Маленька принцеса
I Tried Not to Be
IKNOWshewasworkedtoohardforachildofherage,andIknowshewasonlyhalffed—"
"Howdareyousaysuchathing!"exclaimedMissMinchin.
"Idon’tknowhowIdare,"MissAmeliaanswered,withakindofrecklesscourage;"butnowI’vebegunImayaswellfinish,whateverhappenstome.Thechildwasacleverchildandagoodchild—andshewouldhavepaidyouforanykindnessyouhadshownher.Butyoudidn’tshowherany.Thefactwas,shewastoocleverforyou,andyoualwaysdislikedherforthatreason.Sheusedtoseethroughusboth—"
"Amelia!"gaspedherinfuriatedelder,lookingasifshewouldboxherearsandknockhercapoff,asshehadoftendonetoBecky.
ButMissAmelia’sdisappointmenthadmadeherhystericalenoughnottocarewhatoccurrednext.
"Shedid!Shedid!"shecried."Shesawthroughusboth.Shesawthatyouwereahard-hearted,worldlywoman,andthatIwasaweakfool,andthatwewerebothofusvulgarandmeanenoughtogrovelonourkneesforhermoney,andbehaveilltoherbecauseitwastakenfromher—thoughshebehavedherselflikealittleprincessevenwhenshewasabeggar.Shedid—shedid—likealittleprincess!"Andherhystericsgotthebetterofthepoorwoman,andshebegantolaughandcrybothatonce,androckherselfbackwardandforward.
