"Robert F. Young - Little Red Schoolhouse" - читать интересную книгу автора (Young Robert F)

She told the little box: тАЬMr. Curtin, Andrews just brought in Ronnie
Meadows.тАЭ
тАЬGood,тАЭ the box said. тАЬSend the boy in and notify his parents.тАЭ
тАЬYes, sir.тАЭ
The principalтАЩs office was unlike anything Ronnie had ever seen before. Its
hugeness made him uncomfortable and the brightness of its fluorescent lights
hurt his eyes. All the lights seemed to be shining right in his face and he
could hardly see the man behind the desk.
But he could see him well enough to make out some of his features: the high
white forehead and receding hairline, the thin cheeks, the almost lipless
mouth.
For some reason the manтАЩs face frightened Ronnie and he wished that the
interview were over.
тАЬI have only a few questions to ask you,тАЭ the principal said, тАЬand then you
can be on your way back to the valley.тАЭ
тАЬYes, sir,тАЭ Ronnie said, some of his fear leaving him.
тАЬWere your mother and father unkind to you? Your real mother and father, I
mean.тАЭ
тАЬNo, sir. They were very good to me. IтАЩm sorry I had to run away from them,
but I just had to go back to the valley.тАЭ
тАЬWere you lonesome for Nora and Jim?тАЭ
Ronnie wondered how the principal knew their names. тАЬYes, sir.тАЭ
тАЬAnd Miss SmithтАФwere you lonesome for her?тАЭ
тАЬOh, yes, sir!тАЭ

HE FELT the principalтАЩs eyes upon him and he shifted uncomfortably. He was
so tired; he wished the principal would ask him to sit down. But the principal
didnтАЩt and the lights seemed to get brighter and brighter.
тАЬAre you in love with Miss Smith?тАЭ
The question startled Ronnie, not so much because he hadnтАЩt expected it,
but because of the tone in which it was uttered. There was unmistakable
loathing in the principalтАЩs voice. Ronnie felt his neck grow hot, and then his
face, and he was too ashamed to meet the principalтАЩs eyes, no matter how hard
he tried. But the strange part of it was, he didnтАЩt understand why he was
ashamed.
The question came again, the loathing more pronounced than before: тАЬAre you
in love with Miss Smith?тАЭ
тАЬYes, sir,тАЭ Ronnie said.
Silence came and sat in the room. Ronnie kept his eyes down, fearfully
awaiting the next question.
 But there were no more questions and presently he became aware that the
door behind him had opened and that the truant officer was standing over him.
He heard the principalтАЩs voice: тАЬLevel Six. Tell the tech on duty to try
Variant 24-C on him.тАЭ
тАЬYes, sir,тАЭ the truant officer said. He took RonnieтАЩs hand. тАЬCome on,
Ronnie.тАЭ
тАЬWhereтАЩre we going?тАЭ
тАЬWhy, back to the valley, of course. Back to the little red schoolhouse.тАЭ
Ronnie followed the truant officer out of the office, his heart singing. It
seemed almost too easy, almost too good to be true.