the governess-第24节

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d　they　thought　of　anything　else。

As　it　was　her　chief　delight　to　communicate　her　pleasures　to　others；　she　introduced　her　new…made　friends　to　her　old　acquaintance；　and　expected　to　have　spent　a　very　agreeable　afternoon。　　But　to　describe　the　behaviour　of　these　two　young　ladies　is　very　difficult。　　Lady　Caroline；　who　was　dressed　in　a　pink　robe；　embroidered　thick　with　gold；　and　adorned　with　very　fine　jewels；　and　the　finest　Mechlin　lace；　addressed　most　of　her　discourse　to　her　sister；　that　she　might　have　the　pleasure　every　minute　of　uttering　'Your　ladyship；'　in　order　to　show　what　she　herself　expected。　　And　as　she　spoke；　her　fingers　were　in　perpetual　motion；　either　adjusting　her　tucker；　placing　her　plaits　of　her　robe；　or　fiddling　with　a　diamond　cross；　that　hung　down　on　her　bosom；　her　eyes　accompanying　her　fingers　as　they　moved；　and　then　suddenly　being　snatched　off；　that　she　might　not　be　observed　to　think　of　her　own　dress；　yet　was　it　plain；　that　her　thoughts　were　employed　on　only　that　and　her　titles。　　Miss　Jenny　Peace；　although　she　would　have　made　it　her　choice　always　to　have　been　in　company　who　did　not　deserve　ridicule；　yet　had　she　humour　enough　to　treat　affectation　as　it　deserved。　　And　she　addressed　herself　to　Lady　Caroline　with　so　many　ladyships；　and　such　praises　of　her　fine　clothes；　as　she　hoped　would　have　made　her　ashamed；　but　Lady　Caroline　was　too　full　of　her　own　vanity；　to　see　her　design；　and　only　exposed　herself　ten　times　the　more；　till　she　really　got　the　better　of　Miss　Jenny；　who　blushed　for　her；　since　she　was　incapable　of　blushing　for　herself。

Lady　Fanny's　dress　was　plain　and　neat　only；　nor　did　she　mention　anything　about　it；　and　it　was　very　visible　her　thoughts　were　otherwise　employed；　neither　did　she　seem　to　take　any　delight　in　the　words　'Your　ladyship'：　　but　she　tossed　and　threw　her　person　about　into　so　many　ridiculous　postures；　and　as　there　happened　unfortunately　to　be　no　looking…glass　in　the　room　where　they　sat；　she　turned　and　rolled　her　eyes　so　many　different　ways；　in　endeavouring　to　view　as　much　of　herself　as　possible；　that　it　was　very　plain　to　the　whole　company　she　thought　herself　a　beauty；　and　admired　herself　for　being　so。

Our　little　society；　whose　hearts　were　so　open　to　each　other；　that　they　had　not　a　thought　they　endeavoured　to　conceal；　were　so　filled　with　contempt　at　Lady　Caroline　and　Lady　Fanny's　behaviour；　and　yet　so　strictly　obliged；　by　good　manners；　not　to　show　that　contempt；　that　the　reserve　they　were　forced　to　put　on；　laid　them　under　so　great　a　restraint；　that　they　knew　not　which　way　to　turn　themselves；　or　how　to　utter　one　word；　and　great　was　their　joy　when　Lady　Caroline；　as　the　eldest；　led　the　way；　and　with　a　swimming　curtsey；　her　head　turned　half　round　on　one　shoulder；　and　a　disdainful　eye；　took　her　leave；　repeating　two　or　three　times　the　word　'misses；'　to　put　them　in　mind；　that　she　was　a　lady。　　She　was　followed　by　her　sister　Lady　Fanny；　who　made　a　slow　distinct　curtsey　to　every　one　in　the　room；　that　she　might　be　the　longer　under　observation。　　And　then　taking　Miss　Jenny　by　the　hand；　said；　'Indeed；　Miss；　you　are　very　pretty；'　in　order　to　put　them　in　mind　of　her　own　beauty。

Our　little　society；　as　soon　as　they　were　released；　retired　to　their　arbour；　where；　for　some　time；　they　could　talk　of　nothing　but　this　visit。　　Miss　Jenny　Peace　remarked　how　many　shapes　vanity　would　turn　itself　into；　and　desired　them　to　observe；　how　ridiculously　Lady　Caroline　Delun　turned　her　whole　thoughts　on　her　dress；　and　condition　of　life；　and　how　absurd　it　was　in　Lady　Fanny；　who　was　a　very　plain　girl；　to　set　up　for　a　beauty；　and　to　behave　in　a　manner　which　would　render　her　contemptible；　even　if　she　had　that　beauty　her　own　vanity　made　her　imagine　herself　possessed　of。

Miss　Nanny　Spruce　said；　'She　was　greatly　rejoiced　that　she　had　seen　her　folly；　for　she　could　very　well　remember　when　she　had　the　same　vanity　of　dress　and　superiority　of　station　with　Lady　Caroline；　though　she　had　not；　indeed；　a　title　to　support　it；　and　in　what　manner；　she　said；　she　would　tell　them　in　the　story　of　her　life。


THE　DESCRIPTION　OF　MISS　NANNY　SPRUCE。

Miss　Nanny　Spruce　was　just　nine　years　old；　and　was　the　very　reverse　of　Patty　Lockit；　in　all　things；　for　she　had　little　limbs；　little　features；　and　such　a　compactness　in　her　form；　that　she　was　often　called　the　little　fairy。　　She　had　the　misfortune　to　be　lame　in　one　of　her　hips；　but　by　good　management；　and　a　briskness　and　alacrity　in　carrying　herself；　it　was　a　very　small　blemish　to　her；　and　looked　more　like　an　idle　childish　gait；　than　any　real　defect。


THE　LIFE　OF　MISS　NANNY　SPRUCE。

'My　delight；'　said　Miss　Nanny　Spruce；　'ever　since　I　can　remember；　has　been　in　dress　and　finery；　for　whenever　I　did　as　I　was　bid；　I　was　promised　fine　coats；　ribbons；　and　laced　caps；　and　when　I　was　stubborn　and　naughty；　then　my　fine　things　were　all　to　be　locked　up；　and　I　was　to　wear　only　an　old　stuff　coat；　so　that　I　thought　the　only　reward　I　could　have　was　to　be　dressed　fine　　and　the　only　punishment　was　to　be　plainly　dressed。　　By　this　means　I　delighted　so　much　in　fine　clothes；　that　I　never　thought　of　anything　but　when　I　should　have　something　new　to　adorn　myself　in；　and　I　have　sat　whole　days　considering　what　should　be　my　next　new　coat；　for　I　had　always　my　choice　given　me　of　the　colour。

'We　lived　in　a　country　parish；　my　papa　being　the　only　gentleman；　so　that　all　the　little　girls　in　the　parish　used　to　take　it　as　a　great　honour　to　play　with　me。　　And　I　used　to　delight　to　show　them　my　fine　things；　and　to　see　that　they　could　not　come　at　any　but　very　plain　coats。　　However；　as　they　did　not　pretend　to　have　anything　equal　with　me；　I　was　kind　enough　to　them。　　As　to　those　girls　whose　parents　were　so　very　poor　that　they　went　in　rags；　I　did　not　suffer　them　to　come　near　me。

'Whilst　I　was　at　home；　I　spent　my　time　very　pleasantly；　as　no　one　pretended　to　be　my　equal；　but　as　soon　as　I　came　to　school；　where　other　misses　were　as　fine　as　myself；　and　some　finer；　I　grew　very　miserable。　　Every　new　coat；　every　silver　ribbon；　that　any　of　my　schoolfellows　wore；　made　me　unhappy。　　Your　scarlet　damask；　Miss　Betty　Ford；　cost　me　a　week's　pain；　and　I　lay　awake；　and　sighed　and　wept　all　night；　because　I　did　not　dare　to　spoil　it。　　I　had　several　plots　in　my　head；　to　have　dirtied　it；　or　cut　it；　so　as　to　have　made　it　unfit　to　wear；　by　some　accident　my　plots　were　prevented；　and　then　I　was　so　uneasy；　I　could　not　tell　what　to　do　with　myself；　and　so　afraid；　lest　any　body　should　suspect　me　of　such　a　thing；　that　I　could　not　sleep　in　peace；　for　fear　I　should　dream　of　it；　and　in　my　sleep　discover　it　to　my　bedfellow。　　I　would　not　go　through　the　same　dreads　and　terrors　again　for　the　world。　　But　I　am　very　happy　now；　in　having　no　thoughts　but　what　my　companions　may　know；　for　since　that　quarrel；　and　Miss　Jenny　Peace　was　so　good　as　to　show　me　what　I'm　sure　I　never　thought　of　before；　that　is；　that　the　road　to　happiness　is　by　conquering　such　foolish　vanities；　and　the　only　way　to　be　pleased　is　to　endeavour　to　please　others；　I　have　never　known　what　it　was　to　be　uneasy。'



As　soon　as　Miss　Nanny　had　finished　speaking；　Miss　Betty　Ford　said；　that　she　heartily　forgave　her　all　her　former　designs　upon　her　scarlet　coat；　but；　added　she；　Lady　Fanny　Delun　put　me　no　less　in　mind　of　my　former　life；　than　Lady　Caroline　did　you　of　yours；　and　if　Miss　Jenny　pleases；　I　will　now　relate　it。


THE　DESCRIPTION　OF　MISS　BETTY　FORD。

Miss　Betty　Ford　was　of　the　same　age　with　Miss　Nanny　Spruce；　and　much　of　the　same　height；　and　might　be　called　the　plainest　girl　in　the　school；　for　she　had　nothing　pleasing　either　in　her　person　or　face；　except　an　exceeding　fair　skin；　and　tolerable　good　black　eyes；　but　her　face　was　ill…shaped　and　broad；　her　hair　very　red；　and　all　the　summer　she　was　generally　very　full　of　freckles；　and　she　had　also　a　small　hesitation　in　her　speech。　　But　without　preamble；　she　began　her　life　as　follows。


THE　LIFE　OF　MISS　BETTY　FORD。

'My　life；'　said　Miss　Betty　Ford；　'has　hitherto　passed　very　like　that　of　Miss　Nanny　Spruce；　only　with　this　difference；　that　as　all　her　thoughts　were　fixed　on　finery；　my　head　ran　on　nothing　but　beauty。　　I　had　an　elder　sister；　who　was；　I　must　own；　a　great　deal　handsomer　than　me；　and　yet；　in　my　own　mind；　at　that　time；　I　did　not　think　so；　though　I　was　always　told　it　was　not　for　me　to　pretend　to　the　same　things　with　pretty　Miss　Kitty　（which　was　the　name　of　my　sister）；　and　in　all　respects　she　was　taken　so　much　more　notice　of　than　I　was；　that　I　perfectly　hated　her；　and　could　not　help　wishing　that；　by　some　accident；　her　beauty　might　be　spoiled：　　whenever　any　visitors　came　to　the　house；　their　praises　of　her　gave　me　the　greatest　vexation；　and　as　I　had　made　myself　believe　I　was　a　very　great　beauty；　I　thought　that　it　was　prejudice　and　ill…nature　in　all　around　me；　not　to　view　me　in　that　light。　　My　sister　Kitty　was　very　good　natured；　and　though　she　was　thus　cried　up　for　her　beauty；　and　indulged　most　on　that　account；　yet　she　never　insulted　me；　but　did　all　in　her　power　to　oblige　me。　　But　I　could　not　love　her；　and　sometimes　would　raise　lies　against　her；　which　did　not　signify；　for　she　could　always　justify　herself。　　I　could　not　give　any　reason　for　hating　her；　but　her　beauty；　for　she　was　very　good；　but　the　better　she　was；　I　thought　the　worse　I　appeared。　　I　could　not　bear　her