Маленькая принцесса
The Magic
Butshehadbeentiredenoughtosleepdeeplyandprofoundly—toodeeplyandsoundlytobedisturbedbyanything,evenbythesqueaksandscamperingsofMelchisedec’sentirefamily,ifallhissonsanddaughtershadchosentocomeoutoftheirholetofightandtumbleandplay.
Whensheawakeneditwasrathersuddenly,andshedidnotknowthatanyparticularthinghadcalledheroutofhersleep.Thetruthwas,however,thatitwasasoundwhichhadcalledherback—arealsound—theclickoftheskylightasitfellinclosingafteralithewhitefigurewhichslippedthroughitandcroucheddownclosebyupontheslatesoftheroof—justnearenoughtoseewhathappenedintheattic,butnotnearenoughtobeseen.
Atfirstshedidnotopenhereyes.Shefelttoosleepyand—curiouslyenough—toowarmandcomfortable.Shewassowarmandcomfortable,indeed,thatshedidnotbelieveshewasreallyawake.Sheneverwasaswarmandcozyasthisexceptinsomelovelyvision.
"Whatanicedream!"shemurmured."Ifeelquitewarm.I—don’t—want—to—wake—up."
Ofcourseitwasadream.Shefeltasifwarm,delightfulbedclotheswereheapeduponher.ShecouldactuallyFEELblankets,andwhensheputoutherhandittouchedsomethingexactlylikeasatin-coveredeider-downquilt.Shemustnotawakenfromthisdelight—shemustbequitestillandmakeitlast.
Butshecouldnot—eventhoughshekepthereyesclosedtightly,shecouldnot.Somethingwasforcinghertoawaken—somethingintheroom.
