Дети железной дороги
The old gentleman.
Hetoldthemmanythingsthattheyhadnotknownbefore—as,forinstance,thatthethingsthathookcarriagestogetherarecalledcouplings,andthatthepipeslikegreatserpentsthathangoverthecouplingsaremeanttostopthetrainwith.
"Ifyoucouldgetaholtofoneo’themwhenthetrainisgoingandpull’emapart,"saidhe,"she’dstopdeadoffwithajerk."
"Who’sshe?"saidPhyllis.
"Thetrain,ofcourse,"saidthePorter.Afterthatthetrainwasneveragain‘It’tothechildren.
"Andyouknowthethinginthecarriageswhereitsaysonit,‘Fivepounds’fineforimproperuse.’Ifyouwastoimproperlyusethat,thetrain‘udstop."
"Andifyouuseditproperly?"saidRoberta.
"It‘udstopjustthesame,Isuppose,"saidhe,"butitisn’tproperuseunlessyou’rebeingmurdered.Therewasanoldladyonce—someonekiddedheronitwasarefreshment-roombell,andsheuseditimproper,notbeingindangerofherlife,thoughhungry,andwhenthetrainstoppedandtheguardcamealongexpectingtofindsomeonewelteringintheirlastmoments,shesays,"Oh,please,Mister,I’lltakeaglassofstoutandabathbun,"shesays.Andthetrainwassevenminutesbehindhertimeasitwas."
"Whatdidtheguardsaytotheoldlady?"
"Idunno,"repliedthePorter,"butIlayshedidn’tforgetitinahurry,whateveritwas.
