Маленька принцеса
Lottie
"Istopped,"explainedSara,"becauseIknewitwasLottie—andIthought,perhaps—justperhaps,Icouldmakeherbequiet.MayItry,MissMinchin?"
"Ifyoucan,youareacleverchild,"answeredMissMinchin,drawinginhermouthsharply.Then,seeingthatSaralookedslightlychilledbyherasperity,shechangedhermanner."Butyouarecleverineverything,"shesaidinherapprovingway."Idaresayyoucanmanageher.Goin."Andshelefther.
WhenSaraenteredtheroom,Lottiewaslyinguponthefloor,screamingandkickinghersmallfatlegsviolently,andMissAmeliawasbendingoverherinconsternationanddespair,lookingquiteredanddampwithheat.Lottiehadalwaysfound,wheninherownnurseryathome,thatkickingandscreamingwouldalwaysbequietedbyanymeanssheinsistedon.PoorplumpMissAmeliawastryingfirstonemethod,andthenanother.
"Poordarling,"shesaidonemoment,"Iknowyouhaven’tanymamma,poor—"Theninquiteanothertone,"Ifyoudon’tstop,Lottie,Iwillshakeyou.Poorlittleangel!There—Youwicked,bad,detestablechild,Iwillsmackyou!Iwill!"
Sarawenttothemquietly.Shedidnotknowatallwhatshewasgoingtodo,butshehadavagueinwardconvictionthatitwouldbebetternottosaysuchdifferentkindsofthingsquitesohelplesslyandexcitedly.
"MissAmelia,"shesaidinalowvoice,"MissMinchinsaysImaytrytomakeherstop—mayI?"
MissAmeliaturnedandlookedatherhopelessly."Oh,DOyouthinkyoucan?"shegasped.
"Idon’tknowwhetherICAN",answeredSara,stillinherhalf-whisper;"butIwilltry."
