The beginning of things.
Theywerenotrailwaychildrentobeginwith.Idon’tsupposetheyhadeverthoughtaboutrailwaysexceptasameansofgettingtoMaskelyneandCook’s,thePantomime,ZoologicalGardens,andMadameTussaud’s.Theywerejustordinarysuburbanchildren,andtheylivedwiththeirFatherandMotherinanordinaryred-brick-frontedvilla,withcolouredglassinthefrontdoor,atiledpassagethatwascalledahall,abath-roomwithhotandcoldwater,electricbells,Frenchwindows,andagooddealofwhitepaint,and‘everymodernconvenience’,asthehouse-agentssay.
Therewerethreeofthem.Robertawastheeldest.Ofcourse,Mothersneverhavefavourites,butiftheirMotherHADhadafavourite,itmighthavebeenRoberta.NextcamePeter,whowishedtobeanEngineerwhenhegrewup;andtheyoungestwasPhyllis,whomeantextremelywell.
Motherdidnotspendallhertimeinpayingdullcallstodullladies,andsittingdullyathomewaitingfordullladiestopaycallstoher.Shewasalmostalwaysthere,readytoplaywiththechildren,andreadtothem,andhelpthemtodotheirhome-lessons.Besidesthissheusedtowritestoriesforthemwhiletheywereatschool,andreadthemaloudaftertea,andshealwaysmadeupfunnypiecesofpoetryfortheirbirthdaysandforothergreatoccasions,suchasthechristeningofthenewkittens,ortherefurnishingofthedoll’shouse,orthetimewhentheyweregettingoverthemumps.
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