"Geoff Ryman - Was" - читать интересную книгу автора (Ryman Geoff)

The door of a car was flung open, pushed by a boot, and it crashed against
the side of the train. A woman all in black with a hat at an awkward angle
was dragging a large trunk case. A little girl all in white stood next to her.
The white dress sparkled in sunlight, as if it had been sprinkled with
mirrors. The dog still barked.
"Where's my doggy? We're going to leave my doggy!" said the child.

"Your doggy will be along presently. Now you just help yourself down those
steps." The woman had a thin, intelligent face. Her pa-tience was worn.
She took the child's hand and leaned out of the car. The child dangled,
twisting in her grasp. A huge sack was thrown out of the next car and onto
the platform like a dead body.

"Aaah!" cried the child, grizzling.

"Little girl, please. Use your feet."

"I can't!" wailed the child.

The woman looked around the platform. "Johnson!" she called. "Johnson
Langrishe, is that you? Could you come over here please and help this little
girl down from the train?"

A plump and very pimply youthтАФhis cheeks were almost solid
pur-pleтАФloped toward the train, hair hanging in his eyes under a Union
Pacific cap. The woman passed the child down to him. Johnson took her
with a grunt and dropped her just a little too soon onto the platform.

The train whistled. The dog kept barking.

"Dog's been making music since Topeka. It's a wonder he's got any voice
left. Trunk next." The woman pushed the trunk out the door. Johnson was
not strong enough to hold it, and it slipped from his grasp to the ground.

"My doggy," said the little girl.

"Dot rat your doggy," muttered the woman. "Johnson. Do you know Emma
Gulch? Emma Branscomb as was?"

"No, Ma'am."

"Is there anybody waiting here to meet a little girl come all the way from
St. Louis, Missouri?"

"No, Ma'am."

"Well that's just dandy," said the woman with an air of finality.

"There's no one here? There's no one here?" The little girl began to panic.