7. the Diamond Mines Again

    ered ternoon, s of procession. Miss Minc silk dress, led  folloaining t Doll, a  up to enter in t Miss Minc for er an intervieting room, had expressed her wishes.

    quot;t an ordinary occasion,quot; s;I do not desire t it sreated as one.quot;

    So Sara  sry, tared at ouctle ones began to squirm joyously in ts.

    quot;Silence, young ladies!quot; said Miss Minc t;James, place table and remove t yours upon a c; suddenly and severely.

    Becky e forgotten ement, and  Lottie, ation. S dropped artled ened, bobbing curtsy of apology  Lavinia and Jessie tittered.

    quot;It is not your place to look at t; said Miss Minc;You forget yourself. Put your box do;

    Becky obeyed e and ily backed tohe door.

    quot;You may leave us,quot; Miss Minco ts h a wave of her hand.

    Becky stepped aside respectfully to allos to pass out first. S ing a longing glance at table. Sometin issue paper.

    quot;If you please, Miss Minc; said Sara, suddenly, quot;maynt Becky stay?quot;

    It o do. Miss Mincrayed into somet jump. t  urbedly.

    quot;Becky!quot; s;My dearest Sara!quot;

    Sara advanced a step toward her.

    quot;I  o see ts,quot; s;Stle girl, too, you kno;

    Miss Minco ther.

    quot;My dear Sara,quot; s;Becky is t little girls.quot;

    It really  occurred to o t ligtles and made fires.

    quot;But Becky is,quot; said Sara. quot;And I kno is my birt;

    Miss Mincy:

    quot;As you ask it as a birtay. Rebecca, t kindness.quot;

    Becky o ting ted suspense. Ssies, but between Saras eyes and anding, wumbled over eacher.

    quot;O grateful, miss! I did  to see t I did. t;--turning and making an alarmed bob to Miss Minc;for letting me take ty.quot;

    Miss Mincime it ion of the door.

    quot;Go and stand t; s;Not too near t;

    Becky  to  care  s ead of being doairs in ts were going on. S even mind w ominously and spoke again.

    quot;Noo you,quot; she announced.

    quot;So make a speec; ;

    Sara felt ratable. As ty, it  t  is not agreeable to stand in a sc you.

    quot;You are a; t  dear Sara is eleven years old today.quot;

    quot;Dear Sara!quot; murmured Lavinia.

    quot;Several of you  Saras birt from ottle girls birto a large fortune, o spend in a meritorious manner.quot;

    quot;t; giggled Jessie, in a whisper.

    Sara did not  as sood eadily on Miss Minc . alked about money, s some sed  ful to e grown-up people.

    quot;ain Cre; t;o me, in a jesting  my seminary, Captain Creune. Sara  accomplis to to call . y ss by giving you ternoons party. I e y. I ion of it by saying aloud all toget;

    tire sco its feet as it he morning Sara remembered so well.

    quot;t; it said, and it must be confessed t Lottie jumped up and do. Ssy--and it was a very nice one.

    quot;t; s;for coming to my party.quot;

    quot;Very pretty, indeed, Sara,quot; approved Miss Minc;t is ;t made remely like a snort. If you are jealous of your felloo enjoy yourselves.quot;

    tant s out of t y. ttle girls jumped or tumbled out of ted no time in deserting to over one of ted face.

    quot;t; she said.

    ttle co a rueful murmur, and Ermengarde looked ag.

    quot;Does your papa send you books for a birt?quot; s; open t;

    quot;I like t; Sara laug surned to t box. ook out t Doll it  t ttered deligually dreo gaze at it in breature.

    quot;S as big as Lottie,quot; someone gasped.

    Lottie clapped , giggling.

    quot;Ser,quot; said Lavinia. quot;;

    quot;O; cried Ermengarde, darting for;s;

    quot;runk,quot; said Sara. quot;Let us open it and look at ;

    S dourned ted tray after tray and revealed tents. Never ockings and aining a necklace and a tiara ing dresses; ts and tea go t too elderly to care for dolls, and uttered exclamations of delig up to look at them.

    quot;Suppose,quot; Sara said, as sood by table, putting a large, black-velvet  on t;suppose sands alk and feels proud of being admired.quot;

    quot;You are al; said Lavinia, and her air was very superior.

    quot;I kno; ansurbedly. quot;I like it. ts almost like being a fairy. If you suppose anyt seems as if it ;

    quot;Its all very o suppose t; said Lavinia. quot;Could you suppose and pretend if you ?quot;

    Sara stopped arranging t Dolls ostricful.

    quot;I believe I could,quot; s;If one end all time. But it mig be easy.quot;

    Sen t after  just as s at t very moment--Miss Amelia came into the room.

    quot;Sara,quot; s;your papas solicitor, Mr. Barroalk to s are laid in ter come and  no my sister can erview ;

    Refress  likely to be disdained at any o decorum, and t , s a Doll sitting upon a ctered about s ticoats lying upon ts.

    Becky, ed to partake of refress, ion to linger a moment to look at ties--it really ion.

    quot;Go back to your ; Miss Amelia  sopped to pick up reverently first a muff and t, and  tten error at t of being accused of taking liberties, sed under table, ablecloth.

    Miss Minco tured, dry little gentleman,  must be admitted, and s ttle gentleman ated and puzzled expression.

    S doiff dignity, and waved o a chair.

    quot;Pray, be seated, Mr. Barro; she said.

    Mr. Barro sit do once. tention seemed attracted by t Doll and ttled  t Doll  seem to mind t. S uprigurned ly.

    quot;A ; Mr. Barroly. quot;All expensive material, and made at a Parisian modistes.  money lavis young man.quot;

    Miss Minc offended. to be a disparagement of  patron and y.

    Even solicitors  to take liberties.

    quot;I beg your pardon, Mr. Barro; siffly. quot;I do not understand.quot;

    quot;Birts,quot; said Mr. Barroical manner, quot;to a cravagance, I call it.quot;

    Miss Mincill more rigidly.

    quot;Captain Creune,quot; s;t;

    Mr. Barro; . quot;t;

    Miss Mincually got up from her chair.

    quot;!quot; s; do you mean?quot;

    quot;At any rate,quot; anse snappis;it er if t;

    quot;Any diamond mines?quot; ejaculated Miss Mincc the back of a chair and feeling as if a splendid dream was fading away from her.

    quot;Diamond mines spell ruin oftener t; said Mr. Barro; a businessman ter steer clear of t o put into. te Captain Cre;

    opped h a gasp.

    quot;te Captain Cre; s. quot;te! You dont come to tell me t Captain Cre;

    quot;; Mr. Barro;Died of jungle fever and business troubles combined. t not  been driven mad by troubles, and troubles mig  an end to  assisted. Captain Cre;

    Miss Minco h alarm.

    quot; ; s; ;

    quot;Diamond mines,quot; ans;and dear friends--and ruin.quot;

    Miss Minc h.

    quot;Ruin!quot; s.

    quot;Lost every penny. t young man oo muc of t all o it, and all Captain Creain Crericken oo muc tle girl--and didnt leave a penny.quot;

    No a Seminary at one blo Captain Creo blame.

    quot;Do you mean to tell me,quot; s, quot;t  not Sara  t s on my tle pauper instead of an ;

    Mr. Barro as o make y quite clear  any delay.

    quot;Sainly left a beggar,quot; ;And sainly left on your  a relation in t ;

    Miss Mincarted for of to stop tivities going on joyfully and rat moment over ts.

    quot;It is monstrous!quot; s;Sting room at t, dressed in silk gauze and lace petticoats, giving a party at my expense.quot;

    quot;S at your expense, madam, if s,quot; said Mr. Barro;Barro responsible for anytune. Captain Cre paying our last bill--and it ;

    Miss Mincurned back from tion. ts being.

    quot;t is ; s;I  I  to all sorts of ridiculous expenses for t ridiculous doll and astic o ed. S c;

    Mr. Barroly did not intend to remain to listen to tory of Miss Mincer ion of ed ts.  feel any particular sympate keepers of boarding schools.

    quot;You ter not pay for anyt; ;unless you  to make presents to t a brass farto call ;

    quot;But o do?quot; demanded Miss Minc it entirely y to make tter rig; am I to do?quot;

    quot;t anyto do,quot; said Mr. Barro;Captain Cre a pauper. Nobody is responsible for  you.quot;

    quot;I am not responsible for o be made responsible!quot;

    Miss Mince h rage.

    Mr. Barrourned to go.

    quot;I o do , madam,quot; erestedly. quot;Barro responsible. Very sorry t;

    quot;If you to be foisted off on me, you are greatly mistaken,quot; Miss Minc;I ed; I urn o treet!quot;

    If s been so furious, soo discreet to say quite so mucravagantly brouged, and s all self-control.

    Mr. Barrourbedly moved tohe door.

    quot;I  do t, madam,quot; ed; quot;it  look  story to get about in connection ablis. Pupil bundled out penniless and  friends.quot;

    Miss Minco see trut afford to do a ted.

    quot;Better keep ; ;S a good deal out of ;

    quot;I  a good deal out of ; exclaimed Miss Minchin.

    quot;I am sure you ; said Mr. Barrotle sinister smile. quot;I am sure you ;

    and closed t must be confessed t Miss Mincood for a fes and glared at it.  e true. S. Sely no redress. ed into nottle girl. Suc and could not be regained.

    And as sood t of gay voices from ually been given up to t. S least stop this.

    But as sarted to was opened by Miss Amelia, w sigep in alarm.

    quot; is tter, sister?quot; sed.

    Miss Minc fierce when she answered:

    quot;;

    Miss Amelia was bewildered.

    quot;Sara!quot; sammered. quot;;

    quot;uous ;--in bitter irony.

    quot;A black frock?quot; Miss Amelia stammered again. quot;A black one?quot;

    quot;S;

    Miss Amelia began to turn pale.

    quot;No--ye-es!quot; s;But it is too s for , and sgro.quot;

    quot;Go and tell o take off t preposterous pink silk gauze, and put t is too s or not. S;

    to wring  hands and cry.

    quot;Oer!quot; s;Oer!  can ;

    Miss Minced no words.

    quot;Captain Cre; s; a penny. t spoiled, pampered, fanciful c a pauper on my ;

    Miss Amelia sat doe  chair.

    quot; on nonsense for . Put a stop to ty of  once.quot;

    quot;I?quot; panted Miss Amelia. quot;M-must I go and tell ;

    quot;t!quot; ;Dont sit staring like a goose. Go!quot;

    Poor Miss Amelia omed to being called a goose. S, t s it  to geese to do a great many disagreeable t o go into t of a room full of deligell t t sransformed into a little beggar, and must go upstairs and put on an old black frock  be done. tly not time  be asked.

    Sil te red. After  out of t venturing to say anoter looked and spoke as s no course to pursue o obey orders  any comment. Miss Minco  kno s. During t year tory of ted all sorts of possibilities to ors of seminaries migunes in stocks, ead of looking foro gains, s to look back upon losses.

    quot;t; s;t; S table as s, and t moment sarted at the cover.

    quot; is t!quot; sooped and raised table cover.

    quot;; s. quot; immediately!quot;

    It was poor Becky w, and h repressed crying.

    quot;If you please, m--its me, mum,quot; s;I kno I  tened ;

    quot;You ime, listening,quot; said Miss Minchin.

    quot;No, mum,quot; Becky protested, bobbing curtsies. quot;Not listenin--I t I could slip out  your noticin, but I couldnt an I o stay. But I didnt listen, mum--I  for not I couldnt ;

    Suddenly it seemed almost as if s all fear of t into fresears.

    quot;O; s;I dare say youll give me  Im so sorry for poor Miss Sara--Im so sorry!quot;

    quot;Leave t; ordered Miss Minchin.

    Becky curtsied again, tears openly streaming down her cheeks.

    quot;Yes, m; I ; srembling; quot;but o ed to arst you: Miss Sara--sed on, and and foot; an  on er Ive done my pots an kettles? Id do em t quick--if youd let me  on ; breaking out afres;poor little Miss Sara, mum--t ;

    Some t soo mucually stamped .

    quot;No--certainly not,quot; s;S on oo. Leave tant, or youll leave your place.quot;

    Becky t of teps into t dotles, and  as if  would break.

    quot;Its exactly like tories,quot; s;t o t;

    Miss Mince so still and o er, in response to a message s her.

    Even by t time it seemed to Sara as if ty e anottle girl.

    Every sign of tivities  a back into tting room looked as it alraces of t y frocks; and turned to togetalking excitedly.

    quot;tell Sara to come to my room,quot; Miss Minco er. quot;And explain to  I ;

    quot;Sister,quot; replied Miss Amelia, quot;srangest cually made no fuss at all. You remember sain Cre back to India. old   stood quite still and looked at me  making a sound. o get bigger and bigger, and s quite pale. ill stood staring for a feo surned round and ran out of tairs. Several of to cry, but s seem to o be alive to anyt just  made me feel quite queer not to be ansrange, you expect people ever it is.quot;

    Nobody but Sara  er sairs and locked , s t so  seem ;My papa is dead! My papa is dead!quot;

    Once sopped before Emily, c ;Emily! Do you ;

    o Miss Mincting room in anso e and  as if s o reveal  like tterfly c from one of reasures to ted scead a strange, desolate, almost grotesque little figure.

    S on,  Mariettes -aside black- velvet frock. It oo s and tig. As s found a piece of black ribbon, , tumbled loosely about rasted strongly s pallor. Sigerial.

    quot;Put do; said Miss Minc; do you mean by bringing ;

    quot;No,quot; Sara ans;I  put o me.quot;

    Sly uncomfortable, and s speak eadiness  it difficult to cope--perless and inhing.

    quot;You ure,quot; s;You ;

    Sara kept range eyes fixed on  a word.

    quot;Everyt no; Miss Minc on. quot;I suppose Miss Amelia ters to you.quot;

    quot;Yes,quot; ans;My papa is dead.  me no money. I am quite poor.quot;

    quot;You are a beggar,quot; said Miss Mincemper rising at tion of . quot;It appears t you ions and no o take care of you.quot;

    For a moment ttle face tc Sara again said nothing.

    quot; are you staring at?quot; demanded Miss Minc;Are you so stupid t you cannot understand? I tell you t you are quite alone in to do anyto keep you  of cy.quot;

    quot;I understand,quot; ansone; and t. quot;I understand.quot;

    quot;t doll,quot; cried Miss Mincing to t seated near--quot;t ridiculous doll, ravagant tually paid t;

    Sara turned ohe chair.

    quot;t Doll,quot; s;t Doll.quot; And tle mournful voice had an odd sound.

    quot;t Doll, indeed!quot; said Miss Minc;And s yours. Everyt;

    quot;Please take it a; said Sara. quot;I do not  it.quot;

    If sened, Miss Minc almost ience o domineer and feel  Saras pale little steadfast face and tle voice, se felt as if   at naught.

    quot;Dont put on grand airs,quot; s;time for t sort of t. You are not a princess any longer. Your carriage and your pony  a and plainest clotravagant ones are no longer suited to your station. You are like Becky--you must ;

    to  gleam of ligo the childs eyes--a shade of relief.

    quot;Can I ; s;If I can   matter so muc can I do?quot;

    quot;You can do anytold,quot; ;You are a s you stay ;

    quot;May I?quot; exclaimed Sara. quot;O me! I knoeac;

    quot;Dont talk nonsense about people liking you,quot; said Miss Minc;You eactle ones. You  a. No;

    Sara stood still just a moment, looking at range turned to leave the room.

    quot;Stop!quot; said Miss Minc;Dont you intend to t;

    Sara paused, and all trange ts surged up in .

    quot; for?quot; she said.

    quot;For my kindness to you,quot; replied Miss Minc;For my kindness in giving you a ;

    Sara made teps tole c range un-childishly fierce way.

    quot;You are not kind,quot; s;You are not kind, and it is not a ; And surned and run out of top  stare after ony anger.

    S up tairs slo panting for breatig her side.

    quot;I ; so ;If s;

    S to go to iger-skin,  cats o t just before s of t beood before it, looking nervous and arut s secretly aso do.

    quot;You--you are not to go in t; she said.

    quot;Not go in?quot; exclaimed Sara, and she fell back a pace.

    quot;t is not your room no; Miss Amelia anstle.

    Some once, Sara understood. S the change Miss Minchin had spoken of.

    quot;; s  shake.

    quot;You are to sleep in ttic next to Becky.quot;

    Sara kne. Surned, and mounted up t one rips of old carpet. S as if s ot, tigairs to ttic, e a different creature.

    tic door and opened it,  gave a dreary little t tood against it and looked about her.

    Yes, ting roof and e, an old iron bedstead, and a . Some pieces of furniture too muco be used doairs  up. Under t in t an oblong piece of dull gray sky, tood an old battered red footstool. Sara  to it and sat dotle black ing on t saying one  making one sound.

    And as s in tap at t s at first , and, indeed,  roused until timidly pusear-smeared face appeared peeping round it. It was Beckys face, and Becky ively for cil srange indeed.

    quot;O; s;Mig to come in?quot;

    Sara lifted  ried to begin a smile, and some. Suddenly--and it reaming eyes-- so mucoo old for  tle sob.

    quot;O; s;I told you  ttle girls--just ttle girls. You see rue it is. t a princess anymore.quot;

    Becky ran to   to , kneeling beside h love and pain.

    quot;Yes, miss, you are,quot; s;sever appens to you-- make you not.quot;