the governess-第12章

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Mrs。　Teachum　had　a　great　inclination　to　hear　the　history　of　the　lives　of　all　her　little　scholars：　　but　she　thought；　that　being　present　at　those　relations　might　be　a　balk　to　the　narration；　as　perhaps　they　might　be　ashamed　freely　to　confess　their　past　faults　before　her；　and　therefore；　that　she　might　not　be　any　bar　in　this　case　to　the　freedom　of　their　speech；　and　yet　might　be　acquainted　with　their　stories　（though　this　was　not　merely　a　vain　curiosity；　but　a　desire　by　this　means　to　know　their　different　dispositions）；　she　called　Miss　Jenny　Peace　to　her　parlour　after　dinner；　and　told　her；　she　would　have　her　get　the　lives　of　her　companions　in　writing；　and　bring　them　to　her；　and　Miss　Jenny　readily　promised　to　obey　her　commands。

In　the　evening　our　little　company　again　met　in　their　charming　arbour；　where　they　were　no　sooner　seated；　with　that　calmness　and　content　which　now　always　attended　them；　than　the　cries　and　sobs　of　a　child；　at　a　little　distance　from　their　garden；　disturbed　their　tranquility。

Miss　Jenny；　ever　ready　to　relieve　the　distressed；　ran　immediately　to　the　place　whence　the　sound　seemed　to　come；　and　was　followed　by　all　her　companions：　　when；　at　a　small　distance　from　Mrs。　Teachum's　garden…wall；　over　which　from　the　terrace　our　young　company　looked；　they　saw；　under　a　large　spreading　tree；　part　of　the　branches　of　which　shaded　a　seat　at　the　end　of　that　terrace；　a　middle…aged　woman　beating　a　little　girl；　who　looked　to　be　about　eight　years　old；　so　severely；　that　it　was　no　wonder　her　cries　had　reached　their　arbour。

Miss　Jenny　could　not　forbear　calling　out　to　the　woman；　and　begging　her　to　forbear：　　and　little　Polly　Suckling　cried　as　much　as　the　girl；　and　desired　she　might　not　be　beat　any　more。　　The　woman；　in　respect　to　them；　let　the　child　go；　but　said；　'Indeed；　young　ladies；　you　don't　know　what　a　naughty　girl　she　is：　　for　though　you　now　see　me　correct　her　in　this　manner；　yet　am　I　in　all　respects　very　kind　to　her；　and　never　strike　her　but　for　lying。　　I　have　tried　all　means；　good　and　bad；　to　break　her　of　this　vile　fault；　but　hitherto　all　I　have　done　has　been　in　vain：　　nor　can　I　ever　get　one　word　of　truth　out　of　her　mouth。　　But　I　am　resolved　to　break　her　of　this　horrid　custom；　or　I　cannot　live　with　her：　　for　though　I　am　but　poor；　yet　I　will　breed　up　my　child　to　be　honest；　both　in　word　and　deed。'

Miss　Jenny　could　not　but　approve　of　what　the　poor　woman　said。　　However；　they　all　joined　in　begging　forgiveness　for　the　girl　this　time；　provided　she　promised　amendment　for　the　future：　　and　then　our　little　society　returned　to　their　arbour。

Miss　Jenny　could　not　help　expressing　her　great　detestation　of　all　lying　whatsoever；　when　Miss　Dolly　Friendly；　colouring；　confessed　she　had　often　been　guilty　of　this　fault；　though　she　never　scarcely　did　it　but　for　her　friend。

Here　Miss　Jenny；　interrupting　her；　said；　that　even　that　was　no　sort　of　excuse　for　lying；　besides　that　the　habit　of　it　on　any　occasion；　even　with　the　appearance　of　a　good　intention；　would　but　too　likely　lead　to　the　use　of　it　on　many　others：　　and　as　she　did　not　doubt；　by　Miss　Dolly's　blushing；　that　she　was　now　very　sensible　of　the　truth　of　what　she　had　just　been　saying；　she　hoped　she　would　take　this　opportunity　of　obliging　them　with　the　history　of　her　past　life：　　which　request　she　made　no　hesitation　to　grant；　saying；　the　shame　of　her　past　faults　should　by　o　means　induce　her　to　conceal　them。



THE　DESCRIPTION　OF　MISS　DOLLY　FRIENDLY。

Miss　Dolly　Friendly　was　just　turned　of　eleven　years　of　age。　　Her　person　was　neither　plain　nor　handsome：　　and　though　she　had　not　what　is　properly　called　one　fine　feature　in　her　face；　yet　the　disposition　of　them　were　so　suitable　to　each　other；　that　her　countenance　was　rather　agreeable　than　otherwise。　　She　had　generally　something　very　quiet；　or　rather　indolent；　in　her　look；　except　when　she　was　moved　by　anger；　which　seldom　happened；　but　in　defense　of　some　favourite　or　friend；　and　she　had　then　a　fierceness　and　eagerness　which　altered　her　whole　countenance：　　for　she　could　not　bear　the　least　reflection　or　insult　on　those　she　loved。　　This　disposition　made　her　always　eager　to　comply　with　her　friends'　requests；　and　she　immediately　began；　as　follows：

THE　LIFE　OF　MISS　DOLLY　FRIENDLY。

'I　was　bred　up；　till　I　was　nine　years　of　age；　with　a　sister；　who　was　one　year　younger　than　myself。　　The　chief　care　of　our　parents　was　to　make　us　love　each　other；　and；　as　I　was　naturally　inclined　to　have　very　strong　affections；　I　became　so　fond　of　my　sister　Molly；　which　was　her　name；　that　all　my　delight　was　to　please　her；　and　this　I　carried　to　such　a　height；　that　I　scrupled　no　lies　to　excuse　her　faults：　　and　whatever　she　did；　I　justified；　and　thought　right；　only　because　she　did　it。

'I　was　ready　to　fight　her　quarrels；　whether　right　or　wrong；　and　hated　everybody　that　offended　her。　　My　parents　winked　at　whatever　I　did　in　defence　of　my　sister；　and　I　had　no　notion　that　any　thing　done　for　her　could　be　unreasonable。　　In　short；　I　made　it　my　study　to　oblige　and　please　her；　till　I　found　at　last　it　was　out　of　my　power；　　for　she　grew　so　very　humoursome；　that　she　could　not　find　out　what　she　had　most　mind　to　have；　and　I　found　her　always　miserable；　for　she　would　cry　only　because　she　did　not　know　her　own　mind。

'She　never　minded　what　faults　she　committed；　because　she　knew　I　would　excuse　her；　and　she　was　forgiven　in　consideration　of　our　friendship；　which　gave　our　parents　great　pleasure。

'My　poor　little　sister　grew　very　sickly；　and　she　died　just　before　I　came　to　school：　　but　the　same　disposition　still　continued；　and　it　was　my　friend's　outcries　of　being　hurt；　that　drew　me　into　that　odious　quarrel；　that　we　have　all　now　repented。'



Here　Miss　Dolly　Friendly　ceased；　and　Miss　Jenny　said；　she　hoped　Miss　Dolly　would　remember；　for　the　rest　of　her　life；　what　HER　good　mamma　had　always　taught　her；　namely；　that　it　was　not　the　office　of　friendship；　to　justify　or　excuse　our　friend　when　in　the　wrong；　for　that　was　the　way　to　prevent　their　ever　being　in　the　right：　　that　it　was　rather　hatred；　or　contempt；　than　love；　when　the　fear　of　another's　anger　made　us　forego　their　good；　for　the　sake　of　our　own　present　pleasure；　and　that　the　friends　who　expected　such　flattery　were　not　worth　keeping。

The　bell　again　summoned　our　little　company　to　supper：　　but；　before　they　went　in；　Miss　Dolly　Friendly　said；　if　Miss　Jenny　approved　of　it；　she　would　the　next　morning　read　them　a　story　given　her　by　an　uncle　of　hers；　that；　she　said；　she　was　sure　would　please　her；　as　its　subject　was　friendship。　　Miss　Jenny　replied；　that　she　was　certain　it　would　be　a　great　pleasure　to　them　all；　to　hear　any　story　Miss　Dolly　thought　proper　to　read　them。



WEDNESDAY。　THE　THIRD　DAY。

As　soon　as　school　was　over　in　the　morning；　our　little　company　were　impatient　to　go　into　the　arbour；　to　hear　Miss　Dolly's　story：　　but　Mrs。　Teachum　told　them　they　must　be　otherwise　employed；　for　their　writing…master；　who　lived　some　miles　off；　and　who　was　expected　in　the　afternoon；　was　just　then　come　in；　and　begged　that　they　would　give　him　their　attendance；　though　out　of　school…time；　because　he　was　obliged　to　be　at　home　again　before　the　afternoon；　to　meet　a　person　who　would　confer　some　favour　on　him；　and　would　be　highly　disobliged　should　he　not　keep　his　appointment：　　'And　I　know　（said　Mrs。　Teachum）　my　little　dears；　you　would　rather　lose　your　own　amusement；　than　let　any　one　suffer　a　real　inconvenience　on　your　accounts。'　　They　all　readily　complied；　and　cheerfully　set　to　their　writing；　and　in　the　afternoon　Mrs。　Teachum　permitted　them　to　leave　off　work　an　hour　sooner　than　usual；　as　a　reward　for　their　readiness　to　lose　their　amusement　in　the　morning：　　and　being　met　in　their　arbour；　Miss　Dolly　read　as　follows：



THE　STORY　OF　CAELIA　AND　CHLOE。

Caelia　and　Chloe　were　both　left　orphans；　at　the　tender　age　of　six　years。　Amanda　their　aunt；　who　was　very　rich；　and　a　maiden；　took　them　directly　under　her　care；　and　bred　them　up　as　her　own　children。　　Caelia's　mother　was　Amanda's　sister；　and　Chloe's　father　was　her　brother；　so　that　she　was　equally　related　to　both。

They　were　left　entirely　unprovided　for；　were　both　born　on　the　same　day；　and　both　lost　their　mothers　on　the　day　of　their　birth：　　their　fathers　were　soldiers　of　fortune；　and　both　killed　in　one　day；　in　the　fa