Chapter 7 The Little Girl Who Was Not a Beggar.
After he had gone, Sarah stood in the middle of her room and let all sorts of memories wash over her.
The lascar had brought them back for her, especially when he had spoken to her so nicely, as though she were still a little princess and had a divine right to her place in the world.
While some of her make-believe stories had come back to her in these recent hard days and indeed had saved her life, she thought there had been one pretend that she still could not bring back to life.
And that was the princess pretend.
Not even an expert pretender, she had thought, could make that one real in her present situation.
But somehow, seeing the Lascar and the monkey made her strong once again.
Even if I am a pretend princess in rags and tatters, she thought I can still be a true princess inside.
And from then on, that's what she did.
When someone treated her rudely, Sarah would simply fix her eyes upon them and smile.
You don't know that you are saying and doing these things to a princess, she would think to herself.
If I chose to, I could send you off to jail with a wave of my hand.
I spare you only because I am a princess and because you are a poor stupid, mean old thing who doesn't know any better.
One time when Sarah was thinking these things, Miss Mention almost seemed to read her mind.
For some reason that Miss Mention herself was unaware of, she reached out and boxed Sarah's ears in full view of the other girls.
"'Sister,' Miss Amelia was in shock.
It seemed to her that Sarah had just been standing there doing nothing, and while her sister often boxed Sarah's ears, and Becky's too, never had she done so in the schoolroom.
"'Why did you do that?
Did Sarah say something smart-mouthed?'
"'Well, no,' Miss Minchin admitted, "'but she was thinking of something, I'm sure of it.'
Her eyes turned to slits as she stared at Sarah.
You were thinking something rude.
Confess it.
I was, Sarah said steadily.
How dare you think, Miss Minchin screeched.
This was such a silly remark that a few of the girls started to giggle.
Miss Minchin turned red.
I mean, she corrected herself.
What were you thinking?
Sarah thought perhaps it would be dangerous to reply to Miss Mention, but felt it her duty to give an honest answer.
I was wondering how you would feel she began in a slow, serious way if you found out that I really was a princess.
I wondered if you would feel scared or regret the fact that you had kept a true princess up in your attic and had been treating her ill the whole time.
All the other girls were listening closely.
Not a sound could be heard as they waited with keen interest for Miss Minchin's answer through to your room this instant.
Miss Minchin cried out of breath.
She felt as though she might faint.
How could she feel so defeated by such an uppity little girl?
She became enraged and could no longer control it.
She turned to the students.
And you, young ladies, attend to your lessons.
Did you see her proud little face?
Jessie said to Lavinia, who seemed as oddly stirred by Sarah's comment as Miss Mention was.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if she did turn out to be someone important.
I almost hope she does.
One evening, a very strange thing happened.
The large children were going to a party.
They were getting into their carriage when Sarah passed by.
Veronica Eustacia Large and Rosalind Gladys Large.
Sarah had made up these names in lovely dresses with sashes, had just climbed into the carriage with little guy Clarence Large, aged five, behind them.
He was such a cute little boy, with rosy chubby cheeks and blue eyes that Sarah forgot about her basket and her shabby odd appearance.
Instead of hurrying past, as she had lately been doing in public, she paused to look at Guy Clarence for a moment.
Guy Clarence looked right back.
It was Christmastime and his parents had told him that there were poor children in the world who had no lovely Christmas presents or warm and delicious Christmas dinners.
This story had made Guy Clarence so sad that he had vowed to find one such poor child and give her the coins he had been keeping in his pocket.
Guy Clarence didn't know much about money.
He thought that his small treasure might make someone rich and generous little soul that he was, he was glad to do it, and Sarah seemed like the perfect choice.
Here, my poor little girl, Guy Clarence said, reaching into his pocket for the coins.
Here are my life savings.
I'll give them to you.
Sarah blinked and all at once realized that she looked like the poor beggar children she had seen in her better days.
Her face turned red and then pale.
Oh, no, she replied.
I mean, thank you, but no, I simply couldn't accept it.
Her voice was so, unlike an ordinary poor beggar child, that Veronica Eustacia, whose real name was Janet, and Rosalind Gladys, who was really Nora, leaned forward to listen.
Please listen, poor little beggar girl, Guy Clarence pleaded.
His lower lip shook, and somewhat lottie-like, he looked as if he might start to cry.
You can buy food with it.
Aren't you hungry?
Little did he know that what she really hungered for, even more than food, was the warm and merry life that the large children enjoyed.
But...
Sarah was hungry and Guy Clarence was so well-meaning and kind that she knew it would be impolite to refuse him.
So she reached out, took the coins and put them into her pocket, along with her pride.
Thank you, Guy Clarence, she said, giving him a little hug.
You are a kind, darling little boy.
And with that, she rushed away, blinking back her tears as she went.
Why did she call me Guy Clarence? the boy asked.
His real name was Donald.
And why did she speak so nicely?
Janet asked.
A beggar girl would have said, "'Thank you kindly, sir,' grabbed the coins and perhaps bobbed a little curtsy.
"'I think she's a servant at that school in the square,' Nora said.
"'But she is surely not a beggar, however shabby she looks.'
From then on, the large family became just as interested in Sarah as she was in them.
Not knowing her real name, either, they dubbed her the little girl who is not a beggar.
