the governess-第26节

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er　wicked　arts；　was　all　his　father　had　left　him；　and　she　was　insulting　the　young　ladies；　and　glorying　in　her　wickedness；　when　honest　old　Trusty　came　in；　and　brought　in　old　Lord　Brumpton；　whom　they　imagined　to　be　dead；　and　all　but　Lady　Brumpton　were　greatly　overjoyed　to　see　him　alive；　but　when　he　taxed　her　with　her　falsehood；　she　defied　him；　and　said　that　she　had　got　a　deed　of　gift　under　his　hand；　which　he　could　not　revoke；　and　she　WOULD　enjoy　his　fortune　in　spite　of　him。　　Upon　which　they　all　looked　sadly　vexed；　till　the　good　old　Trusty　went　out　and　came　in　again；　and　brought　in　a　man　called　Cabinet；　who　confessed　himself　the　husband　to　the　pretended　Lady　Brumpton；　and　that　he　was　married　to　her　half　a　year　before　she　was　married　to　my　Lord　Brumpton；　but　as　my　lord　happened　to　fall　in　love　with　her；　they　agreed　to　keep　their　marriage　concealed；　in　order　that　she　should　marry　my　lord；　and　cheat　him　in　the　manner　she　had　done；　and　the　reason　that　Cabinet　came　to　confess　all　this　was；　that　he　looked　into　a　closet　and　saw　my　lord　writing；　after　he　thought　he　was　dead；　and；　taking　it　for　his　ghost；　was　by　that　means　frightened　into　this　confession；　which　he　first　made　in　writing　to　old　Trusty；　and　therefore　could　not　now　deny　it。　　They　were　all　rejoiced　at　this　discovery；　except　the　late　pretended　Lady　Brumpton；　who　sneaked　away　with　Cabinet　her　husband；　and　my　Lord　Brumpton　embraced　his　son；　and　gave　his　consent；　that　he　should　marry　Lady　Charlotte；　and　they　were　all　pleased　and　happy。'

Here　Miss　Sukey　ceased；　and　Mrs。　Teachum　told　her　she　was　a　very　good　girl；　and　had　remembered　a　great　deal　of　the　play。　　'But　（said　she）　in　time；　with　using　yourself　to　this　way　of　repeating　what　you　have　read；　you　will　come　to　a　better　manner；　and　a　more　regular　method　of　telling　your　story；　which　you　was　now　so　intent　upon　finishing；　that　you　forgot　to　describe　what　sort　of　women　those　two　young　ladies　were；　though；　as　to　all　the　rest；　you　have　been　particular　enough。'

'Indeed；　madam；　（said　Miss　Sukey）；　I　had　forgot　that；　but　Lady　Charlotte　was　a　very　sensible；　grave　young　lady；　and　lady　Harriet　was　extremely　gay　and　coquettish；　but　Mr。　Camply　tells　her　how　much　it　misbecomes　her　to　be　so　and　she　having　good　sense；　as　well　as　good　nature；　is　convinced　of　her　folly；　and　likes　him　so　well　for　his　reproof；　that　she　consents　to　marry　him。'

Mrs。　Teachum；　addressing　herself　to　them　all；　told　them；　that　this　was　a　method　she　wished　they　would　take　with　whatever　they　read；　for　nothing　so　strongly　imprinted　anything　on　the　memory　as　such　a　repetition；　and　then　turning　to　Miss　Jenny　Peace；　she　said；　'And　now；　Miss　Jenny；　I　desire　you　will　speak　freely　what　you　think　is　the　chief　moral　to　be　drawn　from　the　play　you　have　just　read。'

Miss　Jenny　being　thus　suddenly　asked　a　question　of　this　nature；　considered　some　time　before　she　gave　an　answer；　for　she　was　naturally　very　diffident　of　her　own　opinion　in　anything　where　she　had　not　been　before　instructed　by　some　one　she　thought　wiser　than　herself。　　At　last；　with　a　modest　look；　and　an　humble　voice；　she　said；　'Since；　madam；　you　have　commanded　me　to　speak　my　sentiments　freely；　I　think　by　what　happened　to　each　character　in　this　play；　the　author　intended　to　prove　what　my　good　mamma　first　taught　me；　and　what　you；　madam；　since　have　so　strongly　confirmed　me　in；　namely；　that　folly；　wickedness；　and　misery；　all　three；　as　constantly　dwell　together；　as　wisdom；　virtue；　and　happiness　do。'

''Tis　very　true　（answered　Mrs。　Teachum）；　but　this　moral　does　not　arise　only　from　the　happy　turn　in　favour　of　the　virtuous　characters　in　the　conclusion　of　the　play；　but　is　strongly　inculcated；　as　you　see　all　along；　in　the　peace　of　mind　that　attends　the　virtuous；　even　in　the　midst　of　oppression　and　distress；　while　the　event　is　yet　doubtful；　and　apparently　against　them；　and；　on　the　contrary；　in　the　confusion　of　mind　which　the　vicious　are　tormented　with；　even　whilst　they　falsely　imagine　themselves　triumphant。'

Mrs。　Teachum　then　taking　the　book　out　of　Miss　Jenny's　hands；　and　turning　to　the　passage；　said；　'How　does　Lady　Brumpton　show　us　the　wretched　condition　of　her　own　mind；　when　she　says；

'〃How　miserable　'tis　to　have　one　one　hates　always　about　one！　　And　when　one　can't　endure　one's　own　reflections　upon　some　actions；　who　can　bear　the　thoughts　of　another　upon　them？〃

'Then　with　what　perturbation　of　mind　does　she　proceed；　to　wish　it　was　in　her　power　to　increase　her　wickedness；　without　making　use　enough　of　her　understanding；　to　see　that　by　that　means　she　would　but　increase　her　own　misery。

'On　the　other　hand；　what　a　noble　figure　does　Lord　Hardy　make；　when；　by　this　wicked　woman's　contrivances；　he　thinks　himself　disinherited　of　his　whole　fortune；　ill…treated；　and　neglected　by　a　father；　he　never　had　in　thought　offended！　　He　could　give　an　opportunity　to　a　sincere　friend；　who　would　not　flatter　him；　to　say；

'No；　you　are；　my　lord；　the　extraordinary　man；　who；　on　the　loss　of　an　almost　princely　fortune；　can　be　master　of　a　temper　that　makes　you　the　envy　rather　than　pity；　of　your　more　fortunate；　not　more　happy　friends。〃

'This　is　a　fine　distinction　between　fortunate　and　happy；　and　intimates　this　happiness　must　dwell　in　the　mind；　and　depends　upon　no　outward　accidents。

'Fortune；　indeed；　is　a　blessing；　if　properly　used；　which　Camply　shows；　when　by　that　means　he　can　assist　and　relieve　his　worthy　friend。

'With　what　advantage　does　Lady　Charlotte　appear　over　her　sister；　when　the　latter　is　trifling　and　dancing　before　the　glass；　and　the　former　says；

'〃If　I　am　at　first　so　silly　as　to　be　a　little　taken　with　myself；　I　know　it　is　a　fault；　and　take　pains　to　correct　it。〃

'And　on　Lady　Harriet's　saying；　very　giddily；　that　it　was　too　soon　for　her　to　think　at　that　rate；　Lady　Charlotte　properly　adds；

'〃They　that　think　it　too　soon　to　understand　themselves；　will　very　soon　find　it　too　late。〃

'In　how　ridiculous　a　light　does　Lady　Harriet　appear；　while　she　is　displaying　all　that　foolish　coquetry！　　And　how　different　a　figure　does　she　make；　when　she　has　got　the　better　of　it？

'My　Lady　Brumpton；　when　alarmed　with　the　least　noise；　breaks　out　into　all　the　convulsive　starts　natural　to　conscious　guilt。

'〃Ha！　what　noise　is　thatthat　noise　of　fighting？Run；　I　say。　Whither　are　you　going？What；　are　you　mad？Will　you　leave　me　alone？Can't　you　stir？What；　you　can't　take　your　message　with　you！Whatever　'tis；　I　suppose　you　are　not　in　the　plot；　not　you　nor　that　now　they're　breaking　open　my　house　for　CharlotteNot　you。Go　see　what's　the　matter；　I　say；　I　have　nobody　I　can　trust。　One　minute　I　think　this　wench　honest；　and　the　next　false。　Whither　shall　I　turn　me？〃

'This　is　a　picture　of　the　confused；　the　miserable　mind　of　a　close；　malicious；　cruel；　designing　woman；　as　Lady　Brumpton　was；　and　as　Lady　Harriet　very　properly　calls　her。

'Honesty　and　faithfulness　shine　forth　in　all　their　lustre；　in　the　good　old　Trusty。　　We　follow　him　throughout　with　anxious　wishes　for　his　success；　and　tears　of　joy　for　his　tenderness。　　And　when　he　finds　that　he　is　likely　to　come　at　the　whole　truth；　and　to　save　his　lord　from　being　deceived　and　betrayed　into　unjustly　ruining　his　noble　son；　you　may　remember　that　he　makes　this　pious　reflection：

All　that　is　ours；　is　to　be　justly　bent；　And　Heaven　in　its　own　time　will　bless　th'　event。

'This　is　the　natural　thought　that　proceeds　from　innocence　and　goodness；　and　surely　this　state　of　mind　is　happiness。

'I　have　only　pointed　out　a　few　passages；　to　show　you；　that　though　it　is　the　nature　of　comedy　to　end　happily；　and　therefore　the　good　characters　must　be　successful　in　the　last　act；　yet　the　moral　lies　deeper；　and　is　to　be　deduced　from　a　proof　throughout　this　play；　that　the　natural　consequence　of　vice　is　misery　within；　even　in　the　midst　of　an　apparent　triumph；　and　the　natural　consequence　of　goodness　is　a　calm　peace　of　mind；　even　in　the　midst　of　oppression　and　distress。

'I　have　endeavoured；　my　little　dears；　to　show　you；　as　clearly　as　I　can；　not　only　what　moral　is　to　be　drawn　from　this　play；　but　what　is　to　be　sought　for　in　all　others；　and　where　that　moral　is　not　to　be　found；　the　writer　will　have　it　to　answer　for；　that　he　has　been　guilty　of　one　of　the　worst　of　evils；　namely；　that　he　has　clothed　vice　in　so　beautiful　a　dress；　that；　instead　of　deterring；　it　will　allure　and　draw　into　its　snares　the　young　and　tender　mind。　　And　I　am　sorry　to　say；　that　too　many　of　our　dramatic　performances　are　of　this　latter　cast；　which　is　the　reason；　that　wise　and　prudent　parents　and　governors　in　general　discourage　in　very　young　people　the　reading　of　plays。　And　though　by　what　I　have　said　（if　it　makes　a　proper　impression）　I　doubt　not　but　you　will　all　have　a　just　abhorrence　of　such　immoral　plays；　instead　of　being　pleased　with　them；　should　they　fall　in　your　way；　yet　I　would　advise　you　rather　to　avoid　them；　and　never　to　read　any　but　such　as　are　approved　of；　and　recommended　to　you　by　those　who　have　the　care　of　your　education。'

Here　good　Mrs。　Teachum　ceased；　and　left　her　little　scholars　to　reflect　on　what　she　had　been　saying；　when　Miss　Jenny　Peace　declared；　for　her　part；　that　she　could　feel　the　truth　of　her　governess's　observations；　for　she　had　rather　be　the　innocent　Lord　Hardy；　though　she　was　to　have　but　that　one　shilling　in　the　world　which　was　so　insolently　offered　him　as　his　fat