The Diamond Mines Again, Part 2 (A Little Princess)

01Chapter 7.

02Continued.

03He bowed himself out and closed the door.

04And it must be confessed that Miss Minchin stood for a few moments and glared at it.

05What he had said was quite true.

06She knew it.

07She had absolutely no redress.

08Her show pupil had melted into nothingness, leaving only a friendless, beggared little girl.

09Such money as she herself had advanced was lost and could not be regained.

10And as she stood there, breathless under her sense of injury, there fell upon her ears a burst of gay voices from her own sacred room, which had actually been given up to the feast.

11She could at least stop this.

12But as she started toward the door, it was opened by Miss Amelia, who, when she caught sight of the changed, angry face, fell back a step in alarm.

13What is the matter, sister?

14she ejaculated.

15Miss Minchin's voice was almost fierce when she answered, Where is Sarah Crewe?

16Miss Amelia was bewildered.

17Sarah!

18she stammered.

19Why, she's with the children in your room, of course.

20Has she a black frock in her sumptuous wardrobe?

21In bitter irony.

22A black frock?

23Miss Amelia stammered again.

24A black one!

25She has frocks of every other colour.

26Has she a black one?

27Miss Amelia began to turn pale.

28No—yes!

29she said.

30But it is too short for her.

31She has only the old black velvet, and she has outgrown it.

32Go and tell her to take off that preposterous pink silk gauze, and put the black one on, whether it is too short or not.

33She has done with finery.

34Then Miss Amelia began to wring her fat hands and cry.

35Oh, sister!

36she sniffed.

37Oh, sister!

38what can have happened?

39Miss Minchin wasted no words.

40Captain Crewe is dead, she said.

41He has died without a penny.

42That spoiled, pampered, fanciful child has left a pauper on my hands.

43Miss Amelia sat down quite heavily in the nearest chair.

44Hundreds of pounds have I spent on nonsense for her, and I shall never see a penny of it.

45Put a stop to this ridiculous party of hers.

46Go and make her change her frock at once.

47I?

48panted Miss Amelia.

49Must I go and tell her now?

50This moment!

51was the fierce answer.

52Don't sit staring like a goose.

53Go!

54Poor Miss Amelia was accustomed to being called a goose.

55She knew, in fact, that she was rather a goose, and that it was left to geese to do a great many disagreeable things.

56It was a somewhat embarrassing thing to go into the midst of a room full of delighted children, and tell the giver of the feast that she had suddenly been transformed into a little beggar, and must go upstairs and put on an old black frock which was too small for her.

57But the thing must be done.

58This was evidently not the time when questions might be asked.

59She rubbed her eyes with her handkerchief until they looked quite red.

60After which she got up, and went out of the room without venturing to say another word.

61When her older sister looked and spoke as she had done just now, the wisest course to pursue was to obey orders without any comment.

62Miss Minchin walked across the room.

63She spoke to herself aloud without knowing that she was doing it.

64During the last year the story of the diamond mines had suggested all sorts of possibilities to her.

65Even proprietors of seminaries might make fortunes in stocks, with the aid of owners of mines.

66And now, instead of looking forward to gains, she was left to look back upon losses.

67The Princess Sarah, indeed, she said.

68The child has been pampered as if she were a queen.

69She was sweeping angrily past the corner table as she said it, and the next moment she started at the sound of a loud, sobbing sniff which issued from under the cover.

70What is that?

71What is that?

72She exclaimed angrily.

73The loud, sobbing sniff was heard again, and she stooped and raised the hanging folds of the table cover.

74How dare you!

75she cried out.

76How dare you!

77Come out immediately!

78It was poor Becky who crawled out, and her cap was knocked on one side, and her face was red with repressed crying.

79If you please, um.

80It's me, mum, she explained.

81I know I hadn't ought to, but I was looking at the door, mum, and I was frightened when you came in and slipped under the table.

82You have been there all the time listening, said Miss Minchin.

83No, mum, Becky protested, bobbing curtseys.

84Not listening.

85I thought I could slip out with the archer noticing, but I couldn't, and I had to stay.

86But I didn't listen, mum.

87I wouldn't for nothing.

88But I couldn't help hearing.

89Suddenly it seemed almost as if she lost all fear of the awful lady before her.

90She burst into fresh tears.

91Oh, please, m'n, she said.

92I dare say you'll give me a warning, mum.

93But I'm so sorry for poor Miss Sarah.

94I'm so sorry.

95Leave the room, ordered Miss Minchin.

96Becky curtsied again, the tears openly streaming down her cheeks.

97Yes, m'n, I will, m'n, she said, trembling.

98But, oh, I just wanted to ask you.

99Miss Sarah, she's been such a rich young lady, and she's been waited on, and in foot.

100And what will she do now, mum, without no maid?

101If, if, oh, please, would you let me wait on her after I've done my pots and kettles?

102I'd do them that quick, if you'd let me wait on her now she's poor.

103Oh, breaking out afresh, poor little Miss Sarah, mum.

104That was called a princess.

105Yes?

106Somehow she made Miss Minchin feel more angry than ever.

107That the very scullery maid should range herself on the side of this child, whom she realised more fully than ever that she had never lied, was too much.

108She actually stamped her foot.

109No, certainly not, she said.

110She will wait on herself and on other people, too.

111Leave the room this instant, or you'll leave your place.

112Becky threw her apron over her head and fled.

113She ran out of the room and down the steps into the scullery, and there she sat down among her pots and kettles, and wept as if her heart would break.

114It's exactly like the ones in the stories, she wailed.

115Them poor princess ones that was drove into the world.

116Miss Minchin had never looked quite so still and hard as she did when Sarah came to her a few hours later in response to a message she had sent her.

117Even by that time it seemed to Sarah as if the birthday party had either been a dream, or a thing which had happened years ago, and had happened in the life of quite another little girl.

118Every sign of the festivities had been swept away.

119The holly had been removed from the schoolroom walls, and the forms and desks put back into their places.

120Miss Minchin's sitting-room looked as it always did.

121All traces of the feast were gone, and Miss Minchin had resumed her usual dress.

122The pupils had been ordered to lay aside their party frocks, and, this having been done, they had returned to the schoolroom and huddled together in groups, whispering and talking excitedly.

123Tell Sarah to come to my room, Miss Minchin had said to her sister, and explain to her clearly that I will have no crying or unpleasant scenes.

124Sister, replied Miss Amelia, she is the strangest child I ever saw.

125She has actually made no fuss at all.

126You remember she made none when Captain Crewe went back to India.

127When I told her what had happened, she just stood quite still and looked at me without making a sound.

128Her eyes seemed to get bigger and bigger, and she went quite pale.

129When I had finished, she still stood staring for a few seconds, and then her chin began to shake, and she turned round and ran out of the room and upstairs.

130Several of the other children began to cry, but she did not seem to hear them or to be alive to anything but just what I was saying.

131It made me feel quite queer not to be answered.

132And when you tell anything sudden and strange, you expect people will say something, whatever it is.

133Nobody but Sarah herself ever knew what had happened in her room after she had run upstairs and locked her door.

134In fact, she herself scarcely remembered anything but that she walked up and down, saying over and over again to herself, in a voice which did not seem her own, My papa is dead!

135My papa is dead!

136Once she stopped before Emily, who sat watching her from her chair, and cried out wildly, Emily, Emily, do you hear?

137Do you hear?

138Papa is dead!

139He is dead in India, thousands of miles away!

140When she came into Miss Minchin's sitting-room in answer to her summons, her face was white and her eyes had dark rings around them.

141Her mouth was set as if she did not wish it to reveal what she had suffered and was suffering.

142She did not look in the least like the rose-coloured butterfly child who had flown about from one of her treasures to the other in the decorated schoolroom.

143She looked and said, A strange, desolate, almost grotesque little figure.

144She had put on, without Mariette's help, the cast-aside black velvet frock.

145It was too short and tight, and her slender legs looked long and thin, showing themselves from beneath the brief skirt.

146As she had not found a piece of black ribbon, her short, thick, black hair tumbled loosely about her face, and contrasted strongly with its pallor.

147She held Emily tightly in one arm, and Emily was swathed in a piece of black material.

148Put down your doll, said Miss Minchin.

149What do you mean by bringing her here?

150No, Sarah answered.

151I will not put her down.

152She is all I have.

153My papa gave her to me.

154She had always made Miss Minchin feel secretly uncomfortable, and she did so now.

155She did not speak with rudeness so much as with a cold steadiness with which Miss Minchin felt it difficult to cope.

156Perhaps because she knew she was doing a heartless and inhuman thing.

157You will have no time for dolls in future, she said.

158You will have to work and improve yourself and make yourself useful.

159Sarah kept her big, strange eyes fixed on her, and said not a word.

160Everything will be very different now, Miss Minchin went on.

161I suppose Miss Amelia has explained matters to you.

162Yes, answered Sarah.

163My papa is dead.

164He left me no money.

165I am quite poor.

166You are a beggar, said Miss Minchin, her temper rising at the recollection of what all this meant.

167It appears that you have no relations and no home, and no one to take care of you.

168For a moment the thin, pale little face twitched, but Sarah again said nothing.

169What are you staring at?

170demanded Miss Minchin sharply.

171Are you so stupid that you cannot understand?

172I tell you that you are quite alone in the world, and have no one to do anything for you, unless I choose to keep you here out of charity.

173I understand, answered Sarah, in a low tone.

174And there was a sound as if she had gulped down something which rose in her throat.

175I understand.

176That doll, cried Miss Minchin, pointing to the splendid birthday gift seated near, that ridiculous doll, with all her nonsensical extravagant things, I actually paid the bill for her.

177Sarah turned her head toward the chair.

178The last doll, she said.

179The last doll.

180And her little mournful voice had an odd sound.

181The last doll, indeed, said Miss Minchin.

182And she is mine, not yours.

183Everything you own is mine.

184Please take it away from me, then, said Sarah.

185I do not want it.

186If she had cried and sobbed, and seemed frightened, Miss Minchin might almost have had more patience with her.

187She was a woman who liked to domineer and feel her power.

188And as she looked at Sarah's pale little steadfast face, and heard her proud little voice, she quite felt as if her might was being set at naught.

189Don't put on grand airs, she said.

190The time for that sort of thing is past.

191You are not a princess any longer.

192Your carriage and your pony will be sent away.

193Your maid will be dismissed.

194You will wear your oldest and plainest clothes.

195Your extravagant ones are no longer suited to your station.

196You are like Becky.

197You must work for your living." To her surprise, a faint gleam of light came into the child's eyes.

198A shade of relief.

199Can I work?

200she said.

201If I can work, it will not matter so much.

202What can I do?

203You can do anything you are told, was the answer.

204You are a sharp child and pick up things readily.

205If you'll make yourself useful, I may let you stay here.

206You speak French well, and you can help with the younger children.

207May I?

208exclaimed Sarah.

209Oh, please let me.

210I know I can teach them.

211I like them, and they like me.

212Don't talk nonsense about people liking you, said Miss Minchin.

213You will have to do more than teach the little ones.

214You will run errands and help in the kitchen as well as in the schoolroom.

215If you don't please me, you will be sent away.

216Remember that.

217Now go.

218Sarah stood still just a moment, looking at her.

219In her young soul she was thinking deep and strange things.

220Then she turned to leave the room.

221Stop!

222said Miss Minchin.

223Don't you intend to thank me?

224Sarah paused, and all the deep, strange thoughts surged up in her breast.

225What for?

226she said.

227For my kindness to you, replied Miss Minchin.

228For my kindness in giving you a home.

229Sarah made two or three steps toward her.

230Her thin little chest heaved up and down, and she spoke in a strange, unchildishly fierce way.

231You are not kind, she said.

232You are not kind, and it is not a home.

233And she had turned and run out of the room before Miss Minchin could stop her, or do anything but stare after her with stony anger.

234She went up the stairs slowly, but panting for breath, and she held Emily tightly against her side.

235I wish she could talk, she said to herself.

236If she could speak!

237If she could speak!

238She meant to go to her room, and lie down on the tiger-skin, with her cheek upon the great cat's head, and look into the fire, and think, and think, and think.

239But just before she reached the landing, Miss Amelia came out of the door and closed it behind her, and stood before it, looking nervous and awkward.

240The truth was that she felt secretly ashamed of the thing she had been ordered to do.

241You—you are not to go in there, she said.

242Not go in?

243exclaimed Sarah, and she fell back a pace.

244That is not your room now, Miss Amelia answered, reddening a little.

245Somehow, all at once, Sarah understood.

246She realized that this was the beginning of the change Miss Minchin had spoken of.

247Where is my room?

248she asked, hoping very much that her voice did not shake.

249You are to sleep in the attic, next to Becky.

250Sarah knew where it was.

251Becky had told her about it.

252She turned and mounted up two flights of stairs.

253The last one was narrow, and covered with shabby strips of old carpet.

254She felt as if she were walking away, and leaving far behind her the world in which that other child, who no longer seemed herself, had lived.

255This child, in her short, tight old frock, climbing the stairs to the attic, was quite a different creature.

256When she reached the attic door and opened it, her heart gave a dreary little thump.

257Then she shut the door and stood against it and looked about her.

258Yes, this was another world.

259The room had a slanting roof and was whitewashed.

260The whitewash was dingy and had fallen off in places.

261There was a rusty grate, an old iron bedstead, and a hard bed, covered with a faded coverlet.

262Some pieces of furniture too much worn to be used downstairs had been sent up.

263Under the skylight in the roof, which showed nothing but an oblong piece of dull grey sky, there stood an old battered red footstool.

264Sarah went to it and sat down.

265She seldom cried.

266She did not cry now.

267She laid Emily across her knees and put her face down upon her and her arms around her, and sat there, her little black head resting on the black draperies, not saying one word, not making one sound.

268And as she sat in this silence there came a low tap at the door—such a low, humble one, that she did not at first hear it, and, indeed, was not roused until the door was timidly pushed open, and a poor, tear-smeared face appeared peeping round it.

269It was Becky's face.

270And Becky had been crying furtively for hours and rubbing her eyes with her kitchen apron, until she looked strange indeed.

271Oh, miss!

272she said under her breath.

273Might I—would you allow me—just to come in?

274Sarah lifted her head and looked at her.

275She tried to begin a smile, and somehow she could not.

276Suddenly, and it was all through the loving mournfulness of Becky's streaming eyes, her face looked more like a child's, not so much too old for her years.

277She held out her hand and gave a little sob.

278Oh, Becky!

279she said.

280I told you we were just the same.

281Only two little girls—just two little girls.

282You see how true it is.

283There's no difference now.

284I'm not a princess any more.

285Becky ran to her and caught her hand, and hugged it to her breast, kneeling beside her and sobbing with love and pain.

286Yes, miss, you are!

287she cried, and her words were all broken.

288Whatever happens to you—whatever!

289You'd be a princess all the same, and nothing could make you nothing different.

290End of chapter 7