It was funny, she didn't know any games but battledore and shuttlecock and les graces.

But she really began to laugh at last and not to look quite so like a doll.
She was Puss and was running after Dicky when suddenly she stopped short and looked as if she was going to cry.

And we looked too, and there were two prim ladies with little mouths and tight hair.

One of them said in quite an awful voice, 'Pauline, who are these children ?' and her voice was gruff; with very curly R's.
The little girl said we were Princes and Princesses--which was silly, to a grown-up person that is not a great friend of yours.
The gruff lady gave a short, horrid laugh, like a husky bark, and said-- 'Princes, indeed! They're only common children!' Dora turned very red and began to speak, but the little girl cried out 'Common children! Oh, I am so glad! When I am grown up I'll always play with common children.' And she ran at us, and began to kiss us one by one, beginning with Alice; she had got to H.O.when the horrid lady said--'Your Highness--go indoors at once!' The little girl answered, 'I won't!' Then the prim lady said--'Wilson, carry her Highness indoors.' And the little girl was carried away screaming, and kicking with her little thin legs and her buttoned boots, and between her screams she shrieked: 'Common children! I am glad, glad, glad! Common children! Common children!' The nasty lady then remarked--'Go at once, or I will send for the police!' So we went.

H.O.made a face at her and so did Alice, but Oswald took off his cap and said he was sorry if she was annoyed about anything; for Oswald has always been taught to be polite to ladies, however nasty.
Dicky took his off, too, when he saw me do it; he says he did it first, but that is a mistake.