the governess-第21节

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g；　rather　than　lose　so　amiable　a　friend。

After　this　they　parted。　　But　when　the　princess　entered　the　Grove；　she　did　not；　as　usual；　run　with　haste　and　joy　into　the　presence　of　her　indulgent　mother；　for　her　mind　was　disturbed：　　she　felt　a　conscious　shame　on　seeing　her；　and　turned　away　her　face；　as　wanting　to　shun　the　piercing　look　of　that　eye；　which　she　imagined　would　see　the　secret　lurking　in　her　bosom。　　Her　mother　observed　with　concern　her　downcast　look；　and　want　of　cheerfulness。　　And　asking　her　what　was　the　matter；　she　answered；　her　walk　had　fatigued　her；　and　she　begged　early　to　retire　to　rest。　　Her　kind　mother　consented；　but　little　rest　had　the　poor　princess　that　whole　night；　for　the　pain　of　having　her　mind　touched　with　guilt；　and　the　fear　she　was　under　of　losing　her　dear　companion；　kept　her　thoughts　in　one　continued　tumult　and　confusion。　　The　fairy's　gift　now　became　her　curse；　for　the　power　of　seeing　what　was　right；　as　she　had　acted　contrary　to　her　knowledge；　only　tormented　her。

She　hastened　the　next　morning　to　meet　Rozella；　and　told　her　all　that　had　passed　in　her　own　mind　the　preceding　night；　declaring　that　she　would　not　pass　such　another　for　the　whole　world；　but　yet　would　not　dispense　with　her　promise　to　her；　without　her　consent；　and　therefore　came　to　ask　her　leave　to　acquaint　her　good　mother　with　all　that　had　passed：　　'For　（said　she）　my　dear　Rozella；　we　must；　if　we　would　be　happy；　do　always　what　is　right；　and　trust　for　the　consequences。'　　Here　Rozella　drew　her　features　into　the　most　contemptuous　sneer　imaginable；　and　said；　'Pray　what　are　all　these　mighty　pains　you　have　suffered？　　Are　they　not　owing　only　to　your　want　of　sense　enough　to　know；　that　you　can　do　your　mother　no　harm；　by　concealing　from　her　this；　or　anything　else　that　will　vex　her？　and；　my　dear　girl　（continued　she）　when　you　have　once　entered　into　this　way　of　thinking；　and　have　put　this　blind　duty　out　of　your　head；　you　will　spend　no　more　such　restless　nights；　which　you　must　see　was　entirely　owing　to　your　own　imaginations。'

This　startled　the　princess　to　such　a　degree；　that　she　was　breaking　from　her；　but；　putting　on　a　more　tender　air；　Rozella　cried；　'And　can　you　then；　my　dear　Hebe；　determine　to　give　me　up　for　such　a　trifling　consideration？'　　Then　raising　her　voice　again；　in　a　haughty　manner；　she　said；　'I　ought　to　despise　and　laugh　at　you　for　your　folly；　or　at　best　pity　your　ignorance；　rather　than　offer　a　sincere　friendship　to　one　so　undeserving。'

The　princess；　having　once　swerved　from　her　duty；　was　now　in　the　power　of　every　passion　that　should　attack　her。

Pride　and　indignation；　at　the　thought　of　being　despised；　bore　more　sway　with　her；　than　either　her　duty　or　affection　to　her　fond　mother；　and　she　was　now　determined；　she　said；　to　think　for　herself；　and　make　use　of　her　own　understanding；　which　she　was　convinced　would　always　teach　her　what　was　right。　　Upon　this　Rozella　took　her　by　the　hand；　and；　with　tears　of　joy；　said；　'Now；　my　dearest　girl；　you　are　really　wise；　and　cannot　therefore　（according　to　your　own　rule）　fail　of　being　happy。　　But　to　show　that　you　are　in　earnest　in　this　resolution；　you　shall　this　morning　go　home　with　me　to　my　father's　cot；　it　is　not　so　far　off；　but　you　will　be　back　by　the　time　your　mother　expects　you；　and　as　that　will　be　obeying　the　chief　command；　it　is　but　concealing　from　her　the　thing　that　would　vex　her；　and　there　will　be　no　harm　done。'　　Here　a　ray　of　truth　broke　in　upon　our　young　princess；　but　as　a　false　shame；　and　fear　of　being　laughed　at；　had　now　got　possession　of　her；　she；　with　a　soft　sigh；　consented　to　the　proposal。

Rozella　led　the　way。　　But　just　as　they　were　turning　round　the　walk；　which　leads　out　of　the　wood；　a　large　serpent　darted　from　one　side　out　of　a　thicket；　directly　between　them；　and　turning　its　hissing　mouth　towards　the　princess；　as　seeming　to　make　after　her；　she　fled　hastily　back；　and　ran　with　all　her　speed　towards　the　grove；　and　panting　for　breath；　flew　into　the　arms　of　her　ever　kind　protectress。

Her　mother　was　vastly　terrified　to　see　her　tremble；　and　look　so　pale；　and　as　soon　as　she　was　a　little　recovered；　asked　her　the　occasion　of　her　fright；　and　added　（with　tears　running　down　her　cheeks）　'I　am　afraid；　my　dear　Hebe；　some　sad　disaster　has　befallen　you；　for；　indeed；　my　child；　I　but　too　plainly　saw　last　night'

Here　the　princess　was　so　struck　with　true　shame　and　confusion；　for　her　past　behaviour；　that　she　fell　down　upon　her　knees；　confessed　the　whole　truth；　and　implored　forgiveness　for　her　fault。

The　queen　kindly　raised　her　up；　kissed　and　forgave　her。　　'I　am　overjoyed；　my　dear　child　（said　she）　at　this　your　sweet　repentance；　though　the　effect　of　mere　accident；　as　it　appears　but　sent；　without　doubt；　by　some　good　fairy；　to　save　you　from　destruction；　and　I　hope　you　are　thoroughly　convinced；　that　the　serpent　which　drove　you　home；　was　not　half　so　dangerous　as　the　false　Rozella。'

The　princess　answered；　that　she　was　thoroughly　sensible　of　the　dangers　she　had　avoided；　and　hoped　she　never　should　again；　by　her　own　folly　and　wickedness；　deserve　to　be　exposed　to　the　danger　from　which　she　had　so　lately　escaped。

Some　days　passed；　without　the　princess's　offering　to　stir　out　of　the　grove；　and　in　that　time　she　gave　a　willing　and　patient　ear　to　all　her　mother's　instructions；　and　seemed　thoroughly　sensible　of　the　great　deliverance　she　had　lately　experienced。　　But　yet　there　appeared　in　her　countenance　an　uneasiness；　which　the　queen　wishing　to　remove；　asked　her　the　cause　of。

'It　is；　dear　madam；'　answered　the　princess；　'because　I　have　not　yet　had　it　in　my　power　to　convince　you　of　my　repentance；　which　（though　I　know　it　to　be　sincere）　you　have　had　no　proof　of；　but　in　words　only；　and；　indeed；　my　heart　longs　for　an　occasion　to　show　you；　that　I　am　now　able　to　resist　any　allurement　which　would　tempt　me　from　my　duty；　and　I　cannot　be　easy　till　you　have　given　me　an　opportunity　of　showing　you　the　firmness　of　my　resolution；　and　if　you　will　give　me　leave　to　take　a　walk　in　the　wood　alone；　this　evening；　I　shall　return　to　you　with　pleasure；　and　will　promise　not　to　exceed　any　bounds　that　you　shall　prescribe。'

The　queen　was　not　much　pleased　with　this　request；　but　the　princess　was　so　earnest　with　her　to　grant　it；　that　she　could　not　well　refuse；　without　seeming　to　suspect　her　sincerity；　which　she　did　not；　but　only　feared　for　her　safety；　and；　giving　her　a　strict　charge；　not　to　stir　a　step　out　of　the　wood；　or　to　speak　to　the　false　Rozella；　if　she　came　in　her　way；　she　reluctantly　gave　her　consent。

The　princess　walked　through　all　the　flowery　labyrinths；　in　which　she　had　so　often　strayed　with　Rozella；　but　she　was　so　shocked　with　the　thoughts　of　her　wickedness；　that　she　hardly　gave　a　sigh　for　the　loss　of　a　companion　once　so　dear　to　her；　and　as　a　proof　that　her　repentance　was　sincere；　though　she　heard　Rozella　singing　in　an　arbour　（purposely　perhaps　to　decoy　her）　she　turned　away　without　the　least　emotion；　and　went　quite　to　the　other　side　of　the　wood；　where　looking　into　the　meadow；　in　which　she　first　beheld　that　false　friend；　she　saw　a　girl　about　her　own　age；　leaning　against　a　tree；　and　crying　most　bitterly。　　But　the　moment　she　came　in　sight；　the　young　shepherdess　（for　such　by　her　dress　she　appeared　to　be）　cried　out；　'O　help；　dear　young　lady；　help　me；　for　I　am　tied　here　to　this　tree；　by　the　spiteful　contrivance　of　a　wicked　young　shepherdess　called　Rozella：　　my　hands　too；　you　see；　are　bound　behind　me；　so　that　I　cannot　myself　unloose　the　knot；　and　if　I　am　not　released；　here　must　I　lie　all　night　and　my　wretched　parents　will　break　their　hearts；　for　fear　some　sad　accident　should　have　befallen　their　only　child；　their　poor　unhappy　Florimel！'

The　Princess；　hearing　her　speak　of　Rozella　in　that　manner；　had　no　suspicion　of　her　being　one　of　that　false　girl's　deluding　companions；　but　rather　thought　that　she　was　a　fellow…sufferer　with　herself；　and　therefore；　without　any　consideration　of　the　bounds　prescribed；　she　hastened　to　relieve　her；　and　even　thought　that　she　should　have　great　pleasure　in　telling　her　mother；　that　she　had　saved　a　poor　young　shepherdess　from　Rozella's　malice；　and　restored　her　to　her　fond　parents。　　But　as　soon　as　she　had　unloosed　the　girl　from　the　tree；　and　unbound　her　hands；　instead　of　receiving　thanks　for　what　she　had　done；　the　wicked　Florimel　burst　into　a　laugh；　and　suddenly　snatching　from　the　Princess　Hebe's　side　her　father's　picture；　which　she　always　wore　hanging　in　a　ribbon；　she　ran　away　with　it；　as　fast　as　she　could；　over　the　meadow。

The　Princess　was　so　astonished　at　this　strange　piece　of　ingratitude　and　treachery；　and　was　so　alarmed　for　fear　of　losing　what　she　knew　her　mother　so　highly　valued；　that　hardly　knowing　what　she　was　about；　she　pursued　Florimel　with　all　her　speed；　begging　and　entreating　her　not　to　bereave　her　so　basely　and　ungratefully　of　that　picture；　which　she　would　not　part　with　for　the　world：　　but　it　was　all　to　no　purpose　for　Florimel　continued　her　flight；　and　the　princess　her　pursuit；　till　they　arrived　at　Brunetta's　castle…gate；　where　the　fairy　herself　appeared　dressed　and　adorned　in　the　most　becoming　manner；　and；　with　the　most　bewitching　smile　that　can　come　from　dazzling　beauty；　invited　the　princess　to　enter　her　castle　（into　which　Florimel　was　run　to　hide　herself）　and　promised　her；　on　that　condition；　to　make　the　idle