the governess-第23部分

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hink　reading　a　play　an　improper　amusement　for　us；　for　I　should　be　very　sorry　to　be　guilty　myself；　or　cause　my　companions　to　be　guilty；　of　any　thing　that　would　meet　with　your　disapprobation。'　　Mrs。　Teachum　answered；　that　she　was　not　at　all　displeased　with　her　having　read　a　play；　as　she　saw　by　her　fear　of　offending；　that　her　discretion　was　to　be　trusted　to。　　'Nay　（continued　this　good　woman）；　I　like　that　you　should　know　something　of　all　kinds　of　writings；　where　neither　morals　nor　manners　are　offended；　for　if　you　read　plays；　and　consider　them　as　you　ought；　you　will　neglect　and　despise　what　is　light　and　useless；　whilst　you　will　imprint　on　your　mind's　every　useful　lesson　that　is　to　be　drawn　from　them。　　I　am　very　well　acquainted　with　the　play　you　have　been　reading；　but　that　I　may　see　whether　you　give　the　proper　attention　to　what　you　have　heard；　I　desire；　my　little　girls；　that　one　of　you　will　give　me　an　account　of　the　chief　incidents　in　the　play；　and　tell　me　the　story；　just　as　you　would　do　to　one　of　your　companions　that　had　happened　to　have　been　absent。'

Here　they　all　looked　upon　Miss　Jenny　Peace；　as　thinking　her　the　most　capable　of　doing　what　their　governess　required。　　But　Mrs。　Teachum；　reading　their　thoughts　in　their　looks；　said；　'I　exclude　Miss　Jenny　in　this　case；　for　as　the　play　was　of　her　choosing　to　read　to　you；　I　doubt　not　but　she　is　thoroughly　enough　acquainted　with　every　part　of　it；　and　my　design　was　to　try　the　memory　and　attention　of　some　of　the　others。'

They　all　remained　silent；　and　seemed　to　wait　for　a　more　particular　command；　before　any　one　would　offer　at　the　undertaking；　not　through　any　backwardness　to　comply　with　Mrs。　Teachum's　request；　but　each　from　a　diffidence　of　herself　to　perform　it。

Miss　Jenny　Peace　then　said；　that　she　had　observed　a　great　attention　in　them　all；　and　she　did　not　doubt　but　every　one　was　able　to　give　a　very　good　account　of　what　they　had　heard。　　'But；　as　Miss　Sukey　Jennet　is　the　eldest；　I　believe；　madam；　（continued　she）；　if　you　approve　it；　they　will　all　be　very　ready　to　depute　her　as　their　speaker。'

Each　smiled　at　being　so　relieved　by　Miss　Jenny；　and　Mrs。　Teachum；　taking　Miss　Sukey　Jennet　by　the　hand；　said；　'Come；　my　dear；　throw　off　all　fear　and　reserve；　imagine　me　one　of　your　companions；　and　tell　me　the　story　of　the　play　you　have　been　reading。'

Miss　Sukey；　thus　encouraged　by　her　kind　governess；　without　any　hesitation；　spoke　in　the　following　manner：

'If　I　understand　your　commands；　madam；　by　telling　the　story　of　the　play；　you　would　not　have　me　tell　you　the　acts　and　scenes　as　they　followed　one　another　for　that　I　am　afraid　I　can　hardly　remember；　as　I　have　heard　it　only　once　　but　I　must　describe　the　chief　people　in　the　play；　and　the　plots　and　contrivances　that　are　carried　on　amongst　them。'

Mrs。　Teachum　nodded　her　head；　and　Miss　Sukey　thus　proceeded：



'There　is　an　old　Lord　Brumpton；　who　had　married　a　young　wife；　that　had　lived　with　him　some　years；　and　by　her　deceitful　and　cunning　ways　had　prevailed　with　him　to　disinherit　his　only　son　Lord　Hardy　（who　was　a　very　sensible　good　young　man）　and　to　leave　him　but　a　shilling。　　And　this　Lord　Brumpton　was　taken　in　a　fit；　so　that　all　the　house　thought　he　was　dead；　and　his　lady　sent　for　an　undertaker；　one　Mr。　Sable；　to　bury　him。　　But　coming　out　of　his　fit；　when　nobody　but　this　Mr。　Sable；　and　an　old　servant；　called　Trusty；　were　by；　he　was　prevailed　upon　by　the　good　old　Trusty　to　feign　himself　still　dead　（and　the　undertaker　promises　secrecy）　in　order　to　detect　the　wickedness　of　his　wife；　which　old　Trusty　assures　him　is　very　great；　and　then　he　carries　his　lord　where　he　overhears　a　discourse　between　the　widow　（as　she　thinks　herself）　and　her　maid　Tattleaid；　and　he　bears　his　once　beloved　wife　rejoicing　in　his　supposed　death；　and　in　the　success　of　her　own　arts　to　deceive　him。　　Then　there　are　two　young　ladies；　Lady　Charlotte　and　Lady　Harriet　Lovely；　to　whom　this　Lord　Brumpton　was　guardian；　and　he　had　also　left　them　in　the　care　of　this　wicked　woman。　　And　this　young　Lord　Hardy　was　in　love　with　Lady　Charlotte；　and　Mr。　Camply；　a　very　lively　young　gentleman；　his　friend；　was　in　love　with　Lady　Harriet　and　Lady　Brumpton　locked　the　two　young　ladies　up；　and　would　not　let　them　be　seen　by　their　lovers。　　But　there　at　last　they　contrived；　by　the　help　of　old　Trusty；　who　had　their　real　guardian's　consent　for　it；　both　to　get　away；　and　Lady　Harriet　married　Mr。　Camply　directly；　but　Lady　Charlotte　did　not　get　away　so　soon；　and　so　was　not　married　till　the　end　of　the　play。　　This　Mr。　Camply　was　a　very　generous　man；　and　was　newly　come　to　a　large　fortune；　and　in　the　beginning　of　the　play　he　contrives；　in　a　very　genteel　manner；　to　give　his　friend　Lord　Hardy；　who　very　much　wanted　it；　three　hundred　pounds；　but　he　takes　care　to　let　us　know；　that　my　lord　had　formerly；　when　he　waited　his　assistance；　been　very　kind　to　him。　　And　there　at　last；　when　Lady　Brumpton　finds　out　that　the　two　young　ladies　are　gone；　she　goes　away　in　a　rage　to　Lord　Hardy's　lodgings；　and　in　an　insulting　manner　she　pays　all　due　legacies；　as　she　calls　it；　that　is；　she　gives　Lord　Hardy　the　shilling；　which；　by　her　wicked　arts；　was　all　his　father　had　left　him；　and　she　was　insulting　the　young　ladies；　and　glorying　in　her　wickedness；　when　honest　old　Trusty　came　in；　and　brought　in　old　Lord　Brumpton；　whom　they　imagined　to　be　dead；　and　all　but　Lady　Brumpton　were　greatly　overjoyed　to　see　him　alive；　but　when　he　taxed　her　with　her　falsehood；　she　defied　him；　and　said　that　she　had　got　a　deed　of　gift　under　his　hand；　which　he　could　not　revoke；　and　she　WOULD　enjoy　his　fortune　in　spite　of　him。　　Upon　which　they　all　looked　sadly　vexed；　till　the　good　old　Trusty　went　out　and　came　in　again；　and　brought　in　a　man　called　Cabinet；　who　confessed　himself　the　husband　to　the　pretended　Lady　Brumpton；　and　that　he　was　married　to　her　half　a　year　before　she　was　married　to　my　Lord　Brumpton；　but　as　my　lord　happened　to　fall　in　love　with　her；　they　agreed　to　keep　their　marriage　concealed；　in　order　that　she　should　marry　my　lord；　and　cheat　him　in　the　manner　she　had　done；　and　the　reason　that　Cabinet　came　to　confess　all　this　was；　that　he　looked　into　a　closet　and　saw　my　lord　writing；　after　he　thought　he　was　dead；　and；　taking　it　for　his　ghost；　was　by　that　means　frightened　into　this　confession；　which　he　first　made　in　writing　to　old　Trusty；　and　therefore　could　not　now　deny　it。　　They　were　all　rejoiced　at　this　discovery；　except　the　late　pretended　Lady　Brumpton；　who　sneaked　away　with　Cabinet　her　husband；　and　my　Lord　Brumpton　embraced　his　son；　and　gave　his　consent；　that　he　should　marry　Lady　Charlotte；　and　they　were　all　pleased　and　happy。'

Here　Miss　Sukey　ceased；　and　Mrs。　Teachum　told　her　she　was　a　very　good　girl；　and　had　remembered　a　great　deal　of　the　play。　　'But　（said　she）　in　time；　with　using　yourself　to　this　way　of　repeating　what　you　have　read；　you　will　come　to　a　better　manner；　and　a　more　regular　method　of　telling　your　story；　which　you　was　now　so　intent　upon　finishing；　that　you　forgot　to　describe　what　sort　of　women　those　two　young　ladies　were；　though；　as　to　all　the　rest；　you　have　been　particular　enough。'

'Indeed；　madam；　（said　Miss　Sukey）；　I　had　forgot　that；　but　Lady　Charlotte　was　a　very　sensible；　grave　young　lady；　and　lady　Harriet　was　extremely　gay　and　coquettish；　but　Mr。　Camply　tells　her　how　much　it　misbecomes　her　to　be　so　and　she　having　good　sense；　as　well　as　good　nature；　is　convinced　of　her　folly；　and　likes　him　so　well　for　his　reproof；　that　she　consents　to　marry　him。'

Mrs。　Teachum；　addressing　herself　to　them　all；　told　them；　that　this　was　a　method　she　wished　they　would　take　with　whatever　they　read；　for　nothing　so　strongly　imprinted　anything　on　the　memory　as　such　a　repetition；　and　then　turning　to　Miss　Jenny　Peace；　she　said；　'And　now；　Miss　Jenny；　I　desire　you　will　speak　freely　what　you　think　is　the　chief　moral　to　be　drawn　from　the　play　you　have　just　read。'

Miss　Jenny　being　thus　suddenly　asked　a　question　of　this　nature；　considered　some　time　before　she　gave　an　answer；　for　she　was　naturally　very　diffident　of　her　own　opinion　in　anything　where　she　had　not　been　before　instructed　by　some　one　she　thought　wiser　than　herself。　　At　last；　with　a　modest　look；　and　an　humble　voice；　she　said；　'Since；　madam；　you　have　commanded　me　to　speak　my　sentiments　freely；　I　think　by　what　happened　to　each　character　in　this　play；　the　author　intended　to　prove　what　my　good　mamma　first　taught　me；　and　what　you；　madam；　since　have　so　strongly　confirmed　me　in；　namely；　that　folly；　wickedness；　and　misery；　all　three；　as　constantly　dwell　together；　as　wisdom；　virtue；　and　happiness　do。'

''Tis　very　true　（answered　Mrs。　Teachum）；　but　this　moral　does　not　arise　only　from　the　happy　turn　in　favour　of　the　virtuous　characters　in　the　conclusion　of　the　play；　but　is　strongly　inculcated；　as　you　see　all　along；　in　the　peace　of　mind　that　attends　the　virtuous；　even　in　the　midst　of　oppression　and　distress；　while　the　event　is　yet　doubtful；　and　apparently　against　them；　and；　on　the　contrary；　in　the　confusion　of　mind　which　the　vicious　are　tormented　with；　even　whilst　they　falsely　imagine　themselves　triumphant。'

Mrs。　Teachum　then　taking　the　book　out　of　Miss　Jenny's　hands；　and　turning　to　the　passage；　said；　'How　does　Lady　Brumpton　show　us　the　wretched　condition　of　her　own　mind；　when　she　says；

'〃How　miserable　'tis　to　have　one　one　hates　always　about　one！　　And　when　one　can't　endure　one's　own　reflections　upon　some　actions；　who　can　bear　the　thoughts　of　another　upon　them？〃

'Then　with　what　perturbation　of　mind　does　she　proceed；　to　wish　it　was　in　her　power　to　increase　her　wickedness；　without　making　use　enough　of　her　understanding；　to　see　that　by　that　means　she　would　but　increase　her　own　misery。

'On　the　other　hand；　what　a　noble　figure　does　Lord　Hardy　make；　when；　by　this　wicked　woman's　contrivances；　he　thinks　himself　disinherited　of　his　whole　fortune；　ill…treated；　and　neglected　by　a　father；　he　never　had　in　thought　offended！　　He　could　give　an　opportunity　to　a　sincere　friend；　who　would　not　flatter　him；　to　say；

'No；　you　are；　my　lord；　the　extraordinary　man；　who；　on　the　loss　of　an　almost　princely　fortune；　can　be　master　of　a　temper　that　makes　you　the　envy　rather　than　pity；　of　your　more　fortunate；　not　more　happy　friends。〃

'This　is　a　fine　distinction　between　fortunate　and　happy；　and　intimates　this　happiness　must　dwell　in　the　mind；　a