--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I shall pretend that,” she said; “and it…" description: "\"“I shall pretend that,” she said; “and it will be a great comfort.” Ermengarde was at once enraptured and awed. “And will you tell me all about it?” sh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/695/frances-hodgson-burnett-988_best-friend_i-shall-pretend-that-she-said-and-it-wil_442118.jpg" --- # I shall pretend that,” she said; “and it will be a great… ![“I shall pretend that,” she said; “and it will be a great comfort.” Ermengarde was at once enraptured and awed. “And will you tell me all about it?” she said. “May I creep up here at night, whenever it is safe, and hear the things you have made up in the day? It will seem as if we were more ‘best…” quote by Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/695/frances-hodgson-burnett-988_best-friend_i-shall-pretend-that-she-said-and-it-wil_442118.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/695/frances-hodgson-burnett-988_best-friend_i-shall-pretend-that-she-said-and-it-wil_442118.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/695/frances-hodgson-burnett-988_best-friend_i-shall-pretend-that-she-said-and-it-wil_442118.jpg) > ““I shall pretend that,” she said; “and it will be a great comfort.” Ermengarde was at once enraptured and awed. “And will you tell me all about it?” she said. “May I creep up here at night, whenever it is safe, and hear the things you have made up in the day? It will seem as if we were more ‘best friends’ than ever.” “Yes,” answered Sara, nodding. “Adversity tries people, and mine has tried you and proved how nice you are.”” [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A child finds comfort in imagination and shared secrets, turning adversity into a bond of friendship. **In simple terms:** Imagination comforts and deepens friendships during hard times. Key Takeaway Seek shared stories to strengthen bonds. Themes friendship imagination adversity comfort Mood hopeful intimate Type literary conversational When to use this quote - childhood play - nighttime storytelling - confiding secrets - building trust Key Concepts psychology literature emotional resilience Questions to Reflect On - How can shared imagination help you cope with challenges? - What does “best friends” mean in difficult times? A Different Perspective The comfort may be fleeting if not grounded in reality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-friend/) [Best friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-friends/) [Comfort Ermengarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfort-ermengarde-3875210/) [Ermengarde Enraptured](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ermengarde-enraptured-3875211/) [Pretend Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretend-said-3875212/) [Said Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-great-479646/) [Shall Pretend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shall-pretend-2028507/) ## Related quotes > [Since these mysteries exceed my grasp, I shall pretend to have organized them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/since-these-mysteries-exceed-my-grasp-i-shall-pretend-to-have/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [“Marlene’s praise went down like a cold beer after a greasy burger. She could sense this. “You’re not at all as bad as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jutta-profijt/marlene-s-praise-went-down-like-a-cold-beer-after-a-greasy-burger-she/) [Jutta Profijt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jutta-profijt/) > [“Are you William Rowen?” Ira checked the space behind him, over each shoulder, then sorted. “Me? Her father? I’m gonna pretend you never said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-frazier/are-you-william-rowen-ira-checked-the-space-behind-him-over-each/) [Angie Frazier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-frazier/) > [Let's take this opportunity to honor the movie, Groundhog Day, and pretend everything I said and did the last time we saw each other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-s-take-this-opportunity-to-honor-the-movie-groundhog-day-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Some books sold because they are (said to be) great. Some are (said to be) great because they sold.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-books-sold-because-they-are-said-to-be-great-some-are-said-to-be/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Bernard King said something great about me? Wow, he's one of the best. I'm definitely honored and very thankful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rj-barrett/bernard-king-said-something-great-about-me-wow-he-s-one-of-the-best-i/) [RJ Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rj-barrett/) > [“I decided it was now or never!” she said. Great”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-vujicic/i-decided-it-was-now-or-never-she-said-great/) [Nick Vujicic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-vujicic/) > [“Thanks,” I said, “have a great day.” And I turned to leave. Damn! I am such a coward. Next time I’ll get her number,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/thanks-i-said-have-a-great-day-and-i-turned-to-leave-damn-i-am-such-a/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“I heard my teacher said "great people make history". I am not concern about "great" or "people" or "history". I am concerned about "make"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/i-heard-my-teacher-said-great-people-make-history-i-am-not-concern/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Someone has said that all the great jugglers are dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-graham/someone-has-said-that-all-the-great-jugglers-are-dead/) [Ronald Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-graham/) > [My wife said Honey , go get a dozen condoms, I'm horny … I said Great Darlin, I'll be right back … when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/my-wife-said-honey-go-get-a-dozen-condoms-i-m-horny-i-said-great/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [“But as we’ve said before, there is great power in all of us, if only we channel that power into action.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-wheeler/but-as-we-ve-said-before-there-is-great-power-in-all-of-us-if-only-we/) [Thomas Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-wheeler/) > [“I said that great men had a sense of history. But when you say you have a great sense of history it does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teodoro-a-agoncillo/i-said-that-great-men-had-a-sense-of-history-but-when-you-say-you/) [Teodoro A. Agoncillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teodoro-a-agoncillo/) > [I've always said I'm not that great a player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-bellingham/i-ve-always-said-i-m-not-that-great-a-player/) [Jude Bellingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-bellingham/) > [“Shit, he said as a great, green glut of water poured up at our feet. I wonder what the ordinary people are doin today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-winton/shit-he-said-as-a-great-green-glut-of-water-poured-up-at-our-feet-i/) [Tim Winton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-winton/) ## More by Frances Hodgson Burnett > [When you will not fly into a passion people know you are stronger than they are, because you are strong enough to hold in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/when-you-will-not-fly-into-a-passion-people-know-you-are-stronger/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“What does it say?" asked my lord. "It says, 'Good-night, God keep you all the night!'--just what she used to say when we were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/what-does-it-say-asked-my-lord-it-says-good-night-god-keep-you-all/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [Somehow, something always happens just before things get to the very worst. It is as if Magic did it. If I could only just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/somehow-something-always-happens-just-before-things-get-to-the-very/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“They were as real as Sara, and it was careless of them not to come out of the story shadowland and say, “Here I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/they-were-as-real-as-sara-and-it-was-careless-of-them-not-to-come-out/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“One of the new things people began to find out in the last century was that thoughts- just mere thoughts- are as powerful as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/one-of-the-new-things-people-began-to-find-out-in-the-last-century/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“I've seen the spring now and I'm going to see the summer. I'm going to see everything grow here. I'm going to grow here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/i-ve-seen-the-spring-now-and-i-m-going-to-see-the-summer-i-m-going-to/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“If she had cried and sobbed and seemed frightened, Miss Minchin might almost have had more patience with her. She was a woman who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/if-she-had-cried-and-sobbed-and-seemed-frightened-miss-minchin-might/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“I was thinking," she said. "Beg my pardon immediately," said Miss Minchin. "I will beg your pardon for laughing, if it was rude," said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/i-was-thinking-she-said-beg-my-pardon-immediately-said-miss-minchin-i/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“She said that perhaps it was not so easy to be very rich; that if any one had so many things always, one might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/she-said-that-perhaps-it-was-not-so-easy-to-be-very-rich-that-if-any/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [I am sure there is Magic in everything, only we have not sense enough to get hold of it and make it do things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/i-am-sure-there-is-magic-in-everything-only-we-have-not-sense-enough/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“You don't know that you are saying these things to a princess, and that if I chose I could wave my hand and order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/you-don-t-know-that-you-are-saying-these-things-to-a-princess-and/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“Well, it is. One of her 'pretends' is that she is a princess. She plays it all the time—even in school. She says it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/well-it-is-one-of-her-pretends-is-that-she-is-a-princess-she-plays-it/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“They know you are stronger than they are, because you are strong enough to hold in your rage and they are not, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/they-know-you-are-stronger-than-they-are-because-you-are-strong/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“Tom's Cabin, and she spent many hours acting out”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/tom-s-cabin-and-she-spent-many-hours-acting-out/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [... justice is mercy's highest self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/justice-is-mercy-s-highest-self/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) [Explore all 296 Frances Hodgson Burnett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) ## More Best friend quotes > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [I fell in love with my best friend, but I know that if it doesn't last, it will never be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-yang/i-fell-in-love-with-my-best-friend-but-i-know-that-if-it-doesn-t-last/) [Shelly Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-yang/) > [A best friend isn't someone who's just always there for you.Its someone who understands you a bit more than you understand yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/a-best-friend-isn-t-someone-who-s-just-always-there-for-you-its/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Back home I get to see my old friends!(: But they don't understand the change in me and I can't explain it to them...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade/back-home-i-get-to-see-my-old-friends-but-they-don-t-understand-the/) [Jade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade/) > [This goes out to someone that was Once the most important person in my life I didn't realize it at the time I can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aviation/this-goes-out-to-someone-that-was-once-the-most-important-person-in/) [Aviation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aviation/) > [You’re crazy,” said her best friend, Angela, as the bell rang to signal five minutes before the first class on the first day back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/you-re-crazy-said-her-best-friend-angela-as-the-bell-rang-to-signal/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [Sometimes the right people can make your day. They're called best friends :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/sometimes-the-right-people-can-make-your-day-they-re-called-best/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Here is your third gift from Me once again..I had a fourth gift it was about me making a video telling you how much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilbear/here-is-your-third-gift-from-me-once-again-i-had-a-fourth-gift-it-was/) [LilBear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilbear/) > [Our friendship is like a cup of tea¦a special blend of you and me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orebela-gbenga/our-friendship-is-like-a-cup-of-tea-a-special-blend-of-you-and-me/) [Orebela Gbenga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orebela-gbenga/) > [When you have the most beautiful best friend in the world what more could I ask for I love you Tay :) you mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick/when-you-have-the-most-beautiful-best-friend-in-the-world-what-more/) [Nick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick/) > [I believe in God, because he is the only thing that kept me going. He's my best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-hahn/i-believe-in-god-because-he-is-the-only-thing-that-kept-me-going-he-s/) [Jessica Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-hahn/) > [ONE stone enough to break a glass,,, ONE sentence is enough to break a heart,,, FIRST sight is enough to fall in love,,, ONE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-stone-enough-to-break-a-glass-one-sentence-is-enough-to-break-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A Real Man will help build his woman's self esteem not break it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-s-voice/a-real-man-will-help-build-his-woman-s-self-esteem-not-break-it/) [Lisa's Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-s-voice/) [Browse all 6,524 Best friend quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-friend/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I shall pretend that,” she said; “and it will be a great comfort.” Ermengarde was at once enraptured and awed. “And will you tell me all about it?” she said. “May I creep up here at night, whenever it is safe, and hear the things you have made up in the day? 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