第89章

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 tent-doors, and looking about them before going to bed. When they saw North Wind, instead of turning round and vanishing again with a thump of their heels, they cantered slowly up to her and snuffled 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 all out of my own head; or if I did, I couldn't love a fancy of my own like that, could I?""I think not. You might have loved me in a dream, dreamily, and forgotten me when you woke, I daresay, but not loved me like a real being as you love me. Even then, I don't think you could dream anything that hadn't something real 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 frightened a naughty drunken nurse.""Well, suppose I were to turn 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?"

"No, not if I saw it ever so plain."

"There's my 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, and 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?" asked Diamond, smiling up in her face.

"I won't 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 shall see it one day--perhaps before very long."

"Do they sing songs there?"

"Don't you remember the dream you had about the little boys that dug for the stars?""Yes, that 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 the 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. Nor 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 feel quite 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," yielded Diamond with a sigh.

"You are a dear good, boy" said North Wind. "I will come for you again to-morrow 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 the 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 lapt in a dreamless sleep.