the governess-第24部分

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'This　is　a　fine　distinction　between　fortunate　and　happy；　and　intimates　this　happiness　must　dwell　in　the　mind；　and　depends　upon　no　outward　accidents。

'Fortune；　indeed；　is　a　blessing；　if　properly　used；　which　Camply　shows；　when　by　that　means　he　can　assist　and　relieve　his　worthy　friend。

'With　what　advantage　does　Lady　Charlotte　appear　over　her　sister；　when　the　latter　is　trifling　and　dancing　before　the　glass；　and　the　former　says；

'〃If　I　am　at　first　so　silly　as　to　be　a　little　taken　with　myself；　I　know　it　is　a　fault；　and　take　pains　to　correct　it。〃

'And　on　Lady　Harriet's　saying；　very　giddily；　that　it　was　too　soon　for　her　to　think　at　that　rate；　Lady　Charlotte　properly　adds；

'〃They　that　think　it　too　soon　to　understand　themselves；　will　very　soon　find　it　too　late。〃

'In　how　ridiculous　a　light　does　Lady　Harriet　appear；　while　she　is　displaying　all　that　foolish　coquetry！　　And　how　different　a　figure　does　she　make；　when　she　has　got　the　better　of　it？

'My　Lady　Brumpton；　when　alarmed　with　the　least　noise；　breaks　out　into　all　the　convulsive　starts　natural　to　conscious　guilt。

'〃Ha！　what　noise　is　thatthat　noise　of　fighting？Run；　I　say。　Whither　are　you　going？What；　are　you　mad？Will　you　leave　me　alone？Can't　you　stir？What；　you　can't　take　your　message　with　you！Whatever　'tis；　I　suppose　you　are　not　in　the　plot；　not　you　nor　that　now　they're　breaking　open　my　house　for　CharlotteNot　you。Go　see　what's　the　matter；　I　say；　I　have　nobody　I　can　trust。　One　minute　I　think　this　wench　honest；　and　the　next　false。　Whither　shall　I　turn　me？〃

'This　is　a　picture　of　the　confused；　the　miserable　mind　of　a　close；　malicious；　cruel；　designing　woman；　as　Lady　Brumpton　was；　and　as　Lady　Harriet　very　properly　calls　her。

'Honesty　and　faithfulness　shine　forth　in　all　their　lustre；　in　the　good　old　Trusty。　　We　follow　him　throughout　with　anxious　wishes　for　his　success；　and　tears　of　joy　for　his　tenderness。　　And　when　he　finds　that　he　is　likely　to　come　at　the　whole　truth；　and　to　save　his　lord　from　being　deceived　and　betrayed　into　unjustly　ruining　his　noble　son；　you　may　remember　that　he　makes　this　pious　reflection：

All　that　is　ours；　is　to　be　justly　bent；　And　Heaven　in　its　own　time　will　bless　th'　event。

'This　is　the　natural　thought　that　proceeds　from　innocence　and　goodness；　and　surely　this　state　of　mind　is　happiness。

'I　have　only　pointed　out　a　few　passages；　to　show　you；　that　though　it　is　the　nature　of　comedy　to　end　happily；　and　therefore　the　good　characters　must　be　successful　in　the　last　act；　yet　the　moral　lies　deeper；　and　is　to　be　deduced　from　a　proof　throughout　this　play；　that　the　natural　consequence　of　vice　is　misery　within；　even　in　the　midst　of　an　apparent　triumph；　and　the　natural　consequence　of　goodness　is　a　calm　peace　of　mind；　even　in　the　midst　of　oppression　and　distress。

'I　have　endeavoured；　my　little　dears；　to　show　you；　as　clearly　as　I　can；　not　only　what　moral　is　to　be　drawn　from　this　play；　but　what　is　to　be　sought　for　in　all　others；　and　where　that　moral　is　not　to　be　found；　the　writer　will　have　it　to　answer　for；　that　he　has　been　guilty　of　one　of　the　worst　of　evils；　namely；　that　he　has　clothed　vice　in　so　beautiful　a　dress；　that；　instead　of　deterring；　it　will　allure　and　draw　into　its　snares　the　young　and　tender　mind。　　And　I　am　sorry　to　say；　that　too　many　of　our　dramatic　performances　are　of　this　latter　cast；　which　is　the　reason；　that　wise　and　prudent　parents　and　governors　in　general　discourage　in　very　young　people　the　reading　of　plays。　And　though　by　what　I　have　said　（if　it　makes　a　proper　impression）　I　doubt　not　but　you　will　all　have　a　just　abhorrence　of　such　immoral　plays；　instead　of　being　pleased　with　them；　should　they　fall　in　your　way；　yet　I　would　advise　you　rather　to　avoid　them；　and　never　to　read　any　but　such　as　are　approved　of；　and　recommended　to　you　by　those　who　have　the　care　of　your　education。'

Here　good　Mrs。　Teachum　ceased；　and　left　her　little　scholars　to　reflect　on　what　she　had　been　saying；　when　Miss　Jenny　Peace　declared；　for　her　part；　that　she　could　feel　the　truth　of　her　governess's　observations；　for　she　had　rather　be　the　innocent　Lord　Hardy；　though　she　was　to　have　but　that　one　shilling　in　the　world　which　was　so　insolently　offered　him　as　his　father's　last　legacy；　than　be　the　Lady　Brumpton；　even　though　she　had　possessed　the　fortune　she　so　treacherously　endeavoured　to　obtain。

'Nay　（said　Miss　Dolly　Friendly）　I　had　rather　have　been　old　Trusty；　with　all　the　infirmities　of　age；　following　my　Lord　Hardy　through　the　world；　had　his　poverty　and　distress　been　ever　so　great；　than　have　been　the　malicious　Lady　Brumpton；　in　the　height　of　her　beauty；　surrounded　by　a　crowd　of　lovers　and　flatterers。'

Miss　Henny　Fret　then　declared　how　glad　she　was　that　she　had　now　no　malice　in　her　mind；　though　she　could　not　always　have　said　so；　as　she　would　inform　them　in　the　history　of　her　past　life。


THE　DESCRIPTION　OF　MISS　HENNY　FRET。

Miss　Henny　Fret　was　turned　of　nine　years　old。　　She　was　very　prettily　made；　and　remarkably　genteel。　　All　her　features　were　regular。　　She　was　not　very　fair；　and　looked　pale。　　Her　upper　lip　seemed　rather　shorter　than　it　should　be；　for　it　was　drawn　up　in　such　a　manner；　as　to　show　her　upper　teeth；　and　though　this　was　in　some　degree　natural；　yet　it　had　been　very　much　increased　by　her　being　continually　on　the　fret　for　every　trifling　accident　that　offended　her；　or　on　every　contradiction　that　was　offered　to　her。　　When　you　came　to　examine　her　face；　she　had　not　one　feature　but　what　was　pretty；　yet；　from　that　constant　uneasiness　which　appeared　in　her　countenance；　it　gave　you　so　little　pleasure　to　look　at　her；　that　she　seldom　had　common　justice　done　her；　but　had　generally　hitherto　passed　for　a　little　insignificant　plain　girl；　though　her　very　face　was　so　altered　since　she　was　grown　good　natured；　and　had　got　the　better　of　that　foolish　fretfulness　she　used　to　be　possessed　of；　that　she　appeared　from　her　good…humoured　smiles　quite　a　different　person；　and；　with　a　mild　aspect；　thus　began　her　story：


THE　LIFE　OF　MISS　HENNY　FRET。

'I　had　one　brother；'　said　Miss　Henny；　'as　well　as　Miss　Jenny　Peace；　but　my　manner　of　living　with　him　was　quite　the　reverse　to　that　in　which　she　lived　with　her　brother。　　All　my　praise　or　blame　was　to　arise　from　my　being　better　or　worse　than　my　brother。　　If　I　was　guilty　of　any　fault；　it　was　immediately　said；　〃Oh！　fie；　miss！　　Master　George　（that　was　my　brother's　name）　would　not　be　guilty　of　such　a　thing　for　the　world。〃　　If　he　was　carried　abroad；　and　I　stayed　at　home；　then　I　was　bemoaned　over；　that　poor　Miss　Henny　was　left　at　home；　and　her　brother　carried　abroad。　　And　then　I　was　told；　that　I　should　go　abroad　one　of　these　days；　and　my　brother　be　left　at　home　so　that　whenever　I　went　abroad；　my　greatest　joy　was；　that　he　was　left　at　home；　and　I　was　pleased　to　see　him　come　out　to　the　coach…door　with　a　melancholy　air　that　he　could　not　go　too。　　If　my　brother　happened　to　have　any　fruit　given　him；　and　was　in　a　peevish　humour；　and　would　not　give　me　as　much　as　I　desired；　the　servant　that　attended　me　was　sure　to　bid　me　take　care；　when　I　had　anything　he　waited；　not　to　give　him　any。　　So　that　I　thought；　if　I　did　not　endeavour　to　be　revenged　of　him；　I　should　show　a　want　of　spirit；　which　was　of　all　things　what　I　dreaded　most。　　I　had　a　better　memory　than　my　brother；　and　whenever　I　learnt　anything；　my　comfort　was　to　laugh　at　him　because　he　could　not　learn　so　fast；　by　which　means　I　got　a　good　deal　of　learning；　but　never　minded　what　I　learnt；　nor　took　any　pains　to　keep　it；　so　that　what　I　was　eager　to　learn　one　day；　to　show　George　how　much　I　knew　more　than　he；　I　forgot　the　next。　　And　so　I　went　on　learning；　and　forgetting　as　fast　as　I　learnt；　and　all　the　pains　I　took　served　only　to　show　that　I　COULD　learn。

'I　was　so　great　a　favourite；　that　I　was　never　denied　any　thing　I　asked　for；　　but　I　was　very　unhappy　for　the　same　reason　that　Miss　Dolly　Friendly's　sister　was　so；　and　I　have　often　sat　down　and　cried；　because　I　did　not　know　what　I　would　have；　till　at　last　I　own　I　grew　so　peevish　and　humoursome；　that　I　was　always　on　the　fret；　and　harboured　in　my　mind　a　kind　of　malice　that　made　me　fancy　whatever　my　brother　got；　I　lost；　and　in　this　unhappy　condition　I　lived；　till　I　came　to　school；　and　here　I　found　that　other　misses　wanted　to　have　their　humours　as　well　as　myself。　　This　I　could　not　bear；　because　I　had　been　used　to　have　my　own　will；　and　never　to　trouble　myself　about　what　others　felt。　　For　whenever　I　beat　or　abused　my　brother；　his　pain　did　not　make　me　cry；　but　I　believe　it　was　thinking　wrong　made　me　guilty　of　these　faults；　for　I　don't　find　I　am　ill…natured；　for　now　I　have　been　taught　to　consider　that　my　companions　can　feel　as　well　as　myself；　I　am　sorry　for　their　pain；　and　glad　when　they　are　pleased；　and　would　be　glad　to　do　anything　to　oblige　them。'



Here　Miss　Henny　ceased；　and　Miss　Jenny　Peace　then　told　her　how　glad　she　was　to　hear　that　she　had　subdued　all　malice　in　her　mind；　adding；　'These　weeds；　my　dear；　unless　early　plucked　up；　are　（as　I　have　heard　our　good　governess　observe　upon　a　like　occasion）　very　apt　to　take　such　deep　root；　as　to　choke　every　good　seed　around　them；　and　then　who　can　tell　whether；　with　the　same　opportunities；　they　might　not　become　Lady　Brumptons　before　the　end　of　their　lives？'

Little　Polly　Suckling　remembered　that　all　the　company　had　told　the　story　of　their　past　lives；　except　herself；　and　she　thought　she　would　not　be　left　out；　but　yet　she　had　a　mind　to　be　asked　to　tell　it；　hoping　that　her　companions　thought　her　of　consequence　enough　not　to　leave　her　out　of　any　scheme；　therefore；　addressing　herself　to　Miss　Jenny；　she　said　she　thought　it　was　very　pleasant　to　hear　anybody　tell　the　history　of　their　own　lives。　　Miss　Jenny　saw　her　meaning；　and　answered；　'So　it　is；　my　little　dear；　and　now；　　if　you　please；　you　shall　oblige　us　with　relating　the　history　of　yours。'　　Polly　smiled　at　this　request；　and　said　she　was　ready　to　comply。


THE　DESCRIPTION　OF　MISS　POLLY　SUCKLING。

Miss　Polly　Suckling　was　just　turned　of　eight　years　old；　but　so　short　of　her　age；　that　few　people　took　her　to　be　above　five。　　It　was　not　a　dwarfish　shortness；　for　she　had　the　most　exact　proportioned　limbs　in　the　world；　very　small　bones；　and　was　as　fat　as　a　little　cherub。　　She　was　extremely　fair；　and　her　hair　quite　flaxen。　　Her　eyes　a　perfect　blue；　her　mouth　small；　and　her　lip