Діти залізниці
The hound’s grandfather.
WhenallthethingswerereadythatPeterwastotakeback,theDoctorsaidsuddenly:—
"You’llexcusemyshovingmyoarin,won’tyou?ButIshouldliketosaysomethingtoyou."
"Nowforarowing,"thoughtPeter,whohadbeenwonderinghowitwasthathehadescapedone.
"Somethingscientific,"addedtheDoctor.
"Yes,"saidPeter,fiddlingwiththefossilammonitethattheDoctorusedforapaper-weight.
"Wellthen,yousee.Boysandgirlsareonlylittlemenandwomen.AndWEaremuchharderandhardierthantheyare—"(Peterlikedthe"we."PerhapstheDoctorhadknownhewould.)—"andmuchstronger,andthingsthathurtTHEMdon’thurtUS.Youknowyoumustn’thitagirl—"
"Ishouldthinknot,indeed,"mutteredPeter,indignantly.
"Notevenifshe’syourownsister.That’sbecausegirlsaresomuchsofterandweakerthanweare;theyhavetobe,youknow,"headded,"becauseiftheyweren’t,itwouldn’tbeniceforthebabies.Andthat’swhyalltheanimalsaresogoodtothemotheranimals.Theyneverfightthem,youknow."
"Iknow,"saidPeter,interested;"twobuckrabbitswillfightalldayifyouletthem,buttheywon’thurtadoe."
"No;andquitewildbeasts—lionsandelephants—they’reimmenselygentlewiththefemalebeasts.Andwe’vegottobe,too."
"Isee,"saidPeter.
