Theand#160;Fifth of andshy;November
and#160;and#160;
and#160;
It was one of those bleak and chilly mornings that remind you winter is coming. Cherry-Tree Lane was quiet and still. The mist hung over the Park like a shadow. All the houses looked exactly alike as the grey fog wrapped them round. Admiral Boomand#8217;s flagstaff, with the telescope at the top of it, had entirely andshy;disappeared.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; The Milkman, as he turned into the Lane, could hardly see his andshy;way.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Milk Beandshy;-andshy;landshy;-andshy;oandshy;-andshy;oandshy;-andshy;ow!and#8221; he called, outside the Admiraland#8217;s door. And his voice sounded so queer and hollow that it gave him quite a andshy;fright.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Iand#8217;ll go and#8217;ome till the fog lifts,and#8221; he said to himself. and#147;and#8217;Ere! Look where youand#8217;re goinand#8217;!and#8221; he went on, as a shape loomed suddenly out of the mist and bumped against his andshy;shoulder.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Bumble, bumble, bumandshy;-andshy;burandshy;-andshy;umandshy;-andshy;bumble,and#8221; said a gentle, muffled andshy;voice.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Oh, itand#8217;s you!and#8221; said the Milkman, with a sigh of andshy;relief.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Bumble,and#8221; remarked the Sweep again. He was holding his brushes in front of his face to keep his moustache andshy;dry.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Out early, arenand#8217;t you?and#8221; the Milkman andshy;said.
and#160;and#160;and#160; The Sweep gave a jerk of his black thumb towards Miss Larkand#8217;s andshy;house.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Had to do the chimbley before the dogs had breakfast. In case the soot gave them a cough,and#8221; he andshy;explained.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; The Milkman laughed rudely. For that was what everybody did when Miss Larkand#8217;s two dogs were andshy;menandshy;tioned.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; The mist went wreathing through the air. There was not a sound in the andshy;Lane.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Ugh!and#8221; said the Milkman, shivering. and#147;This quiet gives me the andshy;and#8217;Orrors!and#8221;
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; And as he said that, the Lane woke up. A sudden roar came from one of the houses and the sound of stamping andshy;feet.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Thatand#8217;s Number Seventeen!and#8221; said the Sweep. and#147;Excuse me, old chap. I think Iand#8217;m needed.and#8221; He cautiously felt his way to the gate and went up the garden andshy;path. . . .
and#160;
and#160;
and#160;
Inside the house, Mr. Banks was marching up and down, kicking the hall andshy;furniture.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Iand#8217;ve had about all I can stand!and#8221; he shouted, waving his arms andshy;wildly.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;You keep on saying that,and#8221; Mrs. Banks cried. and#147;But you wonand#8217;t tell me whatand#8217;s the matter.and#8221; She looked at Mr. Banks andshy;anxiously.
AMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Everythingand#8217;s the matter!and#8221; he roared. and#147;Look at this!and#8221; He waggled his right foot at her. and#147;And this!and#8221; he went on, as he waggled his andshy;left.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Mrs. Banks peered closely at the feet. She was rather shortandshy;-andshy;sighted and the hall was andshy;misty.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Iand#151;erand#151;donand#8217;t see anything wrong,and#8221; she began andshy;timidly.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Of course you donand#8217;t!and#8221; he said, sarcastically. and#147;Itand#8217;s only imagination, of course, that makes me think Robertson Ay has given me one black shoe and one brown!and#8221; And again he waggled his andshy;feet.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Oh!and#8221; said Mrs. Banks hurriedly. For now she saw clearly what the trouble andshy;was.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;You may well say and#145;Oh!and#8217; So will Robertson Ay when I give him the sack andshy;tonight.and#8221;
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Itand#8217;s not his fault, Daddy!and#8221; cried Jane, from the stairs. and#147;He couldnand#8217;t seeand#151;because of the fog. Besides, heand#8217;s not andshy;strong.and#8221;
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Heand#8217;s strong enough to make my life a misery!and#8221; said Mr. Banks andshy;angrily.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;He needs rest, Daddy!and#8221; Michael reminded him, hurrying down after andshy;Jane.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Heand#8217;ll get it!and#8221; promised Mr. Banks, as he snatched up his bag. and#147;When I think of the things I could have done if I hadnand#8217;t gone and got married! Lived alone in a Cave, perhaps. Or I might have gone Round the andshy;World.and#8221;
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;And what would we have done, then?and#8221; asked andshy;Michael.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;You would have had to fend for yourselves. And serve you right! Whereand#8217;s my andshy;overcoat?and#8221;
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;You have it on, George,and#8221; said Mrs. Banks, andshy;meekly.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Yes!and#8221; he retorted. and#147;And only one button! But anythingand#8217;s good enough for me! Iand#8217;m only the man who Pays the Bills. I shall not be home for andshy;dinner.and#8221;
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; A wail of protest went up from the andshy;children.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;But itand#8217;s Guy Fawkesand#8217; Day,and#8221; wheedled Mrs. Banks. and#147;And you so good at letting off andshy;rockets.and#8221;
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;No rockets for me!and#8221; cried Mr. Banks. and#147;Nothing but trouble from morning till night!and#8221; He shook Mrs. Banksand#8217; hand from his arm and dashed out of the andshy;house.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Shake, sir!and#8221; said the Sweep in a friendly voice as Mr. Banks knocked into him, and#147;Itand#8217;s lucky, you know, to shake hands with a andshy;Sweep.and#8221;
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Away, away!and#8221; said Mr. Banks wildly. and#147;This is not my lucky andshy;day!and#8221;
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; The Sweep looked after him for a moment. Then he smiled to himself and rang the doorandshy;-andshy;bell. . . .
and#160;
and#160;
and#147;He doesnand#8217;t mean it, does he, Mother? He will come home for the fireworks!and#8221; Jane and Michael rushed at Mrs. Banks and tugged at her andshy;skirt.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Oh, I canand#8217;t promise anything, children!and#8221; she sighed, as she looked at her face in the front hall andshy;mirror.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; And she thought to herselfand#151;Yes, Iand#8217;m getting thinner. One of my dimples has gone already and soon I shall lose the second. No one will look at me any more. And itand#8217;s all her fault!
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; By her, Mrs. Banks meant Mary Poppins, who had been the childrenand#8217;s nurse. As long as Mary Poppins was in the house, everything had gone smoothly. But since that day when she had left themand#151;so suddenly and without a Word of Warningand#151;the family had gone from Bad to andshy;Worse.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Here am I, thought Mrs. Banks miserably, with five wild children and no one to help me. Iand#8217;ve advertised. Iand#8217;ve asked my friends. But nothing seems to happen. And George is getting crosser and crosser; and Annabeland#8217;s teething; and Jane and Michael and the Twins are so naughty, not to mention that awful Income Taxand#151;and#151;
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; She watched a tear run over the spot where the dimple had once andshy;been.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Itand#8217;s no good,and#8221; she said, with sudden decision. and#147;I shall have to send for Miss andshy;Andrew.and#8221;
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; A cry went up from all four children. Away in the Nursery, Annabel screamed. For Miss Andrew had once been their Fatherand#8217;s governess and they knew how frightful she andshy;was.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;I wonand#8217;t speak to her!and#8221; shouted Jane, in a andshy;rage.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Iand#8217;ll spit on her shoes if she comes!and#8221; threatened andshy;Michael.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;No, no!and#8221; wailed John and Barbara andshy;miserably.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Mrs. Banks clapped her hands to her ears. and#147;Children, have mercy!and#8221; she cried in andshy;despair.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Beg pardon, maand#8217;am,and#8221; said Ellen the housemaid, as she tapped Mrs. Banks on the shoulder. and#147;The Sweep is and#8217;ere for the Drawingandshy;-andshy;room Chimbley. But I warn you, maand#8217;am, itand#8217;s my Day Out! And I canand#8217;t clean up after and#8217;im. So there!and#8221; She blew her nose with a trumpeting andshy;sound.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Excuse me!and#8221; said the Sweep cheerfully, as he dragged in his bags and andshy;brushes.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;and#8217;Ooand#8217;s that?and#8221; came the voice of Mrs. Brill as she hurried up from the kitchen. and#147;The Sweep? On Baking Day? No, you donand#8217;t! Iand#8217;m sorry to give you notice, maand#8217;am. But if that Hottentot goes into the chimney, I shall go out of the andshy;door.and#8221;
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Mrs. Banks glanced round andshy;desperately.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;I didnand#8217;t ask him to come!and#8221; she declared. and#147;I donand#8217;t even know if the chimney wants andshy;sweeping!and#8221;
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;A chimbleyand#8217;s always glad of a brush.and#8221; The Sweep stepped calmly into the Drawingandshy;-andshy;room and began to spread out his andshy;sheet.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Mrs. Banks looked nervously at Mrs. Brill. and#147;Perhaps Robertson Ay could helpand#151;and#8221; she andshy;began.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Robertson is asleep in the pantry, wrapped in your best lace shawl. And nothing will wake him,and#8221; said Mrs. Brill, and#147;but the sound of the Last Trombone. So, if you please, Iand#8217;ll be packing my bag. and#8217;Ow! Let me go, you andshy;Hindoo!and#8221;
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; For the Sweep had seized Mrs. Brilland#8217;s hand and was shaking it vigorously. A reluctant smile spread over her andshy;face.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Welland#151;just this once!and#8221; she remarked cheerfully. And she went down the kitchen andshy;stairs.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; The Sweep turned to Ellen with a andshy;grin.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Donand#8217;t touch me, you black heathen!and#8221; she screamed in a terrified voice. But he took her hand in a firm grip and she, too, began to smile. and#147;Well, no messing up the carpet!and#8221; she warned him, and hurried off to her andshy;work.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Shake!and#8221; said the Sweep, as he turned to the children. and#147;Itand#8217;s sure to bring you luck!and#8221; He left a black mark on each of their palms and they all felt suddenly andshy;better.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Then he put out his hand to Mrs. Banks. And as she took his warm black fingers her courage came flowing andshy;back.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;We must make the best of things, darlings,and#8221; she said. and#147;I shall advertise for another nurse. And perhaps something good will andshy;happen.and#8221;
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Jane and Michael sighed with relief. At least she was not going to send for Miss andshy;Andrew.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;What do you do when you need luck?and#8221; asked Jane, as she followed the Sweep to the Drawingandshy;-andshy;room.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#147;Oh, I just shake and#8217;ands with meself,and#8221; he said, cheerfully, pushing his brush up the andshy;chimney.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; All day long the children watched him and argued over who should hand him the brushes. Now and again Mrs. Banks came in, to complain of the noise and hurry the andshy;Sweep.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; And all day long, beyond the windows, the mist crept through the Lane. Every sound was muffled. The birds were gone. Except for an old and moulting Starling who kept on peering through the cracks in the blinds as if he were looking for andshy;someone.
and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; At last the Sweep crept out of the chimney and smiled at his andshy;handiwork.
Copyright 1943 by P. L. andshy;Travers
Copyright renewed 1971 by P. L. andshy;Travers
and#160;
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