Diamond held on by two of the twisted ropes which, parted and interwoven, formed his shelter, for he could not help being a little afraid. As soon as he had come to himself, he peeped through the woven meshes, for he did not dare to look over the top of the nest. The earth was rushing past like a river or a sea below him. Trees and water and green grass hurried away beneath. A great roar of wild animals rose as they rushed over the Zoological Gardens, mixed with a chattering of monkeys and a screaming of birds; but it died away in a moment behind them. And now there was nothing but the roofs of houses, sweeping along like a great torrent of stones and rocks. Chimney-pots fell, and tiles flew from the roofs; but it looked to him as if they were left behind by the roofs and the chimneys as they scudded away. There was a great roaring, for the wind was dashing against London like a sea; but at North Wind's back Diamond, of course, felt nothing of it all. He was in a perfect calm. He could hear the sound of it, that was all. By and by he raised himself and looked over the edge of his nest. There were the houses rushing up and shooting away below him, like a fierce torrent of rocks instead of water. Then he looked up to the sky, but could see no stars; they were hidden by the blinding masses of the lady's hair which swept between. He began to wonder whether she would hear him if he spoke. He would try. “Please, North Wind,” he said, “what is that noise?” From high over his head came the voice of North Wind, answering him, gently-- “The noise of my besom. I am the old woman that sweeps the cobwebs from the sky; only I'm busy with the floor now.” “What makes the houses look as if they were running away?” “I am sweeping so fast over them.” “But, please, North Wind, I knew London was very big, but I didn't know it was so big as this. It seems as if we should never get away from it.” “We are going round and round, else we should have left it long ago.” “Is this the way you sweep, North Wind?” “Yes; I go round and round with my great besom.” “Please, would you mind going a little slower, for I want to see the streets?” “You won't see much now.” “Why?” “Because I have nearly swept all the people home.” “Oh! I forgot,” said Diamond, and was quiet after that, for he did not want to be troublesome. But she dropped a little towards the roofs of the houses, and Diamond could see down into the streets. There were very few people about, though. The lamps flickered and flared again, but nobody seemed to want them. Suddenly Diamond espied a little girl coming along a street. She was dreadfully blown by the wind, and a broom she was trailing behind her was very troublesome. It seemed as if the wind had a spite at her--it kept worrying her like a wild beast, and tearing at her rags. She was so lonely there! “Oh! please, North Wind,” he cried, “won't you help that little girl?” “No, Diamond; I mustn't leave my work.”