Little Men

第26章

Nanwasespeciallybenefitedbyaweekinthesocietyofawell-bredlady,thoughsuchaverysmallone;forBesswouldlookatherwithamixtureofwonderandalarminhergreatblueeyeswhenthehoydenscreamedandromped;andsheshrunkfromherasifshethoughtherasortofwildanimal。

Warm-heartedNanfeltthisverymuch。Shesaidatfirst,“Pooh!Idon’tcare!“Butshedidcare,andwassohurtwhenBesssaid,“Ilovemytuzzinbest,tausesheistwiet,“thatsheshookpoorDaisytillherteethchatteredinherhead,andthenfledtothebarntocrydismally。Inthatgeneralrefugeforperturbedspiritsshefoundcomfortandgoodcounselfromsomesourceorother。Perhapstheswallowsfromtheirmud-builtnestsoverheadtwitteredheralittlelectureonthebeautyofgentleness。Howeverthatmighthavebeen,shecameoutquitesubdued,andcarefullysearchedtheorchardforacertainkindofearlyapplethatBesslikedbecauseitwassweetandsmallandrosy。Armedwiththispeace-offering,sheapproachedthelittlePrincess,andhumblypresentedit。Tohergreatjoyitwasgraciouslyaccepted,andwhenDaisygaveNanaforgivingkiss,Bessdidlikewise,asifshefeltthatshehadbeentoosevere,anddesiredtoapologize。

Afterthistheyplayedpleasantlytogether,andNanenjoyedtheroyalfavorfordays。Tobesureshefeltalittlelikeawildbirdinaprettycageatfirst,andoccasionallyhadtoslipouttostretchherwingsinalongflight,ortosingatthetopofhervoice,whereneitherwoulddisturbtheplumpturtle-doveDaisy,northedaintygoldencanaryBess。Butitdidhergood;for,seeinghoweveryonelovedthelittlePrincessforhersmallgracesandvirtues,shebegantoimitateher,becauseNanwantedmuchlove,andtriedhardtowinit。

Notaboyinthehousebutfelttheprettychild’sinfluence,andwasimprovedbyitwithoutexactlyknowinghoworwhy,forbabiescanworkmiraclesintheheartsthatlovethem。PoorBillyfoundinfinitesatisfactioninstaringather,andthoughshedidnotlikeitshepermittedwithoutafrown,aftershehadbeenmadetounderstandthathewasnotquiteliketheothers,andonthataccountmustbemorekindlytreated。DickandDollyoverwhelmedherwithwillowwhistles,theonlythingtheyknewhowtomake,andsheacceptedbutneverusedthem。Robservedherlikealittlelover,andTeddyfollowedherlikeapetdog。Jackshedidnotlike,becausehewasafflictedwithwartsandhadaharshvoice。Stuffydispleasedherbecausehedidnoteattidily,andGeorgetriedhardnottogobble,thathemightnotdisgustthedaintylittleladyopposite。Nedwasbanishedfromcourtinutterdisgracewhenhewasdiscoveredtormentingsomeunhappyfield-mice。

Goldilockscouldneverforgetthesadspectacle,andretiredbehindherveilwhenheapproached,wavinghimawaywithanimperiouslittlehand,andcrying,inatoneofmingledgriefandanger,­;

“No,Itarn’tlovehim;hetutthepoormouses’littletailsoff,andtheyqueeked!“

DaisypromptlyabdicatedwhenBesscame,andtookthehumblepostofchiefcook,whileNanwasfirstmaidofhonor;Emilwaschancelloroftheexchequer,andspentthepublicmonieslavishlyingettingupspectaclesthatcostwholeninepences。Franzwasprimeminister,anddirectedheraffairsofstate,plannedroyalprogressesthroughthekingdom,andkeptforeignpowersinorder。Demiwasherphilosopher,andfaredmuchbetterthansuchgentlemenusuallydoamongcrownedheads。Danwasherstandingarmy,anddefendedherterritoriesgallantly;Tommywascourtfool,andNatatunefulRizziotothisinnocentlittleMary。

UncleFritzandAuntJoenjoyedthispeacefulepisode,andlookedonattheprettyplayinwhichtheyoungfolkunconsciouslyimitatedtheirelders,withoutaddingthetragedythatissoapttospoilthedramasactedonthelargerstage。

“Theyteachusquiteasmuchasweteachthem,“saidMr。Bhaer。

“Blessthedears!theyneverguesshowmanyhintstheygiveusastothebestwayofmanagingthem,“answeredMrs。Jo。

“Ithinkyouwererightab

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