"Zenna Henderson - Hush!" - читать интересную книгу автора (Henderson Zenna)

June went back to the table, thankful that Dubby was a nice kid and not like some of the brats she had met in her
time. She twined both legs around the legs of her chair, running both hands up through her hair. She paused before
tackling the next problem to glance in at Dubby. A worry nudged at her heart as she saw how pale and fine-drawn his
features were. It seemed, every time she came over, he was more nearly transparent.
She shivered a little as she remembered her mother saying, тАЬPoor child. HeтАЩll never have to worry about old age.
Have you noticed his eyes, June? He has wisdom in them now that no child should have. He has looked too often
into the Valley.тАЭ
June sighed and turned to her work.
The heating system hummed softly and the out-of-joint day settled into a comfortable accustomed evening.

Mrs. Warren rarely ever left Dubby because he was ill so much of the time, and she practically never left him until he
was settled for the night. But today when June got home from school, her mother had told her to call Mrs. Warren.
 тАЬOh, June,тАЭ Mrs. Warren had appealed over the phone, тАЬcould you possibly come over right now?тАЭ
тАЬNow?тАЭ asked June, dismayed, thinking of her hair and nails sheтАЩd planned to do, and the tentative date with
Larry-anne to hear her new album.
тАЬI hate to ask it,тАЭ said Mrs. Warren. тАЬI have no patience with people who make last minute arrangements, but Mr.
WarrenтАЩs mother is very ill again and we just have to go over to her house. We wouldnтАЩt trust Dubby with anyone but
you. HeтАЩs got that nasty bronchitis again, so we canтАЩt take him with us. IтАЩll get home as soon as I can, even if Orin
has to stay. HeтАЩs home from work right now, waiting for me. So please come, June!тАЭ
тАЬWell,тАЭ June melted to the tears in Mrs. WarrenтАЩs voice. She could let her hair and nails and album go and she
could get her geometry done at the WarrenтАЩs place. тАЬWell, okay. IтАЩll be right over.тАЭ
тАЬOh, bless you, child,тАЭ cried Mrs. Warren. Her voice faded away from the phone. тАЬOrin, sheтАЩs coming тАУтАЭ and the
receiver clicked.

тАЬJune!тАЭ He must have called several times before June began to swim back up through the gloomy haze of the new
theorem.
тАЬJoo-un!тАЭ DubbyтАЩs plaintive voice reached down to her and she sighed in exasperation. She had nearly figured
out how to work the problem.
тАЬYes, Dubby.тАЭ The exaggerated patience in her voice signalled her displeasure to him.
тАЬWell,тАЭ he faltered, тАЬI donтАЩt want to play-like something anymore. IтАЩve used up all my thinkings. Can I make
something now? Something for true?тАЭ
тАЬWithout getting off the couch?тАЭ asked June cautiously, wise from past experience.
тАЬYes,тАЭ grinned Dubby.
тАЬWithout my to-ing and fro-ing to bring you stuff?тАЭ she questioned, still wary.
тАЬUh-huh,тАЭ giggled Dubby.
тАЬWhat can you make for true without anything to make it with?тАЭ June asked sceptically.
Dubby laughed. тАЬI just thought it up.тАЭ Then all in one breath, unable to restrain his delight:
тАЬItтАЩs-really-kinda-like-play-like, but-IтАЩm-going-to-make-something-that-isnтАЩt-like-anything-real-so itтАЩll-be-for-true,
cause-it-wonтАЩt-be-play-like-anything-thatтАЩs-real!тАЭ
тАЬHuh? Say that again,тАЭ June challenged. тАЬI bet you canтАЩt do it.тАЭ
Dubby was squirming with excitement. He coughed tentatively, found it wasnтАЩt a prelude to a full production and
said: тАЬI canтАЩt say it again, but I can do it, I betcha. Last time I was sick, I made up some new magic words. TheyтАЩre real
good. I betcha theyтАЩll work real good like anything.тАЭ
тАЬOkay, go ahead and make something,тАЭ said June. тАЬJust so itтАЩs quiet.тАЭ
тАЬOh, itтАЩs real quiet,тАЭ said Dubby in a hushed voice. тАЬExter quiet. IтАЩm going to make a Noise-eater.тАЭ
тАЬA Noise-eater?тАЭ
тАЬUh-huh!тАЭ DubbyтАЩs eyes were shining. тАЬItтАЩll eat up all the noises. I can make lotsa racket then, тАШcause itтАЩll eat it all
up and make it real quiet for you soтАЩs you can do your jommety.тАЭ
тАЬNow thatтАЩs right thunkful of you, podner,тАЭ drawled June. тАЬMake it a good one, because little boys make a lot of
noise.тАЭ