"Blyton, Enid - Famous Five 18 - Five On Finniston Farm" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

СYes. Do you know them?Т asked Julian, getting out some money to pay the bill.
СI know the twins there,Т said the girl. СThe two Harries. At least, I donТt know them well - nobody does. TheyТre just wrapped up in each other, they never make any friends. You look out for their old Great-Grand-dad - heТs a one, he is! He once fought a mad bull and knocked it out! And his voice - you can hear it for miles! I was real scared of going near the farm when I was little. But Mrs Philpot, sheТs nice. YouТll like her. The twins are very good to her - and to their Dad, too - work like farm-hands all the holidays. You wonТt know tТother from which, theyТre so alike!Т
СWhy did you call them the two Harries?Т asked Anne, curiously.
СOh, because theyТve both...Т began the child, and then broke off as a plump woman came bustling into the shop.
СJanie - you go and see to the baby for me - IТll see to the shop now. Run along!Т
Away went the small girl, scuttling through the door.
СLittle gasbag she is!Т said her mother. СAnything more you want?Т
СNo thanks,Т said Julian, getting up. СWe must go. WeТre to stay at Finniston Farm, so we may be seeing you again soon. We liked the ice-creams!Т
СOh - so youТre going there, are you?Т said the plump woman. СI wonder how youТll get on with the Harries! And keep out of Grand-dadТs way - heТs over eighty, but he can still give a mighty good thumping to anyone who crosses him!Т
The Five went out into the hot sun again. Julian grinned round at the others. СWell - shall we go and find the nice Mrs Philpot - the unfriendly Harries, whoever they are - and the fearsome Great-Grand-dad? Sounds an interesting household, doesnТt it?Т


Chapter Two

FINNISTON FARM

The four children, with Timmy trotting beside them, walked down the hot, dusty village street until they came to the end, and then saw the lane turning off to the right, just as the little girl had told them.
СWait a minute,Т said Anne, stopping at a curious little shop at the end of the village street. СLook - hereТs a queer shop - it sells antiques. Look at those old horse-brasses - IТd like to get one or two of those. And just see those lovely old prints!Т
СOh no - not now, Anne,Т said Julian, with a groan. СThis awful sudden craze of yours for second-hand shops has been going on too long! Horse-brasses! YouТve got stacks of them already! If you think weТre going to go into that dark, smelly little shop and...Т
СOh, IТm not going in now,Т said Anne, hurriedly. СBut it does look rather exciting. IТll come by myself sometime and prowl round.Т She glanced at the name on the shop front. СWilliam Finniston - how funny to have the same name as the village! I wonder if...Т
СOh, come on, Anne,Т said George impatiently, and Timmy tugged at her skirt. Anne gave one backward glance at the fascinating little shop-window, and hurried after the others, making up her mind to slip down to the shop one day when she was alone.
They all went up the little winding lane, where red poppy-heads jigged about in the breeze, and after a while they came in sight of the farm-house. It was a big one, three storey's high, with whitewashed walls, and the rather small windows belonging to the age in which it was built. Old-fashioned red and white roses rambled over the porch, and the old wooden door stood wide open.
The Five stood on the scrubbed stone entrance, looking into the dim hall. An old wooden chest stood there, and a carved chair. A rather threadbare rug lay on the stone floor, and a grandfather clock ticked slowly and loudly.
Somewhere a dog barked, and Timmy at once barked back. WOOF, WOOF!Т
СBe quiet, Timmy,Т said George sharply, afraid that a horde of farm-dogs might come rushing out. She looked for a bell or a knocker, but couldnТt see either. Then Dick spotted a beautiful wrought-iron handle hanging down from the roof of the porch. Could it be a bell?
He pulled it, and at once a bell jangled very loudly somewhere in the depths of the farm-house, making them all jump. They stood in silence, waiting for someone to come. Then they heard footsteps and two children came up the hallway.
They were exactly alike! The most twinny twins IТve ever seen! thought Anne, in amazement. Julian smiled his friendliest smile. СGood afternoon - weТre the Kirrins - I - er I hope youТre expecting us.Т
The twins stared at him without a smile. They nodded together. СCome this way,Т they both said, and marched back down the hall. The four stared at one another in surprise.
СWhy so stiff and haughty'Т whispered Dick, putting on a face exactly like the twins. Anne giggled. They all followed the twins, who were dressed exactly alike in navy shorts and navy shirts. They went right down the long hall, passed a stairway, round a dark corner, and into an enormous kitchen, which was obviously used as a sitting-room as well.
СThe Kirrins, Mother!Т said the twins, together, and at once disappeared through another door, shoulder to shoulder. The children found themselves facing a pleasant-looking woman, standing by a table, her hands white with flour. She smiled, and then gave a little laugh.
СOh, my dears! I didnТt expect you quite so soon! Do forgive my not being able to shake hands with you - but I was just making scones for your tea. IТm so pleased to see you. Did you have a good journey here?Т
It was nice to hear her welcoming voice and see her wide smile. The Five warmed to her at once. Julian put down the suitcase he was carrying and looked round the room.
СWhat a lovely old place!Т he said. СYou carry on with your scone-making, Mrs Philpot - weТll look after ourselves. Just tell us where to go. ItТs nice of you to have us.Т
СIТm glad to,Т said Mrs Philpot. СI expect your aunt told you the farmТs not doing too well, and she kindly said sheТd send you here for two weeks. IТve some other boarders too - an American and his son - so IТm pretty busy.Т
СWell, you donТt need to bother too much about us,Т said Dick. СIn fact, weТll camp out under a haystack, if you like - or in a barn. WeТre used to roughing it!Т
СWell - that might be a help,Т said Mrs Philpot, going on with her mixing. СIТve a bedroom that would do for the girls all right - but IТm afraid you boys would have to share one with the American boy - and - er - well, you mightnТt like him.Т
СOh, I expect weТll get on all right,Т said Julian. СBut my brother and I would certainly prefer to be by ourselves, Mrs Philpot. What about putting up camp-beds or something in a barn? WeТd love that!Т
Anne looked at Mrs PhilpotТs kind, tired face, and felt suddenly sorry for her. How awful to have to have your home invaded by strangers, whether you liked them or not! She went over to her.
СYou tell Georgina and me anything youТd like us to do to help,Т she said. СYou know - making the beds, and dusting and things like that. WeТre used to doing things at home, and...Т
СIТm going to enjoy having you!Т said Mrs Philpot, looking round at them all. СAnd you wonТt need to help very much. The twins do a great deal - too much, I think, bless them - because they help on the farm too. Now, you go up the stairs to the very top of the house, and youТll see two bedrooms, one on each side of the landing - the left-hand one is yours, girls - the other is where the American boy is sleeping. And as for you two boys, you can slip out to the barn, and see if youТd like a couple of camp-beds there. IТll get the twins to take you.Т
The twins came back at this minute, and stood silently shoulder to shoulder, as alike as peas. George looked at them.
СWhatТs your name?Т she said to one twin.
СHarry!Т was the answer. She turned to the other. СAnd whatТs yours?Т
СHarry!Т
СBut surely you donТt both have the same name?Т exclaimed George.
СWell, you see,Т explained their mother, Сwe called the boy Henry, and he became Harry, of course - and we called the girl Harriet, and she calls herself Harry for short - so theyТre known as the Harries.Т
СI thought they were both boys!Т said Dick in amazement. СI wouldnТt know which is which!Т
СWell, they felt they have to be alike,Т said Mrs Philpot, Сand as Harry canТt have long hair like a girl, Harriet has to have short hair to be like Harry! I often donТt know one from the other myself.Т
Dick grinned. СFunny how some girls want to be boys!Т he said, with a sly glance at George, who gave him a furious look.
СTwins, show the Kirrins up to the top bedroom,Т said Mrs Philpot, Сand then take the boys out to the big barn. They can have the old camp-beds, if they like the look of the barn.Т