Дети железной дороги
The terrible secret.
"Oh,supposePetershoulddie,orbeahelplesscrippleforlife,orhavetowalkwithcrutches,orwearabootwithasolelikealogofwood!"
Shestoodbythebackdoorreflectingonthesegloomypossibilities,hereyesfixedonthewater-butt.
"IwishI’dneverbeenborn,"shesaid,andshesaiditoutloud.
"Why,lawkamercy,what’sthatfor?"askedavoice,andPerksstoodbeforeherwithawoodentrugbasketfullofgreen-leavedthingsandsoft,looseearth.
"Oh,it’syou,"shesaid."Peter’shurthisfootwitharake—threegreatgapingwounds,likesoldiersget.Anditwaspartlymyfault."
"Thatitwasn’t,I’llgobail,"saidPerks."Doctorseenhim?"
"PhyllishasgonefortheDoctor."
"He’llbeallright;youseeifheisn’t,"saidPerks."Why,myfather’ssecondcousinhadahay-forkrunintohim,rightintohisinside,andhewasrightaseverinafewweeks,allexcepthisbeingabitweakintheheadafterwards,andtheydidsaythatitwasalongofhisgettingatouchofthesuninthehay-field,andnottheforkatall.Irememberhimwell.Akind-‘eartedchap,butsoft,asyoumightsay."
Bobbietriedtoletherselfbecheeredbythishearteningreminiscence.
"Well,"saidPerks,"youwon’twanttobebotheredwithgardeningjustthisminute,Idaresay.Youshowmewhereyourgardenis,andI’llpopthebitsofstuffinforyou.
