e darkness seemed more intense than any she had ever known, and
that the wind howled over the roof among the chimneys like something
which wailed aloud. Then there was something worse. This was certain
scufflings and scratchings and squeakings in the walls and behind the
skirting boards. She knew what they meant, because Becky had described
them. They meant rats and mice who were either fighting with each
other or playing together. Once or twice she even heard sharp-toed feet
scurrying across the floor, and she remembered in those after days,
when she recalled things, that when first she heard them she started up
in bed and sat trembling, and when she lay down again covered her head
with the bedclothes.

The change in her life did not come about gradually, but was made all
at once.

"She must begin as she is to go on," Miss Minchin said to Miss Amelia.
"She must be taught at once what she is to expect."

Mariette had left the house the next morning. The glimpse Sara caught
of her sitting room, as she passed its open door, showed her that
everything had been changed. Her ornaments and luxuries had been
removed, and a bed had been placed in a corner to transform it into a
new pupil's bedroom.

When she went down to breakfast she saw that her seat at Miss Minchin's
side was occupied by Lavinia, and Miss Minchin spoke to her coldly.

"You will begin your new duties, Sara," she said, "by taking your seat
with the younger children at a smaller table. You must keep them
quiet, and see that they behave well and do not waste their food. You
ought to have been down earlier. Lottie has already upset her tea."

That was the beginning, and from day to day the duties given to her
were added to. She taught the younger children French and heard their
other lessons, and these were the least of her labors. It was found
that she could be made use of in numberless directions. She could be
sent on errands at any time and in all weathers. She could be told to
do things other people neglected. The cook and the housemaids took
their tone from Miss Minchin, and rather enjoyed ordering about the
"young one" who had been made so much fuss over for so long. They were
not servants of the best class, and had neither good manners nor good
tempers, and it was frequently convenient to have at hand someone on
whom blame could be laid.

During the first month or two, Sara thought that her willingness to do
things as well as she could, a