Маленька принцеса
Lottie
"’DearSaramustcomeintothedrawingroomandtalktoMrs.MusgraveaboutIndia,’"mimickedLavinia,inhermosthighlyflavoredimitationofMissMinchin."’DearSaramustspeakFrenchtoLadyPitkin.Heraccentissoperfect.’Shedidn’tlearnherFrenchattheSeminary,atanyrate.Andthere’snothingsocleverinherknowingit.Shesaysherselfshedidn’tlearnitatall.Shejustpickeditup,becauseshealwaysheardherpapaspeakit.And,astoherpapa,thereisnothingsograndinbeinganIndianofficer."
"Well,"saidJessie,slowly,"he’skilledtigers.HekilledtheoneintheskinSarahasinherroom.That’swhyshelikesitso.Sheliesonitandstrokesitshead,andtalkstoitasifitwasacat."
"She’salwaysdoingsomethingsilly,"snappedLavinia."Mymammasaysthatwayofhersofpretendingthingsissilly.Shesaysshewillgrowupeccentric."
ItwasquitetruethatSarawasnever"grand."Shewasafriendlylittlesoul,andsharedherprivilegesandbelongingswithafreehand.Thelittleones,whowereaccustomedtobeingdisdainedandorderedoutofthewaybymatureladiesagedtenandtwelve,werenevermadetocrybythismostenviedofthemall.Shewasamotherlyyoungperson,andwhenpeoplefelldownandscrapedtheirknees,sheranandhelpedthemupandpattedthem,orfoundinherpocketabonbonorsomeotherarticleofasoothingnature.Sheneverpushedthemoutofherwayoralludedtotheiryearsasahumiliationandablotupontheirsmallcharacters.
"Ifyouarefouryouarefour,"shesaidseverelytoLaviniaonanoccasionofherhaving—itmustbeconfessed—slappedLottieandcalledher"abrat;""butyouwillbefivenextyear,andsixtheyearafterthat.And,"openinglarge,convictingeyes,"ittakessixteenyearstomakeyoutwenty."
