The Wind Singer. William Nicholson

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СКАЧАТЬ Examiner was now ready for Pinpin. He approached the desk, his eyes on his papers.

      ‘Pinto Hath,’ he said. And then raising his eyes, his face took on an all-embracing smile. Pinpin met this look with instinctive suspicion.

      ‘And what are we to call you, my little fellow?’

      ‘By her name,’ said Mrs Hath.

      ‘Well then, Pinto,’ said the Examiner, still beaming. ‘I’ve got some pretty pictures here. Let’s see if you can tell me what they are.’

      He presented Pinpin with a sheet of coloured images. Pinpin looked, but said nothing. The Examiner pointed with his finger to a dog.

      ‘What’s this?’

      Not a sound from Pinpin.

      ‘What’s this, then?’

      Silence.

      ‘Does he have a hearing problem?’

      ‘No,’ said Mrs Hath. ‘She can hear you.’

      ‘But he doesn’t speak.’

      ‘I suppose there’s nothing much she wants to say.’

      Bowman and Kestrel held their breath. The Examiner frowned and looked grave, and made a note on his papers. Then he returned to the pictures.

      ‘Well now, Pinto. Show me a doggy. Where’s a doggy?’

      Pinpin gazed back at him, and neither spoke nor pointed.

      ‘A house, then. Show me a little house.’

      Nothing. And so it went on, until at last the Examiner put his pictures away, looking graver still.

      ‘Let’s try some counting, shall we, little chap?’

      He started counting, meaning Pinpin to follow him, but all she would do was stare. He made another note.

      ‘The last part of the test,’ he said to Mrs Hath, ‘is designed to assess the child’s level of communication skills. Listening, understanding, and responding. We find the child is usually more at his ease when held in the arms.’

      ‘You want her in your arms?’

      ‘If you have no objection.’

      ‘Are you sure?’

      ‘I have done this before, Mrs Hath. The little fellow will be quite safe with me.’

      Ira Hath looked down at the ground, and her nose twitched just a little. Bowman saw this, and sent an instant thought to Kestrel.

      Mama’s going to crack.

      But all she did was lift Pinpin from her seat and give her into the Examiner’s waiting arms. Bowman and Kestrel watched with keen interest. Their father sat with his eyes closed, knowing it was all going as wrong as it possibly could, and there was nothing he could do about it.

      ‘Well, Pinto, you’re a fine fellow, aren’t you?’ The Examiner tickled Pinpin under the chin, and pressed her nose. ‘What’s this, then? Is this your nosey?’

      Pinpin remained silent. The Examiner pulled out the large gold medal which hung round his neck on a chain, and dangled it in front of Pinpin’s eyes. It shone in the morning light.

      ‘Pretty, pretty. Do you want to hold it?’

      Pinpin said nothing. The Examiner looked up at Mrs Hath in exasperation.

      ‘I’m not sure you realise,’ he said. ‘As matters stand at this moment, I shall have to give your child a zero rating.’

      ‘Is it as bad as that?’ said Mrs Hath, her eyes glittering.

      ‘I can get nothing out of him, you see.’

      ‘Nothing at all?’

      ‘Is there some rhyme or word game he likes to play?’

      ‘Let me think.’ Mrs Hath proceeded, rather ostentatiously, to mime the act of thinking, lips pursed, finger stroking brow.

      Bowman sent a thought to Kestrel.

      She’s cracking.

      ‘Yes,’ said Mrs Hath. ‘There is a game she likes to play. Try saying to her, wiss wiss wiss.’

      ‘Wiss wiss wiss?’

      ‘She’ll like that.’

      Bowman and Kestrel sent the same thought at the same time.

      She’s cracked!

      ‘Wiss wiss wiss,’ said the Examiner to Pinpin. ‘Wiss wiss wiss, little fellow.’

      Pinpin looked at the Examiner in surprise, and wriggled a little in his arms, as if to settle herself more comfortably. Mrs Hath watched, her nose now twitching uncontrollably. Bowman and Kestrel watched, their hearts thumping.

      Any minute now, they thought to each other.

      ‘Wiss wiss wiss,’ said the Examiner.

      ‘Any minute now,’ said Mrs Hath.

      Now, Pinpin, now, willed Bowman and Kestrel. Do it now.

      Mr Hath opened his eyes and saw the looks on their faces. Suddenly realising what was going on, he rose from the bench and reached out his arms.

      ‘Let me take her – ’

      Too late.

      Hubba hubba Pinpin! exulted Bo and Kess in the joyous silence of their thoughts. Hubba hubba hubba Pinpin!

      A faraway look of contentment on her round face, Pinpin was emptying her bladder in a long and steady stream down the Examiner’s arms. The Examiner felt the spread of the gentle warmth without at first understanding what was happening. Then seeing the look of rapt attention on the faces of Mrs Hath and her children, he dropped his gaze downward. The stain was seeping into his scarlet cloak. In utter silence, he held Pinpin out for Mr Hath to take, and turned and walked gravely back up the aisle.

      Mrs Hath took Pinpin from her husband, and smothered her with kisses. Bowman and Kestrel dropped to the floor and rolled about there, quaking with silent laughter. Hanno Hath watched the Examiner report the incident to Maslo Inch, and he gave a small private sigh. He knew what his wife and children did not, which was that they had needed a good rating this morning. Now, with no points at all, they would probably have to leave their house in Orange District and make do in humbler quarters. Two rooms if they were lucky; more likely one room, with the use of a kitchen and bathroom on a communal landing. Hanno Hath was not a vain man. He cared very little what others thought of him. But he loved his family dearly, and the thought of failing them hurt him deep inside.

      Ira Hath cuddled Pinpin tight and refused to think about СКАЧАТЬ