Маленька принцеса

           Theybought,indeed,agreatmanymorethingsthanSaraneeded;butCaptainCrewewasarash,innocentyoungmanandwantedhislittlegirltohaveeverythingsheadmiredandeverythingheadmiredhimself,sobetweenthemtheycollectedawardrobemuchtoograndforachildofseven.Therewerevelvetdressestrimmedwithcostlyfurs,andlacedresses,andembroideredones,andhatswithgreat,softostrichfeathers,anderminecoatsandmuffs,andboxesoftinyglovesandhandkerchiefsandsilkstockingsinsuchabundantsuppliesthatthepoliteyoungwomenbehindthecounterswhisperedtoeachotherthattheoddlittlegirlwiththebig,solemneyesmustbeatleastsomeforeignprincess—perhapsthelittledaughterofanIndianrajah.

           AndatlasttheyfoundEmily,buttheywenttoanumberoftoyshopsandlookedatagreatmanydollsbeforetheydiscoveredher.

           "Iwanthertolookasifshewasn’tadollreally,"Sarasaid."IwanthertolookasifsheLISTENSwhenItalktoher.Thetroublewithdolls,papa"—andsheputherheadononesideandreflectedasshesaidit—"thetroublewithdollsisthattheyneverseemtoHEAR."Sotheylookedatbigonesandlittleones—atdollswithblackeyesanddollswithblue—atdollswithbrowncurlsanddollswithgoldenbraids,dollsdressedanddollsundressed.

           "Yousee,"Sarasaidwhentheywereexaminingonewhohadnoclothes."If,whenIfindher,shehasnofrocks,wecantakehertoadressmakerandhaveherthingsmadetofit.Theywillfitbetteriftheyaretriedon."

           Afteranumberofdisappointmentstheydecidedtowalkandlookinattheshopwindowsandletthecabfollowthem.Theyhadpassedtwoorthreeplaceswithoutevengoingin,when,astheywereapproachingashopwhichwasreallynotaverylargeone,Sarasuddenlystartedandclutchedherfather’sarm.