Діти залізниці
The old gentleman.
"Ithasafewpagestornout,"saidshe;"butitwillholdquitealotofnumbers,andwhenit’sfullI’llgiveyouanother.I’msogladyouliketherailway.Only,please,youmustn’twalkontheline."
"Notifwefacethewaythetrain’scoming?"askedPeter,afteragloomypause,inwhichglancesofdespairwereexchanged.
"No—reallynot,"saidMother.
ThenPhyllissaid,"Mother,didn’tYOUeverwalkontherailwaylineswhenyouwerelittle?"
MotherwasanhonestandhonourableMother,soshehadtosay,"Yes."
"Well,then,"saidPhyllis.
"But,darlings,youdon’tknowhowfondIamofyou.WhatshouldIdoifyougothurt?"
"AreyoufonderofusthanGrannywasofyouwhenyouwerelittle?"Phyllisasked.Bobbiemadesignstohertostop,butPhyllisneverdidseesigns,nomatterhowplaintheymightbe.
Motherdidnotanswerforaminute.Shegotuptoputmorewaterintheteapot.
"Noone,"shesaidatlast,"everlovedanyonemorethanmymotherlovedme."
Thenshewasquietagain,andBobbiekickedPhyllishardunderthetable,becauseBobbieunderstoodalittlebitthethoughtsthatweremakingMothersoquiet—thethoughtsofthetimewhenMotherwasalittlegirlandwasalltheworldtoHERmother.ItseemssoeasyandnaturaltoruntoMotherwhenoneisintrouble.
