"Sorensen, Virginia - Plain Girl" - читать интересную книгу автора (Sorensen Virginia)

what he wanted, and Esther knew from what he chose to read that he too had been thinking of The First Step Away.

" 'Behold,' " he read, " 'we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.' You see the meaning of this, Esther?
A small thing may seem smaller than it really is."

This was true. Mother sat nodding.

" 'Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm . . .' "

She had never seen a ship, but she had heard of them. Mother had seen ships near Philadelphia; she often told of them with wonder.

" 'Even so, the tongue is a little member, and

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boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!' " He looked closely at her. "Esther, I only tell you these things so you will
understand why it is you will remain by yourself. Though we have learned always to love our enemies, and so never fight . . ."

Ruth gave a little gasp at his words and he looked at her. She blushed and said nothing, though he was looking a question. Mother said quickly, "Ruth means
the children in the school are not enemies."

"I did not finish," Father said. "I meant only to say they were not her friends. Esther will look at the teacher and do as the teacher says, unless it is
something she is told never to do, here at home. But 1 do not expect her to look at the children."

Ruth looked closely at her knitting and pretended to count. Mother said anxiously, "Except-"

"Except to keep from falling over them!" Father said, and smiled. Mother smiled too, then, and Ruth.

Esther was glad they smiled,

"Now," Father said in a gentle voice, "you may go to bed- Esther wanted to tell Father what she had been thinking lately, and that she would never, never
go away. But she could not find the words to say it with. Even the next morning when only the two of them

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rode in the wagon, out of the yard and down the road toward the school, she could find no words. One reason she could not say it, of course, was that she
could think of no way to do so without mentioning the name of Dan. Even if school had been Away for Dan, it need not be Away for her. What Father had read
was good to remember. If you did not kindle a little fire in the first place, you would never have a big one that you could not manage to put out.

The bell rang as they turned the last great bend in the road and saw the school on its little hill. Esther jumped, and Father said, "It is only the first
bell. There are always two, one five minutes early so slow

scholars will hurry."

She had known this, for Dan had told her. She had jumped because of the exciting thought that the bell was ringing now for her. But she did not say so.

Father helped her down outside the school. He handed her the lunch-basket and said, "I will be here waiting for you when school is over at three o'clock."
Suddenly she realized how many hours it was going to be. She turned to say this to him, but he drove away without looking back, and she was alone.

She stood still. For the life of her she could not stir off the road and over the bridge and onto the school