18 A Little Princess-(Bedtime Story) Stephanie Poppins
This is chapter 18 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, Sara faces Miss Minchin with renewed vigor.
Transcript
A LITTLE PRINCESS by Frances Hodgson Burnett CHAPTER 18 I TRIED NOT TO BE It was pretty comfortable Mrs Carmichael who explained everything.
She was sent for at once and came across the square to take Sarah into her warm arms and make clear to her all that had happened.
The excitement of the totally unexpected discovery had been temporarily almost overpowering to Mr Carisford in his weak condition.
Upon my word,
He said faintly to Mr Carmichael when it was suggested the little girl should go into another room.
I feel as if I do not want to lose sight of her.
I will take care of her,
Janet said,
And Mama will come in a few minutes.
And it was Janet who led her away.
We are so glad you are found,
She said,
You don't know how glad we are.
Donald stood with his hands in his pockets and gazed at Sarah with reflecting and self-reproachful eyes.
If I had just asked what your name was when I gave you my sixpence,
He said,
You would have told me Sarah Crewe and you would have been found out in a minute.
Then Mrs Carmichael came in.
She looked very much moved and suddenly took Sarah in her arms.
You look bewildered,
Poor child,
She said,
And it's not to be wondered at.
Sarah could only think of one thing.
Was he,
Said she with a glance toward the closed door of the library,
Was he the wicked friend?
Tell me.
He was not wicked,
My dear,
Mrs Carmichael answered.
He did not really lose your papa's money.
He only thought he'd lost it.
And because he loved him so much,
His grief made him so ill that for a time he was not in his right mind.
He almost died of brain fever,
And long before he began to recover,
Your poor papa was dead.
And he did not know where to find me,
Murmured Sarah,
And I was so near.
Somehow she could not forget that she had been so near.
He believed you were in school in France,
Mrs Carmichael explained,
And he was continually misled by false clues.
He's looked for you everywhere.
When he saw you pass by,
Looking so sad and neglected,
He did not dream you were his friend's poor child.
But because you were a little girl too,
He was sorry for you and wanted to make you happier.
He told Ram Dass to climb into your attic window and make you comfortable.
Sarah gave a start of joy,
And her whole look changed.
Did Ram Dass bring the things?
She cried out.
Did he make the dream that came true?
Yes,
My dear,
Yes.
He is kind and good,
And he was sorry for you.
The library door opened then,
And Mr Carmichael appeared,
Calling Sarah to him with a gesture.
Mr Carisford is better already,
He said.
He wants you to come to him.
Sarah did not wait.
When the Indian gentleman looked at her as she entered,
He saw her face was all alight.
She went and stood before his chair,
With her hands clasped together against her breast.
You sent the things to me,
She said in a joyful,
Emotional little voice.
They are beautiful things.
You sent them.
Yes,
Poor child,
I did,
He answered.
He was weak and broken with long illness and trouble.
But he looked at her with a look she remembered in her father's eyes,
That look of loving her and wanting to take her in his arms.
It made her kneel down by him,
Just as she used to kneel by her father when they were the dearest friends in the world.
Then it is you who are my friend,
She said.
It is you who are my friend.
And she dropped her face on his thin hand and kissed it again and again.
The man will be himself again in three weeks,
Mr Carmichael said aside to his wife.
Look at his face already.
In fact,
He did look changed.
He was the little missus he had new things to think of and plan for already.
In the first place,
There was Miss Minchin,
She must be interviewed and told of the change which had taken place.
Sarah was not to return to the seminary at all.
The Indian gentleman was very determined upon that.
She must remain where she was and Mr Carmichael should go and see Miss Minchin himself.
I'm glad I need not go back,
Said Sarah.
She'll be very angry.
She doesn't like me,
Although perhaps that's my fault because I don't like her.
But oddly enough,
Miss Minchin made it unnecessary for Mr Carmichael to go to her by actually coming in search of her pupil herself.
She had wanted Sarah for something and on inquiry had heard an astonishing thing.
One of the housemaids had seen her steal out of the area with something hidden under her cloak and had seen her go up the steps of the next door and into the house.
What does she mean,
Cried Miss Minchin to Miss Amelia.
I don't know.
I'm sure sister,
Answered Miss Amelia,
Unless she's made friends with him because he's lived in India.
It would be just like her to thrust herself upon him and try to gain his sympathies in some way,
Says Miss Minchin.
She must have been in the house for two hours.
I will not allow such presumption.
I shall go and inquire into the matter and apologize for her impertinent fashion and her intrusion.
Sarah was sitting on a footstool close to Mr Carisford's knee and listening to some of the many things he felt it necessary to try and explain.
When Ram Dass announced the visitor's arrival.
Sarah rose involuntarily and became rather pale,
But Mr Carisford saw she stood quietly and showed none of the ordinary signs of child terror.
Miss Minchin entered the room with a sternly dignified manner.
She was correctly and well dressed and rigidly polite.
I am so sorry to disturb Mr Carisford,
Said she,
But I have explanations to make.
I am Miss Minchin,
The proprietess of the young lady's seminary next door.
The Indian gentleman looked at her for a moment in silent scrutiny.
He was a man who had naturally a rather hot temper and he did not wish it to get too much the better of him.
So you are Miss Minchin,
He said.
I am,
Sir.
In that case,
He replied,
You have arrived at the right time.
My solicitor,
Mr Carmichael,
Was on the point of going to see you.
Mr Carmichael bowed slightly and Miss Minchin looked for him,
To Mr Carisford,
In amazement.
Your solicitor,
She said,
I do not understand.
I have come here as a matter of duty.
I've discovered you've been intruded upon and I came to explain that this girl intruded without my knowledge.
She turned upon Sarah.
Go home at once.
She commanded indignantly.
You shall be severely punished.
Go home at once.
The Indian gentleman drew Sarah to his side and patted her hand.
She is not going.
Miss Minchin felt rather as if she must be losing her senses.
Not going,
She repeated.
No,
Said Mr Carisford.
She is not going home,
If you must give your house that name.
Go home for the future will be with me.
With you,
Sir?
What does this mean?
Miss Minchin fell back in amazed indignation.
Kindly explain the matter,
Carmichael,
Said the Indian gentleman,
And get it over with as quickly as possible.
He made Sarah sit down again and held her hands in his,
Which was another trick of her papa's.
Then Mr Carmichael explained in the quiet,
Level-toned,
Steady manner of a man who knew his subject and all its legal significance,
Which was a thing Miss Minchin understood as a businesswoman and did not enjoy.
Mr Carisford was an intimate friend of the late Captain Crewe.
He was his partner in certain large investments.
The fortune which Captain Crewe supposed he'd lost has now been recovered and is in Mr Carisford's hands.
The fortune,
Cried Miss Minchin.
Then she really lost colour.
Sarah's fortune.
It will be Sarah's fortune,
Replied Mr Carmichael rather coldly.
It is Sarah's fortune now,
In fact.
Certain events have increased it enormously.
The Diamond Mines have retrieved themselves.
The Diamond Mines?
Miss Minchin gasped out,
If this was true,
Nothing so horrible she felt had ever happened to her since she was born.
The Diamond Mines,
Mr Carmichael repeated.
And then he could not help but add,
With a rather sly,
Unlawyer-like smile,
There are not many princesses,
Miss Minchin,
Who are richer than your little charity pupil,
Sarah Crewe.
You found her under my care,
Miss Minchin protested.
I have done everything for her,
But for me,
Sarah Crewe would have starved in the streets.
Here the Indian gentleman lost his temper.
As to starving in the streets,
He said,
She might have starved more comfortably than there in your attic.
Captain Crewe left her in my charge,
Miss Minchin argued.
She must return to it until she is of age.
She can be a parlour boarder again and she must finish her education.
The law will interfere on my behalf.
Come,
Come,
Miss Minchin,
Mr Carmichael interposed.
The law will do nothing of the sort.
If Sarah herself wishes to return to you,
I dare say Mr Carisford might not refuse it.
But that rests with Sarah.
Then,
Said Miss Minchin,
I appealed to Sarah,
I have not spoiled you perhaps,
She said awkwardly,
But you know your papa was pleased with your progress and I have always been fond of you.
Sarah's grey green eyes fixed themselves on her with a quiet clear look Miss Minchin particularly disliked.
Have you Miss Minchin,
She said,
I did not know that.
Miss Minchin reddened and drew herself up.
You ought to have known it,
Said she,
But children unfortunately never know what's best for them.
Amelia and I always said you were the cleverest child in the school.
Will you not do your duty to your papa and come home with me?
Sarah took a step toward her and stood still.
She looked Miss Minchin steadily in the face.
You know why I will not go home with you Miss Minchin,
She said,
You know quite well.
A hot angry flush showed itself on Miss Minchin's face.
You will never see your companions again,
She began,
I will see Ermengarde and Lotia kept away.
Then Mr.
Carmichael stopped her with polite firmness,
Excuse me,
He said,
She will see anyone she wishes.
The parents of Miss Crewe's fellow pupils are not likely to refuse her invitations.
Mr.
Carrisford will attend to that.
It must be confessed even Miss Minchin flinched.
This was worse than the eccentric bachelor uncle who might have peppery temper and be easily offended at the treatment of his niece.
A woman of sordid mind could easily believe most people would not refuse to allow their children to remain friends with a little heiress of diamond mines.
And if Mr.
Carrisford chose to tell certain of her patrons how unhappy Sarah Crewe had been made,
Many unpleasant things might well happen.
