At the Back of the North Wind · Chapter
Old Diamond explained
Diamond's father, having saved some money and finding no suitable situation, decides to set up as a cabman.
What happens
Diamond's father, having saved some money and finding no suitable situation, decides to set up as a cabman. He visits a friend who shows him a horse for sale, which turns out to be his beloved old horse Diamond, now thin and bony. Overcome with emotion, he buys back the horse along with a four-wheeled cab, and takes rooms over the stable, writing for his wife to come home.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This excerpt marks the dramatic climax because it presents the emotional and psychological peak of Diamond’s i…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Home and Belonging
The reunion of Diamond's father with his old horse and the establishment of a new home over the stable emphasize the theme of finding a place of belonging.
- Compassion and Service
The cab-master's kindness in reducing the price for old friends and the father's emotional care for the horse highlight compassion and service.
Characters to notice
Key passages
“The end of it was that Diamond’s father bought old Diamond again, along with a four-wheeled cab. And as there were some rooms to be had over the stable, he took them, wrote to his wife to come home, and set up as a cabman.”
In the end, Diamond's father repurchased old Diamond and a four-wheeled cab, rented rooms above the stable, and wrote to his wife to return so he could start working as a cabman.
This passage describes the resolution of the chapter's main plot.
