" But Catalina refused this sacrifice, saying, "No, no,
my dear little Paula. I'll not be lonely. You have too tender a heart. Now
go, things will be all right here. Everything has been arranged for me, and
it will make me happy to know of the good time you are all to have with our
grandmother."
My father didn't know what to do. The time was passing. "Come, Paula,
come," he said; "it's time to go."
Paula raised her head. "If you order me to go, I'll go, for I must obey
you, and I know they are waiting for us. But if you will _permit_ me to
stay"--and she put emphasis on the word _permit_ in her peculiarly
irresistible manner--"I would be a whole lot happier here than in 'Las
Lilas.'"
"Stay then," said my father, as he added with a smile, "You certainly are a
little despot, for you seem to twist me to your will in everything."
Paula laughed at this, as happy as if she had received the most valuable of
gifts, as she kissed him.
"Oh, yes; kisses are all very well," said father, pretending to be angry,
"but what will the grandparents say?"
"You will tell them"--but the rest of the sentence I could not hear, as she
bent close to my father's ear.
"Where's Paula?" everybody cried, as we went through the door downstairs.
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