Princess Sarah, and Other Stories

  CHAPTER V

  A TASTE OF THE FUTURE

  Thus bidden, Flossie took Sarah's hand and led her upstairs. "You won'tlike Miss Clark," she remarked, as they went. "We don't like her, notany of us. She's so mean; always telling tales about somebody. She gotJohnnie slapped and sent off to bed last night; it was all spite--nastyold thing!"

  "Who is Miss Clark?" Sarah asked, feeling rather bewildered.

  "Miss Clark! What! didn't Ma tell you about her?" ejaculated MissFlossie, in surprise.

  "No; Auntie never told me about her at all."

  "Lor! There, that shows Ma herself don't think much of her! I'll tellMiss Clark, any way."

  "Don't, don't!" Sarah cried, in an agony.

  "Yes, I shall," the amiable Flossie returned, suddenly opening a doorand dragging her cousin into the midst of a noisy crew, all squabblinground a tea-table. "Miss Clark, what d'you think? Ma actually nevertold Sarah a single word about you!"

  "Well, my dear, never mind; perhaps Mrs. Stubbs didn't say very muchabout any of us."

  "She didn't," put in Sarah hastily.

  "I suppose this is Sarah?" Miss Clark went on.

  "Yes," answered Flossie, adding, under her breath to Johnnie, "Stupidlittle thing!"

  "How do you do, Sarah?" asked the governess, with the air of primnesswhich had made her unruly young pupils dislike her. "I hope we shall bevery good friends, and that you will do your best to be a very tidy andindustrious little girl."

  This rather took Sarah's breath away, but she replied, politely, thatshe would try her best.

  "Come and sit by me, Sarah," said May, with a very condescending air ofprotection.

  "Yes, sit by May," added Miss Clark. "May is my right hand; without MayI could not endure all the worry and trial of the others. Copy May, andyou will be quite right."

  So Sarah watched May mincing with her knife and fork, andconscientiously tried to do likewise, to the infinite amusement of theyounger ones, of whom May took no notice whatever, and to whose jibingremarks she showed a superb indifference.

  "Sarah," shouted Tom, stuffing his mouth so full of pressed tongue andbread-and-butter that Sarah's heart stood still for fear of his choking,"how many pieces of bread-and-butter can you put into your mouth atonce?"

  "Disgusting boy!" remarked May disdainfully, without giving Sarah timeto reply. "You grow more atrociously vulgar every day you live!"

  "Hi, hi!" shouted Tom, seizing a tablespoon and ramming it down histhroat until even boy's nature revolted and expressed disapproval.

  "Put that spoon down," cried Miss Clark authoritatively. "If I see youdo that again, Tom, you shall not go down to dessert."

  Now this was almost the only threat by which poor Miss Clark, whose lifewas one long-continued struggle and fight, was able to hold her own overTom when he was at home for his holidays. Not going down to dessertmeant, not only the punishment of losing a share of the good thingsbelow, but also it meant inquiry as to the cause of absence, and othereffects according to evidence.

  Tom's exuberance of spirits settled down promptly into discreetbehaviour, and Miss Clark had time to look round the table.

  "Johnnie, you are forbidden to eat jam for a week," she burst out."Minnie, take his plate away."

  "It's a shame poor Johnnie isn't to have any jam," Minnie beganwhining--"all for nothing, too. It's a real downright shame, it is," andforthwith she took the opportunity of daubing a thick slice ofbread-and-butter with jam off her own plate, and smuggling it into theluckless Johnnie's hand in such a way that he might eat it upside down,to the intense delight of Tom opposite, who had seen the littlemanoeuvre, and was bursting to disclose it.

  For once nodding and winking had no effect, for nobody happened to belooking at him. So Tom, in despair lest such an amusing incident shouldbe altogether lost, began vigorously nudging Flossie, who sat next tohim, with his elbow. Flossie, unfortunately, was in the act of raising alarge cup of very hot tea to her lips, and Tom's nudge causing the hotcup to touch her knuckle, made her jerk violently, and over the tea wentin a deluge on to her lap.

  It is almost impossible to give an adequate description of the scenewhich followed. Flossie shrieked and screamed as if she was beingmurdered by a slow process; Tom vowed and protested that it was not hisfault; Janey had pushed him over against Flossie; Janey appealed to MissClark to remember that at the very moment she was handing her cup in theopposite direction; and Miss Clark began to wring her hands and exclaimthat she would ask to have Tom sent back to school again, for stand hiscruel and unbrotherly behaviour she neither could nor would. And in themidst of it all, young Johnnie seized the opportunity of helping Minniefreely to jam and eating off her plate, as if he were eating for awager.

  Sarah sat looking, as she was, scared; and May calmly surveyed the sceneof uproar with disdainful face.

  "Disgusting boy!" she said to the still protesting Tom. "You get morevulgar every day. Don't take any notice, Sarah; you will get used to itby-and-by."

  Eventually Miss Clark began to cry weakly.

  "It's too much for me; how am I to bear four weeks more of this dreadfulboy?" she sobbed.

  "Do like me, take no notice," suggested May.

  "But I _must_ take notice," Miss Clark cried desperately. "My onlycomfort is that you do sit still, May dear. As for Sarah, she is a goodgirl, a pattern to you," with a withering glance at Tom. "I feel sureSarah has never seen such a disgraceful scene before; have you, Sarah?"

  "No," whispered Sarah, wishing fervently that Miss Clark had beenpleased to leave her out of the discussion.

  "I thought so. I knew Sarah's manners were far too good for her to havebeen brought up among this sort of thing. Sarah is like a youngprincess."

  By this time the tumult had subsided a little. Flossie had recoveredfrom her fright, and was consoling herself with buttered scones andhoney, looking darkly at Tom the while, just by way of reminding himthat she had not by any means forgotten. But Tom was unconscious of herwrath--a fresh idea had presented itself to his volatile mind, and forthe moment he had utterly forgotten not only Flossie's wrath, but alsothat other probable wrath to come.

  "Princess Sarah!" he shouted, pointing at his cousin. "Her RoyalHighness Princess Sarah--of Nowhere. Princess Sarah!"

  "Princess Sarah!" cried Johnnie, taking up the taunt, and waving hisbread-and-butter like a flag. "Three cheers for Princess Sarah!"