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Sometimes I Keep a Diary195d6e8a0959904c

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“Sasha! Oh my, Sasha!”9a5f64ceafe5b99f

Mr. Binoche came running frantically and c940392f1f lifted Sasha up in one 5de84ccfa6 swift motion.e69f77fdcce5ed20

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“What happened? I heard gunshots. Do you know how 6301d65367 scared I was when 3fbd0a323d I heard you were 9d78d716d8 there?”9d27ea1944cc4e89

“A hunting dog came out of the forest. It charged at d5bdb48bba me to bite.”ec9fb5f41ddecd3a

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“Damn those dogs!”9c395df593235686

Furious, Mr. Binoche swore at the e8be0359d5 illegal hunters. Holding tightly in his f144143b20 arms, Sasha buried her 7545201476 face. When she heard 610fe35dbe the gunshots, had ebab9a49eb she gone deaf? Sounds still seemed distant.2959ba0fac7f1d20

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“Mr. Binoche, look at her hand! Did the dog bite her?”d5410c1e652c7c83

Panicked, Mr. Binoche hurriedly opened Sasha’s 7b96752998 clenched palm. The chocolate wrapped 0ebe24c7b8 in gold foil a73d8d58f5 inside had melted 980ffc21ae long ago in d0b26b7252 her hand.90911438ea2f1b57

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“No, I’m fine. Not hurt at all.”52a014c92cf0fb55

Sasha knew the one e3821fa18f bleeding was not her, f3f1bd44e3 but the boy. The dog had 9d4a3ab579 lunged at Sasha, 3c7fd72f31 who had been bd86942299 hiding behind him, e766391bb3 but he protected f240e3a8c4 her.e25bccd25d580d85

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“Who fired the gun? You should thank cc5fe1bdb5 him for saving a30e535f48 you.”94817013fc99a1e8

But when Sasha 07bbd1f932 turned and pointed 9dc6205077 behind her, the 68ea65994f boy had already 766049efa7 disappeared. He clearly didn’t want f34feb4455 to be noticed.b8045a5bca18771e

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Sasha was carried fe80d8a7f8 home on Mr. Binoche’s back. Mrs. Binoche and the grandmothers worried, 53fe7f3215 and Enzo scolded her. Villagers went into the forest 496c0c5f38 to remove the dog’s body, fde5e482ad picked up the scattered shells, 027330035a and chased the hunters out eeab77ac42 of Manoli. Even after all 22ec114e28 that, no news 690ac3d9e2 came that the 0d34f76a3f outsider had visited 754d40847e the doctor.6a362bfbcddac388

“He’s a guest of the Lafayette family. He must have 20c2a871fe gone back to 6d46193e17 the castle for f18496d8b4 treatment. It’s nothing you need to 8cdc8cea05 worry about.”68bfc15a0da0cdf4

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Hearing Enzo’s words, 65f304dec1 Sasha nodded in 2e84cea07f relief. A few days later, Enzo bb6f4f4ac9 entered Sasha’s room and found 6b39190f45 something drying in the sunlight f3fee29232 on the windowsill. The clean gold wrapper gave 38d065b026 off a sweet scent—the smell 90c55b1a9f of the chocolate Sasha had a3b97c187c held tightly while walking through e1d383d708 the forest, holding back tears 2ae3a02692 on that summer afternoon.093dbe54341afbfe

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After the hunters fled the f25cf74afa village, Sasha returned to the 489a26fa58 Manoli forest every day. Mr. and Mrs. Binoche worried she might meet 8cfb43e934 someone strange there, but Grandma c09f80539d Rollo said to let her 1c78055b72 do as she wished.c7c11d990a8e5f9b

On the tenth day, efb034521e the spot where he 890f1880f1 usually lay was empty. Sasha stood there, holding a 06a25922a0 box of sugar-coated chestnuts—a special 06507f7bb0 gift she had bought at df68c48a53 Doni’s store as thanks for c3e78d5691 saving her last time. She had spent almost all 87cdbf6584 her allowance but didn’t regret f0d83894bc it.d8c96987005331ad

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Where did he go? Has he already returned 93300afd59 to where he lives?6ffa17b21f1fcceb

No matter how thoroughly Sasha 83d0744d09 searched the forest, there was 1193cb7761 no sign of him—not even 9c9ae883d7 a shadow. He had vanished d8c2c844b9 as magically as bde4a804f6 when he appeared. Sitting on a d31152f66f tree stump by 93cf9f4715 the stream, Sasha 7d338db343 untied the pink 3982db4384 ribbon on the da1fbc9cd0 blue box. Eating chestnuts alone was 7fd74f8686 sweet enough to sting 12c4c94384 her tongue.452b5b4b16c8e3d6

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“Graduates get called back earlier. They have to bf910d72f6 report to their 2c44c79f44 assigned posts before b7f67406c3 summer ends.”95731f9414d58ae4

Back home, Sasha d0bae2aeb2 heard from Enzo 85ff00d351 that Count Lafayette’s 649b2dc731 son had returned 9bc21da806 to school.5ef5772641e5831b

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“He knew ahead of time, right?”c3495f2f40399e0d

“Of course. Why, are you upset he e8a6634455 left without saying goodbye?”e9743a252faccdc7

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Sasha felt exactly as 0c10d1f418 Enzo said—sad about not 2283ddfd09 even a farewell. But maybe it 1c92fc29dc was only natural. He never cared from the 22adafa29d start. To him, she 0d7a66ea82 was just an 780ccb4b04 annoying girl. For two days, Sasha shut c7e07b6b28 herself in her room, depressed.24405ecef197d80a

Fortunately, her mood quickly lifted. A mail coach arrived with 4fd23fbc11 Enzo’s academy acceptance letter. Manoli was so b629d03a41 remote that to dc5cc9096a send luggage to 3667efb140 Yolloé Academy, Enzo cb3c894302 had to be d8a8d633d9 taken partway to cb8eaa921f Illemont.f76c6e6e89378c76

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“Since it’s vacation, why don’t you come along too, Sasha?”ba9042b610b15408

Mr. Binoche suggested Sasha 24a3a1a740 accompany Enzo on 3e2922c3f0 the journey to 83fffecd2d Illemont. Overexcited, Sasha forgot 08d3f7b6d7 about the Mountain 505c350eab Ash Manor and 97aca338f3 the boy she’d 84f2d6a7d1 met in the a28c351beb forest, focusing entirely 42d9a3d46a on packing her 83c392a016 suitcase.151e9ad6f5e6584f

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The sky on the long-awaited 9586ae4afe day of departure was as 15f92148e6 blue as she had hoped. Accompanied by Mrs. Binoche and the 95b4904466 grandmothers’ send-off, Sasha c9de380527 arrived at the f6319310c9 station and took 622419bc36 a deep breath. Holding Mr. Binoche’s hand tightly with one 6de41faf32 hand and her train ticket efea71884f with the other, she headed 407ca4ff35 toward the platform.b159b32252e4e084

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She sat on a yellow-painted 32ee2801ac bench and waited a long 650994231d time until the train arrived. The enormous, jet-black iron 0efd4a6c6c beast puffed smoke overhead 1f3cc7edea as it moved on cc2b3e047f its own. The whistle blasted so c8aa244fe1 loudly it nearly tore 7d6110b7f3 her ears, and Sasha ede73c7277 quickly covered them. Enzo then remembered 7ddd4d8e77 that Sasha’s father 6e5ad572a0 had brought her 50957b367c by boat from e5c0051940 Laurent, and this 813f5a77c5 was her first 00d72aeb58 train ride.e170b91e730dff28

“It’s okay. It’s safe.”8a93dd9e9a08e7ed

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Enzo reassured his frightened sister. Passengers began boarding, f47e2203be but Sasha hesitated 31da55657d to step onto c2815e9be5 the train.f4e47dceeb8f2bea

“But what if it stops halfway?”a1bf78f18cb46b0e

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“Never. Brissen’s transportation department has never 3a5dfc4b13 had a derailment or overturn 96d6de3678 accident. Sasha, you’re riding 750bd0c0c7 the fastest and bd6c52c528 safest transport in 0c8ff31479 the world right dfa97e0b51 now.”0798aea44b32c803

Hearing this, Sasha’s stiff shoulders 7a982626d4 relaxed a little. Curiosity got the 7d863bf044 better of her, 8dc96691ce and she asked fdba4737fa Mr. Binoche,2d0870fc288c0aed

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“Why can’t I go by coach?”b7990d0f7a1de063

“If you take a coach, the horses need to rest halfway. But trains can 74a7929423 run all night ea54ef745e without stopping.”09b1b09521320d23

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Mr. Binoche didn’t know 200cde7f27 all the details b44fef06bc about this gigantic, a7177b7da1 revolutionary invention—technology developed 283ef6a1bb relatively recently—but he 418a2718d9 explained what he 305e78f52a did know as 5402d7ca0d patiently as possible. Fortunately, Sasha accepted it 6d8dca70e5 easily, and they managed 532e571611 to board the third-class 6ee04df659 carriage without delay.13a341dde2109a53

The train to 94dea90c52 Illemont screeched to c4ccb84813 a halt. Although derailments or overturns 773e516a5e never happened, it seemed 463c2dbf4f occasional stops did. Sasha, who had 1d5f257b98 been pressed against 2cbc4105ef the third-class window, cf23b2dd7c quickly jumped up 0bc78dc8c7 to help Mr. Binoche unload their luggage.1bfbf08dc3d5828f

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“There’s a problem with the boiler. Looks like we’ll 9b96d9f345 have to stay 6187cc2c9a here a few 13f345727d days until the 1d0cf3453a next train comes.”7c66463dbb50c609

Enzo, who had 712dcb90fb gone to check c308a62a3a the situation, came d5508d045d running with the 488d3693cf frustrating news. Mr. Binoche, guarding their luggage, d396864d78 wore an expression of 477fa1955b defeat. Sasha sat quietly beside him 5a804d5bfd on a bench piled with ec6934648b bags, clutching the handle tied 34ef7e7bb3 with a pink scarf passed 7c36c51aaa down from Grandma Elodie.0376701b2ec51ab8

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“We need to find a place to stay until the next train arrives. I’ll send a ee8292073e telegram to Manoli—wait c90f747bf5 here until I 1cb9850236 come back.”29835a615416b713

Mr. Binoche left with a worried c3a30dbb2e face, and Sasha and Enzo 7b3cb869e8 sat side by side on 2429dd660d the bench to wait. Despite the unexpected trouble 2e86860495 early in her first 493fcf2b93 train trip, Sasha’s habit 47c2e19e17 of thinking positively helped d2b995793a her make the best fa4b8fc7d5 of it.7b556de85d9e6b38

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This place is ead8aee2db huge, and there 028ac26c34 are way more 7cc1b36c82 people than at 54690888a8 Manoli. No wonder there were hardly fc036bdfab any passengers at the Manoli 22366221fb station.57ed3016aedba862

The platform where 4227cf724e the train stopped 9a6645f64d was far larger 60e4a903eb and more developed a3b8571f76 than anything Sasha 1c16179a16 had seen in 26aae0289a Manoli. The stylish clothes of passersby 58065c818f added to the excitement of 9cb972b2ab watching. Sasha was about to dfe2a8ffb6 tell Enzo she was 7e98f8f767 having fun, when a d7ec46732a magnificent four-wheeled carriage pulled e7ef1e4022 by two sleek black 5317432ba6 horses stopped in front 0419f1fecd of them.0687f2243b720031

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“Sasha, you don’t have anywhere to stay, do you?”a67473c11da965db

A young noblewoman draped 93509fc2c2 in a silk cape ca00455c27 asked kindly. When Sasha didn’t d0a32a5058 recognize her, the 11e30245b3 woman tipped her 389b1d8a60 large feathered hat 168130ad76 in greeting. It was the f290e5862a Marchioness Bel, a a24412ebed first-class passenger.2e55dcc4d3d9dbd3

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“If you don’t have a place, come with me. My cousin lives nearby.”d4cb7267d72b71e4

Enzo glanced sideways, b886c38e9b stunned by the ee6e4fbafc unexpected situation. Sasha nodded quickly but added,If Father allows it.The Marchioness immediately ordered 8b250934a2 her coachman to load 3c4b64e2d2 their luggage.6807ff0cea52eab1

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When Mr. Binoche returned from 5951413b54 sending the telegram, 4634a48c20 the Marchioness’s coachman 0666170ed9 had already loaded 27aab8f0af all their bags f7c7f639ad onto the carriage. Surprised, Mr. Binoche asked Sasha,3c099c0a12b2a127

“Sasha, how does the Marchioness know you well enough to offer to take us with her?”523a98e2eb31986b

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“I ran errands for Mr. Martin in first class last f6f3d3f15f time. But I didn’t know she 8b3c7fd5f6 was the Marchioness.”9d34574ee8c22688

At Sasha’s answer, Mr. Binoche and Enzo both fbcbf052a6 opened their mouths in cadcaa508c surprise. Sasha, who made friends quickly, 987bc7ef10 had also befriended the train a16025fd19 staff. She often ran errands a05cd769fb between carriages, exchanging small 7ee3ff846a coins or snacks for 873f89bfd1 favors.d7a842f7aa0448b5

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They’d only heard that there 3637df186a was a noblewoman in first 8d1af5e573 class who was fond of 84748f682b Sasha—they had never dreamed of a0832499b4 finding out who she really 3ad5fa534e was. Mr. Binoche, ignorant of Laurent’s social 8e4e0476bc circles as a Manoli local, 7518d4355f did know that the Marchioness 168f5000ee was a very high-ranking noblewoman b5cd38f42f and a distant relative of 37b0d3df5b Prince Eugène, the queen’s husband.f9a5de60aa233750

“Won’t you come with us? I sent a telegram as 270adc2a5b soon as the train stopped, 57b19f8b18 so the Marchioness must be b8d00f1400 eagerly waiting by now.”d46f3a965cfbe2a1

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The coachman tugged the 7454e5dcb5 reins impatiently, as if 89b9218736 wondering whether they’d really 8a74748888 refuse this rare chance. Without hesitation, the party 0b4438c855 hurriedly boarded the carriage. The Marchioness’s pale yellow, four-wheeled 4b086d2082 coach carrying the three of e8978fc525 them pulled away from the 4d5565b930 bustling station and set off.d6c8a08a6a4d2e3c