Дни грёз
Mutabile Semper
“YoumusteatthesameasIdo!Itisn’tnicetowanttoeatdifferent.I’lltellyouwhat—youmustgiveMEallthechocolate,andthenI’llgiveYOU—I’llgiveyouwhatyououghttohave!”
“Oh,allright,”Isaid,inasubduedsortofway.Itseemedalittlehardtobeputunderasentimentalrestrictionlikethisinone’sownChocolate-room.
“Inthenextroomyoucometo,”Iproceeded,“there’sfizzydrinks!There’samarble-slabbusinessallroundtheroom,andlittlesilvertaps;andyoujustturntherighttap,andhaveanykindoffizzydrinkyouwant.”
“Whatfizzydrinksarethere?”sheinquired.
“Oh,allsorts,”Iansweredhastily,hurryingon.(Shemightrestrictmyeatables,butI’dbehangedifIwasgoingtohavehermeddlewithmydrinks.)“Thenyougodownthecorridor,andatthebackofthepalacethere’sagreatbigpark—thefinestparkyoueversaw.Andthere’sponiestorideon,andcarriagesandcarts;andalittlerailway,allcomplete,engineandguard’svanandall;andyouworkityourself,andyoucangofirst-class,orinthevan,orontheengine,justwhicheveryouchoose.”
“I’dgoontheengine,”shemurmureddreamily.“No,Iwouldn’t,I’d—”
“Thenthere’sallthesoldiers,”Istruckin.Reallythelinehadtobedrawnsomewhere,andIcouldnothavemyrailwaysystemdisorganisedandturnedupsidedownbyameregirl.“There’sanyquantityof’em,finebigsoldiers,andtheyallbelongtome.
