More About Paddington. Michael Bond

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       Copyright

      First published in Great Britain

      by William Collins Sons and Co. Ltd. in 1959

      This edition first published by Collins in 1997

      This edition published in 2018

      Collins is an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd, 1 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9GF

      Visit our HarperCollins Children’s Books website at: www.harpercollinschildrensbooks.co.uk

      Text copyright © Michael Bond 1959

      Illustrations copyright © Peggy Fortnum

      and William Collins Sons and Co. Ltd. 1959

      The author and illustrator assert the moral right to be identified as the author and illustrator of this work.

      Cover illustration adapted and coloured by Mark Burgess from the original by Peggy Fortnum

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      Conditions of Sale This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior written consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

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      Source ISBN: 9780006753438

       Ebook Edition © OCTOBER 2011 ISBN: 9780007372850

       Version: 2019-03-15

      Contents

       Cover Page

       Title Page

Copyright

1. A Family Group

       2. A Spot of Decorating

       3. Paddington turns Detective

       4. Paddington and the Bonfire

       5. Trouble at Number Thirty-Two

       6. Paddington and the Christmas Shopping

       7. Christmas

       About the Author

       Other Books by Michael Bond

       About the Publisher

       Chapter One A FAMILY GROUP

      The Browns’ house at number thirty-two Windsor Gardens was unusually quiet. It was a warm summer day and all the family with the exception of Paddington, who had mysteriously disappeared shortly after lunch, were sitting on the veranda enjoying the afternoon sun.

      Apart from the faint rustle of paper as Mr Brown turned the pages of an enormous book and the click of Mrs Brown’s knitting needles, the only sound came from Mrs Bird, their housekeeper, as she prepared the tea things.

      Jonathan and Judy were both much too busy piecing together a huge jigsaw puzzle to utter a word.

      It was Mr Brown who first broke the silence. “You know,” he began, taking a long draw at his pipe, “it’s a funny thing, but I’ve been through this encyclopedia a dozen times and there’s no mention of a bear like Paddington.”

      “Ah, and there won’t be,” exclaimed Mrs Bird. “Bears like Paddington are very rare. And a good thing too, if you ask me, or it would cost us a small fortune in marmalade.” Mrs Bird was always going on about Paddington’s fondness for marmalade, but it was noticeable she was never without a spare jar in the larder in case of emergency.

      “Anyway, Henry,” said Mrs Brown, as she put down her knitting, “why do you want to look up Paddington?”

      Mr Brown twirled his moustache thoughtfully. “Oh, no reason in particular,” he answered vaguely. “I was interested – that’s all.”

      Having a bear in the family was a heavy responsibility – especially a bear like Paddington – and Mr Brown took the matter very seriously.

      “The point is,” he said, snapping the book shut, “if he’s staying with us for good…”

      “If?” There was a chorus of alarm from the rest of the family, not to mention Mrs Bird.

      “What on earth do you mean, Henry?” exclaimed Mrs Brown. “If Paddington is staying with us for good. Of course he is.”

      “As he’s staying with us,” said Mr Brown, hastily, “there are СКАЧАТЬ