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"No, leave me alone," said Princess Mary.

Her voice sounded so serious and so sad that the chirping of the

birds was silenced at once. They looked at the beautiful, large,

thoughtful eyes full of tears and of thoughts, gazing shiningly

and imploringly at them, and understood that it was useless and

even cruel to insist.

"At least, change your coiffure," said the little princess.

"Didn't I tell you," she went on, turning reproachfully to

Mademoiselle Bourienne, "Mary's is a face which such a coiffure

does not suit in the least. Not in the least! Please change it."

"Leave me alone, please leave me alone! It is all quite the same

to me," answered a voice struggling with tears.