Маленькая принцесса
In the Attic
"Shemustbeginassheistogoon,"MissMinchinsaidtoMissAmelia."Shemustbetaughtatoncewhatsheistoexpect."
Mariettehadleftthehousethenextmorning.TheglimpseSaracaughtofhersittingroom,asshepasseditsopendoor,showedherthateverythinghadbeenchanged.Herornamentsandluxurieshadbeenremoved,andabedhadbeenplacedinacornertotransformitintoanewpupil’sbedroom.
WhenshewentdowntobreakfastshesawthatherseatatMissMinchin’ssidewasoccupiedbyLavinia,andMissMinchinspoketohercoldly.
"Youwillbeginyournewduties,Sara,"shesaid,"bytakingyourseatwiththeyoungerchildrenatasmallertable.Youmustkeepthemquiet,andseethattheybehavewellanddonotwastetheirfood.Yououghttohavebeendownearlier.Lottiehasalreadyupsethertea."
Thatwasthebeginning,andfromdaytodaythedutiesgiventoherwereaddedto.ShetaughttheyoungerchildrenFrenchandheardtheirotherlessons,andtheseweretheleastofherlabors.Itwasfoundthatshecouldbemadeuseofinnumberlessdirections.Shecouldbesentonerrandsatanytimeandinallweathers.Shecouldbetoldtodothingsotherpeopleneglected.ThecookandthehousemaidstooktheirtonefromMissMinchin,andratherenjoyedorderingaboutthe"youngone"whohadbeenmadesomuchfussoverforsolong.Theywerenotservantsofthebestclass,andhadneithergoodmannersnorgoodtempers,anditwasfrequentlyconvenienttohaveathandsomeoneonwhomblamecouldbelaid.
Duringthefirstmonthortwo,Sarathoughtthatherwillingnesstodothingsaswellasshecould,andhersilenceunderreproof,mightsoftenthosewhodrovehersohard.Inherproudlittleheartshewantedthemtoseethatshewastryingtoearnherlivingandnotacceptingcharity.
