had　some　share　in　reconciling　him　to　it。



Happily　for　me；　I　was　as　much　interested　in　metaphysics　as

Diamond　himself；　and　therefore；　while　he　recounted　his　conversations

with　North　Wind；　I　did　not　find　myself　at　all　in　a　strange　sea；

although　certainly　I　could　not　always　feel　the　bottom；　being　indeed

convinced　that　the　bottom　was　miles　away。



〃Could　it　be　all　dreaming；　do　you　think；　sir？〃　he　asked　anxiously。



〃I　daren't　say；　Diamond；〃　I　answered。　　〃But　at　least　there　is　one

thing　you　may　be　sure　of；　that　there　is　a　still　better　love　than　that

of　the　wonderful　being　you　call　North　Wind。　　Even　if　she　be　a　dream；

the　dream　of　such　a　beautiful　creature　could　not　come　to　you　by　chance。〃



〃Yes；　I　know；〃　returned　Diamond；　〃I　know。〃



Then　he　was　silent；　but；　I　confess；　appeared　more　thoughtful

than　satisfied。



The　next　time　I　saw　him；　he　looked　paler　than　usual。



〃Have　you　seen　your　friend　again？〃　　I　asked　him。



〃Yes；〃　he　answered；　solemnly。



〃Did　she　take　you　out　with　her？〃



〃No。　She　did　not　speak　to　me。　　I　woke　all　at　once；　as　I　generally

do　when　I　am　going　to　see　her；　and　there　she　was　against　the　door

into　the　big　room；　sitting　just　as　I　saw　her　sit　on　her　own　doorstep；

as　white　as　snow；　and　her　eyes　as　blue　as　the　heart　of　an　iceberg。　

She　looked　at　me；　but　never　moved　or　spoke。〃



〃Weren't　you　afraid？〃　　I　asked。



〃No。　Why　should　I　have　been？〃　he　answered。　　〃I　only　felt　a　little　cold。〃



〃Did　she　stay　long？〃



〃I　don't　know。　　I　fell　asleep　again。　　I　think　I　have　been　rather

cold　ever　since　though；〃　he　added　with　a　smile。



I　did　not　quite　like　this；　but　I　said　nothing。



Four　days　after；　I　called　again　at　the　Mound。　　The　maid　who　opened

the　door　looked　grave；　but　I　suspected　nothing。　　When　I　reached

the　drawing…room；　I　saw　Mrs。　Raymond　had　been　crying。



〃Haven't　you　heard？〃　she　said；　seeing　my　questioning　looks。



〃I've　heard　nothing；〃　I　answered。



〃This　morning　we　found　our　dear　little　Diamond　lying　on　the　floor

of　the　big　attic…room；　just　outside　his　own　doorfast　asleep；

as　we　thought。　　But　when　we　took　him　up；　we　did　not　think　he　was　asleep。　

We　saw　that〃



Here　the　kind…hearted　lady　broke　out　crying　afresh。



〃May　I　go　and　see　him？〃　　I　asked。



〃Yes；〃　she　sobbed。　　〃You　know　your　way　to　the　top　of　the　tower。〃



I　walked　up　the　winding　stair；　and　entered　his　room。　　A　lovely　figure；

as　white　and　almost　as　clear　as　alabaster；　was　lying　on　the　bed。　

I　saw　at　once　how　it　was。　　They　thought　he　was　dead。　　I　knew　that　he

had　gone　to　the　back　of　the　north　wind。










End