If you send Dickon away, I ll never come into this room again! she
retorted.
You ll have to if I want you, said Colin.
I won t! said Mary.
I ll make you, said Colin. They shall drag you in.
Shall they, Mr. Rajah! said Mary fiercely. They may drag me in but
they can t make me talk when they get me here. I ll sit and clench my
teeth and never tell you one thing. I won t even look at you. I ll
stare at the floor!
They were a nice agreeable pair as they glared at each other. If they
had been two little street boys they would have sprung at each other
and had a rough-and-tumble fight. As it was, they did the next thing to
it.
You are a selfish thing! cried Colin.
What are you? said Mary. Selfish people always say that. Anyone is
selfish who doesn t do what they want. You re more selfish than I am.
You re the most selfish boy I ever saw.
I m not! snapped Colin. I m not as selfish as your fine Dickon is!
He keeps you playing in the dirt when he knows I am all by myself. He s
selfish, if you like!
Mary s eyes flashed fire.
He s nicer than any other boy that ever lived! she said. He s he s
like an angel! It might sound rather silly to say that but she did not
care.
A nice angel! Colin sneered ferociously. He s a common cottage boy
off the moor!
He s better than a common Rajah! retorted Mary. He s a thousand
times better!
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