Miss Minchin was often deliberately and openly cruel to Sara in front of the students.
She gave her impossible tasks and then scolded her when she could not finish them in time.
Lavinia added her own cruelty with mocking words and cold and dismissive looks daily.
Any reasonable person would have understood if Sara had responded with anger or spite.
Instead Sara continued to work honestly and to speak to others without bitterness or meanness.
She seemed to understand that lowering herself to cruelty would be a loss she could not afford.
The world outside could treat her badly but it could not make her treat others badly in return.
She never lost her integrity even in cruelty.