Біла пташка
The Runaway Perambulator
IbitterlyregrettedthatIcoulddonothingwithitmyself,putitunderawine-glass,forinstance,andmakeitturnintoarabbit,whichsomanypeoplecando.InthemeantimeDavid,occupiedwithsimilarthoughts,verynearlymadeitdisappearaltogether,andIwasthankfultobeabletopullitbackbythechain.
“Haw-haw-haw!”
Thushecommentedonhisnewfeat,butitwasalsoaremindertome,atriflecruel,thathewasnotmyboy.Afterall,yousee,Maryhadnotgivenhimthewholeofhislaugh.Thewatchsaidthatfiveandtwentyminuteshadpassed,andlookingoutIsawIreneatoneendofthestreetstaringupatmywindow,andattheotherendMary’shusbandstaringupatmywindow,andbeneathmeMarystaringupatmywindow.Theyhadallbrokentheirpromise.
IreturnedtoDavid,andaskedhiminalowvoicewhetherhewouldgivemeakiss.Heshookhisheadaboutsixtimes,andIwasindespair.Thenthesmilecame,andIknewthathewasteasingmeonly.Henownoddedhisheadaboutsixtimes.
Thiswastheprettiestofallhisexploits.Itwassoprettythat,contrarytohisrule,herepeatedit.Ihadheldoutmyarmstohim,andfirstheshookhishead,andthenafteralongpause(tofrightenme),henoddedit.
ButnosoonerwasheinmyarmsthanIseemedtoseeMaryandherhusbandandIrenebearingdownuponmychamberstotakehimfromme,andactingunderanimpulseIwhippedhimintotheperambulatorandwasoffwithitwithoutalicensedownthebackstaircase.
