5. Becky

    Of course test po t s;t; t Lavinia and certain ot envious of, and at time most fascinated by in spite of telling stories and of making everytalked about seem like a story, .

    Anyone ories kno and besougo relate romances; skirts of ty in to join in and listen. Sara not only could tell stories, but selling t or stood in t of a circle and began to invent  kno s, so act and made ic movement of  t salking to listening ciful ladies, imes  of breatement, and le, quick-rising c, and  herself.

    quot;elling it,quot; s;it doesnt seem as if it  seems more real tory--one after t is queer.quot;

    S Miss Minc ternoon, as sting out of ably s and furs and looking very muc sig, of a dingy little figure standing on teps, and stretcs neck so t its y of t it, and  people.

    But tly  s not to  looking at pupils of importance. S of sigo tc if s been suctle forlorn te of  very evening, as Sara ting in t of a group of listeners in a corner of telling one of ories, timidly entered too  doo replenishe ashes.

    S s as frigly afraid to look at to be listening. S on pieces of coal cautiously  s make no disturbing noise, and s about tly. But Sara saes t serested in  schis, she raised her voice and spoke more clearly.

    quot;tly about in tal-green er, and dragged after t ; s;t on te rock and c;

    It ory about a princess o live he sea.

    te s t it again.  times; and, as s time, tory so lured o listen t sually forgot t s to listen at all, and also forgot everyt dooryteller  on and dreo tos under t, clear blue ligrange sea flo  singing and music echoed.

    t looked round.

    quot;t girl ening,quot; she said.

    t snatco . S at ttled out of tened rabbit.

    Sara felt rat-tempered.

    quot;I kne; s; s;

    Lavinia tossed  elegance.

    quot;ell,quot; s;I do not knoell stories to servant girls, but I kno like me to do it.quot;

    quot;My mamma!quot; said Sara, looking odd. quot;I dont believe s. S stories belong to everybody.quot;

    quot;I t,quot; retorted Lavinia, in severe recollection, quot;t your mamma was dead. ;

    quot;Do you t kno; said Sara, in ern little voice. Sometimes sern little voice.

    quot;Saras mamma kno; piped in Lottie. quot;So does my mamma--cept Sara is my mamma at Miss Mincreets are sells me o bed.quot;

    quot;You ; said Lavinia, turning on Sara; quot;making fairy stories about ;

    quot;tories in Revelation,quot; returned Sara. quot;Just look and see! ories? But I can tell youquot;-- of unemper--quot;you   kinder to people ttie.quot; And s of t s see ttle servant again someo the hall.

    quot; little girl e t night.

    Mariette broke forto a floion.

    A le t taken to being scullery maid, ss and grates, and carried tles up and doairs, and scrubbed floors and cleaned  by everybody. Seen years old, but unted in grorutte  if one co speak to  appeared as if ened eyes  of her head.

    quot; is ; asked Sara, able, ened absorbedly to tal.

    te airs calling, quot;Becky, do t; and quot;Becky, do t,quot; every five minutes in the day.

    Sara sat and looked into ting on Becky for some time after Mariette left ory of .  t sigairs on several occasions, s it o speak to her.

    But a feer, on anoternoon, ing room sing a ratic picture. In  easy-c fire, Becky--tle cap y coal box on t fast asleep, tired out beyond even t up to put t many of t all day. Saras rooms sil t. t like ted to be satisfied able sitting room seemed a boo t , merely a nice, brigtle room. But tures and books in it, and curious t c in a ce. Becky saved it until ternoons  rested o go into it, and so snatces to sit do c  tune of t out on tiful s and coats one tried to catche area railing.

    On ternoon, ion of relief to , acful t it o soot from t over il, as s tired, sloole over  ,  asleep. S ten minutes in tered, but sy, slumbering for a  s look--poor Becky-- like a Sleeping Beauty at all. Sunted,  little scullery drudge.

    Sara seemed as mucure from another world.

    On ticular afternoon saking ernoon on  t occurred every tired in ttiest frocks, and as Sara danced particularly te ed to make her as diaphanous and fine as possible.

    today a frock t on te  some real buds and made o terfly, and t and exercise  a brilliant, o her face.

    ered ted in terfly steps--and t Becky, nodding her cap sideways off her head.

    quot;O; cried Sara, softly,  poor t;

    It did not occur to o feel cross at finding  co tell trute glad to find it tory o  toood looking at tle snore.

    quot;I ;I dont like to   a fees.quot;

    Sook a seat on table, and sat s  to do. Miss Amelia mig any moment, and if so be scolded.

    quot;But sired,quot; s. quot;Sired!quot;

    A piece of flaming coal ended y for  very moment. It broke off from a large lump and fell on to tarted, and opened ened gasp. S kno and felt tiful glo t perce near erested eyes.

    Sc  it dangling over ried o put it straig o trouble noo ly fallen asleep on sucurned out of doors  wages.

    Shless sob.

    quot;O; suttered. quot;I arst yer pardon, miss! O;

    Sara jumped doe close to her.

    quot;Dont be frig; se as if so a little girl like ;It doesnt matter t bit.quot;

    quot;I didnt go to do it, miss,quot; protested Becky. quot;It ired. It--it  impertience!quot;

    Sara broke into a friendly little laug her hand on her shoulder.

    quot;You ired,quot; s;you could not . You are not really a.quot;

    ared at , so being ordered about and scolded, and ernoon splendor--  a culprit at all--as if s to be tired--even to fall asleep! touc, slim little pahing she had ever known.

    quot;Aint--aint yer angry, miss?quot; s;Aint yer goin to tell t;

    quot;No,quot; cried out Sara. quot;Of course Im not.quot;

    t in tted face made  s. One of s ruso   Beckys cheek.

    quot;; s; ttle girl like you. Its just an accident t I am not you, and you are not me!quot;

    Becky did not understand in t.  grasp sucs, and quot;an accidentquot; meant to y in ;tal.quot;

    quot;A accident, miss,quot; stered respectfully. quot;Is it?quot;

    quot;Yes,quot; Sara ans t s tone. S Becky did not know w s.

    quot;; s;Dare you stay es?quot;

    Becky lost h again.

    quot;;

    Sara ran to t, and looked out and listened.

    quot;No one is any; s;If your bedrooms are finis stay a tiny ;

    t ten minutes seemed to Becky like a sort of delirium. Sara opened a cupboard, and gave o rejoice ions, and laugil Beckys fears actually began to calm to ask a question or so  it to be.

    quot;Is t--quot; sured, looking longingly at t almost in a  t?quot;

    quot;It is one of my dancing-frocks,quot; ans;I like it, dont you?quot;

    For a fe speecion. t;Onct I see a princess. I andin in treet side Covin Garden, cer tared at most. to eacs t so mind t I see you, sittin table, miss. You looked like ;

    quot;Ive often t,quot; said Sara, in ing voice, quot;t I so be a princess; I  feels like. I believe I ending I am one.quot;

    Becky stared at  understand . Sc of adoration. Very soon Sara left ions and turned to ion.

    quot;Becky,quot; s; you listening to t story?quot;

    quot;Yes, miss,quot; confessed Becky, a little alarmed again. quot;I knoer, but it  beautiful I--I couldnt .quot;

    quot;I liked you to listen to it,quot; said Sara. quot;If you tell stories, you like noto tell to people o listen. I dont knoo ?quot;

    Becky lost h again.

    quot;Me ?quot; s;Like as if I  ttle  laugars in t;

    Sara nodded.

    quot;You  time to  no; s;but if you ell me just ime you come to do my rooms, I ry to be ell you a bit of it every day until it is finiss a lovely long one--and Im alting nes to it.quot;

    quot;t; breatly, quot;I  mind  to me, if--if I mig to t;

    quot;You may,quot; said Sara. quot;Ill tell it all to you.quot;

    doairs, s taggered up, loaded do of ttle. Sra piece of cake in , and s not only by cake and fire. Something else was Sara.

    on e percable.  were on a chair, her elbows on her knees, and her chin in her hands.

    quot;If I ; s;I could scatter largess to t even if I am only a pretend princess, I can invent little to do for people. t as  end t to do ttering largess. Ive scattered largess.quot;