Маленька принцеса
Anne
Sohetoldthemhow,whenhesatalone,illanddullandirritable,RamDasshadtriedtodistracthimbydescribingthepassersby,andtherewasonechildwhopassedoftenerthananyoneelse;hehadbeguntobeinterestedinher—partlyperhapsbecausehewasthinkingagreatdealofalittlegirl,andpartlybecauseRamDasshadbeenabletorelatetheincidentofhisvisittotheatticinchaseofthemonkey.Hehaddescribeditscheerlesslook,andthebearingofthechild,whoseemedasifshewasnotoftheclassofthosewhoweretreatedasdrudgesandservants.Bitbybit,RamDasshadmadediscoveriesconcerningthewretchednessofherlife.Hehadfoundouthoweasyamatteritwastoclimbacrossthefewyardsofrooftotheskylight,andthisfacthadbeenthebeginningofallthatfollowed.
"Sahib,"hehadsaidoneday,"Icouldcrosstheslatesandmakethechildafirewhensheisoutonsomeerrand.Whenshereturned,wetandcold,tofinditblazing,shewouldthinkamagicianhaddoneit."
TheideahadbeensofancifulthatMr.Carrisford’ssadfacehadlightedwithasmile,andRamDasshadbeensofilledwithrapturethathehadenlargeduponitandexplainedtohismasterhowsimpleitwouldbetoaccomplishnumbersofotherthings.Hehadshownachildlikepleasureandinvention,andthepreparationsforthecarryingoutoftheplanhadfilledmanyadaywithinterestwhichwouldotherwisehavedraggedwearily.
