Маленькая принцесса

           "Whatisit,darling?"CaptainCreweanswered,holdinghercloserandlookingdownintoherface."WhatisSarathinkingof?"

           "Isthistheplace?"Sarawhispered,cuddlingstillclosertohim."Isit,papa?"

           "Yes,littleSara,itis.Wehavereacheditatlast."Andthoughshewasonlysevenyearsold,sheknewthathefeltsadwhenhesaidit.

           Itseemedtohermanyyearssincehehadbeguntopreparehermindfor"theplace,"asshealwayscalledit.Hermotherhaddiedwhenshewasborn,soshehadneverknownormissedher.Heryoung,handsome,rich,pettingfatherseemedtobetheonlyrelationshehadintheworld.Theyhadalwaysplayedtogetherandbeenfondofeachother.Sheonlyknewhewasrichbecauseshehadheardpeoplesaysowhentheythoughtshewasnotlistening,andshehadalsoheardthemsaythatwhenshegrewupshewouldberich,too.Shedidnotknowallthatbeingrichmeant.Shehadalwayslivedinabeautifulbungalow,andhadbeenusedtoseeingmanyservantswhomadesalaamstoherandcalledher"MisseeSahib,"andgaveherherownwayineverything.Shehadhadtoysandpetsandanayahwhoworshippedher,andshehadgraduallylearnedthatpeoplewhowererichhadthesethings.That,however,wasallsheknewaboutit.

           Duringhershortlifeonlyonethinghadtroubledher,andthatthingwas"theplace"shewastobetakentosomeday.TheclimateofIndiawasverybadforchildren,andassoonaspossibletheyweresentawayfromit—generallytoEnglandandtoschool.Shehadseenotherchildrengoaway,andhadheardtheirfathersandmotherstalkabouttheletterstheyreceivedfromthem.Shehadknownthatshewouldbeobligedtogoalso,andthoughsometimesherfather’sstoriesofthevoyageandthenewcountryhadattractedher,shehadbeentroubledbythethoughtthathecouldnotstaywithher.