the governess-第22节

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（into　which　Florimel　was　run　to　hide　herself）　and　promised　her；　on　that　condition；　to　make　the　idle　girl　restore　the　picture。

It　was　now　so　late；　that　it　was　impossible　for　the　princess　to　think　of　returning　home　that　night；　and　the　pleasing　address　of　Brunetta；　together　　with　the　hopes　of　having　her　picture　restored；　soon　prevailed　with　her　to　accept　of　the　fairy's　invitation。

The　castle　glittered　with　gaudy　furniture；　sweet　music　was　heard　in　every　room；　the　whole　company；　who　were　all　of　the　most　beautiful　forms　that　could　be　conceived；　strove　who　should　be　most　obliging　to　this　their　new　guest。　　They　omitted　nothing　that　could　amuse　and　delight　the　senses。　　And　　the　Princess　Hebe　was　so　entranced　with　joy　and　rapture；　that　she　had　not　time　for　thought；　or　for　the　least　serious　reflection；　and　she　now　began　to　think；　that　she　had　attained　the　highest　happiness　upon　earth。

After　they　had　kept　her　three　days　in　this　round　of　pleasure　and　delight；　they　began　to　pull　of　the　mask；　nothing　was　heard　but　quarrels；　jars；　and　galling　speeches。　　Instead　of　sweet　music；　the　apartments　were　filled　with　screams　and　howling；　for　every　one　giving　way　to　the　most　outrageous　passions；　they　were　always　doing　each　other　some　malicious　turn；　and　only　universal　horror　and　confusion　reigned。

The　princess　was　hated　by　all；　and　was　often　asked；　with　insulting　sneers；　why　she　did　not　return　to　her　peaceful　grove；　and　condescending　mother？　　But　her　mind　having　been　thus　turned　aside　from　what　was　right；　could　not　bear　the　thoughts　of　returning；　and　though　by　her　daily　tears；　she　showed　her　repentance；　shame　prevented　her　return：　　but　this　again　was　not　the　right　sort　of　shame；　for　then　she　would　humbly　have　taken　the　punishment　due　to　her　crime；　and　it　was　rather　a　stubborn　pride；　which；　as　she　knew　herself　so　highly　to　blame；　would　not　give　her　leave　to　suffer　the　confusion　of　again　confessing　her　fault；　and　till　she　could　bring　herself　to　such　a　state　of　mind；　there　was　no　remedy　for　her　misery。



Just　as　Miss　Jenny　had　read　these　words；　Mrs。　Teachum　remembering　some　orders　necessary　to　give　in　her　family；　left　them；　but　bid　them　go　on；　saying　she　would　return　again　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour。　　But　she　was　no　sooner　gone　from　them；　than　our　little　company；　hearing　the　sound　of　trumpets　and　kettle…drums；　which　seemed　to　be　playing　at　some　little　distance　from　Mrs。　Teachum's　house；　suddenly　started　from　their　seats；　running　directly　to　the　terrace；　and；　looking　over　the　garden　wall；　they　saw　a　troop　of　soldiers　riding　by；　with　these　instruments　of　music　playing　before　them。

They　were　highly　delighted　with　the　gallant　and　splendid　appearance　of　these　soldiers；　and　watched　them　till　they　were　out　of　sight；　and　were　then　returning　to　their　arbour；　where　Miss　Jenny　had　been　reading；　but　Miss　Nanny　Spruce　espied　another　such　troop　coming　out　of　the　lane　from　whence　the　first　had　issued；　and　cried　out；　'O！　here　is　another　fine　sight；　let　us　stay；　and　see　these　go　by　too。'　　'Indeed　（said　Miss　Dolly　Friendly）　I　am　in　such　pain　for　the　poor　princess　Hebe；　while　she　is　in　that　sad　castle；　that　I　had　rather　hear　how　she　escaped　（for　that　I　hope　she　will）　than　see　all　the　soldiers　in　the　world；　and　besides；　it　is　but　seeing　the　same　thing　we　have　just　looked　at　before。'　　Here　some　were　for　staying；　and　others　for　going　back；　but　as　Miss　Dolly's　party　was　the　strongest；　the　few　were　ashamed　to　avow　their　inclinations；　and　they　were　returning　to　the　arbour；　when　they　met　Mrs。　Teachum；　who　informed　them　their　dancing　master　was　just　arrived；　and　they　must　attend　him；　but　in　the　evening　they　might　finish　their　story。

They　were　so　curious　（and　especially　Miss　Dolly　Friendly）　to　know　what　was　to　become　of　the　princess；　that　they　could　have　wished　not　to　have　been　interrupted；　but　yet；　without　one　word　of　answer；　they　complied　with　what　their　governess　thought　most　proper；　and　in　the　evening；　hastening　to　their　arbour；　Mrs。　Teachum　herself　being　present；　Miss　Jenny　went　on　in　the　following　manner：



THE　FAIRY　TALE　CONTINUED。

The　queen；　in　the　meantime；　suffered　for　the　loss　of　her　child　more　than　words　can　express；　till　the　good　fairy　Sybella　returned。　　The　queen　burst　into　tears　at　the　sight　of　her；　but　the　fairy　immediately　cried　out；　'You　may　spare　yourself；　my　royal　guest；　the　pain　of　relating　what　has　happened。　　I　know　it　all；　for　that　old　man；　whom　I　took　such　pity　on；　was　a　phantom；　raised　by　Brunetta；　to　allure　me　hence；　in　order　to　have　an　opportunity；　in　my　absence；　of　seducing　the　princess　from　her　duty。　　She　knew　nothing　but　a　probable　story　could　impose　on　me；　and　therefore　raised　that　story　of　the　misery　of　the　old　man's　son　（from　motives　which　too　often；　indeed；　cause　the　misery　of　mortals）；　as　knowing　I　should　think　it　my　duty　to　do　what　I　could　to　relieve　such　a　wretch。　　I　will　not　tell　you　all　my　journey；　nor　what　I　have　gone　through。　　I　know　your　mind　is　at　present　too　much　fixed　on　the　princess；　to　attend　to　such　a　relation　I'll　only　tell　you　what　concerns　yourself。　　When　the　phantom　found；　that　by　no　distress　he　could　perturb　my　mind；　he　said　he　was　obliged　to　tell　the　truth；　what　was　the　intention　of　my　being　deluded　from　home；　and　what　had　happened　since；　and　then　vanished　away。'　　Here　the　fairy　related　to　the　queen　everything　that　had　happened　to　the　princess；　as　has　already　been　written；　and　concluded　with　saying；　that　she　would　wander　about　the　castle　walls　（for　Brunetta　had　no　power　over　her）；　and　if　she　could　get　a　sight　of　the　princess；　she　would　endeavour　to　bring　her　to　a　true　sense　of　her　fault；　and　then　she　might　again　be　restored　to　happiness。

The　queen　blessed　the　fairy　for　her　goodness；　and　it　was　not　long　before　Sybella's　continual　assiduity　got　her　a　sight　of　the　princess；　for　she　often　wandered　a　little　way　towards　that　wood　she　had　once　so　much　delighted　in；　but　never　could　bring　herself　to　enter　into　it：　　the　thought　of　seeing　her　injured　mother　made　her　start　back；　and　run　half　wild　into　the　fatal　castle。　　Rozella　used　frequently　to　throw　herself　in　her　way；　and　on　hearing　her　sighs；　and　seeing　her　tears；　would　burst　into　a　sneering　laugh　at　her　folly；　to　avoid　which　laugh；　the　poor　princess　first　suffered　herself　to　throw　off　all　her　principles　of　goodness　and　obedience；　and　was　now　fallen　into　the　very　contempt　she　so　much　dreaded。

The　first　time　the　fairy　got　a　sight　of　her；　she　called　to　her　with　the　most　friendly　voice；　but　the　princess；　stung　to　the　soul　with　the　sight　of　her；　fled　away；　and　did　not　venture　out　again　in　several　days。　　The　kind　Sybella　began　almost　to　despair　of　regaining　her　lost　child；　but　never　failed　walking　round　the　castle　many　hours　every　day。　　And　one　evening；　just　before　the　sun　set；　she　heard　within　the　gates　a　loud　tumultuous　noise；　but　more　like　riotous　mirth；　than　either　the　voice　either　of　rage　or　anger；　and　immediately　she　saw　the　princess　rush　out　at　the　gate；　and　about　a　dozen　girls；　laughing　and　shouting；　running　after　her。　　The　poor　princess　flew　with　all　her　speed　till　she　came　to　a　little　arbour；　just　by　the　side　of　the　wood；　and　her　pursuers；　as　they　intended　only　to　tease　her；　did　not　follow　　her　very　close；　but；　as　soon　as　they　lost　sight　of　her；　turned　all　back　again　to　the　castle。

Sybella　went　directly　into　the　arbour；　where　she　found　the　little　trembler　prostrate　on　the　ground；　crying　and　sobbing　as　if　her　heart　was　breaking。　　The　fairy　seized　her　hand；　and　would　not　let　her　go　till　she　had　prevailed　with　her　to　return　to　the　Placid　Grove；　to　throw　herself　once　more　at　her　mother's　feet；　assuring　her；　that　nothing　but　this　humble　state　of　mind　could　cure　her　misery　and　restore　her　wonted　peace。

The　queen　was　filled　with　the　highest　joy　to　see　her　child；　but　restrained　　herself　so　much；　that　she　showed　not　the　least　sign　of　it；　till　she　had　seen　her　some　time　prostrate　at　her　feet；　and　had　heard　her　with　tears　properly　confess；　and　ask　pardon　for；　all　her　faults。　　She　then　raised；　and　once　more　forgave　her；　but　told　her　that　she　must　learn　more　humility　and　distrust　of　herself；　before　she　should　again　expect　to　be　trusted。

The　princess　answered　not；　but　with　a　modest　downcast　look　which　expressed　her　concern　and　true　repentance；　and　in　a　short　time　recovered　her　former　peace　of　mind；　and　as　she　never　afterwards　disobeyed　her　indulgent　mother；　she　daily　increased　in　wisdom　and　goodness。

After　having　lived　on　in　the　most　innocent　and　peaceful　manner　for　three　years　（the　princess　being　just　turned　of　eighteen　years　old）　the　fairy　told　the　queen　that　she　would　now　tell　her　some　news　of　her　kingdom；　which　she　had　heard　in　her　journey；　namely；　that　her　sister…in…law　was　dead；　and　her　brother…in…law　had　made　proclamation　throughout　the　kingdom；　of　great　rewards　to　any　one　who　should　produce　the　queen　and　the　Princess　Hebe；　whom　he　would　immediately　reinstate　on　the　throne。

The　Princess　Hebe　was　by　when　she　related　this；　and　said　she　begged　to　lead　a　private　life；　and　never　more　be　exposed　to　the　temptation　of　entering　into　vice；　for　which　she　already　had　so　severely　smarted。

The　fairy　told　her；　that；　since　she　doubted　herself；　she　was　now　fit　to　be　trusted；　for；　said　she；　'I　did　not　like　your　being　so　sure　of　resisting　temptation；　when　first　I　con