A Little Princess

Sara receives exciting news that becomes the main topic of conversation for the entire school. Her father writes in a letter that a boyhood friend of his owns land upon which diamonds have been discovered and kindly offered Sara’s father the opportunity for potentially tremendous wealth by partnering in the development of diamond mines. Sara imagines mines of sparkling stones. Lavinia spitefully says that she does not believe that diamond mines exist. Jessie tells Lavinia she heard that Sara enjoys pretending to be a princess and says that this imagining makes her do her lessons better. According to Jessie, Sara asserts that being such a princess “has nothing to do with what you look like, or what you have. It has only to do with what you think of, and what you do” (60).

During the pupils’ relaxed time after lessons, Lottie begins playing with other little children, while Sara becomes absorbed in a book. Lottie falls down and howls. Although Sara dislikes being disturbed when reading, she comforts Lottie, who asks to be told the diamond mines story. Lavinia wants to slap Lottie, and Sara feels like slapping Lavinia but restrains herself. Lavinia makes fun of Sara’s private pretending to be a princess, an activity that Sara intended to keep a secret and never spoke of to girls she disliked.