Маленька принцеса
A French Lesson
"Commeelleestdrole!"Mariettesaidtoherself,andwhenshewentdownstairsshetoldtheheadhousemaidaboutit.Butshehadalreadybeguntolikethisoddlittlegirlwhohadsuchanintelligentsmallfaceandsuchperfectmanners.Shehadtakencareofchildrenbeforewhowerenotsopolite.Sarawasaveryfinelittleperson,andhadagentle,appreciativewayofsaying,"Ifyouplease,Mariette,""Thankyou,Mariette,"whichwasverycharming.Mariettetoldtheheadhousemaidthatshethankedherasifshewasthankingalady.
"Elleal’aird’uneprincesse,cettepetite,"shesaid.Indeed,shewasverymuchpleasedwithhernewlittlemistressandlikedherplacegreatly.
AfterSarahadsatinherseatintheschoolroomforafewminutes,beinglookedatbythepupils,MissMinchinrappedinadignifiedmanneruponherdesk.
"Youngladies,"shesaid,"Iwishtointroduceyoutoyournewcompanion."Allthelittlegirlsroseintheirplaces,andSararosealso."IshallexpectyoualltobeveryagreeabletoMissCrewe;shehasjustcometousfromagreatdistance—infact,fromIndia.Assoonaslessonsareoveryoumustmakeeachother’sacquaintance."
Thepupilsbowedceremoniously,andSaramadealittlecurtsy,andthentheysatdownandlookedateachotheragain.
"Sara,"saidMissMinchininherschoolroommanner,"comeheretome."
Shehadtakenabookfromthedeskandwasturningoveritsleaves.Sarawenttoherpolitely.
"AsyourpapahasengagedaFrenchmaidforyou,"shebegan,"IconcludethathewishesyoutomakeaspecialstudyoftheFrenchlanguage."
