At the Back of the North Wind | Page 3

bed than I have, though mine is very nice--
so nice that I couldn't wish a better."
"It's not the bed I care about: it's what is in it.--But you just open that
window."
"Well, mother says I shouldn't be disobliging; but it's rather hard. You
see the north wind will blow right in my face if I do."
"I am the North Wind."
"O-o-oh!" said Diamond, thoughtfully. "Then will you promise not to
blow on my face if I open your window?"
"I can't promise that."
"But you'll give me the toothache. Mother's got it already."
"But what's to become of me without a window?"
"I'm sure I don't know. All I say is, it will be worse for me than for
you."
"No; it will not. You shall not be the worse for it--I promise you that.

You will be much the better for it. Just you believe what I say, and do
as I tell you."
"Well, I can pull the clothes over my head," said Diamond, and feeling
with his little sharp nails, he got hold of the open edge of the paper and
tore it off at once.
In came a long whistling spear of cold, and struck his little naked chest.
He scrambled and tumbled in under the bedclothes, and covered
himself up: there was no paper now between him and the voice, and he
felt a little--not frightened exactly--I told you he had not learned that
yet--but rather queer; for what a strange person this North Wind must
be that lived in the great house--"called Out-of-Doors, I suppose,"
thought Diamond--and made windows into people's beds! But the voice
began again; and he could hear it quite plainly, even with his head
under the bed-clothes. It was a still more gentle voice now, although six
times as large and loud as it had been, and he thought it sounded a little
like his mother's.
"What is your name, little boy?" it asked.
"Diamond," answered Diamond, under the bed-clothes.
"What a funny name!"
"It's a very nice name," returned its owner.
"I don't know that," said the voice.
"Well, I do," retorted Diamond, a little rudely.
"Do you know to whom you are speaking!"
"No," said Diamond.
And indeed he did not. For to know a person's name is not always to
know the person's self.
"Then I must not be angry with you.--You had better look and see,

though."
"Diamond is a very pretty name," persisted the boy, vexed that it
should not give satisfaction.
"Diamond is a useless thing rather," said the voice.
"That's not true. Diamond is very nice--as big as two--and so quiet all
night! And doesn't he make a jolly row in the morning, getting upon his
four great legs! It's like thunder."
"You don't seem to know what a diamond is."
"Oh, don't I just! Diamond is a great and good horse; and he sleeps
right under me. He is old Diamond, and I am young Diamond; or, if
you like it better, for you're very particular, Mr. North Wind, he's big
Diamond, and I'm little Diamond; and I don't know which of us my
father likes best."
A beautiful laugh, large but very soft and musical, sounded somewhere
beside him, but Diamond kept his head under the clothes.
"I'm not Mr. North Wind," said the voice.
"You told me that you were the North Wind," insisted Diamond.
"I did not say Mister North Wind," said the voice.
"Well, then, I do; for mother tells me I ought to be polite."
"Then let me tell you I don't think it at all polite of you to say Mister to
me."
"Well, I didn't know better. I'm very sorry."
"But you ought to know better."
"I don't know that."

"I do. You can't say it's polite to lie there talking--with your head under
the bed-clothes, and never look up to see what kind of person you are
talking to.--I want you to come out with me."
"I want to go to sleep," said Diamond, very nearly crying, for he did not
like to be scolded, even when he deserved it.
"You shall sleep all the better to-morrow night."
"Besides," said Diamond, "you are out in Mr. Dyves's garden, and I
can't get there. I can only get into our own yard."
"Will you take your head out of the bed-clothes?" said the voice, just a
little angrily.
"No!" answered Diamond, half peevish, half frightened.
The instant he said the word, a tremendous blast of wind crashed in a
board of the wall, and swept the clothes off Diamond. He started up in
terror. Leaning over him was the large, beautiful, pale face of a woman.
Her dark eyes looked a little angry, for they had just begun to flash; but
a quivering in