Above the clear song of the Lark they heard Miss Andrew hammering at the bars and crying:
'I who was Well-Brought-Up! I who was Always Right! I who was Never Mistaken. That I should come to this!'
Mary Poppins gave a curious, quiet little laugh.
The Lark looked very small now, but still he circled upwards, singing loudly and triumphantly. And still Miss Andrew and her cage circled heavily after him, rocking from side to side, like a ship in a storm.
'Let me out, I say! Let me out!' Her voice came screaming down.
Suddenly the Lark changed his direction. His song ceased for a moment as he darted sideways. Then it began again, wild and clear, as shaking the ring of the cage from his foot, he flew towards the South.
'He's off!' said Mary Poppins.
'Where?' cried Jane and Michael.
'
'Home — to his meadows,' she replied, gazing upwards.
'But he's dropped the cage!' said Michael, staring.
And well he might stare, for the cage was now hurtling downwards, lurching and tumbling, end over end. They could clearly see Miss Andrew, now standing on her head and now on her feet as the cage turned through the air. Down, down, it came, heavy as a stone, and landed with a plop on the top step.
With a fierce movement, Miss Andrew tore open the door. And it seemed to Jane and Michael as she came out that she was as large as ever and even more frightful.
For a moment she stood there, panting, unable to speak, her face purplier than before.
'How dare you!' she said in a throaty whisper, pointing a trembling finger at Mary Poppins. And Jane and Michael saw that her eyes were no longer angry and scornful, but full of terror.
'You — you—' stammered Miss Andrew huskily, 'you cruel, disrespectful, unkind, wicked, wilful girl — how could you, how could you?'
Mary Poppins fixed her with a look. From half-closed eyes, she gazed revengefully at Miss Andrew for a long moment.
'You said I didn't know how to bring up children,' she said, speaking slowly and distinctly.
Miss Andrew shrank back, trembling with fear.
'I–I apologise,' she said, gulping.
'That I was impudent, incapable, and totally unreliable,' said the quiet, implacable voice.
Miss Andrew cowered beneath the steady gaze.
'It was a mistake. I–I'm sorry,' she stammered.
'That I was a Young Person!' continued Mary Poppins, remorselessly.
'I take it back,' panted Miss Andrew. 'All of it. Only let me go. I ask nothing more.' She clasped her hands and gazed at Mary Poppins, imploringly.
'I can't stay here,' she whispered. 'No, no! Not here! I beg you to let me go!'
Mary Poppins gazed at her, long and thoughtfully. Then with a little outward movement of her hand, 'Go!' she said.
Miss Andrew gave a gasp of relief. 'Oh, thank you! Thank you!' Still keeping her eyes fixed on Mary Poppins she staggered backwards down the steps, then she turned and went stumbling unevenly down the garden path.
The Taxi-man, who all this time had been unloading the luggage, was starting up his engine and preparing to depart.
Miss Andrew held up a trembling hand.
'Wait!' she cried brokenly. 'Wait for me. You shall have a ten shilling note for yourself if you will drive me away at once.'
The man stared at her.
'I mean it!' she said urgently. 'See,' she fumbled feverishly in her pocket, 'here it is. Take it — and drive on!'
Miss Andrew tottered into the cab and collapsed upon the seat.
The Taxi-man, still gaping, closed the door upon her.
Then he began hurriedly re-loading the luggage. Robertson Ay had fallen asleep across a pile of trunks, but the Taxi-man did not stop to wake him. He swept him off on to the path and finished the work himself.
'Looks as though the 'ol' girl 'ad 'ad a shock! I never saw anybody take on so. Never!' he murmured to himself as he drove off.
But what kind of a shock it was the Taxi-man did not know and, if he lived to be a hundred, could not possibly guess….
'Where is Miss Andrew?' said Mrs. Banks, hurrying to the front door in search of the visitor.
'Gone,' said Michael.
'What do you mean — gone?' Mrs. Banks looked very surprised.
'She didn't seem to want to stay,' said Jane.
Mrs. Banks frowned.
'What does this mean, Mary Poppins?' she demanded.
'I couldn't say, m'm, I'm sure,' said Mary Poppins, calmly, as though the matter did not interest her. She glanced down at her new blouse and smoothed out a crease.
Mrs. Banks looked from one to the other and shook her head.
'How very extraordinary! I can't understand it.'
Just then the garden gate opened and shut with a quiet little click. Mr. Banks came tip-toeing up the path. He hesitated and waited nervously on one foot as they all turned towards him.
'Well? Has she come?' he said anxiously, in a loud whisper.
'She has come and gone,' said Mrs. Banks.
Mr. Banks stared.
'Gone? Do you mean — really gone? Miss Andrew?'
Mrs. Banks nodded.
'Oh, joy, joy!' cried Mr. Banks, and seizing the skirts of his waterproof in both hands he proceeded to dance the Highland Fling in the middle of the path. He stopped suddenly.
'But how? When? Why?' he asked.
'Just now — in a taxi. Because the children were rude to her, I suppose. She complained to me about them. I simply can't think of any other reason. Can you, Mary Poppins?'
'No, m'm, I can't,' said Mary Poppins, brushing a speck of dust off her blouse with great care.
Mr. Banks turned to Jane and Michael with a sorrowful look on his face.
'You were rude to Miss Andrew? My Governess? That dear old soul? I'm ashamed of you both — thoroughly ashamed.' He spoke sternly, but there was a laughing twinkle in his eyes.
'I'm a most unfortunate man,' he went on, putting his hands into his pockets. 'Here am I slaving day in and day out to bring you up properly, and how do you repay me? By being rude to Miss Andrew! It's shameful! It's outrageous. I don't know that I shall ever be able to forgive you. But—' he continued, taking two sixpences out of his pocket and solemnly offering one to each of them, 'I shall do my best to forget!'
He turned away smiling.
'Hullo!' he remarked, stumbling against the bird-cage. 'Where did this come from? Whose is it?'
Jane and Michael and Mary Poppins were silent.
'Well, never mind,' said Mr. Banks. 'It's mine now. I shall keep it in the garden and train my sweet-peas over it.'
And he went off, carrying the bird-cage and whistling very happily….
'Well,' said Mary Poppins, sternly, as she followed them into the Nursery. 'This is nice goings on, I must say. You behaving so rudely to your Father's guest.'
'But we weren't rude,' Michael protested. 'I only said she was a Holy Terror and he called her that
