William Again Read Online Free Page B

William Again
Book: William Again Read Online Free
Author: Richmal Crompton
Pages:
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‘Fatty.’
    Thus was war declared.
    Mrs Brown was feeling better.
    ‘How is Great-Aunt Jane?’ she said.
    ‘Sinking,’ said Uncle John in a voice of deepest gloom. ‘Sinking fast – sinking fast.’
    William’s expression grew animated.
    ‘Where is she?’ he said. ‘Is she out in the sea?’
    ‘Little boys,’ said Uncle John still gloomily, ‘should be seen and not heard.’
    At this point the nurse entered.
    ‘She can see the little boy now,’ she said, ‘if he’s come.’
    ‘Let the dear children go together,’ suggested Aunt Lucy.
    ‘Excellent,’ said Uncle John in his hushed, sepulchral voice. ‘Excellent – together.’
    William and Francis went upstairs behind the nurse.
    The bedroom was large and dim. At the far end lay Great-Aunt Jane, propped up in a high old-fashioned bed. The nurse took them across.
    ‘I only wanted to see William,’ said Great-Aunt Jane feebly. ‘The other need not have come. So this is Margaret’s youngest, is it? I’ve seen the others, Robert and
Ethel. But I hadn’t seen this one. I didn’t want to die without seeing all my family. He’s not as beautiful as Francis, but he’s less fat. Do you trail clouds of glory,
William? Francis trails clouds of glory.’
    ‘Clouds of fat more like,’ said William, who was beginning to be bored by the whole affair. Great-Aunt Jane closed her eyes.
    ‘I’m going to rest a little,’ she said. ‘You can stay here and get me anything I want while nurse goes to have her tea.’
    The nurse went.
    Great-Aunt Jane fell asleep.
    William and Francis were left alone in the dim bedroom, sitting on chairs, one on each side of the big bed as the nurse had placed them. The silence grew oppressive. William fidgeted, then
opened hostilities.
    ‘Hello, Fatty!’ he whispered over Great-Aunt Jane’s recumbent form.
    ‘’F you call me that again,’ whispered Francis, ‘I’ll tell my mother.’
    ‘ ’F you went telling tales of me, I’d pull your long hair off.’
    Francis searched in his mind, silent for a few minutes, for a suitable term of opprobrium.
    ‘Freckles!’ he hissed across the bed at last.
    ‘Softy!’ returned William.
    This was warfare after his own heart.
    ‘ ’F I got hold of you I could throw you out of the window.’
    ‘You couldn’t. You’d just roll about. You couldn’t throw anything. You’re too fat.’
    ‘I told you what I’d do if you called me that again.’
    ‘Tell-tale! Tell-tale! Silly ole tell-tale!’
    Still the deadly insults were being hurled across the bed in whispers, and still Great-Aunt Jane slept.
    ‘I could bash your old freckled face in,’ whispered Francis.
    ‘I could knock your ole long-haired head off.’
    ‘I could pull your ears off.’
    ‘Come on, then. Have a try.’
    ‘Come on yourself!’
    Worked up to fighting pitch, they stole round their corners of the bed to the open space at the foot. Then they hurled themselves upon each other.
    They fought with fierce satisfaction, tearing at each other’s hair, punching each other’s heads, squirming and rolling on the floor. Suddenly they became aware of a spectator.
Great-Aunt Jane was sitting up in bed, her cheeks flushed, her eyes bright.
    ‘Go it, William!’ she said. ‘Get one in on his nose. That’s right, Fatty; well fended! Go on, William. Another, another! No biting, Fatty. Go— Oh, dear!’
    There were footsteps on the stairs.
    ‘Quick!’ said Great-Aunt Jane.
    They darted to their seats, smoothing their hair as they went.
    The nurse entered.
    ‘Whatever—’ she began, then looked round the peaceful room. ‘Oh, it must have been in the street!’

    ‘GO IT, WILLIAM!’ GREAT-AUNT JANE CRIED . . . ! ANOTHER, ANOTHER!’ . . .
    Great-Aunt Jane opened her eyes.
    ‘I feel much better,’ she said. ‘Ever so much better.’
    ‘You look better,’ said the nurse. ‘I hope the children were good.’
    ‘Good as gold!’ said Great-Aunt Jane, with the ghost of a wink at William.
    ‘Look at
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