Маленькая принцесса
The Indian Gentleman
Theeightchildrenwerealwayseitherbeingtakenouttowalkortorideinperambulatorsbycomfortablenurses,ortheyweregoingtodrivewiththeirmamma,ortheywereflyingtothedoorintheeveningtomeettheirpapaandkisshimanddancearoundhimanddragoffhisovercoatandlookinthepocketsforpackages,ortheywerecrowdingaboutthenurserywindowsandlookingoutandpushingeachotherandlaughing—infact,theywerealwaysdoingsomethingenjoyableandsuitedtothetastesofalargefamily.Sarawasquitefondofthem,andhadgiventhemnamesoutofbooks—quiteromanticnames.ShecalledthemtheMontmorencyswhenshedidnotcallthemtheLargeFamily.Thefat,fairbabywiththelacecapwasEthelbertaBeauchampMontmorency;thenextbabywasVioletCholmondeleyMontmorency;thelittleboywhocouldjuststaggerandwhohadsuchroundlegswasSydneyCecilVivianMontmorency;andthencameLilianEvangelineMaudMarion,RosalindGladys,GuyClarence,VeronicaEustacia,andClaudeHaroldHector.
Oneeveningaveryfunnythinghappened—though,perhaps,inonesenseitwasnotafunnythingatall.
SeveraloftheMontmorencyswereevidentlygoingtoachildren’sparty,andjustasSarawasabouttopassthedoortheywerecrossingthepavementtogetintothecarriagewhichwaswaitingforthem.VeronicaEustaciaandRosalindGladys,inwhite-lacefrocksandlovelysashes,hadjustgotin,andGuyClarence,agedfive,wasfollowingthem.
