Маленькая принцесса
The Diamond Mines
Iftherewastimeonlyforafewwords,theywerealwaysfriendly,merrywordsthatputheartintoone;andiftherewastimeformore,thentherewasaninstallmentofastorytobetold,orsomeotherthingonerememberedafterwardandsometimeslayawakeinone’sbedintheattictothinkover.Sara—whowasonlydoingwhatsheunconsciouslylikedbetterthananythingelse,Naturehavingmadeherforagiver—hadnottheleastideawhatshemeanttopoorBecky,andhowwonderfulabenefactorsheseemed.IfNaturehasmadeyouforagiver,yourhandsarebornopen,andsoisyourheart;andthoughtheremaybetimeswhenyourhandsareempty,yourheartisalwaysfull,andyoucangivethingsoutofthat—warmthings,kindthings,sweetthings—helpandcomfortandlaughter—andsometimesgay,kindlaughteristhebesthelpofall.
Beckyhadscarcelyknownwhatlaughterwasthroughallherpoor,littlehard-drivenlife.Saramadeherlaugh,andlaughedwithher;and,thoughneitherofthemquiteknewit,thelaughterwasas"fillin’"asthemeatpies.
AfewweeksbeforeSara’seleventhbirthdayalettercametoherfromherfather,whichdidnotseemtobewritteninsuchboyishhighspiritsasusual.Hewasnotverywell,andwasevidentlyoverweightedbythebusinessconnectedwiththediamondmines.
"Yousee,littleSara,"hewrote,"yourdaddyisnotabusinessmanatall,andfiguresanddocumentsbotherhim.Hedoesnotreallyunderstandthem,andallthisseemssoenormous.Perhaps,ifIwasnotfeverishIshouldnotbeawake,tossingabout,onehalfofthenightandspendtheotherhalfintroublesomedreams.Ifmylittlemissuswerehere,Idaresayshewouldgivemesomesolemn,goodadvice.Youwould,wouldn’tyou,LittleMissus?"
Oneofhismanyjokeshadbeentocallherhis"littlemissus"becauseshehadsuchanold-fashionedair.
