Біла пташка
Joey
ButDaviddidn’tlaugh.
SuddenlyJoeywasstandingbesideus,itcouldnothavebeenmoresuddenthoughhehadcomefrombeneaththetable,andhewaswearinghispantomimeclothes(whichhetoldusafterwardweretheonlyclotheshehad)andhisredandwhitefacewassofunnythatDavidmadegurglingsounds,whichwerehislaughtryingtoforceapassage.
IintroducedDavid,whoofferedhishandstiffly,butJoey,insteadoftakingit,putouthistongueandwaggledit,andthiswassodrollthatDavidhadagaintosavehimselfbyclappinghishandoverhismouth.Joeythoughthehadtoothache,soIexplainedwhatitreallymeant,andthenJoeysaid,“Oh,Ishallsoonmakehimlaugh,”whereuponthefollowingconversationtookplacebetweenthem:
“No,yousha’n’t,”saidDaviddoggedly.
“Yes,Ishall.”
“No,yousha’n’tnot.”
“Yes,Ishallso.”
“Sha’n’t,sha’n’t,sha’n’t.”
“Shall,shall,shall.”
“Youshutup.”
“You’reanother.”
BythistimeJoeywasinafrightfulway(becausehesawhewasgettingtheworstofit),andheboastedthathehadDavid’slaughinhispocket,andDavidchallengedhimtoproduceit,andJoeysearchedhispocketsandbroughtoutthemostunexpectedarticles,includingaduckandabunchofcarrots;andyoucouldseebyhismannerthatthesimplesoulthoughtthesewerethingswhichallboyscarriedlooseintheirpockets.
