Читать книгу The Gargoyle at the Gates - Philippa Dowding - Страница 7

Of Marbles and Apple Cores

Who would take a bite out of an apple and stick it in the gargoyle statue’s claw?

Christopher wondered if one of his many-assorted-older-brothers-and-slightly-older-sister was playing a trick on him (a real possibility). He was just about to investigate more closely when he heard loud barking from his house next door. He’d forgotten about his dog! He had to take Marbles for a walk! The dog had spotted him standing at the park gates and was going crazy inside the house at the living room window.

“See you later, gargoyles,” he said as he turned away. Just then a loud streetcar rattled by, which is why he couldn’t be positively sure of what happened next. It might have been someone playing a trick, but he was sure he heard a strange, whispery voice say, “Bellatro smethen sawchen.”

Which in itself didn’t mean anything.

But Christopher heard the whispery words and a different meaning at the same time, which translated roughly to something like, “DO NOT throw the apple at that boy.”

It sounded like the wind whispering in the long summer grass, or like a language that he was just beginning to forget. But he was sure he caught words there, too.

He whipped around and looked at the gargoyles once again, his eyes wide under his glasses. They were just gargoyles, stone figures staring straight ahead. He peered for a few moments then shook his head. He took off his glasses, rubbed his eyes and looked again, but finally decided he must have imagined it. The barking next door was getting more frantic. He had to go.

A few moments later Christopher opened the front door and was inside his house, trying to keep Marbles from knocking him off his feet.

“Yes, I’m happy to see you too, Marbles. Yes, I will take you for a walk, just let me get something to eat.”

At the word “walk,” Marbles started doing a hilarious dance on his front paws. He was a big, spotted dog, so it was a little hazardous to be around him when he was doing his “I’m-going-for-a-walk” dance. Christopher went into the kitchen, grabbed a banana, pocketed Marbles’ favourite orange rubber ball, and was about to lift the dog leash off the hook beside the back door, when …

… whack!

Something hit the outside of the door, hard, just on the other side of his head. Carefully he opened the door and peered outside.

There was an apple coming to rest at his feet.

And there was a bite out of it!

Christopher looked over at the gargoyles on the park gates. He could just make out the two statues perched dripping wet on the gateposts.

He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He peered through the drizzle and scratched his head. He must be imagining things.

He took Marbles for a walk.

But he was beginning to think there might be something a little odd about that park.