"Allen, Grant - Miss Cayley's Adventures 01 - The Adventure of the Cantankerous Old Lady" - читать интересную книгу автора (Allen Grant)

'Well, I wish you well out of it.'

'Thank you. It is kind of you to give me this warning.
But I think I can take care of myself. I come, you see, of
a military family.'

I nodded my thanks, and strolled back to Elsie's. Dear
little Elsie was in transports of surprise when I related my
adventure.

'Will you really go? And what will you do, my dear, when
you get there?'

'I haven't a notion,' I answered; 'that's where the fun
comes in. But, anyhow, I shall have got there.'

'Oh, Brownie, you might starve!'

'And I might starve in London. In either place, I have
only two hands and one head to help me.'

'But, then, here you are among friends. You might stop
with me for ever.'

I kissed her fluffy forehead. 'You good, generous little
Elsie,' I cried; 'I won't stop here one moment after I have
finished the painting and papering. I came here to help
you. I couldn't go on eating your hard-earned bread and
doing nothing. I know how sweet you are; but the last thing
I want is to add to your burdens. Now let us roll up our
sleeves again and hurry on with the dado.'

'But, Brownie, you'll want to be getting your own things
ready. Remember, you're off to Germany on Monday.'

I shrugged my shoulders. 'Tis a foreign trick I picked up
in Switzerland. 'What have I got to get ready?' I asked.
'I can't go out and buy a complete summer outfit in Bond
Street for twopence. Now, don't look at me like that: be
practical, Elsie, and let me help you paint the dado.' For
unless I helped her, poor Elsie could never have finished it
herself. I cut out half her clothes for her; her own ideas
were almost entirely limited to differential calculus. And
cutting out a blouse by differential calculus is weary,
uphill work for a high-school teacher.

By Monday I had papered and furnished the rooms, and was
ready to start on my voyage of exploration. I met the
Cantankerous Old Lady at Charing Cross, by appointment, and