登陆注册
5390100000016

第16章 The Diamond Mines(1)

Not very long after this a very exciting thing happened.

Not only Sara,but the entire school,found it exciting,and made it the chief subject of conversation for weeks after it occurred.

In one of his letters Captain Crewe told a most interesting story.

A friend who had been at school with him when he was a boy had unexpectedly come to see him in India.He was the owner of a large tract of land upon which diamonds had been found,and he was engaged in developing the mines.If all went as was confidently expected,he would become possessed of such wealth as it made one dizzy to think of;and because he was fond of the friend of his school days,he had given him an opportunity to share in this enormous fortune by becoming a partner in his scheme.This,at least,was what Sara gathered from his letters.It is true that any other business scheme,however magnificent,would have had but small attraction for her or for the schoolroom;but "diamond mines"sounded so like the Arabian Nights that no one could be indifferent.Sara thought them enchanting,and painted pictures,for Ermengarde and Lottie,of labyrinthine passages in the bowels of the earth,where sparkling stones studded the walls and roofs and ceilings,and strange,dark men dug them out with heavy picks.Ermengarde delighted in the story,and Lottie insisted on its being retold to her every evening.

Lavinia was very spiteful about it,and told Jessie that she didn't believe such things as diamond mines existed.

"My mamma has a diamond ring which cost forty pounds,"she said.

"And it is not a big one,either.If there were mines full of diamonds,people would be so rich it would be ridiculous."

"Perhaps Sara will be so rich that she will be ridiculous,"

giggled Jessie.

"She's ridiculous without being rich,"Lavinia sniffed.

"I believe you hate her,"said Jessie.

"No,I don't,"snapped Lavinia."But I don't believe in mines full of diamonds."

"Well,people have to get them from somewhere,"said Jessie.

"Lavinia,"with a new giggle,"what do you think Gertrude says?"

"I don't know,I'm sure;and I don't care if it's something more about that everlasting Sara."

"Well,it is.One of her `pretends'is that she is a princess.

She plays it all the time--even in school.She says it makes her learn her lessons better.She wants Ermengarde to be one,too,but Ermengarde says she is too fat."

"She IS too fat,"said Lavinia."And Sara is too thin."

Naturally,Jessie giggled again.

"She says it 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>."

"I suppose she thinks she could be a princess if she was a beggar,"

said Lavinia."Let us begin to call her Your Royal Highness."

Lessons for the day were over,and they were sitting before the schoolroom fire,enjoying the time they liked best.It was the time when Miss Minchin and Miss Amelia were taking their tea in the sitting room sacred to themselves.At this hour a great deal of talking was done,and a great many secrets changed hands,particularly if the younger pupils behaved themselves well,and did not squabble or run about noisily,which it must be confessed they usually did.When they made an uproar the older girls usually interfered with scolding and shakes.They were expected to keep order,and there was danger that if they did not,Miss Minchin or Miss Amelia would appear and put an end to festivities.

Even as Lavinia spoke the door opened and Sara entered with Lottie,whose habit was to trot everywhere after her like a little dog.

"There she is,with that horrid child!"exclaimed Lavinia in a whisper.

"If she's so fond of her,why doesn't she keep her in her own room?

She will begin howling about something in five minutes."

It happened that Lottie had been seized with a sudden desire to play in the schoolroom,and had begged her adopted parent to come with her.

She joined a group of little ones who were playing in a corner.

Sara curled herself up in the window-seat,opened a book,and began to read.It was a book about the French Revolution,and she was soon lost in a harrowing picture of the prisoners in the Bastille--men who had spent so many years in dungeons that when they were dragged out by those who rescued them,their long,gray hair and beards almost hid their faces,and they had forgotten that an outside world existed at all,and were like beings in a dream.

She was so far away from the schoolroom that it was not agreeable to be dragged back suddenly by a howl from Lottie.Never did she find anything so difficult as to keep herself from losing her temper when she was suddenly disturbed while absorbed in a book.

People who are fond of books know the feeling of irritation which sweeps over them at such a moment.The temptation to be unreasonable and snappish is one not easy to manage.

"It makes me feel as if someone had hit me,"Sara had told Ermengarde once in confidence."And as if I want to hit back.I have to remember things quickly to keep from saying something ill-tempered."

She had to remember things quickly when she laid her book on the window-seat and jumped down from her comfortable corner.

Lottie had been sliding across the schoolroom floor,and,having first irritated Lavinia and Jessie by making a noise,had ended by falling down and hurting her fat knee.She was screaming and dancing up and down in the midst of a group of friends and enemies,who were alternately coaxing and scolding her.

"Stop this minute,you cry-baby!Stop this minute!"Lavinia commanded.

"I'm not a cry-baby ...I'm not!"wailed Lottle."Sara,Sa{--}ra!"

"If she doesn't stop,Miss Minchin will hear her,"cried Jessie.

"Lottie darling,I'll give you a penny!"

"I don't want your penny,"sobbed Lottie;and she looked down at the fat knee,and,seeing a drop of blood on it,burst forth again.

Sara flew across the room and,kneeling down,put her arms round her.

"Now,Lottie,"she said."Now,Lottie,you PROMISED Sara."

"She said I was a cry-baby,"wept Lottie.

Sara patted her,but spoke in the steady voice Lottie knew.

同类推荐
  • 般若波罗蜜多心经幽赞

    般若波罗蜜多心经幽赞

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 古音王传

    古音王传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 耕学斋诗集

    耕学斋诗集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • REWARDS AND FAIRIES

    REWARDS AND FAIRIES

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 建炎笔录

    建炎笔录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 居业录

    居业录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 傀儡皇帝:汉献帝

    傀儡皇帝:汉献帝

    汉献帝,名刘协,字伯和。汉灵帝第三子,汉少帝弟。少帝被废后,被董卓迎立为帝。董卓被王允和吕布刺死后,董卓部将李傕等攻入长安,再次挟持了献帝。后献帝逃出长安,落到了曹手中。献帝在位31年,终被曹丕所废,后病死,终年54岁,葬于禅陵。《中国文化知识读本:傀儡皇帝(汉献帝)》我们讲述的就是这位汉朝末代皇帝的悲哀一生。
  • 后花园的秘密领地(听爸爸讲那些大自然的事)

    后花园的秘密领地(听爸爸讲那些大自然的事)

    自然是一本书,天是它的封面,海是它的扉页,山是它的目录,河是它的文字,地是它的封底。自然的智慧无处不在,那些有关大自然的神奇故事,在爸爸那抑扬顿挫的讲述中流淌开来……
  • 邪君的小萌物

    邪君的小萌物

    她穿越而来的一个不像杀手的杀手。他扮猪吃老虎。且看他遇到她,会发生什么?片段一:我:公子放开我嘛,公子:不放,你是我的解药,我:我不是,谁爱是谁是,反正我不是。公子:哦,那你是我的宝贝(药引)片段二:小姐别跑啊,我躲这里来躲那里去,小姐别跑啊,后面有几个丫鬟追着她跑,这里有一个假山,她躲在假山里扒着,丫鬟追过来了她就跑,丫鬟也跟着跑。夏洛莎刚来到这个世界的第一天,她就把无涯谷给整得鸡飞狗跳,鸡犬不令,不过无涯谷也因充满了生气。无涯谷常年没有生气的一片地方,也充满了欢声笑语。不过后面她可没这么幸运了,她被赶了出去。
  • 樊专砚二题

    樊专砚二题

    鸡叫第一遍的时候,吴以力照例翻到女人身上,动几下就下来,就去了厕所。女人还没晃过神来,吴以力就离开了她。这已经只是吴以力叫她起床干活的方式了。她的眼皮像两片磁铁,要合到一块去,但她明白自己绝不能再睡了,就掐了几下屁股。屁股掐后,她忍不住要摸摸身体的其他部位,但实现不了了。一只大手突然抓住了她一绺头发,把她拉出了被窝。“我不是起来了吗?”她轻轻的叫喊着,怕吵醒这只手的其它力气。但这只手的力气仍是有增无减,把她牵往猪圈。猪圈与厕所是一体的,那里养着两头猪,一头换货猪(肉全卖了换日用钱的),两百多斤了,一只过年猪(年关时杀了自食的),只六十来斤。
  • 绝版逆袭之傲娇王爷请绕行

    绝版逆袭之傲娇王爷请绕行

    若爱请深爱,若不爱请放手。如不能相濡以沫,那便相忘于江湖。凉城最终不暖心,空梦最终空无人。
  • 武逆凰妃

    武逆凰妃

    当21世纪叱咤风云的佣兵女王,转眼成为恶名昭著的纨绔千金,当强者之魂,霸气重生!金簪抵着男人的脖子,“敢碰我,我要你命!”嚣张,是有资本,狂妄,是够强大,不可一世,乃是天纵奇才。她要夺回属于这个名字的一切,重塑昔日辉煌,搅翻异世,走出一条青云大道;终有一日,站在云霄,俯瞰人间,傲视漫天诸神,告诉他们,墨风华不需要任何同情,因为我就是神迹!冷眼睥睨,看尽人间魑魅魍魉,素手轻覆,操纵凡世生离死别——且看风华无双,冠绝天下!
  • 胜局:点击中国14大成功企业(修订版)

    胜局:点击中国14大成功企业(修订版)

    本书通过具体、生动的案例,汇集了近二十年全国企业管理的成功模式与经验,提供了一系列管理创新的新观念、新思维、新方法、新模式,深刻、精辟地归纳剖析了全国成功企业在成长过程中所进行的一系列自身的改革、完善和变化,以及由此得出的有关营销和管理的诸多宝贵经验和智慧结晶。
  • 修西闻见录

    修西闻见录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 回乡之路

    回乡之路

    当大城市中的住房、教育、医疔“新三座大山”压在青年人身上时,以往被人们视为大后方的农村,能否给年轻人一条出路?“丁零零……丁零零……”讨厌的闹钟响了,把我从酣梦中刺醒。我蜷曲如虾米的身子变换了一个姿势,成“大”字摊在床上。缠人的瞌睡意犹未尽,像水蛇缠绕一般,让人迷迷糊糊睡意难退。人就是欠睡,像欠奶的孩子,总想着那一口。