“There! Get yourself something to wear with that. Can’t go around with nothing on. Pneumonia, you know! And chilblains!”
Neleus stared at the silver thing in his hand.
“What is it?” he asked curiously.
“That’s a ’Arf-crown,” said Mr Folly. “Don’t tell me you never saw one!”
“No, I never did,” said Neleus, smiling. And the Dolphin gazed at the coin with interest.
“Well, I declare! You pore little chap! Stark naked and never seen a ’Arf-crown! Someone ought to be taking care of you!” Mr Folly glanced reproachfully at Mary Poppins. And she gave him an outraged glare.
“Someone is taking care of him, thank you!” she said.
As she spoke she unbuttoned her new white jacket and slipped it round Neleus’ shoulders.
“There!” she said gruffly. “You won’t be cold now. And no thanks to you, Mr Folly!”
Neleus looked from the coat to Mary Poppins and his marble eyes grew wider. “You mean – I can keep it always?” he asked.
“Oh, dear sweet Sea-Lion – thank you!” he cried, and he hugged her waist in his marble arms. “Look at me, Jane, in my new white coat! Look at me, Michael, in my beautiful buttons.” He ran excitedly from one to the other to show off his new possession.
“That’s right,” said Mr Folly, beaming. “Much better be sure than sorry! And the ’Arf-crown will buy you a nice pair of trousers—”
“Not tonight,” interrupted Mary Poppins. “We’re late as it is. Now, Best Foot Forward and home we go, and I’ll thank you all not to dawdle.”
The sun was swiftly moving westwards as she trundled the pram down the Lime Walk. The Band at the end of the Park was silent. The flowery sunshades had all gone home. The trees stood still and straight in the shadows. The Park Keeper was nowhere to be seen.
Jane and Michael walked on either side of Neleus and linked their hands through his marble arms. A silence was over the human children and over the marble child between them. Their adventure, like the summer day, was fading and they felt sad and happy at the same time.
“I love you, Neleus,” Jane said softly. “I wish you could stay with us always.”
“I love you too,” he answered, smiling. “But I must go back. I promised.”
“I suppose you couldn’t leave the Dolphin?” said Michael, stroking the marble fin.
Jane looked at him angrily.
“Oh, Michael – how can you be so selfish! How would you like to spend your life, all alone up there on a pedestal?”
“I’d like it – if I could have the Dolphin, and call Mary Poppins a Sea-Lion!”
“I tell you what, Michael!” said Neleus quickly. “You can’t have the Dolphin – he’s part of me. But the Half-crown isn’t. I’ll give you that.” He pushed the money into Michael’s hand. “And Jane must have the book,” he went on. “But promise, Jane, and cross your heart, that you’ll let me read it over your shoulder. And every week you must come to the bench and read me the new Lot-o’-Fun.”
He gave the book a last long look and tucked it under her arm.
“Oh, I promise, Neleus!” she said faithfully, and crossed her heart with her hand.
“I’ll be waiting for you,” said Neleus softly. “I’ll never, never forget.”
“Walk up and don’t chatter!” hissed Mary Poppins, as she turned towards the Lake.
The perambulator creaked and groaned as it trundled on its way. But high above the creak of the wheels they could hear a well-known voice. They tip-toed up behind Mary Poppins as she walked to the shadowy water.
“I never done it!” the voice protested. “And wouldn’t – not if you paid me!”
At the edge of the Lake, by the empty pedestal, stood the Lord Mayor with two Aldermen. And before them, waving his arms and shouting, and generally behaving in a peculiar manner, was the Park Keeper.
“It’s none of my doing, Your Honour!” he pleaded. “I can look you straight in the eye!”
“Nonsense, Smith!” said the Lord Mayor sternly. “You are the person responsible for the Park statues. And only you could have done it.”
“You might as well confess!” advised the First Alderman.
“It won’t save you, of course,” the Second added, “but you’ll feel so much better!”
“But I didn’t do it, I’m telling you!” The Park Keeper clasped his hands in a frenzy.
“Stop quibbling, Smith. You’re wasting my time!” The Lord Mayor shook his head impatiently. “First, I have to go looking for a naked boy who I hear is maltreating some wretched fish. A salmon, Miss Lark said – or was it a halibut? And now, as if this wasn’t enough, I find the most valuable of our statues is missing from its pedestal. I am shocked and disgusted. I trusted you, Smith. And look how you repay me!”
“I am looking. I mean, I don’t have to look! Oh, I don’t know what I’m saying, Your Grace! But I do know I never touched that statchew!” The Keeper glanced round wildly for help and his eye fell on Mary Poppins. He gave a cry of horrified triumph and flung out his hand accusingly.
“Your Worship, there’s the guilty party! She done it or I’ll eat me ’At!”
The Lord Mayor glanced at Mary Poppins and back to the Park Keeper.
“I’m ashamed of you, Smith!” he shook his head sorrowfully. “Putting the blame on a perfectly respectable, innocent young woman taking her charges for an afternoon airing! How could you?”
He bowed courteously to Mary Poppins, who returned the bow with a lady-like smile.
“Innocent! ’Er!” the Park Keeper screamed. “You don’t know what you’re sayin’, my Lord! As soon as that girl comes into the Park, the place begins to go crosswise. Merry-go-rounds jumpin’ up in the sky, people coming down on kites and rockets, the Prime Minister bobbing round on balloons – and it’s all your doing – you Caliban!” He shook his fist wildly at Mary Poppins.
“Poor fellow! Poor fellow! His mind is unhinged!” said the First Alderman sadly.
“Perhaps we’d better get some handcuffs,” the Second whispered nervously.
“Do what you like with me! ’Ang me, why don’t yer? But it wasn’t me wot done it!” Overcome with misery, the Park Keeper flung himself against the pedestal and sobbed bitterly.
Mary Poppins turned and beckoned to Neleus. He ran to her side on marble feet and leant his head gently against her.
“Is it time?” he whispered, glancing up.
She nodded quickly. Then bending she took him in her arms and kissed his marble brow. For a moment Neleus clung to her as though he could never let go. Then he broke away, smothering a sob.
“Goodbye, Jane and Michael. Don’t forget me!” He pressed his chilly cheek to theirs. And before they could even say a word he had darted away among the shadows and was running towards his pedestal.
“I never ’ad no luck!” wailed the Keeper. “Never since I was a boy!”
“And you won’t have any now, my man, unless you put back that statue.” The Lord Mayor fixed him with an angry eye.
But Jane and Michael were looking neither at the Park Keeper nor the Lord Mayor. They were watching a curly head appear at the far side of the pedestal.
Up scrambled Neleus, over the ledge, dragging the Dolphin after him. His marble body blazed white and bright in a fading shaft of sunlight. He stood at the top of the pedestal and danced a few last steps. Then with a gesture, half-gay, half-sad, he put up a little marble hand and waved them all farewell. As they waved back he seemed to tremble, but that may have been the tears in their eyes. They watched him draw the Dolphin to him, so close that its marble melted to his. Then he smoothed his curls with a marble hand and bent his head and was still. Even Mary Poppins’ pink-and-white jacket seemed turned to lifeless marble.
“I can’t put it back if I never took it!” the Park Keeper went on sobbing and shouting.
“Now, see here, Smith—” the Lord Mayor began. Then he gave a gasp and staggered sideways with his hand clasped to his brow. “M
y Jumping Giraffes! It’s come back,” he cried. “And there’s something different about it!”
He peered more closely at the statue and burst into roars of delighted laughter. He took off his hat and waved it wildly and slapped the Park Keeper on the back.
“Smith – you rogue! So that was your secret! Why didn’t you tell us at first, my man? It certainly is a splendid surprise! Well, you needn’t go on pretending now. . .”
For the Park Keeper, speechless with amazement, was goggling up at Neleus.
“Gentlemen!” The Lord Mayor turned to the Aldermen. “We have sadly misjudged this poor fellow. He has proved himself not only an excellent servant of the community – but an artist as well. Do you see what he has done to the statue? He has added a little marble coat with collar and cuffs of pink. A great improvement, to my mind, Smith! I never approved of naked statues.”
“Nor I!” the First Alderman shook his head.
“Certainly not!” said the Second.
“Never fear, my dear Smith. You shall have your reward. From today your wages will be raised one shilling and an extra stripe will be sewn on your sleeve. Further more, I shall speak of you to His Majesty when I make my next report.”
And the Lord Mayor, with another ceremonious bow to Mary Poppins, swept majestically away, humbly followed by the two Aldermen.
The Park Keeper, looking as though he were not sure if he were on his head or his heels, stared after them. Then he turned his popping eyes to the statue and stared again at that. The Marble Boy and his marble fish gazed thoughtfully down at the Lake. If they heard anything they gave no sign. They were as still and quiet and silent as they had always been.
“Now home again, home again, jiggety-jog!” Mary Poppins raised a beckoning finger and the children followed without a word. The Half-crown lay in Michael’s palm, burning and bright and solid. And cold as the marble hand of Neleus was the book beneath Jane’s arm.
Along the Walk they marched in silence thinking their secret thoughts. And presently, on the grass behind them, there came the thud of feet. They turned to find the Park Keeper running heavily towards them. He had taken off his coat and was waving it, like a blue-and-red flag, at the end of his walking-stick. He pulled up, panting, beside the perambulator and held out the coat to Mary Poppins.
“Take it!” he said breathlessly. “I just been looking at that Boy back there. He’s wearin’ yours – with the four pink buttons. And you’ll need one when it gets chilly.”
Mary Poppins calmly took the coat and slipped it over her shoulders. Her own reflection smiled conceitedly at her from the polished brass buttons.
“Thank you,” she said primly, to the Park Keeper.
He stood before her in his shirt-sleeves, shaking his head like a puzzled dog.
“I suppose you understand what it all means?” he said wistfully.
“I suppose I do,” she replied smugly.
And without another word, she gave the perambulator a little push and sent it bowling past him. He was still staring after her, scratching his head, as she passed through the gate of the Park.
* * *
Mr Banks, on his way home from the Office, whistled to them as they crossed the Lane.
“Well, Mary Poppins,” he greeted her. “You’re very smart in your blue-and-red jacket! Have you joined the Salvation Army?”
“No, sir,” she replied primly. And the look she gave him made it quite clear she had no intention of explaining.
“It’s the Park Keeper’s coat,” Jane told him hurriedly.
“He gave it to her just now,” added Michael.
“What – Smith? He gave her the jacket of his uniform? Whatever for?” exclaimed Mr Banks.
But Jane and Michael were suddenly silent. They could feel Mary Poppins’ gimlet eyes making holes in the backs of their heads. They dared not go on with the story.
“Well, never mind!” said Mr Banks calmly. “I suppose she did something to deserve it!”
They nodded. But they knew he would never know what she had done, not even if he lived to be fifty. They walked up the garden path beside him, clasping the coin and the book.
And as they went they thought of the child who had given them those gifts, the Marble Boy who for one short hour had danced and played in the Park. They thought of him standing alone on his pedestal, with his arm flung lovingly round his Dolphin – for ever silent, for ever still and the sweet light gone from his face. Darkness would come down upon him and the stars and the night would wrap him round. Proud and lonely he would stand there, looking down upon the waters of the little Lake, dreaming of the great sea and his home so far away. . .
Chapter Five
PEPPERMINT HORSES
“HI!” SHOUTED Mr Banks angrily, as he rattled the umbrellas in the Elephant’s Leg that stood in the front hall.
“What is it now, George?” called Mrs Banks, from the foot of the kitchen stairs.
“Somebody’s taken my walking-sticks!” Mr Banks sounded like a wounded tiger.
“Here they are, sir!” said Mary Poppins, as she tripped down from the Nursery. In one hand she carried a silver-headed ebony cane. From the other swung a grey ash-stick with a curved knobbly handle. Without another word, and looking very superior, she handed the sticks to Mr Banks.
“Oh!” he said, rather taken aback. “Why did you want them, Mary Poppins? I hope you haven’t got a bad leg!”
“No, thank you, sir!” she said with a sniff. And you knew by the haughty tone of her voice that Mr Banks had insulted her. A bad leg, indeed! As if her legs, as well as every other part of her, were not in perfect condition!
“It was us!” said Jane and Michael together, peering out at their Father from behind Mary Poppins.
“You! What’s the matter with your fat legs? Are they lame, or crippled, or what?”
“Nothing’s the matter,” said Michael plaintively. “We wanted the sticks for horses.”
“What! My Great-Uncle Herbert’s ebony cane and the stick I won at the Church Bazaar! Are you mad?” Mr Banks could hardly believe his ears.
“Well, we’ve nothing to ride on!” grumbled Jane.
“Why not the rocking-horse – dear old Dobbin?” called Mrs Banks from the kitchen.
“I hate old Dobbin. He creaks!” said Michael, and he stamped his foot at his Mother.
“But Dobbin doesn’t go anywhere. We want real horses!” protested Jane.
“And I’m to provide them, I suppose!” Mr Banks strode, fuming, down the hall. “Three meals a day are not enough! Warm clothes and shoes are merely trifles! Now you want horses! Horses, indeed! Are you sure you wouldn’t prefer a camel?”
Michael looked at his Father with a pained expression. Really, he thought, what shocking behaviour! But aloud he said patiently:
“No, thank you. Just horses!”
“Well, you’ll get them when the moon turns blue! That’s all I can say!” snapped Mr Banks.
“How often does that happen?” Jane enquired.
Mr Banks looked at her angrily. What stupid children I’ve got, he thought. Can’t understand a figure of speech!
“Oh – every thousand years or so. Once in a lifetime – if you’re lucky!” he said crossly. And, stuffing the cane into the Elephant’s Leg, he hooked the ash-stick over his arm and started for the City.
Mary Poppins smiled as she watched him go. A curious, secret smile it was, and the children wondered what it meant.
Mrs Banks came bustling up the kitchen stairs. “Oh, dear! Mary Poppins, what do you think! Miss Lark’s dog, Willoughby, has just been in and eaten a tyre off the perambulator!”
“Yes, ma’am,” replied Mary Poppins calmly, as though nothing that Willoughby ever did could possibly surprise her.
“But what shall we do about the shopping?” Mrs Banks was almost in tears.
“I really couldn’t say, I’m sure.” Mary Poppins gave her head a toss, as though neither dogs nor perambulators were any concern of hers.
&
nbsp; “Oh, must we go shopping?” grumbled Jane.
“I’m sick of walking,” said Michael crossly. “I’m sure it’s bad for my health.”
Mrs Banks took no notice of them. “Perhaps, Mary Poppins,” she suggested nervously, “you could leave Annabel at home today and take Robertson Ay to carry the parcels.”
“He’s asleep in the wheelbarrow,” Jane informed them. She had looked through the window, just after breakfast, and seen him taking his morning rest.
“Well, he won’t be there long,” said Mary Poppins. And she stalked out into the garden.
She was quite right. He wasn’t there long. She must have said something Really Awful, for as they trailed after her down the path Robertson Ay was waiting at the garden gate.
“Keep up and don’t straggle, if you please! This is not a Tortoise Parade.” Mary Poppins took a Twin by each hand and hurried them along beside her.
“Day in and day out, it’s always the same, I never get a moment’s peace.” Robertson Ay gave a stifled yawn as he handed Jane his hat to carry and stumbled along with his eyes half-closed.
Down the High Street marched Mary Poppins, glancing at the windows now and again to admire her own reflection.
Lovely! she thought, as her prim, trim figure in its pigeon’s-wing hat went bowing from mirror to mirror.
Her first stop was at Mr Trimlet’s – Ironmonger, Hardware and Garden Tools.
“One mouse-trap!” she said haughtily, as she darted in at the door of the shop and read from Mrs Banks’ list.
Mr Trimlet was a bony man with a large purplish face. He was sitting behind the counter with his hat on the back of his head. And the morning paper was propped around him like an old Chinese screen.
“Only one?” he asked rudely, peering round the edge of the screen to look at Mary Poppins. “Sorry, Miss!” he said with a leer. “But one trap wouldn’t be worth me while!” He shook his head and was about to turn away when he caught the look on her face. His purple cheeks turned the colour of lilac.
“Just my joke,” he said hurriedly. “No offence meant! Why, I’d sell ’alf a mouse-trap if I thought you wanted it. Not to mention a nice bit ’o cheese to go with it.”
Mary Poppins Comes Back Page 38