the governess-第16部分

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ld　not　from　herself　exert　any　magic　power；　yet　such　was　her　unbounded　influence　over　her　husband；　that　she　was　sure　of　success　in　every　attempt　to　persuade　him　to　gratify　her　desires。　　For　if　every　argument　she　could　invent　happened　to　fail；　yet　the　shedding　but　one　tear　was　a　certain　method　to　prevail　with　him　to　give　up　his　reason；　whatever　might　be　the　consequence。

'When　my　father　and　mother　had　been　married　about　a　year；　she　was　brought　to　bed　of　a　daughter；　to　whom　she　gave　the　name　of　Brunetta。　　Her　first　request　to　my　father　was；　that　he　would　endow　this　infant　with　as　much　beauty　as　she　herself　was　possessed　of；　and　bestow　on　her　as　much　of　his　art　as　should　enable　her　to　succeed　in　all　her　designs。　　My　father　foresaw　the　dreadful　tendency　of　granting　this　request；　but　said　he　would　give　it　with　this　restriction；　that　she　should　succeed　in　all　her　designs　that　were　not　wicked；　for；　said　he；　the　success　of　wicked　designs　always　turns　out　as　a　punishment　to　the　person　so　succeeding。　In　this　resolution　he　held　for　three　days；　till　my　mother　（being　weak　in　body　after　her　lying…in）　worked　herself　with　her　violent　passions　to　such　a　degree；　that　the　physicians　told　my　father；　they　despaired　of　her　life；　unless　some　method　could　be　found　to　make　her　mind　more　calm　and　easy。　　His　fondness　for　his　wife　would　not　suffer　him　to　bear　the　thoughts　of　losing　her；　and　the　horror　with　which　that　apprehension　had　but　for　a　moment　possessed　his　mind；　prevailed　with　him　to　bestow　on　the　little　Brunetta　（though　foreseeing　it　would　make　her　miserable）　the　fatal　gift　in　its　full　extent。　　But　one　restriction　it　was　out　of　his　power　to　take　off；　namely；　that　all　wicked　designs　ever　could　and　should　be　rendered　ineffectual　by　the　virtue　and　perseverance　of　those　against　whom　they　were　intended；　if　they　in　a　proper　manner　exerted　that　virtue。

'I　was　born　in　two　years　after　Brunetta；　and　was　called　Sybella：　　but　my　mother　was　so　taken　up　with　her　darling　Brunetta；　that　she　gave　herself　nut　the　least　concern　about　me；　and　I　was　left　wholly　to　the　care　of　my　father。　　In　order　to　make　the　gift　she　had　extorted　from　her　fond　husband　as　fatal　as　possible　to　her　favourite　child；　she　took　care　in　her　education　（by　endeavouring　to　cultivate　in　her　the　spirit　of　revenge　and　malice　against　those　who　had　in　the　least　degree　offended　her）　to　turn　her　mind　to　all　manner　of　mischief；　by　which　means　she　lived　in　a　continual　passion。

'My　father；　as　soon　as　I　was　old　enough　to　hearken　to　reason；　told　me　of　the　gift　he　had　conferred　on　my　sister；　said　he　could　not　retract　it；　and　therefore；　if　she　had　any　mischievous　designs　against　me；　they　must　in　some　measure　succeed；　but　she　would　endow　me　with　a　power　superior　to　this　gift　of　my　sister's；　and　likewise　superior　to　any　thing　else　that　he　was　able　to　bestow；　which　was　strength　and　constancy　of　mind　enough　to　bear　patiently　any　injuries　I　might　receive；　and　this　was　a　strength；　he　said；　which　would　not　decay；　but　rather　increase；　by　every　new　exercise　of　it；　and；　to　secure　me　in　the　possession　of　this　gift；　he　likewise　gave　me　a　perfect　knowledge　of　the　true　value　of　everything　around　me；　by　which　means　I　might　learn；　whatever　outward　accidents　befell　me；　not　to　lose　the　greatest　blessing　in　this　world；　namely；　a　calm　and　contented　mind。　　He　taught　me　so　well　my　duty；　that　I　cheerfully　obeyed　my　mother　in　all　things；　though　she　seldom　gave　me　a　kind　word；　or　even　a　kind　look；　for　my　spiteful　sister　was　always　telling　some　lies　to　make　her　angry　with　me。　　But　my　heart　overflowed　with　gratitude　to　my　father；　that　he　would　give　me　leave　to　love　him；　whilst　he　instructed　me　that　it　was　my　duty　to　pay　him　the　most　strict　obedience。

'Brunetta　was　daily　encouraged　by　her　mother　to　use　me　ill；　and　chiefly　because　my　father　loved　me；　and　although　she　succeeded　in　all　her　designs　of　revenge　on　me；　yet　was　she　very　uneasy；　because　she　could　not　take　away　the　cheerfulness　of　my　mind；　for　I　bore　with　patience　whatever　happened　to　me：　　and　she　would　often　say；　〃must　I　with　all　my　beauty；　power；　and　wisdom　（for　so　she　called　her　low　cunning）　be　suffering　perpetual　uneasiness？　and　shall　you；　who　have　neither　beauty；　power；　nor　wisdom；　pretend　to　be　happy　and　cheerful？〃　　Then　would　she　cry　and　stamp；　and　rave　like　a　mad　creature；　and　set　her　invention　at　work　to　make　my　mother　beat　me；　or　lock　me　up；　or　take　from　me　some　of　my　best　clothes　to　give　to　her；　yet　still　could　not　her　power　extend　to　vex　my　mind：　　and　this　used　to　throw　her　again　into　such　passions；　as　weakened　her　health；　and　greatly　impaired　her　so　much　boasted　beauty。

'In　this　manner　we　lived；　till　on　a　certain　day；　after　Brunetta　had　been　in　one　of　her　rages　with　me　for　nothing；　my　father　came　in　and　chid　her　for　it；　which；　when　my　mother　heard；　she　threw　herself　into　such　a　violent　passion；　that　her　husband　could　not　pacify　her。　　And；　being　big　with　child；　the　convulsions；　caused　by　her　passions；　brought　her　to　her　grave。　　Thus　my　father　lost　her；　by　the　same　uncontrollable　excesses；　the　fatal　effects　of　which　he　had　before　ruined　his　daughter　to　preserve　her　from。　　He　did　not　long　survive　her；　but；　before　he　died；　gave　me　a　little　wand；　which；　by　striking　three　times　on　the　ground；　he　said；　would　at　any　time　produce　me　any　necessary　or　convenience　of　life；　which　I　really　wanted；　either　for　myself；　or　the　assistance　of　others；　and　this　he　gave　me；　because　he　was　very　sensible；　he　said；　that　as　soon　as　he　was　dead；　my　sister　would　never　rest　till　she　had　got　from　me　both　his　castle；　and　everything　that　I　had　belonging　to　me；　in　it。　　〃But；〃　continued　he；　〃whenever　you　are　driven　from　thence；　bend　your　course　directly　into　the　pleasant　wood　Ardella；　there　strike　with　your　wand；　and　everything　you　want；　will　be　provided　for　you。　　But　keep　this　wand　a　profound　secret；　or　Brunetta　will　get　it　from　you；　and　then　（though　you　can　never；　while　you　preserve　your　patience；　be　unhappy）　you　will　not　have　it　in　your　power　to　be　of　so　much　use　as　you　would　wish　to　be；　to　those　who　shall　stand　in　need　of　your　assistance。〃　　Saying　these　words；　he　expired；　as　I　kneeled　by　his　bedside；　attending　his　last　commands；　and　bewailing　the　loss　of　so　good　a　father。

'In　the　midst　of　this　our　distress；　we　sent　to　my　Uncle　Sochus；　my　father's　brother；　to　come　to　us；　and　to　assist　us　in　an　equal　division　of　my　deceased　father's　effects；　but　my　sister　soon　contrived　to　make　him　believe；　that　I　was　the　wickedest　girl　alive；　and　had　always　set　my　father　against　her　by　my　art；　which　she　said　I　pretended　to　call　my　wisdom；　and　by　several　handsome　presents　she　soon　persuaded　him　（for　he　did　not　care　a　farthing　for　either　of　us）　to　join　with　her　in　saying；　that；　as　she　was　the　eldest　sister；　she　had　a　full　right　to　the　castle；　and　everything　in　it；　but　she　told　me　I　was　very　welcome　to　stay　there；　and　live　with　her；　if　I　pleased；　and　while　I　behaved　myself　well；　she　should　be　very　glad　of　my　company。

'As　it　was　natural　for　me　to　love　every　one　that　would　give　me　leave　to　love　them；　I　was　quite　overjoyed　at　this　kind　offer　of　my　sister's；　and　never　once　thought　on　the　treachery　she　had　so　lately　been　guilty　of；　and　I　have　since　reflected；　that　happy　was　it　for　me；　that　passion　was　so　much　uppermost　with　her；　that　she　could　not　execute　any　plot；　that　required　a　dissimulation　of　any　long　continuance；　for　had　her　good　humour　lasted　but　one　four…and…twenty　hours；　it　is　very　probable　that　I　should　have　opened　my　whole　heart　to　her；　should　have　endeavoured　to　have　begun　a　friendship　with　her；　and　perhaps　have　betrayed　the　secret　of　my　wand；　but　just　as　it　was　sunset；　she　came　into　the　room　where　I　was；　in　the　most　violent　passion　in　the　world；　accusing　me　to　my　uncle　of　ingratitude　to　her　great　generosity；　in　suffering　me　to　live　in　her　castle。　　She　said；　〃that　she　had　found　me　out；　and　that　my　crimes　were　of　the　blackest　dye；〃　although　she　would　not　tell　me　either　what　they　were；　or　who　were　my　accusers。　　She　would　not　give　me　leave　to　speak；　either　to　ask　what　my　offence　was；　or　to　justify　my　innocence；　and　I　plainly　perceived；　that　her　pretended　kindness　was　only　designed　to　make　my　disappointment　the　greater；　and　that　she　was　now　determined　to　find　me　guilty；　whether　I　pleaded；　or　not。　　And　after　she　had　raved　on　for　some　time；　she　said　to　me　with　a　sneer；　〃Since　you　have　always　boasted　of　your　calm　and　contented　mind；　you　may　now　try　to　be　contented　this　night　with　the　softness　of　the　grass　for　your　bed；　for　here　in　my　castle　you　shall　not　stay　one　moment　longer。〃　　And　so　saying；　she　and　my　uncle　led　me　to　the　outer　court；　and　thrusting　me　with　all　their　force　from　them；　they　shut　up　the　gates；　bolting　and　barring　them　as　close　as　if　to　keep　out　a　giant；　and　left　me；　at　that　time　of　night；　friendless；　and；　as　they　thought；　destitute　of　any　kind　of　support。

'I　then　remembered　my　dear　father's　last　words；　and　made　what　haste　I　could　to　this　wood；　which　is　not　above　a　mile　distant　from　the　castle；　and　being；　as　I　thought；　about　the　middle　of　it；　I　struck　three　times　with　my　wand；　and　immediately　up　rose　this　grove　of　trees；　which　you　see；　this　house；　and　all　the　other　conveniences；　which　I　now　enjoy；　and　getting　that　very　night　into　this　my　plain　and　easy　bed；　I　enjoyed　as　sweet　a　repose　as　ever　I　did　in　my　life；　only　delayed；　indeed；　a　short　time；　by　a　few　sighs；　for　the　loss　of　so　good　a　parent；　and　the　unhappy　state　of　a　self…tormented　sister；　whose　slumbers　（I　fear）　on　a　bed　of　down；　were　more　restless　and　interrupted　that　night　than　mine　would　have　been；　even　had　not　my　father's　present　of　the　wand　prevented　me　from　the　necessity　of　using　the　bed　of　grass；　which　she；　in　her　wrath；　allotted　me。　　In　this　grove；　which　I　call　Placid　Grove；　is　contained　all　that　I　want；　and　it　is　so　well　secured　from　any　invaders；　by　the　thick　briars　and　thorns　which　surround　it；　having　no　entrance　but　through　that　tender　jessamine；　that　I　live　in　no　apprehensions　of　any　disturbance；　though　so　near　my　sister's　castle。　　But　once；　indeed；　she　came　with　a　large　train；　and；　whilst　I　was　asleep；　set　fire　to　the　trees　all　around　me；　and　waking；　I　found　myself　almost　suffocated　with　smoke；　and　the　flames　had　reached　one　part　of　my　House。　　I　started　from　my　bed；　and　striking　on　the　ground　three　times　with　my　wand；　there　ca