第60章

’Hewasverysorry，Icantellyou，’sheannounced，’andwantedtosendadoctor。Andhe’scomingagainto-morrowheisandIdon’tthinkhe’llhaveagoodsleepto-nightalongo’hearingaboutyourhead，LittleMother。Ohmy!Ain’tyoubeena-crying!’

’IthinkIhave，alittle，Maggy。’

’Alittle!Oh!’

’Butit’sallovernow——alloverforgood，Maggy。Andmyheadismuchbetterandcooler，andIamquitecomfortable。IamverygladIdidnotgodown。’

Hergreatstaringchildtenderlyembracedher；andhavingsmoothedherhair，andbathedherforeheadandeyeswithcoldwater(officesinwhichherawkwardhandsbecameskilful)，huggedheragain，exultedinherbrighterlooks，andstationedherinherchairbythewindow。Overagainstthischair，Maggy，withapoplecticexertionsthatwerenotatallrequired，draggedtheboxwhichwasherseatonstory-tellingoccasions，satdownuponit，huggedherownknees，andsaid，withavoraciousappetiteforstories，andwithwidely-openedeyes：

’Now，LittleMother，let’shaveagood’un!’

’Whatshallitbeabout，Maggy？’

’Oh，let’shaveaprincess，’saidMaggy，’andletherbeareg’larone。Beyondallbelief，youknow!’

LittleDorritconsideredforamoment；andwitharathersadsmileuponherface，whichwasflushedbythesunset，began：

’Maggy，therewasonceuponatimeafineKing，andhehadeverythinghecouldwishfor，andagreatdealmore。Hehadgoldandsilver，diamondsandrubies，richesofeverykind。Hehadpalaces，andhehad——’

’Hospitals，’interposedMaggy，stillnursingherknees。’Lethimhavehospitals，becausethey’resocomfortable。HospitalswithlotsofChicking。’

’Yes，hehadplentyofthem，andhehadplentyofeverything。’

’Plentyofbakedpotatoes，forinstance？’saidMaggy。

’Plentyofeverything。’

’Lor!’chuckledMaggy，givingherkneesahug。’Wasn’titprime!’

’ThisKinghadadaughter，whowasthewisestandmostbeautifulPrincessthateverwasseen。Whenshewasachildsheunderstoodallherlessonsbeforehermasterstaughtthemtoher；andwhenshewasgrownup，shewasthewonderoftheworld。Now，nearthePalacewherethisPrincesslived，therewasacottageinwhichtherewasapoorlittletinywoman，wholivedallalonebyherself。’

’Anoldwoman，’saidMaggy，withanunctuoussmackofherlips。

’No，notanoldwoman。Quiteayoungone。’

’Iwondershewarn’tafraid，’saidMaggy。’Goon，please。’

’ThePrincesspassedthecottagenearlyeveryday，andwhenevershewentbyinherbeautifulcarriage，shesawthepoortinywomanspinningatherwheel，andshelookedatthetinywoman，andthetinywomanlookedather。So，onedayshestoppedthecoachmanalittlewayfromthecottage，andgotoutandwalkedonandpeepedinatthedoor，andthere，asusual，wasthetinywomanspinningatherwheel，andshelookedatthePrincess，andthePrincesslookedather。’

’Liketryingtostareoneanotherout，’saidMaggy。’Pleasegoon，LittleMother。’

’ThePrincesswassuchawonderfulPrincessthatshehadthepowerofknowingsecrets，andshesaidtothetinywoman，Whydoyoukeepitthere？ThisshowedherdirectlythatthePrincessknew