Hallowe'en Party / Вечеринка на Хэллоуин. Книга для чтения на английском языке

The boy was fifteen, perhaps, the girl little more than twelve, although the development of her chest seemed certainly on the mature side.

Apple trees was a house of fair size. It had, she thought, several agreeable nooks and corners. How selfish people are, thought Mrs Oliver. No consideration for others. that well-known tag from the past came into her mind. It had been said to her in succession by a nursemaid, a nanny, a governess, her grandmother, two great-aunts, her mother and a few others. �

Excuse me,’ said Mrs Oliver in a loud, clear voice.

Тhe boy and the girl clung closer than ever, their lips fastened on each other’s.

�Excuse me,’ said Mrs Oliver again, �do you mind letting me pass? I want to get in at this door.’

Unwillingly the couple fell apart. They looked at her in an aggrieved fashion. Mrs Oliver went in, banged the door and shot the bolt.

It was not a very close fitting door. The faint sound of words came to her from outside.

�Isn’t that like people?’ one voice said in a somewhat uncertain tenor.

�People are so selfish,’ piped a girl’s voice. �They never think of anyone but themselves.’

�No consideration for others,’ said the boy’s voice.

CHAPTER 2

Preparations for a children’s party usually give far more trouble to the organizers than an entertainment devised for those of adult years. Food of good quality and suitable alcoholic refreshment—with lemonade on the side, that, to the right people, is quite enough to make a party go.

�What about teenage parties?’ said Judith.

�I don’t know much about them,’ said Mrs Oliver.

�In one way,’ said Judith, �I think they’re probably least trouble of all. I mean, they just throw all of us adults out. And say they’ll do it all themselves.

�And do they?’

�Well, not in our sense of the word,’ said Judith. �They forget to order some of the things, and order a lot of other things that nobody likes. Having turfed us out, then they say there were things we ought to have provided for them to find. They break a lot of glasses, and other things, and there’s always somebody undesirable or who brings an undesirable friend. You know the sort of thing.