Дети железной дороги

           Thatwouldbeworsethananything."

           "Thetrouble,"saidBobbie,inaverylittlevoice—"IpromisedIwouldneveraskyouanyquestions,andIneverhave,haveI?But—thetrouble—itwon’tlastalways?"

           "No,"saidMother,"theworstwillbeoverwhenFathercomeshometous."

           "IwishIcouldcomfortyou,"saidBobbie.

           "Oh,mydear,doyousupposeyoudon’t?DoyouthinkIhaven’tnoticedhowgoodyou’veallbeen,notquarrellingnearlyasmuchasyouusedto—andallthelittlekindthingsyoudoforme—theflowers,andcleaningmyshoes,andtearinguptomakemybedbeforeIgettimetodoitmyself?"

           BobbieHADsometimeswonderedwhetherMothernoticedthesethings.

           "That’snothing,"shesaid,"towhat—"

           "IMUSTgetonwithmywork,"saidMother,givingBobbieonelastsqueeze."Don’tsayanythingtotheothers."

           Thateveninginthehourbeforebed-timeinsteadofreadingtothechildrenMothertoldthemstoriesofthegamessheandFatherusedtohavewhentheywerechildrenandlivedneareachotherinthecountry—talesoftheadventuresofFatherwithMother’sbrotherswhentheywereallboystogether.Veryfunnystoriestheywere,andthechildrenlaughedastheylistened.

           "UncleEdwarddiedbeforehewasgrownup,didn’the?"saidPhyllis,asMotherlightedthebedroomcandles.

           "Yes,dear,"saidMother,"youwouldhavelovedhim.