Діти залізниці
What Bobbie brought home.
"I’mdownrightshamed,thatIam,"werethewordsofthebigsignalmanwhenhehadstoppedcrying;"snivellinglikeakid."Thensuddenlyheseemedtogetcross."Andwhatwasyoudoinguphere,anyway?"hesaid;"youknowitain’tallowed."
"Yes,"saidPhyllis,"weknewitwaswrong—butIwasn’tafraidofdoingwrong,andsoitturnedoutright.Youaren’tsorrywecame."
"Lor’loveyou—ifyouhadn’t‘a’come—"hestoppedandthenwenton."It’sadisgrace,soitis,sleepingonduty.Ifitwastocometobeknown—evenasitis,whennoharm’scomeofit."
"Itwon’tcometobeknown,"saidPeter;"wearen’tsneaks.Allthesame,yououghtn’ttosleeponduty—it’sdangerous."
"TellmesomethingIdon’tknow,"saidtheman,"butIcan’thelpit.Iknow’dwellenoughjusthowit‘udbe.ButIcouldn’tgetoff.Theycouldn’tgetnoonetotakeonmyduty.ItellyouIain’thadtenminutes’sleepthislastfivedays.Mylittlechap’sill—pewmonia,theDoctorsays—andthere’snoonebutmeand‘islittlesistertodoforhim.That’swhereitis.Thegellmust‘avehersleep.Dangerous?Yes,Ibelieveyou.Nowgoandsplitonmeifyoulike."
"Ofcoursewewon’t,"saidPeter,indignantly,butPhyllisignoredthewholeofthesignalman’sspeech,exceptthefirstsixwords.
"Youaskedus,"shesaid,"totellyousomethingyoudon’tknow.Well,Iwill.
