第85章

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I'm silly. I'm never frightened at things."I could not 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 it so fast that they grew a thin cloud all round 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 companions 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 led 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 bough. 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 am in my nest now," said 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. Don't you think I shall, some day?""Yes, I do. Tell me what more you see up there.""I don't see anything more, except a few leaves, and the big sky over me. It 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 North Wind's arms."This was the first I heard of North Wind.

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 the 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 goodnight, 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 said often to each other that Diamond had 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 those blue eyes which seemed rather made for other people to look into than for himself 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 behaviour 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 were about a score of sheep feeding in a paddock near him, their white wool dyed 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, Jump'd up and set out to find them:

"The silly things, they've got no wings, And they've left their trails 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 had dragged a trail, The long grass grew behind them.

And day's eyes and butter-cups, cow's lips and crow's 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 had left a trail of fire.

The sheep and their tails were gone, all gone --And no more trail behind them!

Yes, yes! they were there -- long-tailed and fair, But, alas! she could not find them.