10 The Grand Feast

CHAPTER 10 The Grand Feast When Sara came home that evening, she was all tired out. Miss Minchin had yelled at her for returning home late from her errands. She didn't seem to care that the streets were wet and muddy, and that it had been hard for Sara to walk quickly in her worn-out shoes. The cook was in a bad mood, too, and took it out on Sara. "May I have something to eat?" Sara asked shyly, laying the cook's purchases on the

table. "Dinner is over and done with," the cook snapped back at her as usual. "Please," Sara said. "I am so hungry." She kept her voice low because she was afraid it would begin to shake. "There's some bread in the pantry," the cook said. "And that's all you get." Even though the bread was old, hard, and dry, Sara ate up every bite. "I'm sorry, Melchisedec," she thought, "but I won't have even one crumb left over for you tonight!" It was always hard for her to climb the three long flights of stairs leading to the attic, but tonight she was so very tired, it seemed as though the stairs would never end. Several times, she had to stop and rest. When she at last reached the top steps, she saw a glimmer of light coming from under her door. Ermengarde, she thought.

She was not in the mood for company. But she told herself that, if she lived in a castle, and Ermengarde was the lady of another castle coming to visit, when she heard the sound of horns beyond the drawbridge she wouldn't be grumpy and say, "Please, tonight is not a good time." No, she would go down to receive her. Then she would lay a feast in the banquet room, and call in minstrels to sing and tell stories... Well, there was no feast, and no minstrels singing and playing, but Princess Sara was ready to greet Ermengarde when she opened the door. Used to Melchisedec, but still slightly afraid, Ermengarde was sitting in the center of the bed where he would not be able to jump on her. "Miss Amelia has gone out to spend the night with her old aunt," Ermengarde whispered. "No one else ever checks on us at night, so I could stay here until morning if I

wanted to!" Sara thought, "But why would you want to?" "Oh Sara, you look so tired," Ermengarde said. "Tired and pale." "I am tired," Sara said, plopping down onto the lopsided footstool. "At least you are skinny," Ermengarde said with envy. Sara felt like shaking Ermengarde and telling her that, if she were being starved by Miss Minchin, she would be skinny, too. But she bit her tongue. "I was always a thin child," she answered bravely. Just then, both girls heard a ruckus on the stairs below. It was Miss Minchin's angry voice, scolding Becky. "Will she come in here?" Ermengarde whispered, panic-stricken. "I don't think so," Sara said, "but just in

case, don't make a sound!" Miss Minchin, after all, seldom climbed the last flight of stairs. She seemed to be doing it now, however, and dragging up Becky with her. "You lying thief!" they heard her say. "Cook tells me that things have been taken from the kitchen on a regular basis!" "It weren't me, mum," they heard Becky sob in reply. "I was hungry enough, but it weren't me—never!" "Stop telling falsehoods. I should call the police and have you sent to prison! Half a meat pie indeed!" Miss Minchin pronounced. Both Sara and Ermengarde heard a slap. They knew that Becky's ears had been boxed. Then they heard Becky's door shut and Miss Minchin start back down the stairs. Becky was crying softly into her pillow. Sara started to shake. "That horrible cook!"

she cried. "She takes things herself and blames Becky—Becky, who is so hungry she eats crusts out of the garbage can!" Sara pressed her hands to her face and burst into heartfelt little sobs. Ermengarde stared at her friend with wide eyes. Slowly a thought made its way into her sluggish mind. "Sara," she said timidly, "I don't want to be rude, but are you ever hungry?" This was too much for Sara. She blurted out, "What do you think, Ermengarde? Yes, I am hungry. I am so hungry I could almost eat you!" Ermengarde drew in a breath. "I feel so stupid," she said, "but I never knew." "I didn't want you to know," Sara said, laughing even as she kept crying. "It would have made me feel like a beggar." "Sara!" Ermengarde cried out, giving an excited little jump. The ideas were starting to