Дети железной дороги
The old gentleman.
IonlywantedtosayIwassorryyourMammawasn’tsowell,andtoaskhowshefindsherselfthisevening—andI’vefetchedheralongabitofsweetbrier,verysweettosmellitis.Twopenceindeed,"saidhe,andproducedabunchofsweetbrierfromhishat,"justlikeaconjurer,"asPhyllisremarkedafterwards.
"Thankyouverymuch,"saidPeter,"andIbegyourpardonaboutthetwopence."
"Nooffence,"saidthePorter,untrulybutpolitely,andwent.
Thenthechildrenundidthehamper.Firsttherewasstraw,andthentherewerefineshavings,andthencameallthethingstheyhadaskedfor,andplentyofthem,andthenagoodmanythingstheyhadnotaskedfor;amongotherspeachesandportwineandtwochickens,acardboardboxofbigredroseswithlongstalks,andatallthingreenbottleoflavenderwater,andthreesmallerfatterbottlesofeau-de-Cologne.Therewasaletter,too.
"DearRobertaandPhyllisandPeter,"itsaid;"herearethethingsyouwant.Yourmotherwillwanttoknowwheretheycamefrom.Tellhertheyweresentbyafriendwhoheardshewasill.Whensheiswellagainyoumusttellherallaboutit,ofcourse.Andifshesaysyououghtnottohaveaskedforthethings,tellherthatIsayyouwerequiteright,andthatIhopeshewillforgivemefortakingthelibertyofallowingmyselfaverygreatpleasure."
TheletterwassignedG.P.somethingthatthechildrencouldn’tread.
"IthinkweWEREright,"saidPhyllis