7 A Little Princess Chapter -Stephanie Poppins

You're listening to SD Hudson magic the little princess by Francis Hodgson Burnett read by SD Hudson.

Chapter 7 the diamond mines again.

When Sarah entered the Holly hung school room in the afternoon she did so as the head of a sort of procession.

Miss Minchin in her grandest silk dress led her by the hand.

A man's servant followed carrying the box containing the last doll.

A housemaid carried a second box and Becky brought up the rear carrying a third and wearing a clean apron and new cap.

Sarah would have much preferred to enter in the usual way but Miss Minchin had sent for her and after an interview in her private sitting room had expressed her wishes.

This is not an ordinary occasion she said.

I do not desire that it should be treated as one.

So Sarah was led grandly in and felt shy when on her entry the big girls stared at her and touched each other's elbows and the little ones began to squirm joyously in their seats.

Silence young ladies said Miss Minchin at the murmur which arose.

James placed the box on the table and removed the lid.

Emma put yours upon a chair.

Becky suddenly and severely.

Becky had quite forgotten herself in her excitement and was grinning at Lottie who was wriggling with rapturous expectation.

She almost dropped her box.

The disapproving voice so startled her and her frightened bobbing curtsy of apology was so funny that Lavinia and Jessie tittered.

It is not your place to look at the young ladies said Miss Minchin.

You forget yourself.

Put your box down.

Becky obeyed with alarmed haste and hastily backed towards the door.

You may leave us Miss Minchin announced to the servants with a wave of her hand.

Becky stepped aside to respectfully allow the superior servants to pass out first.

She could not help casting a longing glance at the box on the table.

Something made of blue satin was peeping from the folds of tissue paper.

If you please Miss Minchin said Sarah suddenly made Becky stay.

It was a bold thing to do.

Miss Minchin was betrayed into something like a slight jump.

Then she put her eyeglass up and gazed at her show pupil disturbedly.

Becky she exclaimed my dearest Sarah.

Sarah advanced a step towards her.

I want her because I know she would like to see the presents she explained.

She is a little girl too you know.

Miss Minchin was scandalized.

She glanced from one figure to another.

My dear Sarah she said.

Becky is the scullery maid.

Scullery maids are not little girls.

It really had not occurred to her to think of them in that light.

Scullery maids were machines who carried coal scuttles and made fires.

But Becky is said Sarah and I know because she would enjoy herself.

Please let her stay.

It is my birthday.

Miss Minchin replied with much dignity.

As you ask it as a birthday favor she may stay.

Rebecca thank Miss Sarah for her great kindness.

Becky had been backing into the corner twisting the hem of her apron in delighted suspense.

She came forward bobbing curtsies but between Sarah's eyes and her own they passed a gleam of friendly understanding.

While her words tumbled over each other.

Oh if you please miss.

I'm that grateful miss.

I did want to see the doll miss that I did.

Thank you miss.

Thank you ma'am.

Turning and making an alarmed bob to Miss Minchin by letting me take the liberty.

Miss Minchin waved her hand again.

This time it was in the direction of the corner near the door.

Go and stand there.

Not too near the young ladies.

Becky went to her place grinning.

She did not care where she was sent so that she might have the luck of being inside the room instead of being downstairs in the scullery.

While these delights were going on.

She did not even mind when Miss Minchin cleared her throat ominously and spoke again.

Now young ladies I have a few words to say to you.

She announced.

She's going to make a speech.

Whispered one of the girls.

I wish it was over.

Sarah felt rather uncomfortable.

As this was her party it was probable that the speech was about her.

It is not agreeable to stand in the schoolroom and have a speech made about you.

You are aware young ladies.

The speech began.

For it was a speech.

That dear Sarah is 11 years old today.

Dear Sarah.

Murmured Lavinia.

Several of you here have also been 11 years old but Sarah's birthdays are rather different from other little girls birthdays.

When she's older she will be heiress to a large fortune which it will be her duty to spend in a meritorious manner.

The time in minds.

Giggled Jessie in a whisper.

Sarah did not hear her but as she stood with her grey-green eyes fixed steadily on Miss Minchin she felt herself growing rather hot.

When Miss Minchin talked about money she felt somehow she had always hated her and of course it was disrespectful to hate grown-up people.

When her dear Papa Captain Crew brought her from India and gave her into my care the speech proceeded.

He said to me in a jesting way.

I'm afraid she will be very rich Miss Minchin.

My reply was.

Her education at my seminary Captain Crew shall be such as will adorn the largest fortune.

Sarah has become my most accomplished pupil.

Her French and her dancing are a credit to the seminary.

Her manners which have caused you to call her Princess Sarah are perfect.

Her amiability she exhibits by giving you this afternoon's party.

I hope you appreciate her generosity.

I wish you to express your appreciation of it by saying aloud together.

Thank you Sarah.

The entire school room rose to its feet as it has done the morning Sarah remembered so well.

Thank you Sarah it said and it must be confessed that Lottie jumped up and down.

Sarah looked rather shy for a moment.

She made a curtsy and it was a very nice one.

Thank you she said for coming to my party.

Very pretty indeed Sarah.

This is what a real princess does when the populace applauds her.

Lavinia scathingly.

The sound you made was extremely like a snort.

If you are jealous of your fellow pupil I beg you will express your feelings in some more ladylike manner.

Now I will leave you to enjoy yourselves.

The instant she had swept out of the room the spell her presence always had upon them was broken.

The door had scarcely closed before every seat was empty.

The little girls jumped or tumbled out of theirs.

The older ones wasted no time in deserting theirs.

There was a rush towards the boxes.

Sarah had bent over one of them with a delighted face.

These are books I know she said.

The little children broke into a rueful murmur and Ermengarde looked aghast.

Does your papa send you books for a birthday present?

She exclaimed.

Why he's as bad as mine.

Don't open them Sarah.

I like them Sarah laughed but she turned to the biggest box.

When she took out the last doll it was so magnificent that the children uttered delightful groans of joy and actually drew back to gaze at it in breathless rapture.

She's almost as big as Lottie someone gasped.

Lottie clapped her hands and danced about giggling.

She's dressed for the theatre said Lavinia.

Her cloak is light with ermine.

Oh cried Ermengarde darting forward.

She has an opera glass in her hand a blue and gold one.

Here is her trunk said Sarah.

Let us open it and look at her things.

She sat down upon the floor and turned the key.

The children crowded clamouring around her as she lifted tray after tray and revealed their contents.

Never had the schoolroom been in such an uproar.

There were lace collars and silk stockings and handkerchiefs.

There was a jewel case containing a necklace and a tiara which looked quite as if they were made of real diamonds.

There was a long seal skin and muff.

There were ball dresses and walking dresses and visiting dresses.

There were hats and tea gowns and fans.

Even Lavinia and Jessie forgot they were too elderly to care for dolls and uttered exclamations of delight and caught up things to look at them.

Suppose Sarah said as she stood by the table putting a large black velvet hat on the impassively smiling owner of all these splendors.

Suppose she understands human talk and feels proud of being admired.

You're always supposing things said Lavinia and her air was very superior.

I know I am said Sarah undisturbedly.

I like it.

There's nothing so nice as supposing.

It's almost like being a fairy.

If you suppose anything hard enough it seems as if it were real.

It's all very well to suppose things if you have everything said Lavinia.

Could you suppose and pretend if you were a beggar and lived in a garret?

Sarah stopped arranging the last doll's ostrich plumes and looked thoughtful.

I believe I could she said.

If one was a beggar one would have to suppose and pretend all the time but it might be easy.

She often thought afterwards how strange it was that just as she had finished saying this just at that very moment Miss Amelia came into the room.

Sarah she said your papa solicitor Mr.

Barrow has called to see Miss Minchin and as she must talk to him alone and the refreshments are laid in her parlour you had all better come and have your feast now so that my sister can have her interview here in the schoolroom.

Refreshments were not likely to be disdained at any hour and many pairs of eyes gleamed.

Miss Amelia arranged the procession into decorum and then with Sarah at her side heading it she led it away leaving the last doll sitting upon a chair with the glories of her wardrobe scattered about her.

Dresses and coats hung upon chair backs.

Piles of laced frilled petticoats lying upon their seats.

Becky who was not expected to partake of refreshments had the indiscretion to linger a moment to look at these beauties.

It really was an indiscretion.

Go back to your work Becky Miss Amelia had said but she had stopped irreverently pick up first a muff then a coat and while she stood looking at them adoringly she heard Miss Minchin upon the threshold and being smitten with terror at the thought of being accused of taking liberties she rashly darted under the table which hid her by its tablecloth.

Miss Minchin came into the room accompanied by a sharp featured dry little gentleman who looked rather disturbed.

Miss Minchin herself also rather disturbed it must be admitted and she gazed at the dry little gentleman with an irritated and puzzled expression.

She sat down with stiff dignity and waved him to a chair.

Please be seated Mr.

Barrow she said.

Mr.

Barrow did not sit down at once.

His attention seemed attracted by the last doll and the things which surrounded her.

He settled his eyeglasses and looked at them in nervous disapproval.

The last doll herself did not seem to mind this in the least.

She merely sat upright and returned his gaze indifferently.

A hundred pounds?

Mr.

Barrow remarked succinctly.

All expensive material made it a Parisian modest.

He spent money lavishly enough that young man.

Miss Minchin felt offended.

This seemed to be a disparagement of her best patron and was a liberty.

Even solicitors had no right to take liberties.

I beg your pardon Mr.

Barrow she said stiffly.

I do not understand.

Birthday presents said Mr.

Barrow in the same critical manner.

To a child eleven years old mad extravagance I call it.

Miss Minchin grew herself up still more rigidly.

Captain Crewe is a man of fortune she said.

The diamond mines alone.

Then Mr.

Barrow wheeled round upon her.

Diamond mines?

He broke out.

There are no diamond mines and there never were.

Miss Minchin actually got up from her chair.

What?

She cried.

What do you mean?

At any rate answered Mr.

Barrow quite snappishly.

It would have been much better if there never had been any.

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