Полліанна
A question of duty
MissPollyliftedherheadirritably.
"Pollyanna,youAREthemostextraordinarychild! Youwillbeallowedaproperamountofplaytime,ofcourse. But,surely,itseemstomeifIamwillingtodomydutyinseeingthatyouhavepropercareandinstruction,YOUoughttobewillingtodoyoursbyseeingthatthatcareandinstructionarenotungratefullywasted."
Pollyannalookedshocked.
"Oh,AuntPolly,asifIevercouldbeungrateful—toYOU! Why,ILOVEYOU—andyouaren’tevenaLadies’Aider; you’reanaunt!"
"Verywell; thenseethatyoudon’tactungrateful,"vouchsafedMissPolly,assheturnedtowardthedoor.
Shehadgonehalfwaydownthestairswhenasmall,unsteadyvoicecalledafterher:
"Please,AuntPolly,youdidn’ttellmewhichofmythingsyouwantedto—togiveaway."
AuntPollyemittedatiredsigh—asighthatascendedstraighttoPollyanna’sears.
"Oh,Iforgottotellyou,Pollyanna. Timothywilldriveusintotownathalf-pastonethisafternoon. Notoneofyourgarmentsisfitformyniecetowear. CertainlyIshouldbeveryfarfromdoingmydutybyyouifIshouldletyouappearoutinanyoneofthem."
