the governess-第20节

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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；　covered　with　primroses　and　violets；　Rozella；　by　the　side　of　her　sweet　companion；　used　to　sing　the　most　enchanting　songs　in　the　world：　　the　words　were　chiefly　in　praise　of　innocence　and　a　country　life。

The　princess　came　home　every　day　more　and　more　charmed　with　her　young　shepherdess；　and　recounted；　as　near　as　she　could　remember；　every　word　that　had　passed　between　them。　　The　queen　very　highly　approved　of　their　manner　of　amusing　themselves；　but　again　enjoined　her　to　omit　nothing　that　passed　in　conversation；　especially　if　it　had　the　least　tendency　towards　alluring　her　from　her　duty。

One　day；　as　the　princess　Hebe　and　Rozella　were　walking　alone；　and　talking；　as　usual；　of　their　own　happy　state；　and　the　princess　was　declaring　how　much　her　own　happiness　was　owing　to　her　thorough　obedience　to　her　mother；　Rozella；　with　a　tone　of　voice　as　half　in　jest；　said；　'But　don't　you　think；　my　little　Hebe；　that　if　I　take　a　very　great　pleasure　in　any　thing　that　will　do　me　no　hurt；　though　it　is　forbidden；　I　may　disobey　my　parents　in　enjoying　it；　provided　I　don't　tell　them　of　it　to　vex　them　with　the　thought　that　I　have　disobeyed　them？　　And　then；　my　dear；　what　harm　is　done？'

'Great　harm　（answered　the　princess；　looking　grave　and　half　angry）：　　I　am　ashamed　to　hear　you　talk　so；　Rozella。　　Are　you　not　guilty　of　treachery；　as　well　as　disobedience？　　Neither　ought　you　to　determine　that　no　harm　is　done；　because　you　do　not　feel　the　immediate　effects　of　your　transgression；　for　the　consequence　may　be　out　of　our　narrow　inexperienced　view；　and　I　have　been　taught　whenever　my　mother　lays　any　commands　on　me；　to　take　it　for　granted；　she　has　some　reason　for　so　doing；　and　I　obey　her；　without　examining　what　those　reasons　are；　otherwise；　it　would　not　be　obeying　her；　but　setting　up　my　own　wisdom；　and　doing　what　she　bid　me；　only　when　I　thought　proper。'

They　held　a　long　argument　on　this　head；　in　which　Rozella　made　use　of　many　a　fallacy　to　prove　her　point；　but　the　princess；　as　she　had　not　yet　departed　from　Truth；　nor　failed　in　her　duty；　could　not　be　imposed　upon。　　Rozella；　seeing　every　attempt　to　persuade　her　was　in　vain；　turned　all　her　past　discourse　into　a　jest；　said　she　had　only　a　mind　to　try　her；　and　was　overjoyed　to　find　her　so　steady　in　the　cause　of　truth　and　virtue。　　The　princess　resumed　her　usual　cheerfulness　and　good　humour。　　Rozella　sung　her　a　song　in　praise　of　constancy　of　mind；　and　they　passed　the　rest　of　the　time　they　stayed　together；　as　they　used　to　do。

But；　just　before　they　parted；　Rozella　begged　she　would　not　tell　her　mother　of　the　first　part　of　the　conversation　that　had　passed　between　them。　　The　princess　replied；　that　it　would　be　breaking　through　one　of　her　mother's　commands；　and　therefore　she　dared　not　grant　her　request。　　Then；　said　Rozella；　'Here　I　must　for　ever　part　with　my　dear　little　Hebe。　　Your　mother；　not　knowing　the　manner　in　which　I　spoke；　will　have　an　ill　opinion　of　me；　and　will　never　trust　you　again　in　my　company。　　Thus　will　you　be　torn　from　me；　and　loss　will　be　irreparable。'　　These　words　she　accompanied　with　a　flood　of　tears；　and　such　little　tendernesses；　as　quite　melted　the　princess　into　tears　also。　　But　she　still　said；　that　she　could　not　dare　to　conceal　from　her　mother　anything　that　had　happened；　though　she　could　not　but　own；　she　believed　their　separation　would　be　the　consequence。　　'Well　then　（cried　Rozella）　I　will　endeavour　to　be　contented；　as　our　separation　will　give　you　less　pain　than　what　you　call　this　mighty　breach　of　your　duty：　　and　though　I　would　willingly　undergo　almost　any　torments　that　could　be　invented；　rather　than　be　debarred　one　moment　the　company　of　my　dearest　Hebe；　yet　I　will　not　expect　that　she　should　suffer　the　smallest　degree　of　pain；　or　uneasiness；　to　save　me　from　losing　what　is　the　whole　pleasure　of　my　life。'

The　princess　could　not　bear　the　thought　of　appearing　ungrateful　to　such　a　warm　friendship　as　Rozella　expressed；　and；　without　farther　hesitation；　promised　to　conceal　what　she　had　said；　and　to　undergo　anything；　rather　than　lose　so　amiable　a　friend。

After　this　they　parted。　　But　when　the　princess　entered　t