Дети железной дороги
Peter’s coal-mine.
Whatareyoukickingmefor,Bobbie?"
"Iwasn’t,"saidRoberta.
Justthenthefirstofthelongnailsinthepacking-casebegantocomeoutwithascrunch.Thenalathwasraisedandthenanother,tillallfourstoodupwiththelongnailsinthemshiningfiercelylikeironteethinthecandle-light.
"Hooray!"saidMother;"herearesomecandles—theveryfirstthing!Yougirlsgoandlightthem.You’llfindsomesaucersandthings.Justdropalittlecandle-greaseinthesaucerandstickthecandleuprightinit."
"Howmanyshallwelight?"
"Asmanyaseveryoulike,"saidMother,gaily."Thegreatthingistobecheerful.Nobodycanbecheerfulinthedarkexceptowlsanddormice."
Sothegirlslightedcandles.TheheadofthefirstmatchflewoffandstucktoPhyllis’sfinger;but,asRobertasaid,itwasonlyalittleburn,andshemighthavehadtobeaRomanmartyrandbeburnedwholeifshehadhappenedtoliveinthedayswhenthosethingswerefashionable.
Then,whenthedining-roomwaslightedbyfourteencandles,Robertafetchedcoalandwoodandlightedafire.
"It’sverycoldforMay,"shesaid,feelingwhatagrown-upthingitwastosay.
Thefire-lightandthecandle-lightmadethedining-roomlookverydifferent,fornowyoucouldseethatthedarkwallswereofwood,carvedhereandthereintolittlewreathsandloops.
