The Cricket on the Hearth / Сверчок за очагом. Книга для чтения на английском языке

The Stranger raised his head; and glancing from the latter to the former, said,

�Your daughter, my good friend?’

�Wife,’ returned John.

�Niece?’ said the Stranger.

�Wife,’ roared John.

�Indeed?’ observed the Stranger. �Surely? Very young!’

He quietly turned over, and resumed his reading. But, before he could have read two lines, he again interrupted himself to say:

�Baby, yours?’

John gave him a gigantic nod; equivalent to an answer in the affirmative[14 - an answer in the affirmative – (уст.

�Girl?’

�Bo-o-oy!’ roared John.

�Also very young, eh?’

Mrs. Peerybingle instantly struck in. �Two months and three da-ays! Vaccinated just six weeks ago-o! Took very finely! Considered, by the doctor, a remarkably beautiful ch-ild! Equal to the general run of children at five months o-old! Takes notice, in a way quite wonderful! May seem impossible to you, but feels his legs al-ready!’

Here the breathless little mother, who had been shrieking these short sentences into the old man’s ear, until her pretty face was crimsoned, held up the Baby before him as a stubborn and triumphant fact; while Tilly Slowboy, with a melodious cry of �Ketcher, Ketcher’ – which sounded like some unknown words, adapted to a popular Sneeze – performed some cow-like gambols round that all unconscious Innocent.

�Hark! He’s called for, sure enough,’ said John.

Before she could reach it, however, it was opened from without; being a primitive sort of door, with a latch, that any one could lift if he chose – and a good many people did choose, for all kinds of neighbours liked to have a cheerful word or two with the Carrier, though he was no great talker himself. Being opened, it gave admission to a little, meagre, thoughtful, dingy-faced man, who seemed to have made himself a great-coat from the sack-cloth covering of some old box; for, when he turned to shut the door, and keep the weather out, he disclosed upon the back of that garment, the inscription G & T in large black capitals.

�Good evening, John!’ said the little man. �Good evening, Mum. Good evening, Tilly. Good evening, Unbeknown! How’s Baby, Mum? Boxer’s pretty well I hope?’

�All thriving, Caleb,’ replied Dot.