Маленькая принцесса
The Other Side of the Wall
Ineversaweitherthechildorhermother.RalphCreweandIlovedeachotherasboys,butwehadnotmetsinceourschooldays,untilwemetinIndia.Iwasabsorbedinthemagnificentpromiseofthemines.Hebecameabsorbed,too.Thewholethingwassohugeandglitteringthatwehalflostourheads.Whenwemetwescarcelyspokeofanythingelse.Ionlyknewthatthechildhadbeensenttoschoolsomewhere.Idonotevenremember,now,HOWIknewit."
Hewasbeginningtobeexcited.Healwaysbecameexcitedwhenhisstillweakenedbrainwasstirredbymemoriesofthecatastrophesofthepast.
Mr.Carmichaelwatchedhimanxiously.Itwasnecessarytoasksomequestions,buttheymustbeputquietlyandwithcaution.
"ButyouhadreasontothinktheschoolWASinParis?"
"Yes,"wastheanswer,"becausehermotherwasaFrenchwoman,andIhadheardthatshewishedherchildtobeeducatedinParis.Itseemedonlylikelythatshewouldbethere."
"Yes,"Mr.Carmichaelsaid,"itseemsmorethanprobable."
TheIndiangentlemanleanedforwardandstruckthetablewithalong,wastedhand.
"Carmichael,"hesaid,"IMUSTfindher.Ifsheisalive,sheissomewhere.Ifsheisfriendlessandpenniless,itisthroughmyfault.Howisamantogetbackhisnervewithathinglikethatonhismind?Thissuddenchangeofluckatthemineshasmaderealitiesofallourmostfantasticdreams,andpoorCrewe’schildmaybebegginginthestreet!"
"No,no,"saidCarmichael."Trytobecalm.
