The next morning Sara had a long talk with her doll, Emily, about her father.
"Papa is traveling on the sea now," said Sara.
Emily said nothing, but Sara was sure the doll was listening.
"I believe that dolls have secrets," Sara told her maid, Mariette. "Perhaps Emily can read and walk and talk. But she only does those things when no one is watching her."
Mariette smiled at Sara. "It's time for school."
"Just a minute, please," Sara replied. She went to Emily and gave her a book. "You can read this while I'm in class," she said to the doll.
"What an odd child!" Mariette thought as she and Sara went downstairs. But Mariette knew she would like her new job as Sara's maid. Sara was very kind and polite and had charming manners. "She's almost like a little princess," thought the maid.
By the time Sara entered the classroom, everyone was talking about her.
"She has so many fancy clothes!" Lavinia Herbert whispered to her best friend, Jessie. "I passed her room last night. Her maid was opening a suitcase full of lace petticoats! She's wearing one now. I saw it when she sat down."
Lavinia was nearly 13 and thought of herself as almost grown up. "I heard Miss Minchin say it's absolutely ridiculous for a child to have such fancy clothes," she said. "I agree with her. My mother says that children should always dress simply."
The two girls pretended to read their geography books. But they were really sneaking looks at Sara.
"She's wearing silk stockings!" whispered Jessie. "What tiny feet she has!"
"I don't think she's pretty at all." Lavinia sniffed. "Her eyes are such a strange color."
"But there's something about her that makes you keep looking at her," said Jessie. "Her eyelashes are so dark and long, and her eyes are almost green."
Meanwhile Sara sat quietly watching the other girls, who were still staring at her.
"Young ladies," said Miss Minchin. "I'd like to introduce you to your new classmate, Miss Sara Crewe." All the girls stood up, and Sara did too. "I expect you to be nice to Miss Crewe. She’s just come to London from India. After lessons are over, you will have time to get acquainted with Sara."
The girls bowed to Sara, who curtsied in reply.
"Come here, Sara," said Miss Minchin as the other girls sat down.
Sara obediently went to Miss Minchin's side.
"Your father hired a French maid for you," said the headmistress. "He must want you to learn French."
Sara felt a little awkward. "I think he just thought that I'd like Mariette," she replied politely.
Miss Minchin frowned. "You sound very spoiled. People don't always do things just to make you happy, Sara. Your father clearly wants you to learn French."
Sara flushed, unsure of what to say. Her mother had been French. Her father had loved her mother and had often spoken French to Sara. But Miss Minchin looked so mean. Sara didn't know how to explain things to her.
"I've never actually studied French," Sara began, "but—"
"Well, then it's time you started to study it," the headmistress said impatiently. Miss Minchin herself had never learned to speak French. But this was an embarrassing secret that she didn't intend to share with anyone. "Here's our French teacher now," she added sharply. "Everyone, take out your French books."
Monsieur Dufarge looked like a nice, intelligent man. When he saw Sara he smiled. "Is this a new pupil for me, Madame?" he asked.
"Her father—Captain Crewe—is very eager for her to learn the language. But I'm afraid that Sara seems less eager to learn," Miss Minchin replied with a frown.
Sara rose in her seat, suddenly feeling a bit desperate. She felt sure that she could explain her situation to Monsieur Dufarge. And she did exactly that, speaking to him in perfect French.
Miss Minchin started quite violently, and then she glared at Sara.
But Monsieur Dufarge was already charmed by the girl who spoke his language so beautifully.
"Ah, Miss Minchin," he said. "There isn't much I can teach Sara. She hasn't studied French. She is French."
Miss Minchin's cheeks flushed. "You should have told me!" the headmistress snapped at Sara.
"I—I tried," said Sara. "I guess I should have tried harder."
Lavinia and Jessie giggled from behind their French books. Sara had made the headmistress look a bit foolish.
"Silence, young ladies!" Miss Minchin rapped on her desk. "Silence!" And from that moment on, she began to dislike her new student.