More about Mary Poppins / И снова о Мэри Поппинз

They noticed that whereas buttons and hooks had needed all sorts of coaxing from Katie Nanna, for Mary Poppins they flew apart almost at a look. In less than a minute they found themselves in bed and watching, by the dim light from the night-light, the rest of Mary Poppins’s unpacking being performed.

From the carpet-bag she took out seven flannel nightgowns, four cotton ones, a pair of boots, a set of dominoes, two bathing-caps and a postcard album. Last of all came a folding camp-bedstead with blankets and eiderdown complete, and this she set down, between John’s cot and Barbara’s.

Jane and Michael sat hugging themselves and watching. It was all so surprising that they could find nothing to say. But they knew, both of them, that something strange and wonderful had happened at Number Seventeen, Cherry-Tree Lane*.

Mary Poppins, slipping one of the flannel nightgowns over her head, began to undress underneath it as though it were a tent. Michael, charmed by this strange new arrival, unable to keep silent any longer, called to her.

“Mary Poppins,” he cried, “you’ll never leave us, will you?”

There was no reply from under the nightgown. Michael could not bear it.

“You won’t leave us, will you?” he called anxiously.

Mary Poppins’s head came out of the top of the nightgown. She looked very fierce.

“One word more from that direction,” she said threateningly, “and I’ll call the Policeman.

”

“I was only saying,” began Michael, meekly, “that we hoped you wouldn’t be going away soon – ” He stopped, feeling very red and confused.

Mary Poppins stared from him to Jane in silence. Then she sniffed.

“I’ll stay till the wind changes,” she said shortly, and she blew out her candle and got into bed.

“That’s all right,” said Michael, half to himself and half to Jane. But Jane wasn’t listening. She was thinking about all that had happened, and wondering…

* * *

And that is how Mary Poppins came to live at Number Seventeen, Cherry-Tree Lane.

And although they sometimes found themselves wishing for the quieter, more ordinary days when Katie Nanna ruled the household, everybody, on the whole, was glad of Mary Poppins’s arrival. Mr Banks was glad because, as she arrived by herself and did not hold up the traffic, he had not had to tip* the Policeman.