17 A Little Princess-(Bedtime Story) Stephanie Poppins
This is chapter 17 of Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic Cinderella story. A young girl who maintains kindness above all as she goes from riches to rags and back again. Sara Crewe is the privileged daughter of a wealthy merchant and is treated like the princess of Miss Minchin's boarding school. Until tragedy strikes, that is. In this episode, the truth is finally revealed.
Transcript
Hello.
My name is Stephanie Poppins and this is my Romantic Bedtime Podcast Sleep Stories with Steph.
Guaranteed to afford you a great night's sleep.
It is time to relax and fully let go.
Take a deep breath in through your nose and let it out on a long sigh.
That's it.
There is nothing you need to be doing and no way you need to go.
Feel your shoulders melt away from your neck and the pressure seep away from your cheeks as you sink into the support beneath you.
This is your safe place where we travel back to stories of times gone past.
Happy listening.
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett Chapter 17.
It is the Child The next afternoon three members of the large family sat in the Indian gentleman's library doing their best to cheer him up.
They had been allowed to come in to perform his office because he had specially invited them.
He had been living in a state of suspense for some time and today he was waiting for a certain event very anxiously.
This event was the return of Mr.
Carmichael from Moscow.
His stay there had been prolonged from week to week.
On his first arrival there he had not been able satisfactorily to trace the family he'd gone in search of.
When he felt at last sure he'd found them and gone to their house he had been told they were absent on a journey.
His efforts to reach them had been unavailing so he had decided to remain in Moscow until their return.
Mr.
Carisford sat in his reclining chair and Janet sat on the floor beside him.
He was very fond of Janet.
Nora had found a footstool and Donald was astride the tiger's head which ornamented the rug made of the animal's skin.
It must be owned.
He was riding it rather violently.
Don't cheer up so loud Donald,
Janet said.
When you come to cheer an ill person up you don't cheer him at the top of your voice.
Perhaps cheering up is too loud Mr.
Carisford,
Turning to the Indian gentleman.
But he only patted her shoulder.
No it isn't,
He answered and it keeps me from thinking too much.
I'm going to be quiet,
Donald shouted.
We'll all be as quiet as mice.
Mice don't make a noise like that,
Said Janet.
Donald made a bridle of his handkerchief and bounced up and down on the tiger's head.
A whole lot of mice might,
He said cheerfully.
I don't believe 50,
000 would,
Said Janet severely.
We're supposed to be as quiet as one mouse.
Mr.
Carisford laughed and patted her shoulder again.
Papa won't be very long now,
She said.
May we talk about the lost little girl?
I don't think I could talk much about anything else,
Said the gentleman.
We like her so much,
Said Nora.
We call her the Unfairy Princess.
Why?
The Indian gentleman asked.
Because though she's not exactly a fairy,
She'll be so rich when she's found she'll be like a princess in a fairy tale.
We called her the Fairy Princess at first but it didn't quite suit.
Is it true,
Said Nora,
That her papa gave all his money to a friend to put in a mine that had diamonds in it?
Then the friend thought he'd lost it all and ran away because he felt as if he was a robber.
The Indian gentleman took hold of her hand quickly.
No,
He wasn't really,
He said.
I'm sorry for the friend,
Janet said.
I can't help it.
He didn't mean to do it.
It would break his heart.
You're an understanding little woman,
Janet,
Said the Indian gentleman.
Did you tell Mr.
Carisford,
Donald shouted,
About the little girl who isn't a beggar?
Did you tell him she's got new clothes?
Perhaps she's been found by somebody when she was lost?
There's a cab,
Exclaimed Janet.
It's stopping before the door.
It's papa.
They all ran to the windows to look out.
Yes,
It is papa,
Donald proclaimed,
But there's no little girl with him.
They all tumbled out of the room and into the hall.
It was in this way they always welcomed their father.
They were to be heard jumping up and down,
Clapping their hands and being caught up and kissed.
Then the door opened and he came in,
Looking rosier than ever,
And brought an atmosphere of freshness and health with him.
But his eyes were disappointed and anxious as they met the invalid's look of eager question,
Even as they grasped each other's hands.
What news?
Mr.
Carisford asked.
The child the Russian people adopted?
She is not the child we're looking for,
Was Mr.
Carmichael's answer.
She's much younger than Captain Crew's little girl and her name is Emily.
I've seen her and talked to her.
The Russians were able to give me every detail.
Then the search has to be done all over again,
Said Mr.
Carisford.
Mr.
Carmichael took a seat.
Somehow he'd gradually grown fond of this unhappy man.
He himself was so well and happy and surrounded by cheerfulness and love.
Desolation and broken health seemed pitifully unbearable things.
Come,
Come,
He said in his cheery voice.
We'll find her yet.
We must begin at once.
No time must be lost,
Said Mr.
Carisford.
Have you any new suggestion to make?
Any whatever?
Well,
I don't know what it may be worth,
Said Mr.
Carmichael.
The fact is an idea occurred to me as I was thinking the thing over in the train on the journey from Dover.
We've searched the schools in Paris.
Let's give up Paris.
We'll begin in London.
That was my idea to search London.
There are schools enough in London,
Said Mr.
Carisford.
Then he slightly started,
Roused by a recollection.
There is one next door.
Then we will begin there.
We cannot begin nearer the next door.
No,
Said Carisford.
There is a child there who interests me,
But she's not a pupil and she's a little dark forlorn creature,
As unlike poor crew as a child could be.
Then all of a sudden,
There was Ram Dass in the room.
He slammed respectfully,
But with a scarcely concealed touch of excitement in his dark flashing eyes.
Sahib,
He said,
The child herself has come.
The child the Sahib felt pity for.
She brings back the monkey.
Who is she?
Inquired Mr.
Carmichael.
While you have been away,
Said Mr.
Carisford,
I've been desperate.
The days were so dark and long.
Ram Dass told me of this child's miseries and together we invented a romantic plan to help her.
I suppose it was a childish thing to do,
But it gave me something to plan and think of.
Without the help of an agile,
Soft-footed oriental like Ram Dass,
However,
It could not have been done.
At that moment,
Sarah came into the room carrying the monkey in her arms.
He was clinging to her and chattering and the interesting excitement of finding herself in the Indian gentleman's room brought a flush to Sarah's cheeks.
Your monkey ran away again,
She said in her pretty voice.
He came to my garret window last night and I took him in because it was so cold.
I would have brought him back if it had not been so late.
I knew you were ill and might not like to be disturbed.
The Indian gentleman's hollow eyes dwelt on her with curious interest.
That was very thoughtful of you,
He said slowly.
Sarah looked towards Ram Dass who stood near the door.
Shall I give him to the Lasker?
She asked.
How do you know he's a Lasker?
Said the Indian gentleman smiling a little.
Oh I know Laskers,
Sarah said handing over the reluctant monkey.
I was born in India.
The Indian gentleman sat upright so suddenly and with such a change of expression that Sarah was for a moment quite startled.
You were born in India?
He exclaimed.
Were you?
Come here.
He held out his hand.
Sarah went to him and laid her hand in his as he seemed to want to take it.
She stood still and her grey-green eyes met his wanderingly.
Something seemed to be the matter with him.
You live next door?
He demanded.
Yes I live at Miss Minchin's seminary.
But you are not one of her pupils.
A strange little smile hovered about Sarah's mouth and she hesitated a moment.
I don't think I know exactly what I am,
She replied.
Why not?
At first I was a pupil in a parlour boarder but now.
.
.
You were a pupil?
What are you now?
There was a queer little sad smile on Sarah's lips again.
I sleep in the attic next to the scullery maid,
She said.
I run errands for the cook.
I do anything she tells me and I teach the little ones to their lessons.
Question her Carmichael,
Said Mr.
Carisford,
Sinking back as if he'd lost his strength.
Question her,
I cannot.
The big kind father of the large family knew how to question little girls.
Sarah realized how much practice he'd had when he spoke to her in his nice encouraging voice.
What do you mean by at first my child?
He inquired.
When I was first taken there by my papa.
Where is your papa?
He died,
Said Sarah,
Very quietly.
He lost all his money and there was none left for me.
There was no one to take care of me or to pay Miss Minchin.
Carmichael!
The Indian gentleman cried out loudly.
Carmichael!
We must not frighten her,
Mr.
Carmichael said aside to him in a quick low voice.
Then he added aloud to Sarah.
So you were sent up into the attic and made into a drudge.
That was about it,
Wasn't it?
There was no one to take care of me,
Said Sarah.
There was no money.
I belonged to nobody.
How did your father lose his money?
The Indian gentleman broke in breathlessly.
He did not lose it himself,
Sarah answered,
Wondering still more each moment.
He had a friend he was very fond of.
He was very fond of him.
It was his friend who took his money.
He trusted his friend too much.
The Indian gentleman's breath came more quickly.
The friend might have meant to do no harm,
He said.
It might have happened through a mistake.
Sarah did not know how unrelenting her quiet young voice sounded as she answered.
If she had known,
She would surely have tried to soften it for the Indian gentleman's sake.
The suffering was just as bad for my papa,
She said.
It killed him.
What was your father's name?
The Indian gentleman said.
Tell me.
His name was Ralph Crewe,
Sarah answered,
Feeling startled.
Captain Crewe,
He died in India.
The haggard face contracted and Ram Dass sprang to his master's side.
Carmichael,
The invalid gasped.
It is the child!
The child!
For a moment Sarah thought he was going to die.
Ram Dass poured out drops from a bottle and held them to his lips.
Sarah stood near,
Trembling a little.
She looked in a bewildered way at Mr.
Carmichael.
What child am I?
She faltered.
Mr.
Carrisford was your father's friend,
Mr.
Carmichael answered.
Don't be frightened.
We've been looking for you for two years.
Sarah put her hand up to her forehead and her mouth trembled.
She spoke as if she were in a dream.
And I was at Miss Minchin's all the while,
She half whispered.
Just on the other side of the wall.
