"John Morressy -- Walter and the Wonderful Watch" - читать интересную книгу автора (Morressy John)

"Your Majesty, I bring a youth with a present for you," the guard announced.
The king looked at Walter and turned away with a scowl of disdain. "What could this
grubby urchin possibly have that would interest us?" he asked.

"A watch, Your Majesty," said Walter.

"We are a king, you stupid boy. We have a thousand watches."
"My watch talks," said Walter.

The king's eyes lit up. His scowl vanished. "A talking watch?"
Walter drew the watch from his pocket and held it up. It gleamed most attractively.
"Good morning, Your Majesty," it said. "How pleasant to see you looking well."

"It talks! It actually talks!" the king cried. "Give it to us at once."

Walter placed the watch in the king's eager hands. "Speak to us!" the king said.
"As Your Majesty wishes," said the watch. "Would you prefer amusing conversation?
Song? A poetry recitation? Minute observations? Second thoughts? A patriotic oration?
Jokes and stories?"
"All of them!" cried the king, bouncing up and down on his throne in glee. "Start with
amusing conversation. We don't get much of it around here, we can tell you. Our courtiers
are a pack of ninnies. We've had nothing but bad times here."
"Oh, Your Majesty, I sympathize profoundly. I know bad times, believe me, and there's
nothing more annoying. Noon and Midnight are the absolute worst."

"Really? Why is that?" asked the king.
"They think they're so special. тАШHigh NoonтАЩ and тАШThe Witching HourтАЩ and all that, you
know. And the rest are almost as bad. Seven has convinced himself that he's a magic
number, and insists on being called тАШLucky.тАЩ And Six is nearly as bad, with his constant
insistence that he should be the basis of our numerical system. He has terrible rows with
Ten. Nine and Five keep calling themselves the working man's friends, and they're not on
speaking terms with Eight and Four, who claim the same distinction. It's very trying, believe
me."
"Aren't there any good times?" the king asked.

"The only times I really like are Two and Three. They don't fuss and complain and
demand attention, they just get on with the job."
 "What about Ten and Eleven?" the king asked.

"Ten is something of a snob. тАШBanker's Hour,тАЩ you know. Eleven's a good sort, though.
Very friendly. Always ready for a snack and a few minutes chat. Not at all like One."
"What's the problem with One?"

"He's a loner. Very unsociable."

"This is delightful! Fascinating!" said the king. "We haven't enjoyed such amusing
conversation for years."
"Oh, this is nothing. Why, I know a chronometer who can spin tales of the sea for days
on end without repeating himself once. It's a pity Your Majesty can't slip away from the