the governess-第5节

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heart　overflowed　at　my　eyes；　and　I　was　for　some　time　inconsolable。

'My　indulgent　mamma　comforted　without　blaming　me；　till　she　thought　I　had　sufficient　time　to　vent　my　grief；　and　then；　sending　for　me　into　her　chamber；　spoke　as　follows：

'〃Jenny；　I　have　watched　you　ever　since　the　death　of　your　little　favourite　cat；　and　have　been　in　hopes　daily；　that　your　lamenting　and　melancholy　on　that　account　would　be　at　an　end。　　But　I　find　you　still　persist　in　grieving；　as　if　such　a　loss　was　irreparable。　　Now；　though　I　have　always　encouraged　you　in　all　sentiments　of　good　nature　and　compassion；　and　am　sensible；　that　where　those　sentiments　are　strongly　implanted；　they　will　extend　their　influence　even　to　the　least　animal；　yet　you　are　to　consider；　my　child；　that　you　are　not　to　give　way　to　any　passions　that　interfere　with　your　duty；　for　whenever　there　is　any　contention　between　your　duty　and　your　inclinations；　you　must　conquer　the　latter；　or　become　wicked　and　contemptible。　　If；　therefore；　you　give　way　to　this　melancholy；　how　will　you　be　able　to　perform　your　duty　towards　me；　in　cheerfully　obeying　my　commands；and　endeavouring；　by　your　lively　prattle　and　innocent　gaiety　of　heart；　to　be　my　companion　and　delight？　　Nor　will　you　be　fit　to　converse　with　your　brother；　whom　（as　you　lost　your　good　papa　when　you　were　too　young　to　know　that　loss）　I　have　endeavoured　to　educate　in　such　a　manner；　that　I　hope　he　will　be　a　father　to　you；　if　you　deserve　his　love　and　protection。　　In　short；　if　you　do　not　keep　command　enough　of　yourself　to　prevent　being　ruffled　by　every　accident；　you　will　be　unfit　for　all　the　social　offices　of　life；　and　be　despised　by　all　those　whose　regard　and　love　are　worth　your　seeking。　　I　treat　you；　my　girl；　as　capable　of　considering　what　is　for　your　own　good；　for　though　you　are　but　eleven　years　of　age；　yet　I　hope　the　pains　I　have　taken　in　explaining　all　you　read；　and　in　answering　all　your　questions　in　search　of　knowledge；　has　not　been　so　much　thrown　away；　but　that　you　are　more　capable　of　judging；　than　those　unhappy　children　are；　whose　parents　have　neglected　to　instruct　them。　　And　therefore；　farther　to　enforce　what　I　say；　remember；　that　repining　at　any　accident　that　happens　to　you；　is　an　offence　to　that　God　to　whom　I　have　taught　you　daily　to　pray　for　all　the　blessings　you　can　receive；　and　to　whom　you　are　to　return　humble　thanks　for　every　blessing。

'〃I　expect　therefore；　Jenny；　that　you　now　dry　up　your　tears；　and　resume　your　usual　cheerfulness。　　I　do　not　doubt　but　your　obedience　to　me　will　make　you　at　least　put　on　the　appearance　of　cheerfulness　in　my　sight。　　But　you　will　deceive　yourself；　if　you　think　that　is　performing　your　duty；　for　if　you　would　obey　me　as　you　ought；　you　must　try　heartily　to　root　from　your　mind　all　sorrow　and　gloominess。　　You　may　depend　upon　it；　this　command　is　in　your　power　to　obey；　for　you　know　I　never　require　anything　of　you　that　is　impossible。〃

'After　my　mamma　had　made　this　speech；　she　went　out　to　take　a　walk　in　the　garden；　and　left　me　to　consider　of　what　she　had　said。

'The　moment　I　came　to　reflect　seriously；　I　found　it　was　indeed　in　my　power　to　root　all　melancholy　from　my　heart；　when　I　considered　it　was　necessary；　in　order　to　perform　my　duty　to　God；　to　obey　the　best　of　mothers；　and　to　make　myself　a　blessing　and　a　cheerful　companion　to　her；　rather　than　a　burden；　and　the　cause　of　her　uneasiness；　by　my　foolish　melancholy。

'This　little　accident；　as　managed　by　my　mamma；　has　been　a　lesson　to　me　in　governing　my　passions　ever　since。

'It　would　be　endless　to　repeat　all　the　methods　this　good　mother　invented　for　my　instruction；　amendment；　and　improvement。　　It　is　sufficient　to　acquaint　you；　that　she　contrived　that　every　new　day　should　open　to　me　some　new　scene　of　knowledge；　and　no　girl　could　be　happier　than　I　was　during　her　life。　　But；　alas！　when　I　was　thirteen　years　of　age；　the　scene　changed。　　My　dear　mamma　was　taken　ill　of　a　scarlet　fever。　　I　attended　her　day　and　night　whilst　she　lay　ill；　my　eyes　starting　with　tears　to　see　her　in　that　condition；　and　yet　I　did　not　dare　to　give　my　sorrows　vent；　for　fear　of　increasing　her　pain。'

Here　a　trickling　tear　stole　from　Miss　Jenny's　eyes。　　She　suppressed　some　rising　sobs　that　interrupted　her　speech；　and　was　about　to　proceed　in　her　story；　when；　casting　her　eyes　on　her　companions；　she　saw　her　sorrow　had　such　an　effect　upon　them　all；　that　there　was　not　one　of　her　hearers　who　could　refrain　from　shedding　a　sympathising　tear。　　She　therefore　thought　it　was　more　strictly　following　her　mamma's　precepts　to　pass　this　part　of　her　story　in　silence；　rather　than　to　grieve　her　friends；　and　having　wiped　away　her　tears；　she　hastened　to　conclude　her　story；　which　she　did　as　follows：

'After　my　mamma's　death；　my　Aunt　Newman；　my　father's　sister；　took　the　care　of　me；　but　being　obliged　to　go　to　Jamaica；　to　settle　some　affairs　relating　to　an　estate　she　is　possessed　of　there；　she　took　with　her　my　Cousin　Harriet；　her　only　daughter；　and　left　me　under　the　care　of　the　good　Mrs。　Teachum　till　her　return。　　And　since　I　have　been　here；　you　all　know　as　much　of　my　history　as　I　do　myself。'



As　Miss　Jenny　spoke　these　words；　the　bell　summoned　them　to　supper　into　the　presence　of　their　governess；　who　having　narrowly　watched　their　looks　ever　since　the　fray；　had　hitherto　plainly　perceived；　that　though　they　did　not　dare　to　break　out　again　into　an　open　quarrel；　yet　their　hearts　had　still　harboured　unkind　thoughts　of　one　another。　　She　was　surprised　NOW；　as　she　stood　at　a　window　in　the　hall　that　overlooked　the　garden；　to　see　all　her　scholars　walk　towards　her　hand　in　hand；　with　such　cheerful　countenances；　as　plainly　showed　their　inward　good　humour。　　And　as　she　thought　proper　to　mention　to　them　her　pleasure　in　seeing　them　thus　altered；　Miss　Jenny　Peace　related　to　her　governess　all　that　had　passed　in　the　arbour；　with　their　general　reconciliation。　　Mrs。　Teachum　gave　Miss　Jenny　all　the　applause　due　to　her　goodness；　saying；　she　herself　had　only　waited　a　little　while；　to　see　if　their　anger　would　subside；　and　love　take　its　place　in　their　bosoms；　without　her　interfering　again；　for　THAT　she　certainly　should　otherwise　have　done；　to　have　brought　about　what　Miss　Jenny　had　so　happily　effected。

Miss　Jenny　thanked　her　governess　for　her　kind　approbation；　and　said；　that　if　she　would　give　them　leave；　she　would　spend　what　time　she　was　pleased　to　allow　them　from　school　in　this　little　arbour；　in　reading　stories；　and　such　things　as　she　should　think　a　proper　and　innocent　amusement。

Mrs。　Teachum　not　only　gave　leave；　but　very　much　approved　of　this　proposal；　and　desired　Miss　Jenny；　as　a　reward　for　what　she　had　already　done；　to　preside　over　these　diversions；　and　to　give　her　an　account　in　what　manner　they　proceeded。　　Miss　Jenny　promised　in　all　things　to　be　guided　by　good　Mrs。　Teachum。　　And　now；　soon　after　supper；　they　retired　to　rest；　free　from　those　uneasy　passions　which　used　to　prevent　their　quiet；　and　as　they　had　passed　the　day　in　pleasure；　at　night　they　sunk　in　soft　and　sweet　repose。



MONDAY。

THE　FIRST　DAY　AFTER　THEIR　REPENTANCE；　AND；　CONSEQUENTLY；　THE　FIRST　DAY　OF　THE　HAPPINESS　OF　MISS　JENNY　PEACE　AND　HER　COMPANIONS。

Early　in　the　morning；　as　soon　as　Miss　Jenny　arose；　all　her　companions　flocked　round　her；　for　they　now　looked　on　her　as　the　best　friend　they　had　in　the　world；　and　they　agreed；　when　they　came　out　of　school；　to　adjourn　into　their　arbour；　and　divert　themselves　till　dinner…time；　which　they　accordingly　did。　　When　Miss　Jenny　proposed；　if　it　was　agreeable　to　them　to　hear　it；　to　read　them　a　story　which　she　had　put　in　her　pocket　for　that　purpose；　and　as　they　now　began　to　look　upon　her　as　the　most　proper　person　to　direct　them　in　their　amusements；　they　all　replied；　What　was　most　agreeable　to　her　would　please　them　best。　　She　then　began　to　read　the　following　story；　with　which　we　shall　open　their　first　day's　amusement。



THE　STORY　OF　THE　CRUEL　GIANT　BARBARICO；　THE　GOOD　GIANT　BENEFICO；　AND　THE　LITTLE　PRETTY　DWARF　MIGNON。

A　great　many　hundred　years　ago；　the　mountains　of　Wales　were　inhabited　by　two　giants；　one　of　whom　was　the　terror　of　all　his　neighbours　and　the　plague　of　the　whole　country。　　He　greatly　exceeded　the　size　of　any　giant　recorded　in　history；　and　his　eyes　looked　so　fierce　and　terrible；　that　they　frightened　all　who　were　so　unhappy　as　to　behold　them。

The　name　of　this　enormous　wretch　was　Barbarico。　　A　name　which　filled　all　who　heard　it　with　fear　and　astonishment。　　The　whole　delight　of　this　monster's　life　was　in　acts　of　inhumanity　and　mischief；　and　he　was　the　most　miserable　as　well　as　the　most　wicked　creature　that　ever　yet　was　born。　　He　had　no　sooner　committed　one　outrage；　but　he　was　in　agonies　till　he　could　commit　another；　never　satisfied；　unless　he　could　find　an　opportunity　of　either　torturing　or　devouring　some　innocent　creature。　　And　whenever　he　happened　to　be　disappointed　in　any　of　his　malicious　purposes；　he　would　stretch　his　immense　bulk　on　the　top　of　some　high　mountain；　and　groan；　and　beat　the　earth；　and　bellow　with　such　a　hollow　voice；　that　the　whole　country　heard　and　trembled　at　the　sound。

The　other　giant；　whose　name　was　Benefico；　was　not　so　tall　and　bulky　as　the　hideous　Barbarico。　　He　was　handsome；　well　proportioned；　and　of　a　very　good…natured　turn　of　mind。　　His　delight　was　no　less　in　acts　of　goodness　and　bene