Белая птичка
The Little House
Soshescuddedawayuptheribbon,callingouttoMaimienottofollowlesttheQueenshouldmischiefher.
ButMaimie’scuriositytuggedherforward,andpresentlyatthesevenSpanishchestnuts,shesawawonderfullight.Shecreptforwarduntilshewasquitenearit,andthenshepeepedfrombehindatree.
Thelight,whichwasashighasyourheadabovetheground,wascomposedofmyriadsofglow-wormsallholdingontoeachother,andsoformingadazzlingcanopyoverthefairyring.Therewerethousandsoflittlepeoplelookingon,buttheywereinshadowanddrabincolourcomparedtothegloriouscreatureswithinthatluminouscirclewhoweresobewilderinglybrightthatMaimiehadtowinkhardallthetimeshelookedatthem.
ItwasamazingandevenirritatingtoherthattheDukeofChristmasDaisiesshouldbeabletokeepoutofloveforamoment:yetoutoflovehisduskygracestillwas:youcouldseeitbytheshamedlooksoftheQueenandcourt(thoughtheypretendednottocare),bythewaydarlingladiesbroughtforwardforhisapprovalburstintotearsastheyweretoldtopasson,andbyhisownmostdrearyface.
MaimiecouldalsoseethepompousdoctorfeelingtheDuke’sheartandhearhimgiveutterancetohisparrotcry,andshewasparticularlysorryfortheCupids,whostoodintheirfools’capsinobscureplacesand,everytimetheyheardthat“Cold,quitecold,”bowedtheirdisgracedlittleheads.
ShewasdisappointednottoseePeterPan,andImayaswelltellyounowwhyhewassolatethatnight.
