Mary Poppins / Мэри Поппинс. Книга для чтения на английском языке

“Andrew, Andrew, come home, my darling! Don’t talk to these terrible street dogs!”

And Miss Lark never allowed Andrew to go out of the garden into the street. You could see him in the street or in the park only with Miss Lark.

Imagine, then, the surprise of Jane and Michael, when they saw Andrew one day in the park without Miss Lark. He was running very quickly and looked very serious.

“Hi, Andrew! Where is your overcoat?” cried Michael.

Andrew stopped and looked at the children. Then he turned to Mary Poppins and barked.

“Yap-yap!” said Andrew several times very quickly.

“Let me see[36 - Let me see – Дай-ка мне подумать],” said Mary Poppins. “I think it’s the first turning on your right[37 - the first turning on your right – первый поворот направо] and the second house on the left.”

“Yap-yap,” said Andrew several times very quickly again.

“No – not a garden. Only a back yard,” said Mary Poppins. “The gate is usually open.”

Andrew barked again.

“I don’t know,” said Mary Poppins. “But I think so. He usually goes home at tea-time.”

Andrew barked again and ran away.

Jane’s and Michael’s eyes were round with surprise.

“What did he say?” they asked together.

“Nothing special,’’ said Mary Poppins.

“No,” said Michael. “I think he asked you where somebody lived.”

“Well, if you know, why do you ask me,” said Mary Poppins and sniffed.

“Oh, Michael,” said Jane. “She will never tell us if you talk like that. Mary Poppins, please, tell us what Andrew was saying to you. Please!”

“Ask him. He knows – Mr. Know-All!” said Mary Poppins and sniffed again.

“Oh no, I don’t know, Mary Poppins,” said Michael. “Please tell us.”

“It is half-past three. Tea-time,” said Mary Poppins. And they turned and went home.

When they were near their house, they suddenly heard loud cries coming from Miss Lark’s house[38 - coming from Miss Lark’s house – доносящиеся от дома мисс Ларк]. They looked and saw that Miss Lark was running about in her garden and crying: “Andrew, Andrew! Where are you? Oh, he is lost[39 - he is lost – он потерялся]! I must send for the Police. I must see the Prime Minister! Andrew is lost! Dear me[40 - dear me – Боже мой!], dear me!”

“Poor Miss Lark!” said Jane.

At that moment Michael looked down the street and – saw Andrew!

“Look, look, Miss Lark!” he cried. “There’s Andrew! Look, he is walking along the street!”

“Where? Where? Show me!” cried Miss Lark and ran up to the gate.

And indeed, she saw Andrew. He was walking slowly along the street. And near Andrew they saw a common dog. Andrew and the common dog were walking together.

“Oh, how glad I am,” said Miss Lark.

They were all standing and looking, and Andrew and the common dog were coming nearer and nearer the gate of Miss Lark’s garden.

“Oh, that terrible dog,” said Miss Lark, looking at Andrew’s companion. “Shoo! Shoo! Go home!” she cried to the common dog.

But the common dog came up to the gate and sat down on the ground. He scratched his right ear with his left leg[41 - with his left leg – левой ногой] and yawned.

“Go away! Go home! Shoo!” said Miss Lark again in an angry voice. “And you, Andrew, go home this minute! For shame![42 - For shame! – Стыдись!] Went into the street alone, and without your overcoat! I am angry with you.”

Andrew barked, but did not move.

“Do you understand, Andrew?’’ said Miss Lark. “Go home at once!”

Andrew barked again.

“He says,” said Mary Poppins, “that he won’t go home.”

Miss Lark turned and looked at her in great surprise.

“How do you know what my dog says, may I ask,” she said. “Of course, he will go home.”

Andrew shook his head[43 - shook his head – покачал головой] and barked.

“He won’t,” said Mary Poppins. “He will go home only if his friend goes, too.”

“Nonsense!” said Miss Lark. “This terrible dog will never go into my garden.”

Andrew barked two or three times.

“He says he is quite serious,” said Mary Poppins. “And he says that if you don’t allow his friend to go into your house and live with him, he will go away and live with his friend.”

“Oh, Andrew, you can’t – you can’t, really! After all that I have done for you!’’ Miss Lark was ready to cry.

Andrew barked and turned away. The other dog got up.

“Oh, he is really going away!” cried Miss Lark. “I see it!” She cried a little into her handkerchief, then she said:

“All right, Andrew. It will be as you say. This – this common dog can stay with us. But of course, he will sleep in the coal-cellar.”

Andrew barked again.

“He says, madam,” said Mary Poppins, “that he does not agree. His friend must have a silk cushion and sleep in you room, too. Or Andrew himself will sleep in the coal-cellar with his friend.”

“Andrew, how can you?” cried Miss Lark. “I shall never agree to it.”