Біла пташка
The Little House
Maimiealsonoticedthatthewholecavalcadeseemedtobeinapassion,tiltingtheirnoseshigherthanitcanbesafeforevenfairiestotiltthem,andsheconcludedthatthismustbeanothercaseinwhichthedoctorhadsaid“Cold,quitecold!”
Well,shefollowedtheribbontoaplacewhereitbecameabridgeoveradrypuddleintowhichanotherfairyhadfallenandbeenunabletoclimbout.AtfirstthislittledamselwasafraidofMaimie,whomostkindlywenttoheraid,butsoonshesatinherhandchattinggailyandexplainingthathernamewasBrownie,andthatthoughonlyapoorstreetsingershewasonherwaytotheballtoseeiftheDukewouldhaveher.
“Ofcourse,”shesaid,“Iamratherplain,”andthismadeMaimieuncomfortable,forindeedthesimplelittlecreaturewasalmostquiteplainforafairy.
Itwasdifficulttoknowwhattoreply.
“IseeyouthinkIhavenochance,”Browniesaidfalteringly.
“Idon’tsaythat,”Maimieansweredpolitely,“ofcourseyourfaceisjustatinybithomely,but—”Reallyitwasquiteawkwardforher.
Fortunatelysherememberedaboutherfatherandthebazaar.HehadgonetoafashionablebazaarwhereallthemostbeautifulladiesinLondonwereonviewforhalf-a-crownthesecondday,butonhisreturnhomeinsteadofbeingdissatisfiedwithMaimie’smotherhehadsaid,“Youcan’tthink,mydear,whatareliefitistoseeahomelyfaceagain.”
Maimierepeatedthisstory,anditfortifiedBrownietremendously,indeedshehadnolongertheslightestdoubtthattheDukewouldchooseher.
