Маленька принцеса
In the Attic
Butthetimecamewhenshesawthatnoonewassoftenedatall;andthemorewillingshewastodoasshewastold,themoredomineeringandexactingcarelesshousemaidsbecame,andthemorereadyascoldingcookwastoblameher.
Ifshehadbeenolder,MissMinchinwouldhavegivenherthebiggergirlstoteachandsavedmoneybydismissinganinstructress;butwhilesheremainedandlookedlikeachild,shecouldbemademoreusefulasasortoflittlesuperiorerrandgirlandmaidofallwork.Anordinaryerrandboywouldnothavebeensocleverandreliable.Saracouldbetrustedwithdifficultcommissionsandcomplicatedmessages.Shecouldevengoandpaybills,andshecombinedwiththistheabilitytodustaroomwellandtosetthingsinorder.
Herownlessonsbecamethingsofthepast.Shewastaughtnothing,andonlyafterlongandbusydaysspentinrunninghereandthereateverybody’sorderswasshegrudginglyallowedtogointothedesertedschoolroom,withapileofoldbooks,andstudyaloneatnight.
"IfIdonotremindmyselfofthethingsIhavelearned,perhapsImayforgetthem,"shesaidtoherself."Iamalmostascullerymaid,andifIamascullerymaidwhoknowsnothing,IshallbelikepoorBecky.IwonderifIcouldQUITEforgetandbegintodropmyH’SandnotrememberthatHenrytheEighthhadsixwives."
Oneofthemostcuriousthingsinhernewexistencewasherchangedpositionamongthepupils.Insteadofbeingasortofsmallroyalpersonageamongthem,shenolongerseemedtobeoneoftheirnumberatall.Shewaskeptsoconstantlyatworkthatshescarcelyeverhadanopportunityofspeakingtoanyofthem,andshecouldnotavoidseeingthatMissMinchinpreferredthatsheshouldlivealifeapartfromthatoftheoccupantsoftheschoolroom.
