第118章

第118章thelittleprincessgotupfromherchair,rangforthemaid,andhurriedlyandeagerlybegantoarrangewhatprincessmaryawastowear,andtoputherideasintopractice.princessmarya’ssenseofpersonaldignitywaswoundedbyherownagitationatthearrivalofhersuitor,andstillmorewasshemortifiedthathertwocompanionsshouldnotevenconceivethatsheoughtnottobesoagitated.tohavetoldthemhowashamedshewasofherselfandofthemwouldhavebeentobetrayherownexcitement.besides,torefusetobedressedup,astheyested,wouldhavebeenexposingherselftoreiteratedrailleryandinsistence.sheflushed;herbeautifuleyesgrewdim;herfacewassuffusedwithpatchesofcrimson;andwiththeunbeautiful,victimisedexpressionwhichwastheonemostoftenseenonherface,sheabandonedherselftomademoisellebourienneandliza.bothwomenexertedthemselveswithperfectsinceritytomakeherlookwell.shewassoplainthattheideaofrivalrywithhercouldneverhaveenteredtheirheads.consequentlyitwaswithperfectsincerity,inthena？veandunhesitatingconvictionwomenhavethatdresscanmakeafacehandsome,thattheysettoworktoattireher.

“no,really,mabonneamie,thatdressisn’tpretty,”saidliza,lookingsidewaysatprincessmaryafromadistance;“tellhertoputonyouyourmaroonvelvetthere.yes,really！why,youknow,itmaybetheturning-pointinyourwholelife.thatone’stoolight,it’snotright,no,it’snot！”

itwasnotthedressthatwaswrong,butthefaceandthewholefigureoftheprincess,butthatwasnotfeltbymademoisellebourienneandthelittleprincess.theystillfanciedthatiftheyweretoputablueribboninherhair,anddoituphigh,andtoputthebluesashloweronthemaroondressandsoon,thenallwouldbewell.theyforgotthatthefrightenedfaceandfigureofprincessmaryacouldnotbechanged,andtherefore,howeverpresentabletheymightmakethesettinganddecorationoftheface,thefaceitselfwouldstilllookpiteousandugly.aftertwoorthreechanges,towhichprincessmaryasubmittedpassively,whenherhairhadbeendoneonthetopofherhead（whichcompletelychangedandutterlydisfiguredher）,andthebluesashandbestmaroonvelvetdresshadbeenputon,thelittleprincesswalkedtwiceround,andwithherlittlehandstrokedoutafoldhereandpulleddownthesashthere,andgazedatherwithherheadfirstononesideandthenontheother.

“no,itwon’tdo,”shesaidresolutely,throwingupherhands.“no,marie,decidedlythatdoesnotsuityou.ilikeyoubetterinyourlittlegreyeverydayfrock.no,pleasedothatforme.katya,”shesaidtothemaid,“bringtheprincesshergreydress,andlook,mademoisellebourienne,howi’llarrangeit,”shesaid,smilingwithaforetasteofartisticpleasure.butwhenkatyabroughtthedress,princessmaryawasstillsittingmotionlessbeforethelooking-glass,lookingatherownface,andinthelooking-glassshesawthatthereweretearsinhereyesandhermouthwasquivering,onthepointofbreakingintosobs.

“come,dearprincess,”saidmademoisellebourienne,“onemorelittleeffort.”

thelittleprincess,takingthedressfromthehandsofthemaid,wentuptoprincessmarya.