Пеппи Длинныйчулок
Chapter 3
"Ialreadyhaveaplaceinachildren’shome,"saidPippi.
"What?"askedoneofthepolicemen. "Hasitbeenarrangedalreadythen?Whatchildren’shome?"
"Thisone,"saidPippihaughtily."Iamachildandthisismyhome:thereforeitisachildren’shome, andIhaveroomenoughhere,plentyofroom.
"Dearchild,"saidthepoliceman,smiling,"youdon’tunderstand. Youmustgetintoarealchildren’shomeandhavesomeonelookafteryou."
"Isoneallowedtobringhorsestoyourchildren’shome?"askedPippi.
"No,ofcoursenot,"saidthepoliceman. "That’swhatIthought,"saidPippisadly.
"Well,whataboutmonkeys?"
"Ofcoursenot.Yououghttorealizethat."
"Wellthen,"saidPippi,"you’llhavetogetkidsforyourchildren’shomesomewhereelse.Icertainlydon’tintendtomovethere."
"Butdon’tyouunderstandthatyoumustgotoschool?"
"Why?"
"Tolearnthings,ofcourse. ""Whatsortofthings?"askedPippi.
"Allsorts,"saidthepoliceman."Lotsofusefulthings,themultiplicationtables,forinstance."
"Ihavegotalongfinewithoutanypluttifikationtablesfornineyears,"saidPippi, "andIguessI’llgetalongwithoutitfromnowon,too."
"Yes,butjustthinkhowembarrassingitwillbeforyoutobesoignorant. ImaginewhenyougrowupandsomebodyasksyouwhatthecapitalofPortugalisandyoucan’tanswer!"
"Oh,Icananswerallright,"saidPippi.
