impudent child?” Miss Minchin exclaimed.
It took Sara a few seconds to control herself sufficiently to remember that she was a princess. Her cheeks were red and smarting from the blows she had received.
“I was thinking,” she answered.
“Beg my pardon immediately,” said Miss Minchin.
Sara hesitated a second before she replied.
“I will beg your pardon for laughing, if it was rude,” she said then; “but I won’t beg your pardon for thinking.”
“What were you thinking?” demanded Miss Minchin.
“How
as if she had gulped down something which rose in her throat. “I understand.”
“That doll,” cried Miss Minchin, pointing to the splendid birthday gift seated near—“that ridiculous doll, with all her nonsensical, extravagant things—I actually paid the bill for her!”
Sara turned her head toward the chair.
“The