Маленька принцеса
I Tried Not to Be
Hewasamanwhohadnaturallyaratherhottemper,andhedidnotwishittogettoomuchthebetterofhim.
"SoyouareMissMinchin?"hesaid.
"Iam,sir."
"Inthatcase,"theIndiangentlemanreplied,"youhavearrivedattherighttime.Mysolicitor,Mr.Carmichael,wasjustonthepointofgoingtoseeyou."
Mr.Carmichaelbowedslightly,andMissMinchinlookedfromhimtoMr.Carrisfordinamazement.
"Yoursolicitor!"shesaid."Idonotunderstand.Ihavecomehereasamatterofduty.Ihavejustdiscoveredthatyouhavebeenintrudeduponthroughtheforwardnessofoneofmypupils—acharitypupil.Icametoexplainthatsheintrudedwithoutmyknowledge."SheturneduponSara."Gohomeatonce,"shecommandedindignantly."Youshallbeseverelypunished.Gohomeatonce."
TheIndiangentlemandrewSaratohissideandpattedherhand.
"Sheisnotgoing."
MissMinchinfeltratherasifshemustbelosinghersenses.
"Notgoing!"sherepeated.
"No,"saidMr.Carrisford."Sheisnotgoinghome—ifyougiveyourhousethatname.Herhomeforthefuturewillbewithme."
MissMinchinfellbackinamazedindignation.
"WithYOU!WithYOUsir!Whatdoesthismean?"
"Kindlyexplainthematter,Carmichael,"saidtheIndiangentleman;"andgetitoverasquicklyaspossible."AndhemadeSarasitdownagain,andheldherhandsinhis—whichwasanothertrickofherpapa’s.
ThenMr.
