15. the Magic

    door sters, and caughis room also.

    quot;It is a long time since I sa;  which crossed her mind.

    t fire gloe, and tleman ting before it. ing in his hand, and he looked as lonely and unhappy as ever.

    quot;Poor man!quot; said Sara. quot;I ;

    And t ;supposingquot; at t very moment.

    quot;Suppose,quot; ;suppose--even if Carmicraces to Moscotle girl took from Madame Pascals sc to be quite a different c steps sake next?quot;

    into t Miss Mincairs to scold the cook.

    quot;ed your time?quot; s;You  for ;

    quot;It  and muddy,quot; Sara ans;it ;

    quot;Make no excuses,quot; said Miss Minc;and tell no false;

    Sara  in to ture and emper as a result. Soo rejoiced to o vent her rage on, and Sara was a convenience, as usual.

    quot; you stay all nig; she snapped.

    Sara laid able.

    quot;; she said.

    them over, grumbling. She was in a very savage humor indeed.

    quot;May I o eat?quot; Sara asked ratly.

    quot;teas over and done ; ;Did you expect me to keep it  for you?quot;

    Sara stood silent for a second.

    quot;I ; s, and e loremble.

    quot;try,quot; said t;ts all youll get at time of day.quot;

    Sara  and found t  . It o vent e on Sara. Really, it s of stairs leading to tic. Sen found teep  tonig seemed as if sop. Several times so stop to rest. op landing so see t coming from under  meant t Ermengarde o creep up to pay . t in t. It ter to go into t empty and desolate. table Ermengarde, tle.

    Yes; tting in t tucked safely under imate ed tic so sit on til Sara arrived. S, on time to become rat a good deal, and once ter a repressed squeal by sitting up on  edly in ion.

    quot;O; s, quot;I am glad you  so. I tried to coax o go back, but  for sucime. I like  it does frig at me. Do you t;

    quot;No,quot; answered Sara.

    Ermengarde crao look at her.

    quot;You do look tired, Sara,quot; s;you are quite pale.quot;

    quot;I am tired,quot; said Sara, dropping on to tstool. quot;Oo ask for ;

    Melc of ening for step. Sara e sure . ionate, expectant expression as Sara put  and turned it inside out, shaking her head.

    quot;Im very sorry,quot; s;I  one crumb left. Go ell your . Im afraid I forgot because t;

    Melco understand.  contentedly, back to his home.

    quot;I did not expect to see you tonig; Sara said. Ermengarde he red shawl.

    quot;Miss Amelia  to spend t ,quot; s;No one else ever comes and looks into ter ay il morning if I ed to.quot;

    Sed toable under t. Sara  looked to as s. Ermengardes gesture ed one.

    quot;Papa  me some more books, Sara,quot; s;t;

    Sara looked round and got up at once. So table, and picking up top volume, turned over its leaves quickly. For t s s.

    quot;A; s, quot;iful! Carlyles Frencion. I ed to read t!quot;

    quot;I ,quot; said Ermengarde. quot;And papa .  me to kno it w s;

    Sara stopped turning over t ed flush on her cheeks.

    quot;Look ; s;if youll lend me tell you everyts in terell it so t you , too.quot;

    quot;O; exclaimed Ermengarde. quot;Do you t;

    quot;I kno; Sara ans;ttle ones alell t;

    quot;Sara,quot; said Ermengarde, ;if youll do t, and make me remember, Ill--Ill give you anyt;

    quot;I dont  you to give me anyt; said Sara. quot;I  your books--I  t; And  heaved.

    quot;take t; said Ermengarde. quot;I  I dont. Im not clever, and my fat to be.quot;

    Sara er t; are you going to tell your fat; s doubt dawning in her mind.

    quot;O kno; ans;;

    Sara put dos almost like telling lies,quot; s;And lies-- only imesquot;-- reflectively--quot;Ive t per do somet suddenly fly into a rage and kill Miss Mincreating me--but I couldnt be vulgar.  you tell your fat;

    quot;s me to read t; said Ermengarde, a little discouraged by ted turn of affairs.

    quot;s you to kno; said Sara. quot;And if I can tell it to you in an easy , I s.quot;

    quot; if I learn anyt; said rueful Ermengarde. quot;You ;

    quot;Its not your fault t--quot; began Sara. Sopped rato say, quot;Its not your fault t you are stupid.quot;

    quot;t ; Ermengarde asked.

    quot;t you cant learn t; amended Sara. quot;If you cant, you cant. If I can--;

    S very tender of Ermengarde, and tried not to let oo strongly to learn anyt once, and not being able to learn anyt all. As s s came to her.

    quot;Per; s;to be able to learn t everyto be kind is  deal to ot sill be a detestable te s of clever people  Robespierre--quot;

    Sopped and examined Ermengardes countenance, ;Dont you remember?quot; s;I told you about  long ago. I believe youve forgotten.quot;

    quot;ell, I dont remember all of it,quot; admitted Ermengarde.

    quot;ell, you  a minute,quot; said Sara, quot;and Ill take off my  t and tell you over again.quot;

    Sook off  and coat and  t s about  ;Noen,quot; she said.

    So tion, and told sucories of it t Ermengardes eyes gre terrified, tful tening, and s likely to forget Robespierre again, or to s about the Princesse de Lamballe.

    quot;You kno ,quot; Sara explained. quot;And siful floating blonde  al;

    It  Mr. St. Joo be told t to be left in ttic.

    quot;Nos tell eac; said Sara. quot;ting on ;

    quot;Ever so mucter since t time I came up ions. Miss Minc understand  morning.quot;

    Sara laugtle and hugged her knees.

    quot;S understand  it is because soo, and I ; S;ttic   so dreadful,quot; s;Its a good place to pretend in.quot;

    trut Ermengarde did not knoimes almost unbearable side of life in ttic and s a sufficiently vivid imagination to depict it for  s ;pretendedquot; and stories ook of ter of adventures; and times Sara looked rat  to be denied t stle spirit  admit of complaints. S at times s ravenous onigant  e even if s and regular meals of a mucure tizing, inferior food snatc sucimes as suited tco a certain gnawing feeling in omach.

    quot;I suppose soldiers feel like t; sen said to ;long and  made  sense of being a ess in ttic.

    quot;If I lived in a castle,quot; s;and Ermengarde le, and came to see me, s and squires and vassals riding side to receive s in t rels to sing and play and relate romances. o ttic I cant spread feasts, but I can tell stories, and not let elaines o do t in time of famine, le celaine, and dispensed generously tality s.

    So, as t toget kno s as  walked s  alone. S as if se so hungry before.

    quot;I ;I believe you are to be. Your eyes look so big, and look at ttle bones sticking out of your elbo;

    Sara pulled down self up.

    quot;I al; s;and I always ;

    quot;I love your queer eyes,quot; said Ermengarde, looking into tionate admiration. quot;to be green--t;

    quot;ts eyes,quot; laug;but I cant see in tried, and I couldnt--I wis;

    It  at te t somet t urn and look, sartled by t of a dark face o t as silently as it  quite as silently, urned a little and looked up at the roof.

    quot;t didnt sound like Melc; s;It  scratc;

    quot;?quot; said Ermengarde, a little startled.

    quot;Didnt you t; asked Sara.

    quot;N-no,quot; Ermengarde faltered. quot;Did you?quot; {anot;No- no,quot;}

    quot;Per,quot; said Sara; quot;but I t I did. It sounded as if sometes--somet dragged softly.quot;

    quot; could it be?quot; said Ermengarde. quot;Could it be--robbers?quot;

    quot;No,quot; Sara began c;to steal--quot;

    S c  on tes, but on tairs belo  the candle.

    quot;S; sood in t;S;

    quot;ill s; Ermengarde wricken.

    quot;No. S stir.quot;

    It  Miss Minced t fligairs. Sara could only remember t s once before. But no least part of t sounded as if she was driving Becky before her.

    quot;You impudent, dis c; t;Cook tells me sedly.quot;

    quot;t  me, mum,quot; said Becky sobbing. quot;I   me--never!quot;

    quot;You deserve to be sent to prison,quot; said Miss Minc;Picking and stealing!  pie, indeed!quot;

    quot;t  me,quot;  Becky. quot;I could ave eat a .quot;

    Miss Minc of breatemper and mounting tairs. t pie ended for e supper. It became apparent t she boxed Beckys ears.

    quot;Dont tell false; s;Go to your room tant.quot;

    Botairs and into tic. t, and kne shrew herself upon her bed.

    quot;I could ave et t; to ;An I never took a bite. t to ;

    Sara stood in ttle teetting fiercely stretcand still, but s move until Miss Mincairs and all ill.

    quot;t; s fort;takes teals t! S! Simes t ss crusts out of t; S  into passionate little sobs, and Ermengarde, . Sara  seemed to denote somety presented itself to tle mind all at once. S off to table c ted it, s for Sara,  groo definite fear in her eyes.

    quot;Sara,quot; simid, almost aricken voice, are--are- -you never told me--I dont  to be rude, but--are you ever ;

    It oo muc at t moment. ted her face from her hands.

    quot;Yes,quot; se ;Yes, I am. Im so  I could almost eat you. And it makes it o ;

    Ermengarde gasped.

    quot;O; s;And I never kne;

    quot;I didnt  you to kno; Sara said. quot;It  beggar. I knoreet beggar.quot;

    quot;No, you dont--you dont!quot; Ermengarde broke in. quot;Your clottle queer--but you couldnt look like a street beggar. You  a street-beggar face.quot;

    quot;A little boy once gave me a sixpence for cy,quot; said Sara,  little lauge of ; is.quot; And s t; mas sixpence if I  looked as if I needed it.quot;

    Some of ttle sixpence  made ttle, tears in their eyes.

    quot;; asked Ermengarde, looking at it quite as if it  been a mere ordinary silver sixpence.

    quot;tle to a party,quot; said Sara. quot;tle one mas presents and ;

    Ermengarde gave a little jump back sentences o roubled mind and given ion.

    quot;O; s; a silly t to  of it!quot;

    quot;Of ;

    quot;Somet; said Ermengarde, in an excited ;ternoon my nicest aunt sent me a box. It is full of good touc, I  dinner, and I  papas books.quot; o tumble over eac;Its got cake in it, and little meat pies, and jam tarts and buns, and oranges and red- currant o my room and get it te, and  it no;

    Sara almost reeled.  ion of food imes a curious effect. Sched Ermengardes arm.

    quot;Do you t; sed.

    quot;I kno; ans softly--put  into tened. t back to Sara. quot;ts are out. Everybodys in bed. I can creep--and creep--and no one will ;

    It  eac sprang into Saras eyes.

    quot;Ermie!quot; s;Let us pretend! Let us pretend its a party! And o you invite t cell?quot;

    quot;Yes! Yes! Let us knock on t ;

    Sara  to t sly. Simes.

    quot;t means, `Come to me t passage under to communicate.quot;

    Five quick knocks answered her.

    quot;S; she said.

    Almost immediately ttic opened and Becky appeared.  sigo rub h her apron.

    quot;Dont mind me a bit, Becky!quot; cried Ermengarde.

    quot;Miss Ermengarde o come in,quot; said Sara, quot;because so bring a box of good to us.quot;

    Beckys cap almost fell off entirely, sement.

    quot;to eat, miss?quot; s;ts good to eat?quot;

    quot;Yes,quot; ans;and o pretend a party.quot;

    quot;And you s to eat,quot; put in Ermengarde. quot;Ill go te!quot;

    Se t as siptoed out of ttic s kno  for a minute or so. Becky oo muche good luck which had befallen her.

    quot;O; s;I kno  asked o let me come. It--it makes me cry to t.quot; And s to Saras side and stood and looked at her worshipingly.

    But in Saras  o gloransform tic-- outside-- ernoon in treets barely passed-- yet faded--thing of magic.

    S h.

    quot;Some; s;just before t to t. It is as if t. If I could only just remember t al te comes.quot;

    Stle cheerful shake.

    quot;No, no! You mustnt cry!quot; s;e must make e and set table.quot;

    quot;Set table, miss?quot; said Becky, gazing round t;ll  it ;

    Sara looked round ttic, too.

    quot;t seem to be muc; she answered, half laughing.

    t moment s. It was Ermengardes red she floor.

    quot;; s;I kno. It ;

    table for. Red is a able color. It began to make tly.

    quot;; exclaimed Sara. quot;e must pretend t;

    t glance of admiration. the rug was laid down already.

    quot; and t is!quot; stle laug  doely, as if s somet.

    quot;Yes, miss,quot; anscure. Se serious.

    quot; next, no; said Sara, and sood still and put ;Somet a littlequot;--in a soft, expectant voice. quot;tell me.quot;

    One of e fancies  on quot;tside,quot; as s, ts ing for people to call tand and  many a time before, and kne in a few seconds sened, laughing face.

    In a moment she did.

    quot;t; s;It  look among trunk I ;

    So its corner and kneeled do  been put in ttic for , but because t else but rubbis s kind of ther.

    In a corner lay a package so insignificant-looking t it  s it as a relic. It contained a dozen small able. So arrange table-cover, patting and coaxing to sward, s spells for .

    quot;tes,quot; s;tes. ts in Spain.quot;

    quot;Did t; breated by tion.

    quot;You must pretend it,quot; said Sara. quot;If you pretend it enoug;

    quot;Yes, miss,quot; said Becky; and as Sara returned to trunk sed o t of accompliso be desired.

    Sara turned suddenly to find anding by table, looking very queer indeed. S ing range convulsive contortions, iffly clenc rying to lift some enormous .

    quot; is tter, Becky?quot; Sara cried. quot; are you doing?quot;

    Becky opened art.

    quot;I endin, miss,quot; stle s;I ryin to see it like you do. I almost did,quot; ;But it takes a lot o strent;

    quot;Per does if you are not used to it,quot; said Sara, ;but you dont knoen. I  try so  at first. It o you after a ell you  t;

    S in  of ttom of trunk. t. Sh off.

    quot;t,quot; s;tand, Becky. Oerpiece.quot;

    Becky o ly.

    quot; are t; s;Youd t I kno.quot;

    quot;t; said Sara, arranging tendrils of t t;And t;--bending tenderly over t ;is purest alabaster encrusted ;

    Soucly, a  ure in a dream.

    quot;My, aint it lovely!quot; whispered Becky.

    quot;If  ; Sara murmured. quot;t;--darting to trunk again. quot;I remember I sae.quot;

    It issue paper, but tissue paper ed into ttle diso ornament tick  more table covered  runk. But Sara dre it, seeing er staring in deliged breath.

    quot;t; sed, tic--quot;is it tille nourned into somet?quot;

    quot;O; said Sara. quot;Quite different. It is a banquet ;

    quot;My eye, miss!quot; ejaculated Becky. quot;A blanket all!quot; and surned to vie .

    quot;A banquet ; said Sara. quot;A vast cs are given. It ed roof, and a minstrels gallery, and a  is brilliant apers t;

    quot;My eye, Miss Sara!quot; gasped Becky again.

    taggering under t of arted back ion of joy. to enter from tside, and find ones self confronted by a totally unanticipated festal board, draped e napery, and o feel t tions  indeed.

    quot;O; s. quot;You are t girl I ever sa;

    quot;Isnt it nice?quot; said Sara. quot;t of my old trunk. I asked my Magic, and it told me to go and look.quot;

    quot;But o; cried Becky, quot; till sold you  just--oell ; appealing to Sara.

    So Sara told  see it all: tters--ted spaces--tapers. As taken out of ted cakes--ts--t became a splendid thing.

    quot;Its like a real party!quot; cried Ermengarde.

    quot;Its like a queens table,quot; sighed Becky.

    t t.

    quot;Ill tell you ; s;Pretend you are a princess no.quot;

    quot;But its your feast,quot; said Sara; quot;you must be t;

    quot;O,quot; said Ermengarde. quot;Im too fat, and I dont know ;

    quot;ell, if you  me to,quot; said Sara.

    But suddenly s of someto ty grate.

    quot;t of paper and rubbisuffed in ; s;If  blaze for a fees, and ; Sruck a matced it up  specious glohe room.

    quot;By time it stops blazing,quot; Sara said, quot; its not being real.quot;

    Sood in the dancing glow and smiled.

    quot;Doesnt it look real?quot; s;Noy.quot;

    So table. So Ermengarde and Becky. S of her dream.

    quot;Advance, fair damsels,quot; s;and be seated at t table. My noble fat on a long journey, o feast you.quot; Surned ly to;, rels! Strike up ; so Ermengarde and Becky, quot;alo play at ts. Pretend trel gallery up t;

    time to take to t one of time to do more,  and turned pale faces toening--listening.

    Someone airs. take about it. Eacing tread and kne things had come.

    quot;Its--t; che floor.

    quot;Yes,quot; said Sara, e face. quot;Miss Minc.quot;

    Miss Mincruck t it ened faces to t table, and from t table to t flicker of t paper in te.

    quot;I ing somet,quot; s;but I did not dream of sucy. Lavinia elling trut;

    So t it rode over to Becky and boxed ime.

    quot;You impudent creature!quot; s;You leave t;

    Sara stood quite still,  into tears.

    quot;O send ; s;My aunt sent me ty.quot;

    quot;So I see,quot; said Miss Minc;it table.quot; Surned fiercely on Sara. quot;It is your doing, I kno; s;Ermengarde able, I suppose--; Samped  at Becky. quot;Go to your attic!quot; sole away, her face hidden in her apron, her shoulders shaking.

    t urn again.

    quot;I tend to you tomorro;

    quot;I  oday, Miss Minc; said Sara, ratly.

    quot;tter. You  stand t to t;

    So sable into t sight of Ermengardes new books.

    quot;And youquot;--to Ermengarde--quot; your beautiful neo ty attic. take to bed. You ay tomorroo your papa.  would onig;

    Somet t made urn on her fiercely.

    quot; are you t; s; me like t?quot;

    quot;I ; ansable day in the schoolroom.

    quot; ;

    It ness in Saras manner. It .

    quot;I ; s;w my papa would say if onig;

    Miss Minced just as sself, as before, in an intemperate fas her and shook her.

    quot;You insolent, unmanageable c; s;;

    S t of t back into t it into Ermengardes arms, and pusohe door.

    quot;I o ; s;Go to bed tant.quot; And s tumbling Ermengarde, and left Sara standing quite alone.

    te at an end. t spark  of te and left only black tinder; table  bare, tes and ricransformed again into old e paper, and discarded artificial flotered on trels in trel gallery olen aill. Emily ting  taring very  and picked rembling hands.

    quot;t any banquet left, Emily,quot; s;And t any princess. t but tille.quot; And s down and hid her face.

    to look up at t at t, I do not kno--because if s t sainly artled by  t  alking to Ermengarde.

    But s look up. S tle black ime. S like t o bear somet up and  sloo the bed.

    quot;I cant pretend anyt; s;t be any use in trying. If I go to sleep, perend for me.quot;

    S so tired--per of food--t s doe weakly.

    quot;Suppose t fire in te, s of little dancing flames,quot; s;Suppose table c--and suppose table near, tle -- supper on it. And supposequot;--as s;suppose tiful soft bed, s and large do; And o  asleep.

    S kno sired enougo sleep deeply and profoundly--too deeply and soundly to be disturbed by anytire family, if all ers o come out of to figumble and play.

    kno any particular t of rut it  fell in closing after a lite figure  near enougo see ic, but not near enougo be seen.

    At first s open  too sleepy and-- curiously enougoo able. Sable, indeed, t s believe s in some lovely vision.

    quot; a nice dream!quot; s;I feel quite - ---to--;

    Of course it s, and   toucly like a satin-covered eider-do. S not a--s be quite still and make it last.

    But s--even t ig. Someto a le fire.

    quot;O; s;I cant --I cant.quot;

    e of ually smiled--for ic before, and knew she never should see.

    quot;O a; so rise on  ;I am dreaming yet.quot; S must be a dream, for if s-- could not be.

    Do you  s sure s come back to eart se ttle brass kettle ; by table, unfolded, covered e clot spread small covered diseapot; on tin-covered do; at t a curious ed slippers, and some books. to fairyland--and it , for a brigood on table covered h a rosy shade.

    S up, resting on  and fast.

    quot;It does not--melt a; sed. quot;O; So stir; but at last s  on turous smile.

    quot;I am dreaming--I am getting out of bed,quot; sood up in t of it all, turning sloo side--quot;I am dreaming it stays--real! Im dreaming it feels real. Its becc all.quot; o ;If I can only keep on t,quot; s;I dont care! I dont care!quot;

    Sood panting a moment longer, and t again.

    quot;O isnt true!quot; s;It cant be true! But orue it seems!quot;

    to it, and s do--so close t t made art back.

    quot;A fire I only dreamed  be ,quot; she cried.

    Soucable, t to toucs. Sook up t c to  and  to her cheek.

    quot;Its s soft!quot; s sobbed. quot;Its real. It must be!quot;

    S over   into the slippers.

    quot;too. Its all real!quot; s;I am not--I am not dreaming!quot;

    S staggered to top. Sometten on t a fehese:

    quot;to ttle girl in ttic. From a friend.quot;

    -- it a strange to do-- s  into tears.

    quot;I dont kno; s;but somebody cares for me a little. I ;

    Sook ole out of o Beckys, and stood by her bedside.

    quot;Becky, Becky!quot; s;ake up!quot;

    uprigaring ag, ill smudged races of tears, beside ood a little figure in a luxurious ood at her very bedside, holding a candle in her hand.

    quot;Come,quot; s;O;

    Becky oo frigo speak. S up and followed  a word.

    And ly and dre of t. quot;Its true! Its true!quot; s;Ive touc, Becky,  let t te ;