2 Making New Friends

CHAPTER 2 Making New Friends Chubby Ermengarde St. John hadn't laughed when Sara embarrassed Miss Minchin by mistake with her fluent French. There was nothing funny, Ermengarde thought, about how stupid she was compared with this new student. Compared with anyone, really—or so her father always said. Her father was a scholar and expected his daughter to read and understand books he sent her. But it was hopeless, because

Ermengarde could not remember what she had just read and was the biggest dunce in the school. She had been studying French for years, with no success. And her pronunciation was just awful. She was, as the French say, "stupide!" Lost in thought, she did not notice that she was chewing on her pigtails. As her father said, she was always chewing on something. Unfortunately, Miss Minchin did notice. "Miss St. John!" Miss Minchin burst out. "Stop chewing on your hair!" Ermengarde was startled and blushed bright red. She noticed Sara watching her, which only made her feel worse. "Wonderful," she thought, "now the new girl thinks I am stupid, too." Or may be not. When the lessons were done, Sara came over to her. "I love your name," Sara said sweetly.

"Ermengarde..." she pronounced slowly. "It sounds like a name in a storybook." "Do you think so?" Ermengarde asked. When Sara said it, it did sound kind of royal. "Hey," Sara said, suddenly. "Would you like to come up and meet Emily?" "Who is she?" Ermengarde asked. "Come up to my room and see," Sara said. She held out her hand. "Is it true that you have a sitting room all to yourself?" Ermengarde asked Sara as they climbed the steps to her room. "Yes," Sara answered. "My papa got me one. When I make up stories and tell them to Emily, I don't like anyone else to hear me." Ermengarde gasped. "You speak French —and make up stories?" "Why, anyone can make up stories," Sara said. "You can, too."

Ermengarde didn't believe her, but there was no time to protest. When they got to her closed door, Sara put her finger to her lips. "Shhh," she whispered, mysteriously. "Let's try to catch her!" Ermengarde didn't know what Sara was talking about, but it sounded very magical. Sara flung open the door, and Ermengarde peered in, but the only thing she saw was a beautiful doll propped up in a chair by the fireplace. "That sly one," Sara said, chuckling. "She got back to her seat before we could catch her. They always do!" Ermengarde did not seem to understand, so Sara told her about the secret lives of dolls. Ermengarde now looked not only confused, but afraid. What else had a secret life? she wondered. Maybe the furniture, too? She glanced down at her chair with

suspicion. "Don't worry," Sara said. "It's only make- believe. Haven't you ever pretended things?" "No," Ermengarde admitted. "Don't worry," Sara said. "It's easy. I'll teach you how." For the next hour, Ermengarde sat hugging her knees in delight as Sara taught her the basics of pretending—of telling stories and making up odd things. She couldn't teach her French in one hour, but she taught her more about the secret life of dolls, and about the voyage from India. Finally, she told her about her papa. At that point, she stopped. Sara's face puckered up and she looked like she might cry. "Are you all right?" Ermengarde asked. "Do you love your papa?" Sara asked. "I hardly ever see him," Ermengarde told

Sara. "But I must love him, must I not?" "I love mine more than anything else in the world," Sara blurted out. "And I miss him so much." She looked up and sighed deeply. "But I promised him I would be a strong little soldier, and I shall. I shall!" Ermengarde, inspired by Sara, had an idea of her own. "Lavinia and Jessie are best friends," she said. "Do you think we could be best friends, too? Even if we had to pretend?" "Why, I think that's a wonderful idea!" Sara said. "No pretending required!" "Lavinia hates you," Ermengarde informed Sara the next day in the parlor. She looked over her shoulder for fear that Lavinia was listening. "Before you came, she was the smartest and best-dressed girl in the school. Lavinia was important."