"In that case,"the Indian gentleman replied,"you have arrived at the right time.My solicitor,Mr.Carmichael,was just on the point of going to see you."
Mr.Carmichael bowed slightly,and Miiss Minchin looked from him to Mr.Carrisford in amazement.
"Your solicitor!"she said."I do not understand.I have come here as a matter of duty.I have just discovered that you have been intruded upon through the forwardness of one of my pupils--a charity pupil.
I came to explain that she intruded without my knowledge."
She turned upon Sara."Go home at once,"she commanded indignantly.
"You shall be severely punished.Go home at once."
The Indian gentleman drew Sara to his side and patted her hand.
"She is not going."
Miss Minchin felt rather as if she must be losing her senses.
"Not going!"she repeated.
"No,"said Mr.Carrisford."She is not going home--if you give your house that name.Her home for the future will be with me."
Miss Minchin fell back in amazed indignation.
"With YOU>!With YOU>sir!What does this mean?"
"Kindly explain the matter,Carmichael,"said the Indian gentleman;
"and get it over as quickly as possible."And he made Sara sit down again,and held her hands in his--which was another trick of her papa's.
Then Mr.Carmichael explained--in the quiet,level-toned,steady manner of a man who knew his subject,and all its legal significance,which was a thing Miss Minchin understood as a business woman,and did not enjoy.
"Mr.Carrisford,madam,"he said,"was an intimate friend of the late Captain Crewe.He was his partner in certain large investments.
The fortune which Captain Crewe supposed he had lost has been recovered,and is now in Mr.Carrisford's hands."
"The fortune!"cried Miss Minchin;and she really lost color as she uttered the exclamation."Sara's fortune!"
"It WILL be Sara's fortune,"replied Mr.Carmichael,rather coldly.
"It is Sara's fortune now,in fact.Certain events have increased it enormously.The diamond mines have retrieved themselves."
"The diamond mines!"Miss Minchin gasped out.If this was true,nothing so horrible,she felt,had ever happened to her since she was born.
"The diamond mines,"Mr.Carmichael repeated,and he could not help adding,with a rather sly,unlawyer-like smile,"There are not many princesses,Miss Minchin,who are richer than your little charity pupil,Sara Crewe,will be.Mr.Carrisford has been searching for her for nearly two years;he has found her at last,and he will keep her."
After which he asked Miss Minchin to sit down while he explained matters to her fully,and went into such detail as was necessary to make it quite clear to her that Sara's future was an assured one,and that what had seemed to be lost was to be restored to her tenfold;
also,that she had in Mr.Carrisford a guardian as well as a friend.
Miss Minchin was not a clever woman,and in her excitement she was silly enough to make one desperate effort to regain what she could not help seeing she had lost through her worldly folly.
"He found her under my care,"she protested."I have done everything for her.But for me she should have starved in the streets."
Here the Indian gentleman lost his temper.
"As to starving in the streets,"he said,"she might have starved more comfortably there than in your attic."
"Captain Crewe left her in my charge,"Miss Minchin argued.
"She must return to it until she is of age.She can be a parlor boarder again.She must finish her education.The law will interfere in my behalf"
"Come,come,Miss Minchin,"Mr.Carmichael interposed,"the law will do nothing of the sort.If Sara herself wishes to return to you,I dare say Mr.Carrisford might not refuse to allow it.
But that rests with Sara."
"Then,"said Miss Minchin,"I appeal to Sara.I have not spoiled you,perhaps,"she said awkwardly to the little girl;
"but you know that your papa was pleased with your progress.
And--ahem--I have always been fond of you."
Sara's green-gray eyes fixed themselves on her with the quiet,clear look Miss Minchin particularly disliked.
"Have YOU>Miss Minchin?"she said."I did not know that."
Miss Minchin reddened and drew herself up.
"You ought to have known it,"said she;"but children,unfortunately,never know what is best for them.Amelia and I always said you were the cleverest child in the school.
Will you not do your duty to your poor papa and come home with me?"
Sara took a step toward her and stood still.She was thinking of the day when she had been told that she belonged to nobody,and was in danger of being turned into the street;she was thinking of the cold,hungry hours she had spent alone with Emily and Melchisedec in the attic.She looked Miss Minchin steadily in the face.
"You know why I will not go home with you,Miss Minchin,"she said;
"you know quite well."
A hot flush showed itself on Miss Minchin's hard,angry face.
"You will never see your companions again,"she began."I will see that Ermengarde and Lottie are kept away--"
Mr.Carmichael stopped her with polite firmness.
"Excuse me,"he said;"she will see anyone she wishes to see.
The parents of Miss Crewe's fellow-pupils are not likely to refuse her invitations to visit her at her guardian's house.Mr.Carrisford will attend to that."
It must be confessed that even Miss Minchin flinched.This was worse than the eccentric bachelor uncle who might have a peppery temper and be easily offended at the treatment of his niece.
A woman of sordid mind could easily believe that most people would not refuse to allow their children to remain friends with a little heiress of diamond mines.And if Mr.Carrisford chose to tell certain of her patrons how unhappy Sara Crewe had been made,many unpleasant things might happen.
"You have not undertaken an easy charge,"she said to the Indian gentleman,as she turned to leave the room;"you will discover that very soon.The child is neither truthful nor grateful.
I suppose"--to Sara--"that you feel now that you are a princess again."
