The Dolls’ House Read Online Free PDF Page B

I shan’t,’ said Emily. ‘It spoils the notice.’
    There was a sound of footsteps outside the door and Mrs Innisfree came in. She admired Tottie and the sampler and she admired the dolls’ house, and she sat down by the fire and listened to
the whole story of it.
    ‘It’s a pity about the chairs and couch,’ said Mrs Innisfree.
    Emily told her about the set in Wigmore Street, and then she and Charlotte fell silent.
    ‘They sound the very thing,’ said Mrs Innisfree. ‘Will you buy them?’
    ‘No-o,’ said Emily.
    ‘No-o,’ said Charlotte.
    ‘At least, not yet,’ said Emily with a faraway brightness in her eyes.
    ‘I see,’ said Mrs Innisfree, and her eyes went to Tottie. ‘It is strange,’ she said, ‘that you should have arranged Tottie like that for me to see. I am having an
exhibition,’ said Mrs Innisfree, ‘at least a part of it is mine. It is called “Dolls Through the Ages”, and it is to help the Blind Children’s Fund. I wonder if your
little doll and sampler could be in it.’
    ‘You mean, just as they are now?’ asked Charlotte. ‘“Example of a real old sampler worked by a little girl in 1846” (poor little girl), and “Example
of a farthing doll dressed by that same little girl in 1846” (only you ought to have put in about the mother doing the quilling),’ said Charlotte.
    ‘Yes, I mean that,’ said Mrs Innisfree. ‘I think your mother would let you, and,’ said Mrs Innisfree, looking at Emily and Charlotte and at the shabby little chairs and
empty windows of the dolls’ house, ‘we pay for some of the dolls, and I should like to pay you for Tottie.’
    When Tottie heard these words she gave a little gasp, but no one heard her.
    ‘How much would you pay?’ Charlotte was saying. ‘Would you pay a whole pound?’
    ‘Charlotte!’ said Emily and tried to kick her gently on the ankle.
    ‘But we need a whole pound,’ said Charlotte.
    ‘We should pay a guinea,’ said Mrs Innisfree.
    Tottie gave another sound and this time it was a groan, but Apple was tugging at her skirt.
    ‘How much is a guinea?’ whispered Apple.
    ‘A pound and a shilling,’ said Tottie faintly. ‘Mrs Innisfree is giving that for me. O-oh! Oh!’
    ‘That would be enough,’ said Charlotte, nodding her head.
    ‘After a hundred years!’ cried Tottie.
    ‘Then will you let me take Tottie and the sampler away?’ asked Mrs Innisfree.
    ‘Take Tottie away –’ cried Mr Plantaganet, and stopped.
    ‘Tottie? Going away?’ asked Birdie.
    ‘Tottie go away?’ asked little Apple, and he said firmly, ‘No.’
    ‘Now, Apple –’
    ‘No! No! No!’ cried Apple.
    ‘It is to get the chairs,’ said Mr Plantaganet.
    ‘Don’t want any chairs.’
    ‘Now, Apple!’
    ‘I don’t want any either. Bother the chairs,’ said Birdie. ‘Can’t we sit on cotton reels? They would do.’
    ‘We have to have elegant chairs,’ said Mr Plantaganet slowly. ‘Here is a good way of Tottie earning them. Isn’t it like Tottie,’ asked Mr Plantaganet, ‘to be
the one to earn us a couch and chairs, and the table with the runner, and the real lace curtains perhaps as well?’
    Tottie said nothing at all. She stood as if, instead of being wood, she had turned to stone, and when Emily picked her up and wrapped her in white paper to give to Mrs Innisfree, Tottie lay cold
and heavy in her hand. Emily felt misery and reproach from Tottie, but she did not understand why. Can you guess why?
    Tottie was wrapped up and packed in a box, the box laid on top of the sampler with the two notices, and they were all handed to Mrs Innisfree.

Chapter 7
    In the night Apple would not sleep without Tottie, Birdie had no wish to sleep, and even Mr Plantaganet did not feel quite comfortable.
    ‘Go to sleep, Apple, do,’ he said.
    ‘You go to sleep,’ said Apple.
    But Mr Plantaganet could not. Emily and Charlotte were strangely restless too.
    ‘Emily,’ said Charlotte at last from her bed.
    ‘Yes, Charlotte.’
    ‘You