Маленька принцеса
The Diamond Mines
Lottiecuddleduptoherwithaconsoledsniff.
"Comeandsitinthewindow-seatwithme,"Sarawenton,"andI’llwhisperastorytoyou."
"Willyou?"whimperedLottie."Willyou—tellme—aboutthediamondmines?"
"Thediamondmines?"brokeoutLavinia."Nasty,littlespoiledthing,IshouldliketoSLAPher!"
Saragotupquicklyonherfeet.ItmustberememberedthatshehadbeenverydeeplyabsorbedinthebookabouttheBastille,andshehadhadtorecallseveralthingsrapidlywhensherealizedthatshemustgoandtakecareofheradoptedchild.Shewasnotanangel,andshewasnotfondofLavinia.
"Well,"shesaid,withsomefire,"IshouldliketoslapYOU—butIdon’twanttoslapyou!"restrainingherself."AtleastIbothwanttoslapyou—andIshouldLIKEtoslapyou—butIWON’Tslapyou.Wearenotlittlegutterchildren.Wearebotholdenoughtoknowbetter."
HerewasLavinia’sopportunity.
"Ah,yes,yourroyalhighness,"shesaid."Weareprincesses,Ibelieve.Atleastoneofusis.TheschooloughttobeveryfashionablenowMissMinchinhasaprincessforapupil."
Sarastartedtowardher.Shelookedasifsheweregoingtoboxherears.Perhapsshewas.Hertrickofpretendingthingswasthejoyofherlife.Sheneverspokeofittogirlsshewasnotfondof.Hernew"pretend"aboutbeingaprincesswasveryneartoherheart,andshewasshyandsensitiveaboutit.
