the governess-第23章

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all　confessed　their　faults　without　reserve；　and　the　untowardly　bent　of　their　minds；　which　so　strongly　appeared　before　the　quarrel；　has　not　broke　out　in　these　their　little　histories；　but；　on　the　contrary；　they　all　seem；　according　to　their　capacities；　to　have　endeavoured　at　imitating　your　style；　in　the　account　you　gave　of　your　own　life。　　I　would　have　you　continue　to　employ　your　leisure　hours　in　the　manner　you　have　lately　done；　only　setting　apart　a　proper　time　for　exercise；　and　today　I　will　dispense　with　your　attendance　in　the　school…room　and　indulge　you　this　afternoon　in　another　walk；　either　to　the　dairy　house；　or　to　the　cherry…garden；　whichever　you　all　agree　on。　　But　as　I　shall　not　go　with　you　myself；　and　shall　only　find　a　servant　to　take　care　of　you；　I　hope　to　hear　from　you；　Miss　Jenny；　so　good　an　account　of　the　behaviour　of　your　little　friends　and　companions；　that　I　shall　have　no　cause　to　repent　my　indulgence。'

Miss　Jenny　Peace　respectfully　took　leave　of　her　governess；　and　hastened　to　the　arbour；　where　her　little　friends　were　met；　in　expectation　of　her　coming。　She　told　them　how　well　pleased　their　governess　was　with　them　all；　for　the　ingenuous　confession　of　their　faults　in　their　past　lives；　and　she　then　declared　Mrs。　Teachum's　kind　permission　to　them　to　take　another　walk　that　afternoon。

As　no　one　had　at　present　any　story　to　read　or　relate；　they　employed　their　time　till　dinner；　some　in　walking　and　running　about　the　garden；　others　in　looking　after　and　tending　some　plant　or　flower；　that　they　had　taken　particularly　under　their　care；　which　Mrs。　Teachum　both　permitted　and　encouraged　them　in；　whilst　Miss　Jenny　Peace；　Miss　Sukey　Jennett；　and　Miss　Dolly　Friendly；　remained　in　the　arbour；　the　two　latter　asking　a　thousand　questions　of　the　former；　both　concerning　all　the　instructions　she　had　ever　learned　from　her　mamma；　and　by　what　means　they　should　best　be　able　to　preserve　that　friendship　and　happiness；　which　had　of　late　subsisted　amongst　them；　saying；　how　pleased　their　friends　and　relations　would　be；　to　see　such　a　change　in　their　temper　and　behaviour；　and　how　much　they　should　be　beloved　by　every　one。

When　they　met　at　dinner；　Mrs。　Teachum　asked　them；　whether　they　had　determined　upon　the　choice　she　had　given　them　in　their　afternoon's　walk；　and　they　were　all　desirous　of　going　to　the　dairy　house；　for　little　Polly　said；　she　longed　to　see　the　good…humoured　old　woman　again；　and；　indeed；　she　would　not　now　say　anything　to　her　of　her　shaking　head；　or　her　grey　hair。　　Mrs。　Teachum　was　pleased；　　that　little　Polly　so　gratefully　remembered　the　old　woman；　who　had　been　so　kind　to　her；　and　readily　consented　to　their　choice；　and　approved　of　their　determination。

Being　soon　equipped　for　their　walk；　they　set　out；　attended　by　two　maidservants；　and　as　soon　as　they　arrived；　the　good　old　woman　expressed　the　highest　joy　on　seeing　them；　and　told　little　Polly；　that　she　should　have　plenty　of　cream　and　strawberries；　for　her　daughter　had　been　that　day　in　the　wood；　and　had　brought　home　three　baskets　of　very　fine　ones。　　Mrs。　Nelly；　her　daughter；　said　very　crossly；　that　she　supposed　there　would　be　fine　work　amongst　them；　now　their　governess　was　not　with　them；　but　'twas　her　mother's　way；　to　let　all　children　be　as　rude　as　they　pleased。　　Miss　Sukey　Jennett；　with　some　indignation　in　her　look；　was　going　to　answer　her；　but　Miss　Jenny　Peace；　fearing　she　would　say　something　less　mild　than　she　wished；　gave　her　a　nod；　and；　turning　to　the　young　woman；　with　great　modesty　and　temper；　thus　said：　　'You　shall　see；　Mrs。　Nelly；　that　our　good　governess's　instructions　are　of　more　force　with　us；　than　to　lose　all　their　effect　when　we　are　out　of　her　presence；　and　I　hope　you　will　have　no　cause；　when　we　go　away；　to　complain　of　the　ill　behaviour　of　any　of　us。'

The　good　old　woman　declared　she　never　saw　such　sweet…tempered　children　in　all　her　life；　and　after　they　had　eat　their　strawberries　and　cream；　and　were　loaded　with　pinks　and　roses　by　the　good　woman's　bounty　（for　they　did　not　gather　one　without　her　permission）；　they　took　their　leave　with　the　utmost　civility；　and　Miss　Jenny　handsomely　rewarded　the　old　woman　for　her　good　cheer。　　Mrs。　Nelly　herself　was　so　pleased　with　their　regular　and　inoffensive　behaviour；　that　she　could　not　help　telling　Miss　Jenny；　that　she；　and　all　her　companions；　had；　indeed；　behaved　as　well　as　if　their　governess　had　been　with　them：　　on　which　Miss　Jenny　（as　they　were　walking　home）　observed　to　Miss　Sukey　Jennett　（whom　she　had　prevented　from　making　any　reply　to　Mrs。　Nelly's　speech　how　much　better　it　was　to　gain　another's　good　will　by　our　own　endeavours　to　be　obliging；　than　to　provoke　them　to　be　more　cross；　by　our　angry　answers　and　reproaches。

When　this　little　company；　employed　in　pleasing　talk　and　lively　observations；　were　come　within　about　a　mile　of　Mrs。　Teachum's　house；　and　within　view　of　a　nobleman's　fine　seat；　Miss　Jenny　said；　that　the　next　time　their　governess　permitted　them　to　walk　out；　she　would　ask　her　leave；　that　they　might　go　and　see　that　fine　house；　for　some　time　ago　she　had　told　them；　that　they　should　go　thither　when　the　family　were　absent。　　Mrs。　Wilson；　the　housekeeper；　who　by　chance　was　walking　that　way；　and　heard　what　Miss　Jenny　said；　came　up　to　them；　and　told　Miss　Jenny　that　her　lord　and　lady　were　now　both　absent；　having　set　out；　one　for　London；　and　the　other　for　another　fine　seat；　forty　miles　off；　that　very　morning；　and　as　she　knew　them　to　be　Mrs。　Teachum's　well…regulated　family；　they　should　be　welcome　to　see　the　house　and　gardens　now；　if　they　liked　it。　　Miss　Jenny　thanked　her；　and　said；　as　it　was　near　two　hours　sooner　than　their　governess　expected　them　home；　she　would　accept　of　her　kind　offer。　　The　housekeeper　led　them　through　an　avenue　of　tall　elm…trees　into　this　magnificent　house；　in　which　were　many　spacious　apartments；　furnished　with　the　utmost　grandeur　and　elegance。　　Some　of　the　rooms　were　adorned　with　fine　pictures；　others　were　hung　with　tapestry　almost　as　lively　as　those　paintings；　and　most　of　the　apartments　above　stairs　were　furnished　with　the　finest　sorts　of　needle…work。　　Our　little　company　were　struck　into　a　sort　of　silent　wonder　and　admiration　at　the　splendid　appearance　of　everything　around　them；　nor　could　they　find　words　to　express　the　various　reflections　that　passed　in　their　minds；　on　seeing　such　a　variety　of　dazzling　gaudy　things：　　but　when　they　came　to　the　needlework；　Miss　Jenny　could　not　help　smiling；　to　see　how　every　one　seemed　most　fixed　in　attention　upon　that　sort　of　work；　which　she　herself　was　employed　in；　and　she　saw　in　every　face　a　secret　wish；　that　their　own　piece　of　work　might　be　finished　with　equal　neatness　and　perfection。　The　housekeeper　was　greatly　pleased　to　see　them　so　much　delighted；　and　answered　all　their　questions　concerning　the　stories　that　were　represented　in　the　pictures　and　tapestry　as　fully　as　the　　time　would　permit；　but　Miss　Jenny；　being　fearful　of　exceeding　the　hour　in　which　they　would　be　expected　home；　told　them　they　must　not　now　stay　any　longer；　but　if　their　governess　would　give　them　leave；　and　it　would　not　be　troublesome　to　Mrs。　Wilson；　they　would　come　another　time。　　She　answered；　that　it　was　so　far　from　being　troublesome；　that　she　never　had　more　pleasure　in　her　life；　than　to　see　so　many　well…behaved　young　ladies；　who　all　seemed　not　only　pleased　with　what　they　saw；　but　doubly　delighted；　and　happy；　in　seeing　each　other　so；　and　for　her　part；　she　could　wish　they　were　to　stay　with　her　all　their　lives；　and；　in　short；　they　should　not　go　till　they　had　been　in　her　room；　and　eat　some　sweetmeats　of　her　own　making。　　The　good　woman　seemed　to　take　so　much　delight　in　giving　them　any　pleasure；　that　Miss　Jenny　could　not　refuse　accepting　her　offer；　and；　when　they　were　all　in　her　room；　Polly　Suckling　said；　'Well；　this　is　a　most　charming　house；　I　wish　we　could　all　live　here　for　ever。　　How　happy　must　the　lord　and　lady　of　this　fine　place　be！'

'Indeed；　my　little　Polly；'　said　Miss　Jenny；　'you　may　be　very　much　mistaken；　for　you　know　our　good　governess　has　taught　us；　that　there　is　no　happiness　but　in　the　content　of　our　own　minds；　and　perhaps　we　may　have　more　pleasure　in　viewing　these　fine　things；　than　the　owners　have　in　the　possession　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　a