While I
stood gazing, down from the sky came a sound of singing, but the
voice was neither of lark nor of nightingale: it
was sweeter than either: it was the voice of Diamond, up in his
airy nest: --
The lightning and thunder,
They go and they come;
But the stars and the stillness
Are always at home.
And then the voice ceased.
"Good-night, Diamond," I said.
"Good-night, sir," answered Diamond.
As I walked away pondering, I saw the great black top of
the beech swaying about against the sky in an upper wind, and
heard the murmur as of many dim half-articulate voices filling
the solitude around Diamond's nest.
CHAPTER XXXVI
DIAMOND QUESTIONS NORTH WIND
MY READERS will not wonder that, after this, I did my very best
to gain the friendship of Diamond. Nor did I find this at all
difficult, the child was so ready to trust. Upon one subject
alone was he reticent -- the story of his relations with North
Wind. I fancy he could not quite make up his mind what to think
of them. At all events it was some little time before he trusted
me with this, only then he told me everything. If I could not
regard it all in exactly the same light as he did, I was, while
guiltless of the least pretence, fully sympathetic, and he was
satisfied without demanding of me any theory of difficult points
involved.
Pages:
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352