Маленька принцеса

           "Oh,miss!oh,miss!"shegasped;"Iknowitwasyouthataskedhertoletmecome.It—itmakesmecrytothinkofit."AndshewenttoSara’ssideandstoodandlookedatherworshipingly.

           ButinSara’shungryeyestheoldlighthadbeguntoglowandtransformherworldforher.Hereintheattic—withthecoldnightoutside—withtheafternooninthesloppystreetsbarelypassed—withthememoryoftheawfulunfedlookinthebeggarchild’seyesnotyetfaded—thissimple,cheerfulthinghadhappenedlikeathingofmagic.

           Shecaughtherbreath.

           "Somehow,somethingalwayshappens,"shecried,"justbeforethingsgettotheveryworst.ItisasiftheMagicdidit.IfIcouldonlyjustrememberthatalways.TheworstthingneverQUITEcomes."

           ShegaveBeckyalittlecheerfulshake.

           "No,no!Youmustn’tcry!"shesaid."Wemustmakehasteandsetthetable."

           "Setthetable,miss?"saidBecky,gazingroundtheroom."What’llwesetitwith?"

           Saralookedroundtheattic,too.

           "Theredoesn’tseemtobemuch,"sheanswered,halflaughing.

           Thatmomentshesawsomethingandpounceduponit.ItwasErmengarde’sredshawlwhichlayuponthefloor.

           "Here’stheshawl,"shecried."Iknowshewon’tmindit.Itwillmakesuchaniceredtablecloth."

           Theypulledtheoldtableforward,andthrewtheshawloverit.Redisawonderfullykindandcomfortablecolor.Itbegantomaketheroomlookfurnisheddirectly.

           "Hownicearedrugwouldlookonthefloor!"exclaimedSara.