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The Little Princess Chapter 3 - Ermengarde · The Frances Hodgson Burnett Library

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  Speaker 1: CHAPTER III. ERMENGUARD On that first morning when Sarah sat
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  Speaker 1: at Miss Minchin's side, aware that the whole schoolroom was
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  Speaker 1: devoting itself to observing her, she had noticed very soon
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  Speaker 1: one little girl, about her own age, who looked at
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  Speaker 1: her very hard with a pair of light, rather dull
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  Speaker 1: blue eyes. She was a fat child, who did not
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  Speaker 1: look as if she were in the least clever, but
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  Speaker 1: she had a good-naturedly pouting mouth. Her flaxen hair was
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  Speaker 1: braided in a tight pigtail tied with a ribbon, and
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  Speaker 1: she had pulled this pigtail around her neck and was
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  Speaker 1: biting the end of the ribbon, resting her elbows on
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  Speaker 1: the desk, as she stared wonderingly at the new pupil.
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  Speaker 1: When Monsieur Dufarge began to speak to Sarah, she looked
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  Speaker 1: a little frightened, and when Sarah stepped forward and, looking
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  Speaker 1: at him with the innocent appealing eyes, answered him without
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  Speaker 1: any warning in French, the fat little girl gave a
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  Speaker 1: startled jump and grew quite red in her awed amazement.
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  Speaker 1: Having wept hopeless tears for weeks in her efforts to
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  Speaker 1: remember that la mère meant the mother and le père
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  Speaker 1: the father, when one spoke sensible English, it was almost
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  Speaker 1: too much for her suddenly to find herself listening to
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  Speaker 1: a child her own age who seemed not only quite
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  Speaker 1: familiar with these words but apparently knew any number of others.
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  Speaker 1: and could mix them up with verbs, as if they
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  Speaker 1: were mere trifles. She stared so hard and bit the
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  Speaker 1: ribbon on her pigtail so fast that she attracted the
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  Speaker 1: attention of Miss Minchin, who, feeling extremely cross at the moment,
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  Speaker 1: immediately pounced upon her. Miss St. John, she exclaimed severely,
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  Speaker 1: what do you mean by such conduct? Remove your elbows,
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  Speaker 1: take your ribbon out of your mouth, sit up at once.
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  Speaker 1: Upon which Miss St. John gave another jump and when
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  Speaker 1: Lavinia and Jessie tittered, she became redder than ever. So red, indeed,
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  Speaker 1: that she almost looked as if tears were coming into
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  Speaker 1: her poor, dull, childish eyes. And Sarah saw her and
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  Speaker 1: was so sorry for her that she began rather to
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  Speaker 1: like her and want to be her friend. It was
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  Speaker 1: a way of hers always to want to spring into
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  Speaker 1: any fray in which someone was made uncomfortable or unhappy.
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  Speaker 1: If Sarah had been a boy and lived a few
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  Speaker 1: centuries ago, her father used to say, She would have
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  Speaker 1: gone about the country with her sword drawn, rescuing and
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  Speaker 1: defending everyone in distress. She always wants to fight when
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  Speaker 1: she sees people in trouble. So she took rather a
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  Speaker 1: fancy to fat, slow little Miss St. John and kept
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  Speaker 1: glancing toward her through the morning. She saw that lessons
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  Speaker 1: were no easy matter to her and that there was
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  Speaker 1: no danger of her ever being spoiled by being treated
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  Speaker 1: as a show pupil. Her French lesson was a pathetic thing.
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  Speaker 1: Her pronunciation made even Monsieur Dufarge smile in spite of himself,
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  Speaker 1: and Lavinia and Jessie and the more fortunate girls either
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  Speaker 1: giggled or looked at her in wondering disdain. But Sarah
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  Speaker 1: did not laugh. She tried to look as if she
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  Speaker 1: did not hear when Miss St. John called Le Bon Pain,
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  Speaker 1: Le Bon Pain. She had a fine, hot little temper
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  Speaker 1: of her own, and it made her feel rather savage
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  Speaker 1: when she heard the titters and saw the poor, stupid,
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  Speaker 1: distressed child's face. It isn't funny, really, she said between
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  Speaker 1: her teeth, as she bent over her book. They ought
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  Speaker 1: not to laugh. When lessons were over and the pupils
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  Speaker 1: gathered together in groups to talk, Sarah looked for Miss St. John,
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  Speaker 1: and finding her bundled rather disconsolately in a window seat,
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  Speaker 1: she walked over to her and spoke. She only said
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  Speaker 1: the kind of thing little girls always say to each
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  Speaker 1: other by way of beginning an acquaintance, but there was
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  Speaker 1: something friendly about Sarah. and people always felt it.' What
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  Speaker 1: is your name?' she said. To explain Miss St. John's amazement,
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  Speaker 1: one must recall that a new pupil is, for a
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  Speaker 1: short time, a somewhat uncertain thing, and of this new
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  Speaker 1: pupil the entire school had talked the night before until
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  Speaker 1: it fell asleep quite exhausted by excitement and contradictory stories.
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  Speaker 1: A new pupil with a carriage and a pony and
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  Speaker 1: a maid and a voyage from India to discuss— was
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  Speaker 1: not an ordinary acquaintance.' My name's Ermengarde St. John,' she said.'
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  Speaker 1: Mine is Sarah Crewe,' said Sarah.' Yours is very pretty.
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  Speaker 1: It sounds like a storybook.'' Do you like it?' fluttered Ermengarde.'
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  Speaker 1: I— I like yours.' Miss St. John's chief trouble in life
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  Speaker 1: was that she had a clever father. Sometimes this seemed
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  Speaker 1: to her a dreadful calamity. If you have a father
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  Speaker 1: who knows everything, who speaks seven or eight languages, and
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  Speaker 1: has thousands of volumes which he has apparently learned by heart,
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  Speaker 1: he frequently expects you to be familiar with the contents
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  Speaker 1: of your lesson-books, at least, and it is not improbable
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  Speaker 1: that he will feel you ought to be able to
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  Speaker 1: remember a few incidents of history and to write a
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  Speaker 1: French exercise. Ermengarde was a severe trial to Mr. St. John.
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  Speaker 1: He could not understand how a child of his could
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  Speaker 1: be a notably and unmistakably dull creature who never shone
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  Speaker 1: in anything.' Good heavens!' he had said more than once
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  Speaker 1: as he stared at her.' There are times when I
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  Speaker 1: think she is as stupid as her Aunt Eliza.' If
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  Speaker 1: her Aunt Eliza had been slow to learn and quick
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  Speaker 1: to forget a thing entirely when she had learned it,
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  Speaker 1: Ermengarde was strikingly like her. She was the monumental dunce
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  Speaker 1: of the school. and it could not be denied.' She
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  Speaker 1: must be made to learn,' her father said to Miss Minchin. Consequently,
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  Speaker 1: Ermengarde spent the greater part of her life in disgrace
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  Speaker 1: or in tears. She learned things and forgot them, or,
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  Speaker 1: if she remembered them, she did not understand them. So
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  Speaker 1: it was natural that, having made Sarah's acquaintance, she should
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  Speaker 1: sit and stare at her with profound admiration.' You can
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  Speaker 1: speak French,' Can't you? she said respectfully. Sarah got onto
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  Speaker 1: the window seat, which was a big, deep one, and,
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  Speaker 1: tucking up her feet, sat with her hands clasped round
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  Speaker 1: her knees. I can speak it because I have heard
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  Speaker 1: it all my life, she answered. You could speak it
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  Speaker 1: if you had always heard it. Oh, no, I couldn't,
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  Speaker 1: said Ermengarde. I never could speak it. Why? inquired Sarah, curiously.
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  Speaker 1: Ermengarde shook her head so that the pigtail wobbled.' You
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  Speaker 1: heard me just now,' she said.' I' m always like that.
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  Speaker 1: I can't say the words. They're so queer.' She paused
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  Speaker 1: a moment, and then added with a touch of awe
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  Speaker 1: in her voice,' You are clever, aren't you?' Sarah looked
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  Speaker 1: out of the window into the dingy square, where the
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  Speaker 1: sparrows were hopping and twittering on the wet iron railings
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  Speaker 1: and the sooty branches of the trees. She reflected a
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  Speaker 1: few moments. She had heard it said very often that
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  Speaker 1: she was clever, and she wondered if she was, and
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  Speaker 1: if she was, how it had happened. I don't know,
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  Speaker 1: she said. I can't tell. Then, seeing a mournful look
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  Speaker 1: on the round, chubby face, she gave a little laugh
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  Speaker 1: and changed the subject. Would you like to see Emily?
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  Speaker 1: she inquired. Who is Emily? Ermengarde asked. just as Miss
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  Speaker 1: Minchin had done.' Come up to my room and see,'
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  Speaker 1: said Sarah, holding out her hand. They jumped down from
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  Speaker 1: the window seat together and went upstairs.' Is it true?'
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  Speaker 1: Ermengarde whispered as they went through the hall.' Is it
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  Speaker 1: true that you have a playroom all to yourself?'' Yes,'
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  Speaker 1: Sarah answered.' Papa asked Miss Minchin to let me have
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  Speaker 1: one because—'' Well, it was because when I play—' I
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  Speaker 1: make up stories and tell them to myself, and I
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  Speaker 1: don't like people to hear me. It spoils it if
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  Speaker 1: I think people listen. They had reached the passage leading
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  Speaker 1: to Sarah's room by this time, and Ermengarde stopped short, staring,
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  Speaker 1: and quite losing her breath. You make up stories? she gasped.
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  Speaker 1: Can you do that, as well as speak French? Can you?
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  Speaker 1: Sarah looked at her in simple surprise. Why, anyone can
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  Speaker 1: make up things, she said. Have you never tried? She
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  Speaker 1: put her hand warningly on Ermengarde's. Let us go very
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  Speaker 1: quietly to the door, she whispered, and then I will
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  Speaker 1: open it suddenly. Perhaps we may catch her. She was
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  Speaker 1: half laughing, but there was a touch of mysterious hope
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  Speaker 1: in her eyes which fascinated Ermengarde, though she had not
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  Speaker 1: the remotest idea what it meant or whom it was
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  Speaker 1: she wanted to catch or why she wanted to catch her.
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  Speaker 1: Whatsoever she meant, Ermengarde was sure it was something delightfully exciting. So,
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  Speaker 1: quite thrilled with expectation, she followed her on tiptoe along
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  Speaker 1: the passage. They made not the least noise until they
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  Speaker 1: reached the door. Then Sarah suddenly turned the handle and
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  Speaker 1: threw it wide open. Its opening revealed the room quite
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  Speaker 1: neat and quiet, a fire gently burning in the grate,
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  Speaker 1: and a wonderful doll sitting in a chair by it,
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  Speaker 1: apparently reading a book.' Oh!' She got back to her
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  Speaker 1: seat before we could see her, Sarah explained. Of course
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  Speaker 1: they always do. They're as quick as lightning. Ermengarde looked
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  Speaker 1: from her to the doll and back again. Can she walk?
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  Speaker 1: she asked breathlessly. Yes, answered Sarah. At least I believe
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  Speaker 1: she can. At least I pretend I believe she can.
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  Speaker 1: And that makes it seem as if it were true.
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  Speaker 1: Have you never pretended things?'' No,' said Ermengarde.' Never. I—''
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  Speaker 1: Tell me about it.' She was so bewitched by this
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  Speaker 1: odd new companion that she actually stared at Sarah instead
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  Speaker 1: of at Emily.' notwithstanding that Emily was the most attractive
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  Speaker 1: doll person she had ever seen. Let us sit down,
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  Speaker 1: said Sarah, and I will tell you. It's so easy
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  Speaker 1: that when you begin you can't stop. You just go
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  Speaker 1: on and on doing it always. And it's beautiful. Emily,
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  Speaker 1: you must listen. This is Ermengarde St. John, Emily. Ermengarde,
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  Speaker 1: this is Emily. Would you like to hold her? Oh,
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  Speaker 1: may I? said Ermengarde. May I really? She is beautiful.
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  Speaker 1: And Emily was put into her arms. Never in her dull,
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  Speaker 1: short life had Miss St. John dreamed of such an
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  Speaker 1: hour as the one she spent with the queer new
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  Speaker 1: pupil before they heard the lunch bell ring and were
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  Speaker 1: obliged to go downstairs. Sarah sat upon the hearth-rug and
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  Speaker 1: told her strange things. She sat rather huddled up, and
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  Speaker 1: her green eyes shone and her cheeks flushed. She told
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  Speaker 1: stories of the voyage— and stories of India. But what
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  Speaker 1: fascinated Ermengarde the most was her fancy about the dolls
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  Speaker 1: who walked and talked and who could do anything they
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  Speaker 1: chose when the human beings were out of the room
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  Speaker 1: but who must keep their powers a secret and so
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  Speaker 1: flew back to their places like lightning when people returned
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  Speaker 1: to the room.' We couldn't do it,' said Sarah seriously.'
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  Speaker 1: You see, it's a kind of magic.' Once, when she
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  Speaker 1: was relating the story of the search for Emily—' Ermengarde
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  Speaker 1: saw her face suddenly change. A cloud seemed to pass
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  Speaker 1: over it and put out the light in her shining eyes.
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  Speaker 1: She drew her breath in so sharply that it made
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  Speaker 1: a funny, sad little sound, and then she shut her
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  Speaker 1: lips and held them tightly closed, as if she was
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  Speaker 1: determined either to do or not to do something. Ermengarde
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  Speaker 1: had an idea that if she had been like any
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  Speaker 1: other little girl, she might have suddenly burst out sobbing
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  Speaker 1: and crying. But she did not. Have you a... a pain?
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  Speaker 1: Ermengarde ventured. Yes, Sarah answered, after a moment's silence. But
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  Speaker 1: it is not in my body. Then she added something
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  Speaker 1: in a low voice, which she tried to keep quite steady,
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  Speaker 1: and it was this. Do you love your father more
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  Speaker 1: than anything else in all the whole world? Ermengarde's mouth
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  Speaker 1: fell open a little. She knew that it would be
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  Speaker 1: far from behaving like a respectable child at a select
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  Speaker 1: seminary to say that it had never occurred to you
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  Speaker 1: that you could love your father, that you would do
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  Speaker 1: anything desperate to avoid being left alone in his society
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  Speaker 1: for ten minutes. She was indeed greatly embarrassed. I... I
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  Speaker 1: scarcely ever see him, she stammered. He's always in the library,
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  Speaker 1: reading things. I love mine more than all the world
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  Speaker 1: ten times over, Sarah said, That is what my pain is.
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  Speaker 1: He has gone away. She put her head quietly down
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  Speaker 1: on her little huddled-up knees and sat very still for
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  Speaker 1: a few minutes. She's going to cry out loud, thought
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  Speaker 1: Ermengarde fearfully. But she did not. Her short black locks
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  Speaker 1: tumbled about her ears and she sat still. Then she
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  Speaker 1: spoke without lifting her head. I promised him I would
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  Speaker 1: bear it, she said, and I will. you have to
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  Speaker 1: bear things. Think what soldiers bear. Papa is a soldier.
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  Speaker 1: If there was a war, he would have to bear
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  Speaker 1: marching and thirstiness and perhaps deep wounds. And he would
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  Speaker 1: never say a word, not one word. Ermengarde could only
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  Speaker 1: gaze at her, but she felt that she was beginning
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  Speaker 1: to adore her. She was so wonderful and different from
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  Speaker 1: anyone else. Presently she lifted her face, and shook back
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  Speaker 1: her black locks with a queer little smile. If I
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  Speaker 1: go on talking and talking, she said, and telling you
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  Speaker 1: things about pretending, I shall bear it better. You don't forget,
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  Speaker 1: but you bear it better. Ermengarde did not know why
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  Speaker 1: a lump came into her throat, and her eyes felt
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  Speaker 1: as if tears were in them. Lavinia and Jessie are
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  Speaker 1: best friends, she said rather huskily. I wish we could
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  Speaker 1: be best friends. Would you have me for yours? You're
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  Speaker 1: clever and I'm the stupidest child in the school, but I... Oh,
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  Speaker 1: I do so like you. I'm glad of that, said Sarah.
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  Speaker 1: It makes you thankful when you are liked. Yes, we
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  Speaker 1: will be friends. And I'll tell you what. A sudden
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  Speaker 1: gleam lighting her face. I can help you with your
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  Speaker 1: French lessons. End of chapter three.