More about Mary Poppins / И снова о Мэри Поппинз

And sure enough they found it was studded with threepenny-bits as a Coster’s* coat is with pearl buttons.

“Come along. Stick ’em on!” repeated Mrs Corry, rubbing her hands with pleasant expectation.

“You’ll find they won’t drop off.”

Mary Poppins stepped forward and pressed her threepenny-bit against the collar of Mrs Corry’s coat.

To the surprise of Jane and Michael, it stuck.

Then they put theirs on – Jane’s on the right shoulder and Michael’s on the front hem. Theirs stuck, too.

“How very extraordinary,” said Jane.

“Not at all, my dear,” said Mrs Corry chuckling. “Or rather, not so extraordinary as other things I could mention.” And she winked largely at Mary Poppins.

“I’m afraid we must be off now, Mrs Corry,” said Mary Poppins. “There is Baked Custard* for lunch, and I must be home in time to make it. That Mrs Brill – ”

“A poor cook?” enquired Mrs Corry interrupting,

“Poor!” said Mary Poppins contemptuously.

“Ah!” Mrs Corry put her finger alongside her nose and looked very wise. Then she said,

“Well, my dear Miss Poppins, it has been a very pleasant visit and I am sure my girls have enjoyed it as much as I have.” She nodded in the direction of her two large mournful daughters. “And you’ll come again soon, won’t you, with Jane and Michael and the Babies? Now, are you sure you can carry the Gingerbread?” she continued, turning to Michael and Jane.

They nodded. Mrs Corry drew closer to them, with a curious, important, inquisitive look on her face.

“I wonder,” she said dreamily, “what you will do with the paper stars?”

“Oh, we’ll keep them,” said Jane. “We always do.”

“Ah – you keep them! And I wonder where you keep them?” Mrs Corry’s eyes were half-closed and she looked more inquisitive than ever.

“Well,” Jane began. “Mine are all under my handkerchiefs in the top left-hand drawer and – ”

“Mine are in a shoe-box on the bottom shelf of the wardrobe,” said Michael.

“Top left-hand drawer and shoe-box in the wardrobe,” said Mrs Corry thoughtfully, as though she were committing the words to memory. Then she gave Mary Poppins a long look and nodded her head slightly. Mary Poppins nodded slightly in return. It seemed as if some secret had passed between them.

“Well,” said Mrs Corry brightly, “that is very interesting.