Still the little Dancer made no answer; she could not speak, she was crying so bitterly.
“Well, good-day,” he said. “It is very evident that you did not pay the extra twopence for manners.”
Then he left.
“Stop dancing,” said the Little China Doll to the Little Dancer. “You are not in a fit state to dance. You will kill yourself.”
“I must dance till I forget, or till I die,” she answered—sobbing.
And then she danced faster, faster, FASTER, till she went at quite a furious rate. Her little feet went to and fro so quickly you could hardly see them.
The China Doll implored the poor Little Dancer to stop, but she did not heed her. She continued dancing, dancing, dancing all through the day, all through the evening, and far into the night. Till, at last, something within her went—Snap!
And she fell flat on the ground, and the gay little tune stopped suddenly. The clockwork within her had broken. She had danced herself to death!