the governess-第7节

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head　thought；　or　his　heart　felt；　his　eyes　by　their　looks　expressed；　and　his　temper　was　as　sweet　as　his　person　was　amiable。　　Such　was　the　gentle　creature　Barbarico　chose　to　torment。　　For　wicked　giants；　no　less　than　wicked　men　and　women；　are　constantly　tormented　at　the　appearance　of　those　perfections　in　another；　to　which　they　themselves　have　no　pretensions。

The　friendship　and　affection　of　Fidus　and　Mignon　now　every　day　increased；　and　the　longer　they　were　acquainted；　the　mere　delight　they　took　in　each　other's　company。　　The　faithful　Fidus　related　to　his　companion　the　story　of　his　loved　Amata；　whilst　the　tender　Mignon　consoled　his　friend's　inward　sorrows；　and　supplied　him　with　necessaries；　notwithstanding　the　venture　he　run　of　the　cruel　tyrant's　heavy　displeasure。　　The　giant　ceased　not　every　day　to　view　the　hapless　Fidus；　to　see　if　the　cruelty　of　his　intentions　had　in　any　degree　wrought　its　desired　effect；　but　perceiving　in　him　no　alteration；　he　now　began　to　be　suspicious　that　the　little　Mignon　had　not　punctually　obeyed　his　savage　command。　　In　order　therefore　to　satisfy　his　wicked　curiosity；　he　resolved　within　himself　narrowly　to　watch　every　occasion　these　poor　unhappy　captives　had　of　conversing　with　each　other。　　Mignon；　well　knowing　the　implacable　and　revengeful　disposition　of　this　barbarous　tyrant；　had　taken　all　the　precautions　imaginable　to　avoid　discovery；　and　therefore　generally　sought　every　opportunity　of　being　alone　with　Fidus；　and　carrying　him　his　daily　provisions　at　those　hours　he　knew　the　giant　was　most　likely　to　be　asleep。

It　so　befell　that；　on　a　certain　day；　the　wicked　giant　had；　as　was　his　usual　custom；　been　abroad　for　many　hours　in　search　of　some　unhappy　creature　on　whom　to　glut　his　hateful　inhumanity；　when；　tired　with　fruitless　roaming；　he　returned　to　his　gloomy　cave；　beguiled　of　all　his　horrid　purposes；　for　he　had　not　once　that　day　espied　so　much　as　the　track　of　man；　or　other　harmless　animal；　to　give　him　hopes　even　to　gratify　his　rage　or　cruelty；　but　now　raving　with　inward　torment　and　despair；　he　laid　him　down　upon　his　iron　couch；　to　try　if　he　could　close　his　eyes　and　quiet　the　tumultuous　passions　of　his　breast。　　He　tossed　and　tumbled　and　could　get　no　rest；　starting　with　fearful　dreams；　and　horrid　visions　of　tormenting　furies。

Meanwhile　the　gentle　Mignon　had　prepared　a　little　delicate　repast；　and　having　seen　the　monster　lay　himself　at　length；　and　thinking　now　that　a　fit　occasion　offered　in　which　to　comfort　and　refresh　his　long…expecting　friend；　was　hastening　with　it　to　the　cell　where　the　faithful　Fidus　was　confined。　　At　the　fatal　moment　the　giant；　rearing　himself　up　on　his　couch；　perceived　the　little　Mignon　just　at　the　entrance　of　the　cell；　when　calling　to　him　in　a　hollow　voice；　that　dismally　resounded　through　the　cave；　he　so　startled　the　poor　unhappy　page；　that　he　dropped　the　cover　from　his　trembling　hand　and　stood　fixed　and　motionless　as　a　statue。

'Come　hither；　Mignon；　caitiff；　dwarf；'　said　then　the　taunting　homicide：　　but　the　poor　little　creature　was　so　thunderstruck　he　was　quite　unable　to　stir　one　foot。　　Whereat　the　giant；　rousing　himself　from　off　his　couch；　with　one　huge　stride　reached　out　his　brawny　arm；　and　seized　him　by　the　waist；　and；　pointing　to　the　scattered　delicates；　cried　out；　'Vile　miscreant！　is　it　thus　thou　hast　obeyed　my　orders？　　Is　this　the　mouldy　bread　and　muddy　water；　with　which　alone　it　was　my　command　thou　shouldst　sustain　that　puny　mortal？　　But　I'll'　　Here　raising　him　aloft；　he　was　about　to　dash　him　to　the　ground；　when　suddenly　revolving　in　his　wicked　thoughts；　that　if　at　once　he　should　destroy　his　patient　slave；　his　cruelty　to　him　must　also　have　an　end；　he　pausedand　then　recovering；　he　stretched　out　his　arm；　and　bringing　the　little　trembler　near　his　glaring　eyes；　he　thus　subjoins：　　'No；　I'll　not　destroy　thy　wretched　life；　but　thou　shalt　waste　thy　weary　days　in　a　dark　dungeon；　as　far　remote　from　the　least　dawn　of　light　as　from　thy　loved　companion。　　And　I　myself　will　carefully　supply　you　both　so　equally　with　mouldy　bread　and　water；　that　each　by　his　own　sufferings　shall　daily　know　what　his　dear　friend　endures。'　　So　saying；　he　hastened　with　him　to　his　deepest　dungeon；　and　having　thrust　him　in；　he　doubly　barred　the　iron　door。　　And　now　again　retiring　to　his　couch；　this　new…wrought　mischief；　which　greatly　gratified　his　raging　mind；　soon　sunk　him　down　into　a　sound　and　heavy　sleep。　　The　reason　this　horrid　monster　had　not　long　ago　devoured　his　little　captive　（for　he　thought　him　a　delicious　morsel）　was；　that　he　might　never　want　an　object　at　hand　to　gratify　his　cruelty。　　For　though　extremely　great　was　his　voracious　hunger；　yet　greater　still　was　his　desire　of　tormenting；　and　oftentimes　when　he　had　teased；　beat；　and　tortured　the　poor　gentle　Mignon；　so　as　to　force　from　him　tears；　and　sometimes　a　soft　complaint；　he　would；　with　a　malicious　sneer；　scornfully　reproach　him　in　the　following　words：　　'Little　does　it　avail　to　whine；　to　blubber；　or　complain；　for；　remember；　abject　wretch；

I　am　a　giant；　and　I　can　eat　thee：　Thou　art　a　dwarf；　and　thou　canst　not　eat　me。'

When　Mignon　was　thus　alone；　he　threw　himself　on　the　cold　ground；　bemoaning　his　unhappy　fate。　　However；　he　soon　recollected　that　patience　and　resignation　were　his　only　succour　in　this　distressful　condition；　not　doubting　but　that；　as　goodness　cannot　always　suffer；　he　should　in　time　meet　with　some　unforeseen　deliverance　from　the　savage　power　of　the　inhuman　Barbarico。

Whilst　the　gentle　Mignon　was　endeavouring　to　comfort　himself　in　his　dungeon　with　these　good　reflections；　he　suddenly　perceived；　at　a　little　distance　from　him；　a　small　glimmering　light。　　Immediately　he　rose　from　the　ground；　and　going　towards　it；　found　that　it　shone　through　a　little　door　that　had　been　left　at　jar；　which　led　him　to　a　spacious　hall；　wherein　the　giant　hoarded　his　immense　treasures。　　Mignon　was　at　first　dazzled　with　the　lustre　of　so　much　gold　and　silver；　and　sparkling　jewels　as　were　there　heaped　together。　　But　casting　his　eyes　on　a　statue　that　was　placed　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　he　read　on　the　pedestal；　written　in　very　small　letters；　the　following　verses：

Wouldst　thou　from　the　rage　be　free　Of　the　tyrant's　tyranny；　Loose　the　fillet　which　is　bound　Twice　three　times　my　brows　around；　Bolts　and　bars　shall　open　fly；　By　a　magic　sympathy。　Take　him　in　his　sleeping　hour；　Bind　his　neck　and　break　his　pow'r。　Patience　bids；　make　no　delay：　Haste　to　bind　him；　haste　away。

Mignon's　little　heart　now　leapt　for　joy；　that　he　had　found　the　means　of　such　a　speedy　deliverance；　and　eagerly　climbing　up　the　statue；　he　quickly　unbound　the　magic　fillet；　which　was　no　sooner　done；　but　suddenly　the　bolts　and　bars　of　the　brazen　gates　through　which　the　giant　used　to　pass　to　this　his　treasury；　were　all　unloosed；　and　the　folding…doors　of　their　own　accord　flew　open；　grating　harsh　thunder　on　their　massy　hinges。　　At　the　same　instant；　stretched　on　his　iron　couch　in　the　room　adjoining　to　the　hall；　the　giant　gave　a　deadly　groan。　　Here　again　the　little　Mignon's　trembling　heart　began　to　fail；　for　he　feared　the　monster　was　awakened　by　the　noise；　and　that　he　should　now　suffer　the　cruellest　torments　his　wicked　malice　could　invent。　　Wherefore　for　a　short　space　he　remained　clinging　round　the　statue；　till　he　perceived　that　all　again　was　hushed　and　silent；　when；　getting　down；　he　gently　stole　into　the　giant's　chamber；　where　he　found　him　still　in　a　profound　sleep。



But　here；　to　the　great　mortification　of　Miss　Jenny's　attentive　hearers；　the　hour　of　entertaining　themselves　being　at　an　end；　they　were　obliged　to　leave　the　poor　little　Mignon　in　the　greatest　distress　and　fright　lest　the　giant　should　awake　before　he　could　fulfil　the　commands　of　the　oracle；　and　to　wait　for　the　remainder　of　the　story　till　another　opportunity。

In　the　evening；　as　soon　as　school　was　over；　the　little　company　again　met　in　their　arbour；　and　nothing　could　be　greater　than　their　impatience　to　hear　the　event　of　Mignon's　hazardous　undertaking。　　Miss　Dolly　Friendly　said　that　if　the　poor　little　creature　was　destroyed；　she　should　not　sleep　that　night。　　But　they　all　joined　in　entreating　Miss　Jenny　to　proceed；　which　she　did　in　the　following　manner：



A　CONTINUATION　OF　THE　STORY　OF　THE　GIANTS。

Now；　thought　Mignon；　is　the　lucky　moment　to　fulfil　the　instructions　of　the　oracle。　　And　then　cautiously　getting　up　the　side　of　the　couch；　with　trembling　hands　he　put　the　fillet　round　the　monster's　neck；　and　tied　it　firmly　in　a　threefold　knot；　and　again　softly　creeping　down；　he　retired　into　a　corner　of　the　room　to　wait　the　wished　event。　　In　a　few　minutes　the　giant　waked；　and　opening　his　enormous　eyes；　he　glared　their　horrid　orbs　around　（but　without　the　least　motion　of　his　head　or　body）　and　spied　the　little　Mignon　where　he　lay；　close　shrinking　to　avoid　his　baleful　sight。

The　giant　no　sooner　perceived　his　little　page　at　liberty；　but　his　heart　sorely　smote　him；　and　he　began　to　suspect　the　worst　that　could　befall；　for；　recollecting　that　he　had　carelessly　left　open　the　little　door　leading　from　the　dungeon　to　the　great　hall　wherein　was　placed　the　fatal　magic　statue；　he　was　now　entirely　convinced　that　Mignon　had　discovered　the　secret　charm　on　which　his　power　depended；　for　he　already　found　the　magic　of　the　fillet　round　his　neck　fully　to　operate；　his　sinews　all　rel