Diamond Quotes

″ ‘No, it will not,’ replied the voice. ‘You shall not be the worse for it - I promise you that. You will be much the better for it. Just believe what I say, and do as I tell you.’ ”

“There was a light in one window that looked friendly. As long as he could see that, Diamond did not feel quite alone or lonely. But all at once, the light went almost out. Then indeed, he felt that it was dreadful to be out in the night alone, when every body else was gone to bed! That was more than he could bear and it was not strange that he burst out crying.”

“The earth was rushing past like a river or a sea below him. Trees and water and green grass hurried away beneath. Now there was nothing but the roofs of houses sweeping along like a great torrent of stones and rocks. Chimney’s fell and tiles flew from the roofs. There was a great roaring for the wind was dashing against London like a stormy sea. Diamond, of course, at the back of North Wind was in a calm but he could hear it.”

“Nothing ever went wrong at the back of the north wind and the only thing one ever missed was someone he loved who had not yet got there. But if one at the back of the north wind wanted to know how things were going with any one he loved, he had only to go to a certain tree, and climb up and sit down in the branches.”

“But his eyes grew tired, and more and more tired. His eyelids grew so heavy that they would keep tumbling down over his eyes. He kept lifting them and lifting them. But everytime, they were heavier than the last. It was no use! They were too much for him. Sometimes before he got them halfway up, down they went again. At length, he gave it up quite, and the moment he gave it up, he was fast asleep!”

“He walked toward her instantly and put out his hand to lay it on her. There was nothing there but intense cold. All grew white about him. He groped on further. The white thickened about him and he felt himself stumbling and falling. But as he fell, he rolled over the threshold. It was thus that Diamond got to the back of the north wind.”

″ ‘Merriest, merriest, merriest,’ murmured Diamond as he sank deeper and deeper in sleep. ‘That is what the song of the river is telling me. Even I can be merry and cheerful - and that will help some. And so I will - when - I - wake - up - again.’ And he went off sound asleep.”

“He called this place his nest. He went to it by going up a little rope ladder that hung from a branch of the big beech tree. When he reached the limb the rope hung from, he went climbing higher and higher. Up among the leafy branches and away at the top, he found a safe and comfortable seat which he called his nest.”

“I can see the first star peeping out of the sky. 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 with its kisses makes me feel as if I were up in North Wind’s arms.”