Маленька принцеса
I Tried Not to Be
"Youhavenotundertakenaneasycharge,"shesaidtotheIndiangentleman,assheturnedtoleavetheroom;"youwilldiscoverthatverysoon.Thechildisneithertruthfulnorgrateful.Isuppose"—toSara—"thatyoufeelnowthatyouareaprincessagain."
Saralookeddownandflushedalittle,becauseshethoughtherpetfancymightnotbeeasyforstrangers—evenniceones—tounderstandatfirst.
"I—TRIEDnottobeanythingelse,"sheansweredinalowvoice—"evenwhenIwascoldestandhungriest—Itriednottobe."
"Nowitwillnotbenecessarytotry,"saidMissMinchin,acidly,asRamDasssalaamedheroutoftheroom.
Shereturnedhomeand,goingtohersittingroom,sentatonceforMissAmelia.Shesatclosetedwithheralltherestoftheafternoon,anditmustbeadmittedthatpoorMissAmeliapassedthroughmorethanonebadquarterofanhour.Sheshedagoodmanytears,andmoppedhereyesagooddeal.Oneofherunfortunateremarksalmostcausedhersistertosnapherheadentirelyoff,butitresultedinanunusualmanner.
"I’mnotascleverasyou,sister,"shesaid,"andIamalwaysafraidtosaythingstoyouforfearofmakingyouangry.PerhapsifIwerenotsotimiditwouldbebetterfortheschoolandforbothofus.ImustsayI’veoftenthoughtitwouldhavebeenbetterifyouhadbeenlesssevereonSaraCrewe,andhadseenthatshewasdecentlydressedandmorecomfortable.
