Діти залізниці
What Bobbie brought home.
"Isay,Bobbie,"saidavoicethroughtheblackness,"aren’tyouafraidofthedark?"
"Not—notvery,thatis—"
"Let’sholdhands,"saidtheboy,anditwasreallyrathergoodofhim,becausehewaslikemostboysofhisageandhatedallmaterialtokensofaffection,suchaskissingandholdingofhands.Hecalledallsuchthings"pawings,"anddetestedthem.
ThedarknesswasmorebearabletoBobbienowthatherhandwasheldinthelargeroughhandofthered-jerseyedsufferer;andhe,holdingherlittlesmoothhotpaw,wassurprisedtofindthathedidnotminditsomuchasheexpected.Shetriedtotalk,toamusehim,and"takehismindoff"hissufferings,butitisverydifficulttogoontalkinginthedark,andpresentlytheyfoundthemselvesinasilence,onlybrokennowandthenbya—
"Youallright,Bobbie?"
oran—
"I’mafraidit’shurtingyoumostawfully,Jim.IAMsosorry."
Anditwasverycold.
***
PeterandPhyllistrampeddownthelongwayofthetunneltowardsdaylight,thecandle-greasedrippingoverPeter’sfingers.TherewerenoaccidentsunlessyoucountPhyllis’scatchingherfrockonawire,andtearingalong,jaggedslitinit,andtrippingoverherbootlacewhenitcameundone,orgoingdownonherhandsandknees,allfourofwhichweregrazed.
