Мэри Поппинс
Bad Tuesday
"Onewordmorefromyou—"beganMaryPoppins,andshesaiditinsuchapeculiarlythreateningvoicethatevenMichaelfeltalittlenervous."OnemorewordandI’ll—"
Shedidnotsaywhatshewoulddo,buthequickenedhispace.
"Pullyourselftogether,Michael,"saidJaneinawhisper.
"Youshutup,"hesaid,butsolowthatMaryPoppinscouldnothear.
"Now,Sir,"saidMaryPoppins."Offyougo—infrontofme,please.I’mnotgoingtohaveyoustravaigingbehindanylonger.You’llobligemebygoingonahead."Shepushedhiminfrontofher."And,"shecontinued,"there’sashinythingsparklingonthepathjustalongthere.I’llthankyoutogoandpickitupandbringittome.Somebody’sdroppedtheirtiara,perhaps."
Againsthiswill,butbecausehedidn’tdarenotto,Michaellookedinthedirectioninwhichshewaspointing.Yes—therewassomethingshiningonthepath.Fromthatdistanceitlookedveryinterestinganditssparklingraysoflightseemedtobeckonhim.Hewalkedon,swaggeringalittle,goingasslowlyashedaredandpretendingthathedidn’treallywanttoseewhatitwas.
Hereachedthespotand,stooping,pickeduptheshiningthing.Itwasasmallroundsortofboxwithaglasstopandontheglassanarrowmarked.Inside,arounddiscthatseemedtobecoveredwithlettersswunggentlyashemovedthebox.
Janeranupandlookedatitoverhisshoulder.
"Whatisit,Michael?"sheasked.
"Iwon’ttellyou,"saidMichael,thoughhedidn’tknowhimself.
"MaryPoppins,whatisit?"demandedJane,astheperambulatordrewupbesidethem.
