Pollyanna: The First Glad Book. Pollyanna Grows Up: The Second Glad Book / Поллианна. Поллианна вырастает

“There!” she exulted, untying the knot of the handkerchief and flinging the bit of linen far from her. “Oh, Aunt Polly, now I reckon you’ll be glad I dressed you up!”

For one dazed moment Miss Polly looked at her bedecked self, and at her surroundings; then she gave a low cry and fled to her room. Pollyanna, following the direction of her aunt’s last dismayed gaze, saw, through the open windows of the sun parlor, the horse and gig turning into the driveway. She recognized at once the man who held the reins.

“Dr. Chilton, Dr. Chilton! Did you want to see me? I’m up here.”

“Yes,” smiled the doctor, a little gravely. “Will you come down, please?”

In the bedroom Pollyanna found a flushed-faced, angry-eyed woman plucking at the pins that held a lace shawl in place.

“Pollyanna, how could you?” moaned the woman. “To think of your rigging me up like this, and then letting me-BE SEEN!”

Pollyanna stopped in dismay.

“But you looked lovely-perfectly lovely, Aunt Polly; and-”

“�Lovely’!” scorned the woman, flinging the shawl to one side and attacking her hair with shaking fingers.

“Oh, Aunt Polly, please, please let the hair stay!”

“Stay? Like this? As if I would!” And Miss Polly pulled the locks so tightly back that the last curl lay stretched dead at the ends of her fingers.

“O dear! And you did look so pretty,” almost sobbed Pollyanna, as she stumbled through the door.

Downstairs Pollyanna found the doctor waiting in his gig.

“I’ve prescribed you for a patient, and he’s sent me to get the prescription filled,” announced the doctor. “Will you go?”

“You mean-an errand-to the drugstore?” asked Pollyanna, a little uncertainly. “I used to go some-for the Ladies’ Aiders.”

The doctor shook his head with a smile.

“Not exactly. It’s Mr. John Pendleton. He would like to see you today, if you’ll be so good as to come. It’s stopped raining, so I drove down after you.

“I’d love to!” exclaimed Pollyanna. “Let me ask Aunt Polly.”

In a few moments she returned, hat in hand, but with rather a sober face.

“Didn’t-your aunt want you to go?” asked the doctor, a little diffidently, as they drove away.

“Y-yes,” sighed Pollyanna. “She-she wanted me to go TOO much, I’m afraid.