"Cooper, Susan - Dark is Rising 01 - Over Sea, Under Stone" - читать интересную книгу автора (Cooper Susan)

Simon became interested. You're quite right. But there isn't any door.'

'Perhaps there's a secret panel,' Barney said hopefully.

'You read too many books. Have you ever seen a real secret panel in a real house? Anyway there isn't any panelling on this wall, just wallpaper.'

'Your room's on the other side,' Jane said. 'Is there a door in there?'

Simon shook his head.

Barney opened the door into their bedroom and went in, kicking his slippers under the bed as he went past. Then he stopped suddenly.

'Hey, come in here.'

'What's the matter?'

'That bit between our beds, where the wall makes a sort of alcove for the wardrobe. What's on the other side?'

'Well, the landing, of course.'

It can't be. There's too much wall in here. You stand in the doorway and look on both sides - the landing stops before it gets that far.'

'I'll bang on the wall where it does stop, and you listen in here,' said Jane. She went outside, pulling the door shut, and they heard a faint tapping on the wall just over the head of Barney's bed.

'There you are I' Barney said, hopping with excitement. 'The landing only reaches to there, but the wall in here goes on for yards, right over your bed to the window. So there must be a room on the other side.'

Jane came back into the bedroom. 'The wall doesn't look nearly as long out there as it does in here.'

It isn't. And I think that means,' Simon said slowly, 'that there must be a door behind the wardrobe.'

'Well that finishes it, then,' Jane said, disappointed. That wardrobe's enormous, we shall never be able to move it.'

'I don't see why not.' Simon looked thoughtfully at the wardrobe. 'We shall have to pull it from down low, so the top doesn't overbalance. If we all pull at one end perhaps it'll swing round.' 'Come on then,' Jane said. 'You and I pull, and Barney hold the top and shout if he feels it overbalancing.'

They both bent and heaved at the nearest leg of the wardrobe. Nothing happened.

'I think the stupid thing's nailed to the floor,' said Jane in disgust.

'No it's not. Come on, once more. One two three - heave!' The great wooden tower squeaked unwillingly a few inches across the floor.

'Go on, go on, it's coming!' Barney could hardly stand still. Simon and Jane tugged and puffed and blew, their plimsolls slithering on the linoleum; and gradually the wardrobe moved out at an angle from the wall. Barney, peering into the gloom behind, suddenly shrieked.

'There it is! There is a door! Ouf - He staggered backwards, gasped, and sneezed. 'It's all covered in dust and cobwebs, it can't have been opened for years.'

'Well go on, try it,' panted Simon, pink with breathlessness and success.

'I hope it doesn't open towards us,' Jane said, sitting weakly on the floor. 'I can't pull this thing another inch.'

'It doesn't,' Barney said, muffled from behind the wardrobe. They heard the door creak protestingly open. Then he reappeared, with a large dark smudge down one cheek. There isn't a room. It's a staircase. More like a ladder really. It goes up to a sort of hatchway and there's light up there.' He looked at Simon with a crooked grin. You can go first, Boss.'