"Now, Phronsie," said Polly, on her knees before the Princess, who was slowly evolving into "a
thing of beauty," "do hold still just a minute, dear. There," as she thrust in another pin, then turned
her head critically to view her work, "I do hope that is right."
Phronsie sighed. "May I just stretch a wee little bit, Polly," she asked timidly, "before you pin it
up? Just a very little bit?"
"To be sure you may," said Polly, looking into the flushed little face; "I'll tell you, you may walk
over to the window and back, once; that'll rest you and give me a chance to see what is the matter
with that back drapery."
So Phronsie, well pleased, gathered up the embyro robe of the Princess and moved off, a
bewildering tangle2 of silver spangles and floating lace, drawn3 over the skirt of one of Mrs.
Whitney's white satin gowns.
"There ought to be a dash of royal purple somewhere," said Polly, sitting on the floor to see her go,
and resting her tired hands on her knees. "Now where shall I get it, and where shall I put it when I
do have it?" She wrinkled up her eyebrows4 a moment, lost in thought over the momentous5
problem. "Oh! I know," and she sprang up exultingly6. "Phronsie, won't this be perfectly7 lovely?
we can take that piece of tissue paper Auntie gave you, and I can cut out little knots and sashes. It
is so soft, that in the gaslight they will look like silk. How fine!"
"Can't I be a Princess unless you sew up that purple paper?" asked Phronsie, pausing suddenly to
look over her shoulder in dismay at Polly.
"Why, yes, you can be, of course," said Polly, "but you can't be as good a one as if you had a dash
of royal purple about you. What's a bit of tissue paper to the glory of being a Princess?" she cried,
with sparkling eyes. "Dear me, I wish I could be one."
"Well, you may have it, Polly," said Phronsie with a sigh, "and then afterwards I'll rip it all off and
smooth it out, and it will be almost as good as new."
"I think there won't be much left of it when the play is over," cried Polly with a laugh; "why, the
dragons are going to carry you off to their cave, you know, and you are to be rescued by the
knight8, just think, Phronsie! You can't expect to have such perfectly delightful9 times, and come out
with a quantity of tissue paper all safe. Something has to be scarified to royalty10, child."
Phronsie sighed again. But as Polly approved of royalty so highly, she immediately lent herself to
the anticipations11 of the pleasure before her, smothering12 all lesser13 considerations.
"When you get your little silver cap on with one of Auntie's diamond rings sewed in it, why, you'll
be too magnificent for anything," said Polly, now pulling and patting with fresh enthusiasm, since
the "purple dash" was forthcoming.
"Princesses don't wear silver caps with diamond rings sewed in them," observed Phronsie wisely.
"Of course not; they have diamonds by the bushel, and don't need to sew rings in their caps to
make them sparkle," said Polly, plaiting and pinning rapidly, "but in dressing14 up for a play, we
have to take a poetic15 license16. There, turn just one bit to the right, Phronsie dear."
"What's poetic license?" demanded Phronsie, wrenching17 her imagination off from the bushel of
diamonds to seize practical information.
"Oh! when a man writes verses and says things that aren't so," said Polly, her mind on the many
details before her.
"But he ought not to," cried Phronsie, with wide eyes, "say things that are not so. I thought poets
were always very good, Polly."
"Oh! well, people let him," said Polly, carelessly, "because he puts it into poetry. It would never
do in prose; that would be quite shocking."
"Oh!" said Phronsie, finding the conversation some alleviation18 to the fitting-on process.
"Now this left side," said Polly, twisting her head to obtain a good view of the point in question,
"is just right; I couldn't do it any better if I were to try a thousand times. Why won't this other one
behave, and fall into a pretty curve, I wonder?"
Phronsie yawned softly as the brown eyes were safely behind her.
"I shall gather it up anyway, so," and Polly crushed the refractory19 folds recklessly in one hand;
"that's the way Mary Gibbs's hat trimmings look, and I'm sure they're a complete success. Oh!
that's lovely," cried Polly, at the effect. "Now, that's the treatment the whole drapery needs," she
added in the tone of an art connoisseur20. "Oh!"
A rushing noise announced the approach of two or three boys, together with the barking of Prince,
as they all ran down the wide hall.
"O dear, dear!" exclaimed Polly, hurriedly pulling and pinning, "there come the boys to rehearse.
It can't be four o'clock," as the door opened and three members of the cast entered.
"It's quarter-past four," said Jasper, laughing and pulling out his watch; "we gave you an extra
fifteen minutes, as you had such a lot to do. Dear me! but you are fine, Phronsie. I make my
obeisance21 to Princess Clotilde!" and he bowed low to the little silver and white figure, as did the
other two boys, and then drew off to witness the final touches.
"It's a most dreadful thing," cried Polly, pushing back the brown waves from her brow, as she also
fell off to their point of view, "to get up a princess. I had no idea it was such a piece of work."
"You have scored an immense success," said Jasper enthusiastically. "Oh, Phronsie! you will make
the hit of the season."
"You'll think it is even much nicer when it is done," said Polly, vastly relieved that Jasper had
given such a kind verdict. "It's to have a dash of royal purple on that right side, and in one of the
shoulder knots, and to catch up her train."
"That will be very pretty, I don't doubt," said Jasper, trying to resolve himself into the cold critic,
"but it seems to me it is almost perfect now, Polly."
"Oh! thank you so much," she cried, with blooming cheeks. "How do you like it, Clare and
Bensie?"
"I can't tell," said Ben, slowly regarding the Princess on all sides; "it's so transforming."
"It's tiptop!" cried Clare. "It out-princesses any princess I've ever imagined."
"Well, it's a perfect relief," said Polly, "to have you boys come in. I've been working so over it that
I was ready to say it was horrid22. It's too bad, isn't it, that Dick can't be here to-day to rehearse his
part?"
"To be sure," exclaimed Jasper, looking around, "where is the Princess's page?"
"He's gone to the dentist's," said Polly, making a wry23 face. "Auntie had to make the appointment
for this afternoon, and we couldn't put off the rehearsal; Clare can't come any other time, you
know."
Phronsie turned an anxious face to the window. "I hope he's not being hurt very much," she said
slowly.
"I don't believe he is," Polly made haste to answer most cheerfully, "it was only one tooth, you
know, Phronsie, to be filled. Auntie says Dr. Porter told her the rest are all right."
But a cloud rested on the Princess's face. "One tooth is something," she said.
"Just think how nice it will be when it is all over, and Dick comes scampering24 in," cried Jasper,
with great hilarity25.
"Do climb up on the sofa, Phronsie," urged Polly, looking into the pale little face, "you must sit
down and rest a bit, you're so tired."
"I will read the prologue26 while she rests," said Jasper.
"So you can," said Polly. "Take care, child," in alarm, "you mustn't curl up in the corner like that;
princesses don't ever do so."
"Don't they?" said Phronsie, flying off from the lovely corner, to straighten out again into the
dignity required; "not when they are little girls, Polly?"
"No, indeed," said Polly, with a rescuing hand among the silver spangles and lace; they must never
forget that they are princesses, Phronsie. There now, you're all right."
"Oh!" said Phronsie, sitting quite stiffly, glad if she could not be comfortable, she could be a
princess.
"'Gentle ladies and brave sirs,'" began Jasper in a loud, impressive tone, from the temporary stage,
the large rug in front of the crackling hearth27 fire.
Clare burst into a laugh. "See here now," cried Jasper, brandishing28 his text at him, "if you
embarrass me like that, you may leave, you old dragon!"
"You ought to see your face," cried Clare. "Jap, you are anything but a hit."
"You'll be yet," declared Jasper with a pretended growl29, and another flourish of the manuscript.
"Go on, do," implored30 Polly, "I think it is lovely. Clare, you really ought to be ashamed," and she
shook her brown head severely31 at him.
"If I don't quench32 such melodrama33 in the outset," said Clare, "he'll ruin us all. Fair ladies and brave
sirs," mimicking34 to perfection Jasper's tones.
"Thank you for a hint," cried Jasper, pulling out his pencil. "I didn't say 'fair'; that's better than
'gentle.' I wish critics would always be so useful as to give one good idea. Heigho! here goes
again:
"'Fair ladies and brave sirs,
The player's art is to amuse,
Instruct, or to confuse
By too much good advice,
But poorly given:
That no one follows, because, forsooth,
'Tis thrown at him, neck and heels.
The drama, pure and simple, is forgot
In tugging35 in the moral'"?
"I thought you were going to alter 'tugging in' to something more elegant," said Polly.
"Lugging36 in," suggested Clare, with another laugh.
"Morals are always tugged37 in by the head and shoulders," said Jasper. "Why not say so?"
"We should have pretty much the whole anatomy38 of the human form divine, if you had your way,"
cried Clare. "Listen!
"'Because, forsooth, 'tis thrown at him, neck and heels' and 'Tugging in the moral, head and
shoulders.' Now just add 'by the pricking39 of my thumbs,' etc., and you have them all."
Jasper joined as well as Polly and Ben in the laugh at the prologue's expense, but Phronsie sat
erect40 winking41 hard, her royal hands folded quite still in her lap.
"You're bound for a newspaper office, my boy," said Jasper at length. "How you will cut into the
coming poet, and maul the fledgling of the prose writer! Well, I stand corrected.
"'The drama pure and simple,
Is forgot, in straining at the moral.'
"Is that any better?" (To the audience.)
"Yes, I think it is," said Polly, "but I do believe it's time to talk more elegantly, Jasper. It is due to
the people in the private boxes, you know."
"Oh! the boxes are to have things all right before the play is over; never you fear, Polly," said
Jasper.
"'A poor presentment,
You will say we give;
But cry you mercy, Sirs, and'"?
"I don't like 'cry you mercy,'" announced Ben slowly, "because it doesn't seem to mean anything."
"Oh! don't cut that out," exclaimed Polly, clasping her hands and rushing up to Ben. "That's my
pet phrase; you mustn't touch that, Bensie."
"But it doesn't mean anything," reiterated42 Ben in a puzzled way.
"Who cares?" cried Jasper defiantly43. "A great many expressions that haven't the least significance
are put in a thing of this sort. Padding, you know, my dear sir."
"Oh!" said Ben literally44, "I didn't know as you needed padding. All right, if it is necessary." "It's
antique, and perfectly lovely, and just like Shakespeare," cried Polly, viewing Ben in alarm.
"Oh! let the Bard45 of Avon have one say in this production," cried Clare. "Go on, do, with your 'cry
you mercy.' What's next, Jap?"
"Are you willing, Ben?" asked Jasper, with a glance at Polly.
"Ye-- es," said Ben, also gazing at the rosy46 face and anxious eyes, "it can go as padding, I
suppose."
"Oh! I am so glad," exclaimed Polly in glee, and dancing around the room. "And you won't be
sorry, I know, Bensie; the audience will applaud that very thing I'm almost sure," which made
Jasper sternly resolve something on the spot.
"Well, I shall never be through at this rate," he said, whirling over the manuscript to find his place.
"Oh! here I am:
"'But cry you mercy, Sirs and ladies fair,
We aim but to be dragons,
Not mortals posing for effect.
We have a princess, to be sure'"?
"I should think we have," interrupted Clare with a glance over at the sofa. "Goodness me, she's
fast asleep!"
"Poor little thing, she is tired to death," cried Polly remorsefully47, while they all rushed over to the
heap of lace and spangles, blissfully oblivious48 of "prologues49."
"Do let her sleep through this piece of stupidity," said Jasper, bundling up another satin skirt that
Mrs. Whitney had loaned for Polly to make a choice from. "There," putting it under the yellow
head, "we'll call her when the dragons come on."
"Take care," cried Polly, with intercepting50 hand, "that's Auntie's lovely satin gown."
"Beg pardon," said Jasper, relinquishing51 it speedily. "Here's the sofa pillow, after all," dragging it
from its temporary retirement52 under the theatrical53 debris54. "Now let's get back to work; time is
going fast." In a lowered voice:
"'We have a princess, to be sure,
A sweet and gracious Clotilde,
And a knight who does her homage55,
But the rest of us
Are fishy56, scaly57,
Horny and altogether horrid,
And of very low degree
Who scarce know why we are upon the boards,
Except for your amusement,
So prithee'"?
"Hold!" cried Clare, "what stuff."
"Give me an inch of time," cried Jasper, hurrying on, "and I'll end the misery58:
"'So prithee, be amused;
We're undone59, if you are not,
And all our labor60 lost.
Pray laugh, and shake your sides,
And say "'tis good;
I' faith, 'tis very good."
And we shall say
"Your intellects do you credit."
And so we bid you a fond adieu,
And haste away to unshackle the dragons,
Who even now do roar without.'"
Clare threw himself into the part of the dragons, and forgetful of Phronsie, gave a loud roar. Polly
clapped her hands and tossed an imaginary bouquet61 as Jasper bowed himself off.
"Hush62!" said Ben, "you'll wake up Phronsie," but it was too late; there she sat rubbing her eyes in
astonishment63.
"Oh! you darling," cried Polly, running over to her, to clasp her in her arms, "I'm so sorry I tired
you all out, Phronsie dear, do forgive me."
"I'm not tired," said Phronsie, with dewy eyes. "Has Jasper got through reading? What was it all
about, Polly?"
"Indeed and I have finished," he cried with a yawn and throwing the manuscript on the table, "and
I don't know in the least what it is all about, Phronsie."
"Just a lot of dreadful words," said Clare over in the corner, pulling at a heap of costumes on the
floor. "Never mind; the horrible spell is broken; come on, you fellows, and tumble into your
dragon skins!"
With that the chief dragon deserted64 Phronsie, and presently there resounded65 the rattle66 of the scales,
the clanking of chains, and the dragging about of the rest of their paraphernalia67.
"Now, Phronsie," said Jasper, coming back, half-within his dragon skin and gesticulating, "you see
that it's only I in this thing. Look, dear! here goes in my head," and he pulled on the scaly
covering, observing great care to smile reassuringly68 the last thing before his countenance69 was
obscured.
Phronsie screamed with delight and clapped her hands. "Oh, Jasper! let me have one on, do,
Jasper! I'd much rather be a dragon than a princess. Really and truly I would, Jasper."
"I don't agree with you," said Jasper, in a muffled70 voice. "Phew! this is no end stuffy71, fellows. I
can't stand it long."
"I'm all coming to pieces," said Ben, turning around to regard his back where the scales yawned
fearfully.
"I'll run and ask Mamsie to come and sew you up," cried Polly, flying off. "She said she would
help, if we wanted her."
点击
收听单词发音
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1
rehearsal
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| n.排练，排演；练习 | |
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tangle
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| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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momentous
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| adj.重要的，重大的 | |
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exultingly
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| 兴高采烈地，得意地 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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8
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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9
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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10
royalty
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| n.皇家，皇族 | |
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11
anticipations
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| 预期( anticipation的名词复数 )； 预测； （信托财产收益的）预支； 预期的事物 | |
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12
smothering
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的现在分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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13
lesser
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| adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地 | |
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14
dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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poetic
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| adj.富有诗意的，有诗人气质的，善于抒情的 | |
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license
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| n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许 | |
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17
wrenching
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| n.修截苗根，苗木铲根（铲根时苗木不起土或部分起土）v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的现在分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛 | |
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18
alleviation
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| n. 减轻，缓和，解痛物 | |
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19
refractory
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| adj.倔强的，难驾驭的 | |
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20
connoisseur
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| n.鉴赏家，行家，内行 | |
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obeisance
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| n.鞠躬，敬礼 | |
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horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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wry
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| adj.讽刺的；扭曲的 | |
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scampering
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| v.蹦蹦跳跳地跑，惊惶奔跑( scamper的现在分词 ) | |
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25
hilarity
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| n.欢乐；热闹 | |
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prologue
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| n.开场白，序言；开端，序幕 | |
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hearth
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| n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面 | |
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28
brandishing
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| v.挥舞( brandish的现在分词 )；炫耀 | |
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29
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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30
implored
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| 恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31
severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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32
quench
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| vt.熄灭，扑灭；压制 | |
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33
melodrama
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| n.音乐剧；情节剧 | |
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mimicking
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| v.（尤指为了逗乐而）模仿( mimic的现在分词 )；酷似 | |
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35
tugging
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| n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 ) | |
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lugging
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| 超载运转能力 | |
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tugged
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| v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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anatomy
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| n.解剖学，解剖；功能，结构，组织 | |
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pricking
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| 刺，刺痕，刺痛感 | |
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40
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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41
winking
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| n.瞬眼，目语v.使眼色( wink的现在分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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reiterated
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| 反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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defiantly
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| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
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literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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bard
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| n.吟游诗人 | |
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rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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remorsefully
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| adv.极为懊悔地 | |
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oblivious
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| adj.易忘的，遗忘的，忘却的，健忘的 | |
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49
prologues
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| n.序言，开场白( prologue的名词复数 ) | |
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50
intercepting
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| 截取（技术），截接 | |
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51
relinquishing
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| 交出，让给( relinquish的现在分词 )； 放弃 | |
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retirement
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| n.退休，退职 | |
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theatrical
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| adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的 | |
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54
debris
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| n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片 | |
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55
homage
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| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
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56
fishy
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| adj. 值得怀疑的 | |
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scaly
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| adj.鱼鳞状的；干燥粗糙的 | |
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58
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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59
undone
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| a.未做完的，未完成的 | |
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60
labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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61
bouquet
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| n.花束，酒香 | |
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62
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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63
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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64
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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65
resounded
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| v.（指声音等）回荡于某处( resound的过去式和过去分词 )；产生回响；（指某处）回荡着声音 | |
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66
rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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67
paraphernalia
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| n.装备；随身用品 | |
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68
reassuringly
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| ad.安心，可靠 | |
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69
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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70
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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71
stuffy
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| adj.不透气的，闷热的 | |
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