Белая птичка
The Grand Tour of the Gardens
TheGardensarenotedfortwokindsofcricket:boycricket,whichisrealcricketwithabat,andgirlcricket,whichiswitharacquetandthegoverness.Girlscan’treallyplaycricket,andwhenyouarewatchingtheirfutileeffortsyoumakefunnysoundsatthem.Nevertheless,therewasaverydisagreeableincidentonedaywhensomeforwardgirlschallengedDavid’steam,andadisturbingcreaturecalledAngelaClaresentdownsomanyyorkersthat—However,insteadoftellingyoutheresultofthatregrettablematchIshallpassonhurriedlytotheRoundPond,whichisthewheelthatkeepsalltheGardensgoing.
ItisroundbecauseitisintheverymiddleoftheGardens,andwhenyouarecometoityouneverwanttogoanyfarther.Youcan’tbegoodallthetimeattheRoundPond,howevermuchyoutry.YoucanbegoodintheBroadWalkallthetime,butnotattheRoundPond,andthereasonisthatyouforget,and,whenyouremember,youaresowetthatyoumayaswellbewetter.TherearemenwhosailboatsontheRoundPond,suchbigboatsthattheybringtheminbarrowsandsometimesinperambulators,andthenthebabyhastowalk.Thebow-leggedchildrenintheGardensarethesewhohadtowalktoosoonbecausetheirfatherneededtheperambulator.
YoualwayswanttohaveayachttosailontheRoundPond,andintheendyourunclegivesyouone;andtocarryittothePondthefirstdayissplendid,alsototalkaboutittoboyswhohavenouncleissplendid,butsoonyouliketoleaveitathome.
