the governess-第15节

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e　could　teach　me；　when　my　grandmamma　was　advised　to　send　me　to　school；　but；　as　soon　as　I　came　here；　the　case　was　much　worse；　for；　instead　of　one　person　to　envy；　I　found　many；　for　all　my　schoolfellows　had　learned　more　than　I；　and；　instead　of　endeavouring　to　get　knowledge；　I　began　to　hate　all　those　who　knew　more　than　myself；　and　this；　I　am　now　convinced；　was　owing　to　that　odious　envy；　which；　if　not　cured；　would　always　have　made　me　as　miserable　as　Mrs。　Dison　was　and　which　constantly　tormented　me；　till　we　came　to　live　in　that　general　peace　and　good…humour　we　have　lately　enjoyed：　　and　as　I　hope　this　wicked　spirit　was　not　natural　to　me；　but　only　blown　up　by　that　vile　Betty's　instigations；　I　don't　doubt　but　I　shall　now　grow　very　happy；　and　learn　something　every　day；　and　be　pleased　with　being　instructed；　and　that　I　shall　always　love　those　who　are　so　good　as　to　instruct　me。'



Here　Miss　Patty　Lockit　ceased；　and　the　dinner…bell　called　them　from　their　arbour。

Mrs。　Teachum；　as　soon　as　they　had　dined；　told　them；　that　she　thought　it　proper　they　would　use　some　bodily　exercise；　that　they　might　not；　by　sitting　constantly　still；　impair　their　health。　　Not　but　that　she　was　greatly　pleased　with　their　innocent　and　instructive　manner　of　employing　their　leisure　hours；　but　this　wise　woman　knew　that　the　faculties　of　the　mind　grow　languid　and　useless；　when　the　health　of　the　body　is　lost。

As　soon　as　they　understood　their　governess's　pleasure；　they　readily　resolved　to　obey　her　commands；　and　desired　that；　after　school；　they　might　take　a　walk　as　far　as　the　dairy　house；　to　eat　some　curds　and　cream。　　Mrs。　Teachum　not　only　granted　their　request；　but　said　she　would　dispense　with　their　school…attendance　that　afternoon；　in　order　to　give　them　more　time　for　their　walk；　which　was　between　two　and　three　miles；　and　she　likewise　added；　that　she　herself　would　go　with　them。　　They　all　flew　like　lightning　to　get　their　hats；　and　to　equip　themselves　for　their　walk；　and；　with　cheerful　countenances；　attended　Mrs。　Teachum　in　the　schoolroom。　　This　good　gentlewoman；　so　far　from　laying　them　under　a　restraint　by　her　presence；　encouraged　them　to　run　in　the　fields；　and　to　gather　flowers；　which　they　did；　each　miss　trying　to　get　the　best　to　present　to　her　governess。　　In　this　agreeable　manner；　with　laughing；　talking；　and　singing；　they　arrived　at　the　dairy…house；　before　they　imagined　they　had　walked　a　mile。

There　lived　at　this　dairy…house　an　old　woman；　near　seventy　years　of　age。　　She　had　a　fresh　colour　in　her　face；　but　was　troubled　with　the　palsy；　that　made　her　head　shake　a　little。　　She　was　bent　forward　with　age；　and　her　hair　was　quite　grey：　　but　she　retained　much　good…humour；　and　received　this　little　party　with　hearty　welcome。

Our　little　gentry　flocked　about　this　good　woman；　asking　her　a　thousand　questions。　　Miss　Polly　Suckling　asked　her；　'Why　she　shook　her　head　so？'　and　Miss　Patty　Lockit　said；　'She　hoped　her　hair　would　never　be　of　such　a　colour。'

Miss　Jenny　Peace　was　afraid　they　would　say　something　that　would　offend　the　old　woman；　and　advised　them　to　turn　their　discourse。　　'Oh！　let　the　dear　rogues　alone；'　says　the　old　woman；　'I　like　their　prattle；'　and；　taking　Miss　Polly　by　the　hand；　said；　'Come；　my　dear；　we　will　go　into　the　dairy；　and　skim　the　milk　pans。'　　At　which　words　they　all　run　into　the　dairy；　and　some　of　them　dipped　their　fingers　in　the　cream；　which　when　Mrs。　Nelly　perceived　（who　was　the　eldest　daughter　of　the　old　woman；　and　who　managed　all　the　affairs）　she　desired　they　would　walk　out　of　the　dairy；　and　she　would　bring　them　what　was　fit　for　them：　　upon　which　Miss　Dolly　Friendly　said；　'she　had　rather　be　as　old　and　good…natured　as　the　mother；　than　as　young　and　ill…natured　as　the　daughter。'

The　old　woman　desired　her　company　to　sit　down　at　a　long　table；　which　she　soon　supplied　with　plenty　of　cream；　strawberries；　brown　bread；　and　sugar。　　Mrs。　Teachum　took　her　place　at　the　upper　end；　and　the　rest　sat　down　in　their　usual　order；　and　eat　plentifully　of　these　good　things。　　After　which；　Mrs。　Teachum　told　them　they　might　walk　out　and　see　the　garden　and　orchard；　and　by　that　time　it　would　be　proper　to　return　home。

The　good　old　woman　showed　them　the　way　into　the　garden；　and　gathered　the　finest　roses　and　pinks　she　could　pick；　and　gave　them　to　Miss　Polly；　to　whom　she　had　taken　a　great　Fancy。

At　their　taking　leave；　Mrs。　Teachum　rewarded　the　good　old　woman　for　her　trouble；　who；　on　her　part；　expressed　much　pleasure　in　feeing　so　many　well…behaved　young　ladies；　and　said；　she　hoped　they　would　come　often。

These　little　friends　had　not　walked　far　in　their　way　home；　before　they　met　a　miserable　ragged　fellow；　who　begged　their　charity。　　Our　young　folks　immediately　gathered　together　about　this　poor　creature；　and　were　hearkening　very　earnestly　to　his　story；　which　he　set　forth　in　a　terrible　manner；　of　having　been　burnt　out　of　his　house；　and；　from　one　distress　to　another；　reduced　to　that　miserable　state　they　saw　him　in；　when　Mrs。　Teachum　came　up　to　them。　　She　was　not　a　little　pleased　to　see　all　the　misses'　hands　in　their　pockets；　pulling　out　half…pence；　and　some　sixpences。　　She　told　them；　she　approved　of　their　readiness　to　assist　the　poor　fellow；　as　he　appeared　to　them；　but　oftentimes　those　fellows　made　up　dismal　stories　without　much　foundation；　and　because　they　were　lazy；　and　would　not　work。　　Miss　Dolly　said；　indeed　she　believed　the　poor　man　spoke　truth；　for　he　looked　honest；　and；　besides；　he　seemed　almost　starved。

Mrs。　Teachum　told　them　it　would　be　late　before　they　could　get　home；　so；　after　each　of　them　had　given　what　they　thought　proper；　they　pursued　their　walk；　prattling　all　the　way。

They　got　home　about　nine　o'clock；　and；　as　they　did　not　choose　any　supper；　the　bell　rang　for　prayers；　after　which　our　young　travellers　retired　to　their　rest；　where　we　doubt　not　but　they　had　a　good　repose。



FRIDAY　THE　FIFTH　DAY。

Mrs。　Teachum；　in　the　morning；　inquired　how　her　scholars　did　after　their　walk；　and　was　pleased　to　hear　they　were　all　very　well。　　They　then　performed　their　several　tasks　with　much　cheerfulness；　and；　after　the　school…hours；　they　were　hastening；　as　usual；　to　their　arbour；　when　Miss　Jenny　desired　them　all　to　go　thither　without　her；　and　she　would　soon　follow　them；　which　they　readily　consented　to；　but　begged　her　not　to　deprive　them　long　of　the　pleasure　of　her　sweet　company。

Miss　Jenny　then　went　directly　into　her　governess's　parlour；　and　told　her　that　she　had　some　thoughts　of　reading　to　her　companions　a　fairy　tale；　which　was　also　given　her　by　her　mamma；　and　though　it　was　not　in　such　a　pompous　style；　nor　so　full　of　wonderful　images；　as　the　giant…story；　yet　she　would　not　venture　to　read　anything　of　that　kind　without　her　permission；　but；　as　she　had　not　absolutely　condemned　all　that　sort　of　writing；　she　hoped　she　was　not　guilty　of　a　fault　in　asking　that　permission。　　Mrs。　Teachum；　with　a　gracious　smile；　told　her；　that　she　seemed　so　thoroughly　well　to　understand　the　whole　force　of　her　Monday　night's　discourse　to　her；　that　she　might　be　trusted　almost　in　anything；　and　desired　her　to　go　and　follow　her　own　judgment　and　inclinations　in　the　amusement　of　her　happy　friends。　　Miss　Jenny；　overjoyed　with　this　kind　condescension　in　her　governess；　thanked　her；　with；　a　low　courtesy；　and　said；　she　hoped　she　should　never　do　anything　unworthy　of　the　confidence　reposed　on　her；　and；　hastening　to　the　arbour；　she　there　found　all　her　little　companions　quite　impatient　of　this　short　absence。

Miss　Jenny　told　them；　that　she　had　by　her　a　fairy…tale；　which；　if　they　liked　it；　she　would　read；　and；　as　it　had　pleased　her；　she　did　not　doubt　but　it　would　give　them　equal　pleasure。

It　was　the　custom　now　so　much　amongst　them　to　assent　to　any　proposal　that　came　from　Miss　Jenny；　that　they　all　with　one　voice　desired　her　to　read　it；　till　Miss　Polly　Suckling　said；　'that　although　she　was　very　unwilling　to　contradict　anything　Miss　Jenny　liked；　yet　she　could　not　help　saying；　she　thought　it　would　be　better　if　they　were　to　read　some　true　history；　from　which　they　might　learn　something；　for　she　thought　fairy…tales　were　fit　only　for　little　children。

Miss　Jenny　could　not　help　smiling　at　such　an　objection's　coming　from　the　little　dumpling；　who　was　not　much　above　seven　years　of　age；　and　then　said；　'I　will　tell　you　a　story；　my　little　Polly；　of　what　happened　to　me　whilst　I　was　at　home。

'There　came　into　our　village；　when　I　was　six　years　old；　a　man　who　carried　about　a　raree…show；　which　all　the　children　of　the　parish　were　fond　of　seeing；　but　I　had　taken　it　into　my　head；　that　it　was　beneath　my　wisdom　to　see　raree…shows；　and　therefore　would　not　be　persuaded　to　join　my　companions　to　see　this　sight；　and　although　I　had　as　great　an　inclination　as　any　of　them　to　see　it；　yet　I　avoided　it；　in　order　to　boast　of　my　own　great　sense；　in　that　I　was　above　such　trifles。

'When　my　mamma　asked　me；　〃Why　I　would　not　see　the　show；　when　she　had　given　me　leave？　　I　drew　up　my　head；　and　said；　〃Indeed　I　did　not　like　raree…shows。　　That　I　had　been　reading；　and　I　thought　that　much　more　worth　my　while；　than　to　lose　my　time　at　such　foolish　entertainments。〃　　My　mamma；　who　saw　the　cause　of　my　refusing　this　amusement　was　only　a　pretence　of　being　wise；　laughed；　and　said；　〃She　herself　had　seen　it；　and　it　was　really　very　comical　and　diverting。〃　　On　hearing　this；