"Wilkie Collins - The Evil Genius" - читать интересную книгу автора (Collins Wilkie)

Lizzie," she answered. "I don't feel the cold when I am playing with my
children. I am very careful to give them plenty of exercise, we are going to
walk in the Park."
She gave a hand to each of the dolls, and walked slowly round and round the
miserable room, pointing out visionary persons of distinction and objects of
interest. "Here's the queen, my dears, in her gilt coach, drawn by six horses.
Do you see her scepter poking out of the carriage window? She governs the nation
with that. Bow to the queen. And now look at the beautiful bright water. There's
the island where the ducks live. Ducks are happy creatures. They have their own
way in everything, and they're good to eat when they're dead. At least they used
to be good, when we had nice dinners in papa's time. I try to amuse the poor
little things, Lizzie. Their papa is dead. I'm obliged to be papa and mamma to
them, both in one. Do you feel the cold, my dears?" She shivered as she
questioned her imaginary children. "Now we are at home again," she said, and led
the dolls to the empty fireplace. "Roaring fires always in my house," cried the
resolute little creature, rubbing her hands cheerfully before the bleak blank
grate.
Warm-hearted Lizzie could control herself no longer.
"If the child would only make some complaint," she burst out, "it wouldn't be so
dreadful! Oh, what a shame! what a shame!" she cried, to the astonishment of
little Syd. "Come down, my dear, to the nice warm room where your brother is.
Oh, your mother? I don't care if your mother sees us; I should like to give your
mother a piece of my mind. There! I don't mean to frighten you; I'm one of your
bad children--I fly into a passion. You carry the dolls and I'll carry you. Oh,
how she shivers! Give us a kiss."
Sympathy which expressed itself in this way was new to Syd. Her eyes opened wide
in childish wonder--and suddenly closed again in childish terror, when her good
friend the servant passed Mrs. Westerfield's door on the way downstairs. "If
mamma bounces out on us," she whispered, "pretend we don't see her." The nice
warm room received them in safety. Under no stress of circumstances had Mrs.
Westerfield ever been known to dress herself in a hurry. A good half-hour more
had passed before the house door was heard to bang--and the pleasant landlady,
peeping through the window, said: "There she goes. Now, we'll enjoy ourselves!"
5.--The Landlord.
Mrs. Westerfield's destination was the public-house in which she had been once
employed as a barmaid. Entering the place without hesitation, she sent in her
card to the landlord. He opened the parlor door himself and invited her to walk
in.
"You wear well," he said, admiring her. "Have you come back here to be my
barmaid again?"
"Do you think I am reduced to that?" she answered.
"Well, my dear, more unlikely things have happened. They tell me you depend for
your income on Lord Le Basque--and his lordship's death was in the newspapers
last week."
"And his lordship's lawyers continue my allowance."
Having smartly set the landlord right in those words, she had not thought it
necessary to add that Lady Le Basque, continuing the allowance at her husband's
request, had also notified that it would cease if Mrs. Westerfield married
again.
"You're a lucky woman," the landlord remarked. "Well, I'm glad to see you. What