Маленькая принцесса
The Diamond Mines
"No,Idon’t,"snappedLavinia."ButIdon’tbelieveinminesfullofdiamonds."
"Well,peoplehavetogetthemfromsomewhere,"saidJessie."Lavinia,"withanewgiggle,"whatdoyouthinkGertrudesays?"
"Idon’tknow,I’msure;andIdon’tcareifit’ssomethingmoreaboutthateverlastingSara."
"Well,itis.Oneofher’pretends’isthatsheisaprincess.Sheplaysitallthetime—eveninschool.Shesaysitmakesherlearnherlessonsbetter.ShewantsErmengardetobeone,too,butErmengardesayssheistoofat."
"SheIStoofat,"saidLavinia."AndSaraistoothin."
Naturally,Jessiegiggledagain.
"Shesaysithasnothingtodowithwhatyoulooklike,orwhatyouhave.IthasonlytodowithwhatyouTHINKof,andwhatyouDO."
"Isupposeshethinksshecouldbeaprincessifshewasabeggar,"saidLavinia."LetusbegintocallherYourRoyalHighness."
Lessonsforthedaywereover,andtheyweresittingbeforetheschoolroomfire,enjoyingthetimetheylikedbest.ItwasthetimewhenMissMinchinandMissAmeliaweretakingtheirteainthesittingroomsacredtothemselves.Atthishouragreatdealoftalkingwasdone,andagreatmanysecretschangedhands,particularlyiftheyoungerpupilsbehavedthemselveswell,anddidnotsquabbleorrunaboutnoisily,whichitmustbeconfessedtheyusuallydid.Whentheymadeanuproartheoldergirlsusuallyinterferedwithscoldingandshakes.
