A Little Princess | Page 9

an intelligent small face
and such perfect manners. She had taken care of children before who
were not so polite. Sara was a very fine little person, and had a gentle,
appreciative way of saying, "If you please, Mariette," "Thank you,
Mariette," which was very charming. Mariette told the head housemaid
that she thanked her as if she was thanking a lady.
"Elle a l'air d'une princesse, cette petite," she said. Indeed, she was very

much pleased with her new little mistress and liked her place greatly.
After Sara had sat in her seat in the schoolroom for a few minutes,
being looked at by the pupils, Miss Minchin rapped in a dignified
manner upon her desk.
"Young ladies," she said, "I wish to introduce you to your new
companion." All the little girls rose in their places, and Sara rose also.
"I shall expect you all to be very agreeable to Miss Crewe; she has just
come to us from a great distance--in fact, from India. As soon as
lessons are over you must make each other's acquaintance."
The pupils bowed ceremoniously, and Sara made a little curtsy, and
then they sat down and looked at each other again.
"Sara," said Miss Minchin in her schoolroom manner, "come here to
me."
She had taken a book from the desk and was turning over its leaves.
Sara went to her politely.
"As your papa has engaged a French maid for you," she began, "I
conclude that he wishes you to make a special study of the French
language."
Sara felt a little awkward.
"I think he engaged her," she said, "because he--he thought I would like
her, Miss Minchin."
"I am afraid," said Miss Minchin, with a slightly sour smile, "that you
have been a very spoiled little girl and always imagine that things are
done because you like them. My impression is that your papa wished
you to learn French."
If Sara had been older or less punctilious about being quite polite to
people, she could have explained herself in a very few words. But, as it
was, she felt a flush rising on her cheeks. Miss Minchin was a very

severe and imposing person, and she seemed so absolutely sure that
Sara knew nothing whatever of French that she felt as if it would be
almost rude to correct her. The truth was that Sara could not remember
the time when she had not seemed to know French. Her father had
often spoken it to her when she had been a baby. Her mother had been
a French woman, and Captain Crewe had loved her language, so it
happened that Sara had always heard and been familiar with it.
"I--I have never really learned French, but--but--" she began, trying
shyly to make herself clear.
One of Miss Minchin's chief secret annoyances was that she did not
speak French herself, and was desirous of concealing the irritating fact.
She, therefore, had no intention of discussing the matter and laying
herself open to innocent questioning by a new little pupil.
"That is enough," she said with polite tartness. "If you have not learned,
you must begin at once. The French master, Monsieur Dufarge, will be
here in a few minutes. Take this book and look at it until he arrives."
Sara's cheeks felt warm. She went back to her seat and opened the book.
She looked at the first page with a grave face. She knew it would be
rude to smile, and she was very determined not to be rude. But it was
very odd to find herself expected to study a page which told her that "le
pere" meant "the father," and "la mere" meant "the mother."
Miss Minchin glanced toward her scrutinizingly.
"You look rather cross, Sara," she said. "I am sorry you do not like the
idea of learning French."
"I am very fond of it," answered Sara, thinking she would try again;
"but--"
"You must not say `but' when you are told to do things," said Miss
Minchin. "Look at your book again."
And Sara did so, and did not smile, even when she found that "le fils"

meant "the son," and "le frere" meant "the brother."
"When Monsieur Dufarge comes," she thought, "I can make him
understand."
Monsieur Dufarge arrived very shortly afterward. He was a very nice,
intelligent, middle-aged Frenchman, and he looked interested when his
eyes fell upon Sara trying politely to seem absorbed in her little book of
phrases.
"Is this a new pupil for me, madame?" he said to Miss Minchin. "I hope
that is my good fortune."
"Her papa--Captain Crewe--is very anxious that she should begin the
language. But I am afraid she has a childish prejudice against it. She
does not seem to wish to learn," said Miss Minchin.
"I am