the governess-第32章

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dmiration　at　the　splendid　appearance　of　everything　around　them；　nor　could　they　find　words　to　express　the　various　reflections　that　passed　in　their　minds；　on　seeing　such　a　variety　of　dazzling　gaudy　things：　　but　when　they　came　to　the　needlework；　Miss　Jenny　could　not　help　smiling；　to　see　how　every　one　seemed　most　fixed　in　attention　upon　that　sort　of　work；　which　she　herself　was　employed　in；　and　she　saw　in　every　face　a　secret　wish；　that　their　own　piece　of　work　might　be　finished　with　equal　neatness　and　perfection。　The　housekeeper　was　greatly　pleased　to　see　them　so　much　delighted；　and　answered　all　their　questions　concerning　the　stories　that　were　represented　in　the　pictures　and　tapestry　as　fully　as　the　　time　would　permit；　but　Miss　Jenny；　being　fearful　of　exceeding　the　hour　in　which　they　would　be　expected　home；　told　them　they　must　not　now　stay　any　longer；　but　if　their　governess　would　give　them　leave；　and　it　would　not　be　troublesome　to　Mrs。　Wilson；　they　would　come　another　time。　　She　answered；　that　it　was　so　far　from　being　troublesome；　that　she　never　had　more　pleasure　in　her　life；　than　to　see　so　many　well…behaved　young　ladies；　who　all　seemed　not　only　pleased　with　what　they　saw；　but　doubly　delighted；　and　happy；　in　seeing　each　other　so；　and　for　her　part；　she　could　wish　they　were　to　stay　with　her　all　their　lives；　and；　in　short；　they　should　not　go　till　they　had　been　in　her　room；　and　eat　some　sweetmeats　of　her　own　making。　　The　good　woman　seemed　to　take　so　much　delight　in　giving　them　any　pleasure；　that　Miss　Jenny　could　not　refuse　accepting　her　offer；　and；　when　they　were　all　in　her　room；　Polly　Suckling　said；　'Well；　this　is　a　most　charming　house；　I　wish　we　could　all　live　here　for　ever。　　How　happy　must　the　lord　and　lady　of　this　fine　place　be！'

'Indeed；　my　little　Polly；'　said　Miss　Jenny；　'you　may　be　very　much　mistaken；　for　you　know　our　good　governess　has　taught　us；　that　there　is　no　happiness　but　in　the　content　of　our　own　minds；　and　perhaps　we　may　have　more　pleasure　in　viewing　these　fine　things；　than　the　owners　have　in　the　possession　of　them。'

'It　is　very　true；'　said　the　housekeeper；　'for　my　lord　and　lady　have　no　delight　in　all　this　magnificence；　for；　by　being　so　accustomed　to　it；　they　walk　through　all　these　apartments；　and　never　so　much　as　observe　or　amuse　themselves　with　the　work；　the　pictures；　or　anything　else；　or　if　they　observe　them　at　all；　it　is　rather　with　a　look　that　denotes　a　sort　of　weariness；　at　seeing　the　same　things　continually　before　them；　than　with　any　kind　of　pleasure。'　　And　then；　with　a　deep　sigh；　she　added；　'You　are；　indeed；　young　lady；　perfectly　in　the　right；　when　you　say　grandeur　and　happiness　do　not　always　go　together。'　　But　turning　off　the　discourse；　Mrs。　Wilson　forced　them　to　take　as　many　dried　sweetmeats　as　they　could　carry　away　with　them；　and　insisted　upon　their　promise　（with　Mrs。　Teachum's　consent）　that　they　should　come　another　time　to　see　the　gardens。　　They　then　took　their　leave　with　many　thanks；　and　the　greatest　civility；　and　discoursed　all　the　way　home；　on　the　fine　things　they　had　seen。　　Miss　Betty　Ford　said；　that　the　fine　gilding；　and　so　many　glittering　looking…glasses；　made　her　think　herself　in　Barbarico's　great　hall；　where　he　kept　all　his　treasure。

'No；'　says　Miss　Nancy　Spruce；　'it　was　not　half　so　much　like　that；　as　it　was　like　Brunetta's　fine　castle；　and　I　could　not　help　thinking　myself　the　Princess　Hebe；　and　how　much　I　should　have　been　pleased　with　such　a　fine　place　at　first；　just　as　she　was。'

'Indeed；'　says　Miss　Betty　Ford；　'you　are　in　the　right　of　it；　Miss　Nanny；　for　'twas　much　more　like　the　description　of　Brunetta's　castle；　than　what　I　said　myself。'

Miss　Jenny　was　pleased　to　hear　Miss　Betty　so　ready　to　own　herself　mistaken；　and　said　to　Miss　Nanny　Spruce；　'I　am　glad；　my　dear；　to　find　that　you　so　well　remember　what　you　read；　for　it　is　by　recalling　frequently　into　our　memories　the　things　we　have　read；　that　they　are　likely　to　be　of　any　service　to　us。'

Being　now　come　home；　they　entered　into　the　presence　of　their　governess　with　that　pleasure；　and　proper　confidence；　which　ever　attends　innocence　and　goodness；　and　Mrs。　Teachum　received　them　with　a　pleasing　smile。

Miss　Jenny　gave　her　governess　a　faithful　account　of　all　that　had　passed；　with　the　agreeable　entertainment　they　had　accidentally　met　with；　of　seeing　Lord　X's　fine　house；　and　the　great　civility　of　Mrs。　Wilson；　'Which　I　hope；　madam；'　said　Miss　Jenny；　'I　did　not　do　wrong　in　accepting。'　　'You　did　very　properly；　my　dear；'　said　Mrs。　Teachum；　'for　when　any　person　is　willing　to　oblige　you；　without　any　inconvenience　to　themselves；　it　is　always　right　to　accept　their　offer；　as　you　thereby　gratify　them；　by　putting　it　in　their　power　to　give　you　pleasure。'

Miss　Jenny　then　with　great　cheerfulness　and　freedom；　told　her　governess　all　that　had　paled　in　conversation；　both　in　their　walk　to　the　dairy　house；　and　at　Lord　X's；　what　little　Polly　had　said　in　the　housekeeper's　room；　as　also　Mrs。　Wilson's　answer；　and　said；　by　Mrs。　Wilson's　downcast　look；　she　was　afraid　that　poor　Lord　X　and　his　lady　were　not　so　happy　as　might　be　wished。　　'But；'　continued　she；　'I　did　not　ask　Mrs。　Wilson　any　questions；　because　you　have　taught　me；　madam；　carefully　to　avoid　the　least　appearance　of　impertinent　curiosity。'

'You　was　very　right；　my　dear；'　said　Mrs。　Teachum；　'in　asking　no　farther　questions；　nor　would　she；　I　dare　say；　as　she　is　a　prudent　woman；　have　gratified　you　if　you　had；　for　though　the　unhappy　story　is　too　well　known　all　over　the　country；　yet　it　would　have　been　very　unbecoming　in　one　of　the　family　to　have　published　it。'　　Mrs。　Teachum　saw　in　her　little　scholars'　eyes；　a　secret　wish　of　knowing　what　this　story　was；　and；　after　a　short　pause；　she　said；　'Since　I　find　you　disposed；　my　good　girls；　to　make　the　proper　use　of　what　you　hear；　I　will　indulge　your　curiosity。

'Lord　X　and　his　lady　have　been　married　seven　years；　Lord　X　is　the　wretchedest　creature　breathing；　because　he　has　no　children；　and　therefore　no　heir　to　his　title　and　large　estate。　　He　was　naturally　of　a　haughty　impetuous　temper；　and　impatient　of　any　the　least　disappointment；　and　this　disposition　not　being　subdued　in　his　youth；　has　led　him　into　all　sort　of　excesses。　　His　lady　is　not　much　better　tempered　than　himself；　and　valuing　herself　highly　upon　her　beauty；　and　the　large　fortune　she　brought　him；　greatly　resents　his　sometimes　insolent；　and　always　neglectful　usage　of　her。　　They　have　hitherto　lived　on　in　the　most　jarring；　disputing　manner；　and　took　no　care　to　conceal　their　quarrels　from　the　world；　but　at　last　they　have　agreed　to　part　by　consent；　and　the　different　journeys　they　this　morning　took；　I　suppose；　was　with　an　intent　of　final　separation。

'That　grandeur　and　happiness　do　not　always　go　together　（as　Mrs。　Wilson　observed　to　you）　is　seen　by　this　story；　which　I　was　the　more　willing　to　tell　you；　as　it　was　a　proper　introduction　to　a　fable　I　have　been　collecting　together　from　others；　for　your　use。　　You　know　that　all　my　endeavours　to　make　you　good；　are　only　intended　to　make　you　happy；　and　if　you　thoroughly　reflect　upon　the　truth　of　this　maxim；　which　I　so　often　endeavour　to　inculcate；　you　will　doubtless　reap　no　small　advantage　from　it。'

Here　Mrs。　Teachum　ceased　speaking；　and；　giving　Miss　Jenny　Peace　a　paper；　she　bid　her　read　it　aloud；　which　she　did；　and　it　contained　the　following　fable：



THE　ASSEMBLY　OF　THE　BIRDS。　A　　FABLE。

In　ancient　days；　there　was　a　great　contention　amongst　the　birds；　which；　from　his　own　perfections；　and　peculiar　advantages；　had　the　strongest　title　to　happiness；　and　at　last　they　agreed　to　refer　the　decision　of　the　debate　to　the　eagle。

A　day　was　appointed　for　their　meeting；　the　eagle　took　his　seat；　and　the　birds　all　attended　to　give　in　their　several　pleas。

First　spoke　the　parrot。　　Her　voice　so　dearly　resembling　human　speech；　and　which　enabled　her　to　converse　with　such　a　superior　race；　she　doubted　not　（she　said）　would　have　its　just　weight　with　the　eagle；　and　engage　him　to　grant　a　decree　in　her　favour；　and　to　this　plea　she　also　added；　that　she　dwelt　in　a　fine　cage　adorned　with　gold；　and　was　fed　every　day　by　the　hands　a　fair　lady。

'And　pray；　Mrs。　Poll；'　said　the　eagle；　'how　comes　it；　since　you　fare　so　sumptuously；　that　you　are　so　lean　and　meagre；　and　seem　scarcely　able　to　exert　that　voic