Мэри Поппинс

           And,whenevershemetthem,shealwayssaidthesamething:

           "Good-morning!"(or"Good-afternoon!"ifithappenedtobeafterluncheon),"andhowarewetoday?"

           AndJaneandMichaelwereneverquitesurewhetherMissLarkwasaskinghowtheywere,orhowsheandAndrewwere.

           Sotheyjustreplied:"Good-afternoon!"(or,ofcourse,"Good-morning!"ifitwasbeforeluncheon).

           Alldaylong,nomatterwherethechildrenwere,theycouldhearMissLarkcalling,inaveryloudvoice,thingslike:

           "Andrew,whereareyou?"or

           "Andrew,youmustn’tgooutwithoutyourovercoat!"or

           "Andrew,cometoMother!"

           And,ifyoudidn’tknow,youwouldthinkthatAndrewmustbealittleboy.Indeed,JanethoughtthatMissLarkthoughtthatAndrewwasalittleboy.ButAndrewwasn’t.Hewasadog—oneofthosesmall,silky,fluffydogsthatlooklikeafurnecklet,untiltheybegintobark.But,ofcourse,whentheydothatyouknowthatthey’redogs.Nofurneckletevermadeanoiselikethat.

           Now,AndrewledsuchaluxuriouslifethatyoumighthavethoughthewastheShahofPersiaindisguise.HesleptonasilkpillowinMissLark’sroom;hewentbycartotheHairdresser’stwiceaweektobeshampooed;hehadcreamforeverymealandsometimesoysters,andhepossessedfourovercoatswithchecksandstripesindifferentcolours.Andrew’sordinarydayswerefilledwiththekindofthingsmostpeoplehaveonlyonbirthdays.AndwhenAndrewhimselfhadabirthdayhehadtwocandlesonhiscakeforeveryyear,insteadofonlyone.

           TheeffectofallthiswastomakeAndrewverymuchdislikedintheneighbourhood.