Белая птичка
The Pleasantest Club in London
Theywerechildrenofthewell-to-pass,andshewasfromDruryLane,buttheybelievedinherasthegreatestofallauthoritiesonlittleladiesandgentlemen,andthemoretheyheardofhowtheseromanticcreatureskeepthemselvestidyandavoidpoolsandwaittilltheycometoagate,themoretheyadmiredthem,thoughtheirfacesshowedhowprofoundlytheyfeltthattobelittleladiesandgentlemenwasnotforthem.Youcan’tthinkwhathopelesslittlefacestheywere.
Childrenarenotatalllikepuppies,Ihavesaid.Butdopuppiescareonlyforplay?Thatwistfullook,whichthemerriestofthemsometimeswear,Iwonderwhetheritmeansthattheywouldliketohearaboutthegoodpuppies?
Asyoushallsee,IinventedmanystoriesforDavid,practisingthetellingofthembymyfiresideasiftheywereconjuringfeats,whileIreneknewonlyone,butshetolditasneverhasanyotherfairy-talebeentoldinmyhearing.Itwastheprettiestofthemall,andwasrecitedbytheheroine.
“Whywerethekingandqueennotathome?”Davidwouldaskherbreathlessly.
“Isuppose,”saidIrene,thinkingitout,“theywasawaybuyingthevictuals.”
Shealwaystoldthestorygazingintovacancy,sothatDavidthoughtitwasreallyhappeningsomewhereuptheBroadWalk,andwhenshecametoitsgreatmomentsherlittlebosomheaved.NevershallIforgettheconcentratedscornwithwhichtheprincesaidtothesisters,“Neitherofyouain’ttheonewhatworetheglassslipper
