the governess-第13节

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Caelia　had　absolutely　refused　granting　to　Sempronius　leave　to　ask　her　aunt's　consent；　till　she　should　come　to　some　explanation　with　Chloe；　which　seemed　every　day　farther　off　than　ever。

The　great　perturbation　of　Chloe's　mind　threw　her　into　a　disorder　not　many　degrees　short　of　madness；　and　at　last　she　was　seized　with　a　violent　fever　so　as　to　keep　her　bed。　　She　said　she　could　not　bear　to　look　on　Amanda；　but　begged　Caelia　to　be　with　her　as　much　as　possible；　which　she　did；　in　hopes　of　bringing　herself　to　ease　her　mind；　by　speaking　to　her　of　what　had　given　them　all　this　torment。

Caelia　watched　with　her　night　and　day　for　three　days；　when　the　physician　who　attended　her　pronounced　that　there　was　no　hope　of　her　life。　　Caelia　could　not　any　longer　bear　to　stay　in　the　room；　and　went　downstairs；　expecting　every　moment　to　hear　she　was　expired。

Chloe　soon　perceived　by　Caelia's　abrupt　leaving　the　room；　and　the　looks　of　those　who　were　left　in　it；　that　her　fate　was　pronounced；　which；　instead　of　sinking　her　spirits；　and　making　her　dejected；　gave　a　tranquillity　to　her　mind；　for　she　thought　within　herself；　'I　shall　now　make　my　dear　cousin　happy；　by　removing　out　of　her　way　an　object　that　must　embitter　all　her　joy；　and　now　likewise；　as　she　is　convinced　I　am　on　my　death…bed；　she　will　once　more　believe　me　capable　of　speaking　truth；　and　will；　in　the　manner　I　could　wish；　receive　my　sincere　repentance。'　　Then　sending　for　Caelia　up　to　her　bedside；　she　in　a　weak　voice；　with　hardly　strength　for　utterance；　spoke　in　this　manner：　　'My　dear　Caelia；　though　you　know　me　to　be　a　worthless　base　wretch；　yet　do　not　think　so　hardly　of　me；　as　to　imagine　I　would　deceive　you　with　my　last　breath。　　Believe　me　then　when　I　tell　you；　that　I　sincerely　repent　of　my　treachery　towards　you；　and　as　sincerely　rejoice　that　it　has　in　reality　been　the　cause　of　your　happiness　with　Sempronius。　　Tell　him　this；　and　then；　perhaps；　he　will　not　hate　my　memory。'　　Here　she　fainted　away；　and　they　forced　Caelia　out　of　the　room；　thinking　her　breath　was　for　ever　flown。　　But　in　some　time　she　came　again　to　herself；　and　cried　out；　'What！　would　not　my　dear　Caelia　say　that　she　forgave　me？　　Methinks　I　would　not　die；　till　I　had　obtained　her　pardon。　　She　is　too　good　to　refuse　her　friend　this　last　request。'　　Her　attendants　then　told　her；　that　seeing　her　faint　away；　they　had　forced　Caelia　out　of　the　room；　and　they　begged　her　to　try　to　compose　herself；　for　they　were　sure　that　seeing　her　friend　again；　at　this　time；　would　only　disturb　her　mind；　and　do　her　an　injury。

Chloe；　from　the　vent　she　had　given　her　grief　in　speaking　to　Caelia；　found　herself　something　more　easy　and　composed；　and　desiring　the　room　to　be　made　perfectly　quiet；　she　fell　into　a　gentle　sleep；　which　lasted　two　hours；　and　when　she　awaked　she　found　herself　so　much　better；　that　those　about　her　were　convinced；　from　her　composed　manner　of　speaking；　that　she　was　now　able　to　bear　another　interview。

They　again　called　for　Caelia；　and　told　her　of　her　cousin's　amendment。　　She　flew　with　all　speed　to　her　chamber；　and　the　moment　she　entered；　Chloe　cried　out；　'Can　you　forgive　me；　Caelia？'　　'Yes；　with　the　greatest　joy　and　sincerity　imaginable；　my　dearest　Chloe；'　answered　Caelia；　'and　never　let　it　be　again　mentioned　or　remembered。'

The　sudden　recovery　of　Chloe　was　almost　incredible；　for　in　less　than　a　week　she　was　able　to　quit　both　her　bed　and　room；　and　go　into　her　aunt's　chamber。　　The　good　old　lady　shed　tears　of　joy；　to　see　such　a　return　of　Chloe's　health；　and　of　cheerfulness　in　the　family；　and　was　perfectly　contented；　now　she　saw　their　melancholy　removed；　not　to　inquire　into　the　late　cause　of　it；　for　fear　of　renewing　their　trouble　even　one　moment　by　the　remembrance　of　it。

Sempronius；　in　the　meantime；　upon　some　affairs　of　his　duty　in　the　army；　had　been　called　away；　and　was　absent　the　whole　time　of　Chloe's　illness；　and　was　not　yet　returned。　　Caelia　spent　almost　her　whole　time　with　Chloe；　but　three　weeks　passed　on；　and　they　were　often　alone；　yet　they　had　never　once　mentioned　the　name　of　Sempronius；　which　laid　Caelia　still　under　the　greatest　difficulty　how　to　act；　so　as　to　avoid　giving　her　friend　any　uneasiness；　and　yet　not　disoblige　Sempronius；　for　she　had　promised　him　at　his　departure；　that　she　would　give　him　leave　to　ask　her　aunt's　consent　immediately　upon　his　return。　　But　the　very　day　he　was　expected；　she　was　made　quite　easy　by　what　passed　between　her　and　her　friend。

Chloe；　in　this　time；　by　proper　reflections；　and　a　due　sense　of　Caelia's　great　goodness　and　affection　to　her；　had　so　entirely　got　the　better　of　herself　in　this　affair；　that　she　found　she　could　now；　without　any　uneasiness；　see　them　married；　and　calling　Caelia　to　her；　she　said　with　a　smile；　'I　have；　my　dear　friend；　been　so　long　accustomed　to　read　in　that　intelligible　index；　your　countenance；　all　your　most　inmost　thoughts；　that　I　have　not　been　unobserving　of　those　kind　fears　you　have　had　on　my　account；　and　the　reason　I　have　so　long　delayed　speaking　was；　my　resolution；　if　possible；　never　again　to　deceive　you。　　I　can　with　pleasure　now　assure　you；　that　nothing　can　give　me　so　much　joy　as　to　see　your　wedding　with　Sempronius。　　I　make　no　doubt；　but　if　you　ask　it；　you　will　have　my　aunt's　consent；　and；　if　any　intercession　should　be　wanting　towards　obtaining　it；　I　will　（if　you　can　trust　me）　use　all　my　influence　in　your　behalf。　　Be　assured；　my　dear　Caelia；　I　have　now　no　farther　regard　left　for　Sempronius；　than　as　your　husband；　and　that　regard　will　increase　in　proportion　as　he　is　the　cause　of　your　happiness。'

They　were　interrupted　in　their　discourse　by　news　being　brought　of　the　arrival　of　Sempronius；　and　Chloe　received　him　with　that　ease　and　cheerfulness　as　convinced　Caelia　her　professions　were　unfeigned。

Caelia　related　to　Sempronius　all　that　had　passed　between　her　and　Chloe；　and　by　her　continued　cheerfulness　of　behaviour；　the　peace　and　tranquillity　of　the　family　was　perfectly　restored；　and　their　joy　greatly　increased　by　Amanda's　ready　consent　to　the　marriage　of　Sempronius　and　Caelia；　having　first　settled　all　her　fortune　to　be　divided　at　her　death　equally　between　her　nieces；　and　in　her　lifetime　there　was　no　occasion　of　settlements；　or　deeds　of　gift；　for　they　lived　all　together；　and　separate　property　was　not　so　much　as　mentioned　or　thought　on　in　this　family　of　harmony　and　peace。

Here　Miss　Dolly　ceased　reading；　and　all　her　hearers　sat　some　little　time　silent；　and　then　expressed　their　great　joy　that　Caelia　and　Chloe　were　at　last　happy；　for　none　of　them　had　been　able　to　refrain　from　tears　whilst　they　were　otherwise。　　On　which　Miss　Jenny　Peace　begged　them　to　observe　from　this　story；　the　miserable　effects　that　attend　deceit　and　treachery：　　'For；'　continued　she；　'you　see　you　could　not　refrain　from　tears；　only　by　imagining　what　Chloe　must　feel　after　her　wickedness　（by　which　indeed　she　lost　the　very　happiness　she　intended　treacherously　to　gain）；　nor　could　she　enjoy　one　moment's　peace；　till　by　confessing　her　fault；　and　heartily　repenting　of　it；　her　mind　was　restored　to　its　former　calm　and　tranquility。'　　Miss　Dolly　thanked　Miss　Jenny　for　her　remarks；　but　Miss　Lucy　Sly　was　most　sensibly　touched　with　this　story；　as　cunning　had　formerly　entirely　possessed　HER　mind；　and　said；　that　if　her　companions　were　not　weary　at　present　of　their　arbour；　she　would　now　recount　to　them　the　history　of　her　life；　as　this　story　was　a　proper　introduction　to　it。



THE　DESCRIPTION　OF　MISS　LUCY　SLY。

Miss　Lucy　Sly　was　of　the　same　age　as　Miss　Dolly　Friendly；　but　shorter；　at　least；　by　half　the　head。　　She　was　generally　called　a　pretty　girl；　from　having　a　pair　of　exceeding　fine　black　eyes；　only　with　the　allay　of　something　cunning　in　their　look。　　She　had　a　high　forehead；　and　very　good　curling　black　hair。　　She　had　a　sharp　high　nose；　and　a　very　small　mouth。　　Her　complexion　was　but　indifferent；　and　the　lower　part　of　her　face　ill…turned；　for　her　chin　was　too　long　for　due　proportion。


THE　LIFE　OF　MISS　LUCY　SLY。

From　the　time　I　was　two　years　old；　（said　Miss　Lucy）　my　mamma　was　so　sickly；　that　she　was　unable　to　take　any　great　care　of　me　herself；　and　I　was　left　to　the　care　of　a　governess；　who　made　it　her　study　to　bring　me　to　do　what　she　had　a　mind　to　have　done；　without　troubling　her　head　what　induced　me　so　to　do。　　And　whenever　I　did　anything　wrong；　she　used　to　say　it　was　the　foot…boy；　and　not　miss；　that　was　naughty。　　Nay；　she　would　say；　it　was　the　dog；　or　the　cat；　or　anything　she　could　lay　the　blame　upon；　sooner　than　own　it　was　me。　　I　thought　this　pure；　that　I　was　never　in　fault；　and　soon　got　into　a　way　of　telling　any　lies；　and　of　laying　my　own　faults　on　others；　since　I　found　I　should　be　believed。　　I　remember　once；　when　I　had　broken　a　fine　china…cup；　that　I　artfully　got　out　of　the　scrape；　and　hid　the　broken　cup　in　the　foot…boy's　room。　　He　was　whipped　for　breaking　it；　and　the　next　day　whilst　I　was　at　play　about　the　room；　I　heard　my　governess　say　to　a　friend　who　was　with　her；　〃Yesterday　Miss　Lucy　broke　a　china…cup；　but　the　artful　little　hussy　went　and　hid　it　in　the　foot…boy's　room；　and　the　poor　boy　was　whipped　for　it。　　I　don't　believe　there　was　ever　a　girl　of　her　age　that　had　half　her　cunning　and　contrivance。〃　　I　knew　by　her　tone　of　voice；　and　her　manner　of　speaking；　that　she　did　not　blame　me　in　her　heart；　but　rather　commended　my　ing