Chapter seven. The bird woman. Perhaps she won't be there, said Michael. Yes, she will, said Jane. She's always there for ever and ever. They were walking up ladgate hill on a way to pay a visit to Mr banks in the city, for he had said that morning to Mrs banks. My dear, if it doesn't rain, I think Jane and Michael might call for me at the office today. That is, if you are agreeable. I have a feeling I should like to be taken to tea and shortbread fingers, and it's not often I have a treat. And missus banks had said she would think about it. But all day long, though Jane and Michael had watched her anxiously, she had not seemed to be thinking about it at all. From the thing she said, she was thinking about the laundry Bill and Michael's new overcoat, and where was aunt flossy's address? And why did that wretched Mrs Jackson ask her to tea on the second thursday of the month, when she knew that was the very day Mrs banks had to go to the dentist? Suddenly, when they felt quite sure she would never think about Mister banks's cheat, she said, now children don't stand staring at me like that. Get your things on. You're going to the city to have tea with your father, had you forgotten. As if they could have forgotten, for it was not as though it were only the tea that mattered. There was also the bird woman, and she herself was the best of all treats. That is why they are walking up ludgate hill and feeling very excited. Mary poppins walked between them, wearing her new hat and looking very distinguished. Every now and then she would look into the shop window just to make sure the hat was still there and that the pink roses on it had not turned into common flowers like marigolds. Every time she stopped to make sure Jane and Michael would sigh, but they did not dare say anything for fear she would spend even longer looking at herself in the Windows and turning this way and that to see which attitude was the most becoming. But at last they came to St Paul's cathedral, which was built a long time ago by a man with a bird's name when it was. But it was no relation to Jenny. That is why so many birds live near sir christopherren's cathedral, which also belongs to some poor. And that is why the bird woman lives there too. There she is. Cried Michael suddenly and he danced on his toes with excitement. Don't point said Mary popins, giving a last glance at the pink roses in the window of a carpet shop. She's saying it. She's saying it cried Jane holding tight to herself. I fear she would break in two with delight. And she was saying it. The bird woman was there and she was saying it. Feed the birds tins A B, feed the birds T A B, feed the birds, feed the birds T B over and over again. The same thing in a high chanting voice that made the words seem like a song. And as she said it, she held out little bags of bread crumbs to the passers by. All round her flew the birds, circling and leaping and swooping and rising. Mary poppins always called them sparrows because, she said conceitedly all birds were alike to her. But Jane and Michael knew that they were not sparrows but doves and pigeons. There were fussy and chatty grey doves like grandmothers and brown, rough voiced pigeons like uncles and green e cackling. No, I've no money today. Pigeons like fathers, and the silly anxious soft blue doves were like mothers. That's what Jane and Michael thought, anyway. They flew round and round the head of the bird woman as the children approached, and then, as though to tease her, they suddenly rushed away through the air and sat on the top of St paul's, laughing and turning their heads away and pretending they didn't know her. It was Michael's turn to buy a bag. Jane had bought one last time. He walked up to the birdwoman and held out four half pennies. Be the birds T A bag, said the bird woman as she put a bag of crumbs into his hand and tucked the money away into the folds of her huge black skirt. Why don't you have penny bags, said Michael. Then I could buy, too. Feed the birds chapman's the bag, said the bird woman. And Michael knew it was no good asking her any more questions. He and Jane had often tried, but all she could say, and all she had ever been able to say, was feed the birds ts a bag, just as a cuckoo could only say cuckoo, no matter what questions you ask him. Jane and Michael and Mary poppins spread the crumbs in a circle on the ground and presently, one by one at first, and then in twos and threes, the birds came down from St paul's. Dainty David said Mary poppins with a sniff, as one bird picked up a crumb and dropped it again from its beak. But the other birds swarmed upon the food, pushing and scrambling and shouting. At last, there wasn't a crumb left, for it is not really polite for a pigeon or a dove to leave anything on the plate. When they were quite certain that the meal was finished, the birds Rose with one grand fluttering movement and flew round the birdwoman's head, copying in their own language the words she said. One of them sat on her hat and pretended he was a decoration for the crown, and another of them mistook Mary province's new hat for a Rose garden and peck off a flower. You sparrow cried Mary poppins and shook her umbrella at him. The pigeon, very offended, flew back to the bird woman and to pay out Mary poppins, stuck the Rose in the ribbon of the bird woman's hat. You ought to be in a pie. That's where you ought to be, said Mary poppins to him, very angrily. Then she called to Jane and Michael time to go, she said, and flung a parting glance of fury at the pigeon. But he only laughed and flicked his tail and turned his back on her. Bye, said Michael to the bird woman. Be the birds, she replied, smiling. Good bye, said Jane tarin's. The bag, said the bird woman and waved her hand. They left her then walking one on either side of Mary poppins. What happens when everybody goes away like us, said Michael to Jane? He knew quite well what happened, but it was the proper thing to ask Jane because the story was really hers. So Jane told him, and he added the bit he had forgotten. At night, when everybody goes to bed began, Jane and the stars come out, added Michael. Yes, and even if they don't, all the birds come down from the top of St Paul's and run very carefully all over the ground, just to see there are no crumbs left and to tidy it up for the morning. And when they have done that, you've forgotten the baths. Oh, yes, they Bath themselves and comb their wings with their claws. And when they have done that, they fly three times round the head of the bad woman. And then they settle. Do this sit on her shoulders? Yes, and on her hat and on her basket with the bags in it. Yes, and some on her knee. Then she smooths down the head feathers of each one in turn and tells it to be a good bird in the bird language. Yes, and when they are all sleepy and don't want to stay awake any longer, she spreads out her skirts as a mother hen spreads out her wings and the birds go creep, creep creeping underneath. And as soon as the last one is under, she settles down over them, making little brooding nesting noises and they sleep there till morning. Michael sighed happily. He loved the story and was never tired of hearing it. And it's all quite true, isn't it? He said, just as he always did. No, said Mary poppins, who always said no. Yes, said Jane, who always knew everything. End of disk two. Disk three.
用户评论