"Blyton, Enid - Famous Five 20 - Five Have a Mystery to Solve" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

The front door bell rang. Hurrah! Then in came a cheerful, smiling old lady, nodding to everyone, very pleased to see such a nice little party waiting for her.
СThis is Mrs Layman, children,Т said JulianТs mother. СSit down, Mrs Layman. WeТre delighted to have you.Т
СWell, IТve come to ask the children something,Т said Mrs Layman. СBut weТll have tea first, and then IТll say what IТve come to say. My, my - what a wonderful tea! IТm glad I feel hungry!Т
Everyone else was hungry too, and soon the bread and butter, the sandwiches, the buns, the cakes and everything else disappeared. Timmy sat quietly by George, who slipped him a titbit now and again, when no one was looking. Mrs Layman chatted away. She was a most interesting person, and the children liked her very much.
СWell now,Т she said, when tea was finished, СIТm sure you must be wanting to know why I asked to come to tea today. I wanted to ask your mother, Julian, if there was any chance of you three - and this other boy here - whatТs his name - George? would you like to help me out of a difficulty.Т
Nobody pointed out that George was a girl, not a boy, and that George was short for Georgina. George, as usual, was pleased to be taken for a boy. They all looked at Mrs Layman, listening to her with interest.
СItТs like this,Т she said. СIТve a dear little house up on the hills, overlooking the harbour - and IТve a grandson staying with me there - Wilfrid. Well, I have to go to look after a cousin of mine, whoТs ill - and Wilfrid canТt bear to be left alone. I just wondered if your mother would allow you children to share the little house with Wilfrid - and well - keep him company. He feels a bit scary being on his own. IТve a good woman there, who comes in to cook and clean - but poor WilfridТs really scared of being in such a lonely place, high up on the hill.Т
СYou mean that lovely little house with the wonderful view?Т said JulianТs mother.
СYes. ItТs rather primitive in some ways - no water laid on, only just a well to use - and no electricity or gas - just candles, or an oil lamp. Maybe it sounds too old-fashioned for words - but honestly the view makes up for it! Perhaps the children would like to come over and see it, before they decide?Т Mrs Layman looked earnestly round at everyone, and nobody knew quite what to say.
СWell - weТll certainly come and see it,Т said JulianТs mother. СAnd if the children feel like it, well, they can stay there. They do like being on their own, of course.Т
СYes,Т said Julian. СWeТll come and see it, Mrs Layman. MotherТs going to be busy with a bazaar soon - sheТll be glad to get us out of the way - and, of course, we do like being on our own!Т
Mrs Layman looked extremely pleased. СTomorrow, then?Т she said. СAbout ten oТclock. YouТll love the view. Wonderful, wonderful! You can see right over the great harbour, and for miles around. Well - I must be going now. IТll tell Wilfrid you children may be keeping him company. HeТs such a nice lad - so helpful. YouТll love him.Т
Julian had his doubts about the nice helpful Wilfrid. He even wondered if Mrs Layman wanted to get away from Wilfrid, and leave him to himself! No - that was too silly. Anyway, theyТd soon see what the place was like, tomorrow.
СIt would be fun to be on our own again,Т said George, when Mrs Layman had gone. СI donТt expect this Wilfrid would be any bother. HeТs probably just a silly kid, scared of being left alone - though apparently there is a woman there! Well - weТll go tomorrow! Maybe the view will make up for dear Wilfrid!Т


Chapter Three

THE COTTAGE ON THE HILL - AND WILFRID

Next day the children prepared to go and see the cottage belonging to Mrs Layman. СYou coming too, Mother?Т asked Julian. СWeТd like your advice!Т
СWell no, dear,Т said his mother. СIТve rather a lot to do - thereТs a meeting on at the Village Hall, and I promised to go to it.Т
СYouТre full of good works, Mother,Т said Julian, giving her a hug. СAll right, weТll go by ourselves. I daresay we shall know at once whether weТd like to stay in the cottage - or not. Also, we MUST know what this Wilfrid is like! ItТs a quarter to ten, and George is already here, with Timmy. IТll call the others and weТll get our bikes.Т
Soon the four were on their bicycles, with Timmy, as usual, running alongside, his long tongue out, his eyes bright and happy. This was TimmyТs idea of perfect happiness - to be with the four children all day long!
They went along a road that ran on the top of a hill. They swung round a corner - and there, spread far below them, was a great sea-vista that included a wonderful harbour, filled with big and little ships. The sea was as blue as the Mediterranean, quite breathtaking. Anne jumped off her bicycle at once.
СI must just feast my eyes on all this before I go a yard further!Т she said. СWhat a panorama! What miles of sea and sky!Т
She put her bicycle against a gate and then climbed over and stood by herself, gazing down at the view. Dick joined her.
Then suddenly a voice shouted loudly СFORE! FORE!Т A small white thing came whizzing through the air and landed just by AnneТs foot. She jumped in surprise.
СItТs a golf-ball,Т said Dick. СNo, donТt pick it up. WhoeverТs playing with it, has to come and hit it from exactly where it fell. Good thing you werenТt hit, Anne. I didnТt realize that this gate led on to a golf-course!Т
СWe ought to have a walk over it,Т said Anne. СJust look at those gorse bushes over there, absolutely flaming with yellow blossom - and all the tiny flowers springing up everywhere - speedwell and coltsfoot and daisies and celandines - beautiful. And oh - what a view!Т
СYes - and if Mrs LaymanТs cottage has a view anything like this, IТd certainly like to stay there!Т said Dick. СThink of getting out of bed in the morning and seeing this enormous view out of the window - the harbour - the sea beyond - the hills all round - the great spread of sky...Т
СYou ought to be a poet, Dick!Т said Anne, in surprise. The golfers came up at that moment, and the children stood aside and watched one of them address the ball, and then strike it easily and strongly. The ball soared through the air, and landed far away on a smooth green fairway.
СGood shot!Т said the manТs partner, and the two sauntered off together.
СFunny game, really,Т said Anne. СJust hitting a ball all round the course.Т
СWish I had some clubs!Т said Dick. СIТm sure I could hit some smashing shots!Т
СWell, if that cottage is anywhere near the golf-course, perhaps you could pay to have a lesson,Т said Anne. СI bet you could hit a ball as far as that man!Т
The others were now yelling for them to come back, so they went to fetch their bicycles. Soon they were all riding along the road again. СWe have to look for a small white gate, with УHill CottageФ painted on it,Т said George. СOn the hillside facing the sea.Т
СThere it is!Т cried Anne. СWeТll pile our bicycles together against the hedge, and go in at the gate.Т
They left their bicycles in a heap and went through the gate. Not far to their left stood a funny old cottage, its back to them, its front looking down the steep hill that ran towards the great harbour and the sea beyond.
СItТs like a cottage out of an old fairy-tale,Т said Anne. СFunny little chimneys - rather crooked walls - a thatched roof, all uneven - and what tiny windows!Т
They walked down a little winding path that led to the cottage. They soon came to a well, and leaned over it to see the water deep down. СSo thatТs the water weТd have to drink!Т said Anne, wrinkling up her nose. СAnd weТd have to let down the bucket by winding this handle - and down it would go on the rope! Do you suppose the water is pure?Т
СWell, seeing that people must have drunk it for years on end - the ones living in that cottage, anyway - I should imagine itТs all right!Т said Julian. СCome on - letТs find the front door of the cottage - if it has one!Т
It had one wooden door, hung rather crooked, with an old brass knocker. It faced down the hill, and was flanked on each side by small windows. Two other small windows were above. Julian looked at them. The bedrooms would be very small, he thought - would there really be room for them all?
He knocked at the door. Nobody came to open it. He knocked again, and then looked for a bell, but there wasnТt one.
СSee if the door is unlocked,Т said Anne. So Julian turned the handle - and at once the door gave under his hand! It opened straight into a room that looked like a kitchen-living-room.
Julian gave a shout. СAnyone at home?Т
There was no answer. СWell - as this is obviously the cottage we were meant to see, weТd better go in,Т said Julian and in they all went.
It was old, very old. The carved wooden furniture was old too. Ancient oil lamps stood on two tables in the room, and in a recess there was an oilstove with a saucepan on top. A narrow, crooked stairway made of wood curved up to the floor above. Julian went up, and found himself in a long, darkish room, its roof thatched with reed and held up by black beams.
СThis place must be hundreds of years old!Т he called down to the others. СI donТt think itТs big enough for us four and the others too - the cook and that boy called Wilfrid.Т
Just as he finished calling down the stairs, the front door was flung open and someone came in.