the governess-第2节

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　and　sobs　would　permit　them。

One　said；　'Indeed；　madam；　it　was　none　of　my　fault；　for　I　did　not　begin；　for　Miss　Sukey　Jennett；　without　any　cause　in　the　world　（for　I　did　nothing　to　provoke　her）；　hit　me　a　great　slap　in　the　face；　and　made　my　tooth　ache；　the　pain　DID　make　me　angry；　and　then；　indeed；　I　hit　her　a　little　tap；　but　it　was　on　her　back；　and　I　am　sure　it　was　the　smallest　tap　in　the　world　and　could　not　possibly　hurt　her　half　so　much　as　her　great　blow　did　me。'

'Law；　miss！'　replied　Miss　Jennett；　'how　can　you　say　so？　when　you　know　that　you　struck　me　first；　and　that　yours　was　the　great　blow；　and　mine　the　little　tap；　for　I　only　went　to　defend　myself　from　your　monstrous　blows。'

Such　like　defences　they　would　all　have　made　for　themselves；　each　insisting　on　not　being　in　fault；　and　throwing　the　blame　on　her　companion；　but　Mrs。　Teachum　silenced　them　by　a　positive　command；　and　told　them；　that　she　saw　they　were　all　equally　guilty；　and　as　such　would　treat　them。

Mrs。　Teachum's　method　of　punishing　I　never　could　find　out。　　But　this　is　certain；　the　most　severe　punishment　she　had　ever　inflicted　on　any　misses；　since　she　had　kept　a　school；　was　now　laid　on　these　wicked　girls；　who　had　been　thus　fighting；　and　pulling　one　another　to　pieces；　for　a　sorry　apple。

The　first　thing　she　did　was　to　take　away　all　the　apples；　telling　them；　that　before　they　had　any　more　instances　of　such　kindness　from　her；　they　should　give　her　proofs　of　their　deserving　them　better。　　And　when　she　had　punished　them　as　much　as　she　thought　proper；　she　made　them　all　embrace　one　another；　and　promise　to　be　friends　for　the　future；　which；　in　obedience　to　her　commands；　they　were　forced　to　comply　with；　though　there　remained　a　grudge　and　ill…will　in　their　bosoms；　every　one　thinking　she　was　punished　most；　although　she　would　have　it；　that　she　deserved　to　be　punished　least；　and　they　continued　all　the　sly　tricks　they　could　think　on　to　vex　and　tease　each　other。



A　DIALOGUE　BETWEEN　MISS　JENNY　PEACE　AND　MISS　SUKEY　JENNETT；　WHEREIN　THE　LATTER　IS　AT　LAST　CONVINCED　OF　HER　OWN　FOLLY　IN　BEING　SO　QUARRELSOME；　AND；　BY　HER　EXAMPLE；　ALL　HER　COMPANIONS　ARE　BROUGHT　TO　SEE　AND　CONFESS　THEIR　FAULT。

The　next　morning　Miss　Jenny　Peace　used　her　utmost　endeavours　to　bring　her　schoolfellows　to　be　heartily　reconciled；　but　in　vain：　　for　each　insisted　on　it；　that　she　was　not　to　blame；　but　that　the　whole　quarrel　arose　from　the　faults　of　others。　　At　last　ensued　the　following　dialogue　between　Miss　Jenny　Peace　and　Miss　Sukey　Jennett；　which　brought　about　Miss　Jenny's　designs；　and　which　we　recommend　to　the　consideration　of　all　our　young　readers。

MISS　JENNY。　　Now　pray；　Miss　Sukey；　tell　me；　what　did　you　get　by　your　contention　and　quarrel　about　that　foolish　apple？

MISS　SUKEY。　　Indeed；　ma'am；　I　shall　not　answer　you；　I　know　that　you　only　want　to　prove；　that　you　are　wiser　than　I；　because　you　are　older。　　But　I　don't　know　but　some　people　may　understand　as　much　at　eleven　years　old　as　others　at　thirteen：　　but；　because　you　are　the　oldest　in　the　school；　you　always　want　to　be　tutoring　and　governing。　　I　don't　like　to　have　more　than　one　governess；　and　if　I　obey　my　mistress；　I　think　that　is　enough。

MISS　JENNY。　　Indeed；　my　dear；　I　don't　want　to　govern　you；　nor　to　prove　myself　wiser　than　you；　I　only　want　that　instead　of　quarrelling；　and　making　yourself　miserable；　you　should　live　at　peace　and　be　happy。　　Therefore；　pray　do　answer　my　question；　whether　you　get　anything　by　your　quarrel？

MISS　SUKEY。　　No　　I　cannot　say　I　got　anything　by　it：　　for　my　mistress　was　angry；　and　punished　me；　and　my　hair　was　pulled　off；　and　my　clothes　torn　in　the　scuffle；　neither　did　I　value　the　apple；　but　yet　I　have　too　much　spirit　to　be　imposed　on。　　I　am　sure　I　had　as　good　a　right　to　it　as　any　of　the　others；　and　I　would　not　give　up　my　right　to　anyone。

MISS　JENNY。　　But　don't　you　know；　Miss　Sukey；　it　would　have　shown　much　more　spirit　to　have　yielded　the　apple　to　another；　than　to　have　fought　about　it？　　Then　indeed　you　would　have　proved　your　sense；　for　you　would　have　shown；　that　you　had　too　much　understanding　to　fight　about　a　trifle。　　Then　your　clothes　had　been　whole；　your　hair　not　torn　from　your　head；　your　mistress　had　not　been　angry；　nor　had　your　fruit　been　taken　away　from　you。

MISS　SUKEY。　　And　so；　miss；　you　would　fain　prove；　that　it　is　wisest　to　submit　to　everybody　that　would　impose　upon　one？　　But　I　will　not　believe　ii；　say　what　you　will。

MISS　JENNY。　　But　is　not　what　I　say　true？　　If　you　had　not　been　in　the　battle；　would　not　your　clothes　have　been　whole；　your　hair　not　torn；　your　mistress　pleased　with　you；　and　the　apples　your　own？



Here　Miss　Sukey　paused　for　some　time：　　for　as　Miss　Jenny　was　in　the　right　and　had　truth　on　her　side；　it　was　difficult　for　Miss　Sukey　to　know　what　to　answer。　　For　it　is　impossible；　without　being　very　silly；　to　contradict　truth；　and　yet　Miss　Sukey　was　so　foolish；　that　she　did　not　care　to　own　herself　in　the　wrong；　though　　nothing　could　have　been　so　great　a　sign　of　her　understanding。

When　Miss　Jenny　saw　her　thus　at　a　loss　for　an　answer；　she　was　in　hopes　of　making　her　companion　happy；　for；　as　she　had　as　much　good　nature　as　understanding；　that　was　her　design。　　She　therefore　pursued　her　discourse　in　the　following　manner：



MISS　JENNY。　　Pray；　Miss　Sukey；　do　answer　me　one　question　more。　　Don't　you　lie　awake　at　nights；　and　fret　and　vex　yourself；　because　you　are　angry　with　your　school…fellows？　　Are　not　you　restless　and　uneasy；　because　you　cannot　find　a　safe　method　to　be　revenged　on　them；　without　being　punished　yourself？　　Do　tell　me　truly；　is　not　this　your　case？

MISS　SUKEY。　　Yes　it　is。　　For　if　I　could　but　hurt　my　enemies；　without　being　hurt　myself；　it　would　be　the　greatest　pleasure　I　could　have　in　the　world。

MISS　JENNY。　　Oh　fie；　Miss　Sukey！　　What　you　have　now　said　is　wicked。　　Don't　you　consider　what　you　say　every　day　in　your　prayers'？　　And　this　way　of　thinking　will　make　you　lead　a　very　uneasy　life。　　If　you　would　hearken　to　me；　I　could　put　you　into　a　method　of　being　very　happy；　and　making　all　those　misses　you　call　your　enemies；　become　your　friends。

MISS　SUKEY。　　You　could　tell　me　a　method；　miss？　　Do　you　think　I　don't　know　as　well　as　you　what　is　fit　to　be　done？　　I　believe　I　am　as　capable　of　finding　the　way　to　be　happy；　as　you　are　of　teaching　me。



Here　Miss　Sukey　burst　into　tears；　that　anybody　should　presume　to　tell　her　the　way　to　be　happy。



MISS　JENNY。　　Upon　my　word；　my　dear；　I　don't　mean　to　vex　you；　but　only；　instead　of　tormenting　yourself　all　night　in　laying　plots　to　revenge　yourself；　I　would　have　you　employ　this　one　night　in　thinking　of　what　I　have　said。　　Nothing　will　show　your　sense　so　much；　as　to　own　that　you　have　been　in　the　wrong。　　Nor　will　anything　prove　a　right　spirit　so　much。　as　to　confess　your　fault。　　All　the　misses　will　be　your　friends；　and　perhaps　follow　your　example。　　Then　you　will　have　the　pleasure　of　having　caused　the　quiet　of　the　whole　school；　your　governess　will　love　you；　and　you　will　be　at　peace　in　your　mind；　and　never　have　any　more　foolish　quarrels；　in　which　you　all　get　nothing　but　blows　and　uneasiness。



Miss　Sukey　began　now　to　find；　that　Miss　Jenny　was　in　the　right；　and　she　herself　in　the　wrong；　but　yet　she　was　so　proud　she　would　not　own　it。　　Nothing　could　be　so　foolish　as　this　pride；　because　it　would　have　been　both　good　and　wise　in　her　to　confess　the　truth　the　moment　she　saw　it。　　However；　Miss　Jenny　was　so　discreet　as　not　to　press　her　any　farther　that　night；　but　begged　her　to　consider　seriously　on　what　she　had　said；　and　to　let　her　know　her　thoughts　the　next　morning　and　then　left　her。

When　Miss　Sukey　was　alone　she　stood　some　time　in　great　confusion。　　She　could　not　help　seeing　how　much　hitherto　she　had　been　in　the　wrong；　and　that　thought　stung　her　to　the　heart。　　She　cried；　stamped；　and　was　in　as　great　an　agony　as　if　some　sad　misfortune　had　befallen　her。　　At　last；　when　she　had　somewhat　vented　her　passion　by　tears；　she　burst　forth　into　the　following　speech：

'It　is　very　true　what　Miss　Jenny　Peace　says；　for　I　am　always　uneasy。　　I　don't　sleep　in　quiet　because　I　am　always　thinking；　either　that　I　have　not　my　share　of　what　is　given　us；　or　that　I　cannot　be　revenged　on　any　of　the　girls　that　offend　me。　　And　when　I　quarrel　with　them；　I　am　scratched　and　bruised；　or　reproached。　　And　what　do　I　get　by　all　this？　　Why；　I　scratch；　bruise；　and　reproach　them　in　my　turn。　　Is　not　that　gain　enough？　　I　warrant　I　hurt　them　as　much　as　they　hurt　me。　　But　then　indeed；　as　Miss　Jenny　says；　if　I　could　make　these　girls　my　friends；　and　did　not　wish　to　hurt　them；　I　certainly　might　live　a　quieter；　and　perhaps　a　happier；　life。　　But　what　then；　have　I　been　always　in　the　wrong　all　my　lifetime？　for　I　always　quarrelled　and　hated　everyone　who　had　offended　me。　　Oh！　I　cannot　bear　that　thought！　　It　is　enough　to　make　me　mad！　when　I　imagined　myself　so　wise　and　so　sensible；　to　find　out　that　I　have　been　always　a　fool。　　If　I　think　a　moment　longer　about　it；　I　shall　die　with　grief　and　shame。　　I　must　think　myself　in　the　right；　and　I　will　too。　　But；　as　Miss　Jenny　says；　I　really　am　unhappy；　for　I　hate　all　my　schoolfellows；　and　yet　I　dare　not　do　them　any　mischief；　for　my　mistress　will　punish　me　severely　if　I　do。　　I　should　not　so　much　mind　that　neither；　but　then　those　I　intend　to　hurt　will　triumph　over　me；　to　see　me　puni