Маленька принцеса
The Visitor
"Areyouabsolutelyhardened?"
Thetruthisthatwhenoneisstillachild—orevenifoneisgrownup—andhasbeenwellfed,andhassleptlongandsoftlyandwarm;whenonehasgonetosleepinthemidstofafairystory,andhaswakenedtofinditreal,onecannotbeunhappyorevenlookasifonewere;andonecouldnot,ifonetried,keepaglowofjoyoutofone’seyes.MissMinchinwasalmoststruckdumbbythelookofSara’seyeswhenshemadeherperfectlyrespectfulanswer.
"Ibegyourpardon,MissMinchin,"shesaid;"IknowthatIamindisgrace."
"Begoodenoughnottoforgetitandlookasifyouhadcomeintoafortune.Itisanimpertinence.Andrememberyouaretohavenofoodtoday."
"Yes,MissMinchin,"Saraanswered;butassheturnedawayherheartleapedwiththememoryofwhatyesterdayhadbeen."IftheMagichadnotsavedmejustintime,"shethought,"howhorribleitwouldhavebeen!"
"Shecan’tbeveryhungry,"whisperedLavinia."Justlookather.Perhapssheispretendingshehashadagoodbreakfast"—withaspitefullaugh.
"She’sdifferentfromotherpeople,"saidJessie,watchingSarawithherclass."SometimesI’mabitfrightenedofher."
"Ridiculousthing!"ejaculatedLavinia.
AllthroughthedaythelightwasinSara’sface,andthecolorinhercheek.Theservantscastpuzzledglancesather,andwhisperedtoeachother,andMissAmelia’ssmallblueeyesworeanexpressionofbewilderment.
