Мэри Поппинс

           Indeed,shehardlysaidawordatall.Sheseemedtobethinkingverydeeply,andwhentheyaskedquestionssheansweredtheminafar-awayvoice.AtlastMichaelcouldbearitnolonger.

           "Oh,dobecross,MaryPoppins!Dobecrossagain!Itisnotlikeyou.Oh,Ifeelsoanxious."Andindeed,hisheartfeltheavywiththethoughtthatsomething,hedidnotquiteknowwhat,wasabouttohappenatNumberSeventeen,Cherry-TreeLane.

           "Troubletroubleanditwilltroubleyou!"retortedMaryPoppinscrossly,inherusualvoice.

           Andimmediatelyhefeltalittlebetter.

           "Perhapsit’sonlyafeeling,"hesaidtoJane."PerhapseverythingisallrightandI’mjustimagining—don’tyouthinkso,Jane?"

           "Probably,"saidJaneslowly.Butshewasthinkinghardandherheartfelttightinherbody.

           Thewindgrewwildertowardsevening,andblewinlittlegustsaboutthehouse.Itwentpuffingandwhistlingdownthechimneys,slippinginthroughthecracksunderthewindows,turningtheNurserycarpetupatthecorners.

           MaryPoppinsgavethemtheirsupperandclearedawaythethings,stackingthemneatlyandmethodically.ThenshetidieduptheNurseryandputthekettleonthehob.

           "There!"shesaid,glancingroundtheroomtoseethateverythingwasallright.Shewassilentforaminute.ThensheputonehandlightlyonMichael’sheadandtheotheronJane’sshoulder.

           "Now,"shesaid,"IamjustgoingtotaketheshoesdownforRobertsonAytoclean.Behaveyourselves,please,tillIcomeback."Shewentoutandshutthedoorquietlybehindher.