the governess-第26部分

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n　of　them。'

'It　is　very　true；'　said　the　housekeeper；　'for　my　lord　and　lady　have　no　delight　in　all　this　magnificence；　for；　by　being　so　accustomed　to　it；　they　walk　through　all　these　apartments；　and　never　so　much　as　observe　or　amuse　themselves　with　the　work；　the　pictures；　or　anything　else；　or　if　they　observe　them　at　all；　it　is　rather　with　a　look　that　denotes　a　sort　of　weariness；　at　seeing　the　same　things　continually　before　them；　than　with　any　kind　of　pleasure。'　　And　then；　with　a　deep　sigh；　she　added；　'You　are；　indeed；　young　lady；　perfectly　in　the　right；　when　you　say　grandeur　and　happiness　do　not　always　go　together。'　　But　turning　off　the　discourse；　Mrs。　Wilson　forced　them　to　take　as　many　dried　sweetmeats　as　they　could　carry　away　with　them；　and　insisted　upon　their　promise　（with　Mrs。　Teachum's　consent）　that　they　should　come　another　time　to　see　the　gardens。　　They　then　took　their　leave　with　many　thanks；　and　the　greatest　civility；　and　discoursed　all　the　way　home；　on　the　fine　things　they　had　seen。　　Miss　Betty　Ford　said；　that　the　fine　gilding；　and　so　many　glittering　looking…glasses；　made　her　think　herself　in　Barbarico's　great　hall；　where　he　kept　all　his　treasure。

'No；'　says　Miss　Nancy　Spruce；　'it　was　not　half　so　much　like　that；　as　it　was　like　Brunetta's　fine　castle；　and　I　could　not　help　thinking　myself　the　Princess　Hebe；　and　how　much　I　should　have　been　pleased　with　such　a　fine　place　at　first；　just　as　she　was。'

'Indeed；'　says　Miss　Betty　Ford；　'you　are　in　the　right　of　it；　Miss　Nanny；　for　'twas　much　more　like　the　description　of　Brunetta's　castle；　than　what　I　said　myself。'

Miss　Jenny　was　pleased　to　hear　Miss　Betty　so　ready　to　own　herself　mistaken；　and　said　to　Miss　Nanny　Spruce；　'I　am　glad；　my　dear；　to　find　that　you　so　well　remember　what　you　read；　for　it　is　by　recalling　frequently　into　our　memories　the　things　we　have　read；　that　they　are　likely　to　be　of　any　service　to　us。'

Being　now　come　home；　they　entered　into　the　presence　of　their　governess　with　that　pleasure；　and　proper　confidence；　which　ever　attends　innocence　and　goodness；　and　Mrs。　Teachum　received　them　with　a　pleasing　smile。

Miss　Jenny　gave　her　governess　a　faithful　account　of　all　that　had　passed；　with　the　agreeable　entertainment　they　had　accidentally　met　with；　of　seeing　Lord　X's　fine　house；　and　the　great　civility　of　Mrs。　Wilson；　'Which　I　hope；　madam；'　said　Miss　Jenny；　'I　did　not　do　wrong　in　accepting。'　　'You　did　very　properly；　my　dear；'　said　Mrs。　Teachum；　'for　when　any　person　is　willing　to　oblige　you；　without　any　inconvenience　to　themselves；　it　is　always　right　to　accept　their　offer；　as　you　thereby　gratify　them；　by　putting　it　in　their　power　to　give　you　pleasure。'

Miss　Jenny　then　with　great　cheerfulness　and　freedom；　told　her　governess　all　that　had　paled　in　conversation；　both　in　their　walk　to　the　dairy　house；　and　at　Lord　X's；　what　little　Polly　had　said　in　the　housekeeper's　room；　as　also　Mrs。　Wilson's　answer；　and　said；　by　Mrs。　Wilson's　downcast　look；　she　was　afraid　that　poor　Lord　X　and　his　lady　were　not　so　happy　as　might　be　wished。　　'But；'　continued　she；　'I　did　not　ask　Mrs。　Wilson　any　questions；　because　you　have　taught　me；　madam；　carefully　to　avoid　the　least　appearance　of　impertinent　curiosity。'

'You　was　very　right；　my　dear；'　said　Mrs。　Teachum；　'in　asking　no　farther　questions；　nor　would　she；　I　dare　say；　as　she　is　a　prudent　woman；　have　gratified　you　if　you　had；　for　though　the　unhappy　story　is　too　well　known　all　over　the　country；　yet　it　would　have　been　very　unbecoming　in　one　of　the　family　to　have　published　it。'　　Mrs。　Teachum　saw　in　her　little　scholars'　eyes；　a　secret　wish　of　knowing　what　this　story　was；　and；　after　a　short　pause；　she　said；　'Since　I　find　you　disposed；　my　good　girls；　to　make　the　proper　use　of　what　you　hear；　I　will　indulge　your　curiosity。

'Lord　X　and　his　lady　have　been　married　seven　years；　Lord　X　is　the　wretchedest　creature　breathing；　because　he　has　no　children；　and　therefore　no　heir　to　his　title　and　large　estate。　　He　was　naturally　of　a　haughty　impetuous　temper；　and　impatient　of　any　the　least　disappointment；　and　this　disposition　not　being　subdued　in　his　youth；　has　led　him　into　all　sort　of　excesses。　　His　lady　is　not　much　better　tempered　than　himself；　and　valuing　herself　highly　upon　her　beauty；　and　the　large　fortune　she　brought　him；　greatly　resents　his　sometimes　insolent；　and　always　neglectful　usage　of　her。　　They　have　hitherto　lived　on　in　the　most　jarring；　disputing　manner；　and　took　no　care　to　conceal　their　quarrels　from　the　world；　but　at　last　they　have　agreed　to　part　by　consent；　and　the　different　journeys　they　this　morning　took；　I　suppose；　was　with　an　intent　of　final　separation。

'That　grandeur　and　happiness　do　not　always　go　together　（as　Mrs。　Wilson　observed　to　you）　is　seen　by　this　story；　which　I　was　the　more　willing　to　tell　you；　as　it　was　a　proper　introduction　to　a　fable　I　have　been　collecting　together　from　others；　for　your　use。　　You　know　that　all　my　endeavours　to　make　you　good；　are　only　intended　to　make　you　happy；　and　if　you　thoroughly　reflect　upon　the　truth　of　this　maxim；　which　I　so　often　endeavour　to　inculcate；　you　will　doubtless　reap　no　small　advantage　from　it。'

Here　Mrs。　Teachum　ceased　speaking；　and；　giving　Miss　Jenny　Peace　a　paper；　she　bid　her　read　it　aloud；　which　she　did；　and　it　contained　the　following　fable：



THE　ASSEMBLY　OF　THE　BIRDS。　A　　FABLE。

In　ancient　days；　there　was　a　great　contention　amongst　the　birds；　which；　from　his　own　perfections；　and　peculiar　advantages；　had　the　strongest　title　to　happiness；　and　at　last　they　agreed　to　refer　the　decision　of　the　debate　to　the　eagle。

A　day　was　appointed　for　their　meeting；　the　eagle　took　his　seat；　and　the　birds　all　attended　to　give　in　their　several　pleas。

First　spoke　the　parrot。　　Her　voice　so　dearly　resembling　human　speech；　and　which　enabled　her　to　converse　with　such　a　superior　race；　she　doubted　not　（she　said）　would　have　its　just　weight　with　the　eagle；　and　engage　him　to　grant　a　decree　in　her　favour；　and　to　this　plea　she　also　added；　that　she　dwelt　in　a　fine　cage　adorned　with　gold；　and　was　fed　every　day　by　the　hands　a　fair　lady。

'And　pray；　Mrs。　Poll；'　said　the　eagle；　'how　comes　it；　since　you　fare　so　sumptuously；　that　you　are　so　lean　and　meagre；　and　seem　scarcely　able　to　exert　that　voice　you　thus　make　your　boast　of？'　　'Alas！'　replied　the　parrot；　'poor　Poll's　lady　has　kept　her　bed　almost　this　week；　the　servants　have　all　forgot　to　feed　me；　and　I　am　almost　starved。'　　'Pray　observe；'　said　the　eagle；　'the　folly　of　such　pride！　　Had　you　been　able　to　have　conversed　only　with　your　own　kind；　you　would　have　fared　in　common　with　them；　but　it　is　to　this　vaunted　imitation　of　the　human　voice；　that　you　owe　your　confinement；　and　consequently　（though　living　in　a　golden　cage）　your　dependence　upon　the　will　and　memory　of　others；　even　for　common　necessary　food。'

Thus　reproved；　the　parrot；　with　shame；　hastily　retired　from　the　assembly。

Next　stood　forth　the　daw；　and；　having　tricked　himself　in　all　the　gay　feathers　he　could　muster　together；　on　the　credit　of　these　borrowed　ornaments；　pleaded　his　beauty；　as　a　title　to　the　preference　in　dispute。　　Immediately　the　birds　agreed　to　divest　the　silly　counterfeit　of　all　his　borrowed　plumes；　and；　more　abashed　than　the　parrot；　he　secretly　slunk　away。

The　peacock；　proud　of　native　beauty；　now　flew　into　the　midst　of　the　assembly。　　He　displayed　before　the　sun　his　gorgeous　tail。　　'Observe　（said　he）　how　the　vivid　blue　of　the　sapphire　glitters　in　my　neck；　and　when　thus　I　spread　my　tail；　a　gemmy　brightness　strikes　the　eye　from　a　plumage　varied　with　a　thousand　glowing　colours。'　　At　this　moment；　a　nightingale　began　to　chant　forth　his　melodious　lay；　at　which　the　peacock；　dropping　his　expanded　tail；　cried　out；　'Ah　what　avails　my　silent　unmeaning　beauty；　when　I　am　so　far　excelled　in　voice　by　such　a　little　russet…feathered　wretch　as　that！'　　And；　by　retiring；　he　gave　up　all　claim　to　the　contended…for　preference。

The　nightingale　was　so　delighted　with　having　got　the　better　of　the　peacock；　that　he　exerted　his　little　voice；　and　was　so　lost　in　the　conceit　of　his　own　melody；　that　he　did　not　observe　a　hawk；　who　flew　upon　him；　and　carried　him　off　in　his　claws。

The　eagle　then　declared；　'That　as　the　peacock's　envy　had　taken　away　all　his　claim；　so　no　less　had　the　nightingale's　self…conceit　frustrated　all　his　pretensions；　for　those　who　are　so　wrapped　up　in　their　own　perfections；　as　to　mind　nothing　but　themselves；　are　forever　liable　to　all　sorts　of　accidents。'　　And；　besides；　it　was　plain；　by　the　exultation　the　nightingale　expressed　on　his　imagined　glory　over　the　peacock；　that　he　would　have　been　equally　dejected　on　any　preference　given　to　another。

And　now　the　owl；　with　an　affected　gravity；　and　whooting　voice；　pleaded　his　well…known　wisdom；　and　said；　'He　doubted　not　but　the　preference　would　be　granted　to　him　without　contest；　by　all　the　whole　assembly　for　what　was　so　likely　to　produce　happiness　as　wisdom？'

The　eagle　declared；　'That；　if　his　title　to　wisdom　could　be　proved；　the　justice　of　his　claim　should　be　allowed；　and　then　asked　him；　how　he　could　convince　them　of　the　truth　of　what　he　had　advanced？'　　The　owl　answered；　'That　he　would　willingly　appeal　to　the　whole　assembly　for　their　decision　in　this　point；　for　he　was　positive　nobody　could　deny　his　great　superiority　as　to　wisdom。'　　Being　separately　asked；　they　most　of　them　declared；　that　they　knew　no　one　reason；　either　from　his　words　or　actions；　to　pronounce　him　a　wise　bird；　though　it　was　true；　that　by　an　affected　solemnity　in　his　looks；　and　by　frequent　declarations　of　his　own；　that　he　was　very　wife；　he　had　made　some　very　silly　birds　give　him　that　character；　but；　since　they　were　called　upon　to　declare　their　opinions；　they　must　say；　that　he　was　ever　the　object　of　contempt　to　all　those　birds　who　had　any　title　to　common　understanding。　　The　eagle　then　said；　'He　could　by　no　means　admit　a　plea；　which　as　plainly　appeared　to　be　counterfeit；　as　were　the　jay's　borrowed　feathers。'　　The　owl；　thus　disappointed；　flew　away；　and　has　ever　since　shunned　the　light　of　the　sun；　and　has　never　appeared　in　the　daytime；　but　to　be　scorned　and　wondered　at。



It　would　he　endless　to　repeat　all　the　several　pleas　brought　by　the　birds；　each　desiring　to　prove；　that　happiness　ought　to　be　his　own　peculiar　lot。　　But　the　eagle　observing　that　the　arguments　made　use　of　to　prove　their　p