"Paddington Helps Out - Bond, Michael" - читать интересную книгу автора (Bond Michael)

Although they met most days, Mr. Gruber was usually busy in his shop and they seldom had the opportunity of actually going out together.
At that moment a customer entered the shop and so, having arranged to meet Mr. Gruber after lunch, Paddington raised his hat and hurried back home to tell the others.
"Hmm," said Mrs. Bird, when she heard all about it over lunch. "I pity the poor auctioneer who tries to sell anything when Paddington's there. That bear'll knock anyone down to half-price."
"Oh, I'm not buying anything, Mrs. Bird," said Paddington, as he reached out a paw for a second helping of treacle tart. "I'm only going to watch."
All the same, when he left the house after lunch, Mrs. Bird noticed he was carrying his old leather suitcase in which he kept all his money.
"It's all right, Mrs. Bird," said Paddington, as he waved good-bye with his paw. "It's only in case of an emergency."
"Just so long as he doesn't come home with a suite of furniture," said Mrs. Bird as she closed the door. "If he does it'll have to go in the garden."
Paddington felt very excited as he entered the auction rooms. Mr. Gruber had put on his best suit for the occasion and a number of people turned to stare at them as they came through the door.
Having bought two catalogues, Mr. Gruber pushed his way to the front so that Paddington would have a good view. On the way he introduced him to several of the other dealers as "Mr. Brown--a young bear friend of mine from Darkest Peru who's interested in antiques."
They all shook Paddington's paw and whispered that they were very pleased to meet him.
It was all much different to what Paddington had expected. It was really like a very big antique shop, with boxes and tables loaded with china and silver round the walls. There was a large crowd of people standing in the middle of the room facing a man on a platform who appeared to be waving a hammer in the air.
"That's the auctioneer," whispered Mr. Gruber. "He's the man you want to watch. He's most important."
Paddington raised his hat politely to the auctioneer and then settled down on his suitcase and carefully looked around.
After a moment he decided he liked auction sales. Everyone seemed so friendly. In fact, he had hardly made himself comfortable before a man on the other side of the room waved his hand in their direction. Paddington stood up, raised his hat and waved a friendly paw back.
No sooner had he sat down than the man waved again. Being a polite bear, Paddington stood up and once more waved his paw.
To his surprise the man stopped waving almost immediately and glared at him instead. Paddington gave him a hard stare and then settled down to watch the man on the platform who appeared to be doing something with his hammer again.
"Going . . ." the man shouted, hitting his table. "Going . . . gone! Sold to the young bear gentleman in the hat for two pounds ten!"
"Oh, dear," said Mr. Gruber, looking most upset. "I'm afraid you've just bought a set of carpentry tools, Mr. Brown."
"What!" repeated Paddington, nearly falling off his suitcase with surprise. "I've bought a set of carpentry tools?"
"Come along," said the auctioneer sternly. "You're holding up the proceedings. Pay at the desk, please."
"A set of carpentry tools," exclaimed Paddington, jumping up and waving his paws in the air. "But I didn't even say anything!"
Mr. Gruber looked most embarrassed. "I'm afraid it's all my fault, Mr. Brown," he said. "I should have explained auction sales to you before we came in. I think perhaps I'd better pay for them as it wasn't really your fault."
"You see," he continued, when he returned from the desk, "you have to be very careful at a sale, Mr. Brown."
Mr. Gruber went on to explain how the auctioneer offered each item for sale, and how, after one person had made a bid for something, it was up to anyone else who wanted it to make a better offer.
"If you nod your head, Mr. Brown," he said, "or even scratch your nose, they think it's a sign you want to buy something. I expect the auctioneer saw you raise your hat just now and thought you were bidding."
Paddington wasn't at all sure what Mr. Gruber meant, but having carefully made sure the auctioneer wasn't looking, he quickly nodded and then sat very still while he watched the proceedings.
Although he didn't say anything to Mr. Gruber, he was beginning to wish he hadn't come to the auction. The room was hot and crowded and he wanted to take his hat off. Apart from that he was sitting on the handle of his suitcase, which was most uncomfortable.
He closed his eyes and was just about to try and go to sleep when Mr. Gruber nudged his paw and pointed to the catalogue.
"I say, Mr. Brown," he said. "The next item is very interesting. It's an old pistol--the sort highwaymen used. They're quite popular just now. I think I shall try bidding for it."
Paddington sat up and watched excitedly as the auctioneer held the pistol in the air for everyone to see. "Lot thirty-four," he shouted. "What am I bid for this genuine antique pistol?"
"Four pounds," came a voice from the back of the room.
"Four pounds ten," called Mr. Gruber, waving his catalogue.
"Five pounds," came another voice.
"Oh, dear," said Mr. Gruber, making some calculations on the side of his catalogue. "Five pounds ten shillings."
"Six pounds," came the same voice again.
Paddington stood on his case and stared across the room. "That's the man who made me buy the carpentry tools by mistake," he whispered, tapping Mr. Gruber excitedly.
"Well, we mustn't let him have it whatever we do," exclaimed Mr. Gruber. "Six pounds ten!"
"Seven pounds," cried Paddington wildly.
"Ahem," said Mr. Gruber tactfully, not wishing to offend Paddington. "I think we're bidding against each other, Mr. Brown."
"Any advance on seven pounds?" shouted the auctioneer, looking most pleased.
As there was no reply he raised his hammer. "Going . . . going . . ." he called. "Gone!" He brought the hammer down with a loud crash. "Sold to the young bear gentleman in the front row for seven pounds."
Mr. Gruber felt in his wallet for the money. Taking Paddington to an auction sale was becoming rather expensive.
"I'm sorry about that, Mr. Gruber," said Paddington guiltily, when he returned. "I'm afraid I got rather excited."
"That's all right," said Mr. Gruber. "It was still a very good bargain, Mr. Brown--and I did want it. I shall put it in my window to-morrow."
"I think perhaps I'd better not do any more bidding," said Paddington, looking very crestfallen. "I don't think bears are very good at it."
"Nonsense," said Mr. Gruber. "You've been doing very well for a first time."
All the same, Paddington decided to keep quiet for a while and watch Mr. Gruber. It was all very complicated and not a bit like shopping in the market, where he was allowed to test everything with his paws first before arguing over the price.
Mr. Gruber pointed out several items in the catalogue to Paddington and gave him a pencil so that he could mark off the ones he had bought and how much had been paid for them.
The list of items Mr. Gruber bought grew and grew until Paddington felt quite dizzy with writing down all the figures and he was pleased when at last he announced that he had finished buying for the day.
"A very good day's work indeed, Mr. Brown," he said, as he checked Paddington's figures. "And thank you very much for all your help. I don't know what I would have done without you."