Дети железной дороги
Prisoners and captives.
"
BobbieknewbyhervoicethatMotherhadbeencrying,buttheothersdidn’tknow.
"Well,makeitaslongasyoucan,"saidPhil,andBobbiegotherarmsroundMother’swaistandsnuggledclosetoher.
"Well,it’sastorylongenoughtomakeawholebookof.He’sawriter;he’swrittenbeautifulbooks.InRussiaatthetimeoftheCzaronedarednotsayanythingabouttherichpeopledoingwrong,oraboutthethingsthatoughttobedonetomakepoorpeoplebetterandhappier.Ifonedidonewassenttoprison."
"ButtheyCAN’T,"saidPeter;"peopleonlygotoprisonwhenthey’vedonewrong."
"OrwhentheJudgesTHINKthey’vedonewrong,"saidMother."Yes,that’ssoinEngland.ButinRussiaitwasdifferent.Andhewroteabeautifulbookaboutpoorpeopleandhowtohelpthem.I’vereadit.There’snothinginitbutgoodnessandkindness.Andtheysenthimtoprisonforit.Hewasthreeyearsinahorribledungeon,withhardlyanylight,andalldampanddreadful.Inprisonallaloneforthreeyears."
Mother’svoicetrembledalittleandstoppedsuddenly.
"But,Mother,"saidPeter,"thatcan’tbetrueNOW.Itsoundslikesomethingoutofahistorybook—theInquisition,orsomething."
"ItWAStrue,"saidMother;"it’sallhorriblytrue.
