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    A Little Princess
    A Little Princess
    A Little Princess
    Ebook243 pages4 hours

    A Little Princess

    By Frances Hodgson Burnett

    4/5

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    Written by British-born author Frances Hodgson Burnett and first published in 1905, A Little Princess tells the story of young Sara Crewe, privileged daughter of a wealthy diamond merchant. All the other girls at Miss Minchin's school treat Sara as if she truly were a princess. But when Captain Crewe's fortune is sadly lost, Sara's luck changes. Suddenly she is treated no better than a scullery maid. Her own fierce determination to maintain her dignity and remain a princess inside has intrigued and delighted readers for almost a hundred years, even inspiring a recent popular feature film.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherStart Publishing LLC
    Release dateDec 10, 2012
    ISBN9781625582263
    Author

    Frances Hodgson Burnett

    Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849–1924) was an English-American author and playwright. She is best known for her incredibly popular novels for children, including Little Lord Fauntleroy, A Little Princess, and The Secret Garden.

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    Reviews for A Little Princess

    4/5

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    • 5/5
      One of my favorite childhood books, about the daughter of a British soldier who was raised in India, but is sent to a British boarding school when her father is sent to war.
    • 3/5
      This review originally appeared at Belle's BookshelfI hate to say it, but I was disappointed with this book.I should note before I go any further that my opinion was probably doomed from the outset by high expectations, and it was pretty much impossible for me to be fair. Because, you see, while I never read this book as a child, I watched the 1995 movie adaptation obsessively and also enjoyed the 1939 version, PLUS have a special place in my heart for Burnett's The Secret Garden - both the book and movie versions. So, like I said, my expectations were pretty damn high - and it was hard for me not to compare this book to all those other things.While it told the story I was expecting - of a kind little girl named Sara being sent to a boarding school by her loving father, who then finds herself suddenly friendless and penniless, having to use her inner strength and imagination to overcome her lot - I was surprised at how different it was from the movies. There was one glaring plot point that I'd assumed was an intrinsic part of the story, because it appears in both film versions (despite them being very different in other ways), and I was shocked and disappointed that it was actually absent from the book. But I tried to be fair and get over that (after all, it's not the book's fault the movie versions changed its story) and instead focus on the magical and whimsical aspects of the plot that I love. Occasionally I succeeded, but unfortunately more often than not my attention was dragged back to things that really annoyed me.For instance, the way the book dealt with race and servants. I know I shouldn't judge it by modern standards, but it was hard not to get irritated at the way poor Becky was treated - even by those who were supposedly kind to her. Similarly, it was difficult not to be disgusted by the descriptions of India and its inhabitants, and Sara's reflection that they were once her slaves - this, coming from a supposedly noble girl!Which brings me to Sara herself. The little princess drove me nuts. Which in itself annoyed me - I wanted to like her SO badly (She reads! She loves stories and imagining things! She's smart! She's brave!) - but the more time I spent with her, the more I disliked her. She was just so perfect that she didn't seem real; on the rare occasions she showed "wickedness" (the few times I started to like her again), she quickly reined herself in. I know she's supposed to be an admirable character, with traits to aspire to, and I did like the message that positive thinking and kindness can be their own rewards, but it was just rammed down my throat so hard that I almost sympathised with the awful Miss Minchin. Who could blame her for wanting to bring Little Miss Perfect down a peg or two?!I feel terrible saying all this because, like I said, I loved the story growing up and I'm surprised at how little I loved it after finally reading it. Of course, it wasn't awful - there's still the magic and whimsy there, and the story itself is enchanting. But with such an archetypal heroine, what should have been just my cup of tea was way too sweet for my tastes.
    • 5/5
      This book means so much to me. It's one of the few books to deal with make-believe in a respectful, realistic, and positive way. It's also a wonderful book in that it doesn't sugar-coat the life of a child into idyllic scenes without pain or hardship--a very good thing for children of broken homes to find solace and a strong, capable heroine. True, the ending of the story is rather neat; but a happy ending does not mean the story is without worth and value. Sara was and still is my hero, showing me that even with nothing I still had stories to help me through, that kindness and royalty are a way of life, and that everyone is a story.
    • 5/5
      I read this book aloud to my daughters.We loved it! I don't remember reading this one as a child, so it was a new one for me.Sara Crewe is such an inspiration to all young girls! Even when she was treated horribly by Miss Minchin and some of the other girls, she still carried herself with dignity and respect. I had tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat when I read how she gave five of her buns to the beggar girl on the street and kept only one for herself. What kindness and generosity!This book is a treasure. This book teaches the values that I want my girls to have. This is a classic to keep and read again!
    • 5/5
      A little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett is the touching tale of Sara Crewe, a seven year old who has been treated like a princess all her life by her doting father. The story begins where Sara and her father are arriving in London after traveling all the way from India, where she has lived all her life. Her father, a rich Englishman, wants his little daughter to go to a boarding school back home in England. Thus begins this story, which is at times tragic and at other times sweet. Life is not always a bed of roses for little Sara and she soon learns the value of kindness, fantasy and her own inner strength. Later in the story Sara receives news that her father has died and is cast aside by those who used to treat her like royalty, she befriends a little girl who is a servant at the school and goes through hard times and some pretty amazing times as well before she finds what she is looking for. This is a beautifully crafted story for all children to read, it deals with issues that still touch our everyday lives and is told in a tasteful and exciting manner so that the reader’s attention is always completely on the book. This jewel should be in the book collection of all little readers. I give it five stars.
    • 5/5
      One of my favorite books and movies! Brings back lots of great memories!
    • 4/5
      A nostalgic re-read of this feel-good children's book. I wonder how many years it is since I last read this book? It was great to meet Sara in the attic again, as well as her friends Becky and Ermengarde and the monkey. I have just finished a nostalgic re-read of this feel-good children's book.
    • 4/5
      A few months ago I had a sudden memory of a TV-series I liked as a child. Unfortunately I did not remember much of the plot, except that it was about a girl living in some form of orphanage, apparently poor and with a doll as company. Then a little while later, someone mentioned this book. So, I went to check it out. Now, after I read it, I am 99% sure the TV-series was based on this book.And what a delightful little book it is. Frances Hodgson Burnett actually wrote three versions of this story; a novella published as a series in a magazine, a play, and a novel. The reason she rewrote it, was that more and more of Sara Crewe’s story appeared to her while writing the play. Burnett was then asked by her publishers to write “the whole story of Sara Crewe”.Sara Crewe grew up in India with her father, Captain Crewe. Even though they were immensely rich, it was her father’s opinion that India was no places for children to live. Since Sara’s mother was already dead, she was placed in Miss Minchin’s Select Seminary for Young Ladies. There, Sara acted as the show pupil, until her father died and left her with no money. Miss Minchin made her a little servant, letting her share the cold attic with poor Becky. Sara is left with nothing but her doll Emily and her vivid imagination to cope with her new life. This story is lovely, enchanting, heart wrecking and warm all at once. Definitely a must read for young girls who like to pretend, who have colourful imaginations or who wants to be a princess. I particularly liked this following quote, which I presume most of you will think familiar. Never did she find anything so difficult as to keep herself from losing her temper when was suddenly disturbed while absorbed in a book. People who are fond of books know the feeling of irritation which sweeps over them at such a moment. The temptation to be unreasonable and snappish is one not easy to manage.
    • 4/5
      It is always difficult for me to read a book after already seeing the movie. Especially in this case where the girls are physically so different. I kept picturing the girl from the movie. I am, however, really glad I read it because there are quite a few differences from the movie. I loved how imaginative Sara is and how well she handled all of the horrible things that happened to her. It is a wonderful book for any young girl to read.
    • 4/5
      I absolutely adored The Secret Garden, so I read this, too. When one is a girl, one can believe such fantasies.
    • 5/5
      One of my all-time favorites, I give this book to every little girl. Ms. Hodgson Burnett tells a beautiful tale of Sara Crewe, a rich girl whose father leaves her at a boarding school while he goes off to war. She is treated like a princess because of her money, which makes some girls like her very much and others not at all. But when her father is presumed dead and funds dry up, all of her beautiful things are taken from her, she is moved to the attic and made to work. A secret benefactor, true friends and a magical tale makes this a charming novel, full of wonderful lessons every little girl should learn.
    • 5/5
      so good! I remember loving my mom reading this to my sister and I when we were younger.
    • 5/5
      I recently bought myself a new copy of A Little Princess. My original copy is at my mother's house, boxed up with a lot of other books in the attic. As I remember it's somewhat dog-chewed. My girlhood dog, Cindy, a black standard poodle, had an unerring feel for which things to chew up for maximum effect. She'd get mad, she'd chew up your favorite stuff and leave it in the entryway. She was a great dog, though. In any event, during the time after my father's diagnosis of cancer and before it became clear that he was going to die very quickly I bought and read this book. I loved that I was able to find such a beautiful edition with the essential Tasha Tudor illustrations (it wouldn't be the same book without them in the same way that Arthur Rackham's illustrations for Wind in the Willows are the only correct ones - for me at least).I know I'm supposed to care that this book is firmly rooted in British imperialism and full of various stereotypes of Indian people and the lower classes, but I just don't. I prefer to consider it within the context of the time it was written (early 20th century) and read it for the joy of the story - I don't think a cleansing is required.I love A Secret Garden (I'm going to need a new copy of it, too), but I always liked A Little Princess more. There's something so appealing about Sara Crewe who loves to read and tell stories and uses her imagination to get her through the terrible time after her father's death when she is turned into a ward of her boarding school and horribly mistreated. She's not saccharine-sweet, either. She gets angry and has harsh words and is afraid and cries, but she embodies the notion that emotions are neutral - it's what you do with them that counts. There is an elegant nobility about her that shines throughout the book. It makes her very real and very admirable.The story is pretty standard Gothic fare - the evil headmistress, the orphaned child turned into a slave and mistreated, the father's friend recovering from illness and searching for the heroine. Burnett's addition of fairy tale imagery and Tasha Tudor's beautiful illustrations elevate the tale into a true classic.This book was a favorite of my childhood and a huge comfort to me in a time of uncertainty. It remains a favorite.
    • 4/5
      Sara Crewe is the adored young daughter of a wealthy English officer serving in India. When he finally decides to send her to a London boarding school, it's hard on them both, but Sara is a resilient and charming child and does well there. When her father dies and she is reduced from favored student to ill-treated servant, her resilience and her talent for "pretending" become more important than ever.I've loved A Little Princess since I was young. If I read it for the first time now, I probably wouldn't care for it much; Sara is practically a paragon, Miss Minchin is a little over-the-top, and many of the minor characters are rather one-dimensional. But it's still a lovely book that I enjoy just as much every time I read it.
    • 4/5
      A Little Princess is a classic story of a rich little girl who is put under the care of a bitter, selfish schoolhouse matron. At first, the girl is treated as a star pupil; but when her father dies a ruined man, she is cruelly forced to become a servant of the schoolhouse—but her sweet, vibrant nature keeps her alive during these hard times. I have seen quite a few movie adaptations, but the book is much better than the movies. This is a good book for people of all ages to read.
    • 4/5
      I had to read this after seen France Hodgson Burnett mentioned in The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. It was a sweet story about a little girl whose father lived in India and sent her to school back in England. Sort of a reverse rags to riches story. Dad loses his money, then dies and the little girl is forced to become a servant. But she is apparently so sweet that almost everyone still loves her. Finally she is adopted by the dad's very rich friend. Very sweet, very predictable, but definitely one of those books you need to read.
    • 5/5
      During a week when I was very sick, my mom read this story to me. I had chosen the big, enhanced version of this story complete with beautifully detailed pictures. This story insipred me as I watched a young girl with nothing take whatever came her way and make something beautiful out of it. The twist in the end is sure to fill a few hearts as well.
    • 5/5
      Book downloaded from gutenberg.org

      The other night I was thinking of movies and remembered loving the Shirley Temple movie about a little orpan girl and I wanted to watch it again..I couldn't for the lift of me remember the name of the movie so I spent some time googling and realized that not only was it a movie I wanted to see but a book I would probably enjoy as well. When I saw the publication date was more than 70 years ago I decided to see if gutenberg.org had a copy of it while I wait for my hardcopy to arrive. I downloaded it Sunday afternoon and have been reading it every spare moment that I can use my home computer.

      The book is so much better than I remember the movie being (which isn't saying much since it's been 15 years since I last watched it), but I plan on watching both the original & the new version of the movie sometime after I finish the book.

    • 3/5
      This classic of children’s literature tells the story of Sara Crewe, the only daughter of a wealthy military man and his deceased French wife. Because her papa is stationed in India and Sara is getting to an age where she requires more formal education, Captain Crewe places her at Miss Minchin’s Select Seminary for Young Ladies in London. It will be a trial to be separated, but they will both be brave and soldier on. Sara is to have every comfort and quite a few extravagances, because she is so very dear to her father. Tragedy strikes while Sara and her papa are separated, and her circumstances are drastically altered. Still, she continues to conduct herself in the gracious and somewhat regal manner befitting a princess. Her imagination, determination, intelligence, kindness to others and indominatable spirit see her through.It’s a lovely story for children. Originally published in 1905, it may be dated for today’s youth. Still, I think this will still hold great appeal for the target group – young girls, ages 5-8, would probably enjoy it most. It’s been filmed a couple of times. I fondly remember the Shirley Temple version (though the ending was different).The audio book is perfectly performed by Justine Eyre. She has just the right tones for both the children (though her voice for Sara sounds a bit “old” to my ear) and the adults in the story. I love her Becky! Her enthusiasm when Sara is spinning her stories is infectious; you can really hear how the little girls listening to Sara would be totally caught up in the fantasy.
    • 5/5
      Sara Crewe is a very rich little girl lived in India.Her father takes her to Miss Minchin's school in London.but,on her eleventh birthday,her father dies.I love this story in japanese.Sara hadn't been depressed.so whenever i read this story,this story cheers me up.
    • 4/5
      What I like best about this novel is that Sara has figured out, from a very young age, that what really matters is what you are inside, not what you have or do. The outside of the story - the "cinderella" story, if you will - is entertaining and somewhat colored by fantasy, but the message is what makes the story stand out. I love that Sara is so kind to those whom everyone else overlooks.
    • 5/5
      This book is first off beautifully written and has a wonderful ending. One thing I liked about it was that even though Sara had a lot of money in the beginning she did not act it, she didn't brag about her money or flounce her beautiful dresses, and to top it off she also gave money to the poor and was nice to all pupils even Becky the scullery maid. And when she lost all her money and had to live in the attic and run long errands in bad weather she didn't complain about it. Overall it is a fabulous book that everyone should read at least once in their lifetime.
    • 5/5
      This is the absolute perfect little-girl princess read. While today the "princess" idea targeted at tweens is a bratty sorority girl who gets everything she wants, this character is the exact opposite. The book is very well written, charming, and beautiful. Younger readers will love it, but most likely find themselves unable to get through it alone (the book is about 300 pages and written a bit fancily). It's a perfect read-aloud or first "big read" for a young girl.Every little girl should read this book growing up!
    • 3/5
      As you may expect from any book written for children in the nineteenth century, A Little Princess is a little bit twee and a little bit sentimental - and it has the unlikely kind of fairy-tale ending that would make Dickens himself feel proud. Still, it is well-written and charming in its way, and very likeable.(Incidentally, the reason I picked up this book is that Jacqueline Wilson mentions it in her own novel, Cookie. It's probably not stretching things too far to say that Frances Hodgson Burnett was the Jacqueline Wilson of her day - at least insofar as they both write about girls surviving under difficult circumstances.)
    • 5/5
      I first read this book when I was seven years old, and I have loved it ever since. Unfortunately, I lost my copy of the book several years ago, and I had never gotten around to buying another one. But when I saw that it was free at the Kindle store, this book became the first one that I downloaded on my new Kindle. :)This story is still one of my very favorites. Sure, the ending is a little too saccharine and unbelievable, but that's still part of its charm to me. Sara is one of the most memorable heroines I've ever read about; she has the fortitude to survive a horrible situation without losing her moral fiber or character. Even though she suffers greatly, she still thinks of others before herself. Heck, I still think of her as something of a role model, and she's only seven years old at the beginning of the book!Even though the language is definitely a bit dated, I still think that this classic is enjoyable for today's readers. Once my niece is old enough to understand the story, I plan on buying her a copy of this book to read!
    • 4/5
      Sara Crewe is a very rich girl .She lived in India.One day her father die in India. She has no money.This story made me happy.I thought friend is very important.I thought this book worth reading.
    • 3/5
      Sara is very rich girl.She is ten years.She enter Miss Minchin's school.She is gave special treatment.But oneday,her father die because of disease.she has no money.her life quite change,but she lives hard.It is moving story.
    • 5/5
      The girl named sara was rich girl at first.But her father died suddenly.And she became poor.She had to wark from morning till night as servant.One day she met a man.He is a very kind.And he is...This story made me happy.This book worth reading!
    • 5/5
      Sara Crew arrives at boarding school rich and pampered. She has more dresses and dolls than any of the other girls combined, yet she is more than willing to share and she shares often. She even makes friends with the scullery maid, Becky. When her father dies suddenly and Sara is left penniless, she is forced to turn over all her lovely things and live in the attic as a scullery maid. The other girls will not even talk to her anymore, and she must now rely on her imagination to see her through the long, cold days and nights. When a sickly stranger moves into the house next door, Sara's fortunes look as if they might improve and she is in for an unexpected surprise, as is everyone else.This was another favorite of mine as a child. I couldn't get enough of the "riches to rags and back again" story. It is all about making the best of one's situation and always having a bright outlook on life, no matter how bleak your situation. I think my favorite scene from the book is when Sara finds her dingy attic room made-over.
    • 5/5
      I adore this novel and am so very glad I found it. Anyone that has not listened to a librivox recording of some of the mighty classics is missing something very special. I listen while doing mundane chores at home and at work. A Little Princess was a priceless tale that I hope to enjoy for years to come. Like The Secret Garden, this story holds magic, whimsy and important lessons with in it. Frances Hodgson Burnett has quickly and quietly slipped in to hold the title as my Favortie Classic Author.

    Book preview

    A Little Princess - Frances Hodgson Burnett

    A French Lesson

    When Sara entered the school-room the next morning everybody looked at her with wide, interested eyes. By that time every pupil—from Lavinia Herbert, who was nearly thirteen and felt quite grown up, to Lottie Legh, who was only just four and the baby of the school—had heard a great deal about her. They knew very certainly that she was Miss Minchin’s show pupil and was considered a credit to the establishment. One or two of them had even caught a glimpse of her French maid, Mariette, who had arrived the evening before. Lavinia had managed to pass Sara’s room when the door was open, and had seen Mariette opening a box which had arrived late from some shop.

    It was full of petticoats with lace frills on them—frills and frills, she whispered to her friend Jessie as she bent over her geography. I saw her shaking them out. I heard Miss Minchin say to Miss Amelia that her clothes were so grand that they were ridiculous for a child. My mamma says that children should be dressed simply. She has got one of those petticoats on now. I saw it when she sat down.

    She has silk stockings on! whispered Jessie, bending over her geography also. And what little feet! I never saw such little feet.

    Oh, sniffed Lavinia, spitefully, that is the way her slippers are made. My mamma says that even big feet can be made to look small if you have a clever shoemaker. I don’t think she is pretty at all. Her eyes are such a queer color.

    She isn’t pretty as other pretty people are, said Jessie, stealing a glance across the room; but she makes you want to look at her again. She has tremendously long eyelashes, but her eyes are almost green.

    Sara was sitting quietly in her seat, waiting to be told what to do. She had been placed near Miss Minchin’s desk. She was not abashed at all by the many pairs of eyes watching her. She was interested and looked back quietly at the children who looked at her. She wondered what they were thinking of, and if they liked Miss Minchin, and if they cared for their lessons, and if any of them had a papa at all like her own. She had had a long talk with Emily about her papa that morning.

    He is on the sea now, Emily, she had said. We must be very great friends to each other and tell each other things. Emily, look at me. You have the nicest eyes I ever saw—but I wish you could speak.

    She was a child full of imaginings and whimsical thoughts, and one of her fancies was that there would be a great deal of comfort in even pretending that Emily was alive and really heard and understood. After Mariette had dressed her in her dark-blue school-room frock and tied her hair with a dark-blue ribbon, she went to Emily, who sat in a chair of her own, and gave her a book.

    You can read that while I am downstairs, she said; and, seeing Mariette looking at her curiously, she spoke to her with a serious little face.

    What I believe about dolls, she said, is that they can do things they will not let us know about. Perhaps, really, Emily can read and talk and walk, but she will only do it when people are out of the room. That is her secret. You see, if people knew that dolls could do things, they would make them work. So, perhaps, they have promised each other to keep it a secret. If you stay in the room, Emily will just sit there and stare; but if you go out, she will begin to read, perhaps, or go and look out of the window. Then if she heard either of us coming, she would just run back and jump into her chair and pretend she had been there all the time.

    Comme elle est drôle! Mariette said to herself, and when she went downstairs she told the head housemaid about it. But she had already begun to like this odd little girl who had such 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 school-room 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 courtesy, and then they sat down and looked at each other again.

    Sara, said Miss Minchin in her school-room 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 père meant the father, and la mère 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 frère 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 sorry of that, mademoiselle, he said kindly to Sara. Perhaps, when we begin to study together, I may show you that it is a charming tongue.

    Little Sara rose in her seat. She was beginning to feel rather desperate, as if she were almost in disgrace. She looked up into Monsieur Dufarge’s face with her big, green-gray eyes, and they were quite innocently appealing. She knew that he would understand as soon as she spoke. She began to explain quite simply in pretty and fluent French. Madame had not understood. She had not learned French exactly—not out of books—but her papa and other people had always spoken it to her, and she had read it and written it as she had read and written English. Her papa loved it, and she loved it because he did. Her dear mamma, who had died when she was born, had been French. She would be glad to learn anything monsieur would teach her, but what she had tried to explain to madame was that she already knew the words in this book—and she held out the little book of phrases.

    When she began to speak Miss Minchin started quite violently and sat staring at her over her eye-glasses, almost indignantly, until she had finished. Monsieur Dufarge began to smile, and his smile was one of great pleasure. To hear this pretty childish voice speaking his own language so simply and charmingly made him feel almost as if he were in his native land—which in dark, foggy days in London sometimes seemed worlds away. When she had finished, he took the phrase book from her, with a look almost affectionate. But he spoke to Miss Minchin.

    Ah, madame, he said, there is not much I can teach her. She has not learned French; she is French. Her accent is exquisite.

    You ought to have told me, exclaimed Miss Minchin, much mortified, turning to Sara.

    I—I tried, said Sara. I—I suppose I did not begin right.

    Miss Minchin knew she had tried, and that it had not been her fault that she was not allowed to explain. And when she saw that the pupils had been listening and that Lavinia and Jessie were giggling behind their French grammars, she felt infuriated.

    Silence, young ladies! she said severely, rapping upon the desk. Silence at once!

    And she began from that minute to feel rather a grudge against her show pupil.

    Ermengarde

    On that first morning, when Sara sat at Miss Minchin’s side, aware that the whole school-room was devoting itself to observing her, she had noticed very soon one little girl, about her own age, who looked at her very hard with a pair of light, rather dull, blue eyes. She was a fat child who did not look as if she were in the least clever, but she had a good-naturedly pouting mouth. Her flaxen hair was braided in a tight pigtail, tied with a ribbon, and she had pulled this pigtail around her neck, and was biting the end of the ribbon, resting her elbows on the desk, as she stared wonderingly at the new pupil. When Monsieur Dufarge began to speak to Sara, she looked a little frightened; and when Sara stepped forward and, looking at him with the innocent, appealing eyes, answered him, without any warning, in French, the fat little girl gave a startled jump, and grew quite red in her awed amazement. Having wept hopeless tears for weeks in her efforts to remember that la mère meant the mother, and le père, the father,—when one spoke sensible English—it was almost too much for her suddenly to find herself listening to a child her own age who seemed not only quite familiar with these words, but apparently knew any number of others, and could mix them up with verbs as if they were mere trifles.

    She stared so hard and bit the ribbon on her pigtail so fast that she attracted the attention of Miss Minchin, who, feeling extremely cross at the moment, immediately pounced upon her.

    Miss St. John! she exclaimed severely. What do you mean by such conduct? Remove your elbows! Take your ribbon out of your mouth! Sit up at once!

    Upon which Miss St. John gave another jump, and when Lavinia and Jessie tittered she became redder than ever—so red, indeed, that she almost looked as if tears were coming into her poor, dull, childish eyes; and Sara saw her and was so sorry for her that she began rather to like her and want to be her friend. It was a way of hers always to want to spring into any fray in which someone was made uncomfortable or unhappy.

    If Sara had been a boy and lived a few centuries ago, her father used to say, she would have gone about the country with her sword drawn, rescuing and defending everyone in distress. She always wants to fight when she sees people in trouble.

    So she took rather a fancy to fat, slow, little Miss St. John, and kept glancing toward her through the morning. She saw that lessons were no easy matter to her, and that there was no danger of her ever being spoiled by being treated as a show pupil. Her French lesson was a pathetic thing. Her pronunciation made even Monsieur Dufarge smile in spite of himself, and Lavinia and Jessie and the more fortunate girls either giggled or looked at her in wondering disdain. But Sara did not laugh. She tried to look as if she did not hear when Miss St. John called le bon pain, lee bong pang. She had a fine, hot little temper of her own, and it made her feel rather savage when she heard the titters and saw the poor, stupid, distressed child’s face.

    It isn’t funny, really, she said between her teeth, as she bent over her book. They ought not to laugh.

    When lessons were over and the pupils gathered together in groups to talk, Sara looked for Miss St. John, and finding her bundled rather disconsolately in a window-seat, she walked over to her and spoke. She only said the kind of thing little girls always say to each other by way of beginning an acquaintance, but there was something friendly about Sara, and people always felt it.

    What is your name? she said.

    To explain Miss St. John’s amazement one must recall that a new pupil is, for a short time, a somewhat uncertain thing; and of this new pupil the entire school had talked the night before until it fell asleep quite exhausted by excitement and contradictory stories. A new pupil with a carriage and a pony and a maid, and a voyage from India to discuss, was not an ordinary acquaintance.

    My name’s Ermengarde St. John, she answered.

    Mine is Sara Crewe, said Sara. Yours is very pretty. It sounds like a story book.

    Do you like it? fluttered Ermengarde. I—I like yours.

    Miss St. John’s chief trouble in life was that she had a clever father. Sometimes this seemed to her a dreadful calamity. If you have a father who knows everything, who speaks seven or eight languages, and has thousands of volumes which he has apparently learned by heart, he frequently expects you to be familiar with the contents of your lesson books at least; and it is not improbable that he will feel you ought to be able to remember a few incidents of history and to write a French exercise. Ermengarde was a severe trial to Mr. St. John. He could not understand how a child of his could be a notably and unmistakably dull creature who never shone in anything.

    Good heavens! he had said more than once, as he stared at her, there are times when I think she is as stupid as her Aunt Eliza!

    If her Aunt Eliza had been slow to learn and quick to forget a thing entirely when she had learned it, Ermengarde was strikingly like her. She was the monumental dunce of the school, and it could not be denied.

    She must be made to learn, her father said to Miss Minchin.

    Consequently Ermengarde spent the greater part of her life in disgrace or in tears. She learned things and forgot them; or, if she remembered them, she did not understand them. So it was natural that, having made Sara’s acquaintance, she should sit and stare at her with profound admiration.

    You can speak French, can’t you? she said respectfully.

    Sara got on to the window-seat, which was a big, deep one, and, tucking up her feet, sat with her hands clasped round her knees.

    I can speak it because I have heard it all my life, she answered. "You could speak it if you had always heard

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