Мэри Поппинс
Laughing Gas
Youwouldn’tbelieve,eitherofyou,thenumberofthingsthatstrikemeasbeingfunny.Icanlaughatprettynearlyeverything,Ican."
AndwiththatMr.Wiggbegantobobupanddown,shakingwithlaughteratthethoughtofhisowncheerfulness.
"UncleAlbert!"saidMaryPoppins,andMr.Wiggstoppedlaughingwithajerk.
"Oh,begpardon,mydear.WherewasI?Oh,yes.Well,thefunnythingaboutmeis—allright,Mary,Iwon’tlaughifIcanhelpit!—thatwhenevermybirthdayfallsonaFriday,well,it’sallupwithme.AbsolutelyU.P.,"saidMr.Wigg.
"Butwhy—?"beganJane.
"Buthow—?"beganMichael.
"Well,yousee,ifIlaughonthatparticulardayIbecomesofilledwithLaughingGasthatIsimplycan’tkeepontheground.EvenifIsmileithappens.Thefirstfunnythought,andI’muplikeaballoon.AnduntilIcanthinkofsomethingseriousIcan’tgetdownagain."Mr.Wiggbegantochuckleatthat,buthecaughtsightofMaryPoppins’sfaceandstoppedthechuckle,andcontinued:
"It’sawkward,ofcourse,butnotunpleasant.Neverhappenstoeitherofyou,Isuppose?"
JaneandMichaelshooktheirheads.
"No,Ithoughtnot.Itseemstobemyownspecialhabit.Once,afterI’dbeentotheCircusthenightbefore,Ilaughedsomuchthat—wouldyoubelieveit?—Iwasuphereforawholetwelvehours,andcouldn’tgetdowntillthelaststrokeofmidnight.Then,ofcourse,IcamedownwithaflopbecauseitwasSaturdayandnotmybirthdayanymore.It’sratherodd,isn’tit?Nottosayfunny?
"AndnowhereitisFridayagainandmybirthday,andyoutwoandMaryP.
