Мэри Поппинс
The Day Out
Thenshesmiledattheshoeinsuchawaythattheshoeknewquitewellthatthesmilewasn’tmeantforit.
"It’smyDay,Bert,"shesaid."Didn’tyouremember?"BertwastheMatch-Man’sname—HerbertAlfredforSundays.
"OfcourseIremembered,Mary,"hesaid,"but—"andhestoppedandlookedsadlyintohiscap.Itlayonthegroundbesidehislastpictureandtherewastuppenceinit.Hepickeditupandjingledthepennies.
"Thatallyougot,Bert?"saidMaryPoppins,andshesaiditsobrightlyyoucouldhardlytellshewasdisappointedatall.
"That’sthelot,"hesaid."Businessisbadtoday.You’dthinkanybody’dbegladtopaytoseethat,wouldn’tyou?"AndhenoddedhisheadatQueenElizabeth."Well—that’showitis,Mary,"hesighed."Can’ttakeyoutoteatoday,I’mafraid."
MaryPoppinsthoughtoftheraspberry-jam-cakestheyalwayshadonherDayOut,andshewasjustgoingtosigh,whenshesawtheMatch-Man’sface.So,verycleverly,sheturnedthesighintoasmile—agoodonewithbothendsturnedup—andsaid:
That’sallright,Bert.Don’tyoumind.I’dmuchrathernotgototea.Astodgymeal,Icallit—really."
Andthat,whenyouthinkhowverymuchshelikedraspberry-jam-cakes,wasratherniceofMaryPoppins.
TheMatch-Manapparentlythoughtso,too,forhetookherwhite-glovedhandinhisandsqueezedithard.Thentogethertheywalkeddowntherowofpictures.
