the governess-第16章

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：　　'When　will　my　sorrows　end？　　Where　shall　I　find　the　good　fairy　Sybella？'　　The　fairy　immediately　begged　to　know　his　business　with　her；　and　said；　if　his　sorrows　would　end　on　finding　Sybella；　he　might　set　his　heart　at　ease；　for　she　stood　now　before　him；　and　ready　to　serve　him；　if　his　distresses　were　such　as　would　admit　of　relief；　and　he　could　prove　himself　worthy　of　her　friendship。　　The　old　Man　appeared　greatly　overjoyed　at　having　found　the　fairy；　and　began　the　following　story：

'I　live　from　hence　a　thousand　leagues。　　All　this　tiresome　way　have　I　come　in　search　of　you。　　My　whole　life　has　been　spent　in　amassing　wealth；　to　enrich　one　only　son；　whom　I　doted　on　to　distraction。　　It　is　now　five　years　since　I　have　given　him　up　all　the　riches　I　had　laboured　to　get；　only　to　make　him　happy。　　But；　alas　how　am　I　disappointed！　　His　wealth　enables　him　to　command　whatever　this　world　produces；　and　yet　the　poorest　wretch　that　begs　his　bread　cannot　be　more　miserable。　　He　spends　his　days　in　riot　and　luxury；　has　more　slaves　and　attendants　than　wait　in　the　palace　of　a　prince；　and　still　he　sighs　from　morning　till　night；　because；　he　says；　there　is　nothing　in　this　world　worth　living　for。　　All　his　dainties　only　sate　his　palate；　and　grow　irksome　to　his　sight。　　He　daily　changes　his　opinion　of　what　is　pleasure；　and；　on　the　trial；　finds　none　that　he　can　call　such；　and　then　falls　to　sighing　again；　for　the　emptiness　of　all　that　he　has　enjoyed。　　So　that；　instead　of　being　my　delight；　and　the　comfort　of　my　old　age；　sleepless　nights；　and　anxious　days；　are　all　the　rewards　of　my　past　labours　for　him。　But　I　have　had　many　visions　and　dreams　to　admonish　me；　that　if　I　would　venture　with　my　old　frame　to　travel　hither　a…foot　in　search　of　the　fairy　Sybella；　she　had　a　glass；　which　if　she　showed　him；　he　would　be　cured　of　this　dreadful　melancholy；　and　I　have　borne　the　labour　and　fatigue　of　coming　this　long　tiresome　way；　that　I　may　not　breathe　my　last　with　the　agonizing　reflection；　that　all　the　labours　of　my　life　have　been　thrown　away。　　But　what　shall　I　say　to　engage　you　to　go　with　me？　　Can　riches　tempt；　or　praise　allure　you？'

'No；　（answered　the　fairy）　neither　of　them　has　power　to　move　me；　but　I　compassionate　your　age；　and　if　I　thought　I　could　succeed；　would　not　refuse　you。　　The　glass　which　I　shall　bid　him　look　in；　will　show　him　his　inward　self；　but　if　he　will　not　open　both　his　eyes　and　heart　enough　to　truth；　to　let　him　understand；　that　the　pleasures　he　pursues　not　only　are　not　but　cannot　be　satisfactory；　I　can　be　of　no　sort　of　service　to　him。　　And　know；　old　man；　that　the　punishment　you　now　feel　is　the　natural　result　of　your　not　having　taught　him　this　from　his　infancy；　for；　instead　of　heaping　up　wealth；　to　allure　him　to　seek　for　happiness　from　such　deceitful　means；　you　should　have　taught　him；　that　the　only　path　to　it　was　to　be　virtuous　and　good。'

The　old　man　said；　he　heartily　repented　of　his　conduct；　and　on　his　knees　so　fervently　implored　Sybella's　assistance；　that　at　last　she　consented　to　go　with　him。　　Then　striking　on　the　ground　three　times　with　her　wand；　the　car　and　horses　rose　up；　and　placing　the　old　Man　by　her；　after　taking　leave　of　the　queen；　and　begging　the　Princess　Hebe　to　be　careful　to　guard　against　all　temptations　to　disobedience；　she　set　out　on　her　journey。



It　being　now　come　to　the　latest　hour　that　Mrs。　Teachum　thought　proper　for　her　little　scholars　to　stay　out　in　the　air；　she　told　Miss　Jenny　that　she　must　defer　reading　the　remaining　part　of　her　story　till　the　next　day。　　Miss　Jenny　always　with　great　cheerfulness　obeyed　her　governess；　and　immediately　left　off　reading；　and　said　she　was　ready　to　attend　her；　and　the　whole　company　rose　up　to　follow　her。

Mrs。　Teachum　had　so　much　judgment；　that；　perceiving　such　a　ready　obedience　to　all　her　commands；　she　now　endeavoured；　by　all　means　she　could　think　of；　to　make　her　scholars　throw　off　that　reserve　before　her；　which　must　ever　make　it　uneasy　to　them　for　her　ever　to　be　present　whilst　they　were　following　their　innocent　diversions；　for　such　was　the　understanding　of　this　good　woman；　that　she　could　keep　up　the　authority　of　the　governess　in　her　school；　yet　at　times　become　the　companion　of　her　scholars。　　And　as　she　now　saw；　by　their　good　behaviour；　they　deserved　that　indulgence；　she　took　the　little　dumpling　by　the　hand；　and；　followed　by　the　rest；　walked　towards　the　house；　and　discoursed　familiarly　with　them　the　rest　of　the　evening；　concerning　all　their　past　amusements。



SATURDAY。　THE　SIXTH　DAY。

It　was　the　custom　on　Saturdays　to　have　no　school　in　the　afternoon；　and　it　being　also　their　writing　day　from　morning…school　till　dinner；　Mrs。　Teachum；　　knowing　how　eager　Miss　Jenny's　hearers　were　for　the　rest　of　the　story；　accompanied　them　into　the　arbour；　early　in　the　afternoon；　when　Miss　Jenny　went　on　as　follows：


THE　FAIRY　TALE　CONTINUED。

The　queen　and　the　Princess　Hebe　remained；　by　the　good　fairy's　desire；　in　her　habitation　during　her　absence。　　They　spent　their　time　in　serenity　and　content；　the　princess　daily　improving　herself　in　wisdom　and　goodness；　by　hearkening　to　her　mother's　instructions；　and　obeying　all　her　commands；　and　the　queen　in　studying　what　would　be　of　most　use　to　her　child。　　She　had　now　forgot　her　throne　and　palace；　and　desired　nothing　for　her；　than　her　present　peaceful　retreat。　　One　morning；　as　they　were　sitting　in　a　little　arbour　at　the　corner　of　a　pleasant　meadow；　on　a　sudden　they　heard　a　voice；　much　sweeter　than　they　had　ever　heard；　warble　through　the　following　song：

A　SONG。

Virtue；　soft　balm　of　every　woe；　　　Of　ev'ry　grief　the　cure；　'Tis　thou　alone　that　canst　best　bestow　　　Pleasures　unmix'd　and　pure。

The　shady　wood；　the　verdant　mead；　　　Are　Virtue's　flow'ry　road；　Nor　painful　are　the　steps　which　lead　　　To　her　divine　abode。

'Tis　not　in　palaces　of　halls；　　　She　or　their　train　appear；　Far　off　she　flies　from　pompous　walls；　　　Virtue　and　Peace　dwell　here。


The　queen　was　all　attention；　and　at　the　end　of　the　song　she　gazed　around　her；　in　hopes　of　seeing　the　person　whose　enchanting　voice　she　had　been　so　eagerly　listening　to；　when　she　espied　a　young　shepherdess；　not　much　older　than　the　Princess　Hebe；　but　possessed　of　such　uncommon　and　dazzling　beauty；　that　it　was　some　time　before　she　could　disengage　her　eyes　from　so　agreeable　an　object。　　As　soon　as　the　young　shepherdess　found　herself　observed；　she　seemed　modestly　to　offer　to　withdraw；　but　the　queen　begged　her　not　to　go　till　she　had　informed　them　who　she　was；　that；　with　such　a　commanding　aspect；　had　so　much　engaged　them　in　her　favour。

The　shepherdess　coming　forward；　with　a　bashful　blush；　and　profound　obedience；　answered；　that　her　name　was　Rozella；　and　she　was　the　daughter　of　a　neighbouring　shepherd　and　shepherdess；　who　lived　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　thence；　and；　to　confess　the　truth；　she　had　wandered　thither；　in　hopes　of　seeing　the　young　stranger；　whose　fame　for　beauty　and　wisdom　had　filled　all　that　country　round。

The　Princess　Hebe；　well　knowing　of　whom　she　spoke；　conceived　from　that　moment　such　an　inclination　fur　her　acquaintance；　that　she　begged　her　to　stay　and　spend　that　whole　day　with　them　in　Placid　Grove。　　Here　the　queen　frowned　upon　her；　for　she　had；　by　the　fairy's　desire；　charged　her　never　to　bring　any　one；　without　her　permission；　into　that　peaceful　grove。

The　young　Rozella　answered；　that　nothing　could　be　more　agreeable　to　her　inclinations；　but　she　must　be　at　home　by　noon；　for　so　in　the　morning　had　her　father　commanded　her；　and　never　yet　in　her　life　had　she　either　disputed　or　disobeyed　her　parent's　commands。　　Here　the　young　princess　looked　on　her　mother　with　eyes　expressive　of　her　joy　at　finding　a　companion；　which　she；　and　even　the　fairy　herself；　could　not　disapprove。

When　Rozella　took　her　leave；　she　begged　the　favour　that　the　little　Hebe　（for　so　she　called　her；　not　knowing　her　to　be　a　princess）　might　come　to　her　father's　small　cottage；　and　there　partake　such　homely　fare　as　it　afforded；　a　welcome；　she　said；　she　could　insure　her；　and　though　poor；　yet　from　the　honesty　of　her　parents；　who　would　be　proud　to　entertain　so　rare　a　beauty；　she　was　certain　no　sort　of　harm　could　happen　to　the　pretty　Hebe；　from　such　a　friendly　visit；　and　she　would　be　in　the　same　place　again　tomorrow；　to　meet　her；　in　hopes；　as　she　said；　to　conduct　her　to　her　humble　habitation。

When　Rozella　was　gone；　the　queen；　though　highly　possessed　in　her　favour；　both　by　her　beauty　and　modest　behaviour；　yet　pondered　some　time　on　the　thought；　whether　or　no　she　was　a　fit　companion　for　her　daughter。　　She　remembered　what　Sybella　had　told　her；　concerning　Brunetta's　adorning　young　shepherdesses　with　beauty；　and　other　excellences；　only　to　enable　them　the　better　to　allure　and　entice　others　into　wickedness。　　Rozella's　beginning　her　acquaintance　too　with　the　princess；　by　flattery；　had　no　good　aspect；　and　the　sudden　effect　it　had　upon　her；　so　as　to　make　her　forget；　or　wilfully　disobey；　her　commands；　by　inviting　Rozella　to　Placid　Grove；　were　circumstances　which　greatly　alarmed　her。　　But；　by　the　repeated　entreaties　of　the　princess；　she　gave　her　consent　that　she　should　meet　Rozella　the　next　day；　and　walk　with　her　in　that　meadow；　and　in　the　wood；　but　upon　no　account　should　she　go　home　with　her；　or　bring　Rozella　back　with　her。　　The　queen　then；　in　gentle　terms；　chid　the　princess　for　her　invitation　to　the　young　shepherdess；　which　was　contrary　to　an　absolute　command；　and　said；　'You　must；　my　dear　Hebe；　be　very　careful　to　guard　yourself　extremely　well　against　those　temptations　which　wear　the　face　of　virtue。　　I　know　that　your　sudden　affection　to　this　apparent　good　girl；　and　your　desire　of　her　company；　to　partake　with　you　the　innocent　pleasures　of　this　happy　place；　arise　from　a　good　disposition；　but　where　the　indulgence　of　the　most　laudable　passion；　even　benevolence　and　compassion　itself；　interferes　with；　or　runs　counter　to　your　duty；　you　must　endeavour　to　suppress　it；　or　it　will　fare　with　you；　as　it　did　with　that　hen；　who；　thinking　that　she　heard　the　voice　of　a　little　duckling　in　distress；　flew　from　her　young　ones；　to　go　and　give　it　assistance；　and　following　the　cry；　came　at　last　to　a　hedge；　out　of　which　jumped　a　subtle　and　wicked　fox；　who　had　made　that　noise　to　deceive　her；　and　devoured　her　in　an　instant。　　A　kite　at　the　same　time；　taking　advantage　of　her　absence；　carried　away；　one　by　one；　all　her　little　innocent　brood；　robbed　of　that　parent　who　should　have　been　their　protector。'　　The　princess　promised　her　mother　that　she　would　punctually　obey　all　her　commands；　and　be　very　watchful　and　observant　of　everything　Rozella　said　and　did；　till　she　had　approved　herself　worthy　of　her　confidence　and　friendship。

The　queen　the　next　morning　renewed　her　injunctions　to　her　daughter；　that　she　should　by　no　means　go　farther　out　of　the　wood　than　into　the　meadow；　where　she　was　to　meet　Rozella；　and　that　she　should　give　her　a　faithful　account　of　all　that　should　pass　between　them。

They　met　according　to　appointment；　and　the　princess　brought　home　so　good　an　account　of　their　conversation；　which　the　queen　imagined　would　help　to　improve；　rather　than　seduce　her　child；　that　she　indulged　her　in　the　same　pleasure　as　often　as　she　asked　it。　　They　passed　some　hours　every　day　in　walking　round　that　delightful　wood；　in　which　were　many　small　green　meadows；　with　little　rivulets　running　through　them；　on　the　banks　of　which；　cover