More about Mary Poppins / И снова о Мэри Поппинз

As long as I’m satisfied,” said the other, wiping her nose with a large red and white bandanna* handkerchief.

“Why, children,” said Mrs Banks, noticing them suddenly, “what are you doing there? This is your new nurse, Mary Poppins. Jane, Michael, say how do you do*! And these” – she waved her hand at the babies in their cots – “are the Twins.”

Mary Poppins regarded them steadily, looking from one to the other as though she were making up her mind whether she liked them or not.

“Will we do?*” said Michael.

“Michael, don’t be naughty,” said his Mother.

Mary Poppins continued to regard the four children searchingly. Then, with a long, loud sniff that seemed to indicate that she had made up her mind, she said,

“I’ll take the position.”

“For all the world,” as Mrs Banks said to her husband later, “as though she were doing us a signal honour*.”

“Perhaps she is,” said Mr Banks, putting his nose round the corner of the newspaper for a moment and then withdrawing it very quickly.

When their Mother had gone, Jane and Michael edged towards Mary Poppins, who stood, still as a post, with her hands folded in front of her.

“How did you come?” Jane asked. “It looked just as if the wind blew you here.”

“It did,” said Mary Poppins briefly. And she proceeded to unwind her muffler from her neck and to take off her hat, which she hung on one of the bed-posts.

As it did not seem as though Mary Poppins were going to say any more – though she sniffed a great deal – Jane, too, remained silent. But when she bent down to undo her bag, Michael could not restrain himself.

“What a funny bag!” he said, pinching it with his fingers.

“Carpet,*” said Mary Poppins, putting her key in the lock.

“To carry carpets in, you mean?”

“No. Made of.”

“Oh,” said Michael. “I see.” But he didn’t – quite.

By this time the bag was open, and Jane and Michael were more than surprised to find it was completely empty.

“Why,” said Jane, “there’s nothing in it!”

“What do you mean – nothing?” demanded Mary Poppins, drawing herself up and looking as though she had been insulted. “Nothing in it, did you say?”

And with that she took out from the empty bag a starched white apron and tied it round her waist.