the governess-第23节

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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　conferred　on　you　the　gift　of　wisdom。　　But　you　will；　my　princess；　if　you　take　the　crown；　have　an　opportunity　of　doing　so　much　good；　that；　if　you　continue　virtuous；　you　will　have　perpetual　pleasures；　for　power；　if　made　a　right　use　of；　is　indeed　a　very　great　blessing。'

The　princess　answered；　that　if　the　queen；　her　mother；　thought　it　her　duty　to　take　the　crown；　she　would　cheerfully　submit；　though　a　private　life　would　be　otherwise　her　choice。

The　queen　replied；　that　she　did　not　blame　her　for　choosing　a　private　life；　but　she　thought　she　could　not　innocently　refuse　the　power　that　would　give　her　such　opportunities　of　doing　good；　and　making　others　happy；　since；　by　that　refusal；　the　power　might　fall　into　hands　that　would　make　an　ill　use　of　it。

After　this　conversation；　they　got　into　the　same　car　in　which　they　travelled　to　the　wood　of　Ardella；　arrived　safely　at　the　city　of　Algorada；　and　the　Princess　Hebe　was　seated；　with　universal　consent；　on　her　father's　throne；　where　she　and　her　people　were　reciprocally　happy；　by　her　great　wisdom　and　prudence；　and　the　queen…mother　spent　the　remainder　of　her　days　in　peace　and　joy；　to　see　her　beloved　daughter　prove　a　blessing　to　such　numbers　of　human　creatures；　whilst　she　herself　enjoyed　that　only　true　content　and　happiness　this　world　can　produce；　namely；　a　peaceful　conscience；　and　a　quiet　mind。



When　Miss　Jenny　had　finished　her　story；　Mrs。　Teachum　left　them　for　the　present；　that　they　might　with　the　utmost　freedom　make　their　own　observations；　for　she　knew　she　should　be　acquainted　with　all　their　sentiments　from　Miss　Jenny　afterwards。

The　little　hearts　of　all　the　company　were　swelled　with　joy；　in　that　the　Princess　Hebe　was　at　last　made　happy；　for　hope　and　fear　had　each　by　turns　possessed　their　bosoms　for　the　fate　of　the　little　princess；　and　Miss　Dolly　Friendly　said；　that　Rozella's　artful　manner　was　enough　to　have　drawn　in　the　wisest　girl　into　her　snares；　and　she　did　not　see　how　it　was　possible　for　the　Princess　Hebe　to　withstand　it；　especially　when　she　cried　for　fear　of　parting　with　her。

Miss　Sukey　Jennett　said；　that　Rozella's　laughing　at　her；　and　using　her　with　contempt；　she　thought　was　insupportable；　for　who　could　bear　the　contempt　of　a　friend？

Many　and　various　were　the　remarks　made　by　Miss　Jenny's　hearers　on　the　story　she　had　read　to　them。　　But　now　they　were　so　confirmed　in　goodness；　and　every　one　was　so　settled　in　her　affection　for　her　companions；　that；　instead　of　being　angry　at　any　opposition　that　was　made　to　their　judgments；　every　one　spoke　her　opinion　with　the　utmost　mildness。

Miss　Jenny　sat　some　time　silent　to　hear　their　conversation　on　her　fairy　tale。　　But　her　seeing　them　so　much　altered　in　their　manner　of　talking　to　each　other；　since　the　time　they　made　their　little　remarks　on　her　story　of　the　giants；　filled　her　whole　mind　with　the　most　sincere　pleasure；　and　with　a　smile　peculiar　to　herself；　and　which　diffused　a　cheerfulness　to　all　around　her；　she　told　her　companions　the　joy　their　present　behaviour　had　inspired　her　with；　but　saying　that　it　was　as　late　as　their　governess　chose　they　should　stay　out；　she　rose；　and　walked　towards　the　house；　whither　she　was　cheerfully　followed　by　the　whole　company。

Mrs。　Teachum　after　supper；　again；　in　a　familiar　manner；　talked　to　them　on　the　subject　of　the　fairy　tale；　and　encouraged　them；　as　much　as　possible；　to　answer　her　freely　in　whatever　she　asked　them；　and　at　last　said；　'My　good　children；　I　am　very　much　pleased　when　you　are　innocently　amused；　and　yet　I　would　have　you　consider　seriously　enough　of　what　you　read；　to　draw　such　morals　from　your　books；　as　may　influence　your　future　practice；　and　as　to　fairy　tales　in　general；　remember；　that　the　fairies；　as　I　told　Miss　Jenny　before　of　giants　and　magic；　are　only　introduced　by　the　writers　of　those　tales；　by　way　of　amusement　to　the　reader。　　For　if　the　story　is　well　written；　the　common　course　of　things　would　produce　the　same　incidents；　without　the　help　of　fairies。

'As　for　example；　in　this　of　the　Princess　Hebe；　you　see　the　queen　her　mother　was　not　admitted　to　know　the　fairy's　history；　till　she　could　calm　her　mind　enough　to　hearken　to　reason；　which　only　means；　that　whilst　we　give　way　to　the　raging　of　our　passions；　nothing　useful　can　ever　sink　into　our　minds。　　For　by　the　fairy　Sybella's　story　you　find；　that　by　our　own　faults　we　may　turn　the　greatest　advantages　into　our　own　misery；　as　Sybella's　mother　did　her　beauty；　by　making　use　of　the　influence　it　gave　her　over　her　husband；　to　tease　him　into　the　ruin　of　his　child；　and　as　also　Brunetta　did；　by　depending　on　her　father's　gift；　to　enable　her　to　complete　her　desires；　and　therefore　never　endeavouring　to　conquer　them。

'You　may　observe　also　on　the　other　side；　that　no　accident　had　any　power　to　hurt　Sybella；　because　she　followed　the　paths　of　virtue；　and　kept　her　mind　free　from　restless　passions。

'You　see　happiness　in　the　good　Sybella's　peaceful　grove；　and　misery　in　the　wicked　Brunetta's　gaudy　castle。　　The　queen　desiring　the　fairy　to　endow　her　child　with　true　wisdom；　was　the　cause　that　the　Princess　Hebe　had　it　in　her　power　to　be　happy。　　But　take　notice；　that　when　she　swerved　from　her　duty；　all　her　knowledge　was　of　no　use；　but　only　rendered　her　more　miserable；　by　letting　her　see　her　own　folly　in　the　stronger　light。　　Rozella　first　tempted　the　princess　to　disobedience；　by　moving　her　tenderness；　and　alarming　her　friendship；　in　fearing　to　part　with　her；　and　then　by　persuading　her　to　set　up　her　own　wisdom；　in　opposition　to　her　mother's　commands；　rather　than　be　laughed　at；　and　despised　by　her　friends。　　You　are　therefore　to　observe；　that　if　you　would　steadily　persevere　in　virtue；　you　must　have　resolution　enough　to　stand　the　sneers　of　those　who　would　allure　you　to　vice；　for　it　is　the　constant　practice　of　the　vicious；　to　endeavour　to　allure　others　to　follow　their　example；　by　an　affected　contempt　and　ridicule　of　virtue。

'By　the　Princess　Hebe's　being　drawn　at　last　beyond　the　prescribed　bounds；　by　the　cries　and　entreaties　of　that　insidious　girl；　you　are　to　learn；　that　whatever　appearance　of　virtue　any　action　may　be　attended　with；　yet　if　it　makes　you　go　contrary　to　the　commands　of　those　who　know　better　what　is　for　your　good；　than　you　do　your　selves；　and　who　can　see　farther　into　the　consequences　of　actions　than　can　your　tender　years；　it　will　certainly　lead　you　into　error　and　misfortune；　and　you　find；　as　soon　as　the　princess　had　once　overleaped　the　bounds；　another　plausible　excuse　arose　to　carry　her　on；　and　by　a　false　fear　of　incurring　her　mother's　displeasure；　she　really　deserved　that　displeasure；　and　was　soon　reduced　into　the　power　of　her　enemy。

'The　princess；　you　see；　could　have　no　happiness　till　she　returned　again　to　her　obedience；　and　had　confessed　her　fault。　　And　though　in　this　story　all　this　is　brought　about　by　fairies；　yet　the　moral　of　it　is；　that　whenever　we　give　way　to　our　passions；　and　act　contrary　to　our　duty；　we　must　be　miserable。

'But　let　me　once　more　observe　to　you；　that　these　fairies　are　only　intended　to　amuse　you；　for　remember　that　the　misery　which　attended　the　Princess　Hebe；　on　her　disobedience；　was　the　natural　consequence　of　that　disobedience；　as　well　as　the　natural　consequence　of　her　amendment　and　return　to　her　duty；　was　content　and　happiness　for　the　rest　of　her　life。'

Here　good　Mrs。　Teachum　ceased；　and　Miss　Jenny；　in　the　name　of　the　company；　thanked　her　for　her　kind　instructions；　and　promised　that　they　would　endeavour；　to　the　utmost　of　their　power；　to　imprint　them　on　their　memory　for　the　rest　of　their　lives。



SUNDAY。　THE　SEVENTH　DAY。

This　morning　our　little　society　rose　very　early；　and　were　all　dressed　with　neatness　and　elegance；　in　order　to　go　to　church。　　Mrs。　Teachum　put　Miss　Polly　Suckling　before　her；　and　the　rest　followed；　two　and　two；　with　perfect　regularity。

Mrs。　Teachum　expressed　great　approbation；　that　her　scholars；　at　this　solemn　place；　showed　no　sort　of　childishness；　notwithstanding　their　tender　age；　but　behaved　with　decency　and　devotion　suitable　to　the　occasion。

They　went　again　in　the　same　order；　and　behaved　again　in　the　same　manner；　in　the　afternoon；　and　when　they　returned　from　church；　two　young　ladies；　Lady　Caroline　and　Lady　Fanny　Delun；　who　had　formerly　known　Miss　Jenny　Peace；　and　who　were　at　present　in　that　neighbourhood　with　their　uncle；　came　to　make　her　a　visit。

Lady　Caroline　was　fourteen　years　of　age；　tall　and　genteel　in　her　person；　of　a　fair　complexion；　and　a　regular　set　of　features　so　that；　upon　the　whole；　she　was　generally　complimented　with　being　very　handsome。

Lady　Fanny；　who　was　one　year　younger　than　her　sister；　was　rather　little　of　her　age；　of　a　brown　complexion；　her　features　irregular；　and；　in　short；　she　had　not　the　least　real　pretensions　to　beauty。

It　was　but　lately　that　their　father　was；　by　the　death　of　his　eldest　brother；　become　Earl　of　Delun；　so　that　their　titles　were　new；　and　they　had　not　been　long　used　to　your　ladyship。

Miss　Jenny　Peace　received　them　as　her　old　acquaintance：　　however；　she　paid　them　the　deference　due　to　their　quality；　and；　at　the　same　time；　took　care　not　to　behave　as　if　she　imagined　they　thought　of　anyth