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The Little house
Tohersurprisetheyseemedtobereturningfromtheball,andshehadjusttimetohidefromthembybendingherkneesandholdingoutherarmsandpretendingtobeagardenchair.Thereweresixhorsemeninfrontandsixbehind;inthemiddlewalkedaprimladywearingalongtrainheldupbytwopages,andonthetrain,asifitwereacouch,reclinedalovelygirl,forinthiswaydoaristocraticfairiestravelabout.Shewasdressedingoldenrain,butthemostenviablepartofherwasherneck,whichwasblueincolourandofavelvettexture,andofcourseshowedoffherdiamondnecklaceasnowhitethroatcouldhaveglorifiedit.Thehigh-bornfairiesobtainthisadmiredeffectbyprickingtheirskin,whichletsthebluebloodcomethroughanddyethem,andyoucannotimagineanythingsodazzlingunlessyouhaveseentheladies’bustsinthejewellers’windows.
Maimiealsonoticedthatthewholecavalcadeseemedtobeinapassion,tiltingtheirnoseshigherthanitcanbesafeforevenfairiestotiltthem,andsheconcludedthatthismustbeanothercaseinwhichthedoctorhadsaid’Cold,quitecold.’
Well,shefollowedtheribbontoaplacewhereitbecameabridgeoveradrypuddleintowhichanotherfairyhadfallenandbeenunabletoclimbout.AtfirstthislittledamselwasafraidofMaimie,whomostkindlywenttoheraid,butsoonshesatinherhandchattinggailyandexplainingthathernamewasBrownie,andthatthoughonlyapoorstreetsingershewasonherwaytotheballtoseeiftheDukewouldhaveher.
’Ofcourse,’shesaid,’Iamratherplain,’andthismadeMaimieuncomfortable,forindeedthesimplelittlecreaturewasalmostquiteplainforafairy.
Itwasdifficulttoknowwhattoreply.
’IseeyouthinkIhavenochance,’Browniesaidfalteringly.
