“Don’t!” sighed the guardian child each time she stretched out her hand.
The naughty sprite licked its lips and smacked its tongue. It was all in a tremble of delight, and repeated the names of all the good things around in a most expressive tone, that seemed to bring their flavor to Kitty’s mouth. More and more she longed for delicious things to eat and drink. Yet every time her hand was stretched out to snatch at something near her—
“Don’t!” murmured the guardian child.
“Eat, drink, and never mind,” urged the sprite in a jovial, don’t-care manner.
Kitty shook her head, as if shaking off the thought of consequences. She would eat. She stretched out her hand; it closed upon a big, crisp sugar-plum. She put it to her mouth.
The naughty sprite crouched like a pouncing pussy.
“Greedy, greedy! No Christmas! No Johnnie! No blessing!” sighed a breath in her ear.
Kitty looked up; her guardian child, pale as a ghost, was vanishing away, but still his eyes were turned toward her. They were Johnnie’s eyes.
She dropped the sugar-plum. “No, no!” she cried, springing to her feet. “I shall not eat; I shall not drink!”
There was a great scuffle round her; the guests had started to their feet.