Маленькая принцесса
One of the Populace
I’vebeenpracticingagooddeallately,andit’sbeginningtobeeasierthanitusedtobe.Whenthingsarehorrible—justhorrible—IthinkashardaseverIcanofbeingaprincess.Isaytomyself,’Iamaprincess,andIamafairyone,andbecauseIamafairynothingcanhurtmeormakemeuncomfortable.’Youdon’tknowhowitmakesyouforget"—withalaugh.
Shehadmanyopportunitiesofmakinghermindthinkofsomethingelse,andmanyopportunitiesofprovingtoherselfwhetherornotshewasaprincess.Butoneofthestrongesttestsshewaseverputtocameonacertaindreadfuldaywhich,sheoftenthoughtafterward,wouldneverquitefadeoutofhermemoryevenintheyearstocome.
Forseveraldaysithadrainedcontinuously;thestreetswerechillyandsloppyandfullofdreary,coldmist;therewasmudeverywhere—stickyLondonmud—andovereverythingthepallofdrizzleandfog.Ofcoursetherewereseverallongandtiresomeerrandstobedone—therealwayswereondayslikethis—andSarawassentoutagainandagain,untilhershabbyclothesweredampthrough.Theabsurdoldfeathersonherforlornhatweremoredraggledandabsurdthanever,andherdowntroddenshoesweresowetthattheycouldnotholdanymorewater.Addedtothis,shehadbeendeprivedofherdinner,becauseMissMinchinhadchosentopunishher.
