Дети железной дороги
The pride of Perks.
Perkssatdownheavilyintheelbow-chairandlookedatthemwithwhatBobbieafterwardsdescribedaswitheringglancesofgloomydespair.
"Soyou’vebeenroundtellingtheneighbourswecan’tmakebothendsmeet?Well,nowyou’vedisgracedusasdeepasyoucanintheneighbourhood,youcanjusttakethewholebagoftricksbackw’ereitcomefrom.Verymuchobliged,I’msure.Idon’tdoubtbutwhatyoumeantitkind,butI’drathernotbeacquaintedwithyouanylongerifit’sallthesametoyou."Hedeliberatelyturnedthechairroundsothathisbackwasturnedtothechildren.Thelegsofthechairgratedonthebrickfloor,andthatwastheonlysoundthatbrokethesilence.
ThensuddenlyBobbiespoke.
"Lookhere,"shesaid,"thisismostawful."
"That’swhatIsays,"saidPerks,notturninground.
"Lookhere,"saidBobbie,desperately,"we’llgoifyoulike—andyouneedn’tbefriendswithusanymoreifyoudon’twant,but—"
"WEshallalwaysbefriendswithYOU,howevernastyyouaretous,"sniffedPhyllis,wildly.
"Bequiet,"saidPeter,inafierceaside.
"Butbeforewego,"Bobbiewentondesperately,"doletusshowyouthelabelswewrotetoputonthethings."
"Idon’twanttoseenolabels,"saidPerks,"exceptproperluggageonesinmyownwalkoflife.
