The Ice Cream Man wheeled slowly up and down, keeping an eye open for customers. And today his notice-board read:
“Spring has come,
Rum-ti-tum,
Stop and buy one,
Spring has come!”
And the Sweep, carrying only one brush, walked along the Lane, looking from right to left with a satisfied air, as though he himself had arranged the lovely day.
And in the middle of all the excitement Jane and Michael stood still, staring about them.
Everything shone and glistened in the sunlight. There was not a single flake of snow to be seen.
From every branch of every tree, the tender, pale-green buds were bursting. Round the edge of the flower-beds just inside the Park, fragile green shoots of aconites, snowdrops and scyllas were breaking into a border of yellow, white and blue. Presently the Park Keeper came along and picked a tiny bunch and put them carefully in his button-hole.
From flower to flower brightly coloured butterflies were darting on downy wings, and in the branches, thrushes and tits and swallows and finches were singing and building nests.
A flock of sheep, with soft young lambs at their heels, went by, baa-ing loudly.
And from the bough of the ash tree by the Park Gates came the clear, double-noted call:
“Cuckoo! Cuckoo!”
Michael turned to Jane. His eyes were shining.
“So that’s what they were doing – Nellie-Rubina and Uncle Dodger and Mary Poppins!”
Jane nodded, gazing wonderingly about her.
Among the faint green smoke of buds a grey body rocked backwards and forwards on the ash-bough.
“Cuckoo! Cuckoo!”
“But. . . I thought they were all made of painted wood!” said Michael. “Did they come alive in the night, do you think?”
“Perhaps,” said Jane.
“Cuckoo! Cuckoo!”
Jane seized Michael’s hand and, as though he guessed the thought in her mind, he ran with her through the garden, across the Lane and into the Park.
“Hi! Where are you going, you two?” called Mr Banks.
“Ahoy, there, messmates!” roared Admiral Boom.
“You’ll get lost!” warned Miss Lark shrilly.
The Ice Cream Man tingled his bell wildly and the Sweep stood staring after them.
But Jane and Michael took no notice. They ran on, right through the Park and under the trees to the place where they had first seen the Ark.
They drew up, panting. It was cold and shadowy here under the dark branches, and the snow had not yet melted. They peered about, seeking, seeking. But there was only a heavy drift of snowflakes spread under the dark green boughs.
“It’s really gone, then!” said Michael, gazing round. “Do you think we only imagined it, Jane?” he asked doubtfully.
She bent down suddenly and picked up something from the snow.
“No,” she said slowly. “I’m sure we didn’t.” She held out her hand. In her palm lay a round, pink Conversation Sweet. She read out the words:
“Goodbye till Next Year,
Nellie-Rubina Noah.”
Michael drew a deep breath.
“So that’s who she was. Uncle Dodger said she was the Eldest Daughter. But I never guessed.”
“She brought the Spring!” said Jane dreamily, gazing at the Conversation.
“I’ll thank you,” said a voice behind them, “to come home at once and eat your breakfast!”
They turned guiltily.
“We were just. . .” Michael began to explain.
“Then don’t!” snapped Mary Poppins. She leant over Jane’s shoulder and took the Conversation.
“That, I believe, is mine!” she remarked; and, putting it in her apron pocket, she led the way home through the Park.
Michael broke off a spray of green buds as he went. He examined them carefully.
“They seem quite real now,” he said.
“Perhaps they always were,” said Jane.
And a mocking voice came floating from the ash tree:
“Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!”
Chapter Ten
MERRY-GO-ROUND
IT HAD BEEN a quiet morning.
More than one person, passing along Cherry Tree Lane, had looked over the fence of Number Seventeen and said, “How very extraordinary! Not a sound!”
Even the House, which usually took no notice of anything, began to feel alarmed.
“Dear me! Dear me!” it said to itself, listening to the silence. “I hope nothing’s wrong!”
Downstairs in the Kitchen, Mrs Brill, with her spectacles on the tip of her nose, was nodding over the newspaper.
On the first-floor landing, Mrs Banks and Ellen were tidying the linen-cupboard and counting the sheets.
Upstairs in the Nursery Mary Poppins was quietly clearing away the luncheon things.
“I feel very good and sweet today,” Jane was saying drowsily, as she lay stretched on the floor in a patch of sunlight.
“That must be a change!” remarked Mary Poppins with a sniff.
Michael took the last chocolate out of the box Aunt Flossie had given him last week for his sixth birthday.
Should he offer it to Jane, he wondered? Or to the Twins? Or Mary Poppins?
No. After all, it had been his birthday.
“Last, lucky last!” he said quickly and popped it into his own mouth. “And I wish there were more!” he added regretfully, gazing into the empty box.
“All good things come to an end, sometime,” said Mary Poppins primly.
He cocked his head on one side and looked up at her.
“You don’t!” he said daringly. “And you’re a good thing.”
The beginnings of a satisfied smile glimmered at the corners of her mouth, but it disappeared as quickly as it had come.
“That’s as may be!” she retorted. “Nothing lasts for ever.”
Jane looked round, startled.
If nothing lasted for ever it meant that Mary Poppins—
“Nothing?” she said uneasily.
“Nothing at all!” snapped Mary Poppins.
And as if she had guessed what was in Jane’s mind, she went to the mantelpiece and took down her large Thermometer. Then she pulled her carpet-bag from under the camp bed and popped the Thermometer into it.
Jane sat up quickly.
“Mary Poppins, why are you doing that?”
Mary Poppins gave her a curious look.
“Because,” she said priggishly, “I was always taught to be tidy.” And she pushed the carpet-bag under the bed again.
Jane sighed. Her heart felt tight and heavy in her chest.
“I feel rather sad and anxious,” she whispered to Michael.
“I expect you had too much Steam Pudding!” he retorted.
“No, it’s not that kind of feeling—” she began, and broke off suddenly for a knock had sounded at the door.
Tap! Tap!
“Come in!” called Mary Poppins.
Robertson Ay stood there yawning.
“Do you know what?” he said sleepily.
“No, what?”
“There’s a Merry-go-round in the Park!”
“That’s no news to me!” snapped Mary Poppins.
“A Fair?” cried Michael excitedly. “With swinging-boats and a Hoop-la?”
“No,” said Robertson Ay, solemnly shaking his head. “A Merry-go-round, all by itself. Came last night. Thought you would like to know.”
He shuffled languidly to the door and closed it after him.
Jane sprang up, her anxiety forgotten.
“Oh, Mary Poppins, may we go?”
“Say Yes, Mary Poppins, say Yes!” cried Michael, dancing round her.
She turned, balancing a tray of plates and cups on her arm.
“I am going,” she remarked calmly. “Because I have the fare. I don’t know about you.”
“There’s sixpence in my money-box!” said Jane eagerly.
“Oh, Jane,
lend me twopence!” pleaded Michael. He had spent all his money the day before on a stick of Liquorice.
They gazed anxiously at Mary Poppins, waiting for her to make up her mind.
“No borrowing or lending in this Nursery, please,” she said tartly. “I will pay for one ride each. And one is all you will have.”
She swept from the room carrying the tray with its load of cups.
They stared at each other.
“What can be the matter?” said Michael. It was now his turn to be anxious. “She’s never paid for anything before!”
“Aren’t you well, Mary Poppins?” he asked uneasily, as she came hurrying back.
“Never better in my life!” she replied, tossing her head. “And I’ll thank you, if you please, not to stand there, peeking and prying at me as if I were a Waxwork! Go and get ready!”
Her look was so stern, and her eyes so fiercely blue and she spoke so like her usual self, that their anxiety vanished away, and they ran, shouting, to get their hats.
Presently the quietness of the house was broken by the noise of slamming doors, screaming voices and stamping feet.
“Dear me! Dear me! What a relief! I was getting quite anxious!” said the House to itself, listening to Jane and Michael and the Twins plunging and tumbling downstairs.
Mary Poppins paused for a moment to glance at her reflection in the hall mirror.
“Oh, do come on, Mary Poppins! You look all right,” said Michael impatiently.
She wheeled about. Her expression was angry, outraged and astonished all at once.
All right, indeed! That was hardly the word. All right, in her blue jacket with the silver buttons! All right with her gold locket round her neck! All right with the parrot-headed umbrella under her arm!
Mary Poppins sniffed.
“That will be enough from you – and more!” she said shortly. Though what she meant was that it wasn’t nearly sufficient.
But Michael was too excited to care.
“Come on, Jane!” he cried, dancing wildly. “I simply can’t wait! Come on!”
They ran on ahead while Mary Poppins strapped the Twins into the perambulator. And presently the garden gate clicked behind them and they were on the way to the Merry-go-round.
Faint sounds of music came floating across from the Park, humming and drumming like a humming-top.
“Good afternoon! And how are we today?” Miss Lark’s high voice greeted them as she hurried down the Lane with her dogs.
But before they had time to reply she went on, “Off to the Merry-go-round, I suppose! Andrew and Willoughby and I have just been. A very superior Entertainment. So nice and clean. And such a polite Attendant!” She fluttered past with the two dogs prancing beside her. “Goodbye! Goodbye!” she called back over her shoulder as she disappeared round the corner.
“All Hands to the Pump! Heave ho, my hearties!”
A well-known voice came roaring from the direction of the Park. And through the gates came Admiral Boom, looking very red in the face and dancing a Sailor’s Hornpipe.
“Yo, ho, ho! And a bottle of Rum! The Admiral’s been on the Merry-go-round. Bail her out! Cockles and shrimps! It’s as good as a long sea voyage!” he roared, as he greeted the children.
“We’re going too!” said Michael excitedly.
“What? You’re going?” The Admiral seemed quite astonished.
“Yes, of course!” said Jane.
“But – not all the way, surely?”The Admiral looked curiously at Mary Poppins.
“They’re having one ride each, Sir!” she explained primly.
“Ah, well! Farewell!” he said in a voice that, for him, was almost gentle.
Then, to the children’s astonishment, he drew himself up, put his hand to his forehead, and smartly saluted Mary Poppins.
“Ur-rrrrrrumph!” he trumpeted into his handkerchief. “Hoist your sail! And up with your Anchor! And away, Love, away!”
And he waved his hand and went off, rolling from side to side of the pavement and singing:
“Every nice Girl loves a Sailor!”
in a loud, rumbling voice.
“Why did he say Farewell and call you Love?” said Michael, staring after the Admiral as he walked on beside Mary Poppins.
“Because he thinks I’m a Thoroughly Respectable Person!” she snapped. But there was a soft, dreamy look in her eyes.
Again Jane felt the strange sad feeling, and her heart tightened inside her.
“What can be going to happen?” she asked herself anxiously. She put her hand on Mary Poppins’ hand as it lay on the handle of the perambulator. It felt warm and safe and comforting.
“How silly I am!” she said softly. “There can’t be anything wrong!”
And she hurried beside the perambulator as it trundled towards the Park.
“Just a moment! Just a moment!” a panting voice sounded behind them.
“Why,” said Michael, turning, “it’s Miss Tartlet!”
“Indeed, it is not,” said Miss Tartlet breathlessly. “It’s Mrs Turvy!”
She turned, blushing to Mr Turvy. He stood beside her, smiling a little sheepishly.
“Is this one of your Second Mondays?” Jane enquired. He was right-side up, so she did not think it could be.
“Oh, no! Thank goodness, no!” he said hastily.
“We – er – were just coming to say – oh, Good Afternoon, Mary!”
“Well, Cousin Arthur?” They all shook hands.
“I wondered if you were going on the Merry-go-round?” he enquired.
“Yes, I am. We all are!”
“All!” Mr Turvy’s eyebrows shot up to the top of his head. He seemed very surprised.
“They’re going for one ride each!” said Mary Poppins, nodding at the children. “Sit still, please!” she snapped at the Twins, who had bobbed up excitedly. “You’re not Performing Mice!”
“Oh, I see. And then – they’re getting off? Well – goodbye, Mary and Bon Voyage!” Mr Turvy raised his hat high above his head, very ceremoniously.
“Goodbye – and thank you for coming!” said Mary Poppins, bowing graciously to Mr and Mrs Turvy.
“What does Bon Voyage mean?” said Michael, looking over his shoulder at their retreating figures – Mrs Turvy very fat and curly, Mr Turvy very straight and thin.
“Good journey! Which is something you won’t have unless you walk up!” snapped Mary Poppins. He hurried after her.
The music was louder now, beating and drumming on the air, drawing them all towards it.
Mary Poppins, almost running, turned the perambulator in at the Park Gates. But there a row of pavement pictures caught her eye and she pulled up suddenly.
“What is she stopping for now?” said Michael in an angry whisper to Jane. “We’ll never get there at this rate!”
The Pavement Artist had just completed a set of fruit in coloured chalks – an Apple, a Pear, a Plum and a Banana.
Underneath them he was busy chalking the words:
TAKE ONE
“Ahem!” said Mary Poppins, with a lady-like cough.
The Pavement Artist leapt to his feet, and Jane and Michael saw that it was Mary Poppins’ great friend, the Match Man.
“Mary! At last! I’ve been waiting all day!”
The Match Man seized her by both hands and gazed admiringly into her eyes.
Mary Poppins looked very shy and rather pleased.
“Well, Bert, we’re off to the Merry-go-round,” she said, blushing.
He nodded. “I thought you would be. They’re going with you?” he added, jerking his thumb at the children.
Mary Poppins shook her head mysteriously.
“Just for a ride,” she said quickly.
“Oh.” He pursed up his mouth. “I see.”
Michael stared. What else could they do on a Merry-go-round except go for a ride, he wondered?
“A nice set of pictures you’ve got!” Mary Poppins was saying admiringly, as she stood gazing down at the
fruit.
“Help yourself!” said the Match Man airily.
And with that Mary Poppins, before their astonished eyes, bent down and picked the painted Plum from the pavement and took a bite out of it.
“Won’t you take one?” said the Match Man, turning to Jane.
She stared at him. “But can I?” It seemed so impossible.
“Try!”
She bent towards the Apple and it leapt into her hand. She bit into the red side. It tasted very sweet.
“But how do you do it?” said Michael, staring.
“I don’t,” said the Match Man. “It’s Her!” He nodded at Mary Poppins as she stood primly beside the perambulator. “It only happens when she’s around, I assure you!”
Then he bent down and picked the Pear clean out of the pavement and offered it to Michael.
“But what about you?” said Michael, for though he wanted the Pear, he also wanted to be polite.
“That’s all right!” said the Match Man. “I can always paint more!” And with that he plucked the Banana, peeled it, and gave half each to the Twins.
A clear, sweet strain of music came floating urgently to their ears.
“Now, Bert, we must really be going!” said Mary Poppins hurriedly, as she neatly hid her Plum-stone between two Park railings.
“Must you, Mary?” said the Match Man very sadly. “Well, Goodbye, my Dear. And Good Luck!”
“But you’ll see him again, won’t you?” said Michael, as he followed Mary Poppins through the Gates.
“Maybe and maybe not!” she said shortly. “And it’s no affair of yours!”
Jane turned and looked back. The Match Man was standing by his box of chalks, gazing with all his eyes after Mary Poppins.
“This is a curious day!” she said, frowning.
Mary Poppins glared at her.
“What’s wrong with it, pray?”
“Well – everyone’s saying Goodbye. And looking at you so strangely.”
“Speech costs nothing!” snapped Mary Poppins. “And a Cat can look at a King, I suppose?”
Jane was silent. She knew it was no good saying anything to Mary Poppins, because Mary Poppins never explained.
She sighed. And because she was not quite sure why she sighed, she began to run, streaking past Michael and Mary Poppins and the perambulator towards the thundering music.
“Wait for me! Wait for me!” screamed Michael, dashing after her. And behind him came the rumbling trundle of the perambulator as Mary Poppins hurried after them both.