Полліанна
Two visits
"Nothin’,sir,only—well,yesee,that’soneofthethingsthatshewasfeelin’badabout,thatshecouldn’ttakehimterseeyou,now. Shesaidshe’dtakenhimonce,butshedidn’tthinkheshowedoffverywellthatday,andthatshewasafraidyoudidn’tthinkhewouldmakeaverynicechild’spresence,afterall. Maybeyouknowwhatshemeansbythat; butIdidn’t,sir."
"Yes,Iknow—whatshemeans."
"Allright,sir. Itwasonlythatshewaswantin’tertakehimagain,shesaid,so’stershowyehereallywasalovelychild’spresence. Andnowshe—can’t—dratthatautymobile! Ibegsyerpardon,sir. Good-by!" AndNancyfledprecipitately.
ItdidnottakelongfortheentiretownofBeldingsvilletolearnthatthegreatNewYorkdoctorhadsaidPollyannaWhittierwouldneverwalkagain; andcertainlyneverbeforehadthetownbeensostirred. Everybodyknewbysightnowthepiquantlittlefreckledfacethathadalwaysasmileofgreeting; andalmosteverybodyknewofthe"game"thatPollyannawasplaying. Tothinkthatnowneveragainwouldthatsmilingfacebeseenontheirstreets—neveragainwouldthatcheerylittlevoiceproclaimthegladnessofsomeeverydayexperience! Itseemedunbelievable,impossible,cruel.
Inkitchensandsittingrooms,andoverback-yardfenceswomentalkedofit,andweptopenly. Onstreetcornersandinstorelounging-placesthementalked,too,andwept—thoughnotsoopenly. Andneitherthetalkingnortheweepinggrewlesswhenfastontheheelsofthenewsitself,cameNancy’spitifulstorythatPollyanna,facetofacewithwhathadcometoher,wasbemoaningmostofallthefactthatshecouldnotplaythegame; thatshecouldnotnowbegladover—anything.
