Truckers Read Online Free PDF

Arnold Bros (est. 1905)! Everything Under One Roof. Everything! Therefore, there can be no Outside. Therefore, you people are not from it. Therefore, you’re from some other part of the Store. Corsetry. Or Young Fashions, maybe. We’ve never really explored there.”
    â€œNo, we’re—” Masklin began.
    The Duke held up his hands.
    â€œListen to me,” he said, glaring at Masklin. “I don’t blame you . My son is an impressionable young lad. I have no doubt he talked you into it. He’s altogether too fond of going to look at trucks, and he listens to silly stories and his brain gets overheated. Now I am not an unreasonable nome,” he added, daring them to disagree, “and there is always room for a strong lad like yourself in the Haberdasheri guards. So let us forget this nonsense, shall we?”
    â€œBut we really do come from outside,” Masklin persisted.
    â€œThere is no Outside !” said the Duke. “Except of course when a good nome dies, if he has led a proper life. Then there is an Outside, where he will live in splendor forever. Come now.” He patted Masklin on the shoulder. “Give up this foolish chatter, and help us in our valiant task.”
    â€œYes, but what for ?” said Masklin.
    â€œYou wouldn’t want the Ironmongri to take our department, would you?” said the Duke. Masklin glanced at Angalo, who shook his head urgently.
    â€œI suppose not,” he said, “but you’re all nomes, aren’t you? And there’s masses for everyone. Spending all your time squabbling seems a bit silly.”
    Out of the corner of his eye he saw Angalo put his head in his hands.
    The Duke went red.
    â€œSilly, did you say?”
    Masklin leaned backward to get out of his way, but he’d been brought up to be honest. He felt he wasn’t bright enough to get away with lies.
    â€œWell—” he began.
    â€œHave you never heard of honor?” said the Duke.
    Masklin thought for a while and then shook his head.
    â€œThe Ironmongri want to take over the whole Store,” said Angalo hurriedly. “That would be a terrible thing. And the Millineri are nearly as bad.”
    â€œWhy?” said Masklin.
    â€œWhy?” said the Duke. “Because they have always been our enemies. And now you may go,” he added.
    â€œWhere?” said Masklin.
    â€œTo the Ironmongri, or the Millineri. Or the Stationeri—they’re just the people for you. Or go back Outside, for all I care,” said the Duke sarcastically.
    â€œWe want the Thing back,” said Masklin stolidly. The Duke picked it up and threw it at him.
    â€œSorry,” said Angalo when they had got away. “I should have told you Father has rather a temper.”
    â€œWhat did you go and upset him for?” asked Grimma irritably. “If we’ve got to join up with someone, why not with him? What happens to us now?”
    â€œHe was very rude,” said Granny Morkie stoutly.
    â€œHe’d never heard of the Thing,” said Torrit. “Terrible, that is. Or Outside. Well, I was borned and bred outside. Ain’t no dead people there. Not living in any splendor, anyway.”
    They started to squabble, which was fairly usual.
    Masklin looked at them. Then he looked at his feet. They were walking on a sort of short dry grass that Angalo had said was called carpet . Something else stolen from the Store above.
    He wanted to say: This is ridiculous. Why is it that as soon as a nome has all he needs to eat and drink, he starts to bicker with other nomes? There must be more to being a nome than this.
    And he wanted to say: If humans are so stupid, how is it that they built this Store and all these trucks? If we’re that clever, then they should be stealing from us , not the other way around. They might be big and slow, but they’re quite bright, really.
    And he wanted to add: I wouldn’t be surprised if