A Bear(be(ə)r) Called Paddington

A Bear(be(ə)r) Called Paddington

By Michael Bond

Chapter(ˈCHaptər) One

PLEASE(plēz) LOOK AFTER THIS BEAR

Mr. and Mrs. Brown(broun) first met(met) Paddington on a railway(rālwā) platform(ˈplatfôrm). In fact, that was how he came to have such an unusual(ˌənˈyo͞oZHo͞oəl) name for a bear, for Paddington was the name of the station(ˈstāSHən).

The Browns were there to meet their daughter(ˈdä-,ˈdôtər), Judy, who was coming home from school for the holidays(ˈhäliˌdā). It was a warm summer day, and the station was crowded(ˈkroudid) with people on their way to the seaside(ˈsēˌsīd). Trains(trān) were humming(həm), loudspeakers(ˈloudˌspēkər) blaring(ble(ə)r), porters(ˈpôrtər) rushing(rəSH) about shouting(SHout) at one another, and altogether(ˌôltəˈgeT͟Hər) there was so much noise(noiz) that Mr. Brown, who saw him first, had to tell his wife(wīf) several(ˈsev(ə)rəl) times before she understood.

“A bear? In Paddington Station?” Mrs. Brown looked at her husband(ˈhəzbənd) in amazement(əˈmāzmənt). “Don’t be silly(ˈsilē), Henry(ˈhenrē). There can’t be!”

Mr. Brown adjusted(əˈjəst) his glasses(ˈglasiz). “But there is,” he insisted(inˈsist). “I distinctly(disˈtiNGktlē) saw it. Over there—near the bicycle(ˈbīsikəl) rack(rak). It was wearing(ˈwe(ə)riNG) a funny(ˈfənē) kind of hat(hat).”

Without waiting for a reply(riˈplī), he caught hold(hōld) of his wife’s arm(ärm) and pushed her through the crowd, round a trolley(ˈträlē) laden(ˈlādn) with chocolate(ˈCHäk(ə)lit,ˈCHôk-) and cups(kəp) of tea, past(past) a bookstall(ˈbo͝okˌstôl), and through a gap(gap) in a pile(pīl) of suitcases(ˈso͞otˌkās) towards the Lost Property(ˈpräpərtē) Office(ˈäf-,ˈôfis).

“There you are,” he announced(əˈnouns) triumphantly(trīˈəmfənt), pointing(ˈpointiNG) towards(t(ə)ˈwôrd,tôrd) a dark corner(ˈkôrnər), “I told you so!”

Mrs.(ˈmɪsɪs) Brown followed(ˈfälō) the direction of his arm and dimly made out a small, furry(ˈfərē) object in the shadows(ˈSHadō). It seemed to be sitting(ˈsitiNG) on some kind(kīnd) of suitcase(ˈso͞otˌkās), and around its neck(nek) there was a label(ˈlābəl) with some writing on it. The suitcase was old and battered(ˈbatərd), and on the side, in large letters(ˈletər), were the words WANTED ON VOYAGE(ˈvoi-ij).

Mrs. Brown clutched(kləCH) at her husband(ˈhəzbənd). “Why, Henry,” she exclaimed(ikˈsklām). “I believe you were right after all. It is a bear!”

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