the governess-第3章

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Miss　Sukey　began　now　to　find；　that　Miss　Jenny　was　in　the　right；　and　she　herself　in　the　wrong；　but　yet　she　was　so　proud　she　would　not　own　it。　　Nothing　could　be　so　foolish　as　this　pride；　because　it　would　have　been　both　good　and　wise　in　her　to　confess　the　truth　the　moment　she　saw　it。　　However；　Miss　Jenny　was　so　discreet　as　not　to　press　her　any　farther　that　night；　but　begged　her　to　consider　seriously　on　what　she　had　said；　and　to　let　her　know　her　thoughts　the　next　morning　and　then　left　her。

When　Miss　Sukey　was　alone　she　stood　some　time　in　great　confusion。　　She　could　not　help　seeing　how　much　hitherto　she　had　been　in　the　wrong；　and　that　thought　stung　her　to　the　heart。　　She　cried；　stamped；　and　was　in　as　great　an　agony　as　if　some　sad　misfortune　had　befallen　her。　　At　last；　when　she　had　somewhat　vented　her　passion　by　tears；　she　burst　forth　into　the　following　speech：

'It　is　very　true　what　Miss　Jenny　Peace　says；　for　I　am　always　uneasy。　　I　don't　sleep　in　quiet　because　I　am　always　thinking；　either　that　I　have　not　my　share　of　what　is　given　us；　or　that　I　cannot　be　revenged　on　any　of　the　girls　that　offend　me。　　And　when　I　quarrel　with　them；　I　am　scratched　and　bruised；　or　reproached。　　And　what　do　I　get　by　all　this？　　Why；　I　scratch；　bruise；　and　reproach　them　in　my　turn。　　Is　not　that　gain　enough？　　I　warrant　I　hurt　them　as　much　as　they　hurt　me。　　But　then　indeed；　as　Miss　Jenny　says；　if　I　could　make　these　girls　my　friends；　and　did　not　wish　to　hurt　them；　I　certainly　might　live　a　quieter；　and　perhaps　a　happier；　life。　　But　what　then；　have　I　been　always　in　the　wrong　all　my　lifetime？　for　I　always　quarrelled　and　hated　everyone　who　had　offended　me。　　Oh！　I　cannot　bear　that　thought！　　It　is　enough　to　make　me　mad！　when　I　imagined　myself　so　wise　and　so　sensible；　to　find　out　that　I　have　been　always　a　fool。　　If　I　think　a　moment　longer　about　it；　I　shall　die　with　grief　and　shame。　　I　must　think　myself　in　the　right；　and　I　will　too。　　But；　as　Miss　Jenny　says；　I　really　am　unhappy；　for　I　hate　all　my　schoolfellows；　and　yet　I　dare　not　do　them　any　mischief；　for　my　mistress　will　punish　me　severely　if　I　do。　　I　should　not　so　much　mind　that　neither；　but　then　those　I　intend　to　hurt　will　triumph　over　me；　to　see　me　punished　for　their　sakes。　　In　short；　the　more　I　reflect；　the　more　I　am　afraid　Miss　Jenny　is　in　the　right；　and　yet　it　breaks　my　heart　to　think　so。'

Here　the　poor　girl　wept　so　bitterly；　and　was　so　heartily　grieved；　that　she　could　not　utter　one　word　more；　but　sat　herself　down；　reclining　her　head　upon　her　hand；　in　the　most　melancholy　posture　that　could　be；　nor　could　she　close　her　eyes　all　night；　but　lay　tossing　and　raving　with　the　thought　how　she　should　act；　and　what　she　should　say　to　Miss　Jenny　the　next　day。

When　the　morning　came；　Miss　Sukey　dreaded　every　moment；　as　the　time　drew　nearer　when　she　must　meet　Miss　Jenny。　She　knew　it　would　not　be　possible　to　resist　her　arguments；　and　yet　shame　for　having　been　in　fault　overcame　her。

As　soon　as　Miss　Jenny　saw　Miss　Sukey　with　her　eyes　cast　down；　and　confessing；　by　a　look　of　sorrow；　that　she　would　take　her　advice；　she　embraced　her　kindly；　and；　without　giving　her　the　trouble　to　speak；　took　it　for　granted；　that　she　would　leave　off　quarreling；　be　reconciled　to　her　schoolfellows；　and　make　herself　happy。

Miss　Sukey　did　indeed　stammer　out　some　words；　which　implied　a　confession　of　her　fault；　but　they　were　spoke　so　low　they　could　hardly　be　heard；　only　Miss　Jenny；　who　always　chose　to　look　at　the　fairest　side　of　her　companions'　actions；　by　Miss　Sukey's　look　and　manner　guessed　her　meaning。

In　the　same　manner　did　this　good　girl；　Jenny；　persuade；　one　by　one；　all　her　schoolfellows　to　be　reconciled　to　each　with　sincerity　and　love。

Miss　Dolly　Friendly；　who　had　too　much　sense　to　engage　the　battle　for　the　sake　of　an　apple；　and　who　was　provoked　to　strike　a　blow　only　for　friendship's　sake；　easily　saw　the　truth　of　what　Miss　Jenny　said；　and　was　therefore　presently　convinced；　that　the　best　part　she　could　have　acted　for　her　friend；　would　have　been　to　have　withdrawn　her　from　the　scuffle。




A　SCENE　OF　LOVE　AND　FRIENDSHIP；　QUITE　THE　REVERSE　OF　THE　BATTLE；　WHEREIN　ARE　SHOWN　THE　DIFFERENT　EFFECTS　OF　LOVE　AND　GOODNESS　FROM　THOSE　ATTENDING　ANGER；　STRIFE；　AND　WICKEDNESS：　　WITH　THE　LIFE　OF　MISS　JENNY　PEACE。

After　Miss　Jenny　had　completed　the　good　work　of　making　all　her　companions　friends；　she　drew　them　round　her　in　a　little　arbour；　in　that　very　garden　which　had　been　the　scene　of　their　strife；　and　consequently　of　their　misery；　and　then　spoke　to　them　the　following　speech；　which　she　delivered　in　so　mild　a　voice；　that　it　was　sufficient　to　charm　her　hearers　into　attention；　and　to　persuade　them　to　be　led　by　her　advice；　and　to　follow　her　example　in　the　paths　of　goodness。

'My　dear　friends　and　schoolfellows；　you　cannot　imagine　the　happiness　it　gives　me　to　see　you　thus　all　so　heartily　reconciled。　　You　will　find　the　joyful　fruits　of　it。　　Nothing　can　show　so　much　sense　as　thus　to　own　yourselves　in　fault；　for　could　anything　have　been　so　foolish　as　to　spend　all　your　time　in　misery；　rather　than　at　once　to　make　use　of　the　power　you　have　of　making　yourselves　happy？　　Now　if　you　will　use　as　many　endeavours　to　love　as　you　have　hitherto　done　to　hate　each　other；　you　will　find　that　every　one　amongst　you；　whenever　you　have　anything　given　you；　will　have　double；　nay；　I　may　say　eight　times　（as　there　are　eight　of　you）　the　pleasure；　in　considering　that　your　companions　are　happy。　　What　is　the　end　of　quarrels；　but　that　everyone　is　fretted　and　vexed；　and　no　one　gains　anything！　　Whereas　by　endeavouring　to　please　and　love　each　other；　the　end　is　happiness　to　ourselves；　and　joy　to　everyone　around　us。　　I　am　sure；　if　you　will　speak　the　truth；　none　of　you　have　been　so　easy　since　you　quarrelled；　as　you　are　now　you　are　reconciled。　　Answer　me　honestly；　if　this　is　not　truth。'

Here　Miss　Jenny　was　silent；　and　waited　for　an　answer。　　But　the　poor　girls；　who　had　in　them　the　seeds　of　goodwill　to　each　other；　although　those　seeds　were　choked　and　overrun　with　the　weeds　of　envy　and　pride；　as　in　a　garden　the　finest　strawberries　will　be　spoiled　by　rank　weeds；　if　care　is　not　taken　to　root　them　out；　these　poor　girls；　I　say；　now　struck　with　the　force　of　truth；　and　sorry　for　what　they　had　done；　let　drop　some　tears；　which　trickled　down　their　cheeks；　and　were　signs　of　meekness；　and　sorrow　for　their　fault。　　Not　like　those　tears　which　burst　from　their　swollen　eyes；　when　anger　and　hatred　choked　their　words；　and　their　proud　hearts　laboured　with　stubbornness　and　folly；　when　their　skins　reddened；　and　all　their　features　were　changed　and　distorted　by　the　violence　of　passion；　which　made　them　frightful　to　the　beholders；　and　miserable　to　themselves；　　No！　　Far　other　cause　had　they　now　for　tears；　and　far　different　were　the　tears　they　shed；　their　eyes；　melted　with　sorrow　for　their　faults；　let　fall　some　drops；　as　tokens　of　their　repentance；　but；　as　soon　as　they　could　recover　themselves　to　speak；　they　all　with　one　voice　cried　out；　'Indeed；　Miss　Jenny；　we　are　sorry　for　our　fault；　and　will　follow　your　advice；　which　we　now　see　is　owing　to　your　goodness。'

Miss　Jenny　now　produced　a　basket　of　apples；　which　she　had　purchased　out　of　the　little　pocket…money　she　was　allowed；　in　order　to　prove；　that　the　same　things　may　be　a　pleasure　or　a　pain；　according　as　the　persons　to　whom　they　are　given　are　good　or　bad。

These　she　placed　in　the　midst　of　her　companions；　and　desired　them　to　eat；　and　enjoy　themselves；　and　now　they　were　so　changed；　that　each　helped　her　next　neighbour　before　she　would　touch　any　for　herself；　and　the　moment　they　were　grown　thus　good　natured　and　friendly；　they　were　as　well…bred；　and　as　polite；　as　it　is　possible　to　describe。

Miss　Jenny's　joy　was　inexpressible；　that　she　had　caused　this　happy　change；　nor　less　was　the　joy　of　her　companions；　who　now　began　to　taste　pleasures；　from　which　their　animosity　to　each　other　had　hitherto　debarred　them。　　They　all　sat　looking　pleased　on　their　companions；　their　faces　borrowed　beauty　from　the　calmness　and　goodness　of　their　minds；　and　all　those　ugly　frowns；　and　all　that　ill…natured　sourness；　which　when　they　were　angry　and　cross　were　but　too　plain　in　their　faces；　were　now　entirely　fled；　jessamine　and　honeysuckles　surrounded　their　seats；　and　played　round　their　heads