the governess-第3部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





A　SCENE　OF　LOVE　AND　FRIENDSHIP；　QUITE　THE　REVERSE　OF　THE　BATTLE；　WHEREIN　ARE　SHOWN　THE　DIFFERENT　EFFECTS　OF　LOVE　AND　GOODNESS　FROM　THOSE　ATTENDING　ANGER；　STRIFE；　AND　WICKEDNESS：　　WITH　THE　LIFE　OF　MISS　JENNY　PEACE。

After　Miss　Jenny　had　completed　the　good　work　of　making　all　her　companions　friends；　she　drew　them　round　her　in　a　little　arbour；　in　that　very　garden　which　had　been　the　scene　of　their　strife；　and　consequently　of　their　misery；　and　then　spoke　to　them　the　following　speech；　which　she　delivered　in　so　mild　a　voice；　that　it　was　sufficient　to　charm　her　hearers　into　attention；　and　to　persuade　them　to　be　led　by　her　advice；　and　to　follow　her　example　in　the　paths　of　goodness。

'My　dear　friends　and　schoolfellows；　you　cannot　imagine　the　happiness　it　gives　me　to　see　you　thus　all　so　heartily　reconciled。　　You　will　find　the　joyful　fruits　of　it。　　Nothing　can　show　so　much　sense　as　thus　to　own　yourselves　in　fault；　for　could　anything　have　been　so　foolish　as　to　spend　all　your　time　in　misery；　rather　than　at　once　to　make　use　of　the　power　you　have　of　making　yourselves　happy？　　Now　if　you　will　use　as　many　endeavours　to　love　as　you　have　hitherto　done　to　hate　each　other；　you　will　find　that　every　one　amongst　you；　whenever　you　have　anything　given　you；　will　have　double；　nay；　I　may　say　eight　times　（as　there　are　eight　of　you）　the　pleasure；　in　considering　that　your　companions　are　happy。　　What　is　the　end　of　quarrels；　but　that　everyone　is　fretted　and　vexed；　and　no　one　gains　anything！　　Whereas　by　endeavouring　to　please　and　love　each　other；　the　end　is　happiness　to　ourselves；　and　joy　to　everyone　around　us。　　I　am　sure；　if　you　will　speak　the　truth；　none　of　you　have　been　so　easy　since　you　quarrelled；　as　you　are　now　you　are　reconciled。　　Answer　me　honestly；　if　this　is　not　truth。'

Here　Miss　Jenny　was　silent；　and　waited　for　an　answer。　　But　the　poor　girls；　who　had　in　them　the　seeds　of　goodwill　to　each　other；　although　those　seeds　were　choked　and　overrun　with　the　weeds　of　envy　and　pride；　as　in　a　garden　the　finest　strawberries　will　be　spoiled　by　rank　weeds；　if　care　is　not　taken　to　root　them　out；　these　poor　girls；　I　say；　now　struck　with　the　force　of　truth；　and　sorry　for　what　they　had　done；　let　drop　some　tears；　which　trickled　down　their　cheeks；　and　were　signs　of　meekness；　and　sorrow　for　their　fault。　　Not　like　those　tears　which　burst　from　their　swollen　eyes；　when　anger　and　hatred　choked　their　words；　and　their　proud　hearts　laboured　with　stubbornness　and　folly；　when　their　skins　reddened；　and　all　their　features　were　changed　and　distorted　by　the　violence　of　passion；　which　made　them　frightful　to　the　beholders；　and　miserable　to　themselves；　　No！　　Far　other　cause　had　they　now　for　tears；　and　far　different　were　the　tears　they　shed；　their　eyes；　melted　with　sorrow　for　their　faults；　let　fall　some　drops；　as　tokens　of　their　repentance；　but；　as　soon　as　they　could　recover　themselves　to　speak；　they　all　with　one　voice　cried　out；　'Indeed；　Miss　Jenny；　we　are　sorry　for　our　fault；　and　will　follow　your　advice；　which　we　now　see　is　owing　to　your　goodness。'

Miss　Jenny　now　produced　a　basket　of　apples；　which　she　had　purchased　out　of　the　little　pocket…money　she　was　allowed；　in　order　to　prove；　that　the　same　things　may　be　a　pleasure　or　a　pain；　according　as　the　persons　to　whom　they　are　given　are　good　or　bad。

These　she　placed　in　the　midst　of　her　companions；　and　desired　them　to　eat；　and　enjoy　themselves；　and　now　they　were　so　changed；　that　each　helped　her　next　neighbour　before　she　would　touch　any　for　herself；　and　the　moment　they　were　grown　thus　good　natured　and　friendly；　they　were　as　well…bred；　and　as　polite；　as　it　is　possible　to　describe。

Miss　Jenny's　joy　was　inexpressible；　that　she　had　caused　this　happy　change；　nor　less　was　the　joy　of　her　companions；　who　now　began　to　taste　pleasures；　from　which　their　animosity　to　each　other　had　hitherto　debarred　them。　　They　all　sat　looking　pleased　on　their　companions；　their　faces　borrowed　beauty　from　the　calmness　and　goodness　of　their　minds；　and　all　those　ugly　frowns；　and　all　that　ill…natured　sourness；　which　when　they　were　angry　and　cross　were　but　too　plain　in　their　faces；　were　now　entirely　fled；　jessamine　and　honeysuckles　surrounded　their　seats；　and　played　round　their　heads；　of　which　they　gathered　nosegays　to　present　each　other　with。　　They　now　enjoyed　all　the　pleasure　and　happiness　that　attend　those　who　are　innocent　and　good。

Miss　Jenny；　with　her　heart　overflowing　with　joy　at　this　happy　change；　said；　'Now；　my　dear　companions；　that　you　may　be　convinced　what　I　have　said　and　done　was　not　occasioned　by　any　desire　of　proving　myself　wiser　than　you；　as　Miss　Sukey　hinted　while　she　was　yet　in　her　anger；　I　will；　if　you　please；　relate　to　you　the　history　of　my　past　life；　by　which　you　will　see　in　what　manner　I　came　by　this　way　of　thinking；　and　as　you　will　perceive　it　was　chiefly　owing　to　the　instructions　of　a　kind　mamma；　you　may　all　likewise　reap　the　same　advantage　under　good　Mrs。　Teachum；　if　you　will　obey　her　commands；　and　attend　to　her　precepts。　　And　after　I　have　given　you　the　particulars　of　my　life；　I　must　beg　that　every　one　of　you　will；　some　day　or　other；　when　you　have　reflected　upon　it；　declare　all　that　you　can　remember　of　your　own；　for；　should　you　not　be　able　to　relate　anything　worth　remembering　as　an　example；　yet　there　is　nothing　more　likely　to　amend　the　future　part　of　anyone's　life；　than　the　recollecting　and　confessing　the　faults　of　the　past。'

All　our　little　company　highly　approved　of　Miss　Jenny's　proposal；　and　promised；　in　their　turns；　to　relate　their　own　lives；　and　Miss　Polly　Suckling　cried　out；　'Yes　indeed；　Miss　Jenny；　I'll　tell　all　when　it　comes　to　my　turn；　so　pray　begin；　for　I　long　to　hear　what　you　did；　when　you　was　no　bigger　than　I　am　now。'　　Miss　Jenny　then　kissed　little　Polly；　and　said　she　would　instantly　begin。

But　as　in　the　reading　of　any　one's　story；　it　is　an　additional　pleasure　to　have　some　acquaintance　with　their　persons；　and　as　I　delight　in　giving　my　little　readers　every　pleasure　that　is　in　my　power；　I　shall　endeavour；　as　justly　as　I　can；　by　description；　to　set　before　their　eyes　the　picture　of　this　good　young　creature：　　and　in　the　same　of　every　one　of　our　young　company；　as　they　begin　their　lives。


THE　DESCRIPTION　OF　MISS　JENNY　PEACE。

Miss　Jenny　Peace　was　just　turned　of　fourteen；　and　could　be　called　neither　tall　nor　short　of　her　age；　but　her　whole　person　was　the　most　agreeable　that　can　be　imagined。　　She　had　an　exceeding　fine　complexion；　with　as　much　colour　in　her　cheeks　as　is　the　natural　effect　of　perfect　health。　　Her　hair　was　light　brown；　and　curled　in　so　regular　and　yet　easy　a　manner；　as　never　to　want　any　assistance　from　art。　　Her　eyebrows　（which　were　not　of　that　correct　turn　as　to　look　as　if　they　were　drawn　with　a　pencil）　and　her　eyelashes　were　both　darker　than　her　hair；　and　the　latter　being　very　long；　gave　such　a　shade　to　her　eyes　as　made　them　often　mistaken　for　black；　though　they　were　only　a　dark　hazel。　　To　give　any　description　of　her　eyes　beyond　the　colour　and　size；　which　was　perfectly　the　medium；　would　be　impossible；　except　by　saying　they　were　expressive　of　everything　that　is　amiable　and　good；　for　through　them　might　be　read　every　single　thought　of　the　mind；　from　whence　they　had　such　a　brightness　and　cheerfulness；　as　seemed　to　cast　a　lustre　over　her　whole　face。　　She　had　fine　teeth；　and　a　mouth　answering　to　the　most　correct　rules　of　beauty；　and　when　she　spoke　（though　you　were　at　too　great　a　distance　to　hear　what　she　said）　there　appeared　so　much　sweetness；　mildness；　modesty　and　good　nature；　that　you　found　yourself　filled　more　with　pleasure　than　admiration　in　beholding　her。　　The　delight　which　everyone　took　in　looking　on　Miss　Jenny　was　evident　in　this；　that　though　Miss　Sukey　Jennett　and　Miss　Patty　Lockit　were　both　what　may　be　called　handsomer　girls　（and　if　you　asked　any　persons　in　company　their　opinion；　they　would　tell　you　so）　yet　their　eyes　were　a　direct　contradiction　to　their　tongues；　by　being　continually　fixed　on　Miss　Jenny；　for；　while　she　was　in　the　room；　it　was　impossible　to　fix　them　anywhere　else。　　She　had　a　natural　ease　and　gentility　in　her　shape；　and　all　her　motions　were　more　pleasing；　though　less　striking　than　what　is　commonly　acquired　by　the　instruction　of　dancing　masters。

Such　was　the　agreeable　person　of　Miss　Jenny　Peace；　who；　in　her　usual　obliging　manner；　and　with　an　air　pleasing　beyond　my　power　to　express；　at　the　request　of　her　companions　began　to　relate　the　history　of　her　life；　as　follows：

THE　LIFE　OF　MISS　JENNY　PEACE。

'My　father　dying　when　I　was　but　half　a　year　old；　I　was　left　to　the　care　of　my　mamma；　who　was　the　best　woman　in　the　world；　and　to　whose　memory　I　shall　ever　pay　the　most　grateful　honour。　　From　the　time　she　had　any　children；　she　made　it　the　whole　study　of　her　life　to　promote　their　welfare；　and　form　their　minds　in　the　manner　she　thought　would　best　answer　her　purpose　of　making　them　both　good　and　happy；　for　it　was　her　constant　maxim；　that　goodness　and　happiness　dwelt　in　the　same　bosoms；　and　were　generally　found　to　life　so　much　together；　that　they　could　not　easily　be　separated。

'My　mother　had　six　children　born　alive；　but　could　preserve　none　beyond　the　first　year；　except　my　brother；　Harry　Peace；　and　myself。　　She　made　it　one　of　her　chief　cares　to　cultivate　and　preserve　the　most　perfect　love　and　harmony　between　us。　　My　brother　is　but　a　twelvemonth　older　than　I；　so　that；　till　I　was　six　years　old　（for　seven　was　the　age　in　which　he　was　sent　to　school）　he　remained　at　home　with　me；　in　which　time　we　often　had　little　childish　quarrels；　but　my　mother　always　took　care　to　convince　us　of　our　error　in　wrangling　and　fighting　about　nothing；　and　to　teach　us　how　much　more　pleasure　we　enjoyed　whilst　we　agreed。　　She　showed　no　partiality　to　either；　but　endeavoured　to　make　us　equal　in　all　things；　any　otherwise　than　that　she　taught　me　I　owed　a　respect　to　my　brother　as　the　eldest。

'Before　my　brother　went　to　school；　we　had　set　hours　appointed　us；　in　which　we　regularly　attended　to　learn　whatever　was　thought　necessary　for　our　improvement；　my　mamma　herself　daily　watching　the　opening　of　our　minds；　and　taking　great　care　to　instruct　us　in　what　manner　to　make　the　best　use　of　the　knowledge　we　attained。　　Whatever　we　read　she　explained　to　us；　and　made　us　understand；　that　we　might　be　the　better　for　our　lessons。　　When　we　were　capable　of　think